[Fanfiction] Hell and High Water (3/5) Chapter Three: The Cold

[aragarna]

Title: Hell and High Water
Chapter: 3 - The Cold
Author: Aragarna
Genre, rating: hurt/comfort, friendship, gen, all audience.
Characters: Peter, Neal, OMC.
Spoilers: vague mentions of events up to 4x12.
Word counts: about 10500 in total.
Summary: Peter and Neal find a boy trapped in the rainwater sewer. But the rescue doesn't go as expected...
beta: dmk0064
Author's Note: Thank you all for your kind and enthousiatic comments! :-)

Chapter Three: The Cold

Cold.

He was so cold.

His leg didn’t even hurt anymore. Actually he couldn’t feel it at all. He couldn’t feel his hands either. They were so numbed by the cold, he could barely move them. His body was shaken by spasms of shivers. He had to clench his jaws very hard to prevent them from chattering.

Water had reached his chest. The ton of unknown objects of all sizes packed around him and against the grille were slowing down the flow and making the water level inexorably rise on this side of the grille.

At first, he had tried to use a small plank he had found as a lever to free his leg. But all he had managed to do was inflict more pain to his injured leg. At one point, he had pulled so hard that the shooting pain almost caused him to pass out. In the end, he had to admit he wouldn’t manage to get his leg out without help, and had to resign himself to wait for back-up.

So, he adopted a new strategy, consisting of trying to keep his body warm. Hunkered as tight as possible, Peter had tucked his free leg against his body and wrapped his arms around it. Then he has waited. But now he was feeling really cold, and he was starting to wonder how much longer he would have to hold on.

Peter had lost track of time. How long Neal had been gone? 15 minutes? 2 hours? For sure it had been long enough. Neal should have found a phone by now. What was taking him so long? Maybe he was outside, waiting for the paramedics to arrive. Peter hoped with all his heart that nothing bad had happened to his friend. If only he could come back, just to let him know he was okay, and tell him help was on its way.

What about Tommy? The kid had looked so scared in the tunnel. Did Neal find him? Was he safe now? Was he home?

Home.

Elizabeth.

That evening curled on the sofa with his wife by his side and his dog at his feet had never been so appealing and at the same time so far away…

“Peter?”

Peter startled. He was dozing off and hadn’t realized it. Looking up, he saw a crude light dancing on the walls of the tunnel, making him screw his eyes. A shadow was approaching.

-------------------------------------

Holding the flashlight between his teeth, Neal climbed in the tunnel. The flow was stronger, making his progress more laborious. Carefully, Neal pulled himself up, and flattening against the wall, he slowly slided back to Peter’s side. He kneeled down in the water next to his friend.

“Neal, you’re back!” Peter breathed. His voice sounded weird, and weak.

“Hey Peter,” Neal called softly, “how are you?”

“Cold.”

Neal’s chest tightened. He was himself shivering, and he hasn’t been back in the tunnel for 5 minutes. He could only imagine how cold Peter must feel. But now wasn’t the time for self-pity. Neal was overwhelmed by an implacable need to “do something”. A little voice inside his head was telling him they were running out of time. He had to act, get Peter out of here.

Neal took the backpack he had brought with him and opened it.

“I brought a few tools. I’m gonna get you out of here.” He said as he dug into his bag. The absence of response from Peter made him looked up. His friend’s head was tilted, and he was having a hard time keeping his eyes opened. Alarmed, Neal reached out through the bars and grabbed Peter’s shoulder.

“Peter!”

Peter jerked and blinked.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, “I must have dozed off…”

“Yes, you did.” Neal was doing his best not to sound too worried. “Peter, please, stay awake.”

He rummaged through his bag and took out some biscuits.

“Here, eat this. They’re courtesy of Tommy. It’ll wake you up, and will give you some more strength.” He handed a biscuit to Peter, who sluggishly raised his hand. When their fingers touched, Neal felt Peter’s. They were ice-cold. He helped him close his grip on the biscuit, and Peter slowly started to eat.

“Where’s Tommy?” He asked.

“He is safe, at home,” Neal explained, “I took him home, and we called 911. I told him to wait there until the paramedics arrive.”

“Good, this is good. Weren’t his parents home?”

“No. They probably went out to look for him. Maybe they went to the police. But he is safe there, Peter, don’t worry.”

Peter nodded.

“Would you have a nice hot coffee to go with those biscuits, by chance?”

“Sorry, I didn’t have time to make a pot.” Neal took out his tools. “I’ve brought a car jack and a hacksaw instead. Let’s get you out.”

