A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews and alerts! As my NCIS readers are aware, I'm really quite awful about personally responding to reviews, but I want y'all to know that I do read and appreciate every single one. Standard disclaimers apply, I own nothing, I know nothing, I hope you enjoy this chapter! -abby

As Shawn gradually came back to awareness, his first reaction was to panic. He struggled and kicked, trying to free his body, but his efforts proved futile. What happened? Where am I? I can't breathe! I can't move!

Rationally, Shawn knew that becoming hysterical wasn't going to help so with an effort, he forced himself to calm down. Taking deep, even breaths through his nose helped clear his mind and slowly he started to piece things together.

From the rough fabric touching his cheeks and the stale-smelling air each time he inhaled, Shawn quickly deduced that his head was covered with a bag. Not only that, but a blindfold seemed to be tied around his face. Someone really doesn't want me to see. From the way his lips were painfully sealed together, Shawn knew that his mouth was covered with duct tape. They don't want me talking either. Shawn wiggled his fingers experimentally and realized that his hands were tightly bound behind his back. A quick test confirmed what he already suspected – his ankles were also tied together. Outstanding.

Suddenly Shawn realized that his dark world also seemed eerily silent. There was nothing. No voices, no footsteps, not a thing. Everything was muted, and he bit down on the resurfacing panic. Why can't I hear? Straining to listen, desperate for confirmation that he had not somehow gone deaf, Shawn carefully lifted his head. It was then that he realized there was something stuffed inside both of his ears. Ear plugs? What kind of kidnapper does that? In spite of the bizarre situation, relief flooded his body at the realization and he collapsed gratefully back onto the floor.

Shawn again started to struggle against his bonds, simultaneously fighting to keep his growing fear under control. Being trapped in complete darkness - unable to hear, unable to move, with absolutely no idea where he was or who was holding him - was claustrophobically terrifying. Shawn tried very hard to dwell on anything other than his current situation. Think pineapples, think beautiful weather, think about the beach, think about Jules, or Gus, or Dad...hell, think about Lassie. Just don't think about the dark... He knew that if he focused on the darkness he would not be able to quell the panic. Keep it together, man. Dad and Gus will find you. Or Juliet and Lassiter will. Someone will. You'll be fine. Just hang on until they get here.

Normally Henry enjoyed the quiet solace of the lake, but this time his mind was not on fishing at all. He'd been out for two hours, but all he could think about was his son. Something's not right. It's not just that stupid argument. Something else is going on. Although there was nothing to indicate that Shawn was in trouble, Henry had been a cop long enough to know that you never ignore your gut instinct. And at the moment, his gut was twisted with worry.

Jesus, kid. What have you gotten into now?

Henry fervently hoped that this time his instincts were mistaken, that for once he was wrong. But even as he quickly rowed the tiny boat towards the shore, he knew that he wasn't.

Gus frowned as Shawn's phone went straight to voice mail yet again. "Come on, man. Why aren't you picking up?" Gus muttered under his breath as he climbed back into his tiny blue car. Opting not to leave a fourth message, he instead sighed and dropped the phone into the passenger seat before starting the ignition.

Driving a little faster than normal, Gus headed straight to his best friend's apartment. I'll give him a piece of my mind, he always gripes when I don't answer my phone right away. But the promise of reaming out his buddy wasn't comforting in the least.

That was when Gus admitted that he was truly worried.

Time no longer had meaning for Shawn. He did not have a clue how long he'd been lying there, miserable and scared and utterly alone. Hours? Days? He was hungry but not ravenous, thirsty but not dehydrated. So not days, at least. That's something. He'd long since given up on trying to escape his bonds, as struggling only seemed to tighten the ropes that viciously bit into his wrists and ankles. Even with all those quizzes, all those stupid tests, Dad never taught me how to get out of a situation exactly like this, he thought bitterly. Trying to escape from the blindfold had also proved futile although he had managed to ease the heavy sack up over his nose, so at least breathing was a little easier. Not much of an improvement but I'll take what I can get.

After a while he allowed himself to doze, for lack of anything else to do. It's not like I would be able to tell if someone was coming anyway. Unfortunately, some time later Shawn's assumption was proven correct. He startled violently as the bag was suddenly ripped off his head. A stifled cry of surprise escaped his sealed lips as his hair was brutally grabbed and his head yanked upwards.

Shawn barely had time to register what had happened before a drug-soaked rag was again placed over his nose. He thrashed and squirmed, trying to scream around the duct tape, but strong hands pinned him down. His lungs felt like they were on fire and he tried desperately to free himself, to get fresh oxygen into his body and fight the effects of the sedative.

It was no use.

I'm sorry, Dad, Shawn thought miserably as he succumbed to unconsciousness once more. I tried.

"Shawn?" Henry knocked loudly on his son's front door. "Shawn, are you in there?" Several calls to Shawn's phone had gone unanswered, so Henry had driven directly to the tiny apartment. "Come on, if you're in there open up!"

Henry knew that even though Shawn liked to goof around, the urgency in his voice would have tipped off his son. If he was here he'd open the door, the elder Spencer thought as he looked around, searching for anything that would indicate his son's whereabouts. His heart sank as he realized that Shawn's motorcycle – stupid deathtrap – was still parked beside the building. On the other hand, at least he isn't bleeding to death in a ditch somewhere.

As he was standing on the doorstep pondering his next move, he heard a car pull up and a door slam. Henry turned around to see Gus running toward him.

"Mr. Spencer! Have you heard from Shawn?" Gus knew the answer before he even finished asking the question.

"You haven't either, I take it," Henry said flatly.

Gus shook his head vehemently. "I'm really getting worried. We were supposed to meet at that coffee shop over on Main at 10 this morning – Shawn left me a message last night saying something about a lead on a new case. So I waited there until almost 11 and he never showed up and he won't answer his phone! I came straight here, hoping he had just overslept…" At the look on Henry Spencer's face Gus trailed off.

Henry turned back to the apartment and tried to peek in the windows. "Do you have a key?" he tossed over his shoulder.

Gus fumbled with his key chain. "I think so. Here we go." He unlocked the front door.

"Let me go first," Henry said gruffly. "Wait here." He stepped past the younger man and disappeared into the dark apartment. After a moment he called, "There's no one in here!"

Gus stepped inside and looked around. Henry was standing in the doorway to Shawn's bedroom. His face reflected a combination of annoyance and worry.

"There's nothing. No evidence of a struggle, nothing out of the ordinary." Henry observed. He didn't know whether to be relieved or even more concerned.

"Look," Gus frowned as he held up his friend's wallet and keys. "He didn't go far without these."

"Or he didn't go voluntarily," Henry offered quietly. He knelt in the kitchen doorway, examining a previously-unnoticed rag. The former cop pulled a handkerchief from his own pocket and used it to pick up the evidence. Cautiously taking a sniff, he observed softly, "Chloroform. Jesus."

Gus' eyes widened at the implication of the older man's discovery. He hadn't actually believed that anything too terrible had happened. But now, at the look on Henry's face, Gus had confirmation of what he had feared.

Shawn was in serious trouble.