Once you'd led the others far enough toward the river, you stopped and pointed. "River's that way. Watch out for ants. Bye now."

James snagged your arm and tugged you to stand beside him. You huffed in irritation. "What my lovely wife here meant to say was the boat is in that direction. Just keep going straight on and you should find it. Wait for us until dawn. If we're not there, leave us."

"Where are you two going?" Hank asked.

"To stop Packard," you answered as you shifted your weight, eager to get going.

"Not without me," Hank argued and slid his sword into its sheath.

You shook your head. "Hank, I need you to go with them and keep them safe. We both know I'm far more likely to do what needs to be done. You're the one that gave me my nickname after all. And as much as I love you, buddy, if I end up stuck here again, I'd rather have my husband beside me."

Hank still looked undecided. James put his hand on the other man's shoulder. "It's time for you to go home."

Hank nodded. "Tell the big ape bye for me, Slayer."

"Will do." 

Mason came over to stand beside you and James. You arched a brow at her in question. "I'm coming with you."

"No offense, Mason, but I haven't seen you pick up anything besides your camera. This isn't a sightseeing expedition. Go with the others." With that you turned and began to hurry through the trees. James shortly fell into rhythm with you as you hurried in the direction Packard and his men had gone. Explosions tore through the air and shook the ground and you adjusted your path slightly so you were heading toward the source of the sound.

You cursed as you heard Kong howl in rage and pain. You were almost there. You had to be. You forced yourself to run faster. Kong couldn't die. When you found the others, your gun was up in seconds, aimed right at the madman's head. He had some sort of detonator in his hand. "Put it down, Packard." You stepped between him and Kong. 

The few men that still lived pointed their weapons at you. You spared them a glance but nothing more. They wouldn't kill you. They were tired of war and tired of the crazy man in front of you. They might feel like they owed him something but they had to see he wasn't sane. James stepped out behind them and pointed his handguns at two of them. "Now, that's no way to treat a lady." Half the weapons shifted to cover him. 

You tried to locate the explosives without taking your eyes from Packard, but you weren't having much luck. He glowered at you, pure hate shining in his eyes and flipped on the detonator. "Stop. Just stop!" you yelled. "You've lost it, Packard. You kill Kong and you kill everyone on this island. You set off those explosives right now and you kill all of us, including your men."

"My men are willing to make the sacrifice to protect our country, our families, from that thing."

"Are they?" you asked and looked past him to where Slivko now had his weapon pointed at the Colonel. Packard followed your line of sight and reached for his own firearm. "Do it and die," you warned.

The other men lowered their weapons realizing just how insane this whole thing was. "No one has to die here tonight, including Kong," James said. 

Packard looked as if her were about to respond when the water beside you bubbled then exploded into the air. The largest skull crawler you'd ever seen landed in the water and stared in your direction.

"Fall back," James yelled to the others and the soldiers scrambled. 

Packard was in shock, staring at the creature you'd warned him of earlier. James yelled at him trying to get him to move and you turned to Kong. You placed one hand on his nose and tried not to cry as you really noticed the shape he was in. Your poor friend. 

His dark eyes fluttered open and stared at you. You leaned against his face and ran your hand through his fur. "Come on, Kong. You've got to get up."

He grunted and groaned, but didn't move.

Hot tears rolled down your face. James tugged at your arm. "We've got to go, Y/N."

You shrugged him off and returned to comforting Kong. "I know you're hurting, buddy. Probably worse than you ever have before but you've got to get up. If you don't, that thing's going to kill you then eat its way through the rest of the island. Get up, Kong. I know you can do it."

His gaze moved from you to Packard who stood behind you and you finally let James tug you out of the way. Kong rose just far enough to bring his fist down on Packard. "That's one problem gone," you muttered to yourself and pulled from James's grip once more to stop and watch Kong fight the giant beast. 

It didn't take long for Kong to go down under the weight of the lizard. "Come on. Get up," you begged. Suddenly, you were swept off your feet and carried in the other direction a ways before being put back on the ground. "Kong's down. Let's go," James ordered. You nodded and shoved your concern for your enormous friend aside. Right now you needed to focus on getting off this island with your husband.

***

You all reached the edge of the island at daybreak. You hoped like hell the others hadn't listened when you said to leave. James handed you a flare gun and a spare flare. "Get up on those rocks and fire a flare. Hopefully Hank will see it. We'll buy you time."

You wanted to argue, but you knew you were the best person for the job. You'd been climbing the rocks on this island for years. You stood on your toes and gave your husband a quick kiss before running toward the rocky ridge. 

You didn't look back when you heard the heavy footsteps of the beast crash from the woods. You didn't look back when you heard it's ear piercing screech. You didn't even look back when you heard the explosion that could have only come from the others. However, when you heard a familiar roar from your favorite ape you couldn't help but look in that direction. You were just in time to watch Kong smash a giant boulder into the head of his foe. 

