NB: I own nothing of NCIS :(

Sorry for the delay, but I had problems with the site *grrr*

Thanks to all of you. You're so nice to me :)

A special thanks to my beta reader. Headbanger Rockstart, you're amazing and a real friend.

- I'm not a doctor and I made some researches on internet, so please, forgive all my medical mistakes.

"Regrets and..."

Chapter 37

Mexico

It was night when the Marines Corps plane landed at La Calera Airport.

Gibbs, McGee, Ducky and Kort immediately got off the plane. After five hours on a cargo plane they should have been tired and sore, but they weren't. The adrenaline and mostly the wish to quickly find and save Tony stopped them from feeling anything other than energy.

Gibbs spotted a man approaching them and asked Kort who the guy was. ''A good friend,'' Kort smirked as the short Mexican man stopped in front of them.

''Hi, Juan,'' he greeted the newcomer.

''Hola, Kort,'' smiled the younger man. ''Are these people the ones who need my help?''

''Yes,'' answered Gibbs and introduced himself, Tim and Ducky.

''Who are those guys?'' asked Kort as he saw a group of eight men standing not far from three black SUV and a big black van with no windows.

''They're your helpers,'' he smirked.

''Are they... uhm...'' Tim didn't know how to call them.

''Trust me, kid. You don't want to know who they really are,'' Juan smiled.

McGee looked at Gibbs and saw his boss smirking. Oh, my God! What am I doing here? DiNozzo, you owe me!

''Are you coming with us?'' asked Kort.

''Seguro! I don't want to miss the fun!" Juan laughed as he headed to 'his team' followed by the Americans.

Definitely a bunch of muscular giants with sinister faces. Tim swallowed hard when he met Juan's men and he was shocked when one of the bigger ones said, ''Happy to see you again, Sergeant Gibbs.''

They all looked at Gibbs in disbelief. The gray haired man studied the tall, blonde man in front of him for a few seconds, then a small smirk appeared on his face, ''Parson. What are you doing here?'' he shook his hand.

''Dishonorably discharged, Gunny.''

''Why?''

''I beat Major Fritz,'' he smirked as he saw Gibbs nodding.

''Good,'' smiled Gibbs.

Good? Oh, my God! Tim thought as he stared Gibbs wondering what had happened to his irreproachable boss.

''Are you going to drive, Gunny?'' Parson asked as they all went to the cars.

''Sure? How long does it take to get there?'' asked Gibbs as he opened a SUV door.

''It depends. Usually about 40 minutes to Fresnillo and another hour to Abrego,'' Parson answered as he opened a map and they all gather around him. ''Your man is here,'' he pointed to a red spot on the map.

''12 kilometres from Abrego,'' one of the other men said.

''So?'' asked Tim, finding his voice after several minute of silent shock.

''If we drive at anormal speed we should get there in one hour and fifty minutes, but...'' he turned to Gibbs, ''If we follow him we should get there in ninety minutes. Right Gibbs?''

''Or less,'' the older man seriously answered.

''Okay. We'll follow Gibbs,'' Kort stated as he got into an SUV with three of their helpers.

They all got into the cars. McGee sat next to Gibbs on the passenger seat while Parson and another man sat on the backseat.

Ducky got into the big van and with his big surprise he found out that it was an ambulance.

''Surprised, doc?'' asked his driver. His name was Randy and he was a huge, gentle African-American.

''Sure, my lad,'' smiled the older man.

''I'll help you. I was a doctor.''

''Was? What happened? If I may ask you.''

''I was a surgeon. One of my patient died on the table and I... I don't know what happened. It was not my fault, but I felt guilty as well.''

''Why?''

''She was a mother of three very young children and she and her husband had been involved in a car crash. He had died a few minutes earlier and...''

''And you thought that because you didn't save her, their children were alone.''

''Exactly... I quit my job and started drinking. I got in a great deal of trouble and I ended up here. I was alone, no money, no house and desperate. I met Parson and he gave me a house, friendship and a job.''

''What's your job exactly?''

''Do you wanna know if we're mercenaries? If we kill for money?'' Randy asked raising his voice as he clutched the wheel.

''Do you?'' Ducky calmly asked.

