Dinozzo took one long look at the girl on the dock. He didn't even know her name but knew, whoever she was, she was important enough to Gibbs to risk his life, perhaps even die for. He took another look at her still body. Gibbs was still in the car. Tony didn't hesitate a second more, took a breath, and dove down.

He almost let out what air he was holding when he arrived down to the car. At first glance, Gibb's eyes were open. That was a good sign except... there was no sign of recognition or life in them. It was then that Tony knew that Gibb's was dying in front of him.

No. Tony began to yank at the steering wheel locking Gibbs into place. No. Not going to happen. Not on my watch.

The steering wheel gave way after what seemed an eternity and Tony pulled the limp body of Gibbs through the glass-less windshield and up to the surface. "Don't you dare do this," Tony whispered. "Come back, boss. Don't you dare die on me now."

Tony awkward got Gibbs onto the dock beside the girl and began CPR on him. "Come on, boss, don't make me kiss you," he hoped the taunt would jolt Gibbs.

Nothing. That same open eyed stare, as if Gibbs had lost consciousness so fast that he never closed his eyes. Tony rocked back on his heels. Did one more round of CPR and mouth to mouth on Gibbs. "Please don't do this," whispered Tony. "Abby would kill me."

After a moment, Tony looked at the lifeless form of the girl. He did a few more compressions on Gibbs, closing his eyes against the girl but he still remembered the motion by Gibbs at the bottom of the Channel. Save her first. He was torn. Loyalty said save Gibbs... guilt, fear and pain said save Gibbs. Tony didn't want to lose more friends... that said save Gibbs.

Gibbs had said, using motion, save the girl.

Tony turned from Gibbs and began CPR and mouth to mouth on the girl. At each compression he silently watched the lifeless form of his boss and friend. He silently prayed, Gibbs, don't die. Hold on. Let me follow your order and then save you... I lost Kate, Jenny... not you too. Tony didn't know if he could handle losing another friend.

The girl started to breathe, and she sought Gibbs hand and grasped it in a death grip. He rolled her onto her side towards Gibbs. Tony began CPR on Gibbs again. He could hear her soft pleas too, "Mr. Gibbs, please, come back. You're all I have left of Kelly... please... don't die..."

His heart clenched. Kelly. Come on boss, listen to her. "I swear boss, I will tie you to your desk. Abby would likely like that too much. Think about Duck... Abby, Ziva... McGeek..."

Another round of mouth to mouth followed by CPR.

There were others on the dock now, one of the was indeed Ducky. "Move Tony, you're exhausted. I'll take over," said Ziva as she took over for Tony.

Ducky asked him silently, "How long, Tony?"

"I don't know, Duck, I don't," his voice was low, dejected.

Gibbs eyes were still open, vacant. Staring into nothingness. And then... "He's breathing!" exclaimed Ziva as she helped Gibbs roll over onto his side, rubbing his back as he expelled the water from his lungs. "Gibbs... can you hear me?"

His eyes were still unfocussed as Ducky looked him over. "Jethro... come on, say something."

"Stop... fussing..." came a mumbled reply. "Maggie?"

"I'm okay," she answered. "You scared me. I thought you were dead."

Near silently, Gibbs whispered, "I think I was."

Sirens broke the silence as an ambulance drove up as close as it dared and paramedics rushed in. As the paramedics looked over Maggie and DiNozzo, it only took a short moment for them to decide to rush Gibbs to the hospital. Given how quickly Maggie was bouncing back and that DiNozzo was merely exhausted from rescuing them, the senior one said, "Agent DiNozzo, we would suggest getting checked out by a doctor at your earliest convenience. Ms. , we would suggest going to the hospital to be checked out but you don't need an ambulance ride."

With that the ambulance was gone, leaving DiNozzo to drive Maggie to the hospital. It was a silent drive for the most part until, "Agent DiNozzo?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you," she said. "I thought we were dead when the car hit the water and began to fill up... and when Mr. Gibbs couldn't get his legs free... I... I didn't want to lose my best friend's father without so much as a good bye like I did Kelly."

"His daughter was your best friend?" realized DiNozzo. That's explains a whole hell of alot...

"Yeah."

