After Thomas built a shelter, he layered leaves for a bed and carried Charlotte inside to rest. As he laid her down she opened her eyes for a moment a worried frown came on her face and all she managed to get out before passing back out was "Thomas?". He brushed the hair out of her face and whispered: It's going to be okay Charlie, I'll make it okay, I promise.
Thomas left her there asleep to find water and food. He walked for a few hours looking for any kind of civilization but all he could find were coconuts, bananas and a small fresh water stream which he followed until it came to a water fall with a small pond below it. He dunked his head in the water to cool off then drank as much as he could. He needed to bring some water back to Charlotte but the only receptacle at the moment was a giant leaf so he filled it and headed back to her.
Charlotte was dehydrated and disoriented as she started waking.
"Where am I, hello?" in a raspy weak voice. She was so weak she could barely stand but she made it to her feet and out of the shelter to look around.
All she could see was a vast sea and a sandy beach with palm trees, the only living thing, a crab down by the shoreline. Sam's mind started racing, how did she end up in this little shelter if no one was with her? She touched her head but the wound caused her to wince, she must have made her way into it and she just cant remember.
Charlotte tried to remember everything that happened but all she could remember was hitting her head as she fell off the boat. She called out as loud as she could muster with her dry voice again: Hello? Is there anyone here? Please somebody!
She fell to her knees sobbing in despair at the thought of being stranded and completely alone.
Thomas was almost back walking carefully so he didn't spill any water, when he heard Charlotte scream: No! Please god no!
Thomas immediately dropped the water and ran the last few yards through the bushes out to her, he paused when he saw her on the ground, then rushed to her side lifting her to her feet and forcing her to look at him: Charlie! It's okay, we'll be okay, calm down.
She looked at him for a moment not believing he was real, she clung to his shirt and moved her hand up to his neck cupping his face. She became overwhelmed by the flood of emotions that came pouring in as her thoughts raced before she leaped into his chest almost hyperventilating and balling. Her voice was frail and shaky and still a little hoarse from how dry it was as she said: Oh Thomas, I thought I was completely alone, I was so afraid, please don't leave me again. She held tightly to his chest and he couldn't help but feel something, he didn't know what, but it felt nice.
After several minutes he gently pushed her away so he could see her face as he said: Listen to me Charlie, we are going to be okay, I am the head of Parker Industries so I am sure someone will come looking for me, it's just a matter of time. So until we are rescued we need to find a way to live here.
After fortifying their shelter and eating the fruit he had found it was time to turn in for the night: I can build my own shelter so you can have privacy.
Charlotte grabbed his shirt again and frantically said: No, I dont want privacy, please sleep with me?
Thomas knew what she meant but despite the situation he still couldn't help but raise his eyebrows and smirk at what she said.
Charlotte shook her head, rolling her eyes with a half a smile, she let out a small faint laugh.
Thomas helped her back into the shelter to lay down and it was as if the roles were reversed. Now she was the one willing to get close and in fact couldn't get close enough and he was the awkward one feeling like he was back in high school on his very first date with Kristen Dinkler, not knowing where he should put his hands. With Charlotte's head on his chest, she reached over his chest and pulled his other arm to wrap over her back. Thomas wondered if she was just cold or if she enjoyed the way he felt against her.
Thomas woke the next morning to find Charlotte missing, he scrambled frantically to his feet and ran out the door just to find her down by the shoreline with a crab in both hands heading to a fire she had built, he started making his way to her.
"Where the hell did you learn to start a fire?"
She looked at him and smiled replying: My father taught me, but the real question is where did you learn how to do all of that? As she pointed to the shelter or rather shack that he had built.
"Well my father said that no matter how wealthy we were, a man should know how to survive using his own two hands. He sent me to a few camps that taught survival skills when I was a kid, I guess some of it stuck." He smiled
Days went by and they explored the island and started to feel more comfortable. Thomas decided to venture out to see what he could find while Charlotte stayed behind to start on their next meal. A few hours went by before she started to really worry. She started walking in the direction he left in, she walked at least a few miles and then stopped when she saw branches broken and the dirt had been kicked up she followed the path for a mile or two more when she found drips of blood. Her heart started to race and pound so hard it hurt to even breathe.
She frantically yelled out: Thomas! Where are you? Just then she heard a low groan coming from the bushes about ten feet away, she walked slowly towards the noise until she saw Thomas' arm sticking out from some bushes.
"Oh my god, Thomas!" she ran over and uncovered his body. His leg had a deep gash in it and he must have hit his head because he was bleeding there as well.
She checked his vitals as best as she knew how. Thomas had taught her how to make twine so she tied together branches and palm leaves creating a makeshift kind of sled and then roll him onto it. Charlotte knew he would need shelter and fresh water but that they had to stay near the shore in order to signal for help if they were to see a boat. It took her nearly eight and a half hours to drag Thomas back to the campsite which included many stops along the way.
By the time she drug him into their shack. It was the middle of the night and she couldn't see to clean his would so she laid next to him. Exhausted from the physical excursion yet unable to do anything but stare at his chest to see it rise and fall as she lay there the rest of the night quietly sobbing.
He finally began to stir mid-morning the next day as she was cleaning and dressing his wounds, he winced and with pain.
"Charlie? H… How did we get back here?"
Charlotte let out a huge sigh of relief and smiled: Your finally awake, everything is okay now but, Thomas did you fall?