The ocean was knee length as I held the latex in my hand. Doubts started to run through my mind that wanted to stop me. What if I messed up? What if I was wrong? Derick was on the shoreline waiting for me. He didn't seem like he was against the idea one bit. I wish that I could stop being such a pessimist.

I unraveled the latex, and stretched it slightly. I waited for the next wave to pass before I submerged it under the water. I pulled with enough force to push the water into it. It had the shape of a small balloon. I moved my hand underneath, and watched as the sun danced on my palm. If this didn't work, Derick and I could try the wood method, as we  almost had success with that before. Fire would mean we could finally try to catch food, and that would be another success for us.

Looking into the sky, the sun was high, and hot. While in the ocean, I lapped some of the water over my shoulders. The red bumps had not decreased, and were starting to take on a white patch underneath them. I prayed I wouldn't experience another ant bite again.

I tied off the condom, and made my way back to shore where Derick was.

"How are your bites doing?" He asked. Every time I thought of them, my skin pricked with itchiness, but I squeezed my free hand to avoid scratching.

"They're annoying, and very itchy. They're actually starting to get these white bumps on them, sort of like a pimple." I pointed out. Derick made a sound from his throat.

"I would castrate fire ants so they'd never bite you again if I could." He swore. I raised my eyebrow at him and his serious face, and chuckled a bit. He gave me another look which only made me laugh even louder.

"It's not funny Ella, I'm serious." He said, and at this point I could hardly breathe. Laughing in such a predicament we found ourselves in was refreshing, and I truly couldn't help it. His face was really cracking me up.

Derick huffed out. "You know what? Laugh all you want. It's nice to hear you truly laugh, and you're doing it because of me so I really don't care."

My laughter died down as I took his words in. A few small giggles followed after.

"I mean, it sounds really nice! Kind of like a tea kettle going off."

Okay, that completely killed my laughter. I glared my eyes at him, and it was his turn to laugh.

"I'm kidding! It's just nice to hear your laugh. Let's try and get this science experiment going."

The two of us journeyed to the trees. Derick grabbed the husk of the coconut, and passed it to me. We both sat on the ground as I prepared to see if this would work as I hoped it would. I tilted the ball of water, and concentrated the sunlight into it.

I patiently waited, watching the fibers to see if there were any signs of igniting. My hands were shaking, and I struggled to keep the light stable on the husk. I hadn't noticed just how much they shook until this moment. I was determined to get this fire started. Derick and I would finally be able to try and cook something, and although the pain in my stomach had mostly settled from hunger, the wanting feeling hadn't passed.

I concentrated on the task. I glanced at Derick who was sitting patiently, just watching silently. I wasn't doing anything taxing, but the sweat was starting to prick my skin from either his presence, or the blaring sun. I took a deep breath, turning the husk over, trying to find the right spot.

"Would you like me to get a coconut for us to share?" Derick asked. I looked at him, and he still had the patient look on his face, but a coconut sounded delicious, and maybe I could concentrate on figuring this out alone.

"Will you be able to get into it?" I asked, not looking towards him.

"I think you should have some faith in me. You showed me how to. I'll be right back, just don't exert yourself."

Derick stood up and brushed the sand from his clothes.

Without Derick here, I continued my task. I continued with pointing the sunlight at this husk, but nothing was happening. I grew frustrated waiting for this to ignite. Even a little ounce of smoke would have given me something to be hopeful for. I let out a frustrated cry. I threw the husk to the side, and ran my hands into my hair, pulling from the roots.

I leaned down, and put my head in between my knees. I squeezed the balloon, treating it as my stress ball. I continued to squeeze it absentmindedly, until I felt water on my hand. Looking down, I began to panic as the balloon began to deflate.

"Oh no, oh no stop!" I exclaimed. I searched for the hole, and found it. I quickly pinched the hole shut. The condom had deflated significantly, to the point that I wasn't even sure if I could still use it to try and start this fire. I groaned out loud. I must have pierced it with my nails absentmindedly like an idiot!

I wasn't made for this lifestyle. All I could do was fuck things up, and this was one of the many things that flooded through my mind. Why couldn't I do anything right? Why couldn't I just do something right for once.

"Ella, I'm back with some coconuts! I found some juicy ones that I think will brighten your mood."

Oh how perfect timing he had. I didn't want to tell him that my plan hadn't just failed, it was surely not going to work now.

"I screwed this up." I admitted, still having my grip on the balloon to prevent any more catastrophe.

"I doubt that." Derick said as he sat down next to me. He tried to hand me a coconut, but I didn't take it.

"I put a hole in this stupid thing, and I was so frustrated I didn't even realize it was leaking. I don't even know if it's going to work now." Derick's face didn't hold any bit of anger, or frustration. His face was more sympathetic than anything else.

