Chapter 12
AN: Thank you so much for the support. PLEASE REVIEW.
HUGE THANK YOU TO: RMK1983 who is my beta.
When Jack opens her eyes, the first thing she feels, is pain, a lot of it. The second thing she realizes is that she is tied to a chair, something which does make her instinctively panic.
Pushing down memories of Afghanistan so that she doesn't get swept away, she tries to ground herself but to reality, forcing her swollen eyes open a bit so that she can see better, something which isn't helped by the fact that it is a little dark, due to both the time of day and where she is being held, and takes notice of everything she can see.
"Not Afghanistan." Jack thinks to herself, though as she sees Daniel she isn't honestly isn't sure if her current situation is any better.
"Jackie, Jackie, Jack," Daniel says, walking over to Jack as he realises that she is awake. "Nice to see you awake."
"Hurting me when I'm unconscious, that's a new low, even for you." Jack says, spitting out blood, and tries to catalogue her injuries.
"Same mouth as always," Daniel says. "But now that you're awake the real fun can begin." Daniel says, trying to be intimidating.
"You know Dan, while you've been in Leavenworth I've dealt with people a hell of a lot more frightening than you; you don't scare me anymore," Jack says, technically lying. Daniel will always scare her, even with everything she has been through, she wants to piss him off, and she knows that is the best way to do it.
"Nice try," Daniel says, with a laugh. "But I know you Jackie, I know the look you get in your eyes when you're scared, and you're scared."
"You don't know me, Dan, you never did." Jack tells him, Daniel just punches Jack in the face once more. "Solving problem with violence, you never change, but I did." Jack says, fighting not to react to the pain she is in, or the memories that this entire situation is causing to rise up inside of her, "I'm a Federal Agent now, Dan. Which means you're in a lot of hot water."
"You sound like Devon." Daniel mutters, as he rolls his eyes at Jack.
"Where is Devon?" Jack asks, as she doesn't see the younger Richard brother. "Did he finally come to his senses and leave?"
"He's checking the perimeter," Daniel reveals.
"Right," Jack responds. "What are you doing, Dan? Are you really that determined to ruin his life too? Because that's what you're doing."
"He's my brother!" Daniel exclaims. "I'm protecting him!"
"No, you're ruining his life," Jack says, as she moves a little to try and find a position that hurts a little less. "And you know it."
"No Jackie, none of this would have happened if you didn't go to your CO. If anyone's ruining his life it's you." Jack, even with everything going on, manages to laugh.
"Nope, I'm not going to take the blame for your actions, not anymore," Jack says. "I'm not your victim anymore, Dan. I'm not under your control," Jack says. "I am stronger than you. I was then and I am now." Daniel reaches out and flicks her with a knife, cutting her arm, which causes her to let out a cry of pain.
"You don't seem strong to me," Daniel says, turning away from Jack. Once his back is turned, Jack stretches out her finger and activates the hidden tracker.
At NCIS the team are doing everything they can to try and find Jack, and as more time passes it is clear to Fornell, Vance, and Ziva that Gibbs is unravelling, and even Bishop and Torres are able to tell that Gibbs is not okay.
"There's got to be something!" Gibbs says. "The guy has spent fifteen years in Leavenworth, a guy like that wouldn't know how to stay under the radar!" Gibbs says frustrated.
"Gibbs…" Vance starts to say, with a warning tone in his voice.
"What?" Gibbs snaps. "She's your friend, Leon! Don't you want to find her?" Gibbs asks.
"Of course, I want to find her, but you need to calm down," Leon says, trying to get Gibbs to calm down as he is pretty sure that that is what is needed.
"Gibbs." Fornell says, his voice completely calm. "Conference room." He knows not to make a big deal about anything until they are alone. Without words the two of them head towards the elevator.
"Conference room?" Torres asks confused, as they are going in the wrong direction for that.
"Fornell is taking him exactly where he needs to go," Ziva explains. "But we need to have something by the time they get back." She knows that for a fact, as she walks over to her desk.
Once Gibbs and Fornell are in the elevator, they ride for a couple of seconds before Fornell hits the emergency stop button.
"We don't have time for this, Tobias, we need to find Jack!" Gibbs exclaims.
"You need to breath," Fornell tells his friend. "You're not thinking straight Jethro, you almost ran into a burning building and now you're snapping at your team."
"It's Jack, Tobias," Gibbs says, his voice breaking.
"I know," Fornell says. "I know what you're not telling anyone, what you're not even telling Jack, which is why I know why you're acting like this," Fornell tells him. "But you need to pull your head together." Fornell says, causing Gibbs to glare at him. "I'm just saying what you've said to me. What Jack would say if she was here."
"She's not here," Gibbs says, pain in his voice.
"But she will be soon," Fornell says. "You have to believe that. Jack's tough, Jethro, a survivor, but she is still counting on us to back her up and bring her home," Fornell says. "We can't do that if your acting like a bastard."
"I am a bastard," Gibbs responds.
