Author's note: This story is for Kadyann1955 (I really hope you like it). She asked for a natural disaster story. My muse seemed to be running all over the place when I was writing this story. It's probably not my best but I tried! Hope you all like it.

Also, I would like to thank every person who has read, reviewed or favourited my stories. All of you keep me writing :)

Warning: un-betaed

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.

Colby Granger parked the car in an empty space down the road from the small apartment building where their potential witness lived. He and his partner, David Sinclair, got out. "You know it was your turn to drive. I drove last time." Colby complained to his partner before throwing him the keys. "You're driving back."

"Nup. I drove last time." David argued, "Don't you remember little Granny Smith in the back seat with her apples?"

Colby gave him a skeptical look, "Yes, but you drove her to the office. I drove her back."

"I wasn't in the car on the way back! That doesn't count!" David complained, indignantly.

"Doesn't matter." He opened the door to the apartment building and started up the stairs to the first floor. "You not being there does not change the fact that I drove!" David scoffed but didn't argue. They reached the first floor when Colby frowned at David's empty hands. "Where's the file?"

"I thought you had it?" David shrugged.

Colby glared at his partner in disbelief. "I was driving. Why would I have the file?"

David held his hand up in surrender. "Alright, alright!" He rolled his eyes, heading back down the stairs. "Driving makes you grumpy."

"Not driving makes you useless." Colby threw back but grinned as soon as his partner disappeared. He considered himself lucky to be partnered with David after Quantico. It might not have started as a real partnership, not in the eyes of the FBI, but it turned out to be a good one. Colby didn't follow the rulebook the way David did. It sounded strange but it gave him more freedom to do what needed to be done because he knew, if he was pushing past the line, David would be there to stop him. They may not have gotten on well at first but they soon learned that their different methods made them stronger as a team.

Colby reached the door to apartment 1F. If they were right, the little boy in this apartment may have witnessed a murder. He hated cases involving kids. Kids were supposed to be protected from the ugliness of their world. They shouldn't have to see it until they were old enough to handle it. It wasn't fair but life never was.

He knocked on the doctor.

The ground shook.

Colby looked down, confused, then without further warning the ground opened up and Colby dropped.

David mumbled to himself about a lazy, annoying partner and the crappy traffic in L.A. It was why they hated driving. Driving in L.A. was a chore. He was sure if they worked in a quieter city, driving would be enjoyable but not L.A. Los Angeles roads were a nightmare. He stepped out of the building and crossed the road when the ground started shaking and all sorts of noises started around him.

A woman screamed. A baby cried. Car alarms sounded. Cars collided. A car horn sounded.

Crashing of bricks and stone.

The shaking stopped.

David stood cautiously, his hand still holding onto the car he had used to steady himself. He looked around. At first the street looked fine over all. Two cars collided at the intersection but the drivers seemed okay. A woman was comforting her child. Buildings were still standing.

All but one.

David froze at the building across the road. Large pieces off the brick structure had fallen onto the road. The ground level was caved in. He could hear the residents in the top floors scream for help but David was focusing on the first floor. There wasn't anything left of the first floor.

"Colby."

The basement of the building was filled with rubble from the ground and first floor. A fridge lay on its side, a bed smashed in half. Metal rebars stuck out from stones. Exposed wires danced around.

Underneath all the destruction, Colby Granger laid unmoving, blooding running down his temple. The building had collapsed from under him, but a large concrete slab had created a pocket, protecting him from being crushed by the rest of the building.

Don, Megan and Charlie arrived on site to find David arguing with a fire fighter at the same time as making a phone call. "David." Don called out, running up to him. "Are you okay?" Don turned him by the shoulder to get a good look at him. He came as fast as he could once he received David's panicked call. The blood drained from his face as he listened to his agent stumble over his words, trying to explain what happened.

David shoved his hand off, angrily. "I'm fine. Colby's phone is ringing but he's not answering." He turned back to the fire fighter. "Give me some gear so I can go in there."

"Sir, we can't let you in there until we've stabilised the area." The man repeated himself.

Don turned his focus on the building that had collapsed. All other buildings on the street were in tact but that one. The one building his agent was in. Rubble was still settling half an hour after the quake. Don wanted to get in there as well but the fire fighter was right. They couldn't send anyone in until the place was stable.

"Your men can wait if they want, but I'm going in there. He's my partner!"

"Sir, I understand your urgency but our priority is the people we know that are alive…"

David grabbed the man by his uniform. "Colby is alive!"

"David!" Don grabbed his agent and pulled him off the fireman. "Megan, take him to cool off." Megan took David by the arm and pulled him towards their cars.

"I'm sorry. I'm Agent Don Eppes." He held his hand out to the fire fighter.

He shook it. "Lieutenant Andrew James."

Don nodded at the building. "So what's the situation?"

"We're working on getting the residents out of the top two floors before we start digging through the rubble." James gestured to where the first and ground floor used to be. "It looks like the bottom floors collapsed into the basement."

"How long is it going to take to get everyone out?" Don asked.

James shook his head. "My guys are working as quickly as it's safe, but we're talking about fifteen people that we know of. It'll be three hours at least."

Don closed his eyes at that. If Colby was alive under there he might not be after four hours.

