The Dark Secret of the Borton Islands (Yuna & Malin's 1x1)

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It was a bright, sunny July afternoon. The outside scenery of water all around the boat that twenty-one year old Nicole Grisham was on reminded her of why she was there in the first place. Her parents had given her one of the most generous college graduation gifts ever and had given her two tickets to a cruise. Of course, she had given the other one to one of her best friends. They'd known each other for years. In fact, with how long they had been friends, many of her other comrades teased and joked she should go out with him.

And while the idea wasn't bad, Nicole felt .. unworthy. She acted much more like a tomboy than the typical 'woman'. And from what she knew of him, he seemed to keep to traditions. Besides, she tended to lash out abruptly, she had tons of other flaws with herself - although she'd never admit about half of them aloud. All in all, he just felt ... out of her league. Very much so.

Her head shook, causing crimson strands to move side to side as her blue-green eyes glanced out the window once again.

"The vacation just started yesterday. This isn't gonna last forever. Enjoy it, damnit." she scolded herself, stretching as she got up to her feet and changed into a pair of jeans, and tank top. Nicole had slept in a matching pair of clean blue, silk lingerie so those articles of clothing had already been dealt with.

Her eyes looked briefly around the room and stopped on her Smart phone. It almost felt a bit rude to take such an item with her. But she liked to be cautious. Besides, she'd bought one of the waterproof versions. It wasn't like it wouldn't be able to handle a splash or two.

After nodding to herself and mentally double checking herself, Nicole pocketed the electronic device into her right pocket, pulling out a small set of headphones which she slid into her ears. With a few deft movements of her fingers, she returned to the music section and hit the "Play" button. A playlist that had been paused but remembered on the phone began to resume playing.

The first song that began to echo in her ears made Nicole inwardly chuckle. Within moments, she registered Kelly Clarkson's song, "Miss Independent" had been the first song she would hear for the day. It was one of her theme songs for the most part. It tended to describe her pretty damn well in terms of personality. And this was definitely one of Kelly's better songs.

While Nicole waited for her friend to wake up and join her out on the deck, her mind briefly traveled to her parents. They were probably okay though she knew they tended to worry about her sometimes. It was a bit stupid in her mind and eyes. But they always insisted it was parental instincts. It seemed fair enough. After all, Nicole had her own instinctive moments sometimes.

Her mind then went to what to do after this. She'd graduated from Sam Houston State University in Texas with a major in Psychology and minor in Criminal Justice. There were probably many options .... maybe too many.

Her head shook as she let out a soft sigh.

Don't worry about that. You can think of this after, okay? Just chill .. relax.

After glancing up towards the clear, blue sky, her own eyes closed as she held firmly onto the rail, listening to a mix of the songs coming from her playlist, the waves impacting with the boat, and the beating of her heart in her chest.

Thomas rolled onto his side in the bed, and woke slowly. College graduation had been rather... ceremonious, and this ship had a free bar for guests. There was a small metallic taste to Thomas's mouth, and as he got up his body was quick to judge him for the drinking. He coughed, feeling the headache, and got to his feet. He shuffled along the floor taking note of the way that everything seemed to sway under his feet. It didn't take him long to get dressed, and after a quick trip to the galley he had himself a cup of coffee that he slowly nursed as he walked along the ship.

There was no question that he felt honored to be here along side Nicole. The two had been friends since elementary and when she asked him to go on this trip, he had eagerly accepted the ticket. He kept rubbing the back of his neck as he nursed the coffee. Walking up onto the top deck he took a breath of fresh salt air, and then winced feeling the light hit his eyes.

Of course there had been friends that told him he should pounce on Nicole, go out with her, and be more then 'just a friend' as he had constantly reminded them, but the idea sounded cheap to him. Nicole deserved the best of the best, and for some reason he felt like she was simply out of his league. She was brilliant with a degree that would actually get her places, not to say that my undergrad won't get me into law school, but it's still 4 more years till i get into a law firm as a defense lawyer.

He shook his head, debt later, party now! this was supposed to be a vacation away from the rest of the world, defense, and law could all wait until after he got back right now his best friend was waiting for him.

despite the size of the ship it didn't take him long to find his friend. He smiled when he finally found her, and gave a small tap onto her shoulder smiling as he looked at her, his eyes were now only slightly shadowed as the caffeine did it's work. "Morning." He said with a more then happy smile.

Maybe it was just the bright morning light, and her red hair, but she seemed to be radiating. It was actually very... attractive. He sighed trying to hide the fact that he felt that way. He was male, and his best friend was a very attractive female, of course he knew that he liked her. Shaking his head he pulled Nicole into a quick and soft hug, before he returned to nursing his coffee.

"So what's on the docket for the cruse today?" He said smiling, as he felt the boat shift slightly under his feet. that was kind of odd with a boat this large it was actually kind of hard to imagine the boat rocking, then again they were in the ocean. Waters were bound to be a little rougher out here then on his dad's little fishing boat.

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As Nicole's eyes stayed shut, they thought back to an array of things. Sometimes it went to her home of Dallas, Texas; others it went to her other friends, a few times it even went to her ex. The last thought took her aback and confused her. She was more than glad to be away from the cheating bastard so .. why had he entered her mind at all?

Probably because he introduced you to all the sexier aspects of life and it's been too long ...

Well, some of them. She'd known of sex from high school. It'd been damn close and Nicole had almost actually let her ex be her first man. But thankfully, her instincts had kicked in and her thoughts screamed it would have been a mistake. Sure enough, not but a few days after she broke up, Nicole had found out he'd been going out with at least two other women plus herself.

Even still, come the hell on. Now isn't the time to be thinking of sex, masturbation, or anything like that ...

The thoughts made her cheeks flush slightly. Thankfully, something new arrived to help distract her from the images as her ears detected movement not too far away from her. Even when Nicole wore her headphones, they were never turned up all the way in volume. That being said, she heard Thomas' footsteps approaching her. But ... why not? She could tease and play along. For the time being, he could feel as if he'd actually managed to sneak up behind her and take her by surprise. Even without saying anything aloud, Thomas would know when Nicole turned around and faced him that she had heard him arrive.

"You know how loud you are sometimes?" she teased, chuckling softly as she wrapped one arm around him to return the hug as her right removed the earphones. "No, no. Don't worry though. I've just always been that good with my hearing. Anyway .... hm."

