"Can I try? He knows me."

"Harm. Harm." Skates limped closer to the bed, calling his name. "Harm. Listen to me. Don't let go.

"Dammit, Commander, don't let go!" She leaned over him and took his hand in his. It felt icy cold and clammy. Dead. No, she said fiercely to herself. No. He's going to make it.

Out loud she continued, "Harmon Rabb Junior, you are not allowed to let go. You hold on, sailor. There are people waiting for you on land and you are going to break their hearts. And mine, too!" She felt her voice grow thick with tears. She gripped his hand harder as the trauma staff watched.

Harm didn't move at all under her touch. From the monitor she could hear that his heartbeat didn't get any faster...but it didn't stop. He was breathing so slowly...Fear made her own heart pound in her chest. They had so little time before he would be lost forever...

"Dammit, Harm!" she almost yelled. "You are not going to die here on this ship! You didn't hang on in that goddamn arctic water for three hours to die now. I'm the one who can't swim, for God's sake! It isn't supposed to be like this!"

She fought for calm, and made her voice steady and as loud and firm and authoritative as she could. "You keep breathing, Commander, because there are people who love you and you are not going to let them down. You know what that's like, Commander. You know what it's like to lose someone you love. Don't do this to us. You have so much to live for - " and she found that she couldn't say anything else, and was sobbing onto his hand. Please, God, she thought. Don't do this. Don't take him! He's such a good man. He deserves to live.

It was then that she felt it.

In her fingers, his hand twitched.

The heartbeat sound from the monitor sped up, just a little. And then she saw his chest rise.

"Yes! Yes!" she whispered through her tears! "Harm! Come back to us! Keep fighting!"

His mouth opened, just a little, and even through the oxygen mask, she could understand one...faint...word...

"Mac..."

"Yes!" she almost cheered. His breathing was increasing, and he turned his head. "Respiration climbing," she heard a nurse report behind her. "Pulse rate up to 45...50..."

"Yes, Harm. Keep fighting.

She leaned over to put her mouth by his face. "You're gonna see Mac. And she's probably going to kill you." And she found herself laughing, then, and touching his cheek.

"Pulse rate 65." The tone of the room had completely changed. One of the nurses reached over and touched Skates' back in a wordless thank you, and they shared a triumphant smile.

Harm was going to make it.

Skates leaned back and looked at his battered face. She wondered when she had become so fond of the Commander. And she wondered if Sarah Mackenzie knew that Harm loved her.

Because that was clear.

Harm deserves to be happy, Skates thought. Let's hope that he's on his way, now.