Charlie listened to the conversation without interrupting. His brother looked calm but he knew Don was shaking inside. Colby was inside that building, underneath all that destruction. He could help speed things up. "I may be able to help." Don turned to him and nodded for him to talk. "If I can get the schematics of the building and the exact size of this earthquake I can calculate with reasonable accuracy of how the building collapsed, where the weak points are and where…" He turned to the rubble, "where Colby might be." He finished quietly.

"Reasonable accuracy." Don repeated, nodding. He gave his brother's shoulders and squeeze. "Go. You're the best chance Colby has."

Charlie nodded, "I'll find him." He promised before pulling out his phone and running towards the cars.

"Can he really do what he just said?" Andrew asked in awe.

Don nodded, still looking at the building. "Yeah, he can."

"We're set up with blueprints over there." Andrew indicated to a table set up, up the road from them. "The information that man was just talking about would make this more of a rescue than a recovery mission."

Don watched as a body was carried out of the building. "You'll know what I know. No one else is dying today." He promised. Especially not Colby.

"I was right in there with him. If I didn't forget the file…" David was blaming himself, but there was no blame to be had.

"If you didn't forget the file, you'll be in there with him." Megan reasoned, "Blaming yourself will not help Colby."

David kept trying Colby's phone. "He's not picking up." He grilled out.

Megan wasn't even sure he was listening to her. She sighed, "Just keep trying." It was something David could do. She didn't voice what was on everyone's mind. Colby's not answering because he can't. She saw Charlie running back to her and could tell he had a plan.

"I need the latest building schematics." Charlie got on the phone to Amita.

"Charlie, did you feel the earthquake?" Amita asked, relieved to hear Charlie's voice.

"I'm at one of the scenes where it hit the worse. Listen, Amita. Get Larry and head over to Lambert St downtown. Bring your laptop and have Larry get whatever data he can get his hands on, on this earthquake."

"Charlie, what's wrong?"

"Colby was in one of the buildings that collapsed."

Amita gasped at the news. "We'll be there in twenty minutes. Stay safe, Charlie."

"I will."

Charlie hung up the phone and turned to Megan. "I know I can find him but I…" I can't guarantee we'll find him alive.

Megan nodded, empathetic, "Just focus on your Maths. Everything else is out of your control."

Colby slowly opened his eyes. He felt like his entire body was made of lead. Nothing obeyed his commands except his eyes. There was a buzzing sound coming from somewhere. He could feel it vibrate against him. My cell. I should get it. A scream tore from him when he tried to get up. He almost passed out again from the agony in his abdomen. He laid on the broken concrete, trying to catch his breath. As soon as the pain was bearable, he lifted his head to see what was causing it.

A metal re-bar protruded from the left of his abdomen, pinning him to the concrete underneath him.

Colby let his head drop back. This was not good.

The buzzing restarted again, jolting Colby's senses. "My phone." He clenched his teeth as he pulled out his phone and pressed the answer key. "David."

David legs almost gave out from under him when he heard the voice on the other side. "Colby." Megan spun around at the word, her hands coming together to her mouth as if she were praying. "Colby, are you okay?"

Colby scanned the area he was trapped in. "I'm alive."

David frowned at Colby's breathing. "Are you hurt?"

Colby grunted. "I can't move. There's a re-bar pinning me down."

David closed his eyes, trying to calm himself down. A hand covering his made him open them again. It was Don. Megan had waved him over. Don came over with Andrew and took the cell off David, putting the phone on speaker so that everybody, especially Charlie and Andrew, could hear. "Colby, it's Don. Can you tell me what you can see?"

Colby took a breath. "It's dark. I think I'm in…the basement."

"Do you have a torch?" Don knew Colby would have one on him, it's just a matter of if it worked or not.

Colby wanted to smack himself for not thinking of using his torch. "Give me…a sec." He reached into his jacket pocket, trying his hardest not to move too much, and pulled out his torch. Turning it on, he shone it around the room. "It's definitely…the basement. There's a lot of rubble." He pointed the torch straight up. "There's a concrete slab right above me."

"Okay, that's great, Colby."

Don looked at Andrew for advice. This was his area of expertise. "Hi, Colby. This is Lieutenant Andrew James of the fire department. It sounds like that concrete has created a survival pocket. We are going to get you out of there but we need your help."

Colby closed his eyes, exhausted. "I can't move, Lieutenant." He and Don didn't hear the part where he was pinned down.

"At all?" James frowned.

"There's a piece of metal in me…I'm stuck."

Blood drained from Don's face and he could see the fear in everyone else's expressions. "Okay, Colby. We'll do what we can." Andrew reassured him.

"I can still take pictures with…my phone…will that help?" Colby asked. There wasn't much he could do from his end.

James smiled, nodding. "Immensely."

"'kay."

"Stay on the phone, Colby." Don said quickly.

Colby swallowed, "I'm not…going anywhere."

Don handed the phone back to David. "Keep him talking." He turned to Charlie. "How are we going?"

"Amita is on her way with Larry. Once they're here I can start on the calculations."

Don looked around at the destruction. "Megan, work with LAPD and the fire department. Do whatever you can to help."

Megan nodded; glad to be doing something that would take her mind off what Colby was going through.

Colby held the torch in his mouth while taking pictures of his surroundings. He tried not to move his left arm too much. "You know you're pretty unlucky." Colby heard his partner say. "You get injected with potassium chloride and washed down a dam and now you're stuck in a building after an earthquake. I'm starting to wonder if I should stand close to you." Colby finished taking pictures and took the torch out of his mouth. His partner was rambling which meant he was worried.