Keeping the earphones draped gently around her neck, she fished around in her left pocket and pulled out a brochure. "A lot of swimming opportunities, be it in an actual pool, waterpark, or both all day today. A casino and nightclub are both supposed to be available sometime during the evening. Magic show around the afternoonish, looking out for any life underneath the water though they seem to emphasize dolphins and sharks. There's even the ability to go down in those cages and get a more close-up view for those bold enough."

The gleam in her eyes suggested that even if Thomas didn't want to, Nicole was seriously considering that.

"Don't worry. I know all the rules about what to do or not do with them. Besides, there are few that actually just attack randomly. Moreover, it's still a thought in process. Nothing's definite ... not yet."

She gently handed over the brochure, allowing him to see for himself. Nicole remembered he had consumed some alcohol last night and although she was now legal to do so, she'd passed. There would be tons of other chances to grab some booze. For the time being, she wanted to remain alert and sober. Whether Thomas was actually in that sort of state, however, was a different story.

"Just feel free to toss some ideas or things that catch your eye. Be careful not to throw anything overboard though, yeah?" she teased, her smile widening as Nicole went silent and allowed Thomas to quietly read the pamphlet on all the cruise had to offer them.

Thomas had to suck back his breath for a moment hearing all of the options. The cruise was a full week long so there was plenty of chances to do everything, but there was some truly interesting thoughts to what was being offered. A look at the sea life would be interesting, but he was pretty sure that they were in deep water, and the cruise ship would have to be at one of it's resting points to actually use a cage. The idea of getting up close and personal with a shark was certainly tempting, but by the broshure "they won't break out the cages till the mid way resting point, can't use them while the cruise ship is still in motion, too dangerous."

He gave the small grin and stuck his tongue out. His father had taught him all he had known about fishing. Shark spotting was much the same. He took another drink of his coffee. Casino? sounded interesting, but neither of them were very rich, and being broke and on a cruise ship did not sound like fun. they only had a couple hundred on them each.

He chewed over the thought of getting to see a magic show. Catching a vegas style entertainer would be kind of neat, but that wasn't till later. With all other options exhausted it seemed like they had only one. "Pool side?" It was certainly a great day for going out onto the deck side pool. There was another small shake to the boat and a mild wind brewing, but he didn't see any storm fronts so there was nothing to worry about.

He took another drink of the coffee, and felt more invigorated with each and every sip. Enjoying the taste as he stretched. He was already wearing water proof shorts, and he had a travel pouch with sunscreen. He was more then ready to kick it pool side for a couple of hours, and the sun was so warm and beckoning him up. Even slightly hung over he could see the advantage to going for a swim, and he actually kind of wanted too see Nicole in her swimwear.

"oh and we could always just explore the ship. I mean this thing is huge." He said turning around and looking in a couple of directions. "But if you ask me I say we explore, and find the above ground pool." He said with a coy smile. As he turned on his heels and started walking. How hard could it be to find one above ground pool on a deck as large as this one?

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To be fair, Nicole had realized the only immediate option they could indulge in would likely be the swimming. But that didn't mean she wouldn't sneak in a few teases here and there to Thomas. "I see. If I didn't know better, I'd swear you had some other hidden motives going through your head. But .. I suppose we do have to wait for a lot of the others so, I can accept that answer." Her fingers tapped against her hips a few times as she pondered on using her lingerie as a makeshift swimming suit instead of a real one. It wouldn't be the worst option but ... maybe she could do that one later.

"If you really wanna go for that, however, we should get more ready, don't ya think? Let's meet back in -- ohh -- five to ten? Sound fair."

Without waiting for much of a reply, she turned on her heels and headed back into her room. As she got inside, she closed and locked the door. Nicole then detached the earphones from her Smart phone and set them down on her bedside mantle. She'd at least keep the phone with her ... just in case. It was always better, from her past experiences in an array of circumstances, to be more safe than sorry. She set a bikini down on the bed first before beginning to strip.

About half-way through the task, however, she felt a slightly harsher than usual wave impact with the ship. The amount of force damn well nearly made her fall onto the bed. A frown crossed her face as she finished putting her two-piece swim suit on, concealing it with the same pair of jeans and tank top Thomas had seen her in not long ago.

Where in the hell are these coming from all of a sudden? The sky looked ... fine. So ... how is this happening?

Clutching her phone in both hands, she wandered out of her room to begin to meet with Thomas. Simultaneously, she was beginning to look up the weather -- or at least attempt to find if there was a reason the waves seemed more harsh than usual. It wasn't just something that was randomly happening though. Everything occurred for reasons, no matter how petty or major they were.

Thomas walked back to his room, for a moment getting changed, as he stripped down and made sure that he had swim shorts under a set of more comfortable track pants. And a muscle shirt. He didn't want to have to walk around deck without proper clothing, no matter how bright it was outside there was a breeze kicking up. Walking out of his room, he was basically ready to hit the pool.

When another wave shifted the boat he felt slightly disturbed by the actions of the water. There was something wrong with the amount of shifting that the waves made. There was no way a cruise ship this size should have been tossed around like this unless the water was rough, unless they were near a costal storm. He sighed not wanting to worry, but at the same time finding something wrong with that idea.

Walking around outside he quickly found and noticed Nicole, who was currently looking up things on her cellphone. This was his chance to actually sneak up on her. She was never going to let herself be a bigger target then she was right now. He smiled deviously as he set to work, making sure that his feet didn't make a sound as he sneaked up behind her. Creeping along her blind spot and making sure that she focused on her phone, his arms slipped around in front of her and quickly covered her eyes. "Boo!"

He smiled brightly. "Now who moves loudly? I could hear you a hallway away." He said smiling not paying any attention to the weather warning on her phone and distracting her from what should have been an obvious warning to stay away from the top deck. "Ready to hit the pool?" He asked curious to see what bathing suite she had packed. He moved up to the doors and pulled her hand towards the stair case.

Going up onto the deck the sky seemed a lot darker, and more cloudy. He quickly passed it off though. He wanted to ignore the warning signs and just have fun, Walking along the deck he was trying to set to the task of finding the pool. "Which way..." He mumbled slightly wondering how they were going to get to the pool. Everything is going to be fine so really it should be fine to just sit back and have some fun right? this was supposed to be a vacation.

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This time, it was indeed easy for Thomas to sneak up on Nicole. The very last thing on her mind was her friend considering getting back at her earlier. Seconds before his hands went over her eyes, she was able to note the warning. A frown crossed her face at both the news of the weather and when Thomas did end up temporarily taking away her sight. "Goddamnit, please don't! I .. I know earlier I ... but this is serious!" Nicole sighed then took a deep breath, shaking her head as she turned around to face Thomas. "That ... wouldn't be wise, unfortunately." she replied sadly, an apologetic look in her blue eyes.

