Chapter Twenty-Two

"C'mon Slater!" Grant yelled over the wind, "We have to get just a little farther tonight!"

Grant and I had been trekking through the wastelands of Russia for so long we'd lost count of the days. We'd almost died at least 40 times, from getting too close to cliffs to avalanches to near-freezing temperatures to being almost buried by snowstorms to a dozen other things. We had to keep pushing ourselves every single day, and I was running out of stamina.

But I was not about to give up now.

I clenched my fists, lowered my head against the wind, and kept pushing. We'd have to make camp before the storm came to join the wind, but we still had time to get a little closer to our goal.

After struggling along for a few more miles, we couldn't go any farther.

"Alright," Grant finally said, "We'll camp here."

****************

It took us forever to get a fire going. We had enough fuel (for now) and a lighter, but the wind was so strong it kept going out anyway.

Finally, we were able to huddle together in front of the fire, shielding it from the wind with our bodies while we got a few hours of rest. Part of the SHIELD long-term survival gear was a tent, thankfully, but we always waited to set it up until we were actually going to bed so the wind wouldn't blow it away.

I was breathing hard as I stared blankly into the flames. I started wondering where I would be right now if I hadn't joined SHIELD. Probably fresh out of college, in an apartment somewhere. I had no idea what time it was in New York, but maybe I'd be sitting down in my own bed, reading a Paula Pinske novel instead of living one.

I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head. I couldn't think like that. SHIELD was one of the best decisions I've ever made, and a little hardship like the Siberian tundra was not going to change my mind. No matter how close it came to killing me.

At least I had Grant with me. I don't know what I would've done without him. Whenever I was starting to lose hope, he snapped me out of it and kept me going. I didn't say anything, but I leaned in to him and he put his arm around me.

"This sucks," I muttered.

"No kidding," he sighed back.

"How close do you think we are to Finland?"

"Closer than we were yesterday."

I sighed. It was true, we'd been steadily making progress. I had to believe that we could do this. That we could survive.

"Let's set up the tent and get some sleep if we can," suggested Grant. I nodded and silently we set up our only shelter, a flimsy piece of fabric.

We laid down, still huddling together for warmth. We were pretty much a puddle of coats, now almost completely dependent on one another.

"Hey, Slater, get up," said Grant, shaking me awake, gently this time. I was much easier to wake up now, since I never got comfortable enough to be in a deep sleep.

"I'm up," I said, feeling a sinking sensation in my heart as I realized it was time to start the endless trek again. I crawled out of the tent and helped Grant pack it up, then dug through now-extinguished fire for any wood that could be reused.

We had been extremely careful with our emergency food supply, and by some miracle, it hadn't run out yet. However, that also meant that breakfast was a few bites, and Grant and I were running on less and less fuel every day.

I took a deep breath along with my first step, trying to steel myself for the day ahead. Hopefully, today would be the day we finally made it to Finland.

****************

It wasn't the day we finally made it to Finland. Neither was the next day. Or the next. The longer we were out here the more I felt myself slowing down. See, that was the danger with the cold. It made you tired. It made you want to lay down and take a nice nap, and then never wake up again.

I probably would've given in if I didn't have someone with me.

Whenever I started feeling like giving up, Grant dragged me forward and wouldn't let me quit. Whenever he started feeling like giving up, I pushed on and dragged him with me because I knew he needed me. I couldn't give up because Grant needed me.

I only prayed the day never came when we both felt like giving up.

****************

"How long do you think we've been out here?" I asked Grant as we stumbled along. It was getting dark again, and I could barely walk now, so I was trying to take my mind of the pain of every step.

"No idea. I lost count after two weeks."

"It's definitely been longer than two weeks."

"I realize that."

We walked a few more steps, then I started noticing something weird happening with my vision.

"Grant, are you seeing black spots?"

"No, but I am starting to feel a little dizzy."

"Great."

"I think we should try to push straight through."

"Straight through? To Finland? We don't even know if we're close."

"Yes, but I'm starting to worry that the next time we go to sleep we won't wake up."

The black spots doubled in size and I realized he was right. We were either going to make it today, or there might not be a tomorrow.

"Ok," I nodded, "But you're going to have to help me watch where I'm going, cuz I can't see very well right now."