They fell into an awkward silence after that, and it was only broken on arrival at the hospital. After Tony parked the car and they walked into the emergency waiting room she turned and said, "I guess this is good bye."

"Likely," he agreed.

"Thank you again..." she looked at the floor. "I don't think I can thank you enough for saving both me and Mr. Gibbs."

And then she was gone.

* * * *

It didn't take much to find Gibbs. DiNozzo flashed his badge, a grin at switchboard, and was told where Gibbs' room and what his condition was. All things in comparison to the last time DiNozzo had gone to Gibbs' bedside he supposed this was better than that. Stable and not critical was always a good thing... albeit better would have been to avoid this altogether.

He avoided the nurse's station, and a bunch of awkward questions, and slipped into Gibbs' room. Tony stopped at what he saw. For "better" in comparison to when Gibbs had been blown up by Pin Pin Pula and knocked into a coma for over a week, he didn't look any hell. He had a breathing tube down his throat and an IV. He was also very deeply asleep. This is stable but not critical, mused Tony. Well, at least he isn't burnt crispy like last time he was here overnight.

A nurse came in to check on Gibbs, and jumped when she saw Tony. He wasted no time in showing her his badge and ID. She relaxed visibly... and then said quietly, "You're wet."

"I pulled him out of the river," he answered. "How is he, exactly?"

She blinked in surprise, "You saved his life. Any later and he would have been beyond hope."

Tony felt a sinking feeling. If the girl hadn't revived sooner, Gibbs wouldn't have needed paramedics... Ducky would have been estimating time of death on his boss. "But I didn't answer your question," she said, seeing the crease on his brow. "Due to some old injuries, he had a bit of difficulty breathing when he got here... that's why the breathing tube. His blood pressure dipped and he was suffering from hypothermia, but he's on warmed saline with the medication to help reverse that."

"How long is he going to sleep?" asked Tony.

"Well, we had to give him a broncodilator to aid airway spasms, that's calmed down, as well as antibiotics and anti-inflammatories," she answered, and then seeing his confusion even after she had avoided too many specifics. "He has enough various medications in him to keep him down for at least twelve to fourteen hours, combined with the post-shock induced exhaustion and after effects of hypothermia. He'll still be quite woozy for a few days. Doctor says he might consider light duty after a few days after we discharge him, depending on how he responds to treatment. There was also concerns about possible damage because of oxygen deprivation lasting longer than a few minutes, but his CAT came back normal, but we have an MRI scheduled in the early morning just to be sure."

For a long moment Tony thought about this. "So, will he be okay?"

"Likely," she answered. "He will just need a lot of rest. But, quite frankly, that is a question better suited to ask the doctor."

"Thank you, I will," Tony sat down in a chair by the bed as she continued her duties and left.

He stood up again and called the Director. She deserved to know from him that Gibbs' was in the hospital overnight again. Why do I always have to tell her this? "Did you find Gibbs?" she was straight to the point.

"Yes I did," he answered. "Listen, because this is going to take awhile. He's at Bethseda again, overnight."

For a long moment there was silence, "What?"

"He almost drowned. In fact, had I not been there when I was... well... it's a good thing I was there when I was. As it is, he almost died... maybe was dead..." he realized he was babbling. "I'm sorry Director." Nice, now you're breaking his rules in his room.

"I will be there shortly," a moment later. "I'll tell Abby what is going on, she will want to know."

With that the Director hung up. Tony flipped his phone closed and sighed. Dammit. Had he almost lost it with the Director. He ran a hand through his moist hair as Ziva came in quietly. "Tony," she whispered. "You should go home and get into some dry clothes. Come back later. I will sit with Gibbs."

Tony got up, and pulled her into the hallway. Very quickly he filled her in and finished, "So the Director and Abby are likely on their way as well. But, don't expect him to wake up anytime soon."

She put a hand on her chest, "I will not disturb his rest. That is what he needs."

She walked into the room and Tony left the hospital for that dry set of clothes.

* * * *

Waking up was slow. Sluggish. Sleep was so inviting that he wanted to stay in the warm oblivion. It was almost like drifting away from shore.

Shore.

Car.

Drowning.

