Lost

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Summary: A field trip in the woods with Mary Margaret's class take a dramatic and potentially tragic turn when Ruby and Archie fall into the river.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything OUAT.

Author's note: I don't even own this idea! This little adventure was inspired by a prompt by the lovely em705 on tumblr.

Rating: T (but fair warning: angst aplenty and possible character death!)

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"Ruby..."

She rolled her eyes fondly at the warning in his tone, but had to admit to herself that he probably had a point. Turning around to face him she meant to obey his unspoken request to get back on the hiking trail, but her boot slipped on the wet mud and with a startled shriek she started to fall. Archie was there in a flash and with impressive reflexes caught her. For a moment they both staggered as they struggled to regain their balance on the slippery ground. They clung to each other as they regained their equilibrium and their breathing evened out. Ruby gingerly looked over her shoulder and swallowed as she saw just how close she had been to falling down the slope – it was quite steep, and she was sure she wouldn't have been able to stop before flying straight off the edge and into the roaring river below. She couldn't tell just how far it was down, but it was a long fall and definitely a plunge she didn't want to take.

"Archie..." her voice caught in her throat. Under her desperate grip on his wrist she could feel his pulse racing. "Oh my God, that was so stupid! I saw there had been a mudslide and I was curious as to how big it was... I did exactly what I told Henry not to do." She let out a shaky laugh. "You saved me."

"Here," he sounded breathless as he steered her away from the edge, with a gentle but firm grip around her waist. "We should catch up to the others."

She nodded and after throwing another glance over her shoulder, heart still beating furiously at the close call, let herself be led back up towards the hiking trail. "When I let Mary Margaret talk me into this field trip this was not what I had in mind!"

Archie chuckled. "Well, I'm sure she didn't imagine the adult volunteers would end up being more unruly than the children they're supposed to help supervise."

Ruby gave his arm a playful slap. "I don't get why she would need more adults at all – that class of hers is the most well-behaved bunch of ten-year-olds I've seen in my life!"

Archie gave a wave to Henry who had backtracked to see what was going on. The young boy smirked at the sight of them and Ruby was suddenly intensely aware of the psychiatrist's reassuring – and very close – presence.

"That's true," Archie agreed. "But you never know what might ha- "

This time she didn't even have the time to shriek as the muddy ground under their feet gave out. Instinctively she grabbed hold of the only thing within her reach – Archie – and he in turn tightened his hold on her, trying to keep them both balanced. It probably would have been enough at any other time, but the ground was wet and slippery after days of rain, and balance wasn't worth much when the very ground under their feet worked against them.

Ruby thought she heard surprised and frightened cries somewhere in the distance, but before she had the time to identify the voices she and Archie hit the freezing water.

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To be continued...