My eyes widened in shock as Bradley struggled in the water. The yellow blanket he was carrying kept him from having his head above water for too long. Caleb was screaming Bradley's name and Elliot was already running to where we were standing.

"Sky!" Bradley shouted out from the water. At the sound of his voice my instincts kicked in and I dived into the water.

It felt like needles going into my skin and a yelp of pain escaped my lips. I tore the blanket away from Bradley's body and started to push him out of the water.

Elliot was reaching out his hand for his oldest son and eventually pulled him out of the water. I heard him scream at Caleb to get off the ice.

Pulling myself out of the frozen lake I crawled over to my boyfriend. My heart rate sped up at the sight of him coughing in the ground.

"Help me pick him up. We have to get him inside now," I ordered grabbing one of Bradley's arms.

Elliot did as he was told and we ran with Bradley hanging on our shoulders. I screamed out in pain at every step I took. My wet clothes were making it hard for me to move and my body was slowly shutting down. I kept fighting because I knew Bradley's condition was worse than my own.

A few minutes later we bursted through the cabin doors and Caleb ran in with a stack of blankets.

"We gotta build a fire. Elliot go get wood," I barked as I laid my boyfriend on the floor.

He was shivering and the water on his body was starting to freeze. I could tell in was getting harder for him to breath and soon he was going to get hyperthermia.

I started to take off Bradley's coat. His body was going stiff and I started to work faster. I could see my boyfriend's eyes start to close.

"Hey. Hey! You have to stay with me," I stated firmly. I only received a small nod but it was enough for me to work faster.

I looked up and saw Caleb looking around the house for matches, but Elliot was frozen still, staring blankly at Bradley and I.

"Go get wood," I ordered. Elliot didn't move a muscle.

I rolled my eyes and started to scream, "Elliot I swear to fuck! If you don't get wood right now he is going to die!"

This seemed to snap him out of the trance he was in. Elliot rushed out of the door a second later.

I focused back on Bradley and saw him trying to unzip his hoodie. "I can't," he whimpered.

I grabbed the zipper and tugged the hoodie off of his body. I threw it to the side and started to unbutton his flannel.

Elliot came back into the room and dumped the fire wood into the pit. Caleb was still looking around the room for matches.

"Come on Caleb hurry," I pleaded.

I finally got the flannel undone and was taking it off when Bradley spoke, "I'm so cold."

"I know, baby. Okay I know just hang on a little longer," I pleaded throwing the drenched flannel to the side.

The only item of clothing left was his shirt. I carefully raised Bradley's arms above his head and ripped the shirt off of his body. His skin was even whiter than it was a minute ago and his body temperature was falling fast.

Caleb eventually found the matches and started the fire not a second later. I started to take off my own wet clothing. I didn't have nearly as much as Bradley did so I was stripped into nothing but my sports bra in a short few seconds.

I grabbed the blankets and wrapped them around me and Bradley's bodies. I slowly made Bradley lay down and I wrapped my arms around his torso. His skin was ice cold and he was shivering all over.

I pulled him closer to my body and pulled my wet hair up into a ponytail. I scooted us closer to the fire and I saw Bradley's eyes were screwed shut in pain.

"What are you doing?" Elliot asked once he saw I was shirtless as well.

I stared up at the man like he was an idiot, "Skin on skin contact is the best way to warm a person up. Plus I couldn't keep my wet clothes on either. I'm trying to keep us from dying."

"How do you know so much stuff, huh?" Elliot asked, with a slight tone of disbelief.

I rolled my eyes and explained, "I have taken summer schools that teach kids what to do in life or death situations. I know my shit so it would be nice if you could let me help him and you back the fuck off."

Elliot seemed to get the message and he scooted away from his son and I. The smallest pang of guilt pulled at my heart strings for how I snapped. But I didn't really care, because if it wasn't for Elliot we wouldn't be in this mess in the first place.

Bradley was grunting in pain and I focused my attention back onto keeping my boyfriend alive and warm.

***

"Why would anybody want to live all the way out here?" Caleb questioned.

Bradley glanced at his brother, but no words came. I brushed some hair out of his eyes and placed my hand on his cheek, feeling the body heat restore in his veins.

"Well people mostly use it for hunting or ice fishing or something and you can leave it in the same shape you found it," Elliot answered.

Bradley started to go into another coughing fit. I wrapped the blanket tighter around our bodies and started to rub my hands up and down his bare arms.

"We'll have to chop up some more wood before we leave," Elliot added.

Caleb took a seat and crossed his arms, "When will that be?"

"I don't know," their father confessed.

Bradley coughed again and went into a shivering spiral. It was common for this to happen when someone was fighting off hyperthermia. However Elliot seemed worried.

"I fucked up, I fucked up," Elliot stated, rocking back and forth in his seat.

"It's okay," Caleb comforted, "Were having fun."

Elliot ignored what Caleb said and looked to Bradley, "I thought I was gonna lose you."

No responses came from us and Elliot started to sob. My boyfriend gave me a bewildered look and I stiffened. "Dad it's okay," Caleb stated.

Elliot stood up and walked to the window. He rested his head against the glass and sobbed even more. Caleb stood up and slowly approached his father. The boy glanced back at Bradley as I. Neither of us said anything.

Caleb placed a hand on his dad's shoulder, "Just come back to the fire."

Elliot nodded his head and resumed his seat by the fire. "I just need to sleep," he supplied.

My grip tightened around Bradley as Elliot continued to speak, "I just can't lose you guys."

No one responded and Elliot repeated the phrase, "I just can't."

Again no one said a word and we all sat in silence, staring into to the crackling fire.

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Author's Note

I think this is my favorite chapter. Also I hit 300 reads and my story is number 8 in the Edge of Winter category so thank you all so much for the support. I hope you enjoyed and see you in the next one.