Last chapter! I'm being nice and posting this right away. :) I hope you enjoyed my story as a whole if you're still with me :) Thanks to everyone who followed, faved, reviewed. Please leave a final review and let me know how you liked it!

Gibbs pulled up to the nice looking house he had visited once before. Jared had an unreadable expression on his face as he looked at his former home. Gibbs waited, knowing Jared would speak when he was ready. Jared sighed, and turned to Gibbs, "I don't know if I can do this." Gibbs nodded, "Take your time. I know they'd like to see you. But I think they'd understand if you want to wait." Jared looked at the bright house again, but determinedly said, "No…I gotta do this. You're coming, right?" The agent replied, "Sure, if you want me to." Gibbs turned the car off and got out of the car. Jared followed suit, and walked behind Gibbs as they went up to the house. Gibbs went ahead and opened the door, as he had called before he left NCIS. They'd be ready and waiting. Jared hesitated at the doorframe, but he stepped through resolutely.

He walked through the once familiar house to the living room. He saw two older people, sitting on chairs, waiting for him. When had his mother and father gotten so old? He had almost forgotten it was nine years ago that he had seen them last. His mother rose, tears in her eyes, and walked hurriedly to him with her arms out. Jared stepped back hastily. Raised arms are never a good thing. Mrs. Malone stopped suddenly in confusion, but Gibbs understood. He put a hand on Jared's shoulder. "She's not going to hurt you, Jared." Jared looked at Gibbs, and again at his mother. He had forgotten himself. "Hello, Mother." Mrs. Malone smiled and reached for his hand, and squeezed it motherly. "Welcome home, my son. We have missed you so much!" His father came up behind her, and he squeezed Jared's shoulder. "Yes, Jared, it's so good to see you again." He motioned to the couch, "Come on, sit down." They all sat, except Jared. He hadn't been allowed on furniture in years. He was a little undecided of what to do, and Gibbs calmly said, "It's okay, Jared. Sit beside me. You're fine." Turning to the perplexed couple, he explained, "When you're a…slave…you are expected to kneel on the floor. Furniture is off limits. He just needs a little time." Mrs. Malone struggled not to cry, and Mr. Malone swallowed a big lump in his throat. His son had gone through so much horror…of course he couldn't just pick up where he had left off. Jared finally made up his mind and sat next to Gibbs. He took off his jacket, and his parents couldn't help but see the silver collar glinting on his neck. His mother looked away quickly, but made herself refocus back on her son. Her son, who had finally returned. Mr. Malone broke the silence, "We are so happy that you are here. Whatever you want to tell us is fine. We don't know everything you've been through, but you don't have to share anything with us if you don't want to. Just know that we're here for you now."

Jared looked at the floor, not knowing what exactly to say. The silence stretched on, until broken by the kettle whistling. His mother jumped up, glad for the excuse. "I'll have coffee or tea served for anyone who wants some?" Gibbs smiled, "Coffee would be great, thank you." Jared said nothing, until she asked him, "Jared? Do you want anything?" He looked up at her, ignoring the urge to kneel. "Water is just fine, Mother." She nodded, then hurried off to the kitchen. Within a few minutes, she came back with a coffee for Gibbs, and tea for herself and her husband, and a glass of water for Jared. She handed him the water, and he paused before reaching up to take it. Both parents noticed the scars around their son's wrist as the long sleeve shirt pulled back to take the glass. Jared sensed the stares, and quickly pulled the sleeve back up again. His father mentally shook his head. How many scars are underneath? Do I really want to know what happened to my son? Mrs. Malone paled when Jared flinched when she reached across him to hand Gibbs his coffee. How many times did she hit my son? Why would she do such a thing to him?

Their son finally spoke. He started in a whisper, then built up slowly to a normal tone. He continued looking at the floor as he talked, "Mother, Father…I know I can't imagine what it's been like for you when I was…gone. But I know you can't imagine what it was like for me either. I was so relieved to find that Phoenix hadn't touched either of you. I, um, suffered a lot under her. I was…beaten…starved…whipped…raped…" He sighed, and then continued, "I did a lot of things I'm not proud of, because I had no choice. This last year has been the worst for me, because what I did for Agent Gibbs. I have to say…that I don't regret it…he was worth it. But my life was a living hell." He broke off, staring off into the distance, fingering the clip on his collar. Silence reigned, until both parents stood up and moved closer. Gibbs gave up the couch so each parent could sit on either side. They squeezed Jared's shoulders in loving understanding. Peter Malone spoke up first, "It's okay. We get it. I wish I could have found you and gotten you out. I am so sorry that I failed." Jared snapped, "No. Don't be sorry. You would have ended up like me, or dead." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped at you." He smiled wryly, "With her, that would have earned me a few more stripes." He stiffened when his mother tried to hug him again, and she felt that. She pulled away apologetically, "We're not going to hurt you, Jared. It's okay. You're safe with us." Jared smiled at them. It was so good to see them, and to know they were both fine.

