How I Met Your Mother

"Can you move it?" An immediate "No." stopped me from going any further. "What about your fingers?"

She gingerly moved the fingers. Broken? I wasn't sure, but it was badly sprained.

The right was a different story. I could see that it was pushed in the wrong direction. We both knew it was broken. I checked the upper arm and elbow just to be sure. They were fine, so I left the wrist alone.

Her legs were banged up pretty bad, but they would heal. When she put her foot in my crotch, I moved and manipulated it into various movements. She did wince a couple of times, but she didn't yell out at all. Broken, I doubt it. Fractured, maybe. Badly sprained, absolutely.

The foot that lacked a boot was cut and bruised, and a toe appeared to be bent in a weird direction. Softly I put her foot back down to the soil.

"Good news is, you're gonna live. Bad news is, that you won't be able to walk the runway for a while." My feeble attempt at humor made her smile.

"Coffee?" Black and strong.

"Please." Through the sobs, she drank 2 cups.

This girl was incredibly strong. What kind of person, man or woman, could spend 3 days and nights in the woods, with no food or water, alone and in the dark? Not friggin me. Yet there she sat, fighting. In lots of pain, but still fighting.

"Ashley, I'm going to need to reset your right wrist. The other one, I'll leave alone, but that one has to be done because we are at least 2 days from being able to get you some help."

She nodded and I proceeded to collect the things necessary to rest and secure it.

Sitting side by side on the dirt, Ashley placed her elbow onto my lap. I had arm raised up pointing at the treetops. Her fingers curled and held as tight as they could to a piece of branch. In her mouth was the leather strapping of my belt.

"One, two, three..."

"Fuuuuuuuck."

Her body crumpled into mine. I held her upright, stopping her from hitting her head on the way down. Picking up a dead weight body from the ground is way tougher than it looks. Ashley couldn't have weighed anymore than 120, maybe less, but it took some effort to get her into the hammock.

While she slept, I readied her splints and started tearing a pair of jeans into bandages.

"Wyatt." She had been out for a little over 3 hours, so I jumped when I heard my name.

"Hey, how are you feeling?"

"Real sore. And I gotta pee, real bad." My arms slid under and I lifted her to her feet.

"Okay, how do you do this?" Her head tilted to the side. It was an impatience, embarrassed, almost humiliated look. I looked down at her shorts and legs. Ooooooooh! The streaks of where urine had washed over blood and dirt was clearly apparent, and that would explain most of the smell. I had missed it earlier, because I just wasn't thinking or looking. "Tell me what you want me to do."

"Is that water deep?"

"No. At the bottom of the falls, I made a little hot tub. Well, a cold tub actually. It works like a whirlpool. Not deep and it has a stone bottom. It works..." I was nervously jabbering to her.

"Wyatt. Do you have soap and a facecloth?"

"Yes. No. No facecloth, but I can cut a towel."

"That will work." I raced to my pack. "Can you carry me over there?"

I picked her up again and carried her to the rocks. She stood with her body leaning on mine for support as I took off my boots and socks. I looked at Ashley, when I removed my shorts.

"I don't want to get them wet." She just nodded and watched as I grabbed my knife, cut off a large swatch for a facecloth and set the towel near where we would be sitting. I lifted her up and cradled her in my arms. "If I slip, don't worry. It's deep enough that you won't hit bottom."

Ashley sat in silence for at least 5 minutes. As the water made its way past her, it joined up with her tears.

"I know it sucks, but you're going to be alright."

"You think?"

"Yeah, I'm certain of it." We had our work cut out for us, but she was going to make it out safe. "Do you want the soap and facecloth?" I held out the biodegradable soap container and the cloth.

"What would you have me do with them?"

"You asked for the...oh." Now I felt like crying for her. "Do you want me to wash your top and shorts? You can wear one of my t-shirts until they dry."

Her chin was fully crinkled when she nodded to me. "Lift a bit." I pulled her soiled shorts down her legs and began shaking them in the water. "Don't worry, I can't see a thing." When I could tell that there wasn't anything remaining in the shorts, I tossed them on the rocks behind us. Ashley's body dropped lower into the water and she raised her arms in the air. I stood and cautiously pulled the sport top up and over her breasts, shoulders, head and arms. Not once did it touch her wrists.

