N.B.: I owe nothing of NCIS.

- A BIIIIIIG HUG for ncismom, for her precious help. You're the best beta reader of the world! Thanks :)

- In this chapter you'll meet (just the name) a new character. I created it and it will be very important in the future *wink*

- I'm really sorry for the delay :(

" Regrets and ... "

Chapter 21.

Darkness was everywhere.

Tony always hated the darkness since he was nine when his father had locked him up in a small closet without food and water. He had been so scared and desperate. Tony had forced to stay in that closet for two days and two nights untill his nanny Elena had found him, sitting in a puddle of his own filth.

The family physician had diagnosed Tony with a mild concussion along with various bruises and abrasions obviously received at his father's hands .

The doctor had wanted to take him to the hospital but his father had threatened the physician, who had met the elder DiNozzo's demands so that he could provide for his own children. Tony's father had sent him to his bedroom and had ordered the doctor to treat his son at home.

Tony's thoughts were jumbled inside his mind. Flashbacks were mixed with nightmares as his past and his present collided. Images of peole and places melted into one as his dreams continued to assault his memories.

I can't breathe! I need to get away! Father, take me out of here, please! I know I let you down Gibbs! Why are you not here? I need your help. Forgive me, please. I'll be good, dad.

Jeanne, I didn't want to make you suffer; I'm sorry! I was following your oders, Jenny. No! You died because of me and Gibbs hates me! Why do I hurt those I love? I'm a bastard; but I didn't mean to hurt them.

Alice, I miss you so much; my sweet angel keep watching me wherever you are; I miss you so much.

Ziva, I wanted to protect you. Why didn't you understand that?

Ducky! Ducky, please, tell Gibbs to come here! Please! Palmer, help them; No! Don't leave me alone!

His father voice echoed in his head, ''DiNozzo's do not cry! I love you, Anthony.''

NO! You don't love me! Gibbs loves me, but why he's not here? He doesn't care about me!

I can't breathe! NO! Don't put me in that blue room! I want to go home!

Mamma, bring me home! No she can't! She's dead; help me , please.

Yes mommy, I'm coming to you... but I want to stay here!

Nobody cares about me; I'm dying!

In the dark, Mike could hear Tony's moans; he knew very well what those sounds meant. He had heard the same noises in Vietnam, when he was on guard duty and his buddies were calling out to their families in the throes of their nightmares.

"Tony, come on , man; wake up. It's just a nightmare," he whispered, trying to not startle the younger man. Mike scooted his chair around untill he was in front of Tony; he wanted to reassure him that he was not alone.

With some exertion, Mike managed to touch Tony's knee with his, unintentionally causing the agent to flinch. "Tony, it's Mike. Don't be afraid. Open your eyes. It's just a bad dream."

He heard Tony mumbling, "It's dark... I hate the dark."

"Yes, the room is dark. Don't you remember that there aren't any windows here?"

"Here? Where are we? Who are you?"

Mike had expected Tony to be confused, but the fact that the younger man didn't even know his name worried him. It was obvious that the fever was taking its toll on DiNozzo and that his hallucinations were comsuming him, forcing him to relive a pain filled past that Tony had attempted to bury long ago. The older man was also really concerned about Tony's lungs. Gibbs had told him everything about the plague's scars and he knew that Tony's fever could easly degenerate into pneumonia that could have been fatal, if not properly and quickly treated.

"I'm Mike Franks. Do you remember me? You were helping me to find my family."

"No. Why am I here?"

"Tony, the people that kidnapped my family captured us and..." he swallowed hard. How he could explain Tony that he has been tortured because of his carelessness?

"I want to go home," sniffed Tony , in a child voice. "Why... why..." he coughed, "Why I can't breathe?"

Mike quickly realized that Tony was struggling for air as a feeling of helplessness began to overwhelm him.

"I...I..." Tony continued to gasp.

"Tony, breathe slowly. In and out. Slowly, Tony." God help us! Help him!

"Brea... breathe... I can't breathe... help me!" Tony begged.

"Listen to my voice and just breathe slowly, okay? In and out; in and out," he soothed. He finally heard Tony's breathing begin to even out. "Good. That's good, kid. Feelin' better?"

"A little," panted the younger man. "My lungs don't seem be working too well."

"Yeah," sighed Mike, fully aware of what Tony's truobled breathing meant. "I wish Gibbs were here."

