Will You Keep The Secret

"A-pollo!" She gasped, sputtering as she surfaced, choking on a mouthful of water and flailing while being tossed about.

He grimaced, exhaling nervously as he let go of the branch, allowing himself to get rushed away with the water again; swimming along with its flow towards her.

Laney struggled to keep above the water, gasping and coughing, going still and sinking underneath the water after being slammed into the rocks.

"Laney, no!" Apollo coughed, taking a deep a breath as he could be diving beneath the water, forcing himself to open his eyes and ignoring the stinging the water caused to spot her.

Laney was pulled along with the current.

Apollo managed to wrap his arms around her waist, finding his way to the surface and coughing as he held Delaney so her head was above the water

She didn't struggle nor did she try to help, eyes closed.

Apollo didn't pay much attention to that, securing her close with one arm so he had his other arm free to grab a hold of a fallen down tree that crossed the river. Wincing as his side hit against it though he managed to wrap his arm around it and use it to bring them both up onto the bank to safety. He lay Delaney down on the floor, trying to catch his breath as he rested a hand on her cheek. "Laney, come on, Del, wake up."

Laney began to cough up water.

"There you are, thats it, well done." Apollo praised with a sigh of relief.

She struggled to roll onto her side spitting up more water.

He helped her, rubbing her back

Laney pressed her forehead against the ground once she stopped coughing, not even noticing the gash to the side of her head or the scratches and cuts from the rocks.

"You're safe," He whispered, squeezing her shoulder gently; the side of his top beginning to become bloodstained also from where his ribs had hit into the tree. "We're safe."

She picked up her head, breath shaky and reached out for his hand.

Apollo shook his head, moving to sit leant against a tree instead and pull her onto his lap, holding her up.

There was no protect from her at this, in fact she welcomed it, laying her head on his shoulder with a deep shudder.

"You were really brave," He whispeded after a thoughtful couple of moments.

"You're hurt.. " she whispered.

"More tired than hurt," He assured, "Do you want me to walk you to your aunts, or you can come to mine. I'm sure some of Persephone's clothes will fit you if you want to get out of wet clothes."

"Yours," she whispered without thinking. "Don't need them worrying over me."

"Okay," He whispered, getting to his feet and offering her a hand up.

(( Skip a couple of hours? ))

She took his hand slowly getting to her feet.

(Yeah)

A few hours later, Apollo was sat on the sofa in his and his sisters home; having ran Delaney a bath and set some dry clothes out for her.

Laney had taken the bath knowing she needed it, emerging from the bathroom a little while later in the clothes he laid out, her hair damp and the gash on her head more noticeable now.