"I survived it all which tells me…I'm very…lucky." Colby countered.

David chuckled. "You're in an argumentative mood today, aren't you?"

"It takes two…to argue." Colby told him. "I'm sending you the photos now."

"Okay." David stood in front of the building, staring at it, as if he had x-ray vision. "You're going to hang in there for me, right?" His phone beeped, indicating that it was receiving a message. Don pressed the button to download the pictures.

"Are you…worried about me…Agent Sinclair?"

David smiled at the smug sound in Colby's voice. He was going to give a smart remark but decided to be truthful. "Yes, I am."

Colby paused at the sincere reply. It wasn't like David to be so open with his emotions. The typical remark would be claiming the paperwork for a dead partner or training a new partner, was too much trouble. "You can't get rid…of me so easily."

"Charlie has a plan to get you out."

"Of course he does." Colby smiled, "If there's a way to get me out. He'll find it."

David nodded; glad Colby's optimism was still in tact. "I'm going to get these photos to the fire department. I'm still here so keep talking, okay?"

"What's the situation out there?" Colby asked, "Are there many survivors?"

David plugged his phone into the fire department's laptop and uploaded the photos for them. Amita and Larry just arrived on the scene. He called them all over. Charlie needed as much data as he could get. "Colby sent me the photos."

Colby laid in the basement, isolated. He tried to listen out for voices or footsteps but there were none. If it wasn't for his phone, he might've driven himself crazy already. "A lot of people were at work so there were less people in the building than first thought." David told him. "The fire department's working on getting everyone out. Don't worry, Colby. We'll get to you."

Colby smiled, "Who says I'm worried? I'm not a girl, like you." Colby could hear chuckles from a few different people. "Am I still on…speaker?"

"Why? Are you embarrassed?" Don smirked.

Colby shook his head. "Nah, I was worried about you…your skin's not very…thick."

"Keeping up my image is different to not having thick skin." David told him as he walked around to where Charlie was to see what he was doing.

Charlie and Amita set up their laptops alongside the fire department's. "Charlie brought up the data Larry got from his geology professors. "5.72 on the Richter scale." He whispered, bringing up the schematics of the building. Charlie shook his head as he looked at the digital map indicating the epicentre of the earthquake. "I can't believe there's not more damage to this area. It's almost directly above the earthquake." He did his Maths while Amita added his calculations to her program, which will recreate the earthquake, and it's effect on this building.

"How are we going?" Don asked after getting an update of the situation from the fire department chief. He needed permission to keep Andrew with them to work on Colby. The chief was understanding and sympathetic. He was fine with coordinating the rescue of the other victims while Andrew concentrated on Colby.

"Give me ten minutes." Charlie whispered.

"Guys?" Colby called out.

"Still here, Colby." Don reassured him.

"Hey Colby. Where were you when the earthquake hit?" Charlie asked.

"Um…at the witnesses door."

"Apartment 1F." David supplied. Charlie nodded, adding it to his equation.

"It's cold in here." Colby admitted. "I'm cold."

Megan had come over after seeing everyone converge on the table, "He could be going into shock." She whispered as she looked around for a paramedic.

"Jack!" Andrew called out to his colleague, knowing Colby's injuries should be left to someone with the expertise. "Get over here. We need your help."

The man named Jack jogged over. "What's up, Andrew?"

Andrew spoke into the phone. "Colby, my friend here, Jack, is a paramedic." He nodded to Jack. "Colby's trapped inside the building with a metal rebar pinning him down."

Jack's expression grew somber. He nodded, slowly and leaned over the phone. "Hey there, Colby. I'm Jack."

Colby smiled at the new voice on the phone. "I'm getting…famous huh? Everybody wants to…talk to me."

Jack chuckled at that, "You still have a sense of humour, that's a good sign." He was talking to Colby but he was looking at his teammate, hoping to reassure them. "Can you tell me about your injury?"

"It's a rebar." Colby closed his eyes, finding it hard to stay awake, "It entered…"

Everyone stopped what he or she was doing when Colby went quiet. "Colby?" Jack queried, "Colby, stay with us." Still no answer.

"COLBY!" David yelled into the phone.

Colby jerked awake at his friend's shout. He groaned when his side complained about the jolt. "Why are you yelling?" He grunted out.

They all sighed in relief. "It's rude to fall asleep when someone's talking to you." David answered him, his heart beating a million miles an hour.

"Sorry." Colby said simply. There was no smart response, which worried David.

"You were telling us about your injury, Colb." Don reminded him.

Colby lifted his head and looked down at the metal. "It entered through the back, left side, under my ribs. I think I fell on it."

"Okay." Jack nodded, "If you're going to be stabbed, shot or embedded on something, that's not a bad spot to pick." It was meant to be reassuring but clearly the team disagreed. "How do you feel?"

Colby swallowed, "Cold and tired."

Jack frowned, "How badly does it hurt?"

"It's not too bad." Colby's voice sounded a pleasantly surprised.

Jack stepped away from the phone and spoke to Andrew quietly. "He's going into shock. We need to get to him or at least get fluid into him soon."

"So what's my diagnosis, doc?"

Jack stepped back over, "You're fine, Colby." He looked at the FBI Agents, or more specifically what they were wearing, "By any chance, are you wearing a suit and tie?" David nodded that he was.

