{SB}C@n't Actua11y Swim

[Erin Hackett]

Erin had been iffy about signing up for the trip, since they were going to Mexico. Like really, what even was in Mexico? Nothing exciting as far as Erin was concerned. She would have preferred if they had gone to Japan instead. Perhaps she could have paid a visit to her old school and maybe even see where she and her dad used to live. There was also the fact that there would have been a ton of thing to do in Japan. All of it very expensive but just being able to look at all the things you could have ever wanted might have been worth it for some people.

Instead they were going to Mexico where people were leaving to go to the USA. What did that say about the place? Erin tried not to think about it as she decided to relax on her blowup lapras on the ships pool. It was nice to just be able to sit on a fake plastic Pokémon and relax. The only negatives about that was falling asleep. Erin had fallen asleep pretty quickly laying in just the right position that she was not going to fall off and that she was still floating around in the more so adult pool. She had picked that side so she would not have to worry about getting splashed by those that could not control themselves in a pool.

The only negative thing again about this whole even was that Erin didn't really stay still for very long in her sleep. So when her body felt it was time to move, she moved, and ended up splashing right into the water. Had Erin never mentioned that she was not actually a good swimmier? She was not. So there was a whole new world pf panic for her. She didn't even manage to get out a help as she flailed on top of the water and suck as if she was some rock.

[Corey Spencer]

The entire idea of the trip was met with an almost bittersweet taste for Spence. On the one hand, even he had to admit he was wound tighter than a two dollar watch. The sun, the endless entertainment the ship afforded, the company of his fellow staff members, it all should add up to Spence getting some much needed relaxation and get his new life outside of the military off to a smooth start. On the flip side, he may have underestimated the difficulty of letting go making the trip feel like little more than a laborious lesson in the complexities and necessary flexibility of his position within the Academy.

There were advantages to walking around the ship as if you were 'on the clock', as it were. In spite of the looks he got from being decidedly over dressed to be on a ship, Spence simply felt more comfortable in the usual attire he wore as an EMT for the Academy. Never mind that the boots and cargo pants were horribly out of place among the much more scantily clad ship-goers, Spence had to be prepared for anything at anytime. Because of this it took him all of two seconds to register the problem in the pool and immediately leap into action.

With practiced ease, Spence vaulted himself into the pool, boots and all. He didn't figure the landlocked city of Kalispell, MT would offer him many chances to exercise his extensive water training but it wasn't the first time he'd been wrong when it came to things like this. With just a few powerful strokes, Spence found his way to the struggling girl and went to wrap a thick, muscled arm around her in hopes of at least getting her head above water.

[Erin Hackett]

Is this how I die? Sinking to the bottom of a pool when we are supposed to be on vacation? What would my father say? Hell what would my tombstone say? So lame. Erin thought to herself why she started to sink deeper into the pool. Just her luck she would be on the deepest end of the pool and she at least knew not to struggle. That didn't mean that her body was completely agreeing with her as she moved around to try and get back to the surface. Her lungs were practically screaming at her and she could already feel what little air she had left escape through her mouth. Her body demanded she open it and take in air.

She was of course underwater so instead of air she was getting water. Lovely. Just as the last bit of air was leaving her lung and water was rushing in, there was a force entering the water. Said force belonged to someone that Erin could not make out, but whoever it was grabbing a hold of her. Part of her wanted to squirm away because she was not used to being held or particularly close to anyone. Yet, he was pulling her up, and up was very much a good idea. As soon as he head broke through the water surface she was coughing. Spitting out water from her mouth and then gasping for air. Sweet, sweet air.

She was also clinging to this guy for dear life. The only reason she knew it was a guy because of the vice grip she hand on his shirt, not feeling any boobs there. If boobs had been there, then she would have to apologize for groping them, but this was a guy so she was safe. "Don't...let me...go." Erin managed to choke out as she clung to him like some newborn koala.

[Corey Spencer]

That the girl instantly attached herself to Spence was a good sign. She was still conscious and had a hell of a lot of fight left which led him to believe he'd reached her in time to prevent any sort of damage or trauma, aside from the brief moment of panic. His arm remained tightly wrapped around her, he wouldn't let her go if she wanted at this point. Not until he got her out of the water and got a look at her.

"It's alright." He said, paddling with his free arm toward the edge of the pool. Once the water was shallow enough for him to get his footing, Spence stood, pulling the girl well out of the water now and toting her along easily with one arm. He would go to carefully release his hold upon her only after he was standing on the concrete surrounding the pool. It had been such a quick, decisive move to leap in after the girl, only a handful of onlookers had the time to realize what had happened. This, as usual, suited Spence just fine. Attention was something he didn't care much for.

"Are you alright?" He asked, shifting so he could try and get a better look at the girl. She'd spoken so it stood to reason she hadn't been under long enough for the water she took in to be a danger.

