Cherished Agony

While getting her morning coffee an unsuspecting Kate is kidnapped and terrorized. Who is her captor and what does he want? Gibbs and the team work frantically to save her from the imminent danger. Please review!

Disclaimer: We've been through this, NCIS is not mine!

Chapter 2: Waiting to Exhale

Gibbs took a swig of his coffee as he looked at the report printed on the plasma screen with Ari's picture staring back at him. Chances were high that the bastard was dead but Gibbs couldn't help being hopeful. After all, Kate had profiled Ari and from what he'd heard, Ari wasn't interested in causing her harm. Anyone else on the other hand… It had been two days since Kate had been kidnapped and still they were getting nowhere. The captor hadn't called again and they weren't getting a GPS on Kate's cell phone. Stakes were high and hope was becoming scarce. Gibbs spent his days and nights waiting with bated breath for more news. At that moment, director Morrow entered the multiple threat assessment centre and placed himself right next to Gibbs.

"Any news?" Gibbs asked.

"Ari Haswari was reported MIA sixty eight days ago near Zakhu, Iraq. We believe his cover was blown and he was taken hostage for espionage by Al Qaeda terrorists in the middle of a trade conference. We believe he is being held in a POW camp near Rayat. At best we expect he is going to be held and interrogated until he gives them what information they need and then will be killed. Our people overseas are trying to intervene but the insurrection is growing more powerful with each day and with each day there is a smaller chance that we will get any of the hostages or even our own men back alive," director Morrow explained.

Gibbs took another swig of his coffee while he contemplated.

"Damn it," he snarled.

Gibbs turned on his heel and tossed his coffee cup in the trash before leaving MTAC. He stormed back to his desk and dropped into his chair in a fury. The director had taken more hope from him and things looked like they had taken a turn for the worse. The rest of the team looked at Gibbs for a moment, waiting for the senior agent to speak.

"We can almost certainly discount Ari," Gibbs said simply.

There was a collective groan from other agents at the news. The team continued to think of what else could be done to bring Kate back to them as they waited for a phone call, a signal on the GPS, anything that would indicate where she was and how she was.

Kate groaned as she tried to move her stiff muscles. She was momentarily disoriented but she soon remembered that she had been taken captive some time ago and was now being held. She shook herself awake and realized that she was still wearing a blindfold and lying on the same plush couch that she had found herself on the last time she was conscious. Kate wondered how long she had been asleep. Kate felt a sting on her upper arm and remembered being drugged earlier. She reached for the blindfold but her hand was stopped by who she was sure was her captor. He gently forced her hand back down into her lap.

"Good morning Caitlin. I'm sorry; I can't allow you to remove your blindfold yet. Later today you will be able to, I promise you that. How did you sleep?" He inquired.

"Fine. What time is it?" Kate asked.

"It is noon and you've been here with me for two days. The drug seems to have had a stronger effect on you than I had anticipated," her captor replied.

Kate willed herself not to scream. She wondered whether Gibbs had given up any hope, or if he was fighting harder than ever to find her. She wondered if he had figured out who this bastard was yet.

"Have you been in contact with Gibbs?" Kate queried.

"Not since that first phone call. I want him to worry a little bit. I want him to think about what is happening to you. I want him to lose sleep over this. I want him to know what it's like to live each day not knowing what you'll face next," he answered.

Kate willed herself not to cry. She knew Gibbs must be going stir crazy and the team would be suffering his wrath. She wished that none of this had ever happened. She was a special agent, for God's sake! She should have been able to defend herself and fight this bastard off! Instead she found herself in a hostage situation for the third time since the start of her career with the NCIS. She breathed in a shaky breath and let it out slowly in hopes of finding some answers in the exchange but to no avail.

"Can we please take this blindfold off? I don't have my gun so I can't defend myself, I know that if I run you'll just drug me again and you know I don't want that to happen. I'm a profiler so I know you don't want to hurt me and in turn I won't hurt you. You've taken my phone so I can't get a hold of Gibbs anyway. I've done everything that you've asked of me so please untie the blindfold. I just want to be able to look around again," Kate reasoned.

She heard her captor exhale as he contemplated it. After a moment she felt the pressure on the sofa change as her captor stood. She could feel the warmth emanate from his body as he walked beside her and to the opposite side of the sofa. He reached up and slowly untied the knot holding the blindfold in place. Kate closed her eyes so that the sunlight she felt creeping over her body would not blind her at first. She felt the blindfold fall away and felt the first rush of cool air over her eyes since she had been walking back to NCIS from DC Beans. Kate slowly opened her eyes, squinting the sun out of them at first. As soon as she had adjusted to the lighting Kate slowly turned around to look at her captor. Her mouth dropped and she had to fight the urge to scream when she saw his face for the first time since the beginning of this ordeal. Memories of the last time flooded back as she tried to cope with everything. She could almost feel herself closing off. She had realized that her plea to take the blindfold off was Tony's classic Stockholm syndrome. Gibbs was going to be furious when he finally figured this one out.

Gibbs was on his fourth cup of coffee by the time McGee suggested that they retrace the route that Kate would have taken to DC Beans and back to look for anything that might help them identify the kidnapper. Tony coupled an idea with it; to interview prospective witnesses. Gibbs and Tony headed out while McGee stayed behind to watch the plasma for any signs of Kate's GPS. Gibbs and Tony returned a few hours later no better off than when they had started. All they knew was that Kate had actually made it to the coffee shop and headed out soon after she had picked up their order. Gibbs sat in the chair behind his desk and pounded a fist on the hard surface in frustration. His action did nothing aside from startle the two younger agents and drawing the attention of the other staff members mulling around the bullpen.

"We'll get her back, boss," Tony said in commiseration.

"You're damn right we will, DiNozzo," Gibbs snapped.

