[OOM:...we think.]

[mnt_mike]

Mike doesn't dare to open his eyes, for fear that the panic will return. He's more comfortable with the pitch black behind his eyes, than the unknown world beyond them. The water is loud and all encompassing as it sweeps them further and further away from the tub.

He grips her tighter, as if holding her will help him get a hold of himself.

Comments

[slayer_fray]

She keeps her eyes open, although there's not a lot to see, even with her night vision. She can't even make out his face in front of here as she does her best to make what air she has last as long as possible for both of them. She keeps hold of him, so they can't be separated, and concentrates on the faint greenish light they appear to be hurtling towards.

Actually?

This is kinda fun.

[mnt_mike]

Where the hell has all his concentration gone, Mike would like to know! This stuff was never a problem before. Underwater caves. Fighting underwater. Hell he spent his first six months of life underwater. This just doesn't make any sense. No sense at all.

He can't stop his heart from pounding. He can't stop his muscles from clenching. Mike has never spent a day scared in all his life, why is this starting now.

A scream begins to well up, and it's nearly as loud as the water crashing all around his head.

Then suddenly, and quite painfully, it stops.
Not the rushing water. Not the internal scream.
Just their momentum.

[slayer_fray]

Mel's feet hit something heavily, something she wasn't expecting. Her knees had been locked straight as they rushed down the pipe, and when the motion is suddenly stopped, it hurts, a little. Glancing down, she sees why.

There's a grate at the end of the pipe, leading out to somewhere poorly lit, murky, and very much underwater.

Glancing at Mike to check he's OK - and becoming worried when she see he's not, she flips over in the tight space and drops head first to inspect the grate.

[mnt_mike]

Mike is angry. Angry at himself. Angry at this situation. Angry at the pain coming from his knee and hip. Everything about this entire red knob thing just has him so pissed off.

He tries his best to keep with Mel, to go and move as she does, but it's hard because he's not as strong as she is, and so the crushing weight of the water keeps moving him places he doesn't want to go.

Eyes still closed, Mike reaches out a hand in a futile attempt at bracing himself. It's then that he feels the grate. Rough metal beams, which feel a lot like the ones they use to reinforce concrete.

[slayer_fray]

She straightens out again to let the water rush past her as she assesses the situation, and makes a decision about what to do.

The lack of air is beginning to give her a sense of urgency now, as she splays her legs out into the splits, bracing herself against the sides of the pipe. and pushing forward against the bars of the grate.

[mnt_mike]

In his mind Jessie Ventura reminds Mike that he Ain't got time to bleed. Whether he's wearing a feather boa or not as he makes this internal declaration, is anyone's guess.

His joints ache under the water pressure. Pressure. Wait...pressure? Mike's mind focuses, and his eyes open. The water on the other side isn't moving, or is too large a body to be moved at once. There's no natural current.

"The Lake!"

Or rather...it's what he tries to say. Mike really should learn to keep his mouth shut sometimes. This being one of those times.

[slayer_fray]

Mel has time to turn around and eye him,

- well, duh -


before the grate under her hands rips away under her hands and she's thrown forward into the lake.

[mnt_mike]

There isn't even time for a sheepish grin, before Mike is thrown into the lake as well,

It's just not his day.

Still, things are better now that they're in open water. Sure, his lungs are on fire, but at least he knows where he is and which way is up. A much better situation all around.

[slayer_fray]

His aren't the only one. Mel's own lungs are screaming at her, and she longs to head up, but first she turns around and grabs him, wrapping an arm around him as she graps the edge of the pipe in one hand, brings her legs around underneath her...

...and pushes with everything she has, ignoring the protests from her jarred leg, ignoring the burning in her chest, ignoring the irritation in her eyes.

She just has to get him to air...

[mnt_mike]

The anger drains out of him the moment her hand touches his skin, and he smiles. Must be his bottomless supply of optimism coming to his aid, because he doesn't even feel the pain anymore.

If only they could avoid those big black spots that begin to rush towards them. They don't look dangerous, but you can't be too careful.

But not to worry...it'll...all...be...okay.

[slayer_fray]

No, Mikey, stay with me. Stay with me...

The momentum of the push takes them up through the water at a great speed. Mel wraps her arms around him and focuses on the surface above them. They can do this...

But even that momentum begins to slow. The great volume of water above and around them forces them to slow down. The shimmering interface above them gets closer and yet seems to be so far, even as she starts to kick to get them up...

And suddenly they burst through, into the heavy Scottish rain. Mel gasps, filling her tired and sore chest with as much air as possible. They're out.

[mnt_mike]

It's cold, but Mike finds himself too tired to reach for the blankets.

[slayer_fray]

Treading water, she pulls him to her, pressing his back against her chest and holding his head above the water.

"Mikey?" be okay, be okay "We're out. Say something?"

Kicking on to her back, she swims towards the bar, taking him with her.

"I'm getting you out, Mikey."

[mnt_mike]

He's not very heavy to begin with, but with the water and Mel's latent super strength, it's almost like he doesn't weigh anything at all.

[slayer_fray]

She plants a kiss on top of his head and adjusts so her grip is not restricting his lungs in anyway, keeping his head above water, as she swims towards the edge of the lake.

"It's OK, Mikey, I've got you."

She pulls him out on to the shore, and checks his breathing. It's shallow and gurgly*, but it's there.

She knows there's probably procedures here, but she doesn't know them. She just wraps her arms around him and rolls him over to let water out of his mouth.

*The mun would like it on record that this is Mike-mun's word, not her own. She has better vocab then that.
OK, and she loves the word.

[mnt_mike]

His head lolls to one side, and comes to rest at an odd angle, nose to the ground. water begins to trickle from his mouth, and there's a small rasping sound coming from his lungs, which continue to slosh inside his chest.

[slayer_fray]

Oh no, no no no no...

Mel places her hands over his diaphragm, forms a fist, and performs the Heimlich manoeuvre to force the water out.

"Come on, babe."

[mnt_mike]

There's nothing. No sound.

At first.

But then his body reacts, abdomen clenching against the external force. He gags as his body fights the water out.

[slayer_fray]

Oh thank god.

She collapses against his back in relief, letting him cough it up.

Not all the moisture on her face is lake or rainwater.

[mnt_mike]

The coughing continues, only now it's forced as Mike begins to regain consciousness. A hand comes to rest on hers.

[slayer_fray]

She squeezes the hand, holding his body against hers.

"Hey you. Welcome back."

[mnt_mike]

His breathing is still far more liquidy than it should be, but he still manages to stop coughing long enough to reply.

"happy birthday."

The first attempt at moving is thwarted, and he collapses on the ground.

[slayer_fray]

She just wraps herself around him again, kissing the back of his head.

"C'mon. We need to get you warm."

[mnt_mike]

He gives her no struggle, melting into her embrace. Every now and again a coughing fit nearly shakes him free, but he very quickly returns to her side.

"that was an adventure...huh?"

[slayer_fray]

She glares at him, but it melts into a grin.

"You and your bloody obsession with knobs," she says, picking him up.

"It was fun, though."

She's about to carry him through the bar, when their combined state of undress hits them. So she scans the area for the nearest place for towels and warmth and dryness.

"OK, hang on..."

Swinging him back onto her back, she trusts his to hold on, as she runs towards the bar at full pelt, and jumps on to the roof.