Hello again!

So I realize now that my last author's note was a tad bit confusing. There are still about nine chapter to be posted before the end of this story.

I wrote that note knowing that they will all be online by the end of the day.

Also, I've got another fiction coming, which is a Barney/OC pairing that is a slight crossover with the movie The One. I say slight because the technologies and the references, not because they will actually be in that universe.

Meanwhile,

Enjoy your reading!

Pavs.

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Speechless

[Trench's plane]

He was looking at the back of his smaller second plane, knowing that if he moved, he was likely to scream and hit everything in his sight. This shitty situation was getting worse by the second, and Woodsman may have bull shitted his way into Gabrielle's good graces, but he was having none of it.

And he still didn't know what the fuck Stonebanks had done to her exactly. It was about to drive him mad. He'd done his research on Woodsman too once she'd gone to sleep. He had way more info now than he did then. That absolute fucking arsehole…saying he'd crossed a line was quite the understatement. He heard her move in his direction, and Trench forced himself to look calm. He had to be there for her.

''So, the plane is ready to go; Maggie is with Bohai. We just have to wait for the others, ''she said, and Trench nodded.

''Alright,'' Trench said, and Gabrielle sighed.

''I am sorry you have to deal with this…with him…'' Gabrielle said, and Trench scoffed.

''I am not the one who should be worried, mein Schatz,'' Trench sighed, and she took one of his hands into her own.

''Ich weiß, dass ich bei dir sicher bin (I know I am safe with you),'' Gabrielle replied with a soft voice.

Trench gave her a surprised look before he smiled sincerely at her. She caressed his cheek, and he closed his eyes.

''I fought to remember you; you are safe,'' she admitted, and he took her into his arms.

She breathed in his scent before she heard someone cough.

''Hope we're not interrupting something that would give another reason for Ross to have a stroke,'' Drummer said while both Trench and Gabrielle laughed softly.

Woodsman looked highly amused, and Yang snorted. Trench offered Woodsman the coldest look Gabrielle had ever seen, and Yang pushed the man so that they could get on the plane.

They didn't have time for that.

.

Trench had made a point of saying nothing to Woodsman, making the only exchange they had an impressive right hook straight in the face while James was making his way to apologise to him.

''Fair enough,'' had been Woodsman's response.

''Alright, we're here,'' said Drummer, and the rest of them all looked at Gabrielle.

She nodded seconds before they felt the plane drop in altitude.

.

''No way. That's not happening,'' said Trench while looking straight into Gabrielle's eyes. She could see anger, fear.

''What then? You're letting him up there with Drummer as our escape route?'' she retorted back, and Trench passed a hand through his hair. ''I know you don't like it, but we don't know Drummer that much yet, and Yang will be with us.''

''There's no good answer then,'' Trench sighed a moment later. ''Fine. Maybe Ross will kill him on sight anyway.''

Gabrielle slapped him gently on the shoulder, and Trench smirked. She smiled at him, and he smiled right back.

''Be careful, mein Schatz,'' he said, and she hugged him.

He closed his eyes, taking in her scent and the feel of her body against him. He liked how easy it was to be close to her. He feared how hard it would be to lose her again.

''I promise I'll try,'' she replied, and he let her go with a heavy heart.

[Tool]

He was getting way too old for this shit, or at least that was what Tool wanted to let himself believe as they were walking through a dry river with gigantic rocks. He looked over at Booker and saw the man frowning.

Booker hadn't stopped frowning since they had arrived, and it made him extremely uneasy. He could sense the same feeling coming off Barney and Doc. Gunnar, Lee and Toll might have known the man by reputation and thought he was only lost in his thoughts, but the old, original team knew better.

Tool wondered how they would react to seeing either Stonebanks or Woodsman, whichever would come first. Tool felt his heart drop. He could still hear James begging him to help as Tool ran away from the field. They all had. They couldn't help him. They had left him to die. No wonder the man hated them now. It must have been so easy for Stonebanks to convince him to do what he'd done.

Well, that fucker could have taught the fucking devil how to better corrupt souls. A part of him knew there was never any chance at saving Stonebanks once he was out of the military. And yet…

Another regret.

''You didn't have to come, you know?'' He heard Barney say right next to him.

He hadn't noticed him getting closer. They were on the field, and he had to focus or else he would get himself killed. Or someone else.

Gabrielle.

''Where is she?'' he asked without thinking about it.

