Their plan failed, though, as the next day Hannibal felt worse. She was shocked and willing to do whatever to help him. She managed to convince one of the men to drive to LA to get some medicine. She figured that since she had already forfeited all her dignity she might as well use her being a woman to get what she needed. In a weird way, this had really warmed her towards the colonel, being in such a situation.

Her most difficult day was probably their day five when the colonel developed a high fever and was rambling all night. For most of the time it was just incoherent pieces of conversation but around four in the morning he opened his blue eyes and looked as if he was completely awake.

'You know, I have real feelings for you, Kate,' and she could only look at him, unknowing if this was real or just a feverish man's talking. She decided it would be best for them both to go back to sleep and he in his confused mind deemed that a fair enough idea. He was a bit calmer towards morning and she could get a couple of hours' sleep.

Before breakfast she injected him with the last of the antipyretic, hoping it would make him well enough to break out of there. When their capturers gave them the breakfast, his look was already becoming more focused as the fever eased.

'Listen, Hannibal, this is it! We have to do this now, remember the plan?' she looked straight into his eyes that were clearer than they had been in days.

'Yes, we'll pretend a fight and then turn it against the guard, do you have the gun?'

'You should have it, I can get another one from the guard as he'll probably be all over you, not me,' she said, assured that he had come around. Now they only had to be quick, efficient and immensely lucky.

'But remember, I can't block with my left hand, you need to get to him before he knocks me out,'

'You regard that's an option?'

'Have to be ready for the worst. If everything fails, leave without me and get the team, OK?'

'Not OK, Hannibal,' he noticed she was calling him by his nick-name rather than his last name 'Smith' into which she always managed to put a different dose of disdain.

'Promise me you'll save yourself,' he looked at her dead serious. She remembered that nights' revelation about his feelings and she was confused whether he was in the same state now. She gave a reluctant nod and they picked up a quarrel, just like in the old times. She noticed how badly it affected him but for the bigger plan she kept at it. The guard was now yelling through the bars and he seized her by the hair yelling something about her messing with his health. The guard stormed in after fumbling with the keys and grabbed Hannibal from behind. Their struggle gave her enough time to get the guard's revolver from its holster and point it to his temple.

The man froze in mid-movement and Hannibal cuffed him. She took the keys from the guard and they stepped out of the room.

'Get us to the door and you'll live,' Hannibal whispered in the man's ear. She knew he had killed before, but that was back in the war. Still, hearing him say the words scared her and in some ways gave her the necessary reassurance. They moved slowly towards the direction where she remembered they must have entered. Through two rooms they got just fine but no sooner than she could feel a part of her relaxing there was a shoot down in the last room.

They could now see the yard but with only scarce bullets they were lucky to make it outside. In a desperate last manoeuvre they ran, still holding the man captive, for the door. It must have been as unexpected for the guys as the move the original Hannibal pulled off going over the Alps but it worked. The last milestone was the gate. She got another bright idea to drag their hostage with them until through the gate and then flee.

Driving back towards LA he took a turn for the worse, the exertion not doing much good. She drove as fast as she could while still keeping an eye on him as well as their possible tailgaters. She pulled up in front of a small villa that Face had conned before the mission and blew the horn. The team rushed outside when she was dragging Hannibal out of the passenger seat. He looked like he had aged years and that was enough a clue for BA to fire up his van and get the colonel to a hospital. Face would obviously go as well which left Kate "home" with Murdock.

*Would love to hear your kind or not so kind comments and where you'd like this to go ;)*