They-

[ She's approaching him, and he doesn't know what to do. The thought of going back to that, to that dark abyss, that hateful feeling, it terrifies him.

Despite how stupidly self-sacrificial he can be, Alex doesn't want to die. ]

I couldn't help anyone- I couldn't- they all died, and- and then, whatever I did, everyone kept- I couldn't stop them from dying, a-and then I left her alone, 'cause I- there's- there's nothing else I can do, if I d- die again-

[ It's stammers, broken sentences, and those hand tremors, the ones Mia would've seen when he freaked out about the landing, they start to return. He remembers they're underwater. His brain can't reason that there's something special and magical going on. What if he starts drowning? Of all the ways he's almost died, that- that was the worst one, helpless and the world going black, desperate for breath-

What if he dies? Why's he here? Why's he doing this to Mia, to another person, freaking the fuck out over something he can't control (because he can't control it)-

Alex gasps and when he doesn't feel his lungs catch fire his shoulders heave and sink. His eyes find hers, and all he feels is lost. ]

Everyone was counting on me.