Her hand reached over as she began to show Thomas exactly what she'd meant. But before it could reach Thomas's eyes, another wave hit, this time much harder than any of the others. Not only did it make Nicole lose her balance but her back slammed into the deck behind her.

"Fuck!" she hissed in pain and agony, panting through gritted teeth. Her eyes peeked back behind her, almost as if she were expecting the worst possible sea creatures to be waiting and at the ready for either of them to fall in. And at this rate, it wasn't just sharks that were concern. With how bad this storm was quickly getting, she wouldn't be too shocked if the kraken, an enraged god Poseidon, or anything else that shouldn't be alive proving her wrong right then and there.

Her hand shook as it slowly moved and began to place her Smart phone into her pocket. The damn thing might be waterproof but that didn't mean she wanted to lose it either. Luckily, she was able to at least put it away before the unwanted sound of the bells ringing from the cruise ship all but spelled it out. The worst of the storm was beginning to form and the captain - or someone at least - had noticed this and were setting the alarm off to hint everyone had to get to safety, preferably in their rooms.

Her eyes locked onto Thomas's as she gave him another quiet look. She knew none of this was her fault by any means. But the timing really couldn't have been any worse. The same definitely applied to the next wave, which made her look shift to one of shock and fear. The wave didn't just hit the side of the ship but a lot of water went over the ship, helping catch Nicole offguard. Her mouth closed to avoid swallowing too much salt as her head breached the liquid in time to feel her body almost effortlessly lifted up and over the edge.

If she'd been unconscious, Nicole definitely would have fallen into the actual ocean, ending up beside ... hell if she knew which creatures. Instead, her arms shot up as they grabbed tightly onto the railing. Her head turned as she coughed a few times before looking back over the railing. "Thomas! Get ... get back! I'll be there in a bit!"

It was the wrong thing to cry out and she knew it. But hell if Nicole was going to literally drag Thomas down with her. Besides, the prideful side of her was damn sure she could pull herself up again. Her arms began to work desperately on pulling her body back up and over, aching more and more each time another attempt failed. Her teeth gripped her lower lip to hide a whimper of fear, knowing if this kept up much longer, she wouldn't be able to keep her word. In fact, there was no guarantee she'd live. She could swim, definitely. But she wasn't used to doing so in a fucking storm! Let alone in waters with dangerous creatures. This ... was completely new and had so many more risks that most people typically didn't have to worry about.

Thomas unfortinately had his mouth wide open, a look of -oh fuck- plastered across his face as he grabbed the railing and let his body be pressed against it. For a moment he breathed salt water as the powerful waters crushed his body into the railing allowing him to feel exactly where the bruises would fester as his back was slammed hard against the metal netting. For a moment after the wave his mind was a flood of activity as he felt wet and cold, and his lungs struggled to get the water out, and air in. A moment later it was the screams of his close friend that brought him back, and allowed the ringing in his ears to subside.

Clouds were moving in now, and he could hear thunder and lightning. This was a tropical storm, and a hell of a one at that. Thomas moved as quickly as he could grabbing hold of Nicole's arm. He hadn't noticed what she was screaming, only really caring that his oldest and closest friend was on the other side of the railing dangling for her life. Holding onto her skin so hard that his hand hurt, he pulled her up, His hands leaving white marks along her flesh. "Not gonna-"

The thing that cut him off was that the ship dipped to the side, even the previous wave which had flooded the deck hadn't caused a wake where the ship had dipped towards the other side. Turning his head, his already pale face turned even more white. He held onto Nicole. as the wave arked around the cruse ship and bashed against it, the crest of the wave crashing down right on top of them as Thomas felt pressure run through his entire body. Holding onto Nicole he felt the world give away as he was throne off the side, and the pressure of the wave forcing him to take Nicole with him. Suddenly they were both in free fall, and just like that the moment he slammed against the cold water, his head hitting hard against the waves with no grace or performance that he was knocked unconscious.

For a long moment Thomas had thought that he was simply dead, his body felt cold, and his senses were pretty much gone. He felt adrift in darkness, everything around him was muted, and there was nothing. After what felt like aimless drifting however something bashed him against the head. Thomas awoke with a roar, his lungs gasping as he felt his faclties return to him, He grabbed onto the log that had hit him, and felt rain pelting his body.

His eyes opened and he felt tired, hurt, he scanned the skies that were dark, but also not nearly as bad as the tropical storm that had swallowed him, the current had pulled him fast and quick away from the boat and the storm. He couldn't trust his eyes, but he could see an island not far from where he was. "Nicole!" his lungs ached as he screamed but he did his best to try. The waters were lapping against him, and he knew full well that the waters here were not safe. Pushing away from the log, he had one chance right now to save himself. Nicole would have to meet him on that island... If it was even real.

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Nicole's head shook frantically from side to side as Thomas's hands intertwined with hers. "No! Just ... just leave me, please." Her pleas were cut short, however, as the boat actually tilted, making her lean closer to the waiting water. Tears threatened to form in her eyes as she continued to hold on for her life, an uncertain fate still waiting below. She wasn't ready to give up. Unfortunately, the storm was all but forcing her to do just that. As the strong wave hit her once again, she felt herself falling with Thomas. She almost wondered if any of this was real. Her doubts quickly vanished as she fell roughly into the ocean.

As her eyes caught sight of Thomas passing out, she tried to reach out to him, to hold onto him. The last thing she wanted was to get separated from him, especially in a horrible storm like this.

"Thom -- !!"

Her scream got drowned out as more waves covered her, as if trying to take over the place of a blanket. Every time she almost found enough strength to reach out to her friend, another harsh wave seemed to impact and halt her. Soon, however, Nicole felt a more immediate concern to worry about that was about as vital as drowning.

The water began to turn a bit crimson. Her hand slid up and found her forehead. Sure enough, something had caused her to start bleeding.

Oh ... oh shit! Oh shit!

Panic swept over Nicole as she tried to swim, despite her arms aching badly from each effort. She didn't have to be an oceanologist to understand the very real danger that could follow and find her. Each new wave that found and swept over Nicole filled more and more of her lungs with water as opposed to air. And as they continued to work on her body, the young woman felt more and more of her consciousness slipping. Finally, she felt herself stop. Her arms fell at her sides as she began to sink.

.... No .... oh fuck. Is that .. ??

With the last thing catching her eye being a silhouette akin to a shark's body, Nicole blacked out. How long she stayed that way was beyond her. Needless to say, she was amazed but relieved to be able to wake up.