His eyes snapped open, and then he closed them again. The light from the window hurt. Blinking this time to give his eyes time to adjust Gibbs looked around the room. A hospital. Again. At least this time he remembered why and where he was, even if the specifics on where were fuzzy. He remembered the car sinking. Maggie's panic, and the water filling up the car. The door locks, being electronic and auto locking when the car was in gear, had shorted out and he couldn't unlock the doors to get out.

With his legs pinned under the steering wheel, he couldn't kick out the windows. Maggie was already unconscious and Gibbs had felt the same tinge of blackness around his vision. His lungs were burning and there were spots in his sight from lack of oxygen. He remembered thinking, I'm dying. Right here... right now. I failed.

And then DiNozzo had appeared. His mind screamed in joy that his top agent had figured it out fast enough to catch up even as he could feel himself sinking. The windshield came off... and Gibbs motioned for DiNozzo to save Maggie. With the steering wheel pinning him, he was dead anyway.

He didn't remember Tony returning for him. He only remembered vague dreamy images of Kelly and Shannon telling him to go back, and voices calling him back. The dream images of Kelly and Shannon had faded to be replaced by Maggie, Tony, Ziva and Ducky. He still didn't remember much else other than a vague sense of being moved. Things were blurry or absent after that.

"Gibbs?" came a quiet voice, and he turned to look. His eyes wouldn't focus though. Didn't matter. He knew it was Abs.

"Abby," he whispered.

"Hey you," she said. "Stop scaring us like this."

"I'll try," he answered, already drifting back to sleep.

* * * *

Gibbs drifted in and out of sleep. He wasn't truly aware of time. Moreover, uncharacteristically for him, he found he didn't care. Maybe it was the drugs. He felt like his limbs were lead weights and concentration was too difficult to pin down.

He was vaguely aware of Abby leaving, presumably back to the office. Ziva came in more than a few times as well. Her presence was difficult not to sense. His gut instantaneously knew when she arrived. She was barely reined in danger wrapped into a contradiction of caring and concern. DiNozzo called her a "ninja" and Gibbs had to agree with his observation. She would also leave.

Sometimes he woke alone or to a nurse prodding him. Once he awoke to being in a small confined space with flashing lights. A voice told him, "Stay still Agent Gibbs, or we have start your MRI all over again."

He fell back to sleep instead.

Sometime later he heard Ducky's accented voice discussing something with another doctor. He fell back to sleep, unable to grasp what was being said.

Each time he slept it was oblivion, or, at least he couldn't remember if he dreamt or not.

* * * *

"Well, the good news Dr. Mallard is that he was lucky. No brain damage that we can see," said the doctor that was treating Gibbs. "Just a whole lot of exhaustion that was waiting for an opportunity to catch up with him. When he's awake enough, I am not clearing him for light duty. Agent Gibbs is clearly overworked and overtired. This was enough to cause his body to merely rebel."

"So he's fine?" asked Director Jennifer Sheppard.

"Yes ma'am," answered the Doctor. "He will be fine. He is still suffering all the aftereffects of hypothermia and acute oxygen deprivation, but, as to that all I can say is that perhaps the cold late spring waters were enough to give a bit of an extension on when brain damage and death kicks in. I remember reading somewhere that cold water in some drowning cases were shown to slow down the body's demand for oxygen... unfortunately in those same cases the hypothermia killed the patient with its own complications. Somehow, and let me stress how very, very lucky your Agent is, he hit the right balance of cold vs. oxygen and it somehow saved his life. But any longer and he would have not just been disabled but dead. Agent DiNozzo pulled him out just in the nick of time and started CPR just in the barest nick of time."

Ducky nodded his head, he had also read the same medical reports. Being up to date on treatments and how people survive was also important to knowing how people die. He was more acutely aware of just how close Gibbs had died... and couldn't help but marvel over how DiNozzo had managed to be there right when he needed to be. "And the exhaustion?" he asked gently.

The other doctor took a breath, "Well, I can also tell that Agent Gibbs has been through hell for a at least a few weeks. I am guessing, although I can see it plain as day, that he hasn't been sleeping very well. Likely he's been putting in alot of hours at work. Unfortunately, that's where his luck runs out. The exhaustion is causing a bit of a complication."

"Ducky, Doctor," Sheppard interjected to both. "Fill me in here."

"He means that Jethro really should have woken up by now," answered Ducky.