''We'll find her,'' answered Barney with a determined look. There was also a bit of desperation to his tone.

''We'll bring her home,'' added Toll to the conversation, and Tool suddenly had a weird feeling.

''What if I find you first?'' a shaking voice asked from the tree line.

They all stopped walking.

[Field, Team]

She could hear their voices and felt a surge of both fear and nostalgia. She stopped walking and tried to stop the tears from rolling down her face. She got closer still, knowing Woodsman was right behind her with Yang.

She wanted to run back, she wanted to run to them. She wasn't ready, and yet…

It was time.

''We'll bring her home,'' Toll said, and she felt her heart skip a beat.

After all this time, they'd still been looking for her. She had to fight her tears as she got even closer. They could see her any second now.

Then she saw the hope on Toll's face. She could see him so clearly now.

''What if I find you first?'' she asked, her voice shaking as she finally walked into their line of vision.

They all stopped walking. Barney was the first one to turn his head in her direction. He hadn't even realised he'd start running until she opened her arms so he could take her in his.

Barney held her like his life depended on it as she felt her legs give out under her. He followed the movement until they both were sobbing messes on the forest ground.

''Dad, I found you. You're here,'' she repeated over and over again.

''I'm here, I love you,'' he answered each time. ''I got you.''

They'd been crying, holding onto each other for a while when Gabrielle finally let go of her father.

[Tool]

His heart was beating so fast he thought he'd died right there and then. Gabrielle saw him putting a hand on his chest and went to hug him too. He started crying as soon as he felt her arms around him.

''Dadda, I missed you so much,'' she said between her tears, and he kissed her forehead without letting her out of his embrace.

''I missed you too, kiddo. I missed you so much I felt my soul break in a half when you…'' he began, but the emotion was too strong.

She kissed his cheek.

''I am here now,'' she said softly before she turned to Toll.

He tried to dry his tears while the man was giving Gabrielle a big bear hug.

[Toll]

''I am so sorry. I promised to bring you home,'' Toll said, not giving the girl a chance to say anything.''

''I know, it's ok,'' she replied.

''It's not. You told me I was your best friend, and I failed you,'' Toll added, and Gabrielle took a step back to look him straight in the eyes.

''You ARE my best friend, Toll Road. You didn't fail me; you tried your best. You were there for me as best as you could, always,'' she said, playing with her necklace while looking a bit lost in her thoughts.

[Lee]

Lee looked at them as tears were rolling down his cheeks. He knew they were all crying, but there wasn't a chance in hell that he would check on them. His eyes were focused on her and only her.

God, he'd missed her. She turned to look at the rest of them, and he saw his chain. She was playing with it. He got closer, and she looked at him with a bright smile and tears in her eyes. He couldn't help but smile back before he hugged her as well.

''You didn't give up,'' he stated, and she let out a small laugh.

''I promised I wouldn't, and I am quite stubborn as you already know,'' she said, and he laughed too.

''Bloody fucking stubborn. Thank God for that,'' he said, and she laughed harder.

It was music to their ears.

''I even missed your accent,'' she said, and they all laughed.

[Gunnar]

He wanted to run to her, but he stopped himself when he saw both Barney and Tool. They were her dads; they had a right to go first. Then he'd had no time at all between Toll and Christmas, and he was getting impatient. He'd waited too long. Far too long.

[Gabrielle]

It felt so good seeing them again. I saw movement next to me and turned to see Gunnar. I froze. He looked tired, malnourished, and one second away from death, not that I was much better. But his eyes, his beautiful blue eyes.

I was still frozen in place. I wanted to move, to kiss him.

Gunnar: Gone.

I couldn't move.

[Gunnar]

He saw her stand so still she looked like a statue.

''Älskling?'' he asked while getting close slowly.

''You were gone,'' she said while looking not quite in touch with reality.

He felt his heart break into a million pieces.

''Gabrielle, I am sorry,'' he spoke.

''I needed you, and you were gone,'' she said, looking at him with new tears in her eyes. ''I called for you, I begged until… and now you're back.''

Only he could see that they weren't tears of joy. Of all the things he thought he might encounter since he'd learned about her being alive, this was not even remotely close to his top ten.

''You were gone,'' she added, emphasizing the word, and he could see her hands shaking a little.

'' Gabrielle, I am right here,'' he said, worry slipping through his voice as he took her into is arms.

