Disclaimer: JAG belongs to DPB, Paramount, CBS et al. This is for fun, no copyright infringement is intended.

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- Unknown location, the empty storeroom

'Oh God, I'm blind, I'm blind, blind...' For a moment a wave of all-consuming panic joint the hysterical voice in Webb's head and he couldn't breathe - couldn't breathe! AJ's weight still holding him down seemed to be so unreal against the wild, overwhelming fear of being left in this darkness and he wanted to scream, rave, beg for this nightmare to stop...

Instead he said simply: "Get off of me."

Hesitantly Chegwidden let go of Webb's wrists and sat up, moving to the side. Gingerly he wiped his nose. No blood - at least something. He bit his lip as he watched Webb slowly lift his hands and touch his face, his open eyes, jerking back at the contact. He made no comment as the hands suddenly started shaking violently before the younger man clenched them to painful tight fists.

"What did happen?" Webb whispered finally.

"What do you remember?"

Webb was silent for a moment.

"I'm ... not sure. The flight from- The flight was... I - I got a headache right after the plane had landed ... while we disembarked. I started feeling sick to the stomach and then it got worse but I know I made it out of baggage claim..." He paused then continued: "You were there, somehow, and the headache was killing me and I just wanted to reach..." He trailed off as his voice started wavering and swallowed hard. "What did happen?" he asked again.

AJ looked away as he described in short words the events from the moment he had started dragging Webb to the restroom up to now. He had to. Webb was trying hard to keep his face a rigid mask but raw emotions kept breaking through. And he felt like an intruder seeing it.

"... this seems to be an old factory but I have no idea where it is. The entrance of the factory floor was closed as I climbed out of the van. It can be anywhere within a good hour's drive from Dulles; maybe more they took my watch away. I can't even tell in which direction," he finished and glanced up at the windows. "Maybe we'll know more as soon as we manage a look out of these windows. You think you can get up?"

Without an answer Webb propped himself up on his elbows and was about to sit up completely as he hissed and fell back, covering his face with both hands.

"Jesus! How can black nothing spin around you like that?"

"Easy, Webb, don't force it. We'll try again when you've recovered more. Least thing we need is you getting a circulatory collapse." - 'Or a renewal of the head-over-the-toilet thing ... especially without a toilet around.'

But the last part AJ kept to himself. Besides, the vivid memory of Webb's condition barely twenty minutes ago was a great reminder of patience. So he hid his disappointment and just got his jacket to nudge it back under the agent's head. Then he settled down himself. Some minutes ticked by.

"Webb, when do you think that your people will start looking for you?"

Webb snorted behind his hands. "Could take some time. I was lucky and got an earlier flight. And I'm not expected to report in before tomorrow, anyway."

AJ grimaced. "Great."

"And when will your secretary start missing you, AJ? Please don't tell me you're on vacation."

"I retired."

"Come again?" Webb sounded completely taken aback and Chegwidden grinned involuntarily despite their situation.

"I had my dining out the day before yesterday."

"Oh. Wow."

Webb kept silent for some minutes then he asked suddenly: "Who will succeed you as Judge Advocate General? The Pacific JAG?"

Chegwidden glanced at him, slightly startled.

"Yes, Admiral Miller. How do you know that?"

"AJ, it's an open secret that Sheffield was looking for a better position for his protégé. Don't tell me you didn't know that because I wouldn't believe it."

"I knew," Chegwidden admitted quietly. "But Miller is more than just a protégé. He's a damn good lawyer and officer. He deserves the promotion."

"If you say so..."

Webb said nothing more and AJ was glad about it. The silence stretched. After a while Webb wiped sweat off his face then hugged himself, shivering. His eyes stared at the ceiling he couldn't see. In his mind he replayed restlessly everything again and again; what he could remember, what Chegwidden had told him... But he couldn't find a satisfactory solution WHY he had been targeted right now. There were too many possibilities.