"Alright, but you're going to have to help keep me upright, because I could swear the earth is tilting under us right now."

"Deal."

We kept marching until the sun went down, Grant steering and me doing my best to keep him from falling over. The farther we went the less I could see, and I was worried I would be unconscious soon.

Suddenly, I thought I saw a pinprick of light ahead of us.

"Grant, do you see that, or am I also hallucinating?" I asked. My words were starting to slur, but thankfully he still understood.

"I see it. Lights. Slater, I think we made it." If I didn't have the entire weight of Grant Ward on my shoulders, I might have jumped for joy.

"C'mon Grant, c'mon! We can make it! We're almost there!"

We stumbled along as fast as we could, staggering desperately towards the lights. Despite the black spots now almost entirely clouding my vision, I could make out an American flag. By some miracle, we had found our way to the embassy.

It was taking all my concentration not to trip over my own feet as Grant and I staggered to the front gate. Two soldiers approached us, and I think one of them said something, but I didn't hear what he said. I collapsed, Grant with me, as I stepped on friendly soil, the black spots finally taking over as everything went dark.

****************

I was floating. Everything was floating, like I was underwater. Where was I? I heard noise, but it sounded far away, and I didn't want to bother with it. The noise kept getting louder though, and I couldn't ignore it anymore. I had to open my eyes. I had to see what was going on.

I slowly blinked up at the bright lights and my stark surroundings. Hospital. I was in a hospital. But why? I didn't feel sick.

I was forced to take back my assessment as I was hit with a wave of nausea and pain. Everything in my body ached. My head was pounding. What the hell had happened to me?

Then I remembered my trek through Siberia with Grant. I remembered collapsing at the front doors of the embassy, unable to support him or myself any longer. Speaking of which, where was Grant?

I turned my head to the right, ignoring the pain, and to my relief, I saw him in the hospital bed next to mine. He was already awake, and he was looking at me. He seemed incredibly relieved to see me with my eyes open.

"You look like crap," I mumbled, looking at his bruised and sunburned face. You'd be surprised, but some of the worst sunburns can come from the sun bouncing off the snow.

"You should see yourself," he fired back, also mumbling, "I'm glad you're awake."

"I'm glad you're awake, too, and I'm glad you're here. Speaking of which, where is here?"

"SHIELD medical facility, in the Triskelion. They brought us here after we passed out in Finland."

I turned my head back to look at the ceiling, thinking, then said, "So what's that put us at? 1 plus 40 plus 1, 42?"

Grant looked at me like I was insane.

"I'm going to call a doctor," he said, leaning over to push a call button.

"No! Grant, I'm fine. I'm trying to figure what our near-death-experience count is now. We had one before, then the forty while we were in Siberia, then the one where we almost didn't wake up at the embassy in Finland."

Grant shook his head and I thought for sure he was going to tell me I was being childish or something, but then he turned back to me with a serious expression on his face.

"You're forgetting the one where the crowd of soldiers inside the laboratory tried to take us down. If they'd won, it would not have been good for us."

"Right, ok, so 43. Is this a normal count for someone who's not even a full agent?"

"Nope, you're just special."

I tried to scoff but it hurt my throat, so it sounded more like I was choking. I settled back into my pillows and felt the pull of sleep, but there was one more question I wanted answered.

"What happened to everyone we trapped in that lab?"

"Coulson and Garrett wouldn't tell me much, but they did say that everyone got out alive, and they've all been taken into the custody of SHIELD. When they came back to look for us after we didn't check in, they found the remains of the lab and dug everyone out."

"Are they going to tell us more? Like how that girl we caught in Costa Rica was out and about and plotting our deaths?"

"Yeah, once we're feeling better. Apparently they got the notice she escaped after we'd already gone in."

"Typical," I muttered.

"Get some rest," said Grant.

"Only if you do the same."

"Fine," he grumbled, settling in to sleep. After a minute, he added, "Nice job out there. You were amazing. I know a dozen full agents who wouldn't have made it through what you did."

"Well, I certainly wouldn't have made it without you," I said, already drifting back off to sleep.

I was already halfway back to dreamland, but as I fell asleep, I swear I heard Grant mumble, "I wouldn't have made it without you either."