".... Fuck!" she gasped and panted wildly, coughing as she began rubbing her eyes. It definitely stung, especially with some salt still in her blue orbs. Her head turned in time to see a fin vanish from sight.

... A dolphin saved me?

The thought made Nicole unable to help but chuckle weakly as she slowly got up to her feet, trembling a bit. Her hand raised again to her head. Most of the bleeding had stopped though she could feel the wound was still there. Whatever had caused it was pretty damn sharp. But as far as she could note, it wasn't too deep. For a while, she just stood there in shock as everything replayed in her head. She could have died. In fact, she probably should have. But a dolphin had actually saved her. At least ... that's what it was, right? Not a mermaid?

Don't be fucking stupid. Now you're going crazy ..

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Thomas's voice. Her feet shook as they began trying to follow his voice. She stayed silent for a few brief moments before calling back, "Thomas?! Here .... ngh .... "

Struggling to move in the ocean it got to the point where he was almost certain he was going to drown before he actually touched the sand, that was until he suddenly heard Nicole calling his name. Suddenly the island was even more important. He practically crawled through the water feeling every moment drain him of what energy he had, and by the time his feet hit solid ground and he had trudged himself out of the water he coughed and heaved. Everything burned thanks to the ocean, and he felt even more tired and cold thanks to the unforgiving rain and wind.

Pulling himself onto the beach he looked to Nicole. He was shaking, his body exaugsted as he fell to the sandy beach. Breathing out a tired sigh, as he looked at Nicole. A small chuckle escaped him as he thought about where they had been moments ago, and that now they were here. He would have asked if they were dead, but the simple fact that everything was painful answered that question quickly enough. You can't be in pain if your dead, they had lived. through being tossed off of the cruise ship. "I'm here." He mumbled more or less into the sand. He wanted to pass out, but as he was now he was feezing. He could still feel the rain on his skin, and slowly but surely he got back to his feet.

Looking at Nicole for the first time since they had fallen off the ship he smiled. Just seeing her again gave him an odd kind of strength. If he could have chosen anyone to be stranded on an island with there was no one better then her that was certainly for sure. He wanted to hug her, but he didn't have the strength if he grabbed her now he was likely going to pull her to the ground and crash on top of her. Instead he simply moved for the tree cover, and started to take off his shirt.

He felt the sting of cold against a cut along his back as he moved to take off his shirt, the salt water making his body shiver as it stung. reaching back he could feel blood from the cut, but it wasn't deep. "Today is just full of miracles." He said under his breath.

Despite the situation he couldn't have meant it any more then he could right now. They were alive, and they managed to stay together. That alone was enough to make Thomas feel like he should be celebrating. Finding a dry spot under the tree, he gestured for her to follow him. "We need to get warm... and dry." He said still feeling a chill. Dropping his track pants he couldn't have been happier at the knowledge that they were both in swim suites. The fabric would dry a lot faster then there regular clothing, and it meant that neither of them had to get naked, just strip down to the bare essentuals to get dry.

The sad part of course was that he didn't have a lighter, or enough energy to make a fire. So the only option he had was simply to huddle with Nicole and wait for the storm to pass. "Did you by any chance manage to save your phone?" Even if she did he doubted there would be any kind of reception on this island. Rather it seemed far more likely that they were on some uninhabited island where they would have to wait for several years to get rescue.

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Her body was far more sore than trembling, although Nicole definitely felt the effects from both. Still, she managed to coerce herself to follow Thomas and sit beside him underneath the tree. Her legs all but gave in as she slumped down, allowing her back to fall against the tree behind her. Her head fell as it tilted back before glancing to study the figure beside her. It was definitely Thomas, thank gods. Her own smile appeared on her face. Despite being tossed off the same cruise ship she'd been on moments ago, her thoughts were very similar to Thomas's. If this had to have happened, she was glad to endured everything that had occurred with him. There was no one else she could see herself with. She let an arm drape slowly and carefully over his shoulder, making sure to be cautious and avoid his back.

"Surprises for sure along with miracles." she added, nodding in agreement. "I ... fuck. I can't believe that happened; any of it. This is the kind of shit you usually read about or watch happening to others. To actually experience it?! Fuck ... "

Her head shook from side to side as another chuckle left her lips. "Well ... it was definitely not the way I imagined it but we kinda got our swim in." Nicole mused, making an attempt to lighten the mood up. She was pissed; oh fuck yes she was. But losing her temper wouldn't do a damn thing. And as much as Nicole hated to admit that to herself, she knew the worst thing to do was have an audible cursing fit.

Keeping her right hand over Thomas's shoulder, she began using her left to maneuver herself and strip, starting with her jeans. Her hips moved slightly as she shimmied out of them, revealing the lower half of her bikini. Her arm finally moved to properly take the tank top off properly, showing the top which looked more like a bra almost save for two very thin strings keeping the damn thing together. Even though it was bound, it was also obvious to Thomas it'd take little to no effort to pull on it in order to show her chest off. Unlike her lingerie she'd switched out of, the bikini was a pink-red color, helping compliment her hair.

"I ..." Nicole grabbed her jeans, searching her pocket. Thankfully, it hadn't somehow left even during the rough storm. A sigh of relief left as she slowly nodded. "Yeah, I did. But ... the charger is back on the boat. So even if it works ... it's not gonna last unless we can somehow find a place that may have a charger. That being said ... "

Nicole slowly turned it off, knowing every ounce of battery it still had would be very valuable to them both. And because of that, she wanted - no, needed to conserve it.

"Bandages ... " she added, scooting a bit closer to Thomas to help them both remain warm. "We .. both ... need them, to be able to more properly wash these off ... damnit. I'll try to search for where we are in a bit. Right now, I ... kinda just ... wanna forget about what happened. I don't know about you but my swim was ... terrifying to say the least."

"It certainly was not what I had planned." Thomas spoke as one of his eyes closed. He pressed his head against Nicoles shoulder for a moment glad to have her, and his arm wrapped lightly around her back touching her stomach. He was careful to avoid her head as she was also wounded but for the moment he felt safe, at least a little more safer then he thought he should be. Fresh water, and all of those were certainly a good thing, but at the same time all he cared about in this moment was getting sleep and keeping warm.

He was so tired, but he didn't let his eyes close not yet. He chuckled slightly at the fact that he had his oldest friend and comrade at his side. Looking at her in the light of the storm he jumped slightly when there was a crack of lightning. He let out a long breath as he looked at her. "You know aside from the worst swim of my life, and being out in the middle of the ocean. I think this just became the most eventful vacation of my life." He had to go through dry sarcastic humor otherwise he would have been spitefully screaming at the situation.

