Note to Caroline, you made a good point about Sam's identification on the phone so I changed it. Thanks for bringing it up J

Thanks to JaniceS, cjanff, Dramamama5, SnoopGirl69, Caro0909, sassyzazzi, Ash9, ss171, anonkp, Knirbenrots, Liasonfan75, and 50fanofmcgarrett for your reviews :)

Also, special thanks to Skippy, Country Girl, Cheryl, French Fan and Beststoriesever who I couldn't thank in person– thanks for your really nice words, definitely helped me feel a little better about the chapter and is much appreciated :)

xxxxx

The inside of the Jeep Liberty was shrouded in silence as Sam drove it along another dirt road. He glanced at Kensi who hissed in pain as he bounced over yet another large pothole. "Sorry," he mumbled.

"It's okay, Sam" she said, giving him a faint smile which he did not return.

Deeks coughed nervously from where he was sitting in the back of the vehicle. The tension in the air was palpable. The only sound in the car was the digitalized voice of the GPS which popped on periodically giving directions. Hetty and Granger were making the trip in another car. Granger had decided to trade in the rental for something better suited for off road driving.

Kensi's eyes kept straying in Sam's direction and she couldn't help but notice the white knuckled grasp he had on the steering wheel, along with the fact that he was going much faster than he should have been. She didn't say anything though. She knew that he was anxious about Callen and she was as well. The stress they were all feeling was practically unbearable. Finally, the GPS announced "You have arrived at your destination."

The three passengers got out of the SUV and looked ahead in dismay. "Damn…" Sam said, immediately feeling a nervous knot in the pit of his stomach as he stared at the entrance of the mine. "Deeks, call Hetty." He began walking purposefully towards the wall of rock and dirt, leaving little doubt that he desired to be left alone.

"Kensi, you should sit inside the SUV," Deeks instructed softly. "We're going to be in for a long wait." He took out his cell phone and hit the dial button next to Hetty's name. She answered almost immediately.

"Yes, Mr. Deeks."

"It's true that there's a sealed up mine here, Hetty," Deeks said. "It looks pretty bad. You can tell whoever you've been speaking with to send a crew out."

"Thank you. We will get on that right away," Hetty said before clicking off the phone.

Deeks walked over to where Kensi was sitting in the front of the SUV. She was sitting sideways with the door open. "She's going to call…" Deeks said as he shoved his cell phone back into his pocket. Hetty had been unable to get a crew to assist in the rescue effort until it had been verified that the mine was indeed sealed up. They had not wanted to waste their resources on what might have been a wild goose chase. "Do you think Sam's okay? Should I go over to him?"

Kensi looked over at where Sam was standing in front of the caved in entrance to the mine and shook her head. "He's not okay," she said softly, "but I think its best that we leave him alone right now."

xxxxx

Sam slowly made his way over to the mine and stood in front of it as he just stared at what used to be the entrance. "Damn it G…I'm so sorry I didn't prevent this from this happening to you…" Just thinking about how dark and cold it would be in there made him inwardly shudder. It was a fate he would wish on only a few select mastermind criminals they had dealt with in the past, the lowest of the low, certainly not anyone he cared about and definitely not his partner. He pulled a small rock out from the pile and tossed it aside. He wondered how far this wall of rock extended to the inside of the mine. He knew that air wouldn't be an issue, but he had no idea how sick Callen would be by now and he knew from personal experience the torment one could go through when left trapped in the darkness. Although it wasn't the same thing as when he had been buried alive with his friend, the situations definitely had their similarities. He sighed heavily and turned around when he heard the sound of another vehicle approaching. Hetty and Granger exited the vehicle and he watched as Granger went over to Deeks and Kensi while Hetty headed in his direction.

"Sam, how are you doing?" Hetty gently grasped his arm and looked up at her agent's face.

"I'm fine, Hetty. G's the one you need to be worried about."

"You may be able to fool some people, but not me," Hetty said. She gazed at the entrance to the mine and couldn't help but be shaken by what she saw. She hated the thought of her boy being alone in there. Hadn't he gone through enough already?

"I can't help but wonder how far inside the mine he was when they set off the explosives," Sam said quietly. "If he was anywhere near the entrance…" he trailed off and shook his head, unable to keep the morbid thoughts in his mind at bay, knowing there was a very distinct possibility that his partner was already dead. If he was, he hoped it had been quick. He couldn't bear the thought of G dying slowly in there, all alone, hoping for a rescue that had never come.

"Sam, please don't do this to yourself," Hetty said, her eyes filled with emotion. "We must try to think positively. We have to have faith that he will get through this."

Sam nodded. He was trying very hard to do as she asked, but it wasn't easy. He kept flashing back to when he himself was buried alive and he hated the thought of G going through a similar experience. "Do you know how quickly the rescue team will get here?"

