Thanks for a fun ride but now its over...Enjoyed the sweet reviews, PMs and Follow, Faves and all. Till then...

/

Tim looked in the mirror inspecting the scrapes, bruises and cuts that marred his face. He had needed a moment to collect himself; Ellie was walking Kippers, Delilah had headed toward the cafeteria for more coffee and Tony was still asleep, recovering from his surgery. Tim had felt an overpowering need to brush his teeth and Ellie had informed him there was a travel-sized tube of toothpaste in the connecting bathroom. He had no toothbrush so generously lobbed white, spearmint-flavored paste onto his index finger. He stared back into the mirror as he vigorously rubbed his finger over his teeth. The strong sting of the mint already worked its miracles enriching him with a new sense of clean.

His finger stopped in mid brush when it occurred to him that Brianna wasn't in the room by Tony's bedside. Ellie or Delilah hadn't mentioned anything about her whereabouts but it was the middle of the night, so maybe she'd show up by later morning. He repeated the question in his head, wanting to make sure to ask Delilah when she returned and not forget.

He tilted his head under the faucet and let the strong force of water run through his mouth. He jolted upright when he heard a loud clatter, resembling some kind of hospital hardware dropping to the hard linoleum floor in Tony's room. He quickly peered through a crack he made with the door. His mouth fell open; seeing one of their, all too familiar captors; huge and foreboding, loom over a sleeping Tony, a pillow held horizontally in his hands. Now he'd seen everything, a scene he thought he'd only see in crime television shows or movies; the menacing suffocation act played out right in front of him on his partner…But he would make sure that didn't happen. He habitually grabbed for his gun but only touched the side of his soft bathrobe.

"Damn." He scanned the bathroom but there was absolutely nothing he could possibly even consider to use as a weapon.

He remembered the heavy, metal water pitcher that sat on the table beside Tony's bed. He opened the door then charged, reaching for the pitcher but missing. He didn't hesitate, remaining fully committed with his calculated line of defense; a futile hope he would be able knock the gigantic assailant off his feet. He leaned in last second with his right shoulder but only seemed to bounce off the man as he turned to grab Tim by the lapels of his bathrobe and lift him off the floor. Tim stared back into the man's dark, resentful glare. Good, ol' Steve. His favorite out of all of the smelly, torturous, law-breaking bunch of murderous boneheads.

"Oh shit…Tony!"

"So, it's you. I'll have a fun time with you once I dispose of your friend." said Steve.

Tim shut his eyes tight, when he felt himself sail freely through the air. He cried out when he connected with the far wall, the back of his head bouncing against it. He slid to the floor with a moan. He needed a moment to shake the stars from his vision. His landing was rather lucky except for the excruciating pain in his right wrist. He could see that Tony still hadn't roused awake. Steve now brought the pillow over Tony's face.

"You cops killed my sister! Now you're both gonna die!"

"No!" Tim yelled towards the man, "Nurse! Somebody!"
He heard loud bangs and thumps at their door and realized Steve must have locked it from the inside because someone was trying to frantically come in but couldn't. He was afraid Steve would accomplish some serious damage to Tony by the time he crossed the room to unlock the door so he hurled himself onto the back of Steve, grabbing the metal pitcher off the table. He was able to hit him over the head with an audible clang but Steve didn't falter as he pressed the pillow over Tony's face.

"Tony!"

Tim could now see Tony's hands rise, grabbing at the man's meaty arms trying to push him away. Tim tried to wrap his hands around the man's neck and squeeze but his injured wrist was making it difficult and his hands did not seem big enough to fully grasp the width of his telephone pole-sized neck. Steve lost his attention in Tony and stepped backwards, trying to shake Tim off his back.

"Tim!" Tony rose from the bed, weakly and headed slowly towards the door, to unlock it, stumbling a few times as he crossed the floor. Steve began slamming Tim against the wall using his uncontrolled anger for strength. Tim tried to protect his head but the force Steve used to slam him against the wall was causing Tim's neck to whiplash. Tim wondered if the force would eventually crush his spine. Just when he thought he'd lose consciousness from the repeated pummeling he heard a shot and Steve slowly fell forward. Tim released his grip and slid to the floor, leaning against the wall. Gibbs stood at the door, unable to move, watching Steve while keeping steady aim to see if he was truly out of commission. Tony was now sitting in a chair, breathing heavy with his elbows on his knees.

Tim eyed Tony then Gibbs. All three looked at each other then let out audible sighs. Gibbs dropped his arms; his shoulders slumping as Tony raised his eyebrows with a soft snort, shaking his head in disbelief. Tim could hear Delilah in the hallway calling his name, frantically. Tim took a calming, deep breath, glancing at his 'Kipper slippers' and smiled.

/

Three months later

Tim hefted a bundle of shingles onto his shoulder knowing the action would be something Tony would not yet be able to do, due to the gunshot wound he had attained from their abduction three months ago. Tim waited in front of the ladder that leaned against the side of a small, single-family home, as he wondered how fixing a roof had anything to do with joining Tony in his men's group. He waited for Tony as he talked...about twenty feet away, to the house's owner; a thirty-something, blonde female with soft, playful features and a slim figure.

It had been three months since the Santini case and Tim, Ellie and Tony were still slowly recovering; depending on each other for patience and support as they dealt with the after effects of abduction and the severe abuse they had been subjected to. Ellie had suffered a mild concussion in the hospital parking lot; woken by her dog licking her face. Andrea Santini or better known to her brothers as Dorothy had intentions of selling military intelligence to a radical group based in the Middle East.

Tony flashed his charming smile towards the woman as he walked away from her, nearing Tim.

"For some naïve reason, I pictured us seated in folding chairs set in a circle within the depths of a cold, poorly lit church basement grasping Styrofoam cups of coffee…Maybe an occasional sob followed by some pathetic tears as one of the members bore his soul in front of the rest of us. But never would I have guessed we'd be fixing a roof." said Tim.

"We get together a few times a year to help out single women-" said Tony.
"Ahhh. Bingo."

"No, bingo is on Wednesday nights." Tony grinned, devilishly.

Tim squinted his eyes at Tony, accusingly.
"Nah, it's not like that." Tony hesitated and Tim looked at him, doubting. "Well…Maybe a little." They exchanged a friendly smirk.

Tim knew he could now depend on honest answers and confessions from Tony. Since what they had been through together he had become more vulnerable and a bit more…softer.

"Kim-" Tony jutted his lower jaw towards the woman, "-over there is single and having a tough time finding work."

Tim had no intentions of giving Tony any grief enjoying the fact Tony was well connected with an admirable organization outside of work to occupy his free time now that Brianna was gone. "Well, all in all, it's a good thing you do." Tim smiled admiringly towards him. "So, Brianna is definitely over…No chance?"
"Yeah…Couldn't take the weight of the unpredictable dangers I face every day. You're lucky, Tim."
Tim couldn't deny it; Delilah had always told him she'd rather have him in her life than without even if there was the chance of life-threatening possibilities in his everyday life. "At least now you know Brianna wasn't the one."

Tony nodded, with a frown, "But you know? I thought she could have been."
Tim squeezed his shoulder. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. Hey, you think you can send me any of those hot texts Delilah sends you to keep my mind off it?"
Tim's glare was a good a sufficient answer as Tony backed off raising his hands in defeat. "I didn't think so. Nice try though, right?" Tim kept his brows furrowed, his glare stronger.

"Kidding!" Tony wrapped his arm around Tim's neck while he playfully messed his hair and Tim couldn't stop the wholehearted laugh that erupted from deep within.