Your heart skipped and you laughed as you grinned. He was still alive! Maybe things weren't so hopeless after all. As much as you wanted to watch the epic battle taking place, you had a job to do. You turned your attention back to the stones you were scrambling up. Scrapes and cuts littered all of your exposed skin, but you ignored the discomfort and kept climbing. Once you reached the crest of the ridge, you stood and fired the flare gun into the air. 

You also now had the perfect viewpoint for the fight between the two massive creatures. They tumbled in the water below. Kong would throw the lizard or grab it by the neck while it snapped its massive jaws. It was impossible to tell which beast was coming out on top. You flinched as Kong flew into some old wreckage and chains wrapped around his bulky form. 

The lizard stood on his chest while Kong roared and struggled to break free. Suddenly, bullets tore through the air and into the skull crawler. Not that it would do much good, but at least they distracted the bastard. You cheered when you realized the bullets were coming from the boat. When the firing ceased, the lizard began to make its way toward your friends. "Kong! Get up!" you screamed and bounced on your feet. He looked at you then managed to pull himself to his feet, chains and all. 

As he struggled to break the chains, you reloaded the flare gun. You aimed and fired, hitting the lizard bastard right in the eye. It screeched and clawed at the burning flare. Then the guns began firing again. When the beast turned you realized it was chasing something. It only took a moment for you to see your husband splashing through the muck. Your heart froze in your chest for a moment before it began to race. Fear for the love of your life flooded through you. "James, you idiot. What are you doing?"

It was then that Kong hurled a large propeller through the air. The blade pierced the skull crusher's side and sent him to the ground. Kong and his foe began to fight and wrestle once more. As the lizard flew through the air, you watched with horrified fascination as it slammed into the ridge on which you stood. Rock exploded around you and you flew backward into the air. You screamed for Kong even as James screamed for you. 

The impact with the water forced the air from your lungs and sent your body into shock. You wanted to struggle, to swim for the shore, but you lost the battle. Your last thought was of your husband as everything went dark.

***

(James POV)

No! It wasn't possible. We couldn't have come all this way only for me to lose her again. Y/N had survived here all this time against impossible odds. I couldn't let it end here. Not now. Not ever. I couldn't bear to lose her again. I don't think I could survive it a second time.

Ignoring the beasts howling and raging at each other, I sloughed through the water and the muck trying to reach her in time. Every dragging step felt like an eternity. I hadn't even gotten close to her when Kong reached into the water and pulled her out. 

My relief was short lived as the lizard thing attacked again. Kong still had Y/N clutched in his fist. How could he possibly not be crushing her? Finally, finally, he ripped out the lizard's tongue and it dropped to the ground dead. 

Kong opened his hand and I could have sworn he smiled. He placed Y/N on the ground and I rushed in that direction desperate to make sure she was alive. 

I scrambled across the ground and knelt over her. I cupped her head in my hands. "Breathe, baby. Come on, damn it. Breathe."

***

(Reader POV)

You sat up suddenly and coughed up a lungful of water. It burned and your throat ached, but you were alive and breathing. 

James helped support you and pushed your hair off your face. "Hey. You okay?" he asked, his eyes looking you over. 

You hooked a hand around his arm and nodded even as you turned to look at Kong as he walked away. He glanced back once and his gaze found you. He seemed satisfied that you were alive and continued on his way. 

You turned back to James and threw your arms around his neck. Pulling back, you kissed him tenderly then wrapped your arms around him again.

He made calming noises as he held you. You sucked in a breath and began to cry in ragged sobs as you realized you'd made it. You'd found home in your husband's arms and you were getting off this bloody island.

***

(bonus)

You had been sitting in this room with Mason and James for hours. All you wanted to do was get the hell out here, take a shower , crawl into a real bed and sleep for week wrapped in your husband's arms. 

James had resorted to yelling at the large mirror on the wall. Mason was threatening to tell foreign governments while he said you wouldn't tell anyone and you'd forget the island even existed. 

And you? You sat in your chair, arms crossed over your chest and stared at the glass in front of you without saying a word. You'd learned patience during your time on the island. Besides, whoever was on the other side probably found it slightly unsettling and that made you happy. 

James would occasionally glance at you, ask if you were all right and you'd just nod and continue staring. Finally, Brooks and San walked into the room. 

"What the hell is going on, Brooks?" your husband demanded. 

"Welcome to Monarch," he said and laid a folder on the table as they took the chairs on the other side. He proceeded to flip through several pictures. You continued to watch silently. Your gaze shifted to the wall when a film began to play.

Cave drawings of monsters. "Proof" of other giant creatures. As the film flashed from image to image you said the first words you'd spoken since you'd arrived at the facility.

"Oh, hell no."

***

And that concludes Stranded. Hope you liked it. daisy_up I think you got more than you bargained for. :)

Coming up for this book:

True Mate (Part 2) - Peter Hale

A Lethal Weapon Imagine - Martin Riggs

After that I'm open so if you have a request for what fandom I do after that let me know. :)