The iron rich water was dark enough to conceal her lower parts, but even with her sitting on bottom, I still had a very good view of her breasts. They appeared to belong to someone that would occasionally sunbathe topless. Tanned, but not nearly as tanned as the rest of her body. Big and firm. Maybe a "C" cup. Cute nipples that were hardened by the cool water running over them. I could have looked all day, but I tore away my eyes.

I stared off into the woods, taking in the natural beauty and tranquility of the setting. I could hear Ashley sobbing and when I forced myself to look over to her, her head was lowered.

Placing my hand on her shoulder, I tried to comfort her.

"It's okay. We'll wrap your wrists and ankle, then we'll have lunch, are you ready for some lunch?" She raised her head and prepared herself for what she had to say.

"I need you to wash me, everywhere. I can't risk an infection. Then you need to check me for ticks. They freak me out. I'm sorry to ask you, but..."

I started with her hair. It was the easiest. Just under shoulder length. Shrubbed and cleaned she dipped her head under the water to rinse. No ticks anywhere to be seen on her scalp. Next was her face, neck and shoulder. Firm, proud and strong. Then I did her back as she stood in front of me. Good to go. I stood behind her and washed her arm until I got about halfway down the forearm. I washed her arm pits. With the exception of a week's worth of stubble, there was nothing else.

At a crossroad, things were about to get bad. I mean, we are adults and she probably had been with lots of guys that have saw her naked, but we just met, and not in a conventional way.

"Maybe the water will wash away the rest."

Her body turned so that she was facing me.

"You ever had a UTI?"

"No."

"Lucky you. I've been living in my own... I really need you to help clean me. They aren't any fun."

I used the soapy cloth as a barrier so that the minimum amount of skin on skin action occurred, but even while being extremely cautious, her nipple caught the rag and my palm slid over her naked breast, cupping it on the way by. They felt nice. They felt really nice in my hands. I wanted nothing more than to caress and nibble them, but I manned up. Chest and belly. Cleaned and clear.

"How do you want me to...do, your lower parts?"

"Wash me real good underwater before we get out. Then you can help me out, check me for ticks and rewash me. Sorry."

My hands rubbed the soap over her firm butt cheeks and her legs. I was able to get down to her knees before my face would have submerged in the stream. I reached around front and let my cloth covered hand stroke gently over her stubbly pubic mound. I couple of circular motions and I was done.

"You have to get in the cracks. I'm sorry, I know that it's hard, but for 3 days I've been..." Her tears were back. The shear embarrassment would have killed me if I were in her place.

Carefully, I used the cloth to wash every inch of her ass and pussy. There should have been nothing sexual about it, yet I was rock hard in my underwear. If it wasn't for the cool water, I'm sure that I would have been sweating up a storm.

Lifting her completely naked body out of the water, we stood together in the sunlight. Under any other circumstances, it would have been a dream come true.

No need for any more instructions, I filled the cloth with soap and washed Ashley's long, tanned legs and her smallish feet. Looking for ticks, I could see signs of redness and chaffing between her ass cheeks, but there weren't any ticks. Her pussy was beautiful. At one time in the past, it had been shaved clean, now, like her legs and arm pits, there was signs of new growth. Her low hanging lips were thick and inviting. Luckily there was no redness, and when I lifted and parted them, there were no ticks.

Ashley's gaze was fixed on the boner in my pants. I couldn't help it, and no apology would help the situation.

"All good. You're perfect. I mean, it's clean. I...no bugs. A bit red down there on your bum. Actually, a lot red, but no bugs. So, I guess that we're done."

"You have to rewash me. No cloth this time. It will hold the bacteria."

Standing with my front to her side, I lathered up both hands and when to work. The tips of my fingers rubbed the soapy mix over all of her delicate parts. If I had thought earlier that doing this with a facecloth wasn't sexual, well this was the exact opposite.

My fingertips were alive. They could feel every, stubble of hair, every bump, every ripple and crinkle of this beauty's body. Her asshole puckered when the tip of my pressed against it. I felt it do so. Her legs parted and the calf of her wounded leg rested against mine as she gave me access to parts that are normally forbidden to anyone other than a lover. I could feel her meaty lips between my fingers as I rubbed them clean. Using just my middle fingers, I moved them inward until they touched at the tip. My breathing had to have increased. I was so hard that there was no way to hide it.

