I'm so sorry for the delay...

#

Greg hissed under his breath. A pounding headache was the first thing that greeted him when he swam up through the last stages of consciousness. He muttered under his breath, wondering at the uncomfortable heat surrounding him and the strangely heavy feeling of his eyelids. Eventually he recovered enough of his senses to realize he was bound at strategic parts of his body. His arms were tied down at the wrists and legs at the ankles, bound to a chair by the feel of it. A tight band of rope held him back at the chest, restricting his breathing painfully.

After a moment of checking that everything was still attached to his body, Greg sighed, finally accepting that the night's events hadn't been an awful dream. He briefly considered keeping his eyes permanently closed, then remembered Viviane and jerked his eyes open. Too late he realized his mistake as light blinded him, sending shards of stabbing pain through his brain to compound the throbbing in his head. Sight and equilibrium came back to him agonizingly slowly and he groaned mournfully.

"Greg?" The soft voice came from behind him.

Greg turned his head as far as he could, straining until Viviane's familiar bright hair swam into view.

"Viv," he whispered in relief.

"Greg, are you okay? Are you hurt?"

He almost laughed at the absurdity of their situation. "Yeah, so far, so good," he sighed.

"Hey, it'll be okay." Viviane leaned back gently knocking her head against his. Greg leaned into her and stared at the ceiling silently.

"What do you think this is about?" he asked finally.

"Don't know. I'm here, so it can't be about a case, right? Unless..."

Greg began shifting his hands through the ropes at his wrists, trying to loosen them enough to get his hands through, but after a few minutes he only succeeded in rubbing his wrists raw.

"Unless what?" He clenched his hands against the stinging pain.

"Unless someone found out I was working DNA on a case you worked on," mused Viviane. "Or someone found out we're dating."

Greg gave up at his wrists when the stinging became too much to bear. He grimaced. His efforts seemed to have no effect on the ropes, and even so he'd still be tied at the ankles. Greg gave some thought to Viviane's theories.

"I just don't think I've worked on any cases that would give someone a motive like this. Plus those guys looked too...impersonal for a revenge motive, you know?" Greg frowned. "They looked more like...hired guns."

Viviane hissed. "These ropes are too good."

Greg nodded wearily. Their room was dusty, with concrete walls and a sandstone floor that reflected heat too well. Though diffused, the light coming through a small alcove high on the wall in front of him was bright and hot. It fell on them and made their exposed skin burn. The heat in the room was stifling, even though they seemed to be underground, and Greg was certain they were somewhere in the desert.

"How far out do you think we are?" asked Greg slowly. Talking sapped them both of needed energy.

"I don't know," murmured Viviane.

Greg found himself dozing after a while. He was feeling lightheaded and the warmth had lulled him into a stupor. A gentle rap to the head brought him back.

"Stay awake, Greg. Your head...you can't fall asleep."

"Mm...I'm up, sorry," he winced as the sudden shake of his head made him dizzy.

After another minute of nothing a low voice interrupted his thoughts. "She tied you to a kitchen chair, she broke your throne, and she cut your hair, And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah...Hallelujah..."

Greg smiled gently, closing his eyes. "Guess that's our song now, huh?"

"Guess so," smiled Viviane. "Greg..."

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry about all this...I should have been more careful."

"Why would...should you have been careful?" Greg frowned, eventually connecting the dots. "You think this has to do with Glenn's assignment."

"I just don't know," she sighed. Her voice became suddenly thick with emotion, then just as quickly firm and business-like.

"Greg, listen to me." Viviane grunted as she shifted a little. Her face was pressed into the back of his head. "Whatever happens, Greg; whatever they say, I need you to promise me something." The urgency in her voice was palpable, and the briskness scared Greg. There was no fear in her voice, just certainty of what would happen soon.

"What is it?"

"Whatever you do, whatever they do to me I need you to promise you'll do what I say. I promise everything will be fine. We'll get you out of this, but you have to do what I say."

Greg stared ahead. Tears welled up in his eyes. "You'll get...me...out of this? Don't talk like that, Viv, please."

She pressed on relentlessly. "If I tell you to be quiet, you have to do it Greg. If I tell you to run, you have to run. Don't look back, don't wait for me." She sighed. "Please, Greg, can you promise me that?"

Greg closed his eyes tightly, balking at the very thought of what she was asking him.

"Please Greg. Trust me."

"All right..."

"Promise, Greg. You'll do it even if they threaten to kill me."

"No!"

"Greg! Please!"

Greg sobbed quietly, violent images flashing through his head. He'd seen too many crime scenes; he knew what happened when someone was tortured. The thought of Viviane like that made him sick.

"Greg...We can't do this unless I know you trust me to do what's right."

"I promise to do whatever you say," he cried, straining with every fibre of his being against the ropes. He fell back, sobbing with exertion and anguish. To leave Viviane alone, to have God knows what done to her? It went against every fibre of his being.

"I love you, Greg," she said abruptly. Her voice, suddenly emotional, quavered in a way he'd never heard before.

"I love you too, Viv." He tried to make his voice as reassuring as he could.

"They're going to start talking to you, Greg. Don't believe anything they say. Remember that. Nothing they say is true...Even if it looks true, Greg. Don't believe anything! No matter what they tell you, Greg. It's not true. I love you so much."

"I know, Viv," he whispered.

"They're going to tell you things about me. Don't believe anything. It's all a trick, do you understand?"

Her tone was frightening. She sounded almost as if she knew what was going to happen, and that whatever it was wouldn't end well for her. He tried to be reassuring.

"Everything will be fine, Viv. We'll —"

"I wouldn't count on that, Mr. Sanders."

There was a startled silence, then a scream of rage erupted behind him. Viviane lunged forward as far as her restraints would allow. "Paco, you bastard! I knew you were the mole! You fucking bastard!"

Greg craned his neck around to see who'd entered the room, but just as he did, a stinging slap broke off Viviane's enraged swearing. Greg jerked around desperately as he felt Viviane tense.

"Stop it!" he roared.

"Nonsense, Greg," came the voice again; mocking in tone. No matter how Greg turned, he couldn't see the man who was talking. He must be standing in front of Viviane. "We've only just begun."

"Leave her alone!" he shouted, fighting the ropes frantically. The mocking voice laughed cruelly.

"Seems the little man wants to protect you, Viv. I didn't know you were into chicken wings now."

Viviane said nothing, but he could feel her shaking with suppressed rage.

"When Glenn finds you, you're going to wish you died in that explosion, Paco," was Viviane's eventual quiet response.

There was a tense silence, then another stinging crack. This time Greg could feel Viviane's whole body jerk to the side. She grunted in pain.

"Take her."

Greg's head was roughly jerked forward and held down. He thrashed, but the hands holding him were too strong. He cried out desperately.

"Greg! Don't say anything!" Viviane shouted before a grunt and the door clanged shut.