Disclaimer: So I still don't own WaT nor the characters, but the plot is all my own!

WHATCHASAY1N –sorry for the short chapter – hope this makes up for it!!

Standofffan – thanks for your loyal reading!!

Saturn567 & twinmuse (Colly E.) - thanks!

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

CHAPTER 10 – Got Her

18.2 hours missing (Eldridge Street Warehouse)

Danny checked the building. It was dark and the warehouse's only means of security was a small security camera over the door, a keypad on that door and a sign that announced that all the windows were alarmed. "I kept my baseball cards better protected," Danny muttered. "Hey Martin, what do you say we clean out this joint and then sell them their own stuff back at triple the going rate? What do you think?" He was trying to lighten the mood, going into a building like this tense would do neither of them any good.

"I think you're crazy, Danny. Besides, how can we open a shoe store if we're in the joint?" Martin gave his partner a grin. He knew Danny was only trying to calm him down and he appreciated it. "Shall we?"

"After you, partner."

Martin entered the code the owners had given them and eased the door open. The two men slipped inside and quietly closed the door behind them. Martin motioned to Danny to head left, he was going right. Martin was halfway around the building when he saw a light coming from an interior room against the back wall of the warehouse. The light barely penetrated the multitude of boxes that surrounded what was probably an office area. He quietly radioed Danny he found something and eased closer to the door. He could see inside the room now and he could see Patrick Sands reach for a throwing knife. Martin couldn't see Samantha, but from where Patrick threw the knife, he knew she had to be against the far wall. He turned his head in time to see Danny coming.

"Patrick's just inside and Sam has to be back towards the wall," Martin quietly filled Danny in. "And he's throwing knives again."

"Jack, Vivian and Elena are on their way. Do we wait?" Danny asked.

Martin was about to say 'yes' when he heard a muffled scream. They looked at each other and at the same time said, "No."

The two eased their way to the open door. Danny mouthed "one, two, three" and they entered the room with guns leveled. "FBI! Freeze!" Danny shouted. Martin was on his heels, "On your knees, Sands! Now!"

Danny kept his gun trained on Sands. Not trusting the man to do what he was told, he added, "Down on the floor!"

Martin watched the man he had cajoled into trapping his lover slowly sink to his knees. "Put your hands behind your head!" Sands complied, never taking his eyes from Martin.

Danny stepped behind Sands and snapped the cuffs tightly against his skin. Only once Patrick Sands had been secured did the two men look for Samantha.

Martin gulped and holstered his gun. They must have startled Sands when they burst into the room for the last knife Martin had seen in his hand was now impaled in Samantha's side. He ran the few steps towards her and reached up to remove the gag, "Sam?"

"Martin? Oh, god, this hurts!" she whimpered a little. "Get me down, please?"

Just as Martin was going to ask Danny for help, he heard the rest of the team. Martin kept a hand on Samantha so she would know he was still there. He turned to see Jack and Elena take control of Sands so he called out, "Hey, Danny! Come give me a hand here!"

Martin reached up with both hands and grasped Samantha under each arm, supporting her weight. Danny jumped up onto the wood box that was next to the wheel. "Do you want me to take this thing off?" he asked Samantha about the blindfold.

She nodded and then cried out when the light hit her eyes, "Too bright!"

Danny reached into his breast pocket and pulled out his sunglasses. He gently put them on her and asked, "Better?"

Squinting behind the glasses, she nodded, "Thanks."

"No problem! I think I'll just use one of these knives to get you down, ok?" Danny reached for a knife and yanked it out of the wheel. He made quick work of the ropes on her wrists, cutting the rope at her ankles when he went from the left to the right.

Her arms fell like dead weight and Sam felt the muscles in her neck relax. She was looking only at Martin. He looked tired and worried. She hated being the cause of such fuss, "I'm sorry," she whispered.

Martin just shook his head, "Nothing to be sorry for. This wasn't your fault." He would have continued, but Danny caught his attention.

"All I've got left is this rope here," he indicated the rope around her chest, "but the knife…"

Martin tilted his head to see what Danny was pointing to. The knife that had hit Sam was imbedded a good two inches into the wood. Getting it out, without hurting Sam, was going to be next to impossible. "Get Viv over here," Martin suggested.

Danny didn't make the connection for a few seconds, then he nodded, "Hey Viv! We could use another set of hands!"

Martin was sweating on the inside, but he knew he had to keep Sam calm. He swallowed his fear and began explaining what was going to happen next, "Viv, grab the knife, but don't pull. Danny, on the count of three, I want you to cut the rope," he looked deep into Samantha's eyes, "We're going to do this quick, ok?"

She nodded. Her complete faith in him shone in her eyes, she knew he wouldn't hurt her on purpose. "I'm ready."

Martin began, "One, two…" And with that, she was free. Martin gently lowered her to the floor, cradling her upper body against him. One of her arms fell behind him, but she was free of the wheel.

Samantha winced and looked up at Martin, "What happened to 'three'?"

He had the decency to look embarrassed, "You were starting to tense. I didn't think you'd make it to three."

"Oh." It made sense. Tense muscles would cause more pain than relaxed ones. Sam was tired. She knew she had to say something to him, but forming complete thoughts was a bit of a challenge. She remembered something she wanted to tell him, "Martin, I-"

He watched her face intently. He could see her going after a thought. Whatever she had to tell him, could wait. All he wanted was to hold her and let her know it was going to be all right. He stopped her by putting a finger over her lips, "Shh. It's ok. You can tell me later."

Damn him! Once she got started, she didn't want to stop, "But, Martin, I—Ahhh!" Her body interrupted her speech this time by betraying her with pain. Her back arched and she cried out again.

Martin looked at Danny and Viv, then back at Sam, "What? What's wrong?"

"My…my…my arms," she managed to get the words out.

Vivian grabbed her left arm and began gently massaging it, "Pins and needles? Probably the worst case you've ever had, right?" Her ministrations brought the blood back to her abused limb and the pain lessened. "Reggie fell asleep last week on the floor of the living room. Funniest thing I had seen him do in a long time. But his hand was pinned under his hip the whole time. I had to do this for him too."

Danny watched Vivian for a moment and then went behind Martin to start on Sam's right arm.

After a few moments, Samantha's back relaxed and she slumped back into Martin's arms. "Thanks," she whispered and let her eyes close.

Danny hated seeing her in such a state and decided to lighten the mood, "Gee, uh, Sam. I, uh, never figured you as the pink sequin type." He was rewarded by three glaring sets of eyes, one behind his own sunglasses.

"Danny, if I could lift my arms, I'd slug you!" Samantha growled at him.

"What, like this?" Vivian demonstrated a well-placed punch to his upper arm.

"Ouch!" Danny rubbed the spot gingerly.

"You had that coming, man! Didn't you warn me that she's got a temper?" Martin asked.

"Which one was I warning you about?" he replied.

But before Danny could get an answer he heard Jack, "Paramedics are here."

Martin and Danny carefully lifted Sam onto the stretcher and Martin grabbed her hand as they made their way out of the warehouse.