"Gibbs? Who is this... oh, my God," sobbed Tony.

"What ?"

"I remember. I remember now," he said, in between coughs, "The blue lights! I had...I had plague and... they... three men tortured me just a few... few days ago... they... they scourged me," he cried silently.

"Yes." admitted Mike.

"Gibbs will never come," stated DiNozzo. "He will never come. Why should he? I betrayed him."

"You didn't betray anybody! And I'm sure that..." Mike was interrupted by shouting voices outside the room.

Benito Suarez Airport - Mexico City.

When Gibbs' flight landed, a crescent moon lit up the dark sky. It looked like a beautiful night in mid-September, but the NCIS Agent knew that evil was lying underneath the veil of the starry sky.

He was tired and needed to sleep, but he couldn't waste time. Every moments was precious and for Tony, a minute could make the difference between living or dying. Gibbs collected the rental car from the parking lot and headed to Fresnillo.

Once he was on the road, he sent Abby a text: Landed. I'm fine. Going to Fresnillo. Get ready.

Gibbs had a long road ahead and he needed to hurry. He didn't care that Tony's torturers were waiting for him. Tony was in danger and that was the only thing that mattered.

"Hold on, Tony. I'm coming!"

Washington D.C.

Abby was still in her lab pretending to work; in realty, she was just waiting for Gibbs' message. She held Bert tightly as she stared at a map of Fresnillo on the plasma. Abby was so worried for her friends that she didn't hear the elevator's ding.

xxxxx

Ducky had just finished the autopsy of a 60-years-old Admiral who had dropped dead of a heart attack at the eighth hole of the Norfolk Naval Golf Course.

"You only have yourself to blame, my dear fellow! You were a monument to cholesterol!" the ME scolded the corpse.

He suddenly recalled that certain agents were past due on their blood work, mainly the team of one Leroy Jethro Gibbs. He would have to see Jethro in the morning and force them to schedule an appointment. Ducky suddenly stopped in mid thought, realizing that something was amiss.

This is very unsual! Anthony is in a peril, but Jethro is not here pacing my floor. It's late at night and Ziva and Timothy have gone home some hours ago; this should be the moment when he usually comes to me.

The wise doctor shuddered because of a bad feeling. I don't like it; maybe Abigail knows something.

Ducky hung his lab coat on the hanger and went to the lab.

When Ducky stepped out of the elevator, he first thought that Abby had gone home too. Slowly he made his way to the door and saw Abby witting on a stool with her stuffed hippo in her arms, staring at the plasma. She's really worried. Maybe even scared.

"Abby," he quietly called out, trying to not startle her.

"Oh, Ducky!" she jumped up off the stool.

"Sorry my dear, I didn't mean to scare you," he apologized.

"No, you didn't. I was just waiting for some tests results," she explained. The ME easily sensed that she was lying.

"Just waiting for test results, Abigail?" he asked , raising his eyebrows. "I think you were thinking about Anthony."

He smiled when she nodded. "They'll find him, my dear. Tomorrow morning Ziva, Timothy and Jethro will leave to..." Ducky didn't miss the strange expression that was now etched on Abby's face. "Is there something that I should know or perhaps something that you want to tell me?"

"No. Why would you think that?" she asked avoiding his stare.

"Because you're lying, my dear. What happened?"

Abby's cell rang and she immediately read the message. "Bad news?"

"No!" she answered too quickly.

"Abigail..."

"Ducky, don't call me Abigail!"

"And you stop lying to me," he replied harshly. When he saw her red brimmed eyes he changed his tone. "Oh, my dear. What's going on?"

"Oh, Ducky!" she cried, hugging him tightly,"I'm supposed to keep it a secret but I can't!"

"A secret?" Ducky pulled her into a hug and gently rubbed her back. "Abby, you can tell me everything."

"Gibbs left to Mexico alone."

"What?" Ducky couldn't believe what he had just heard.

"Yes, it was him on the cell. He's just arrived and he's going to Fresnillo to save Tony!" Abby didn't even try to disguise her desperate cry.

"Shhh. Calm down my dear. Calm down. They'll be fine." whispered Ducky, not believing his own words. You can't do this again! Damn, Jethro!

TBC

I know, I know! I used my name for the new character and this is a bit vain, but I like my name and... it wouldn't be a bad idea to ''have something to do'' with our Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo! *winking*

Please review!

See you on the next chapter...