Thanks as always for the reviews of this story everyone. Now we get back to the case for a little bit, don't worry there is more angst to come though.

Chapter 12- The fear

Heading to the door of the house, Special Agent Tony DiNozzo looked around cautiously, trying to find anything that may point to this guy actually being the suspect. He had a gut feeling that it was this guy, he may be a little distracted but he could still work quite efficiently.

Using his usual charming ways he started to question Petty Officer Darren Hughes. The guy seemed nervous about something and was twitching. Yeah this guy had to know something. Pulling out a picture of the deceased Tony asked the usually questions.

"Did you know him?" he pretended he didn't see the flicker of a smile on Darren's face, he could use that later.

"Nope." Darren stated matter-of-factly.

"Where were you around 6pm last night?"

"At a friend's house playing poker." Tony immediately notice a few drops of sweat on the guys forehead. He smiled a little at the fact this guy was such a bad liar. He seemed a little too nervous though. Tony had a bad feeling about being alone, usually Gibbs would send someone with him, but Gibbs didn't really want him so he was expendable.

Thinking about it for too long he didn't realise that Darren and got up and gone to his kitchen. As he moved to get up he heard footsteps coming back towards him. Turning around quickly, he still wasn't quick enough to stop the guy from plunging the knife into him.

"It's too bad you won't be able to save the other one." Darren sneered, a look of malice in his eyes.

"Other one?" Tony questioned trying to ignore the fact that his voice sounded weak and raspy.

Darren laughed and turned away, Tony, as if a natural reaction he grabbed at the medium built man, dragging him back, trying to grab something that could lead to him later if he was to survive. He was always a scrappy kind of fighter. Tony was easily subdued; he felt weak and couldn't fight back any longer, in one final attempt he manage to grasp at a pocket in Darren's shirt, it ripped and a piece of paper fluttered out. Darren must have assumed Tony wouldn't have been able to use it, threw the agent down and walked out of the house, leaving Tony to die all alone.

As Tony's vision faded he called Gibbs and shoved the note into his pocket, hopefully they'd be able to use it, even if he did die. The note held some coordinates, he didn't know where the coordinates headed to, but it was worth a try. Wasn't it? Everything faded to black and he let go of everything, he was ready to die, even if he would be alone.

Waking up suddenly he found him self back in his hospital bed; the IV reattached, and the steady beep of the monitor going off in the background. Looking out of the window he saw that it was dark now, how long had he been sleeping? He had work to do, he had found a reason again. Anytime he had personal issues he could always somehow push them away, especially if there was someone else that needed saving.

Not really expecting Abby or Gibbs to have stayed, he was shocked to find them both dozing on hard plastic chairs. He thought that he should really wake them up but he had to prove that he could do something right. But…again he heard his father's words, though they were quieter that they had been over the last two weeks.

"You'll fail at everything you try to do and will hurt people in the process, how the hell are you going to save people by being in the police, you're useless. They aren't even going to want you."

However, he shook these words off for now, he had proved half of it wrong already, I mean Gibbs had hired him, and Gibbs only wants the best people on his team. Doesn't he? Then his alter ego voice crept in, this hadn't been present for a while.

"Well you're going to have to prove you're worthy then aren't you, by solving the case."

He really was losing it, the voices being the first sign; he needed to solve this case before he went too far over the edge. Gibbs would surely kick him off the team after the case anyway, when they got home so it would soften the blow.

Feeling a little drain but stronger than the last time he was awake he started removing the wires again, alarms sounded but he continued. A dull pain travelled up his side which had him gasping a little but he carried on, he needed to save the other person. No matter what.

"DiNozzo, what the hell do you think you're doing!" shouted a shocked Gibbs, Gibbs and Abby were alert a looked pretty pissed, having been awoken by the alarms.

"My job, Boss." Tony replied throwing in a little smile. He felt much better, really he did. He just needed to being something. Stopping Tony before he fully got off the bed Gibbs grabbed hold of the younger agent's arms.

"The hell you are, you need to rest." Gibbs growled trying not to shout or sound too forceful.

Tony looked into his eyes a saw the genuine concern but he really needed to solve the case and he would go through Gibbs if he had to. He tried to get out of Gibbs' grip, but was too weak to do much of anything. Getting angry again at his lack of control he almost shouted.

"But, we have to save them Boss."

"Who?" Gibbs asked curiously.

"I don't know but…ah the guy that attacked me said we won't be able to save the other one." Tony was getting tired again and flopped back down on to the bed. Gibbs let go and watched as the younger got back under control, the fight left his eyes slightly and was replaced with something he couldn't place. That was when Abby came back in the room having gone to get the doctor. A tall male doctor with dark hair entered the room.

"Agent DiNozzo, you really need to rest. While the knife didn't do any major damage you did lose a lot of blood and your attempted escape before didn't help you."

"But doc, I'm fine." He wined.

"The hell you are DiNozzo." Gibbs growled again, Tony would say he was fine if he was bleeding out. The pale and somewhat drawn features at the moment proved that he wasn't as fine as he pretended to be.

"But boss, what about the case?" desperation evident in his tone.

"We do have a team for a reason DiNozzo," Seeing a slight look of hurt in Tony eyes he continued more softly, " you don't have to solve this case on your own, just concentrate on getting better for now, okay?" Gibbs watched as the last few words hit home with Tony, Tony expression softened a little. "Besides we haven't even got a clue of where the guy went." Gibbs added.

Tony's expression changed again but it was a mixture of guilt and like he had just found a big part of a puzzle. Gibbs would have to deal with the guilt later, he knew it was because Tony hadn't be able to stop the guy from leaving and hoped that somehow Tony would see that too.

"Boss it might be nothing, but there is a piece of paper with what look liked coordinates on it in my pants pocket."

With that said Abby's expression changed, they hadn't been over all the evidence from Tony's attack yet so this information was new to her. After getting a look saying 'check it out' from Gibbs she nodded, smiled softly at Tony and walked out of the door along with the doctor, who, having seen his patient calm down a little decided that it was best to leave him to his boss.

Silence fell upon the room, both men trying not to talk about feelings for the moment, Tony shifted uncomfortable under the gaze his boss not really expecting what came out of Gibbs' mouth. Nor did he expect Gibbs' hand to grab his shoulder in a somewhat fatherly gesture.

"Good job, Tony." Gibbs smiled at the small smile Tony gave him and nodded. In his own way he had just told Tony he was proud of him, he knew Tony wouldn't quite believe him but the glimmer in the younger man's eyes gave him hope that they could fix this together.

Stepping away as Tony fell asleep he called both Ziva and McGee; ordering them to start searching for other missing people in the area. Ducky was on the way to the local morgue so he could autopsy the original body they had found…

TBC

Hope you all like the chapter. Please read a review. They do make me smile and work a little faster lol hehe