"Oh, he's been in and out of sleep all day. That's to be expected. It's the lack of response and how quickly he sinks back into sleep that is worrisome," finished the doctor as quickly as possible. "It's not another coma."

The unspoken yet hung heavy in the air. "Could it become another coma?" asked Director Sheppard.

"Possibly," answered the doctor quietly. "Not a deep one, but a light one. He is peripherally aware of what is going on and responds... just to a point. Not enough to be called truly aware. That in itself is sending us warning signals that he is dangerously skirting the issue already. But we dare not jolt him awake."

Sheppard pursed her lips and Ducky explained, "If we used a medical method of bringing him up closer to consciousness too soon, he could go into cardiac arrest or sink into a coma he won't wake from."

"What is your suggestion, Doctor?" she asked staring at the man in the bed as if she could order him to wake up and talk to her.

"Let him rest," he answered. "At night, let him sleep. During the day, except for a quiet period to let him nap, engage him and talk to him. Even if he is asleep, or appears to be asleep, his mind will likely latch on to what you are saying or that someone is in the room with him. It will pull him out of the danger area and from a coma... but... because we are letting him be to rest as well he'll sleep and pull himself out of his exhausted state."

Jenny nodded her head, "Then that is what we will do. Ducky, set something up with the doctor here by way of a schedule while I make a few phone calls."

"Of course my dear," answered Ducky.

* * * *

The general store was quiet for a spring day in Stillwater. Usually in spring people around here were fixing up the winter damage. Then again, it was a nice sunny, warm day and he could see the local coffee shop's patio was full. Jackson Gibbs was about to take a page from everyone else's book and head over for a coffee but he still had some sweeping and pricing to do.

The phone rang and broke the silence. Frowning... as only his suppliers called to let him know things were going to be late and therefore throwing a kink into his day... he was tempted to let his machine get it. But, since he had no good excuse for doing that he picked it up on the third ring, "Hello? Stillwater General Store."

"Jackson Gibbs?" it was a cultured woman on the end of the phone, not a voice he knew.

"Yup," he answered, I wonder what's coming late now.

"My name is Director Jennifer Sheppard of NCIS in Washington DC."

The broom hit the floor with a clatter. He had always known since Jethro had left that one day a call like this would come. He had hoped that it would have been the Sherriff or his successor that took the call. No father wanted to bury his son. "Yes," he replied shakily.

"I take it that you do know of us," she was subdued, Jackson feared the worst. "There is no easy way to say this."

"Then come out and say it," he growled.

For a long moment there was silence on the other end and then he heard laughter. "Do you have any idea how much you sounded like Gibbs?" she asked. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't laugh. But, I care about him and I thought you should know that he is in Bethseda Hospital. He almost died yesterday, but he will be fine."

Jackson felt a huge weight lift, even as a different worry set in. "He's alive then?"

"Yes," she answered. "He should be fine, however, his doctor says he need to 'engage' him a bit every day. Look, without getting ahead of myself I want you to come to DC. We've arranged transport and place for you stay while you are here."

Nice of them to assume he was going. Not that he was not... not knowing what he did by reading between the lines. 'Should be fine' was a long distance from 'is fine'. Swallowing a lump in his throat he asked, "What happened?"

"It is better if you come to DC and I will fill you in when you get here," she answered.

He didn't need to be asked twice.

* * * *

Abby walked into Gibbs room and a familiar older man stood up. She smiled widely and hugged him, "Mr. Gibbs! You came! I knew you were coming, but I also knew that Stillwater is a good distance from here. When did you arrive?"

"Just now," answered Jackson. "And how are you, Abby?"

"I'm good," her gaze fell on the younger Gibbs. "How is he?"

"Sleeping," sighed Jackson.

On his way here, the Director had filled him in his son's condition, as well as his past injuries that had brought him to this point. She had seemed surprised that Jackson had no idea about the second coma, although had been there for the coma in 1991, albeit chewing his nails in Stillwater while his son recovered in Europe. After that... until the case that had brought Jethro and his team back to Stillwater... he had not heard from Jethro at all and had no idea what his son was doing or precisely how he was. Jackson knew in detail how his son was skirting a third on thin ice.

"So, what is the plan?" she asked.