"Why? You have a thing…for guys in suits?" David rolled his eyes.

Jack smiled, "I have a wife, Colby." He revealed. "Can you loosen your tie and undo your belt for me?" As soon as he said those words, Jack winced, knowing the response he was going to get.

"I'm not sure…your wife would be impressed…right now."

David wanted to bang his head against the table. "Colby, you're embarrassing me. Just do what the man says."

"Fine…" Colby groaned as he lifted his hand to pull at his tie. "But I'm not…getting…naked."

Don shut his eyes at that and screwed up his face. "I apologise for him. He's usually very professional."

Megan was giggling, she couldn't help herself and she could see that Amita was finding it amusing too. Despite the situation, Colby still managed to make them laugh. "You're embarrassing Don now, Colby."

Colby smiled, reaching down to undo his belt. It was a little harder because he was trying to avoid the metal. "Megan?"

"Yeah?" Megan was still smiling.

"Can I ask you something?" Colby grinned as he added, "That's not the question."

Jack raised his eyebrows, impressed, "He's still pretty sharp. Another good sign." He whispered to them.

"What is it, Colby?" Megan worried, a little unsure what Colby was going to say in his delirious state.

"What do you see…in…Professor Fleinhardt?"

Megan narrowed her eyes at the phone, then looked at Larry, who was going red. She smiled at how uncomfortable he was. "His mind fascinates me."

Colby frowned as he processed the answer, "Charlie's mind…fascinates me…but I don't fancy…him."

Charlie stopped typing for a second. Amita was having trouble controlling her laughter. "Um…I…I'm…flattered?"

Amita leaned over, "That's good for me because I don't think I can compete with you, Colby."

Charlie looked at her in disbelief, "Don't encourage him." Amita just giggled.

Don shook his head at his brother's flushed cheeks. He leaned over the phone. "Alright, Colb. I think you've embarrassed enough of us for one day."

"But…" Colby still hadn't got a satisfactory answer from Megan about Professor Fleinhardt.

"I've got it!" Amita announced, interrupting Colby's protest. All the information was in her program. "I can recreate the earthquake."

"Hang in there, Colby." Don said quickly into the phone.

"Can't go anywhere." Colby said in a sing-song.

Everyone crowded around Charlie and Amita as she played the animation of the building collapsing. The first to go was the two pillars in the basement; they crumbled. The ground floor collapsed at the centre, dragging the first floor with it. The image representing Colby was close to the centre of the first floor. He landed on the rubble of the ground floor in the basement with a concrete slab of the second floor falling at an angle above him, protecting him from anymore falling debris.

Andrew was impressed; they should have Charlie and Amita working on all natural disasters. "Can you tell us how structurally safe the building is?"

Charlie looked over at Larry. "What do you think, Lawrence? This is more physics than Maths now."

"Oh crap…" Colby groaned. Just like that everyone's attention was on the phone.

"What's wrong, Colby? Are you okay?" David grabbed the phone, speaking straight into it.

"I didn't know Professor Fleinhardt…was there. No offense, Professor."

A collective breath of relief was let out through the group. "Colby, you scared ten years off all of us!" David growled into his phone before tossing it back on the table. His partner is going to drive him crazy soon.

"No offense taken, Agent Granger." Larry looked at the computer-generated image. "My main concern is that slab. We can't risk working above it. Do you have the schematics of the building next to it?"

Andrew turned to look through the blueprints on next the table. "Here." He cleared the table and spread the blueprint out for Larry to study.

David picked up the phone and walked away from the group. They didn't need him but Colby did. "How are you doing, Colby?"

Colby smiled at the concern he heard in his partner's voice. "Still alive."

"Good, you better stay that way." David demanded, softly.

"We're good, right?" Colby asked him after a short pause. He knew his triple agent status had put a wedge in their friendship and he wasn't sure if that wedge was gone. Most days it were as if they were back to the way they were before he was revealed to be a spy but there were days that he wondered if David still had his reservations about him.

David frowned, not liking the uncertainty he heard in Colby. "How do you mean?" Colby sighed, suddenly not wanting to continue. "Colby, talk to me."

"I just…" Colby gave up. He didn't know how to put his doubts into words. "Forget it."

"What are you worried about, Colby?" David pushed him. He didn't want there to be anymore secrets between them and he didn't want Colby dying with any regrets. Not that he was going to die.

"Do you still worry that I'm not tell you everything?" Colby asked in a quiet voice.

David knew he was talking about the days he was undercover for Counter Intelligence. "If you're asking me if I trust you, then the answer is yes. We're good, Colby. All that's behind us now."

Colby smiled, "Okay."

Everything seemed to be going smoothly until a tremor, that lasted five seconds, made everyone grab hold of something. The fire fighters quickly cleared the building, moving to a safe distance until their Chief told them otherwise. "AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" They all heard Colby's scream and spun in David's direction.

"COLBY!" David screamed into the phone. "Colby, talk to me!" He rushed over to the rest of the team. "Colby!"

Colby could hear someone yelling at him but he couldn't respond. He held the phone loosely to his chest as he fought to stay conscious. It was the only thought in his head. Stay awake. Those were his orders. The metal had shifted in his body. His shirt around his side felt wetter. "Colby!"

Don could see David losing control. "Put the phone down, David." His hands were shaking as he did what he was asked. "Colby. It's Don. You're scaring us here."