[Erin Hackett]

The man was assuring her that everything was alright. She wanted to believe him but they were still in the water and that was a problem. You think a girl who grew up on islands would have learned how to swim by now, but she never did. She had only ever had to deal with the water coming up as high as her waist and earthquakes, and never fell off a boat without a life vest. So the need to learn how to swim never really accorded to her. Nor did the worry about her lack of swimming ability; when she decided to get into the pool.

This meant that she was going to have to work out learning how to swim at some point, or risk this event happening again. She still clung to the man, even when he was standing in the water and for a moment when he got out of the water. She just wanted to be sure that they were completely out of the water before she would let go. Not that she had a problem being in the shallow end but after almost drowning she was a little on edge from the whole ordeal. Soon her own two feet were touching the ground and she was messing with her wet hair.

"I will be...sort of." Erin managed to get out. She coughed a little bit, but overall other than her chest and throat hurting, she felt fine. Her eyes burned a little too, but she figured that was just from the chlorine and her eyeliner leaking from getting wet. That was what she got for not putting on any water proof kind, or more so for trying out this cheap kind. "I owe you. Life debt." Erin then informed him. He had saved her life, and that meant that she owed him her life. That made two people now; she really needed to stop having almost deaths.

[Corey Spencer]

Spence leaned down just enough to get a better look at the girl once her feet had settled on dry land. She was upright and talking, which was a good sign, and she didn't seem to be having any symptoms of any further problems, save for possibly being freaked out and coughing. He nodded a little, pleased that she was none the worse for wear. And the other staffers on the ship had poked fun at his inability to relax and take it easy while they were here.

"No you don't." He insisted, standing straight and shaking his head. No one owed Spence anything in a literal or figurative sense. He wasn't one to do things in order to be repaid. He did them because he was capable and it was the right thing to do. "It's my job. That you're okay is payment enough."

[Erin Hackett]

"Yes, I do." Erin insisted back. Why was she not feeling at all nervous around someone much older than her? Perhaps it was because out of the human interactions that she mostly had, it was older people that her father knew. He did bring people by the house and introduce her to people that she would end up working for, with, and probably be the boss of on occasion. It could also be the fact that there were actually a lot of older people that were gamer so maybe that was why she was actually not really nervous.

Another possibility that was probably more likely was because she again had almost died and had super clung to him so they were kind of past the point of things being awkward between the two of them. At least they were not awkward yet. "It might be your job but it’s my culture to pay back someone if they save my life. Well...sort of my culture." Erin responded. She was raised in Japan after all and that was one of the many lessons she picked up. "So I owe you a life debt. If you didn't want that you were going to have to let me drown." Erin said as she crossed her arms. She was shivering a little bit but other than that seemed mostly fine.

"Don't throw me back in the water." Erin quickly added. She didn't want him to not have saved her or toss her back into the water to cancel the whole life debt out. She had gone through this with Quinn. There was no way he was going to escape the debt until she had paid it back either by saving his life or by things here and there.

[Corey Spencer]

The girl had to be fine. The systematic way in which she described her insistence on owing Spence a 'life debt' was a testament to that. He gave her a bit of a smile and nodded, but still gave her one last look over just to make sure. "Very well." He conceded politely. If that was how she saw it, Spence was no one to judge. He hoped like hell she'd never have the opportunity to pay him back in kind, though, as it would mean something had probably gone to hell. "Pay me back if you feel you have to. But don't think you do. As long as you're okay."

A faint smirk touched the big man's features as he looked down to the girl. "I'm not, don't worry. It's fine, really." He chuckled a little before noticing the shiver that ran through her body. "Come on." He said, going to move toward the lounge near the pool area and gesturing for her to follow. "Let's get you inside and out of the wind, at least."

[Erin Hackett]

Erin mouth opened to inform him how it didn’t matter what he said, she owed him her life, but he just accepted it. Oh, well…that was easy. Erin kind of just went silent then, slowly closing her mouth, and blinking a few times. Well now she just didn’t know what to say. She supposed she could just get right to asking how she could pay him back or what he wanted. He didn’t seem like that kind of guy she had to worry what he might ask. It was probably going to be more so along the lines of pulling teeth to at least get a little bit of information on him in order to pay him back.

“I will think I have to, because I do. I should be fine….just cold and my throat hurts a little.” Erin admitted as she looked away. Now she was starting to feel a little embarrassed because she was still dripping wet and her voice was probably a little rough because of how she had been coughing when he saved her. She was shivering a little more now as the wind decided to start to blow a little, evil wind. It was like it knew she had almost died and was laughing at her, which caused the wind. Or perhaps it was cheering for her living another day and thus the wind was blowing.

Or Erin was thinking too much about all of this. She nodded a little bit at the older man’s words and started to follow him as she rubbed the side of her arms a little bit. “Why did you risk trying to save me? You uh…look like a guy that would sink if he touched the water.” Erin asked and pointed out. If she was as big as him, she would not want to get near water. Then again she already had the whole sinking issue and being that big must have added to the possibility of sinking. Yet, he handled it just fine.