During the next hour River proved to all those on the docks and in the water that his parents had named him better than they ever could have imagined. Raised on the ocean, with parents who spent as much time surfing as they did on land, the Californian was at home in any kind of aquatic scenario, and he was in his element that morning. Not only because he was in the water but also because he was the center of attention – something he loved. Especially when the little girls from Japan joined the boys from Australia – and brought their counselors with them. Then the showing off really began.

He wowed them with dives from the diving board, and then from the dock, and when he joined the boys – including Chance, who could manage a fairly reliable dog paddle now – he showed them all just how much fun the water could be when you enjoyed it as much as he did. All except Sammy, of course. That little boy stayed on the dock, seated beside Ian who didn't show any desire to go into the water, either.

"Can't swim?"

Ian looked up from watching River and Shawn throwing the boys up into the air and watching them land with varying degrees of splashing and happy yelling and saw that Ann had come over to stand close by. He shrugged.

"I don't feel like swimming today."

"Ah." She looked at Sammy. "And you're keeping him company so he doesn't get lonely?"

Sammy hesitated, but then nodded. He didn't like lying, but it wasn't really a lie; he was keeping Ian company, right?

"Yes."

He looked over at Ian for reassurance, and the New Yorker gave him a rare smile.

"He's good company."

Sammy beamed. And Ann's smile broadened.

"Can I join you guys?"

Ian hesitated, but Sammy nodded immediately, drawn to Ann by her warm personality, and she gracefully sat down beside Sammy, sandwiching the boy between her and Ian but not hovering over him.

"Sammy, right?"

The boy nodded.

"Yes."

"I'm Ann, if you didn't know."

They had, after all, been spending their activities together – although Ann hadn't actually spent a lot of time talking to the boys. She had her girls to pay attention to, after all. Right now, though, those girls were being charmed by River – who definitely appeared to have a way with all females. Even the little girls who were attracted to his warm personality in a way that was far different from the way Sierra – and even Danin – were attracted to him.

Ann wasn't completely immune to River's charms, either, but like she'd told Ian before; she had a boyfriend and was very happy with him. While it was fun to admire a good looking and physically fit guy, she wasn't in the market for a new boyfriend. Besides, River didn't interest her nearly as much as Ian did. She had a feeling that he was a lot more complex than he acted and the would-be psychologist in her was just itching to dig under his façade a bit and see what was really ticking there.

Sammy nodded.

"I know."

"Are you having fun?"

It was a good opener – and she had a feeling that small talk didn't work so well with Ian, so she'd make small talk with Sammy. Besides, she liked kids.

"Yeah."

The boy's face lit up, telling Ann that while he wasn't enjoying the swimming so much, he truly was enjoying the rest of the camping experience.

"What do you like the most, so far?"

"Ian."

This earned a smile from Ian, although he wasn't actually watching the two of them. His attention was on the boys who had been splashing the girls ruthlessly. River was in the process of tossing Brian over one shoulder and Shawn was joining in on the water fight – on the side of the little girls, since the boys were so obviously winning.

"Chance! Don't go so far out."

Ian didn't like the boy being in water over his head. The doggy paddle wasn't that great, after all.

Chance waved at him, but the motion threw off his barely established rhythm of paddling, and he suddenly sank. Then came back to the surface sputtering because he'd taken water in his mouth and up his nose. Which immediately panicked him, and made him completely forget all about the lesson he'd just received.

The lifeguards were just as quick to see it as Ian. And they were very good at their jobs. Liam was already in the water, swimming rapidly to Chance, even as the rest of the kids realized what had happened. They all froze, watching in horror, as the first lifeguard reached the panicked boy, grabbing him and pulling him up onto the floatation tube that he'd had trailing behind him on a rope while he'd swum.

"Easy…"

Still gagging and sputtering, Chance clung to the tube, and then to River – who had immediately swum over to him as well. The Californian easily managed to tread water and hold Chance, and between him and Liam they got Chance to the closest dock – where Ian, Sammy and Ann were on their feet.

Ian reached down, taking the terrified boy from River and hauling him easily out of the water, floatation device and all. Now Chance was clinging to him, and Ian held him close as the boy coughed and trembled.

"Easy, big guy," he said softly, running a hand along the back of the boy's head and then his back. "I've got you."

As he held him, he closed his eyes for just a second, checking Chance from the inside out and clearing the rest of the water out of his lungs simply by absorbing it into the boy's system. It only took a few moments – he was getting pretty good at snooping around inside people – but it also took something out of him and he was glad to hand Chance over to the woman lifeguard when she reached them.

"Here, sweetheart," she crooned, holding him tightly. He'd stopped coughing, but he now he was crying, and she was cuddling him as she listened to his breathing to make sure his lungs weren't filled with water. Of course, he hadn't actually gone under – much – and he wasn't coughing and seemed to be done coughing, so she was pretty sure he was going to be okay. He'd just taken a fright, that was all. "We'll take you to the nurse, and have her make sure you're okay…"

She looked at the others, who had all gathered around, and gave them a reassuring smile.

"He'll be okay, guys. Don't worry."

She left, still holding Chance in her arms, and Ian was suddenly aware that Sammy was clinging tightly to him. The boy's face was pale and his eyes were wide with terror.

"It's okay, Sammy."

But it was obvious that Sammy didn't think it was okay at all. He burst into tears – and so did several of the others; boys and girls.