Peter frowned. “Where did you get these?” His voice was the one of Special Agent Burke, and for once, Neal was glad to hear it. Peter was still alert enough to be suspicious – and rightly so…

“I might have found a garage on my way back…” As Peter remained silent, Neal went defensive. “Peter, I just wanted to –“

But Peter cut him off, a tired smile faintly lighting his face. “I think I could close my eyes on this one, if it gets me out of here. And of course, you’ll put the tools back, right?”

Neal rolled his eyes. “Yes, sure…”

He took the car jack and positioned it between the two bars which were keeping Peter’s leg trapped. He started to turn, but the bars didn’t let go of their prey. Neal had to use all his weight on the jack to make it turn.

“Can you move your leg?”

“Can’t feel it. It’s been a while…”

Neal plunged his hands in the water to try and feel Peter’s limb. He patted it as gently as possible. Peter didn’t react, which Neal wasn’t sure was a good or bad thing. In any case, it seemed stuck, and Neal stood up to force the jack to turn once again. Despite the effort, he could hardly suppress the shiver caused by the cold water. While putting all his weight on the jack, Neal kept checking on Peter, sending sidelong looks to make sure his friend was still with him. Peter had fallen quiet again. His arms were tucked hard around his body, not as much to keep warm than to stop his tremors. His skin was white as snow, and his lips, tightly shut, were all blue.

“Hey buddy,” Neal asked softly, “still with me?”

“Hmmm” was the only answer he received.

“Hey,” Neal called as he reached out for his friend, gently patting his cheek, “Peter, stay with me. Talk to me.”

“I’m cold.”

“I know. I’m taking you out. I need you to stay with me. Why don’t you tell me a story?”

“Neal…” Peter protested in a weak voice.

“Come on, Peter, don’t give up on me.”

“I’m not!”

Suddenly he felt the jack give away, and Neal almost fell face first in the water. This time, one of the bars seemed to have bent a little. Neal searched for Peter’s leg, and indeed, there was a little more space between it and the bar.

“Your leg is free. Can you move it back?”

Peter untangled himself and moved back, doing his best to free his leg out from the grille. But his moves were made clumsy by the flow and the cold that had conquered his whole body. The effort was obviously demanding. Neal, as gently as possible, push Peter’s leg through the bars, making sure not to hurt it against the metal.

“Good, that’s good. Just a little more. There you go,” he encouraged his friend.

The first phase of Neal’s rescue mission had been successful. Peter was now free, but still on the wrong side of the grille. Not to mention that the water level kept rising, and the flow growing…

“What now?” the agent asked, exhaustion more and more evident in all his features as time went by. Laboriously, he moved to the sidewalk to seat, his back against the wall.
Neal was worried to death, but tried with all his heart not to show it. Oblivious of his own discomfort, he kept his focus on his mission, and on his friend.
Switching tools, he put back the car jack in the bag and took out the hacksaw.

“Now I’m gonna saw the bars. I’ll probably need to saw two, at the top and at the bottom. Try and make yourself comfortable. And keep talking. I need to hear you.”

He started to saw.

“Peter, talk to me, please.”

“Sorry... But I’m so tired…”

“I know. Hold on, just a little longer.”

“Maybe I could just rest for a little while…”

“No!” Neal snapped, panic spiking. “Peter, you need to stay awake!”

“hmm, ‘kay.”

Overriding the panic, Neal thought hard on any conversation topic that could keep Peter alert.

“Okay, tell me, your top three most difficult criminals to catch.”

No response. Neal stopped sawing and looked up. Peter was dozing off again. Passing his arm through the bars, Neal grabbing him by the collar, and shook him. “Peter, stay awake!”

Peter startled. “What-“

“Please, hold on.”

“-’m trying!”

“Try harder!”

Neal bit his lips. That sounded harsh. He hated being so hard to his friend, but now was not the time to worry about good manners. Peter had to stay awake, keep his body functioning, producing as much heat as it could. And hypothermia wasn’t the only danger. With Peter falling asleep in so much water, the risk of drowning was increasing dangerously.

Neal had to hurry. He resumed his task to cut the bars as he kept talking to Peter.

“Hold on buddy. I’m almost through the first bar. See, we’re lucky everything’s so rusty after all.”

“Don’t feel much lucky…” Peter muttered sternly.

“So, you didn’t answer, what is your top three?”

“Neal,” Peter started, hesitant, “in case I don’t make it…”

Neal felt his heart distinctly sink in his chest.

