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****NCIS****

Tony couldn't help the involuntary gasp as the icy water closed over his head- talk about a wake up call. His brain may have only been functioning at fifty percent before the shooting, but he was running on pure survival instinct now. Instinct that had his legs kicking him back toward the surface, oblivious to the pain that spiked through his thigh, intensifying with every kick. He surfaced long enough to cough up most of the sea water he'd swallowed and inhale a single breath of fresh air before his leg rebelled, absolutely refusing to cooperate any longer. With his hands still tied securely behind his back and only one working leg, DiNozzo was helpless to stop his slow descent beneath the surface.

He felt a pair strong arms encircle his chest just as the black spots dancing in front of his eyes began to blend into unconsciousness.

Gibbs's heart froze in his chest for the fourth- or was it the fifth time that day. Seeing Tony sinking bonelessly away from the surface had brought back all those feelings of anguish that had accompanied Shannon and Kelly's deaths. He put that extra bit of umph into his stroke, determined to reach his senior field agent in time. As many times as he'd let Tony down, the younger man had yet to truly return the favor, and Gibbs's be damned if he was going to let DiNozzo down when it mattered this much.

"I've got you Tony, just relax now."

He couldn't breathe, his entire body hurt like hell and stars were still dancing across his vision; relax was not in his vocabulary right now.

Gibbs yanked his knife away from Tony's wrists as the younger man began to struggle in earnest. "Damn it DiNozzo, calm down!" When that didn't work he did the only thing he could think of that was sure to get his agent's attention; he risked releasing his hold on Tony's chest to smack the other man upside his head.

"Boss?"

"Yeah Tony, it's me, I've got you." Gibbs sighed in relief when DiNozzo finally quieted in his arms. "Now hold still, I'm trying to cut your hands free." Jethro made short work of Tony's bonds and gently maneuvered his agent around to check the sluggish blood flow from the hole in his leg. Saunders may well have done DiNozzo a favor by chucking him into the freezing cold ocean. Of course, it was only a favor if Tony survived the cold long enough to be rescued, and managed not to catch pneumonia afterwards.

Tony was fading fast; the cold, blood loss and knocks to the head taking their toll. "Knew you'd come, Boss."

Gibbs winced at the absolute faith DiNozzo showed in him, knowing that he hadn't done much lately to deserve it. "Always Tony. Now stay with me, I need you conscious when that chopper gets here."

"On it, Boss," but the weakness in his voice contradicted his words.

Jethro tightened his hold on the injured man, trying to conserve what little body heat there was between them. As much as he didn't want to think about it, this may be the only chance he'd ever have to talk to DiNozzo. "Tony, you still with me?"

Silence.

"Damn it Tony, answer me!" Gibbs gave him a shake for good measure.

He was rewarded with a pain-filled groan. "Boss, please don't do that again."

"Fine, I won't as long as you stay with me, and I'm not just talking about right now. I can't lose you, not to this, not to another team, never." Gibbs continued, not even sure Tony was still conscious. "I realize it's pretty selfish, but you're my senior field agent, my friend. I need you here."

Once again, silence was his only answer. Figures, he finally works up the courage to admit the depth of his feelings to himself and to Tony, and the later is unconscious.

And where the hell was the chopper? Both boats were barely a speck on the horizon now, but specks that were very close together. He had every confidence that McGee, Ziva, and the Coast Guard couldn't easily take down Saunders and his men. And Saunders needed to be taken down; nobody used one of his people as a decoy. There was no doubt in Gibbs's mind that Saunders had shot Tony and tossed him in the water in hopes that they would give up the chase in favor of saving their agent. Too bad Gibbs was never all that good at conforming to the wishes of others.

Finally the blessed sound of the chopper rotors reached his ears. He waited impatiently as they lowered the rescue basket, growing more concerned by the minute at Tony's silence and stillness. The younger man was never still.

It wasn't exactly easy for Gibbs to maneuver the slightly taller man into the basket before climbing in himself. The jostling as the basket began to rise out of the water woke Tony from his unresponsive state. "Tony?"

Hooded green eyes met blue for the briefest of moments, "c-cold Boss."

"I know Tony, we'll get you warmed up in just a minute. You going to stay with me this time?" Gibbs took the opportunity to assess his agent's condition and tie off the wound on his leg.

DiNozzo hissed at the increased pressure on the gaping hole, "I'll do my best, Boss."

"Good."

The next minute they were level with the chopper and the divers were helping him get Tony settled onto a stretcher and wrapped in blankets. He sighed in relief when Tony began shivering again, knowing that his agent was starting the slow process of warming up. The recently acquired cuts and bruises stood out in stark relief against Tony's pale face and Gibbs knew that this ordeal was far from over for his agent.

"I need a cell phone," he demanded over the sound of the rotors. One was immediately placed in his hand. He dialed quickly and held the phone tightly to his ear, his other hand glued to Tony's chest. "Jenny, tell Abby to quit worrying, we got Tony back."

A relieved sigh came over the line, "that's great news Jethro, I'll be sure to let her and Ducky know. McGee just reported in, they've taken down Saunders and are headed back to the Marina with both boats. Which hospital are you taking Tony to?" Jenny paused, hesitation and deceit clear in her voice, "Abby and Ducky will want to know."

Gibbs turned to the closest diver, "where we headed?"

"University is the closest hospital with a heli-pad."

Dinozzo immediately began struggling against his cocoon of blankets, "no Boss, Bathesda, can't go to University."

"DiNozzo," Gibbs growled.

"Bathesda Boss."

Tony's grip was weak on his wrist, but his eyes held a steel resolve. Gibbs turned his attention back to the phone conversation. His snarl carried clearly through the surrounding noise, "Jen, you want to explain to me why my critically injured agent is refusing to go to the nearest hospital?"