Ashley's arm raised up and over my shoulder. She rested it on me, watching so that I didn't contact the broken wrist. Her head was tilted forward as she watched my actions.

"Get inside a bit. It needs to be clean."

Putting more of the soapy mess on my fingers, doing as requested, I pushed my finger in and up until I was at the second knuckle. I wanted to go further. I wanted it all, but I stopped and lowered her lathered up body into the water.

The swirling water did us both a favor. It cooled down the steamy session of clean-up. Somewhere and sometime while I was using the soap to wash Ashley's soiled shorts and bra, my hardon disappeared. Her shorts would never really be clean after what they had been through, but they would be way better when they dried out.

She looked clean and cute sitting on the stump in my t-shirt. Her belly was full of fish, water and 3 more of the Advil.

My first-aid skills weren't great, but her wrists were bandaged up tightly and were secure from any more damage. Her ankle was wrapped less tightly. Only a tensor bandage for now.

"You should get some more rest." Her head nodded and waited for assistance. The bugs are very low during the day, but I pulled the netting over her anyway.

"Wyatt."

"Yeah."

"Thank you...for everything, and for saving me." I tapped her shoulder.

"You might want to save that thanks until we're actually out of here."

I was able to get 4 more fish. They weren't huge by any means, but 2 a piece would be enough to save the rest of the food for the walk out. I searched the woods until I found what I thought would be the perfect walking stick / crutch. I was almost done cutting it when it came to me that she had no way to hold it. So, with enough purified water to get us through the night, I relaxed.

Waking from her nap, I gave Ashley 2 more cups of water and another 3 Advil. We were down to our last 12, but that should be enough to get us out.

After dinner, Ashley hold me that the pain had started to subside. It was partially due to the wrists being immobilized and partially to having some pain killer in her system. Either way, it was good news, so I stoked the fire and helped my patient to the trees for some relief. Using wet pieces of the cut-up towel, I was able to clean her up with ease. But when I noticed her squirming, I knew that the chaffing was bothering her.

"Do you want me to put some zinc oxide on that for you?"

Rubbing the cool cream over the afflicted area, Ashley tried humor to lighten the mood.

"You've had your fingers in my butt more than all of my boyfriends, combined."

"Oh yeah, do you keep track of how many times one of them touches it?"

"Maybe."

"Kinda like you keep track of your UTI's?"

"Not funny, but yes." But it was, because for the first time in nearly 24 hours, I saw her laugh.

"Yeah, funny thing about ass play, it's normally something that I save for a second date." She laughed as I pulled her shorts back into place. "So, tell me how you ended up out here all alone?"

"Same as you I guess, by choice. I wanted to be alone for a while and it was going well up until it wasn't. I certainly didn't expect this to happen. I stepped on a mossy stump, rolled my ankle, and the next thing I know, here I am."

"Is anyone looking for you?"

"Not until a week Monday. I am on two weeks of vacation, so no. Nobody will be looking until I don't show up for work. You?"

"Same, but only one week off for me."

We hobbled back over to the fire. Sitting in silence for the longest time, Ashley finally spoke. Her words seemed to concern her.

"How do you plan on getting us out of here?"

"I'm not sure. I haven't thought that far ahead." But I had.

As uncomfortable as it was going to be for both of us, I planned on carrying her most of the way out. I was going to empty most of my backpack, keeping only the essentials and make a support using the strapping and internal frame for her to sit in or on.

I would carry her for anywhere between 60 and 90 minutes, depending on me. Then we would hobble for 30. If we left at dawn, by night fall, we might be able to get within range of a cell tower and some help.

"You should probably take three more of these and get some rest. We will head out as early as possible."

She swallowed the pills and washed them down with 2 more cups of water.

"Wyatt..."

"Yeah, I know." I supported her under her arms while she peed, then gave her a tap / wipe. Lifting her into the hammock, I jokingly asked who would be doing all this for her when she got home. It was the wrong question. There was a hurt look on her face, and tears returned.

"No one, I guess."

I had caught and cooked 2 fish by the time Ashley awoke. We ate, took 3 more of the Advil, put out the fire, did our business, cleaned up, and got ready. Ashley stepped up onto the fireside sitting stump and one at a time, slid her slender legs into my homemade papoose.

