This was just a random idea I had today. Anyway, enjoy~

Felix glared at Tucker, who currently held him up against the rocks with his sword to his throat. Felix had mocked and laughed and insulted, but all that had gone to waste when Tucker kicked his ass. Felix couldn't believe that he had just been beaten by a Sim. Trooper of all people, he would never tell this story to anyone. The fight had been a hard one for them both, they were pretty evenly matched, the tide turner was Felix showing off by ripping Tucker's helmet off and smashing it under his boot, laughing as if he had just heard the greatest joke ever. That's when Tucker went in and pinned him where he was now. Felix huffed.

"So, what now? You gonna kill me? You don't have the guts," Felix spat, smirking evily. Tucker growled and Felix leaned his head back at the sword came close to his skin, he could feel the heat emanating off of it. He only smirked more. Tucker glared, but it softened.

"No, I'm not going to kill you. Because I'm not a killer like you are!" Tucker snapped. Felix only laughed at that. "But I'm not letting you go either." Felix rolled his eyes, not impressed by Tucker's threats. Tucker turned the sword off and dragged Felix towards the cliff. The two had panicked whenever their fight brought them here, neither sure if they would land on the ground or in the water. "Have a nice flight." Tucker threw him off the cliff, not caring where he landed. But Felix had other plans. Tucker screamed as Felix grabbed him arm and yanked him off the side of the cliff with him.

Tucker and Felix fell, side by side, towards the ground below them. Tucker kicked Felix mid-air, sending him flying, but before he could make a retort ice cold water flooded around him and into his suit and mouth. The water was freezing and moving fast, the large rocks on the bottom of the river scraping up against his armor. Tucker took a deep gasp of air and grasped onto the river bank with both hands, the mud covering his arm as he struggled to keep ahold. The river was wide and strong, the current threatening to force Tucker under any second now. Tucker got a new hold on the mud and glanced around for Felix, wondering what had become of the mercenary, and caught sight of him on the shore just as he turned. Something that might have been the cousin of relief welled up inside Tucker at the sight, he hadn't become a murderer.

"Felix!" he called, but the mercenary kept walking. Tucker coughed as water ran into his mouth and sputtered, shaking his head and gasping as his grip loosened, he struggled for a new hold. "Help!" Tucker didn't know whether he was talking to Felix or anyone that was around, but it didn't matter right now. He glanced over at Felix, who had stopped in his tracks. Tucker coughed as another round of water entered his mouth and the mud slipped through his fingers. "Felix, please!" Felix glanced over his shoulder at Tucker, who looked back desperately. "Please." A short pause, and Felix looked away. Tucker started to shout again but the current whipped him in the face and his grip was taken from him, sending him spiraling into the water.

Tucker couldn't comprehend much other than himself spinning through the water, his lungs bursting desperately for air. He clawed at the river's floor with his feet and his fingers, trying to push himself upwards for at least a small gasp of air. He grasped at the walls, rocks and anything else he felt around him. Tucker kicked the ground and gasped as he surfaced, shutting his mouth again as he was sucked back under. What was he going to do? What could he do? He was going to die here! Tucker's left foot rammed into something and he spun around, reaching his arms up and latching into the branch tightly with both arms.

He pulled with all his might but the river was so much stronger, pulling and pulling him. Tucker wouldn't let go, he couldn't lose, not this time! Tucker wrapped his right arm tighter around the branch, his left hand starting to slip and he kept pulling. Tucker felt his lungs bursting for air and he prayed, he prayed to any god that actually existed to spare him this kind of death. He pulled again and his left hand lost its grip and he struggled against the current to grasp on again, but this grip was even weaker than the one before it. Tucker whimpered against the waves as his lungs set fire and his muscles stung with exhaustion. So, this was how he was going to die? Tucker's brain couldn't take it and attempted a breath. Tucker attempted a scream at the agony that filled him at the action.

Tucker took in a large gasp of air as he was yanked out of the water and tossed onto the bank, but only a hacking cough greeting him as the water worked its way out of his lungs. Nothing else mattered for a short time other than removing the water and taking in short, desperate gasps of air. When Tucker found he could breathe evenly again he rolled over on his back and focused on the air entering and leaving his lungs. After a moment Tucker opened his eyes and sat up, looking around for his rescuer with a slight cough.

"Palomo?" The rest of the 'elite' squad ran over and gave a collective gasp at the sight of Tucker, Palomo standing over him with a worried look. "What the fuck are you all doing here?"

"Well, when you guys didn't come back we decided to come after you. We just…um, got a little lost," Palomo said with an embarrassed smile. Tucker couldn't help but grin.

"Seeing as you guys getting lost just saved my ass, I'll let it slide." They all grinned and Bitters and Palomo helped Tucker to his feet. "Come on, follow me. I'll fill you in on the way."

And that's a wrap~ I went through a lot of different versions of this with a lot of different people saving him, I did the Meta, Felix coming back, Locus, Wash and I even had a version with North and South Dakota. But I chose this one.

Thanks for reading, please review, and have a bow chicka bow wow day~

Petchricor, QotG, signing off ;)