"Well, the doctor and Ducky tell me that he is to sleep between the hours of 9:30pm and 10am," answered Jackson. "With no visitors and the room darkened, they believe it will trick his subconscious into normal sleep. With just over twelve hours of sleep a night, they also think this will let his body catch up on much needed rest. He is to have a nap period after lunch to mid-afternoon of at least an hour or two, but the exact time is left to us. Other than that, he needs to have company talking to him or a TV or radio on. They believe that will engage him to pull him out during the other times."

Abby nodded. "I have just the thing. The MCRT... his team... is on another case and I have a few of the case files with me. If I know Gibbs, his instinct will have a view on things."

* * * *

When he woke, truly woke, he woke to a quiet and dark room. It smelled sterile. Another hospital, he rubbed his eyes and felt the breathing tube and a slight twinge in his hand. IV. He only had to struggle a moment to remember why he was here. I wonder if Maggie is all right, he mused. DiNozzo would have surely resuscitated her first?

Perhaps that was why he was here. If DiNozzo had saved, and then resuscitated Maggie first, Gibbs knew that meant he was underwater significantly longer than what was good. How long? he wondered. Two minutes... longer than that. He could hold his breath for a good minute thanks to his training. Drowning met he was under water for at least three minutes. A part of him that had paid attention during a first aid course told him that brain injury and permanent damage would incur, not could, after four minutes without oxygen.

Is that why I'm still here? Am I 'damaged'? he wondered and a thin thread of fear slid down his spine. He quelled it by taking a quick mental stock of his skills.

His math was still good, reasoning appeared okay. He was exhausted, but other than that everything appeared normal. Then again, would he even know? He imagined he would if things he could do before had become difficult, but his mind grasped things as quickly as they had before.

He opened his eyes and looked around the room. It was quiet except for the beeping of the machines monitoring him. How long have I been down? he wondered.

He vaguely remembered his father, Ducky... actually everyone... visiting him at one time or another. He could barely remember what they had said but the sense of more than a day passing gave him the impression that he was here for awhile. He even remembered a short visit, and the worry left him, from Maggie holding his hand and telling him to be okay and that she was okay. Tony had saved her. The sense of relief was tangible.

Tony.

He owed the younger man his life.

Deciding he felt like rejoining the land of the living, his other hand sought out and found the call button and pressed it.

* * * *

The next morning was a blur even though he was now fully conscious of it. The breathing tube was removed and then his father was there. "Don't you ever scare me like that again. When your Director called I thought for sure that this call meant I had another funeral to go to," said his father. "That being said, I'm glad you're finally awake."

"How long was I out?" asked Gibbs.

"Too long, Jethro. Just long enough to cause serious worry. You were this close to falling into another coma," Ducky held up his thumb and forefinger, showing him the touching fingers. "In fact, there were points when the doctor and I felt you had slipped into coma again, but you would pull yourself out."

The slightly annoyed sigh from the bed and Ducky finished, "Three days, Jethro. You've been out of it for three days."

* * * *

He wasn't cleared for light duty so spent most of his time at home. Abby had brought over a spare flat screen TV that, while it wasn't very big, was still HD all the same. After hooking up cable to it, she and McGee tested it and then handed the remote to Jethro who was still in bed. "I don't think I need a TV in here," he protested.

"It's only until the doctor says you can be back up on your feet. This way you have something to keep you busy and still be able to sleep when you feel like it," answered Abby as she fussed with it so that the angle was perfect from his lower dresser for him to see it from his bed. "On off, channel up and down... you good with this?"

"Yeah, believe it or not I can use a TV with a remote," answered Gibbs. "I'm not that far behind."

Abby hugged him one more time before Jackson came in with a glass of water and a sandwich for his son. Then she dragged McGee who was muttering something about being able to set up a wireless connection so that Gibbs could use his laptop if he wanted to. Gibbs lay back in his pillows and closed his eyes. Jackson asked, "Tired?"

"Yeah."

"Well, eat first and then you can sleep," said Jackson.

* * * *

When he woke next, it was dark. Gibbs knew that it was late at night. He could hear is Dad snoring down the hall in the guest bedroom. Getting up, he walked to his door, through the kitchen and downstairs to his basement.

On his workbench was a lunchtin...

~FIN~