Jack:

Breathing heavily he collapses against the dumpster. Looking around the side of it, he sees the train tracks. The sky pitch black without even a star showing, he clicks the button on his watch to light the dial. He figures he has about an hour before the sun comes back up.

i"Another day"/i he thinks. Sitting back, he concentrates on taking shallow breaths. The pain in his shoulder and ribs stealing the well needed oxygen from his body. He'd been running for hours now. His throat is dry, his lips chapped and he feels every ache, pain, wound and bruise on his body. Gripping the hem of his shirt he slowly raises it to inspect his injuries. The mottled dark purple skin on his side confirming his thought of at least one broken rib. With trembling fingers, he gently probes the purple skin. Hissing through clenched teeth he amends that thought, i"Okay, so make that 3 broken"./i

Looking at his watch again, his eyes fall to his scarred hand. Absently rubbing the skin with his thumb he hopes he remembers. "Please Dinozzo, remember" he thinks. Using his thumb to trace the scars, he feels for the small disc he knows is there. Finding it between the bones of his hand he presses down hard. A gasp escaping his lips he feels the click as the disc presses against the bone. Holding his hand up to his face, he can faintly make out the red glow coming through the skin. Closing his eyes and letting his head fall back against the dumpster he thinks again, "Please remember"

June 2007

Jack sits up in bed with an anguished cry. Instantly he feels hands on his face. His own hands reach out and grip the wrists tightly as his mind tries to remember where he is. The soothing voice he hears brings him back to himself. "Chloe…?"

"It's me Jack. You're fine. You're with me. We're in Stillwater. You're safe" She says.

He falls back to the bed. Letting go of Chloe's wrists he chokes out "Did I hurt you?"

"No Jack, I'm fine." She says

"Don't worry Captain, that girl's made of steel" He hears a strong voice say from the doorway.

Opening his eyes he sees Tony backlit by the hallway light.

"Dinozzo..." he breathes out.

The man walks over to the other side of the bed. Sitting down on the edge, he places his hand on Jack's chest. "I'm here brother. I'm here." He whispers.

Exhaling, Jack places his hand over Tony's. "Thank you.." He says. His voice rough from the scream that woke him, he looks down at their hands, he studies Tony's long fingers under his own scarred hand. Tony catches his eye and winks. "Just one more scar, Jack. Just one more" he whispers. Tony turns his hand over and clasps Jack's hand strongly in his own. He leans in inches from Jack's face. His green eyes stern as he jerks the hand in his to make sure Jack is looking at him. Squeezing his hand tightly he says through clenched teeth "We…. Will… Not… Ever… Let. ..This… Happen… To… You... Again."

Jack watches Tony's face as the man's eyes close and he takes a deep breath before opening them again and continues "We put a tracker there the first night. Under the scar tissue…. If anything… I mean ANYTHING Jack, ever happens like this again, you are to activate it. Do I make myself clear?"

Jack stares incredulously into Tony's eyes. "You didn't.."

Sitting back up Tony says "I did. We did. Chloe did." Releasing Jack's hand, he runs his fingers through the other man's sweaty blonde hair. Sighing he leans back in. His angry green eyes turning troubled as he whispers, "We will always come for you brother. Always."

Jack closes his eyes and nods. "I'm sorry I woke you".

With that the tension in the air dissipates and Tony chuckles, "You didn't. I was letting Gibbs beat me at Chess"

"Let? Let? Dinozzo?" A gruff voice says from the hallway. Gibbs walks in carrying a mug of coffee. Jack can smell it as soon as he enters the room. He watches Gibbs cock his head to the side and without a word Chloe and Tony stand and exit the room. Firmly shutting the door Gibbs comes to stand beside him.

With a sigh and a shake of his head, Gibbs sits down and says "Jack…."

"I'm okay Jethro." Jack sits up in the bed and props the pillows behind his back. In the 2 weeks he has been here, the Marine and he became fast friends. They shared the same pain radiating behind their matching blue eyes. As soon as Tony introduced him to Leroy Jethro Gibbs he knew he found a kindred soul.

Reaching for Gibbs' coffee, he brings it to his lips and smirks as soon as the hot liquid hits his tongue.

"That's not just coffee.."

Chuckling Gibbs says "nope"

With his own small laugh, Jack drains the cup.

"I figured you'd need more than the coffee"

With a nod, Jack gives his approval. He looks into the older man's face and studies the lines he sees around his eyes.

"You look like shit Jethro"

Letting one of his rare full bodied laughs out, Gibbs shakes his head. "This coming from you?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Jack hands him back the mug.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Gibbs inquires

"No" Jack shakes his head. "They still come, but they're getting better"

Gibbs nods and looks away. Placing the mug on the nightstand, he reaches over and cuffs Jack on the back of the head. "Go back to sleep Jack. In the morning, we have some things to talk about"

"Can you send Chloe back in?" Jack asks

Standing up, Gibbs gives Jack a look. "You know Jack, I always knew you had balls of steel, but to be in love with Dinozzo's sister?" Gibbs shakes his head "Now that son, that right there is a death wish not even the Chinese can beat out of ya"

Surprising himself with a laugh, Jack nods his head "Tell me about it." Sobering he looks back at Gibbs. "She's saved my life so many times…"

Snorting, Gibbs opens the door and says as he walks out "Seems to be a Dinozzo family trait"