Yes Thomas was angry, and he needed to be, right now it felt almost like that energy was the only thing keeping him alive. The problem of course was the fact that while it was keeping him alive it was also draining him of what little energy he had left. While he knew that Nicole wanted to forget, Thomas had the other reaction he was fixated and having so many different questions.

Did anyone else make it off the boat? hell did the boat even capsize? There was also the thought of other family. Nicoles parents had given them the tickets for the cruise, and his own parents would end up worrying about them.

The truth however was that none of that actually mattered when compared to the needs of their own survival. Things like fresh water and food. Warmth and shelter, stuff like that. "Cleaning the wounds will wait for a moment. Salt water probably helped a little with that, and the cold will help slow the bleeding." He said lightly.

He smiled, lightly and moved a little closer to Nicole's body. Feeling himself pressed against her. He let out a long sigh. "At least we are together." He said lightly. "If I had to walk through hell like this, I'm glad that it's at least with you."

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"Fair enough. Mine was ... definitely nothing I expected either. Hell, this entire scenario with being tossed off the island ... I never would have seen it coming. Not even if a damn fortune teller told me before I went on this trip." Her eyes slowly closed, temporarily hiding from view as she replayed the events and thought on the words that Thomas had said to her. Despite his cheerful replies, it was a fair guess that he was probably as pissed off on being stuck as she was. At the same time, however, he likely had the same logic ... which was good. They'd need to be able to think clearly to properly survive this ordeal. It only reassured Nicole that she truly was stuck with the best person possible.

"Mhm, definitely. This is one of the most unique and eventful days of my life. Vacations for damn sure." she agreed softly, letting her hand begin to gently massage the shoulder it had been resting on.

"For now ... sleep?" she suggested, opening her right eye to show that if needed, she could remain awake a bit longer. "Or should we wait for that?"

As the pause lingered over the two, her mind continued to pester Nicole's mind. She could have died. And the knowledge that she probably should have only made it worse for her. Thus, it made her realize any day really could be her last. After thinking quietly to herself, she nodded gently before speaking aloud.

"Hey .. Thomas? What's ... what do you want one of these days? I guess ... what goals do you have for yourself? I hope I'm making some sense."

She figured if she was going to try to toss any hints, she'd make an attempt at being subtle. Besides, his reactions would better help determine what she should or shouldn't say. But maybe everyone who had teased her to warm up and go out with him had a good point. He definitely wouldn't be the worst individual to choose. And if they could continue to live through this, eventually leave this place, she wouldn't mind the idea of dating him. Or they could technically begin now after they rested; it was a major work in progress racing through her head.

Thomas had to laugh for a moment when she asked him what his goals were at the moment. He struggled on that one, feeling his back hurt, and his lungs burn as he laughed. Not because he was in pain but rather just from the sudden exhaling of air and the burning that the pathways of his lungs had to go through. He shook his head still giggling slightly a small smile creeping across his face. He had been all too ready to accept her offer of sleep, but now he was suddenly rather awake. He looked at Nicole wondering why she was asking him a question he couldn't have an answer for right now.

"I always wanted to get into law, I'm an undergrad about to transfer into law school. Eventually I was going to be a deffense attorney. You know all pointing fingers and shouting 'objection' at the top of my lungs."

He rolled his eyes it was only a day ago, but for some reason that life felt a lot different then he would have thought it would be. "Aside from that, Settle down? have a family stuff like that." He rubbed the back of his head. "You know me, I didn't really party much, and I was never the guy who 'played the field' If anything I was the boring guy that none of the girls ever took interest in. Actually because of how close we were... most people kind of thought I was gay." He said waving off his hand.

He shook his head. Yes he had feelings for Nicole, and while he could admit that this bizarre event of being trapped on an island with her really just ended making it feel like the universe was trying to tell him something. He smiled lightly as he rested his head against her. He doubted that she felt the same way about him, but at the same time they were well and truly alone together, with only each other to depend on. He had to admit that would make for a hell of a first date.

"Other than that... I'd say the biggest goal in my life is to have a fire by nightfall so that we don't get eaten alive by mosquito's and what ever else is on this island, oh and find clean water to drink." He shifted only to feel the bark against his cut which made him jump slightly. Thomas made a 'thsk' sound as he breathed through his teeth, and let out a long sigh.

"What about you? Any dreams you have... aside from getting off this island?"

He shook his head. As tired as he was his body was starting to warm up, and with his mental faculties retuning he really wanted that fire.

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Nicole's smile widened as Thomas went on to answer her question. A smirk mingled in with her smile as she began to visualize Thomas pointing a finger at a shady culprit and yelling out "Objection!". "Honestly? That'd be an interesting image. But more importantly, if it's what you want .. keep going for it. Assuming this island has a name and way to get off. Though .. if we got here, I'd assume there is a such a way." A small sigh passed her lips as she continued gently massaging one of Thomas's shoulders.

Her head lightly tilted in intrigue as Thomas confessed he wanted to have a family. "Really? For a while, you almost seemed like you were too serious to consider that. It's good to see I'm wrong for once. A family's not a bad goal. That's ... one of mine, eventually. I know what my degrees I earned say I can do. But in terms of choosing an actual job? I haven't thought yet on that. There's too many open doors for me and ... I'm trying to find which is labeled as what, which I want to get near or don't, things like that. That must sound kinda dumb, huh? To go through with getting a major and minor but not knowing what to do after?"

She mentally dismissed the thought that people had been stupid enough to assume Thomas may have been gay. He also wasn't alone in the 'not a heavy party-type' of person. Neither did Nicole. Hell, she hadn't had her first - legal or otherwise - drink yet. It didn't mean she couldn't be wild; just that .. she was very picky and selective on it. It was also incredibly limited to how she indulged in that side, tending to favor really good masturbation sessions when she felt they were needed.

"Hm ... a fire would be good. But I don't have any kind of lighter. Maybe ... maybe there's a town here? I dunno. Australia's an island and a continent so ... maybe we're somewhere like that if not on the very same location?" It might not be the most likely answer but hell, it'd be a start.

"Aside from the family and getting off the island .... I guess figuring out what I wanna do with myself in terms of a job and such. Other than that? Not off the top of my head, no. It'll probably come to me in some odd form of inspiration ... a dream or something maybe."