*Knock knock!* Everyone startled at the door sound. Mr. Malone rubbed his son's shoulder one more time before standing up and walking to the door. He opened it, and looked into the cold grey eyes of Phoenix. He wavered for a second, knowing exactly who it was. Finally he found his voice, "Just what do you think you're doing here?" She smiled at him, "Let me in." Cowed, Peter stood aside. Her presence was so strong that he understood how Jared felt. She walked in, with Peter at her heels. Turning around the corner, she stood in full view of everyone in the living room. Gibbs leaped off his chair, and Mrs. Malone went pale. Jared froze and stared at her. Gibbs was angry. He understood that he had a bargain with her, but this was ridiculous. Jared suffered so much at her hands, and she should have left him alone with his parents. He growled, "Phoenix. What are you doing here? You have no right." He would have said more, but a hand on his arm stopped him. It was Jared, standing next to him. "It's okay." He slipped off to her, and knelt before her. She looked down at him, then up at his frightened parents and the livid Gibbs. "I have every right to be here." She grabbed Jared's collar with her hand. "See, my collar still lies there. He is still mine." Mrs. Malone jumped forward, "NO! He's my son, and he belongs here!" She turned to Gibbs, "Tell her that! She can't have him!" Gibbs looked furious, but answered, "I can't do anything. We have…an agreement…I can't arrest her. Or she'd be on the floor at this very moment, begging for mercy," he finished, glaring at her.

Phoenix smiled that cruel smile Gibbs knew so well. She still had her hand on Jared's collar, and pulled up on it to cue him to rise. He did, with eyes still on the ground. She said, "Well, Jared. It seems up to you now. You are free...and your first act of freedom is a choice. Are you willing to go with them? Or will you come with me?"

Jared closed his eyes. Memories flashed through his mind: him as a smiling and happy young child with his favourite red toy plane. A birthday party…his 10th? Graduating from high school with his friends and family around him. Going to university to become a doctor. The woman he had loved. Then the painful memories came…when she had first captured him. The whippings. The humiliating things he had to do. The first time she took him to her bed. How she always managed to make that experience gut-wrenchingly painful. How he now knew what she wanted, before she asked him, most of the time.

"Do you think you will ever be free from me?" she had whispered in his ear, as he crumpled in a bloody heap after a particularly brutal whipping. "No…you'll never be free. You'll always feel me. The scars will always remind you of me. Imagine for a moment…you've somehow been liberated…but I will always haunt your thoughts. I will come after you, wherever you are. And your friends? Your family? What do you think I will do to them? Those parents of yours? And the woman you loved, all those years ago?" He had shuddered more under the verbal torture than the physical one. She had dragged him from the floor and tossed him in his cell. He had nearly died that time, from the infections. He lived, but her words had never left him.

Jared looked at his parents for a long moment, then at Gibbs. The agent was suddenly afraid for a moment. He wouldn't…would he? Jared took a breath, and locked eyes with Phoenix. He made his voice steady, and made his choice, "I am yours, my lord."

His mother nearly collapsed, but his father grabbed her and took her into his arms. They were both crying, but understood there was not a thing they could do. Gibbs tried one more time, "Jared…" but he was stopped when Jared raised his hand to silence him. "No, Silver Fox…I must. I must do this. She owns me, body and soul. And you are safe. You all are safe. That is all that matters." Phoenix looked at them victoriously, then reached into her pocket. There was that dreaded leash, but Jared silently permitted it to be snapped to his collar. Phoenix said nothing to the stunned people in the room, and walked away, Jared following closely behind. Neither looked back as they went through the front door.

Gibbs took his leave of the couple, whose very heart had been ripped from them once again. He felt gutted himself, and sat in his car in silence. He knew perfectly well that Jared probably had a good reason for doing what he did. He sacrificed himself over everyone every single time. Gibbs looked at his wrists, scarred from his ordeal. It would not be the last time he heard from Phoenix, because of his deal with the devil. He dreaded the next time he saw her, but at least it would not be permanent. He thought of the brave young man once again, and damned Phoenix. Gibbs and Tony would carry their scars forever, but Jared…Gibbs looked at the darkening evening, and saw the first star come out. I wish...but he knew no wishing would ever put things right once again. Another thought floated through his head from a book he once knew:

Many sink down to the Underworld

And few return to the sunlit lands…

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Phoenix hauled Jared to the door of her building. A female guard stepped up, and asked, "Want me to take him?" The grey-eyed woman glanced at her slave, and tugged the leash. He looked at her, a little confused. "Kneel, boy." Jared immediately knelt. She looked out away to the shadowy field and trees, and asked, "See that, Jared?" He looked, and waited. She took his head in her hands and purred, "You will never again leave my side, unless I ask you. Look at the field, the trees, the sky...and taste the freedom you have tossed away. Do you understand, boy?" Jared sighed, and softly replied, "I understand. I am yours forever until I breathe my last breath." Satisfied, Phoenix gave the leash to the guard. Jared got up and followed her in. Phoenix looked out once again at the black sky twinkling with stars. She zipped up her jacket as there was a chill in the air. Winter was coming. She hated the cold snow and ice...it was time to move for the winter, but where should she go this time? She glanced up at the glittering sky once again, thinking, "New Orleans is quite nice at this time of year."