"I'm not exactly sure," Hetty admitted. "We contacted the local authorities and they in turn have contacted the local chapter of the National Cave Rescue Commission. We're hoping it won't take too long for them to organize a team and get here."

Sam ran his hand over his face and shook his head. "That doesn't sound like it's going to be done quickly, Hetty. Can't Granger get anyone here faster than that? We've got to get G out of there."

Hetty spoke slowly and soothingly, trying to calm both Sam and herself. "We need to be patient. These people are the best. This needs to be done safely, not only for Mr. Callen's sake, but for the safety of the rescue personnel as well. We don't want anyone to get hurt."

Sam nodded, knowing that she was right, but it didn't help with the anxiety he was feeling. "What?" He gave Hetty a blank look as he gazed at her. She had spoken to him again, but he had absolutely no idea what she had said.

"I asked if you have tried calling out to him."

Sam shook his head. "No…I guess I just assumed he wouldn't be able to hear me…" He felt stupid as he spoke the words, unable to believe he hadn't even thought to try. Man, he was really losing it over this.

Hetty looked at him expectantly and he moved closer to the entrance, leaning in so his face was right at the debris. "G! G! CAN YOU HEAR ME?!" he yelled then put his ear adjacent to the caved in rocks. "G! IT'S SAM! CAN YOU HEAR ME?!" He listened with bated breath, hoping with everything he had in him to hear the sound of Callen's voice, but he heard nothing. He moved back away from the rocks and shook his head at Hetty who patted his arm supportively.

"Don't lose heart, Mr. Hanna. I have a very strong feeling he is going to come out of this okay. But for now, come…let's go join your fellow team members."

xxxxx

Granger had watched as Hetty went over to speak with Sam and then he had headed over to Deeks and Kensi. "How are you two doing?" he asked gruffly. His gaze was mainly directed at Deeks who he hadn't seen since right before Callen had been abducted.

"We're fine," Kensi replied. Deeks nodded and echoed her response.

"I owe you an apology," Granger said, giving the young man a serious look. "We never should have left you on your own the way we did."

Deeks shook his head. "It's fine."

"No…no Deeks it wasn't fine. It was everything but fine," Granger contradicted. "The whole situation escalated out of control and it could have ended even worse than it did. I'm sorry we didn't give you adequate backup. I'm just glad that you're alright."

Deeks nodded, looking somewhat uncomfortable. "Callen's the one you need to be worried about, not me."

"I worry about all of my people," Granger replied. He glanced over at Kensi and mentally noted how her legs were hanging off the edge of the seat. "I don't think you should have your leg hanging like that, Agent Blye. Your ankle is going to swell up."

"I think he's right, Kens," Deeks agreed softly. "You should probably either sit in the back so you can stretch out or just sit on the ground. It's going to be a long day here."

Kensi nodded. "I'll sit on the ground then," she said. She didn't want to sit in the back of the SUV. She wanted to be outside so she could see everything that was going on. Deeks helped her so situate herself on the ground and then sat down beside her to keep her company. The trio was pretty much silent until Hetty and Sam joined them.

"How are you feeling, Mr. Deeks?" Hetty asked, looking at him with obvious concern on her face.

"I'm good, Hetty," Deeks said, smiling up at her as he brushed the hair away from his eyes.

"Hmm…" she said, not looking very convinced. After all, he had only just been released from the hospital that morning, but she wasn't about to keep him away from this operation. She knew very well that he would be feeling some responsibility over what had happened to Callen, even though it was very much undeserved. "Stay out of the direct sunlight," she instructed him. "And drink plenty of water. You need to stay hydrated." She turned her attention to Kensi. "And how are you, Ms. Blye?"

"I'm alright, Hetty," Kensi replied.

"What I said to Mr. Deeks goes for you as well," Hetty stated. "I'd like to get you all home very soon and that won't happen if you keep winding up in the hospital."

"We won't end up back in the hospital, Hetty," Kensi said. "Don't worry about us."

Sam sighed, and started back towards the mine. All this small talk was just pointless. While they were out here chatting about mundane things like keeping out of the sunlight, G could be inside the mine dying in the darkness.

Hetty made a move to follow Sam when Granger shook his head. "Let me go, Henrietta," he said. She nodded and Granger headed off after Sam.

Sam mumbled under his breath when he realized Granger was trailing behind him. Couldn't anyone get he just wanted to be left alone? He was beyond annoyed with this whole situation. "What?!" he barked, turning around when he had once again reached the entrance to the mine.

Granger held up his hands and took a step back. "Whoa, Sam…I'm just making sure you're okay."

"No, I'm not okay, Granger," Sam said angrily. "G could be dying or already dead in there and we're out here twiddling our thumbs."

"I know you're frustrated…"

"You don't know anything," Sam said, shaking his head. "This is my partner and best friend we're talking about. Do you have any idea how helpless I'm feeling right now? And where the hell is this rescue team that's coming to get him out of here? They're taking their sweet time getting here."