Both eyes subconsciously opened as she let her head rest against Thomas's. Even in the stressful situation they were in, there was - thankfully - a source of hope and comfort. If they'd been able to survive falling off the ship and avoid drowning, they could figure their way around here. It'd take time and .. dear gods, hopefully someone spoke English. It didn't have to be perfect, just enough to be able to talk and communicate. But if no one did ... fuck, then what? She did have apps on her smart phone for that, yes. But those would only be able to help for so long.

Yeah .. they'd need to find at least one person who did speak English. But Thomas was right. Before any of that, a fire was definitely needed and preferably some food pretty quickly if not a more fresh source of water.

"We don't need a lighter, that's just the simple way of doing it." He smiled lightly. As he continued to lean against her a moment of clarity hit him. He felt oddly safe around her, but there was something else that was bugging him. The question that he had always been a little too afraid to ask, both out of respect for her and out of fear of the answer. He swallowed because in this moment, they were well and truly and alone with no one else around for miles. This would be the one and only chance he could ever get.

"Nicole." He said lightly looking at her. The two of them had known each other for many years, and now was the moment of truth. He pressed her slightly more against him holding her close since he needed her for both warmth and comfort. "After we tend to our immediate needs of survival. Do you think you would be willing to."

He paused for a moment trying to think over what he wanted to ask with that, and finally he just let out a long sigh. "Consider me as a boyfriend?" The term honestly sounded a little too innocent for what he actually wanted. After this adventure what he wanted was a family more then he wanted his law career. Oh he was still going to work towards his defense attorney badge. It was and is important to him, but he was tired of being alone, and honestly he always kind of knew that Nicole would be the choice for him.

He got up slowly his legs finding new strength, and feeling a weight lift off of him. "You don't have to give me an answer right now, but I'm gonna go and try to see what dry wood I can find before all of the light fades and it's too dark to see anything." He said with a smile getting up and walking through the woods his bare feet brushed along the ground as he searched for wood as best as he could, finding sticks, and bundles of little pieces when he could.

Suddenly he was very thankful for his father again. The fishing trips that had always seemed so boring as a kid, and the camping trips that he had so often hated, had resulted in giving him enough outdoor experience that he could at the least start a fire with just about anything. Ripping off a good sized piece of dry bark, he gathered a few more bundles of sticks, and some dry moss.

As he walked he made sure to stay close to the beach, but at the same time wandered inland, hoping to see a land mark, and what he saw gave him hope. Quickly returning with his wood pile he had the biggest grin of the century on his face, as he returned to see that she hadn't moved. He started digging in the sand laying down the bark first and then the moss and kindling as he got to work using the sharp stick method. Barely three minutes later he had a small fire, with enough wood to last them an hour or two. looking back towards Nicole he couldn't help but smile.

"I saw a road."

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"Hm, true enough I guess. We probably can find other ways to make one."

When Thomas went changed the subject, Nicole could hear the almost instant shift in his tone. It was serious and even a bit anxious. Her head tilted again, her pulse quickening as he became even closer against her body. The pause made her both curious and nervous herself. It felt foolish considering she wasn't the one asking the question, yes. But suddenly, she almost began to guess what he was about to ask. Thus, when the question was finally asked aloud, Nicole found herself genuinely speechless.

For years, she'd seemed like the 'overly tough' woman. And the mindset almost always scared guys off as opposed to turning them off. So ... to hear that Thomas was willing to bear with her personality and date her took her aback. At the same time, an array of emotions - more positive than negative ones - began to swim through her. This was a good thing. Her own smile widened. Nicole had been ready to give him the answer. But alas, he left before she could speak.

... So hasty sometimes ....

Still, he was making an effort to forget about her .. flaws, be it an actual one or just a very unorthodox type of behavior she displayed. It would only be fair to do the same back. While Thomas was away, Nicole began gently humming to herself. She'd maybe try singing later. But right now, this was the boldest she could comfortably be.

Nicole was both relieved and a bit amazed to see Thomas return so soon. She hadn't known he had been taught survival techniques but ah well. If anything, it was a blessing because she didn't know shit. At most, Nicole did have some hand-to-hand and firearms training under her belt but not much more.

In less than five minutes, the two had a fire. More than that, they supposedly had a route to follow. Nicole's smile widened more as Thomas revealed he'd found a road. "No shit. Really?! That's great! Okay ... good. Now hopefully, we can find a place to have the needed essentials at."

Especially a method to wash and dry her clothes. It was a really long shot, but there could be a source that would let the wifi on her smart phone work? Even without it, she could use it to certain degrees. It would just determine how much if there could be any type of internet.

"Good, good. Okay ... should we check it out in the morning then? Or after we warm up?" she inquired eagerly.

Thomas warmed his hands by the fire, before taking a stick, and holding it towards the hottest point of the fire. His back was still bleeding, they didn't have bandages, and frankly he was starting to think the wound reached deeper then he thought. Waiting till the stick had a good amount of sterile black charcoal and the tip was hot, he looked towards his friend, and knew what he was going to ask her was going to sound rather bad. He bit his lip bracing himself for a moment. "This wound along my back... I need you to cauterize it."

He was still heating the stick, before he shook his head. "We should wait until the storm subsides." He said pointing to the fact that while they still had a dry spot there was still rain and lightning going off in the distance. the occasional rumble of thunder. "We would get further in the morning then we would at night anyway." He said slightly saddened by the idea, but at the same time the road gave them a little hope. if the island had something like a road that meant there were people here as well.

Till they found the other people however they had the delightful opportunity to rest by a fire, and instantly everything was starting to feel just a little better. Survival training as much as he hated it was paying off a little. He would have to thank his father next time he saw him, and the fact that this island had a road meant that it probably had a port or an airstrip. One way or another they would get back home from this island.

There were many other thoughts that were going through Thomas's head but the first and foremost had to be his own bleeding. "The fire will kill any and all infection, but it will leave a bit of a scar when it heals." He said handing her the stick but making sure that the fire didn't go out. "All you have to do is brush the tip, against the wound, the burning skin will seal the wound... instant scar tissue instant disinfectant." He said bracing himself more. "I did this once as a kid... hurts like a fucking bitch."

He smiled lightly looking at her in the pale fire light, aside from the shallow cut she had on her head, she was enchantingly beautiful her red hair seemed to be glowing. He blushed slightly remembering the question he had asked her a few moments before, and now his own green eyes were locking with her, his brown hair and pale skin glowing in the firelight.

If I weren't so tired right now... I'd honestly consider asking her to have sex with me right here. He thought rather amusingly. He was very much a virgin. Which was kind of sad, there had been crushes in the past, but since he had never acted on any of them he had never gotten so far. That wasn't to say he didn't know what to do in terms of sex. He had watched enough porn to know his way around a woman... or at least that was what he liked to tell himself. The truth as it was would probably end up being a little more embarrassing.

