Jack sat at the table thinking about the alternative Gibbs had suggested. They no longer had jurisdiction on the case since he was out of their country. They couldn't make an arrest on Mexican soil and he was going to be damn hard to find. Jack glanced at the letter again. James wanted to be found.

He had taken a shower and changed into a clean suit. His team hadn't been home in a couple of days. He'd told them to go home and take a rest. Gibbs and his team had gone back to their hotels to get some sleep.

He wanted to go see Sam and Anthony again; maybe Sam would remember something more. It was only early, but hopefully she would be awake.

When he rose, his already bad leg almost collapsed under his weight after being shot again. Changing his mind, he eased himself onto the couch and slept for a couple of hours.

Gibbs sat on his bed, his hand itching to pick up his tools. DiNozzo was safe, and so was Sam. His thoughts went back to Kate, and to all the others that hadn't been found safe, to Jack; who would more than likely take him up on his offer. And to the rest of his tired team; he was proud of them. He didn't often say so, but he was.

He would catch him, sooner or later. First, he'd see that Tony was fine and he was back on his feet. Ziva and McGee had been worried sick about DiNozzo. They had both been ecstatic when they'd heard Tony was alright and back to his usual self. They'd gone to see him today in fact.

Samantha woke up slowly; she stirred fitfully for a few minutes before finally opening her eyes. She panicked when she felt the sheets around her, images of the previous night assaulting her eyes. She looked around uncomprehendingly.

"Miss Spade! Relax, you're in the hospital." A nurse was in the room, and Sam flinched away from her.

"Hospital?" she asked relaxing slightly.

"Yes."

"How'd I get here?"

"An ambulance bought you in. You had visitors earlier, while you were asleep. Two men came to see you, one was a dark haired older man who was shot, and the other one was a young man with sandy brown hair. They were very worried." The cheerful elderly nurse chatted on about what fine looking men they were as she checked up on how Sam was doing.

"There was someone else too. Another man, he had graying hair, blue eyes. He didn't come in though, just looked in the room." The face of her rescuer came to mind. Gibbs was his name, Tony's boss. Tony!

"There was another man brought in earlier than me, Anthony DiNozzo… is he okay?" Sam asked worriedly.

"DiNozzo? I can check if you'd like…" Sam nodded, but stopped quickly when her head began thumping painfully.

"Please," the nurse left the room. Sam finally took notice of her injuries. Her wrist was hurting like hell, and so were her ribs. She flinched as she readjusted where she was sitting. The nurse re-entered the room.

"He's fine, a couple of broken bones, and some bruising but otherwise fine. He's in good spirits."

"Can I see him?" Sam asked, already knowing the answer.

"Most certainly not." Replied the nurse indignantly, "you get your rest now, you hear?"

Sam smiled weakly and saluted with her good hand.

"Yes, ma'am," the nurse smiled

"Good girl. I'll be back within an hour." The nurse left Sam, who fell into a fitful sleep.

Sam saw his face over hers again… felt his hands roam over her body… Sharp pain as he bit her… The rope cutting into her skin as she struggled against him, the bonds, the pain… The scary blankness that filled her mind afterward as she struggled against powerful emotions…she felt somebody shaking her…

"Sam? Sam... are you okay?" Sam lashed out at the person beside her.

"Go away!" There was a thud and a muffled ow!

"Sweetheart, it's me, Jack." Sam opened her eyes. There was Jack, and the rest of the team. Danny was rubbing his stomach where she had just hit him. Vivian was looking at her worriedly, and so was Martin.

"Oh my God! Danny I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" Danny waved her off with a small grin

"I'm fine… you punch like a girl." He stepped back from the edge of the bed, Sam's flying hand just missing him. Jack was looking on in amusement. She noticed he was leaning heavily on a cane. The rest of the team looked fine though, a bit tired and worse for wear. There was a short period of comfortable silence between the team. They made small talk. Sam was given a humongous teddy from Danny, it was chocolate brown and Sam squealed in delight.

"Aww… it's gorgeous!"

"Well, only the best for you…" Sam laughed.

"That was sweet, thank you." Vivian's gift was more practical.

"I thought you might need some stuff for in here and some of your clothing for when you got out." Sam sighed gratefully.

"God yes, I can't wait! Thank you" Viv smiled.

"Trust me, I know the feeling." Sam couldn't meet the eyes of either Martin or Jack. While both understood, it still hurt. Martin gave her a bouquet of flowers, with a little balloon that said "Get Well Soon."

"Not the most original perhaps." Martin said apologetically

"No, I like them, thank you." Jack was the last of all. He gave her a couple of books, with puzzles and crosswords.

"I know you like crosswords." Their eyes met for a minute sharing in the memory, before Sam looked away.

"Thank you… all of you. You guys are great." Her eyes started to tear, "without you… well I wouldn't be here."

All three men looked uncomfortable, Danny said

"Hey, I'm going to go grab a coffee, any takers?" the other two were quick to follow. Viv and Sam took one look at each other and laughed.

"Men!" Viv shook her head.

"So, how you doin'… really?" Viv asked,

"I'm," the word fine was going to come out of her mouth, but she stopped it, "Crap," she admitted. Vivian looked at her sympathetically. Sam sighed

"Nightmares, I can't sleep Viv. Every time I close my eyes I see him, I can feel his hands…" Tears streamed down her face and Vivian looked on helplessly. Sam wiped the tears from her face.

"How long have I been out for?"

"Two days…"

"And how long was I with… him?"

"About 3 days." To Sam it had felt like a lifetime.

"How did you guys find me?"

"We didn't." Vivian admitted, "We made the ransom drop… he let you go."

"Did you catch him?" Sam asked urgently, Vivian shook her head gently,

"He shot Jack, and Agent Gibbs was looking for you. By the time he reached the roof he had to check Jack. Cooper made it to the airport, and the plane left before we could do anything." Sam's blood ran cold

"He's gone?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry Sam." Vivian felt so guilty.

"Well what can we do about it… Where'd he go? Canwecatchhim?" Sam began hyperventilating, "I can't … he's… and we… gone... he can't… what..."

"Sam! Breathe," Vivian said sharply, "Nurse!" The elderly nurse bustled in.

"Miss Spade!" she put the oxygen mask over her mouth and ordered Sam to take deep breaths. She calmed down after a few minutes. She began crying in earnest.

"I can feel him, Viv. The knife…" She shuddered. Vivian wrapped her arms gently around the terrified younger woman.

"Sweetheart, relax! Do you honestly think Jack will let him get away with this?" Sam thought about it.

"I thought you said there was nothing you could do?"

"There isn't anything the FBI can do officially." Sam understood the distinction and relaxed.