Gibbs silently prayed that Kate was alright. After all, no news was good news, was it not? He would have given his life to be sure that one of his own was safe. He would have given his dominant hand to be in her place. He hated worrying. Everyone hated when Gibbs worried because chances were that they would be on the receiving end of his wrath. The only thing that Gibbs hated more than being worried was being helpless. There was nothing that could be done without witnesses and without a GPS trace. Gibbs sat back in his chair and let out a breath which in turn eased some of the stress.

Kate continued to stare at her captor. It was ironic that Stockholm syndrome had come to mind before. Kate finally found her voice and spoke.

"I thought we had settled this the last time," Kate said hoarsely.

"I told you, Caitlin, this isn't personal. I just wanted to have the last laugh with agent Gibbs," her captor replied.

"You could have taken Tony, or Abby. Why me?" Kate inquired.

"He cares the most about you, Caitlin. He couldn't forgive himself if he lost you. I also figured that since we are already acquainted it would make the transition easier," her captor explained.

"The last I heard you were MIA in Iraq," Kate said simply.

"I was taken hostage by Al Qaeda terrorists and held in a POW camp. A few weeks ago they sent a single guard to bring me to the interrogation room. I managed to overpower him and take his uniform. I escaped from the camp and caught a priority ride back to the United States with a private airline. I was tortured at the camp and decided that my mission was to blame on agent Gibbs. After a few weeks of careful planning I decided that this was the best revenge," Kate's captor capitulated.

Kate stared at Ari in awe. She couldn't help but sympathize. Being held prisoner did strange things to a person. Kate decided that being hostile in her situation would only serve to further press the feeling of isolation on Ari and that would prove detrimental to her situation and his coping. She was already notorious for bonding with victims, why not further her reputation?

Ari's gaze burned into Kate and he saw some of her walls come down. The last thing that he wanted was for her to feel threatened. However, it was the impression that he wanted to give Gibbs and the team so that he could feel the satisfaction of inflicting that kind of agony on someone instead of taking the brunt of it for a change. Ari was snapped from his pondering when Kate spoke.

"In all of this time I haven't had the chance to say I'm sorry for what has happened," Kate said softly.

"It wasn't your fault Caitlin," Ari replied.

"No, not directly," Kate said lightly.

"Again I'm sorry I had to do this, but you are a profiler, surely you can understand my motives," Ari said.

Kate looked at him in commiseration. Ari gave her a slight smile that she couldn't quite place.

"Why don't you walk around the house and stretch your legs a little. I know you won't try anything, but I have locked down all of the doors and windows, just in case. I'll see you in the dining room for lunch in a little while," Ari suggested.

Kate didn't even have to consider his suggestion. She stood up and almost fell straight back onto the couch. Her legs didn't seem to be in perfect shape after pulling a sleeping beauty for two days, but she would manage. Kate found her way around the first floor quickly and found a staircase leading up to the second storey. She took the steps one at a time, holding onto the banister the whole time. Once she reached the second floor landing she was hit by a wave of sunlight as the sun reappeared from behind a cloud. It was a beautiful day outside. Kate walked down the long hallway toward the window on the other side. She stared out at the wooded area below and wondered if Gibbs would ever find her. He had promised, but from where she stood it literally looked like finding a needle in a haystack.

Kate spent a few more seconds staring wistfully out of the window before turning down the hallway and locking herself in a large private bathroom. She stared at her pale reflection in the mirror. Kate let a single tear slide down her cheek. Why did this keep happening to her? She quickly wiped the tear away and decided that she wouldn't let herself be weak. Kate splashed some cold water on her face to wake herself up and let the droplets drip off of her jaw in rivulets. After a few more minutes she decided that she had to face what was beyond the door at some point and so she left the bathroom. Taking the same path to get back downstairs Kate quickly found the dining room.

Gibbs was beginning to go stir crazy. This waiting, the helpless, senseless waiting was beginning to eat away at his resolve. Gibbs would go out and comb every inch of the United States over with a toothbrush if he had to in order to find Kate. This game was beginning to get really old, really fast. He wanted to take his SIG and fire right between Ari's eyes. Those lying, cheating, deceitful eyes. The rest of the team was beginning to worry about Gibbs. They could see that he was on the verge. Of what exactly, they couldn't say, all they knew was that it wouldn't take much more of this to push him into enemy territory. At that moment the familiar ding of the elevator could be heard and Ducky soon loomed into view around the corner. He was the only one who could reason with Gibbs when he was in this state.

Kate walked across the threshold and sat down in a chair across the table from Ari. She stared at him and wondered how she had ever found kindness in his eyes. Warmth, sure, but kindness was a bit of a stretch. She stared at the pasta sitting in front of her and felt sick.

"Try the pasta, Caitlin. You haven't eaten in two days, your body needs nourishment," Ari commented.

"I'm not hungry," Kate said lightly.

Ari nodded and instead raised his glass.

"A toast, to agent Gibbs," Ari said.

Kate just stared at him across the table. After he had lowered his glass she picked up her own and took a few tentative sips. She only then realized how thirsty she really was. The water soothed her dry lips and cooled her body as she swallowed the glassy liquid. Ari gazed at her with intense fascination. She was a vastly intriguing woman and he hoped that she would let him in to see a little bit of the real Kate in the time he would have with her. Ari knew that Gibbs would find them soon enough, if he cared to look hard enough, which he undoubtedly did.

It was only a matter of time. In the meantime, everyone was waiting to exhale the stagnated breaths they were holding…


A.N.: Okay, so I had this finished a couple of days ago. I've been having some problems, with In any case, here it is! Kudos to those who guessed Ari. I think I may have dropped too many hints there. Oh, well. Thanks for reading! Please review! -Julia-