"Yeah, but usually you're a smart bastard, and that's what Jack needs now," Fornell reveals. "You ready to be a smart bastard, or are you gonna keep being just a bastard?" Fornell asks, and in response, Gibbs flicks the elevator back on.
"What have we got?" Gibbs asks, walking into the squad room.
"We are working on it Gibbs." Torres answers.
"GIBBS!" Kasie says, running into the bullpen.
"The tracker's active." Gibbs realises, feeling a sense of relief.
"Where?" Vance asks.
"Um, what looks like a house, about an hour from here." Kasie explains.
"Let's go. I want everything on that house by the time we get there," Gibbs instructs running to get his gear before heading to the elevator.
As Gibbs runs to the elevator everyone else in the bullpen, except for Vance who already has his, grabs their gear and follow Gibbs to the elevator.
As she knows the team would be on their way Jack knows that what she has to do is buy time. She has to handle things in a way that keeps Daniel on his toes and keeps him from hurting her even worse than he already has.
"Really, Dan?" Jack asks. She can feel herself becoming more tired, due to the injuries Daniel has inflicted on her. "This is what you spent fifteen years planning? Giving me a few more cuts and bruises?" Jack scoffs. "A little lame don't you think?" Jack knows that pissing off Daniel is the perfect way to get him to lose focus, even if it will cause her pain.
"I'm just getting started, Jackie," Daniel tells her.
"You know I've heard these threats before, Dan." Jack says, "You didn't have much follow through then, I doubt you do now." Daniel swings out and punches her in the face, again, "That proves my point." Jack says, coughing and winching in pain, honestly, not sure how many more punches she can take. She is already hurting all over and can barely see because her eyes are swollen.
"You've never known when to shut up," Daniel says.
"And you never know anything." Jack says. Daniel once more swings out and punches Jack, this time in the ribs, causing her to gasp, trying to catch her breath.
"Daniel!" Devon says, walking back into the garage where Jack is being held. "You're going to kill her," He says, clearly shocked.
"And?" Daniel asks, clearly having no problem with that.
"She's a Federal Agent!" Devon reminds his brother. "If you kill her, you're going to be sent to a place worse than Leavenworth," Devon says, and Daniel rolls his eyes and walks towards Jack.
"You won't go anywhere," Jack says. Depending on how far away she was taken, that it shouldn't be too much longer before the team arrives and so if she could turn the brothers against each other in that time then that's the best way to go. "If you kill me, my team will hunt you," Jack says, thinking of Gibbs, and what he would do. "They will chase you, and they will kill you." Jack reveals, looking at Daniel, "Say goodbye to your brother Devon," Jack says. "Because if he doesn't stop what he's doing now. That's the only future he has, being killed by my team." Jack says. Outside they can all hear the sounds of cars arriving, "That would be my team now. You should stay goodbye to your brother now." Jack says, to Devon, as she knows that he is the weak link, he has always been.
"I'm sorry, Daniel," Devon tells his brother as he presses the button to open the garage door, putting down his gun and holding his hands up in surrender.
"You're making the right decision," Jack tells Devon, as Daniel quickly moves and puts the knife that he had been using to cut her against her throat.
As the garage door opens Gibbs, Fornell, and Vance, followed by Ziva, Bishop and Torres, all of whom holding guns, duck under the space just enough for them to duck under.
"Jack," Gibbs says, looking at her, with a look of pain on his face as it clearly hurts him to see Jack so hurt.
"You're out numbered Dan," Jack says. "Turn yourself in, and you might get to see your brother again." Jack says. Knowing that is the only thing that could stop Daniel, and that's even a long shot.
"Listen to her, Richards," Vance says, as Torres cuffs Devon. The others move to to get a clear shot, but because Daniel is crouched down behind Jack no one has a good enough angle to shoot Daniel without risking Jack.
"It's over, Dan. There's no where for you to go," Jack says.
"We'll see about that," Daniel says as he, quickly, before anyone can get a shot off, stabs Jack in the stomach with the knife, and knocks over the chair, before he goes running.
As Daniel goes running Ziva and Bishop go chasing after him as Gibbs runs straight to Jack.
"Jack, talk to me," Gibbs says, getting to Jack. Once he is at Jack's side Gibbs proceeds to try to stop the bleeding while not moving the knife which is still sticking out of Jack.
"Cow….boy." Jack says, struggling to talk, as Vance calls for help.
"Stay with me, Jack, just stay with me." Gibbs pleads with her.
"I'm… so… tired," Jack admits, as her eyes flicker open and close.
"Jack, no. don't close your eyes," Gibbs pleads. "Okay, stay with me. Look at me, come on, Jack, just open your eyes." Gibbs begs, as Jack's eyes seem to stay closed for longer.
"Heavy…." Jack says, "Gibbs…." Jack says, trailing off once more as he eyes close.
"Jack, no!" Gibbs exclaims, feeling horrified. "Jack, I love you." Gibbs confesses, and Fornell and Vance who are listening in a surprised that he is actually admitting that. "I love you, even though I didn't think I could, I do, and I need you stay with me," Gibbs says, tears coming to his eyes. "Okay, I just need you to stay with me."
