The Strength of Determination (Danu's rescue)

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Cove Merrick Strength lies not in the muscle, but the courage of your heart "Keep your head up baby girl." The words echo dimly in his mind over and over the moment it escaped through his lips. His legs fought against the dense sand urging his muscles to keep from sinking into it’s depths with each quick step. Air entering his lungs in quick, short spurts. Don't go under. Don't go under. He begged with every ounce of strength he had. The salty, unforgiving water lapped up against his daughter's legs, relentlessly. All he could do was watch it happen as he ran harder to get nearer to her. The tide was pushing against her small frame then pulling her in almost immediately. He could see her feet sinking into the quicksand. Her fear stricken face pleading with her father as her arms went outstretched, reaching for him. Danu fought against the waves as her father stretched his arm out to her in efforts to clamp even their pinky’s together. He had finally gotten hip deep before he began fighting the current taking him as well. Instead of retreating, he dove in. He wasn't about to let it win. He surfaced a moment later as the salt water ruined his sense of taste. "DANU! Get my hand!" He bellowed as his fingers finally latched on to her finger. A wave of relief washed over him for the moment. His heart burst with joy knowing that she was going to be safe in his arms in only a few moments if only he could pull her to him. The suction of the undertow would not let her go though. A wave came straight for them. It was too demanding; too strong. Cove knew at that moment that the sea was never that generous just to give up.. It wanted a sacrifice and it didn't matter who it was. The push of the water came back with a vengeance and beat against his legs, pushing him away and trying to sever the father and daughter bond he had just acquired. Danu, on the other hand, screamed while handfuls of water pooled into her mouth. Gurgles of words beat against Cove's heart. He was watching his daughter fight against the current trying to tear them apart. His hand latched so tightly against her small finger before the ocean had enough. "Danu! Don't let g-" Her entire essence sucked under the surface in the blink of an eye while the tide shoved him away like he was a rag doll. Salt water burned his nose and ran down the back of his throat as he gagged on the taste. It didn't matter that the ocean was his first taste of freedom from a young age but the very taste still made him regret opening his mouth. "Da..n...u..." He felt his words escape into the water, begging the ocean to release his daughter and bring her back to him. When he surfaced, he frantically searched for the youth that had been sucked away. A gaze back at the shore, his older daughter stood fearfully. "Go get your mother - NOW!" He couldn't wait around to see that she got his message and turned back to the water once more. This time, he couldn't see her at all. Danu's entire existence was no longer anywhere to be seen. He had no leads to even see where to begin to look, so he blindly dove in and out several times and let his arms wrestle the strength of the ocean. His heart shattered. "No... not my baby." He gasped when his lungs craved the oxygen. It bothered him tremendously knowing that his daughter’s lungs were much more underdeveloped to survive so long without. A twinge of guilt and fear pushed him once more into the ocean and the lapping waves. His lungs stung with a need for oxygen after a minute and before he fought for the surface, that’s when he saw her. Her tiny form floating beneath the waves. Her body was swirled around without care. Despite all need to surface, he swam to her. His body tensed up. His muscles began to scream. His heart started to slow down. Cove’s fingers latched around her tiny wrist, squeezing so tight he was afraid he'd break her but if he didn’t, the ocean would take her away again. Just as he reached the surface, another wave knocked him in. His lungs barely recovered long enough to gasp as he cradled his daughter’s form against him and the ocean bottom met with his back. Pain brought his lips to open and air to escape as reef broke into his skin. Please - just let her live. He began to plead as the ocean finally spit them out, and with a gasping cough, he surfaced for good, his daughter in tow, but her form unmoving. Strangers emerged from no where. Hands gripped his shoulders and his arms, and he felt his daughters wrist be sprung loose from his grip. “No! Don’t! She’ll drown. She’ll be pulled back in.” Hysteria befell on him until comforting voices told him they were safe. Though, a moment later, he realized that the ocean might have already taken what it wanted after all. “She’s not breathing…” It took a moment for the ocean’s pull on his equilibrium to counter being on dry land as he watched the strangers begin what was needed to rescue his daughter’s life. “No pulse… start compressions -” He fell to his knees above where her head rested. His hand reached up to brush the strands of wet hair that had plastered against her skin from her cheeks. He continued to stroke her face with the back of his palm when he was pushed back so that the stranger could listen for a breath. “Come on, Danu. Don’t give up. Breath, baby.” Cove coughed, sputtering bits of ocean water from his own lungs. He never left her side even as a familiar cry came out from beside him. His eyes diverted to the other daughter as she was being held by a woman of unknown familiarity. Tears fell from her eyes in a form he'd never seen before. He was torn between comforting the one watching and praying silently for the one in front without a breath. “Go - go get your - mother, Amber.” He begged her, unable to suppress the fit of coughs, but he stayed close by Danu as the grim moments continued. The pale hue of her face matched the hue on her lips. “Danu.. I’m so sorry. Daddy’s sorry - he tried to get you.” His voice cracked. "Stop -" Cove’s moments of horror took a turn. It turned into a joyous moment as Danu suddenly responded to the help from the strangers encircling the two of them. A gurgle, then a weak cough emerged from the one laying limp only moments ago. A father’s greatest moment is always hearing that first breath. This was no different from the day she was born and took her first breath. His lips turned upward as his hand went to his heart. “She’s breathing... She’s got a pulse!” Cove felt his heart leave his body as he leaned forward pressing his lips to Danu’s forehead and tears began to fall. “That’s it baby- you gotta, breath. Daddy’s here. You'll be okay, Danu!”