"I'll support your legs when I pick you up. You can rest your arms on my shoulders. It should stop your wrists from bouncing. We will follow the stream all day. There's an old path and the water will be handy. Ready?"

Shyly, with glossy, tear filled eyes.

"You have no idea..."

"Look, you gotta know by now, that I'm not doing this for free. You're gonna owe me a bunch of beers someday". It was before 7:00am and we were on our way.

The day was very forgiving. The hiking gods looked down on us favorably. They kept the skies overcast and cool. No rain, which would have ruined our escape attempt. No humidity, and the heat was tolerable. All of these things combined, allowed us to make good time.

It was only when Ashley said, "Pee break", that I realized how far we had travelled. We had walked well over the 2-hour mark that I had planned on. And we had done it none stop. I couldn't have been happier that a third of the day's journey was behind us. We found a pebble clearing by the water, and I lowered her down so that her legs touched the rocks.

The area was safe. No bears venture nearby, so I stripped down.

"I'm going in the water. You want to join me?" The "that's a stupid question" look burned a hole in me.

Without out even asking, I hooked my thumbs in the waste band of her tight shorts and pulled them off. When she lifted her arms, I knew that she wanted to be naked. Even with her recent battle scars, her skin was still soft to the touch. And beyond a shadow of a doubt, she was very sexy. There was no way to stop my erection from happening.

Setting her down into the cool ripples of the stream, see looked directly at my manhood.

"I'm sorry."

"It's alright."

"No. I shouldn't..."

"Look, don't be sorry. I'm actually flattered. It's been a very long time since I've had that effect on anyone."

"I seriously doubt that."

Keeping track of time, I told her 10 more minutes and we would have to start out again.

"Can you hold my arms up so that my splints don't get wet?"

Putting my hands under her arm pits, she laid her head back. Time and time again she totally submerged her head under the water. Her legs and feet floated to the surface. Her breast, belly and pubic mound made little islands in the stream.

Slowly she moved her legs in a "backstroke" like swimming motion. But not moving, she was exercising the muscles. It didn't help my arousal. Not one bit. Her nipple looked like small hard pebbles, and when her legs spread, I could she her meaty lips, clearly.

"Wyatt, can...can you put some more of that zinc stuff on me?" The ice that once kept the subject chilly, had long melted away.

"Do you need it, or do you just like my finger there?"

"Maybe both, but mostly I need it."

Dried and ready. I grabbed my pack.

"I thought that you said I had to walk for a while."

"Change of plans. It's almost ten. If we can hike at the same pace until noon. We'll stop again and have some lunch, get in the water and rest for an hour or so. Then we will for sure be more than halfway out."

No argument from her.

Even carrying the extra weight, it was still a very scenic hike. And for the first time, I had company. Ashley told me about her favorite places, and I told her mine. Somewhere along the trail we agreed to hike together in Utah.

"Tell me about your last girlfriend. What happened with the two of you?"

"We never liked each other. Constant fighting. We met through friends, and she only dated me so that she wasn't alone, and I guess I did the same."

"Did you live together?"

"Yeah, but that's when we realized that it wasn't meant to be."

"How long were you together."

"About ten months or so."

"Did you ever consider marrying her."

"Honestly, not once. We were two different people. I'm not kidding when I say that she hated me. The only time that we didn't argue was when we were in bed."

"That's strange."

"Not really. It was the only place where either of us would let down our guard around one another. It was our safe, fight free zone. I mean, she still said lots of bad stuff in bed, but I'm a guy and was getting what I wanted, so I didn't care."

"When people our age move in together, they usual end up married."

"Yeah, well I'm not kidding when I say that she hated almost everything about me, including my name."

"I think Wyatt is a nice name."

"Well, she thought that Wyatt Oakes sounded like a retirement village. Didn't want any part of it."

"Her loss."

"You?"

"Me what?"

"Tell me about your last boyfriend."

"Not lots to tell. We didn't live together. I was his side piece. Turned out that he had a few side pieces, and when one of them had a baby, he disappeared."

"Nice."

"Not really, but he wasn't a complete asshole. She was from Mexico, and apparently they moved down there with the new baby."

"Well isn't that the honorable thing to do?" She laughed and tapped the side of my head with her elbows.

"What do you do for work Wyatt?"

"Luckily, I work from home. I'm in IT Security. And yes, before you ask, it is every bit as boring as it sounds, but it pays the bills."