Chapter 1

2 years later

Coughing, she weakly held onto anything that would keep her floating. She didn't know what had happened, she just knew that she had to keep awake, to keep holding on, if not for herself then for her team and for… for her daughter. 'Oh Jenni' she slipped under the water again, weakly struggling against the cold water and the killer headache. She tried so hard to reach the surface, her daughter and husband was before her closed eyes, she had to fight for them. Suddenly an arm wrapped around her waist, harshly pulling her up above the water.
"Alexandra, you still here? Keep on fighting, a rescue team should be here any second now, stay awake, keep fighting, for your daughter if for no one else." Her unit chef ordered her, still not letting go of her.
"Since when are you calling me by my first name?" She coughed out, her eyes burning from the water and her own tears, the question kept her fighting, for the 2 years he had been her unit chef, he hadn't once spoken to her by her first name.
"Since I accepted your retirement, Leon sent out a team to find us, SECNAV's on it as well, just keep alive and in motion" he answered her. The sounds of metal in the wind caught her attention as she nearly slipped under the water again, her chef grabbed a hold of her arm. "Listen, attention" he barked, she snapped right back to reality at the command.
"Metal in the wind, a chopter?" She asked.
"They're here to get us back now Alexandra. You got me to the surface, you got the rest of us safe, they are holding on, just like us. But you're the only one with a bump big enough to fit the apple, in the back of your head" Amusement usually was a sign of worry when it came from him. Yeah she probably had a hell of a concussion, judging the headache she had.
"Hold on just a little longer, the rescue-boat is not far of." A voice from above them got a smile up on Alexandra's lips. That voice equaled safety.
"You heard?" Her unit chef said softly "They're not far off. Retirement is just around the corner, you'll be with your husband and daughter any second now, just hold on."

"I think I see Mackenzie from here" Agent DiNozzo said, pointing to a driftwood, two figures was holding onto it. One of them struggling to keep the other one floating.
"That's her alright…" Was the answer he got, the tone made him look up, worried.
"You don't think she can stay floating Vance, do you?" DiNozzo was worried too.
"I don't know Agent DiNozzo. The unit chef was worried, just before the boat went into smoke and the signal was lost, Mackenzie had just returned for him. He was worried as she had been unconscious after a blow to the head." Vance answered and looked at DiNozzo as the other man got out of the jacket he had, he got out of the shoes.
"Send down a ladder or I'll jump from here. I'm not risking Alexandra's life, we're not sitting and watching as Jennifer gets motherless." Was all Tony DiNozzo said as he placed his all his stuff beside Vance.
"We'll have the ladder ready, I trust your judgment Agent DiNozzo" Vance answered.

"Just a little longer Alexandra" Her chef said for what felt like fivehundreded time.
"I got an Agent in the water on his way to you. Hold on, the rescueboat is almost here, you can see its lights" Vance's voice was heard again.
"How are you all holding up?" A voice said close to them, Alexandra blinked her eyes, that voice, she knew it from somewhere, yet she couldn't place where.
"We're holding on, check on the chef and Mackenzie, last named got us all safe, she's played mermaid a few times, can't breathe underwater but she wont listen to me" One of her closest friends said, he was like a brother to her.
"Shut it Mark" She pressed out and felt an arm wrap around her waist.
"I got her unit chef" The man said. "The boat's almost with us. Now you Alexandra, you just hold onto me, you got a beautiful daughter waiting for you at home along with your husband. A friend of a friend, questions can be asked later. Now let me do all the work and everything will be fine"
"Kyle?" She closed her eyes as she let him do all the fighting for her.
"Kyle's fine, Leon Vance's up in the chopter. Jenni's still fine, she's happy that I'm bringing you home, so don't you go make me a liar."
"Hold on just a little longer, we're here now" A voice was heard, Alexandra saw the boat and sighed in relief, feeling herself go limp in the arms of her rescuer.
"Crap, Mackenzie, wake up" He said, but got no response. " I need help here, Agent DiNozzo, NCIS." He shouted as he made to move closer to the boat.
"I heard from Vance that you made a dive." He looked up at the man who throw him a lifeline while talking.
"I need to exercise a little now and then" Tony joked as he reached for the line and looked over his shoulder. "Unit chef, hold Mackenzie and get yourself up on the boat, I'll help the others, I've been in the water way less then you." He said and saw the chef resign and grab a hold of the unconscious woman. DiNozzo quickly made it over to the others and soon they all was up on the boat.

Reflections

DiNozzo sat down on the boat, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders, exhausted was not a word strong enough for what he felt.
"You ok Agent DiNozzo" Vance stood beside him.
"Just catching my breath" Tony said as he stood up, stretching carefully to awaken his numbed limbs.
"Your going to the hospital with the others to get checked out. I'll inform the director." Vance said and as the boat reached the dock he helped the paramedics to get the victims up on stretchers. "This one's getting up to the hospital too, no matter what he says. Agent DiNozzo" Vance looked at Tony "check on Alexandra when they've given you the clear."