“No, Peter, we’re not having this conversation, please…” He refused to think about it. He wouldn’t admit the simple possibility that Peter wouldn’t make it. Peter would make it. He was almost done with the first bar, damn it.

“Please, Neal, listen to me.” Peter’s voice was no more than a murmur. A pleading murmur that broke Neal’s heart. “I want you to know, I – It was good, working with you. You – You’re worth the trouble. And you can do good. You can make a difference…”

Neal felt a strong pain rising in his chest. His heart was aching. His eyes were burning. This wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be. He would not let his friend die. It was just not possible. If only this freaking bar would break! Enraged, he hit it repeatedly, and finally it broke. Another small victory. Neal moved down his saw to attack the bottom of the bar as low as possible.
“Hold on, you hold on.”

“ Trying… But…”

Peter moved closer to the grille, but his moves were not coordinated. Neal caught him just in time before he plunged in the dark waters.

“Eh eh, easy. Stay here. Keep your head up. Take it easy.”

Peter grabbed his arm. “You’ll take care of El for me? It’s gonna be hard for her…”

Neal’s heart squeezed tightly in his chest. But Neal was still not ready to admit defeat just yet. The image of a devastated Elizabeth appeared in his mind. It was unbearable.

“Peter, you need to hold on. For El. She needs you, you know that.”

“I’m doing my best, believe me. But just in case…”

“There is no ‘just in case’. You’ll make it, for El, for your team. All those people who count on you.” He freed himself from Peter’s weak hold. Peter’s arm fell in the water with a splash as Neal went back to saw the grille.

“It’s so hard...”

“But imagine how hard it’ll be for us!” Neal shouted. “Look Peter, I don’t want to have to tell El you didn’t fight enough, you hear me? You hold on!” Neal was almost screaming as he franticly continued to saw the bar.

“Neal, promise me. You’ll stay out of trouble, right?”

“Peter, we’ll have this conversation tomorrow, okay?”

“Neal, give me your word.”

“No.”

“Neal, please…”

Neal’s heart shattered into millions of pieces. But he had to hold on. For the two of them. Because tomorrow without Peter was just not an option. Peter could not leave him now. Not after turning his whole life over. Not after all they went through together. Neal needed Peter to show him the way in this new life. Peter had no right to go.

Of course he would stay out of trouble, for Peter. To honor his memory he would become a model citizen. But Neal didn’t want to have to honor his memory. He wanted to continue to drive him crazy, bend the rules, and blur limits of the line between legal and illegal. Because that would mean Peter was alive. Plus being a model citizen would be no fun, and would have no point, if Peter weren’t there.

“You’ll have to live to see it,” he said fiercely.

Resigned, Peter laid his head against the wall and closed his eyes.

“Fine,” he said.

Neal had to fight the urge to grab his friend, tug him hard in his arms, anything to give him that solace of comfort that was prevented by that condemning grille. Instead, all he could do was keep him awake, and saw with all his heart.

“Peter,” he repeated, trying not to sound too harsh. “Keep your eyes opened.”

The bottom of the bar gave way. “Look, we’re almost there!”

Neal hurried to the second bar and carried on his work. His hands were hurting, but he didn’t feel the pain.

“Still with me Peter?”

“Hmmm”

“Talk to me.”

Peter groaned.

“For El, Peter, remember. Think of El. Tell me a story. Tell me how you two met.”

“You know the story.”

“I know you put her under surveillance when she was working at that gallery downtown, that’s all. What was your first thought when you saw her?”

“She was so beautiful… Like an apparition, you know…”

“I think I do.” Neal said tenderly. “What made you feel she was worth the misuse of federal resources?”

This time, Peter didn’t answer. Once again, Neal reached out to shake him.

“Stay awake buddy, I’m almost done.”

“Sorry…” Peter mumbled.

“It’s okay. Look, what don’t you sing something?”

“What?”

“Sing something, whatever. It’ll tell me that you’re awake. I don’t know… What about ‘Take Me Out To the Ball Game’? It’s an easy one.”

Peter sighed.

“Come on,” Neal said encouragingly, “I’ll sing along. Take me out to the ball game…”

“Take me out with the crowd...”

Peter’s whisper was shaking and not really in tune, but it gave Neal a renewed strength.
They sang in chorus as Neal sawed. They sang it three times when the saw went through the bar. Peter’s voice was less and less audible. Until it wasn’t at all.


Chapter Four





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Comments

[aragarna.livejournal.com]

thank you !!!
And wasn't that song just perfect for Peter being in that role?