CHAPTER ONE

Special Agent Lucille stood in front of the large window, allowing the spring sunlight to soak into her skin. The team had just solved a particularly stressful case, and she needed a bit of a break from the computer screen at her desk.

Behind her, she could pick up bits of Tony's muttering to himself as he flipped through files and worked on his case report.

"Dog….runaway….pistol….," his words were quiet and jumbled. Luce rolled her eyes, sighing to herself as a small smile danced on her lips. Tony was a mess, and in more ways than one.

Suddenly Luce narrowed her eyes, glaring out the window. The air in the room has changed, and it made the hairs on the back of her neck stand at attention. She angled her body toward the bullpen.

"Tony," she called, staring at him. He fumbled with his papers for a moment, and then looked up at her.

"Yeah, what?" he muttered. His head was still on the case, Luce could tell.

Luce opened her mouth to speak, but then she snapped it shut, softly shaking her head. "Nevermind," she said, gesturing her hand for him to brush it off. Whatever it was, it was probably just her nerves acting up after the case. She turned back toward the window, releasing a slow breath.

Then suddenly Tony's alarmed cry filled her head. "Lucille!" he shouted.

She started to turn back toward him, her mind racing with scenarios, but suddenly Tony was right there, lunging forward.

She shouted in alarm as he forced her to the ground, but the cry halted quickly as Tony's weight, crushing her, and the force of hitting the ground pushed all of the air out of her lungs.

She laid there in shock for a moment as Tony didn't move, covering her with his body. She suddenly became aware that screams were echoing throughout the room, and every agent was cowering behind their desk, heads covered by their hands.

Luce took in slow, measured breaths, focusing on removing the panic that flowed freely through her veins and caused her heart to drum against her chest.

After a long moment, Tony rolled off of her. Luce attempted to sit up, but instead of obeying her, every muscle in her body tensed up. Fiery pain exploded in her side, and she choked on a scream. She was suddenly aware of a hot, sticky liquid, soaking into her shirt and heating her skin.

Luce took in sharp, quick breaths, and her eyes darted everywhere. Tony was crouching next to her, yanking his jacket off. "Hold on, Luce," he said, although it came out almost as a growl. His eyes were panicky as he wadded up the fabric and held it, with more pressure than Luce appreciated, against her side. She whimpered as he did so, her eyes tearing up as she tried to hold down her cries against the waves of pain that ran through her.

The pain wasn't just secluded to her side, though; it radiated from her shoulder too, on the same side of her body.

As if on cue, Tony's eyes darted to the second cause of Luce's pain, and she heard him mutter what was probably a curse under his breath. His head jerked up, and he shouted something, sweat dripping from his brow. Suddenly Gibbs was peering over her, his own jacket pressing hard against her shoulder.

Luce tried to speak, but instead choked, sending herself into a coughing fit. Gibbs lifted her head up, allowing her to clear her throat, but still she couldn't speak. Instead all she could release were raspy breaths.

Luce's vision started to become fuzzy and jumbled together, and she could see double of Tony's worried expression. Sweat was pouring down his face, and he was saying something, looking directly in her eyes, but she couldn't hear him. Gibbs was yelling, glaring in the direction of the bullpen. Luce couldn't hear what he was saying, and quickly she was only able to see bits and pieces of her boss's face.

All she was aware of anymore was the pain. It felt like someone had poured scalding hot coffee and boiling water down on her, both at the same time. But her body itself was cold, and she felt herself shivering with the little energy she had.

Luce's throat was rough and scratchy, and her head pounded against her skull, as if there was a war going on inside of her brain. Then suddenly she was devoid of all of her senses. She felt no pain, heard no sound, and saw nothing. Her world was black.