''No, doc. We help people that need help. We're not assassins, even though we look like them,'' Randy shyly answered.

''Good,'' Ducky smiled as he patted Randy's shoulder. ''I'm glad you'll be my assistant.''

''Do you know how your friend is?''

''We just know that Rivera's men tortured him and... he could die if we don't find him soon.''

''Rivera, huh? I would willingly kill him with my bare hands,'' Randy smirked.

''Yes, me too,'' Ducky answered.

Washington DC

''So?'' Ziva asked as she stopped her pacing next to Abby and Stan in front of the Lab plasma.

''So what?'' Abby asked a bit annoyed.

''Did they land?'' Ziva pressed as she saw Abby and Stan rolling their eyes.

''You asked me the same question ten seconds ago, Ziva. Did you hear my email dinging? Did you hear my phone ringing?'' Abby nervously asked and without waiting for an answer she added, ''No! Because they didn't call or email us!"

''Why are you so mean?'' Ziva asked.

''Mean? Me? Why are you so annoying?'' Abby retorted.

They were face to face. Anger clear on their faces.

''I'm not annoying!"

''Yes, you are!"

''I just asked you if...''

''And I already told you...''

Stan was watching that exchange with amusement, but when he saw Ziva leaning towards Abby and this other one doing the same, he couldn't help but intervene. ''Woah! Woah! Woah! Stop fighting, kitties!"

''I'm not a kitty!" Ziva glare at him.

''Me neither,'' Abby snapped.

''I'm just worried,'' sighed Ziva.

''Me too,'' pouted Abby as she engulfed Ziva in a tight hug and whispered, ''I'm sorry, it's just that...''

''I'm sorry too. I didn't mean...''

''Women!" Stan loudly exclaimed as he headed to the door and said, ''Let me know when they call. I've got to stop a terror attack.'' And I'm wondering how I'll do that with no agents... as soon as this investigation is over, I'll get back to agent afloat. I swear!

Mexico

As he had promised, Gibbs got to Benito house in less than ninety minutes and when he and McGee got out of their SUV, they saw some pale-green faces among their helpers.

''How can you be fine, kid?'' a certain Josh asked McGee.

''Years of training,'' Tim smiled proud of himself. I'm no longer a scared probie!

''What's going on?" Domingo suddenly asked as he stood up from the armchair he was sitting in and saw Tony's body stiffen.

''I don't know,'' Benito answered as he took the rifle that he always kept with him since Tony's arrival. ''Stay here,'' he ordered the young doctor as he headed to the main door.

Benito slowly half opened the door and looked out, but it was too dark to see through the dust that the cars had raised. ''We're armed. What do you want?" he shouted.

''Benito! It's Kort and Gibbs!" Kort shouted back.

''Come to me slowly,'' Benito answered as he loaded his rifle. He had to protect Tony and he didn't trust anybody.

''Benito! It's Gibbs,'' the gray-haired man said as he stopped in front of the door with Kort.

Gracias, Diòs! They're finally here! The former policeman sighed as he recognized the men in front of him and opened the door.

''Ducky! McGee!" Gibbs immediately called and saw his friends running to him and then following Benito inside the house.

''Where's Anthony?" Ducky anxiously asked Benito.

''Follow me.''

Washington DC

Abby's email dinged and she and Ziva read the message:

''We're with Tony. He's alive. Pray.

Tim.''

The two women looked at each other as tears appeared in their eyes.

Mexico

As soon as Ducky entered the bedroom he stopped on the door in shock. ''Oh, my poor lad,'' he whispered as he slowly walked to Tony's bedside. ''What did they do to you?''

McGee was just behind him and he couldn't believe that the man lying in front of him was his friend and teammate Anthony DiNozzo. Tim thought he was prepared to see Tony, but he had been completely wrong. Nobody could be prepare to see his best friend's pale face all swollen and covered with bruises and hematomas and his arms, chest and back all wrapped up in bandage stained with blood.

Tony had his eyes closed and if Tim and Ducky hadn't seen his chest raising and lowering and hadn't heard his erratic breath, they would have thought that he was dead.