HOW was the easier question: Someone in the right position or a paid just-for-fun hacker to spy out his flight arrangements... Good timing and a little luck to compensate his change of plans and get a seat on the same plane... A phone call to correct the set-up at Dulles. Dulles. Webb frowned. A strange piece of memory about something at Dulles - just as the world had started blurring - kept coming back to him.

"AJ?"

"Yes?"

"At the airport ... when we met... You - you were angry at ... me? Right before I - well - went overboard? Why were you angry?"

Chegwidden started at Webb's choice of words but reined in his temper. Maybe not the time for shouting. So he just snorted bitterly.

"BECAUSE you went overboard."

"Huh?"

AJ shook his head in a tired gesture. "Damn it, Webb, why did you do it? You must have known what it would do to Mac."

"I don't know what you mean," mumbled Webb but guilt was written all over his face.

"Oh, stop it!" Chegwidden's good intentions flew out the window. "You know exactly what I mean!"

"She's taken it that badly?"

"Good God, man! Badly? She was crushed! How could you treat her like that? How could you DARE treat her like that?!"

"Look, I know I made a mistake but I really was in a hurry and I wasn't thinking. When I realized she might misinterpret it, it was already too late," Webb sounded defensive.

"MISINTERPRET IT! HOW SHOULD ANYONE MISINTERPRET THIS?!"

AJ's outburst echoed between the walls. After a short silence he continued through clenched teeth: "Why didn't you at least call her?!"

"AJ, I just spent weeks in the middle of nowhere, dealing with wrong files and dirt and stubborn idiots and there was no phone, no computer, not even a damn bush drum! I barely contacted Langley twice!" Webb snapped back, getting angry himself. "Did you ever allow one of your SEALs to run off in the middle of a mission and call his girlfriend?! You think I play hide-and-seek out there?"

"Well, you should have thought about the consequences BEFORE you produced this crap!"

"I already admitted I made a mistake! And although I respect you as a person and Mac's superior - former superior, by the way - it's NONE of your business how she and I deal with each other!"

"It IS my business when she's crying her eyes out in my office because of your dirty games!"

"Darn it, I had no idea she would overreact like this!"

"OVERREACT? Are you out of your mind?! Have you ever thought about her feelings, you bastard? And you claimed to be in love with her! And what about your mother and her feelings?"

"AJ, it is a stupid SONG! And what's mother got to do with it?"

"What the heck are you talking about?!"

"This stupid song I had my assistant sent her: The Merry Widow Waltz! What are YOU talking about?!"

"About faking your death!"

Pause.

Then: "Fake my- Fake my-? What did you just say?"

"Oh, come on, Webb! Commander Turner investigated the death of these six men from the Thomas Lyons who drowned on what happened to be a classified mission. He saw your picture among those of the victims."

"I've never set one foot on board of - oh, God!" Webb groaned deeply and slapped his forehead. "The files."

"Files?" AJ suddenly had a very strange feeling.

"Yes, they mixed- No, darn it, AJ, you know I can't tell you anything about classified operations! Damn it, and because of that she thought I... Why didn't she go to Langley?"

"She did. Your assistant confirmed your death."

"She- I'll strangle her! Why did she do that?! AJ, I've got no clue what's going on, this was never part of any planning! I can't believe they-" Another thought hit Webb and he paled even more. "They told MOTHER I'm dead?"

Chegwidden cleared his throat very uncomfortably. "Well, to be honest... I did. This morning."

"AJ!!" Webb shot upwards, lost his balance and went down again.

"Clayton, I was there to give my condolences! How should I have known?"

"We've got to get out of here!" Webb struggled to reach a sitting position but failed.

"Clayton-"

"We've got to-" Another unsuccessful attempt.

"Clayton, don't-" AJ tried to stop him but Webb slapped his hand away although he was barely able to lift his head anymore.

"I-"

"Clay, stop!" Chegwidden placed a firm hand on the other man's chest and held him down. "You're making it worse!"

"Damn it!" Webb exhaled, it was almost a sob. He dug his fingers into his hair and squeezed his eyes shut. And all his pain and frustration were evident in these two little words.