Colby listened to his boss's voice. "Say something. Make a sound to tell us you're still with us." Colby moved the phone closer to his mouth. It was so heavy. "Come on, Colb. Talk to us…please." It was a desperate whisper.

"Boss?" Colby tried to say but it didn't quite come out loud enough. He tried again. "Boss."

The team almost dropped to the ground at the soft voice. Don rubbed his eyes. "Colby, buddy. Thank god!"

"Something moved, Don."

Don frowned at the strange comment. Lots of things moved. "Yeah, it was the aftershock."

"No…I mean…" Colby swallowed, it was getting harder to talk, "the met…tal…it moved."

Jack stood up straighter at that. There was no way he could know how much more damage the aftershock did to Colby's injury. "Colby, can you tell me more?"

"My…shirt…it's very wet."

Jack put a hand to his forehead, "The bleeding is heavier now, but there's no saying how badly. I can't help him when I can't see his injury."

Don turned to Charlie, Amita and Larry. He was desperate now. "I need options."

"The wall of the basement in the building next door is his best chance." Larry told them. He pointed to the blue print. "They're right next to each other and Colby's on the other side of that wall." He looked at each of them. "If Charlie makes the right calculations he can work out the exact part of the wall to knock out without causing more structural damage."

Megan could kiss her boyfriend right now. "Can you do it, Charlie?"

Charlie looked at her, then at his brother. He nodded, "Yeah, I can. I just need to factor in the last aftershock and I can tell you what to take out."

Don turned to Andrew, "Will your guys do it?"

Normally, Andrew would say no, but these FBI Agents were so confident in the two professors, he couldn't refuse. Anyway, he had a feeling these guys would do it themselves. "Just tell us what to do and my guys will do it."

"You hear that, Colby?" Don called out to his friend. "We're getting you out of there. Just hang tight."

"I'm tired, Don." They could barely hear him. "Just want to sleep."

"No!" Don ordered. "You can't sleep."

"Sorry, sir…" Colby couldn't stay awake. Andrew frowned at the use of 'sir'. He's never heard the others use that title with their boss.

"Colby!" Don and David started yelling at the phone. "Colby! Wake up!" Megan hugged herself tight as her boss and teammate screamed desperately at the phone. She was on that freighter all over again; Don and David were screaming for Colby to wake up and she was standing over them, unable to do a thing but watch.

"Hey…Hey…" Andrew waved his hand in front of the phone, getting their attention. "Is Colby military by any chance?"

"Yeah, why?" David asked, confused at why it would be important.

"Because I know a few friends in the military and they respond to their superior officers, like it's conditioned." Andrew shrugged, talking to Don, "Use his rank."

Don looked at David, a little unsure. He leaned over and tried to sound authoritative. "PFC Colby Granger, your orders are to stay alert!

Colby's eyes jolted open at the stern voice of his supervising officer. He pulled the phone closer. "Yes, sir!" It wasn't loud, but it said with force.

Don leaned over the table, hanging his head in relief. "Can't believe that worked." He looked up at Andrew, "Thank you."

Andrew shrugged, relieved himself, "It was a long-shot."

"Colby, keep talking to us." Don turned his attention back on the phone.

"Have I ever told you…you're a good boss?" Colby could feel himself slipping away. There was only so much he could do to stay awake.

"Not in so many words." Don smiled, sadly. "Have I ever told you you're a great FBI Agent?"

Colby chuckled, "Not in so…many words."

"Well, you are, so you better not die on my because I like my team just the way it is. I don't want to break in another junior agent." Don's words were demanding but it was a plea. "You didn't come back from the dead just to die in an earthquake, did you?

"Never really…thought about it." Colby admitted, "It's not…healthy."

David had to smile at that. "Only ever looking at the good things in life huh, Granger?"

"Best way to live." Colby's voice was growing weaker.

"I've got it!" Charlie shot off his seat. "Let's go. I'll show you exactly where to hit." He ran towards the neighbouring building.

"We're coming to get you, Colby!" Don called before running after his brother.

Colby wasn't sure if he could wait for them to get to him. He felt like he was floating as if his body wasn't his anymore. "Colby, what blood type are you?" It was the paramedic speaking…Jack. Colby had to think about the answer. What blood type am I?

Jack knew he could get this information from anyone else but he wanted to determine Colby's clarity of mind. "Colby?"

"Um…it's…A negative." Colby remembered, then figured it was only fair that Jack told him his. "What's yours?"

Jack laughed, "Is he right?" David nodded. "Okay. Colby, I'm going to leave you to your friends but I'll be the first person through that hole they make in that wall. So I'll see you soon." Jack nodded to David and Megan. He didn't have to tell them what to do. Keep him talking.

David didn't know what to say to keep Colby talking. He didn't have to though because Colby starting talking to them. "Are you going to say anything? Don ordered me to stay awake…but I'm getting…bored."

Megan smiled, shaking her head, "How can we entertain you, Colby?"

"Larry's a…lucky guy…" Megan smiled at Larry, who turned red again.

"I like to think that I'm a lucky gal." Megan replied.

"Professor…I don't…get it…"

Larry rolled his eyes, he didn't want to get into a conversation with Agent Granger about his love life, but he did. He went beyond his comfort zone because his friend needed him. "Get what?" He was expecting Colby to say something along the lines of 'what does she see in you'.

"Why won't…you just…let go…and love her?"