''Are you a doctor?'' Domingo asked Ducky as he saw the bag that the older man was carrying. The ME just nodded as he couldn't take his eyes off of Tony. ''I'm Domingo and I'm a doctor too.''

''Did you take care of him?''McGee asked.

''I did what I could, but I couldn't do so much here. I'm sorry.''

''What did you do?'' asked Ducky as he sat down on the bed next to Tony, opened his bag, took out a stethoscope and listened to his lungs.

''I cleaned and disinfected all his wounds. Some were infected, so I removed all the puss and I gave him penicillin and used an aloe ointment. He was still conscious so it's been really painful for him,'' Domingo explained.

''I'd say he has pneumonia,'' Ducky seriously said as he put the stethoscope back in his bag.

''Yes,'' Domingo nodded. ''When he was still conscious he was able to cough and spit out the phlegm, but...''

''Wait! What do you mean with 'when he was still conscious'?'' Tim asked.

''A few days ago his fever suddenly raised up and he had a seizure. From that moment he's unresponsive.''

''Do you mean that he's in a coma? Or has brain damage?'' asked the young agent as he looked around looking for Gibbs.

His Boss was by the bedroom door and he looked petrified. Gibbs was staring at Tony's body and he didn't move a muscle. It's all my fault... How can I face you? Tony... Oh, my God! You... you... I... Oh, please! Forgive me... I left you alone.

''Not exactly,'' Domingo answered McGee.

They all looked at him so he explained, ''His pupils are isochoric and normoreagent, so I esclude any brain damage, but he certainly needs a CAT. I think that Tony's in a sort of catatonic state.''

''Sort of?" asked Ducky as he look at Jethro. He's in shock.

''Yes. Every time we talk or touch him, his body stiffens. My diagnosis is that Tony's body endured so much pain and fear that it shut down and now he can't make it cooperate.''

''You're trapped in your own body, my dear lad,'' Ducky whispered as he stroked Tony's cheek and saw his body immediately tensing.

''See?'' said Domingo. ''It's better if we do not touch him.''

''Tony,'' Gibbs whispered.

They all looked at Gibbs as he slowly approached the bed. Ducky stood up to give him room and Gibbs took his place on the bed.

''Tony, can you hear me?'' the former Marine softly asked as he put his calloused hand on Tony's cheek.

''Don't...'' Domingo tried to say, but Ducky's hand on his arm stopped him as he saw the older doctor shaking his head.

Voices... unknown voices... did they come back to finish the job? Are they here to kill me?... Help me!... I want to go away... save me!... No! Who's touching me? What's that? It's cold!... I know this voice... who is it?... Talk to me! I'm here... I can hear you! Whoever you are, help me... home... just let me go home... who's touching me?... Stop! St...

''Tony, can you hear me?''

No... n-no... it's not possible... this is not true... Gibbs? Is he here? No... he left me alone and went away... he's not here.

''Tony, you're safe now. We're going home together.''

It's Gibbs... no... I'm just dreaming... who's lifting me? Don't hug me, my back hurts... why? Why it doesn't hurt?... He knows how to not hurt me... who's this man that is hugging me... I feel safe but why?

''Tony, you're safe now. Nobody will hurt you again.''

It's safe... I want to feel safe again. Please, help me!

''I've got you six, DiNozzo,'' a known voice whispered to his ear.

Gibbs!... yes... Oh, God!... You're here... you came back... home... I'm going home.

Gibbs had Tony in his arms and he was whispering something at his ear. Nobody could hear what he was saying, but they all could see that Gibbs' words and hug were what Tony needed.

They all watched in disbelief as Tony's body finally relaxed against Gibbs' chest and for the first time since the seizure Tony voluntarily moved his head.

It was a slight movement, but all people in the room saw it.

Gibbs held Tony in his arms and kept reassuring him until he felt Tony's body relax against his chest and tears soak his neck and shirt.

He felt Tony slightly moving his head on his shoulder.

''We're going home, Tony,'' Gibbs whispered and he was the only one that heard Tony sighing in relief.

You'll never be alone again, Tony.

Yes, Gibbs... we're going home... IYouve got me and I'll never be alone again.

TBC

I hope you liked this chapter :)))