"Pass it to me. Take a break, and enjoy the coconut. Let's resume after you've taken some time away from it." He suggested. I sighed as I carefully passed him the leaky balloon. He took it with the same amount of care, and passed me a coconut in exchange. I noted that he passed me a coconut that looked much better than the one he saved for himself. He was sacrificial, and he took a great deal of care for how I was feeling. He didn't get mad at me, he was always doing things to help and make me feel better. My heart swelled with his thoughtfulness, but it swelled with something else I truly couldn't place a feeling to.

I tilted the coconut back, enjoying this one far more than the one we shared before. The juice was chilled and was completely refreshing compared to the heat of the day, and I could just enjoy the small gestures of Derick that brought me grand feelings of bliss. I sighed with content as I finished my coconut. Derick was looking at me with a huge smile.

"I knew it would cheer you up. Sometimes it seems like you're too hard on yourself." He noted, his smile fading as he finished his sentence. It was true. While working back in the real world I could easily hide my own insecurities, and while dealing with the constant struggles here, it significantly exposed who I truly was deep to my core.

"I'm a work in progress." I confessed dryly.

"We're all a work in progress. The one thing here is that you need to understand you're in an unfamiliar environment, with no formal training on how to get by. You're bound to make mistakes and miscalculations, just like I have too. It's just you and I here, and the last thing I would do is penalize you for trying anything to help us. The condom- albeit slightly deflated- should still work perfectly. Thank you for trying, and for being you. I don't know how I would have done any of this without you."

Oh how his words made me feel good. His compliments were so sincere. Billions of others could have been here in my place, with much more experience and actual survival instincts. I didn't have any of those qualities, yet Derick didn't ask anything of me. He was lifting me up, and being patient with me. Would I have ever known Derick had this personality had we not crash landed here? I knew this was the real him, because who could hide who they truly were on an empty stomach?

My eyes softened as I looked at him. His genuineness pooled in waves through his eyes. How could someone be so sweet?

"You don't know how much that means Derick. Not just because you're my boss, but on a different level." I thanked him, hoping the same sparkle I felt in my heart was pooling through my own eyes too.

Derick smiled. "We just need to hear it sometimes, and from the people you least expect. I've got faith you can do this. You're smart, and extremely capable." With that, Derick reached for the husk that I had thrown and placed it in front of me. He gave me the balloon back, and I felt a weight fall off of my shoulders from his talk.

I got situated to try again. I manipulated the condom so that I was still pinching the small tear, and got in position.

After trying for a bit of time, Derick spoke up. "Maybe bring it slightly closer, so the sun can pass through a better focal point." He suggested that, and I followed his instruction. Angling it closer, my hands still shook on the focal point. Derick in his typical way of just knowing what I needed, placed his hands over mine, stilling them while still allowing light to penetrate.

His hands were calloused, and warm over top of mine. He lightly gripped to keep my hands steady. The two of us worked in unison, focusing the light on the husk. I had thought my eyes were deceiving me, by the faintest trail of smoke that started to emerge from within the husk.

"Do you see that Derick!?" I exclaimed. I moved my hands slightly, which Derick squeezed and kept me in place.

"I do, but Stay still." He quietly ordered. He stilled me as we both focused on the growing accumulation of smoke, which was when the most beautiful thing I ever saw came to life.

Fire. We had fire!

No words could describe just how I felt. We just made fire out of a freaking condom. Derick and I both shared the same emotions on our face at the amazing feat we had just pulled off. I quickly got off the ground, and did even more unexpected things. I threw myself at Derick with just how much glee I felt. We both crashed to the ground, and Derick gasped as he bared the ground for the both of us. My arms had wrapped against Derick's head and thankfully protected it. He chuckled below me, and I joined in.

"I am so sorry! I just got so excited: we did it!" I exalted with delight.

"Yes we did. You did, Ella."

The same explosion from before filled my heart again at his words. He was so handsome below me. Just then, it occurred to me just how we were positioned. Derick and I's faces were mere inches apart, and his hands were placed on my waist. I was straddling his waist, my already short skirt hiked higher up my legs than they were meant to be. The intimacy of our position excited me, but also drove me away.

I scrambled quickly off of him. "Shit the fire!" I exclaimed, getting so lost in Derick that as I turned around, the small fire had nearly gone out. Derick sat up and tossed me more of the husk to put on top. I watched as the fire came to life once more. I sighed in relief at my near blunder.

"I appreciate your enthusiasm Ella, but please refrain from throwing yourself at me when I'm not ready for it." He said with a smile.

"Would it be better if I give you a warning before I throw myself at you?" I joshed back, catching him off guard. Nothing could take away this survival high I was feeling, even the little flirting I may have been participating in.

"Are you planning to throw yourself at me again?" He asked, finally on his feet, and throwing some more small sticks on the flames.

"I haven't quite thought of it, but I would say be prepared." I giggled.

Derick rolled his eyes at me in a playful manner. "You are always a surprise Ms. Brooks. How about we test our luck at trying to fish, and have our first cooked meal in days?"

"Let's do it Mr. Pierce."

Derick passed me a spear he had leaning against the tree, and the two of us headed towards the water, leaving me feeling more elated than ever.