Amita looked up at Larry, grinning. "He's barely conscious and he's smarter than you."

"You…" Larry was going to argue but Colby couldn't understand him on his best days. "I will take your advice into consideration." He said instead.

"The universe is too…big for…us…professor. We can't explore…everything…"

Larry frowned, "You're very philosophical when you're delirious." Megan grinned at him.

"Why don't…you…just stop thinking…so much…and enjoy…life?" Colby didn't know why he as saying all this to Larry. Maybe it's because he was dying and he wanted Megan to be happy and Larry makes her happy. "I guess…what I'm trying to…to say is…take care of…Megan." Megan bit her lip at the unexpected sentiment. She kept her sobs at bay but her tears were running freely down her cheeks.

"Colby, why are you so fascinated with Megan and Professor Fleinhardt?" David asked him, hoping to lighten the mood a little. "Ever since you found out, you haven't been able to stop thinking about it."

Colby started shaking uncontrollably. "It's so c…c…cold."

"Colby?" David called. He was trembling himself but for a different reason; his partner was slipping away. "Colby!"

"D…da…david…"

"Hang on, Colby. Hang on!" Another sound came over the phone. A banging. It was the fire fighters. "You hear that, Colby? They're right there! Stay with me!"

"S…Ssorry…" Colby couldn't hold on anymore. His eyes closed. His hand slipped from his chest. The phone clattered as it fell. No amount of talking or yelling would wake Colby up this time.

"Colby!" David's voice came through the phone but there was no one to answer him. "Colby!" He ran towards the building Don and Charlie were in.

Amita sat in shock. She stood up and hugged Larry, seeking comfort. "He'll be okay." He was looking at Megan as he spoke. "He's strong. He'll be fine." Megan was trying to be strong herself but it was her teammate, her friend…her family. Larry held out his arm to her and she broke down, sobbing in his arms.

Don turned around at the sound of David running down the steps of the basement. "You need to hurry up. He's not responding." David was holding the phone in his hand. "Just smash it down!" He yelled at the fire fighters. Don held him back when David tried to take over the demolition work.

"Let them do their job." Don told him, calmly.

"We're through!" Andrew called, stepping aside for Jack. "Go, go, go!" He took Jack's bag and waited for him to crawl through the hole before sending it through behind him. Jack's partner Logan was next.

David stared at the hole they made. "Just wait, David. Andrew still needs to secure that concrete above, Colby. They're already taking a risk by letting Jack and his partner in first." Don told him, giving his shoulder a squeeze. "Don't give up."

Jack carefully made his way over to Colby. The man was pale. He reached down to feel for a pulse. "Come on, Colby." He whispered, "There are a lot of people out there who care about you." He held his breath. "Come on. Come on." He let out a huff when he felt it. It was faint but it was there. He quickly pulled an oxygen masked over Colby's nose and mouth.

"Jack." Logan, who was cutting away Colby's jacket and shirt from the wound, spoke. "We need to start a transfusion now. He's lost…" He looked at the blood soaked into the concrete, "at least 30%." Jack nodded and pulled out the bags of blood. "We're going to need to cut him off this." Logan said of the metal.

Jack started the transfusion, squeezing the bag to get the blood through faster.

"How is he?" Andrew asked, leaving his men to stabilise the area.

"Too early to say." Jack answered, huffing. "Take a look at the rebar."

Andrew was already doing that. Logan removed his hand for a short moment for Andrew to take a good look. He nodded, "I should be able to get the hydraulics in there."

"Let me stabilise him first." Jack told him. He handed Andrew the blood bag. "Squeeze it." He moved over to help his partner. Logan had packed as many gauze pads as he could to prevent any more movement of the rebar and to stem the bleeding. Jack taped the gauze pads in place before moving back to check Colby's pulse again against his watch. He shook his head, "Still too weak." He took the bag back from Andrew. "Get the hydraulics. As soon as he's stable enough we're getting him out of here."

Andrew nodded and left his friend to do what he had to, to keep Colby alive.

Three men converged upon him as soon as he got through the hole in the wall. "He's alive!" He said, holding up his hands to stop them from bombarding him with questions. "Jack and Logan are doing everything they can to keep him that way. I need to get the equipment that will cut him off the damn concrete and get him out of there."

Don nodded, thankful for the lieutenant's candour, but they needed more. He took David's phone off him and held it up for Andrew to see. "Do you mind using this when you get back in there? It's torture not knowing."

Andrew smirked and nodded. "Of course."

David walked to the wall, opposite the hole, and slid down it. He was out of energy. All of it was used up controlling his emotions and now that it was gone, he wasn't sure he could hold back. Charlie and Don looked over at him but gave him the privacy he needed. David wouldn't want them to see him breakdown.

Charlie shook his head. "I can't imagine what he's going through."

"I can." Don whispered, "It's the same feeling I get when you're in danger." He smiled sadly as his brother. "They're as much brothers as we are." Don walked over to the hole and looked inside. He could only just see Jack, holding a bag of blood. The fire fighters had beams put in place to stabilise the concrete, preventing it from caving in.

"Come on, Colby." Don prayed.

"He'll make it." Charlie assured him.

Don nodded, "I know." He said, as if it were obvious.

Jack detached the empty bag of blood and attached a new one. "How's the bleeding?"

"Under control." Logan moved to Colby's head to check the bleeding there. "Hit his head pretty hard." He said of the bruising beneath the blood. He looked at his watch. "It's been over two hours? He's lucky to be alive."