He shook his head realizing that he didn't feel right asking something like that at the moment. Rather that would be up to Nicole to offer instead. Turning around he presented his still bleeding back and grabbed sand in his hands pressing down as hard as he could. "When your ready."

"Awkward timing I know, but... any ideas for an answer to my previous question?"

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Nicole stared at the fire for a few moments, as if testing to make sure this wasn't some very drawn-out or elaborate dream. When she continued to feel the warmth, however, she moved closer towards the fire. A soft sigh of relief echoed with the breeze as she felt herself continue to remain at a warm temperature. Her head turned as she saw Thomas moving around, finally handing a slightly lit and burning stick. While she wasn't a doctor, Nicole had taken both Anatomy and Health. Thus, when her ears heard the word 'cauterize', she understood perfectly what he was asking from her. The request made her cringe but nod as she took the stick and held it firmly in her hand.

"I remember what it means. Though .. I do thank you for the process." It seemed simple enough but Nicole definitely felt a bit guilty about actually doing this. He was right though all the same. This was meant to help out with wounds. Things would be far worse if she didn't take any action to assist him. Her left hand pressed against her forehead as she tried to determine whether she should take the same precaution or not.

".... Think you should do this back to me? Just to be safe?" It really was the only motive. There was a very small but still existing sadistic side Nicole had. However, that also only tended to exist while she played video games or if some unfortunate bastard really pissed the hell out of her off. But otherwise, she didn't have a masochistic side; just a high threshold for pain at most.

When the question was asked yet again, Nicole's smirk widened. "I wouldn't say awkward but definitely bad given what you're requesting from me. However, if you really want to know so badly ... " Her voice trailed off as she leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss against the side of neck. "Yes, I will." she whispered softly in his ear, slowly moving away.

"Now .. try to stay still." Regardless of whether he would help her with her own wound next or not, she at least knew what to expect. After doing a mental countdown from five in her head, she pressed the tip of the stick against his wound, keeping it firmly held. After another brief count, it moved away. Her eyes watched the wound, ensuring she had kept it against his skin long enough for it to begin to take effect properly. When he finally did turn and face her again, he'd see her smile still there. If Thomas had any doubts on her kiss being genuine or not, he wouldn't see any hesitation in her blue orbs or upon her face. Only sincerity and pure bliss lingered there.

Thomas couldn't decide which was worse the pain he was counting down too or the pain of the actual countdown going off in his head. The anticipation of pain was always so much worse then the actual thing, and when he felt her move closer he was almost sure that it would have been followed with pain to his back, however what happened instead was a kiss to the side of his neck. Something he honestly hadn't expected at all, and something that made him ease up for a moment. Sadly however it was quickly followed by the expected amount of pain.

Thomas had to hold back any curse words that he had to say and avoided biting down on his tongue at the same time. He breathed lightly once the burned flesh was done. He let out a long sigh, it still hurt, but at the same time he was more then thankful for it. He sighed knowing that the action was going to leave a scar along his back, but at the same time a scar was a little price to pay for easy medical use. As for her request though he turned back towards Nicole.

The smile on her face told him just about everything he needed to know about her answer being truthful, and as he took the stick from her he smiled back at her blushing for a moment. Before raising a hand to move her hair out of the way of the cut. Looking it over for a moment he sighed. "If I do cauterize it, It will leave a scar." He said looking at her face it was so perfect it almost seemed rather selfish to harm her in such a way. "Just so you know, it's not life threatening, but like all head wounds it bleeds a lot, So i guess it's up to you. Do you want a scar, or do you think you can wait till it naturally clots on it's own, and then we can clean it when we get to town... it's already starting to dry up."

He spoke lightly knowing that there was always the risk of infection if they waited too long, but the body was pretty resistant and they could probably help her at least to some extent once they found a town or a city or someplace that the road went. Hell they could be anywhere in the world right now and he wouldn't have had a clue. His hand brushed along her cheek, as he leaned forward under the aid of fire light. "I have always wanted to do this."

As he spoke he moved forward and kissed Nicole, his lips brushed against hers as he felt a calm relaxing feeling pass over him. Her body was rather warm thanks to both the camp fire and their cuddling. and for a moment the island and everything else fell away to the sidelines, because after all the years that they had been friends and everything that they had gone through in life he had just kissed Nicole.

He pulled away and smiled lightly his blush only increasing as he moved away and then started heating the stick up again just incase she did want him to use the fire on her. "Thank you." He said with a rather bright smile.

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The sounds of Thomas wincing in agony made her feel all the more guilty. Just because it had been the right thing to do didn't mean Nicole enjoyed inflicting pain upon Thomas. Her gaze remained on Thomas's back, only switching when he finally turned around to face her. Subconsciously, Nicole swallowed nervously as he moved a few stray strands away to better look at the wound. Her smirk managed to widen more as her head gently shook.

"Don't be silly. I don't think any person wants scars. But ... I heal too slow. It .. the blood alone nearly grabbed a shark's attention during my swim. I can't risk that again for one. Two, there's still a risk of that getting infected too. So .. may as well be more safe than sorry as far as I'm concerned."

She could keep ranting on and on .. but Nicole knew that wouldn't be necessary. She made damn well certain to get her points across when the times for such things arrived. Even if it was drying up, that didn't necessarily mean the wound was healing. It just meant the bleeding was mostly, maybe completely, done.

Her attention was moved as Thomas advanced closer. His words made her heart race and finally, she felt their lips connected. For a few moments, her mind let his previous statement continue to echo in her head a few times over.

"I have always wanted to do this."

Had he really? How had she been so stupid and blind to not notice? The old saying did suggest it was better to be late than never but ... some part of Nicole was annoyed, as if she should have known better and was partly scolding herself. Mentally shoving it aside for now, a soft moan left as she leaned into the kiss, stopping only when he did.

Her smile widened more as she nodded to Thomas. "Welcome. Though shouldn't I be thanking you? You gave the better and more intimate kiss." While Thomas got the stick warm once again, she began to move her hair away, keeping the wound exposed so he could make sure to get only that and not a perfectly healthy portion of her head.

Thomas made sure that the stick was heated properly as he looked at the wound, his hand braced the back of Nicole's neck so that she couldn't turn away, He swallowed lightly as he looked at the wound and then finally brought the stick towards her face the unfortunate part with this was that unlike him she was forced to watch as his hands weren't the most steady at the moment. Nervous about touching Nicole's skin with something that would only hurt her, though now that he had gone through it he knew it wasn't that bad.

