I'm so cold, why can't I move? There's something in my mouth, no, something on my mouth. Move it away, I can't breath. I can't move, there's something in my throat, get it out, get it out. Leopold coughed and felt the weight on his mouth removed, replaced by cold water recently expelled from his lungs. Someone took Leopold by the shoulders and sat him upright. Yes, now I can cough better, my lungs burn, get it out, cough it out. Leopold coughed and coughed, he felt the salt water sting his raw throat, tasted it on his tongue, then felt it dribbled down his chin and chest. Someone was saying something. What were they saying? Speak up, I can't hear you. "It's going to be alright, Leopold, just hang on. Come on, cough it out. Leopold? Leopold!" Everything was getting cold again, and Leopold felt himself drifting back into unconscienceness. "Leopold!" Leopold opened his eyes and coughed once more, violently, expelling all the water from his lungs. "Good boy, that's right. Your alright now, Leopold." That voice, it's familiar. Sounds like... A large, comforting hand was smoothing Leopolds wet hair from his face, and Leopold tried to open his eyes. At first, all he saw was white light, then he saw a large, dark shadow holding him. He blinked and looked again. He could barely make out Valek's face, so close to his. I'm tired, Valek. Let me sleep. Leopold closed his eyes and sank back, but Valek pulled him upright again. "Leopold, no! Don't go to sleep. An ambulance is on the way, just stay awake. Open your eyes for me, Leopold. Come on, baby, open your eyes." "Valek?" Leopolds voice sounded grainy, even to him. Maybe there was still some salt in his throat. "Yes, yes, it's me, Leopold." "Valek. You've never called me 'baby' before." Leopold heard a deep throated chuckle. "I think your going to be fine. The medics are here, hang on a sec. I'm going to take you to them." Leopold felt the arm around his shoulders tighten, and an arm slipped beneath his knees. He felt himself be lifted, and Valek began to walk with him somewhere. Leopold tried to open his eyes, to see where they were going, but it was so bright, all Leopold could see was blinding white light. "Valek, it's so bright." Leopold tried to move, tried to wipe his eyes, but he was so tired, so tired. "Shh, Leo, be still. Your going to be fine." Leopold relaxed, and felt himself slipping into sleep again. This time he could not fight it.
Leopold was regaining conscienceness. He opened his eyes, expecting to see the bright light of the sun again, but instead his vision cleared and he saw only an over head light. He tried to move, but something was holding him down. He closed his eyes and opened them again. A head moved to block the over head light, and Leopold saw it was Valek. "Still in the land of the living?" he said. Leopold tried again to move, but still could not. Also, he felt something in his hand. "They strapped you down so you couldn't roll off the stretcher, and their giving you oxygen through the mask on your face. We're almost to the hospital. Just sit back and relax." Valek squeezed Leopolds hand, rubbed Leopolds upper arm. Leopolds mouth was incredibly dry, strange, considering it had just been full of ocean water. After a moment, Leopold managed to say, "You didn't call." Leopold saw Valek smile. "Yes, I'm sorry. I had something I had to work through." "How did you..." "Know you were at the beach? I did call, this morning, and your mother said you had gone there. I watched you for about half an hour in the waves, and then you went under, and didn't come back up. I swam out to bring you back in." Leopold tried to say more, but he was still tired, and they had come to a stop. The next hour went by in flashes. A clip of being rolled out of the ambulance, a flash of doctors hovering over him, mumbling loudly, calling his name. He tried to answer their questions as best as he could, but their voices came in mumbles and strange tones. Leopold couldn't understand them most of the time. When he next opened his eyes, he was in a hospital bed, and Valek was sitting in a chair, facing him. Valek looked asleep, his head propped up on his hand, his eyes closed. Leopold stirred a bit, and Valek opened his eyes, looked at him. "Hello." "Hello. Um, where am I?" "Still in the hospital. You were pretty out of it when they brought you in, so they kept you here for observation. They said I could take you home when you awoke." "My parents..?" "Yeah, um, I called them and told them what happened. They said... to bring you home when you woke up." "They didn't come see me?" Valek gently shook his head, no. This was really no surprise to Leopold. His father was to drunk to comprehend much, most of the time, and his mom, well, she needed to stay home and take care of her drunken husband, Leopold guessed. Such had been the way most of his life. "No biggie," Leopold said in responce to Valek's incomprehending and appologetic expression. "They're usually like that." Valek still looked as though he couldn't beleive it, but he said "I bought you a jogging outfit to go home in, it's night, and they said to be cautious of hypothermia." Leopold nodded, and Valek placed the outfit on Leo's bed. Leo swung his feet out of bed, and then looked up at the expectant Valek. "You know, I'm a big boy now, I CAN dress myself." Valek grinned and turned around. "If I heard a loud thud, I'm turning around." Leopold smiled and stripped himself of the hospital gown. He then slipped on the jogging suit. It was a bit large on him. "Ok, all dressed up, and no where to go." Valek turned and looked him over, then appologised about the size. Leopold shrugged. "No biggie." Leopold was escourted out in a wheelchair, and Valek stayed by his side the entire time. He even helped Leopold into the taxi that drove them to Leo's home. "The doctors said for you to rest for the next few days." Rest? Leopold's home was anything but peaceful. "Ah, Valek? Can we go to your place instead? My house isn't exactly the best place to try and sleep." Valek looked at him strangely. "Will your parents worry where you are?" "You can call them tomorrow and tell them. Your family, right? It'll be fine." Leopold slipped his head onto Valek's shoulder. "Please?" Valek finally agreed, and redirected the driver. Leopold closed his eyes, and when he opened them, Valek was carrying him like a husband with his bride again. Leopold barely glanced at his surroundings. He was set on a nice, soft bed, and he felt Valek remove his shirt, then tuck him beneath the covers. Leopold listened as Valek stirred around a bit, then felt to bed move as he slipped into the covers beside Leopold. "Goodnight, Valek," Leopold mumbled sleepily. "Good night, my darling."