A/N: Sorry this took so long to get up! School is always CRAZY around finals and I haven't had enough spare time to watch two weeks of NCIS, much less get on the computer and get this chapter ready for you guys. lol. But I have a day off before I have to start studying again so here you go!

Thanks to all those who reviewed! I wish I could name you specifically but you know who you are and know that I appreciate them greatly! And those lurkers out there: I appreciate you too! :)

Here's the next chapter. :)

Chapter Two

"Hey, Deuce, we have a fight for you tonight, you up for it?"

Tony lifted his head slightly from the table. He was so tired.

All the time.

"Yeah," Tony said, because whether he won or lost, he still would have enough money to buy some food for tonight.

"Alright then," Mac said, smiling that awful smile that always made Tony stand on edge. "See you there then."

Mac didn't bother telling Tony what time to be "there" at because it was always the same.

You arrived at 11. And you either walked out at 1 or the cops found your beaten body in the morning

after receiving an anonymous call.

And since tomorrow was Wednesday, there was only one place they would be.

Tony's challenger was big and bulky but not as tall as Tony was.

He wore just his boxers and had a few tattoos on his body.

Something about the tattoos tickled Tony's memory but before Tony could think about it, the guy was on him. And he knew how to fight too - not just brawl like most of the guys in this place did.

And then he was using moves that Tony remembered but didn't and Tony blocked and weaved before using a dirty move to get the guy on the ground.

Tony was reaching for the man's head, placing a hand on each side, getting ready to twist and someone was telling him that this is what happened next but before he could do anything with his hands everyone was pulling him off and he was being pushed back and the guy was coughing and shaking and Tony wondered if he knew how close he had come.

Because it wasn't right for Tony to know how to kill, how to hurt.

It wasn't right that he woke up every night screaming because of the blood and gunshots and explosions.

It was times like this that Tony was happy he didn't remember much about before.

Because it was times like these that he worried about the man he had been.

And figured that maybe, it was best he didn't return to it.

"Deuce - what the hell, you almost killed him!" Mac said as he laughed and slapped him on the shoulder.

"My money," Tony said, turning his face away. He didn't want to be here. But the money-

"Yeah, yeah," Mac smiled. "Always business with you. But that's all good. Here you go. You know, maybe I should stop calling you Deuce. It's been awhile since you lost."

Tony just grabbed the wad of wrinkled cash and shrugged before walking out the door.

Mac would find him in a few days when they fought again.

And Tony would fight then too.

Sometimes, Tony couldn't breathe in his dreams.

Sometimes blood came up when air should be leaving his mouth instead and sometimes there was someone there who would lift him up and over and he would get a moment of air but then she - they - were gone and Tony would be left alone to gasp and hurt and die.

Because even in the dreams where he could breathe, he was still dying.

So very, very slowly.

"Can I help you, sir?"

"Can I have a pizza?" Tony asked hesitantly. He wasn't sure how you were supposed to do this but it seemed only logical that you asked for something and they gave you the product…right?

"What kind, sir?" The girl behind the counter looked at him and Tony could see the disgust in her eyes even if he could see the smile on her face. Eyes said everything…

"Um," Tony looked at the menu in detail. He really hadn't gotten this far in his thoughts, was surprised with himself that he had actually walked past the doors.

Because he hated being inside where the walls got closer…closer…

"Pepperoni, sausage, and extra cheese," Tony said wistfully as the smell of pizzas hit his nose, making him remember something.

The girl frowned before smiling again and hitting buttons on the cash register, "Alright, how would you like to pay?"

"Cash," Tony said and handed over a twenty, being happily surprised when she handed a five and two ones back.

"It'll be ready in a bit," the girl dismissed him and moved on to the customer behind him.

But Tony didn't wait.

After a minute, Tony glanced outside and looked back at the other people in the pizzeria.

Biting his lip so hard it bleed, Tony hurried out of the door and down the street, leaving the memory and the pizza to go untouched and grow cold.

When Tony had first started running, everything would bring a memory back.

At first, Tony had tried to grab at them as quickly as they came.

Then he had dreamt of the blood and fire and the metallic taste of iron on his tongue and then Tony didn't grab at the memories anymore.

When he had first woken up in the dark woods that day so long ago, he had shoes that hurt to run in and clothes that reminded Tony of a big man with a booming voice that sounded like his own and who had never been as nice as he seemed.

First chance Tony got after he left the woods, he found a place that would buy his clothes and would give him money in return.

Tony had kept the belt that had a knife as a buckle, but had given up everything else.

Except a coin.

Tony had had it in his pocket as long as he had been running and it didn't seem right to give it up when the guy at the store had desperately wanted it.

Tony had just shook his head and put the coin back in his new/old/used denim jeans and walked out of the store.

That night, he dreamt of pain and darkness and of lies that always hurt more when they came from someone you thought you knew.

Mac wanted to give him a ride.

Tony didn't know where or why but he didn't think it would be in his best interest, even if the car Mac drove was a "Mustang".

Tony didn't like cars much.

Especially since he always felt like one was going to explode the second he got close.

"Come on, Deuce," Mac smiled the smile that was fake. "I got someone I want to introduce you too."

Tony paused and bit his lip again, only this time he stopped before it started to bleed.

"Hurry up, Deuce," Mac said over-cheerfully. "I don't got all day."

"Alright," Tony said quietly, before sitting in the passenger seat.

Maybe if he stayed quiet long enough, Mac would turn on some music.

Tony had almost walked into a police station once.

His dreams had been bad and he kept seeing the back of a girl's head explode in a cloud of red all over him.

Tony had walked past the police station four times before slowly walking up the steps.

Then he had glanced inside and seen the people and had almost opened the door-

When a cop grabbed him and spun him around, asking if he knew him from somewhere.

Tony had denied it, saying he had never been to Baltimore before and had thought…

Had thought of something.

But soon after that, Tony had left Baltimore and gone to Philadelphia, just another town that seemed right when he saw it on the map.

But then Philadelphia hadn't felt like home and he had kept moving till he landed in Ohio.

There he met Mac.

But nothing felt like home for long.

A/N Homemade brownies for those who can get what coin Tony is talking about! :D Next chapter will be up next week (I'll be finished with finals friday so look for it then!) And once agian, don't forget to review. :)