"Do your best to stay still." He said parroting her advice back towards her as he pressed the stick down against the head wound. holding her tight so that she couldn't turn away and thus burn more of her face, and holding the stick against the wound regardless of anything else. When he finally pulled away to make sure that the wound was burned shut he discarded the stick letting it become fuel for the fire and all but wrapped his arms around Nicole.

"It's not about who gives the better kiss, it's about the fact that I got a kiss from you." He said holding her close. He did one more once over as he looked at her wound, which was now sealed shut, but also rather red, there was no doubt that it would leave at least a small scar. Which while a little sad was also rather charming in it's own way. The fact was they had survived. He almost wanted to laugh. "Tomorrow we can find a way off of this island, and back home." He said lightly. "But tonight it seems we have this entire beach to ourselves." He blinked having realized that he had spoken that sentence aloud rather then simply think it.

Thomas let his body collapse next to the fire his eyes wanting to close, and now that he wasn't bleeding and he wasn't cold he wanted to curl up and sleep thanks to exhaustion, added to the fact that he now had a fire crackling he felt more then a little bit tired as he put more fuel to the fire he yawned loudly. "Don't know about you Nicole, but Sleep sounds like a really good idea." He said lightly his arm passing over body again as he pulled her closer, hoping that she would sprawl out next to him so the both of them could sleep.

With everything sorted out as it was, it really felt like things were starting too look up for the two of them.

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At most, Nicole's body tensed up as she saw and felt everything being prepared. Even before the stick touched her skin, she could feel a bit of the heat. It made an inward groan echo in her head. It almost felt like she should have waited but ... ah well. This probably was, in the long run, the smarter choice. She gave Thomas a nod, signaling she was as ready as she could be, before closing her eyes. Not to say she didn't trust Thomas to keep the stick away from her eyes; it was merely a precaution.

Her smirk widened as Nicole heard her own words given to her now. "I will. Tha ---- aghh!"

Her fists clenched up tightly as she felt the stinging and burning sensation shoot through her body. As the burning slowly began to die down, her body began to shake in pain. The blue eyes slowly opened back up as Nicole returned the embrace, panting quickly but softly as she held Thomas close to her.

"Mmm .. true enough I suppose." she murmured softly in agreement, yawning lightly. "Yes .. tomorrow ... we'll see about getting off here." Hopefully they could try to wash their clothes before then, though. It'd be ... quite the sight if they both had to wander around in only their swimming suits for too long. While she wouldn't mind using the beach as a temporary river or body of water to wash off her jeans and shirt, they wouldn't be as clean either. Especially with all the salt that would linger on them afterward.

Nicole's body soon joined Thomas's as he lied down near the fire. Her head gently nodded as she held him from behind, wrapping her arms around his chest. "Mhm, it definitely sounds good. Night, Thomas."

No sooner than the words left her body did Nicole begin to drift off to sleep. Her chest continued to rise and fall, the pace becoming slower ... slower ... until finally poor Nicole passed out all while still holding Thomas.

Thomas drifted off quickly, in the arms of his oldest friend and closest companion. It felt like his back was still on fire, but he hardly cared he found quick and easy comfort having her next to him, and wrapping his own arms around her, He felt oddly safe even as he slept. Sleep came so naturally that he honestly didn't want to deal with anything else at the moment his entire body felt heavy. Sadly however it wasn't something that could last.

He woke up to the sound of an engine. A car stopping along the road and distant shouting. His body was still a little too groggy, and the sky too dark to see anything, heck everything was rather dark, the fire was nothing but warm embers that still let out a small amount of smoke, turning around he heard voices as he tried to wake up, pulling away from Nicole for a moment as he started to get to his feet only to feel something heavy smack into the back of his head knocking him down to the ground. A ringing pulsed in his ears as he felt the world twist around him.

Trying to shake the feeling of his head being bashed in, he twisted around and heard the distinctive click of a guns safety being turned off. It was a noise he almost didn't recognize as he had never handled a gun outside of the video games, but he could recognize the fact that there was a riffle being pointed at him right now. A moment later another heavy blow knocked him out cold.

There was a cold heavy forceful splash that awoke Thomas after that, he was standing, his arms tied up to a wooden fixture that supported his weight and made sure that he couldn't really move or run. He was for the most part stuck in place. Looking around there was a large camp built up near them, and a fire along with several people talking in hushed voices, he could make out some English from what they were saying.

He turned towards suddenly realizing what was happening, turning around twisting and finding out that Nicole had been transported with him. as she was in a similar predicament.

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What was meant to be a full-fledged sleep turned into a ten, maybe thirty, minute nap. The first thing that had gotten her attention was a firm and foreign grip. She didn't need to open her eyes to know that definitely wasn't Thomas. He'd never be that bold. Among many other traits, he had always been a man of his word. So when he said he'd wait for them to officially become boyfriend and girlfriend, she didn't question that he'd be waking up early and trying to sneak a feel on her.

"The hell?" she murmured weakly, managing to sneak a glimpse of some incredibly unfamiliar faces. All had the creepiest smirks on their faces and most had either a firearm or a dagger on them. The sight made her face pale and heart sink.

"Whoa, whoa, please --- "

That was as far as one of the pistols went right on her still healing wound, pressing roughly against it. The agony made her wince slightly. The man across her nodded to one of the ones behind her. A fragrant cloth went over her mouth.

No! No, no, no, no!

Even with the gun so close to her, Nicole had been ready to struggle. But of course, that was the point of chloroform; it was meant to act fast. As much as it scared her, Nicole felt her body slump and forced into unconsciousness once again.

The mix of the drug and lack of sleep made Nicole remain asleep for quite a while. She didn't even begin to stir until some very broken words of English caught her ears. A low groan left as she tried to sit up and rub her eyes. Her body quickly registered a few things, however; her wrists were secured firmly behind her back and ... fuck! Was she blind?! Not permanently, thank gods. But after a few blinks, she could feel another cloth wrapped tightly around her eyes. Her body shook as she looked around, as if trying to see past the blindfold.

"...Thomas?" she called out softly, barely above a whisper. "Please ... where are you? You are here... right?"

Usually, Nicole was pretty damn good at having a strong front. But she had no idea if she could begin to endure this; not alone. This was too much, especially with the sight deprivation. She had no idea of anything going on, literally being left in the dark. And that plus trying to figure out what exactly was about to happen to her made her terrified. She'd never admit it aloud but for one of the first times in her life, Nicole was honestly scared. And not just for herself but Thomas also.