She let out a scream of pain that went straight to his soul as she held onto him, sobbing her heart out. Gunnar started singing to calm her done like he used to before she…he could feel the tears running down his cheeks, his voice was shaking. The pain of seeing her like this was close to unbearable, but there was nothing that would prevent him from holding her against him.

Fuck, he'd missed her.

She finally started to calm down before she looked at him.

''I am sorry. It hurt so much. I missed you,'' she managed to say, and he slowly, carefully, kissed her.

[Gabrielle]

I felt his lips on mine. It was so soft, so perfect. I responded automatically, closing my eyes as a distant memory became reality once again. It had been so long. I felt his hand on my lower back and froze as Gunnar's soft, loving kiss was replaced by Isaac's painful attempt to kiss me. I felt Gunnar's hand burning onto my back as I took a sudden step back.

I could see the shock, sadness, realisation, and anger in Gunnar's eyes in quick succession. I could see he was about to say something but decided against it. He suddenly looked very concerned.

''I…'' I tried to say but nothing came out of my mouth as I began shaking like a leaf. ''Sorry…''

I couldn't breathe properly. I fell onto my knees while I could taste blood in my mouth.

''Fuck!'' exclaimed Woodsman before my world went black.

[Barney]

He was looking at them both with sadness and fear. Gunnar was hurting, Gabrielle's mind was going back somewhere he didn't even want to think about. Fucking Stonebanks. He knew that torture technique well. Conrad had played on Gunnar flaws and his daughter's insecurities.

''What the hell is happening?'' asked Toll beside him.

''I am not so sure I want to know,'' said Lee before Barney could say anything.

''Something's wrong,'' said Galgo, and they all were about to tell him to shut up before they saw Gabrielle get out of Gunnar's embrace like she'd been burned.

Gunnar didn't even have time to prevent her from falling to the ground. Doc, Barney, and Tool ran to Gabrielle, as did Lee and Toll.

''FUCK!'' Woodsman exclaimed as he ran towards them, only to have Booker tackle him to the ground.

''Speak! Now!'' Booker exclaimed as he saw Gabrielle having a seizure.

''Don't ask a question you're not ready to have answered,'' said Woodsman through his labored breathing.

''Fuck, Booker still has it,'' Woodsman thought to himself.

''DON'T!'' screamed Yang as soon as he understood what was happening.

He put himself between Woodsman and Booker as Barney's anger was replaced by a shocked expression.

''What the hell do you think you're doing?'' asked Tool, who was holding his knife in his hand, ready to kill James for any attempted escape.

'' Put. It. Down. Now,'' Yang said slowly ''We need him to help her.''

Both Doc and Booker listened to him almost instantly, knowing full well that they'd probably have answers to their million questions sooner than later. They were the only ones though.

''Yang, you can't trust him! Who the fuck knows what really happened there!'' Gunnar said, and Yang's expression got so dark it rendered them speechless.

''I know exactly what I am doing,'' Yang said with a low voice.

Barney felt shivers running down his spine at Yang's facial expression. He saw Woodsman getting up and taking something out of his pocket.

''Barney, please move,'' James ordered, and Barney looked at him. He saw nothing but determination. He let go of Gabrielle and got up to have a better view of what was happening.

''Alright Yang lift her head up,'' Woodsman instructed, and by then, everyone was looking at them while Yang did what was asked of him. ''Same as last time. Doc, continue to check her vitals.''

Yang then looked at the others and told them to get ready.

Nobody had time to ask what the hell they were they were on about before Woodsman injected her with the anti-poison. Gabrielle screams made their blood freeze in their veins. No doubt that if anyone had been around, they'd now know exactly where they were. James motioned for anyone touching Gabrielle to let go, not noticing he was still holding on to her arm.

''NO!'' Gabrielle screamed again, unless this time her eyes were open and she, somehow, managed to put Woodsman on the ground with a knife to his throat.

''Gabrielle! It's me!'' James said as Gabrielle realized what she was doing.

She let go of her knife before she got up. She was a bit unsteady on her feet but managed not to fall again.

''Oh my God, I am so sorry,'' she said with tears in her eyes. Woodsman got up as well and held her in his arms.

''Not my first rodeo. Don't worry, sweetheart. I knew what I was getting into,'' James laughed softly, and Gabrielle relaxed a bit.

They let each other go only to face a general confusion.

[Woodsman]

He was morbidly fascinated by the scene in front of him. Of all the outcomes, that wasn't what he had expected. From the look of it, nobody else had expected that either. Gabrielle took a deep breath and looked at her father.