Jack chuckled, "Luck has nothing to do with it. Most people in his situation would start giving their will but he was still making his team laugh." He smiled down at the man, "He has all the motivation he needs to stay alive right outside. He'll make it through."

"You talk like you know the guy." Logan looked amused.

Jack shrugged, "Nah, but I think we could get along." He checked Colby's pulse again. "I think it's as good as we're going to get." Andrew climbed back through the hole. "Good timing."

"Do his team a favour and pick up his phone." Andrew requested.

Jack frowned, looking around for Colby's phone. He reached down through a gap between the stone rubble and pulled it out. "hmmm…it's still on. Hello?"

Don jumped when someone spoke through the phone in his hand. "Jack!" He quickly walked over to David who was wiping at his eyes and struggling to his feet. "How is he?" Don placed his hand on his agent's shoulder.

"His pulse is stronger now after a couple of bags of blood. Andrew's going to cut him off the concrete and then we'll get him out." Jack explained. "Just a little longer guys and we'll have your agent out of here."

"Thank you." Don sighed. This wait was killing them.

Jack handed a blood bag to one of Andrew's guys while he prepared Colby to be moved. He moved his hands up and down Colby's body, checking for any broken bones. He couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped him. "I can imagine what he would say if he saw what I'm doing right now." Andrew chuckled as well, remembering Colby's comment about loosening his tie and belt. Jack placed a neck brace on Colby as a safety precaution. Jack nodded to Andrew and Logan.

Logan removed his hands for Andrew but there wasn't enough room for him to get the claws between Colby and the stone. "You're going to need to lift him off a little."

Jack sighed. He was hoping he didn't need to move Colby at all. There was no telling how much more damage they would be doing but there was no choice. "Thank goodness he's not awake to feel this." He reached over, placing two hands to one side of the rebar while Logan got ready to lift from the other side. Together they lifted him about an inch, wincing when they heard the sound of the metal pulling out.

"That's enough." Andrew got the claw in and started the machine. The claws slowly closed on the bar. Jack sighed in relief when he felt Colby come free of the stone. Andrew pulled away the hydraulic cutter. "Get the backboard under him." Jack ordered. Andrew and Logan slipped the backboard under Colby and strapped him on. "Let's go!" They wasted no time sliding Colby through the hole.

David rushed over, taking in his very pale but still alive friend. His hands were shaking as he gripped his partner's hand. It was cold. Too cold. "I'm sorry, but we have to get moving." Jack apologised. "Ride with us. We're taking him to Huntington Memorial."

Don nodded for David to go before turning to his brother and pulling him into his arms. "Thank you. Thank you." David held Charlie tight. "You saved his life."

Charlie rubbed his brother's back only now realising how scared he really was all that time, but kept it in. He kept the fear at bay because he's the boss and the team needed him. "Come on. I'll drive you to the hospital."

Don gave a short laugh, "Nice try." He said pulling back. "You didn't pass your driving test at the FBI."

"Oh come on!" Charlie complained, "You're going to have to let me drive it one day."

Don shook his head, griining, "No…actually I don't."

Six hours later…

David watched the steady breathing of his friend. It was calming for him to see the steady rise and fall of Colby's chest. It was close but the fast thinking of the paramedics on the scene saved his life. The metal bar didn't perforate any organs but there is substantial tissue and muscle damage. He will make a full recovery. Just be patient. The blood loss should've sent him into cardiac arrest. We've given him a blood transfusion but he won't be waking up for a day or two. He's a very lucky man. David had laughed at that. He told Colby he was unlucky but Colby was right; he was lucky.

Don entered the room quietly, sighing at David watching over his partner. "Hey." He spoke quietly and nudged his head towards the door when David turned to him. "I'll drive you home." David turned back to Colby. "Come on, the doctor said he won't be waking up for at least a day."

David reached over and gripped Colby's arm. "I'll be back in the morning." He promised before leaving with Don.

David was quiet in the car. Don kept glancing over at him, worried about his mental state. "That was too close, huh?"

David let out a breath and shook his head, "Colby's been in life threatening situations everyday with me right there beside him. It's part and parcel to the job. This time it's different."

Don understood what David was saying but he let David talk because it was healthier than keeping it in. "How so?"

David shrugged, "For one, I wasn't with him."

"You can't blame yourself for that."

"I know and that wasn't even the worse part. I had to take a back seat and let everyone else save Colby's life." David shuddered, "I could hear him fading and there was nothing, absolutely nothing, I could do to save him." He shook his head. "I've never felt so helpless in my life."

Don nodded, "I know."

"This might sound weird but I've always taken comfort in the fact that if I was dying, Colby or you or Megan would be there with me. I wouldn't be alone and I always thought that's how it would be for any of us. We never go into a situation alone." David took in a shaky breath. "Colby was in there by himself. I couldn't hold his hand and look him in the eyes until he was gone. He was alone in the dark."

"He knew we were there. He got to say his last words to all of us." Don frowned and shook himself. "No…no! He's not dead. He's alive and breathing in that hospital bed so I'm not talking about him like he's gone. That guy is a tough bugger. You and I will be dead long before him!"

David gave a short laugh, "You're right. He's alive." He closed his eyes and leaned his head back. "He's alive."

