Once she reached the surface, Tegan patted her back while she took deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself down. He floated on the water still holding Janet tightly as she grabbed him as her life depended on it.
Her face was buried in his shoulders as she continuously murmured the statement, "Please don't let go".
Tegan took this as a chance, he knew she would escape if he placed her on the land. The only way he could finally explain all he felt was to explain it to her without having her run away from him.
He held her tight still floating above the water; to him, it was a hug but to her, he was the only thing keeping her alive. She buried her face in his broad shoulder trying to push off the fact that she was in a lake and her legs were not on the ground.
"Please, don't let go," she said one more time sounding like a fearful whisper.
"Calm down, I won't," he said in a deep, soothing tone to calm her down.