''He's the one who brought me to Yang so that I could come back home,'' she finally said, and James saw both surprise and…hope? Yes, definitely hope in Tool's eyes.

''He did?'' Barney asked with a cold tone had Woodsman was reminded of why no one ever wanted to fuck Ross over.

''He did,'' confirmed both Gabrielle and Yang.

''Why?'' asked Barney.

''She's your daughter,'' said Woodsman with a solemn expression while looking straight into Barney's eyes. ''This is not an excuse, and by all means feel free to punch me in the face like Trench did earlier as much as you want. I stepped over a lot of lines.''

Barney was about to take him up on his offer when he saw Woodsman's gaze soften. He was looking at Gabrielle. Gunnar frowned.

''But I saw her suffer, and I couldn't take it. She's got your eyes,'' added James hesitantly. ''It's a wonder how far back one look at someone can take you.''

[Barney]

Barney felt his anger fade so fast it took even him by surprise. Tool went to James and saw the man preparing himself for another hit.

It wasn't necessary, though, because seconds later Woodsman found himself in a friendly, warm embrace. Gabrielle looked at them and smiled a little. Barney looked at his friend, then his daughter, and felt his heart skip a beat.

Gabrielle probably knew now what had happened the last time Tool had seen James Woodsman. He turned to see Booker and Doc looking less tense, which in turn made his uneasiness fade a little.

They had a long road ahead, but maybe, just maybe, they could finally heal.

''Well, this is all fun and games, but we're late,'' Lee said, effectively bringing them all back to reality.

As usual.

''What's the plan then?'' James asked no one in particular.

''We're going to keep walking, but in another direction. There are traps everywhere,'' started Gabrielle before she was interrupted.

''WE!?'' asked Lee, and she turned to him.

''Yes. We,'' she said, and Barney lost it.

''If you think for one second that I'll let you put yourself in danger again, you are wrong. There's no FUCKING WAY I'M WATCHING YOU DIE AGAIN!'' he bellowed, and she actually laughed.

A very sarcastic laugh. Tool didn't like it at all. None of them did.

Fucking Stonebanks.

''Oh, ok, so you can give so little fuck about yourself that you'll run to your own suicide bringing young causalities with you instead of your team, but I can't go and get my revenge for my own death and torture, is that it?'' she asked, and Barney felt like he'd been slapped. ''Look, I respected that you wanted to protect your family, more than you know. But don't think for one fucking second that I'd tolerate you turning into a fucking ticking bomb rolled into a coat of self pity!''

''Gabrielle Ross, don't you dare…'' began Barney, but she was having none of it.

''What if I'd been dead? Then what of our family? They all love you! Didn't you think they'd have lost enough?! And if I didn't die and you did?! What then? HAVEN'T I LOST ENOUGH!? WHAT ABOUT HALE!? DID HE FUCKING DESERVE YOU GIVING UP AFTER ENDING UP IN THE FUCKING HOSPITAL?! WITHOUT YOU DOING SHIT ABOUT IT?!'' she continued, enraged.

They all looked at her, completely and utterly speechless. Barney felt as if his own mother was scolding him when he was five years old.

''Don't even try to tell me you were doing that at the same time cause you and I both know how much of a piss poor idea that was. I love and respect you, but I would have kicked your bloody arse if I could've before going out of my way to make Stonebanks eat his own dick,'' she concluded.

Barney felt the guilt and was about to apologise when Toll burst out laughing. They all looked at him.

''Wow, told ya back at old point she'd be pissed,'' he said, and Gabrielle rolled her eyes while Lee felt the beginning of a smile on his lips.

Tool shot one look at Barney and smiled to himself, hoping that his friend would remember this as a warning not to act like an idiot again.

''Well, let's get this party started then,'' Doc said, and Gabrielle nodded.

Galgo looked at all of them, confused as hell about the roller-coaster of emotions right in front of him. He then looked at Gabrielle and saw he'd caught her attention. She smiled at him, and he smiled back.

''Miss, I could accompany Senior Woodsman so he'll have another teammate,'' he offered, and Booker's eyebrows shot right up.

Galgo hadn't spoken at all since Gabrielle had appeared and that was his first suggestion? Gabrielle shrugged, and Galgo went to join Yang and Woodsman.

''Well, if you wanted your revenge on the man…'' Doc said, and Booker, Tool, and Barney laughed, glad that the tension was finally wearing off.