"It hasn't been that long. These people are experts. We need to do this the right way."

"And to hell with G…I'm the only one who cares about him."

Granger sighed. "You know that's not true. Everyone out here cares about Callen."

"Yeah, whatever…" Sam clenched his fists and began pacing the width of the mine entrance. He knew he was becoming unhinged by the images assaulting his mind and his words were not entirely rational. He was sick and tired of this situation though. He wanted Callen out of here now.

xxxxx

Mercifully, the crew arrived about a half hour later. Unfortunately, it was determined that the structure was too unstable for a backhoe and a lot of the digging and manual labor was going to have to be done by hand. Sam was adamant that he be allowed to help and eagerly signed a form stating the rescue organization would be absolved of all responsibility if he were to sustain any kind of injury . Deeks watched the rescuers work longingly, cursing his condition which prevented him from being able to work alongside Sam. "It's okay, Deeks," Kensi said, taking his hand and squeezing it. "They'll get him out of here."

"I just wish I could help too," Deeks said, sighing heavily. "I hate just watching and waiting. All it does is make me feel even more helpless."

"I know," said Kensi. "I'd help too if I could, but we can't…there's nothing we can do about it."

Deeks nodded and took a sip from the bottle of water he was holding. He knew that Kensi was right, but it didn't make it any easier to deal with.

Hetty and Granger stood about 20 feet away from the younger team members, watching the rescuers moving the rock and debris. "Are you sure it's wise letting him do this?" Granger asked Hetty.

Hetty nodded. "I think it is, Owen. Sam is a man of action. I couldn't very well prohibit him from doing this, no more than I could stop Mr. Callen from helping if their situations were reversed." She knew that at least from a mental perspective, Sam was definitely better off working than sitting on the sidelines worrying about his partner.

"Yeah well, I really hope Callen's alive in there," Granger said as he gingerly massaged his temples, trying to ward off the tension headache he could feel beginning to form. "I can't imagine how Sam will react if he's not."

"I prefer not to think about that," Hetty stated. "I'm trying to be positive about this, Owen. Right now, I am assuming that Mr. Callen is very much alive."

Granger nodded. He really hoped that her assumption was correct.

xxxxx

Sam worked almost constantly throughout the day except for a few brief breaks to rest and to drink some water. He had been trying hard to focus on the task at hand and not dwell on what his partner could be going through inside the mine. Finally, just as the sun was setting over the horizon, they broke through. After that, things happened quickly. It didn't take long before they had enlarged the opening and it had been deemed to be stable enough for the men to enter the mine and search for Callen.

"I'm going with you guys," Sam called out as he started off in the direction of the rescue personnel about to enter the mine.

Hetty had made her way to the mine entrance once it had been successfully opened and quickly grabbed Sam's arm. "Are you sure about this?" she asked, her eyes expressing what she didn't dare to verbalize.

"I have to, Hetty." Sam gently pulled away from her. "No matter what…I owe it to him to be there when he's found. Even if…" he trailed off, not wanting to say the unthinkable when he was so close to finding his friend.

She nodded as she watched him go. "Godspeed…to both of you…"

Sam grabbed a flashlight and impatiently bolted on ahead of the rescue team. There was only one way to go so there was no chance of him getting lost. He never gave a second thought to the darkness or the claustrophobic elements of the mine. His thoughts were focused on one thing only…finding his partner alive. The flashlight lit his way as he trotted through the tunnel, his body filled with tension. He had lost track of how many times in the past week he had been afraid that Callen could be dead. He hoped he would be lucky again. Finally, he halted as the high-powered beam of the flashlight found his partner and Sam stared at him in dismay. Broken was the best word he could think of to describe him. Callen was lying on the ground, curled up on his left side, with his arm cradling his abdomen. His hospital gown was dirty and tattered and as Sam moved closer he saw that there was dried blood splattered all over the gown where it covered his abdominal area. Two pieces of rope were lying on the ground beside him.

Sam knelt down next to Callen and noted right away that his breathing was harsh and labored and he was shivering. He shook his head, already not happy with what he was seeing as he felt for his pulse which was very fast. "He's over here!" Sam yelled in the direction of the rescue team, hoping to hurry them along. "G?" Sam gently took Callen's hand. "Hey buddy, can you hear me?" He got no response though. He felt his forehead and as he suspected, he was burning up with fever. "What the hell did they do to you?" He shuddered at just the thought of what G had gone through since he had been taken from the hospital. "I'm sorry this happened to you, G…I'm just so sorry."

The rescue team arrived and took over, taking Callen's vitals and giving him oxygen. When they lifted up his hospital gown, Sam cringed when he saw the deep purple bruising on the right side of Callen's abdomen. As the rescuers secured Callen onto the gurney and prepared to carry him out of the mine, Sam's thoughts were on Johnathan Page and how he wanted to find the man and tear him apart from limb to limb for what he had done to his partner.