Colby woke up two days later feeling disoriented and groggy. He focused on the clear bag of fluids on the pole and followed the tubing down to the needle in the back of his hand. Hospital. He mentally groaned. Turning his head to look around the room, he found someone sitting in a chair smiling at him. "Meg…" Colby grimaced at his dry throat. Megan winced sympathetically as she got up and guided a straw into his mouth, soothing his dry throat. "Thanks."

Megan put the cup back and gently caressed his cheek with the back of her fingers. "How are you feeling?"

Colby smiled and closed his eyes for a second before answering. "Like I've been run over by a truck."

Megan smiled, "How about settling for a building falling on you?"

Colby chuckled, "Yeah, that's a better description."

"You've been unconscious for two days. Doctor said it was a close one." Megan slipped her hand in his. "You really scared us…again."

Colby gave her his crooked smile. "You got me out."

Megan shook her head thoughtfully, "Charlie, Larry and Amita did the thinking. The fire fighters did the work and the paramedics saved your life." She grinned, "Don, David and I just…" She shrugged, "talked a lot."

Colby frowned. His memory of his time in that basement was foggy at best. "Did I talk back?"

Megan laughed, "You're…insightful…when you're delirious."

"Hmm…I'm not sure I want to know."

Megan leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. "I have to head to the office. David is waiting for me to give him an update on you. He'll be here tonight."

Colby nodded, already drifting back to sleep.

When he woke up again, the sun had gone down and Don and David were there. Colby smiled at them. "Hey."

"Hey." Don grinned, "Good to see you awake."

"Yeah, partner. It's about time you got your lazy ass up." David joked.

"Hmm…" Colby nodded thoughtfully, "Did I ever tell you about the time there was an earthquake and I got trapped in the basement?" Then as if he just remember, "Oh right, that's what landed my lazy ass in here."

"Yep, he's fine!" Don laughed.

"Yeah, nothing keeps that damn smart mouth of his shut." David shook his head, smiling, "You're embarrassing to have around, you know?"

Colby was starting to wonder about what he had said in his delirious state. "Do I want to know?"

Don was laughing. He was about to tell him how entertaining he was when two men knocked on the door. "How's the patient?" It was Andrew and Jack.

"Hey!" Don and David went over and shook the men's hands. "Our heroes!"

Colby was confused. Andrew and Jack weren't in their uniforms so he had no clue who these boys were. "Colby, this is Andrew and Jack." David told him.

Those names were familiar but he couldn't place them. He gave up trying to work it out. "I'm sorry. I have no idea who you are."

Andrew waved away the apology. "I don't expect you to remember. We just wanted to come by and see how you're holding up. You look better than when we saw you last."

"Andrew's the Lieutenant you were talking to when you were trapped." Don revealed, "And Jack's one the paramedics who kept you alive."

Colby smiled, recognising the names and voices now. He tried to push himself up to give them the respect they deserved. "Don't get up." Jack gently pushed Colby back on the bed. "You still have a lot of healing to do before you're ready to get out of that bed."

"I don't know how to thank you for saving me." Colby said, sincerely.

Andrew shrugged, "I think you just did."

"If you guys ever need anything…" Colby pointed at Don, "Just call that guy, he'll help you out."

Don looked at him incredulously, "Why are you offering up my services?"

Colby shrugged, "You're my boss. I'll end up doing the work anyway."

Jack and Andrew laughed, "That humour of yours never really dies, does it?"

Colby narrowed his eyes at them. That's the third time someone's mention something along that line. "Seriously, what did say?"

Jack grinned, "You thought I was coming on to you."

"Oh crap!" Colby groaned, pulling his blanket over his head. "I don't need to know any more."

David pulled the blanket off him. "You asked Megan about her and Larry's love life."

Colby paled at that one. "I didn't."

"You did."

"Larry is the professor, right?"

"Larry was there?" Colby didn't think this could get any worse.

"Apparently," Andrew pointed at Don, "His brother's mind fascinates you." He said turning back to Colby.

Colby's mouth dropped at that, "I…"

The four men burst out laughing at Colby's expression. "Someone finally shut that smart mouth of yours." David reached over and closed Colby's open mouth.

Colby groaned, "Kill me now."

"That would be silly! A lot people put in a lot of effort to keep you alive." Jack laughed.

When the laughing died down, Andrew got serious. "I work with a lot of strong guys and I'm not sure they could've survived what you went through." A corner of Colby's mouth tugged.

"Andrew's right. We might've got you out but you held on and we," Jack pointed between himself and Andrew, "didn't have to pull out another body."

Andrew nudged his head at the door. "We have a shift in an hour. If you guys are in the area, swing into Firehouse 65 and we'll go for a beer."

Don shook their hands again. "We might take you up on that as soon as he's ready for a beer." He nudged his head at Colby who was already starting to fall asleep again. He closed the door quietly, trying to not wake Colby but he wasn't completely asleep.

Colby opened his eyes at the click the door made. He frowned, "Where's Andrew and Jack?"

"They have to get back to work." Don told him, a little unsettled at how disoriented Colby was.

"Go back to sleep." David ordered, "Don't worry about anything except getting better."

Colby smiled, letting himself drift off. They knew they should leave Colby to rest but neither could bring themselves to go. "You know, they're replaying the Dodger's game tonight?" Don picked up the TV remote and turned it on, turning down the volume. They made themselves comfortable in the room and watched over their friend because they both knew they weren't watching the game on the TV.

The End.