Alliance || 1 || ✔️ mature

43 | Eleven

I am stronger than you think.

The dark water hugs my body, pulling at Archer's shirt. Salty tears clawing at the wounds on my back.

I break through the surface with a gasp, my eyes blurry with salt water. I quickly look around the dark sky and twinkling lights, searching through the shifting waves for Archer.

I ignore the pain that overtakes my body, coughing at the sting of salt in my nose and swim in spot.

"Archer?" I hiss. The water lapping at my shoulders. The current not strong enough to pull me away but enough for my muscles to ache with exertion.

"Archer?!" I hiss louder, swimming in circles as I try to see his face, his dark hair. Anything. "Archer!"

"Holland!" A voice rises over the sounds of the water overlapping.

I spin in my position, Archer behind me. I swim towards him, trying to put as much energy into getting out of the water.

"C'mon."

We swim to the shore as hard as we can. My feet hit the sandy bank and I start to push myself closer, trying to be as silent and as fast as possible to get out of view.

An angered scream interrupts the silence and I hastily grab Archer's hand, squeezing it in my own. We run up the rest of the sand, the breath escaping my lungs in scattering inhales and exhales as he pulls me to a place to hide.

Archer back hits the sand wall behind him, arms wrapping around me and pulling me into the safety of his body and the shadow of the dock above us.

The wind whispers through our clothes and I shiver, my back flush to Archer's chest despite the wounds on my back, their ache dulled. Our feet are still submerged in the water, a glow taking over the once dark sky, morning approaching.

"Elle." He whispers. "Are you okay?"

I laugh, the sound tainted with exhaustion. "Tough stuff remember." I remind him with a shrug, the shivers wracking my body again, the shirt clinging to my back, sinking into the crevices of my injuries.

He quirks a brow and turns me to face him, looking into my eyes. His forehead falls to meet mine, his eyes squeezing shut. "We have to get your back checked on."

"I'm fine."

He laughs, shaking his head and stepping back. "That's your adrenaline talking."

"Probably." I shiver.

He pulls me into his warmth once more, my arms wrapping around his bare waist, cheek snug against his chest.

His chin rests on the top of my head as he murmurs, "They'll come looking for us when they don't find us on the ship. We have to get out of here."

"No shit Sherlock." I whisper against his chest, closing my eyes as his chest rumbles with a deep laugh.

He pulls back, taking my hand in his and squeezing it, comfort lighting my blood on fire.

He starts leading us towards the rock wall. Periodically glancing behind us to make sure we haven't been spotted.

I flinch as the sound of a gunshot resonates in the air. Archer pulling me back as he hides us further under the shadows of the jetty.

His back hits the wall. Trying in vain to hide himself between the cracks and winds his arms around me protectively.

I pull back and move slowly, desperate not to rock the water and alert Scarlett or anyone nearby of our location.