Work Text:
Everything was light. Or was it white? Ziggy couldn't tell anymore. He tried to force his brain to focus. The hills, clouds rolling above, cars roaming through Sandy shores with the occasional police lights, and a figure growing smaller and smaller. There was something else he needed to focus on. What was it? Everything went dark again.
An S+ boost turned shootout. No surprises. The crims used everything they could. Plenty of interference including helicopters and motorbikes. Ziggy needed to drop Flop off. A slight pain in his chest as he watched Flop get prepared. Flop was so vulnerable on motor. He needed to focus though. The criminals scattered across Sandy Shores. He knew what he was going to do, chase this one girl who separated from the group, sprinting across the frozen lake. She was unarmed from what he could tell, just a track star.
Ziggy tried his hardest to bite back the pain in his chest. Cocaine is a fucking bitch. Maybe he should've listened to Flop, and handed him all cocaine he managed to get instead of secretly snorting it. He still managed to keep on her tail though, only just.
“Just stop! Ma’am! The rest of your boys are shooting, just give up!” They were in the middle of the lake now. Police sirens and lights fade across the ice. Ice. Fuck. He just ran into the middle of the frozen lake. Any part could give way under him. He has become more aware of his steps now. Trying to run lightfooted which seemed like an impossible task if he was to keep up.
It didn't work though, he cursed his dumptruck as the floor gave way. Plunging under the water, The shock made him gasp, intaking far too much water. He kicked violently trying to resurface, grasping the slippery ice.
“Ohnonoohgodohno, Ziggy?! Are you alright? Hang on, I’m coming.” Ah. He recognised her now. Ash. Her anxious stutter that anyone would recognize. He fought to try to pull himself up but his fingers couldn't find a grip. Every time he was close, the ice continued to shatter plunging him back under the water. He studied Ash as she tried to approach, no matter the angle she attempted to inch closer, the ice threatened to break under her. “Ash… Go. I'll be okay. Dont p-put yourself in danger.”
“Oh god, Ziggy I can't! Flop and Rhodes will hate me! You're my step ranger,” She reached into her pocket grabbing her phone, “ aw crap there's no service out here. Whata-whata-what do I do? Ziggy!? I'm not trained for this!” Part of Ziggy couldn't care less, he was focusing on trying to save himself, and he had to quickly accept he wouldn't be able to on his own. “A-ash. Go get help. Get signal.” A scared peep left her but she turned her heels, sprinting towards the distant houses. Ziggy tried to calm himself, panicking out here won't help. Just needs to keep focus, Keep kicking his legs. Stay awake. Funny he thought. Maybe if he did die here, Ash would finally be accepted by Richard into the family.
That's right, the small figure was Ash. He was chasing her. A violent cough left his mouth. Sharp pain in his sides. He was coughing up water. Fuck when did he slip down? There was nothing he could do. Both his radio and emergency button were underwater, and even if by some miracle they still worked, he didn't want to risk losing what little grip he had.
How long was he out here? He could no longer feel the cold. Just numb. It was welcoming. He wasn’t in pain anymore. They say everything goes white when you die, Ziggy didn't pay much attention to that wive’s tale. Stupid shit for people to believe they were going to heaven. But it was hard to ignore white was all around him. The hills, clouds, snow, ice, and even his wrists were the palest he’d seen. He was curious about his fingers. Were they already frostbitten? At this point, he didn't care. It was difficult but he used his teeth to pull his glove off. He was right though. He’d been here too long. With no sign of help. Should I just let go? If I lost limbs, I’d be useless anyway.
New colours. Red and blues. Ah, they’re finally here. Far too small though. Far? No… but it wasn’t a car. A motorbike? Flop… “f-Flop…” his voice was weak, he could only just hear it over the vibration from the bike, echoing through the ice.
“Ziggy!? Where the fuck,” Flop glanced back toward his GPS. Ziggy's blip was close, but couldn't see his figure against the horizon. He slowed the bike, It was unsafe to drive, but he couldn't care. Nobody on the radio could get through to Ziggy, and Flop feared he was shot, the Panic alarm stolen, and Left for dead. Where the fu- “ZIGGY!”
Flop sprinted towards his husband. It felt bad to think about how tiny he looked. Ziggy was pale, almost blue “s-stop…”
huh HUH?
Ziggy had asked him to stop. The man, his husband, dying of hypothermia is telling him to stop!? “Y-you’ll b-br-break the ice.” He was right, Ziggy is always right. Flop stopped and listened to the creaks of the ice, He wouldn't be able to get close. Cant save his husband. “H-hold on Ziggy, Im gonna get Snow, he can get a heli from Sandy,” Flop kept his eyes on Ziggy. Gosh, he looks so exhausted. “220 to 205… I need you immediately to bring Air-1 over to my location in, the middle of the Alamo Sea. Ziggys has fallen in. You have air rescue equipment, right? Okay, 220 to ems…”
Ziggy was unsure how much time passed, but Flop stood out among the white. Looks so handsome in his ranger uniform, Ziggy was proud. Flop was gonna be amazing. But he couldn't stand the silence. He knew Flop was still talking, the occasional radio beeps reminding him to open his eyes. But even that was too tiring, he hates to feel like this in front of Flop, to give up. He was the one to bring Flop back to reality when he was hurt.
“H-how about some i-icebreakers, F-Flop?” His teeth chattered violently, if he hadn't accepted his fate, He would be worried about them breaking.
“Not the time, idiot! W-we.. people are grabbing some rope now for the heli. Just stay with me Ziggy, Ah maybe those ice break-...”
“ZIGGY, Look at me!” Ziggy opened his eyes. When did he close them? “That's right Buggsy, stay focused on me. My voice. You gotta stay awake Ziggy.”
Flop's voice sounded hurt. That's the last thing Ziggy wanted. He would never want Flop to be upset, much less upset at him. Maybe if he knew this would be the outcome, he’d have let go sooner. He looked at his fingers and with what little strength was left he manages to press a kiss to his wedding band. He hope he did. His lips couldn't even feel it.
“Ah! Snows here. Helps here, Ziggy! You just gotta- Ziggy!”
The last thing he remembers was the glowing rim of the ice you could see from below. Oddly beautiful. The water felt warm. His mind whispered his last ‘love you’, and the guilty feeling weighed him down more. That was the last thing he felt.