Losing Them

His head was throbbing as he came to, the world around him pulsing dangerously, the floor under him swaying and shifting. For just a moment he thought maybe he was on a boat. Or drunk. He had made it to Cuba and to Liz. Surely they hadn't celebrated that much.

It came rushing back to him hard. He'd gone to go get a few things, tearing himself away from his family for just a few minutes so that Liz wouldn't have to, and came back to signs of a struggle. Liz was nowhere to be seen and a man was trying to take Agnes. They'd struggled, he'd nearly won, but then he'd paused. His little girl's eyes on him as he choked the life out of a man cut deeper than he could have ever imagined. It had been enough that he hadn't seen the second man until it was too late.

Tom groaned as he shifted, his head pounding, and he blinked hard to clear his vision. He was being held in a room with only a little light, the shadows wreaking havoc on his headache. He started to roll to get to his feet, but quickly realized that not only were his hands duct taped together, but their was a chain around his ankle. His shoes were gone and he huffed as he fell back to the floor. He wasn't going to break it, so he needed a way around it. His family was depending on him.

The door to the room creaked open and drew his attention, the light it let in nearly blinding him. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust, but finally he focused on a pair of boots making their way to him. Tom barely had a chance to look up and see the face before the boot reared back and slammed hard into his middle. He curled and coughed hard, the breath driven from him as the man bent down and took a fistful of his hair to force him to look up. "You're lucky. Mr Kirk's original orders were to just take the girl and to kill you."

"If you lay one finger on my daughter-" Tom growled, but the other man slammed him hard against the floor. If he thought his head hurt before, he was seeing stars now.

"But with the mother, it looks like you just became more valuable alive."

"Beating my brains in isn't the way to keep me that way," Tom managed.

"We know what you're capable of. You won't get the chance."

A soft groan escaped him as Tom was released, his head thumping back to the floor and he felt reality retreating. He needed to get up. He needed to fight. For Agnes and for Liz. For his family. Passing out, no matter how appealing, couldn't be an option.

"Mr Kirk would like to extend his thanks, he wouldn't have found them without you being so eager to get back to her."

The words hit harder than any blow could have, and Tom felt himself sinking, guilt swirling with pain. It was like he was being crushed beneath it, drowning, and no matter how hard he fought, there was no breaking the surface.

"Where are they?"

"Alive," Kirk answered simply, and it really did seem like the most he was willing to give. Again and again Liz had asked. Tom had gone on a diaper run, but he would have come back. With the way she had fought them, likely before they had gotten out of their hideaway.

"Whatever you want from me, you won't get it until you prove that they're alive and that you haven't hurt them," she hissed. "Your people were willing to shoot at my friends at my wedding, they were willing to put my child in danger by forcing us into a high speed car chase, so what the hell makes you think I'll take you at your word that they're alright?"

Kirk shifted where he stood, studying her. She held his gaze defiantly. It was a gamble, but one she thought she could win. Seeing Agnes and Tom wouldn't save them, but at least she would know where they stood. Once she did, she could start in an escape plan.

The man claiming to be her father waved at his guard and turned his gaze back on Liz. "Alright."

"Alright?" she echoed, but something in his steely gaze didn't set well.

"You want to see that your family is alive? Follow me."

She stood slowly, glaring at the men that fell into line with them. No matter how terrified she felt, they wouldn't see it. She wouldn't let them. She wasn't some terrified innocent. She had fought for her life and for those she loved before, and she'd won. She couldn't lose now when the stakes were higher than ever. She had given up too much to try to keep Agnes safe.

The walk through the building felt like an eternity. She watched her surroundings as carefully and discretely as possible. One foot in front of another, her boots sounding against the hard floor and she kept her head held high. Finally they rounded a corner and Kirk stopped, holding up one hand to signal that she should do the same.

The guard opened the door and Kirk turned to look at Liz. "If you try anything, my men will shoot him. Am I clear?"

She nodded, keeping her expression even before stepping forward.

The room was shrouded in shadows, the light from the hallway casting even darker, longer shadows and giving it a spooky feel. Liz inched in until her eyes adjusted and she saw Tom laid out on the floor. He was barefoot, a chain latched around one ankle that tethered him to the wall, and his hands bound together in front of him. He didn't move, and as she got closer she could see the marks they left on him. Bruised and bloody, it looked like they'd been trying to make a point on him.

Liz sank down next to him, her hands trembling as she brushed back dark hair and found blood dried in it. "Tom? Babe?"

"Your daughter is currently unharmed, and I would prefer it stay that way," Kirk said, his voice cold.

Tom stirred, a soft and pained sound escaping him as his eyes fluttered open. "Lizzie?" he croaked and Liz felt her chest tighten. Just for a moment she felt that old urge that said she needed to protect him. It was silly, she knew. He wasn't the naive school teacher that wouldn't have known what hit him. He was a trained operative that could keep up with her in every way, but seeing him beaten down for no other reason than his relationship with her bit deep.

"You're okay," she promised and leaned down, pressing a kiss to his bruised face.

"Agnes," he managed, seeming to come around a little more and the panic shone in his eyes. "They took her. Those bastards took Agnes."

He shifted like he was going to try to sit up and she put a hand on his shoulder to keep him from doing it. "Easy, babe. We'll get her. I promise we will. Take it easy." She looked up at Kirk. "I'm not going to let you hurt my family."

"I was hoping you'd say that," he answered with a smirk. His expression shifted then and he turned abruptly. "I'll be back shortly and we'll begin."

Liz stared as the door closed and locked behind him. Tom shifted again and she reached down to start working at the tape around his wrists. Once he was free he forced himself up slowly, pain and determination etched into his expression, and pulled her into his arms. He crushed her to him and she felt him wince a little as she returned it, but he didn't let up. They sat there on the filthy floor for a long moment, just holding onto each other like it could keep everything at bay. She felt his fingers working their way through her hair and she buried her nose in the crook of his shoulder, focusing on him for as long as she dared before tightening her grip and leaning in. "We're getting out of here," she swore into his ear.

"You have a plan?"

"Not yet, but we will. We have to."

She didn't know what Kirk wanted, but if he was willing to hurt the people she loved to get it, she'd make sure that he never got that far. She'd put a bullet in him once before. If it came to it, she'd do it again. She wasn't going to lose them again.

Notes: An interview with Bokencamp was released last night/today that was talking about where Agnes and Tom were, and if they were alive and well. His automatic reaction was that we couldn't assume they were well. It makes me think that poor Tom is going to get beat on the entire hiatus, so this little story popped up. I refuse to let it turn into a multi chapter. I have an AU to finish.

So, what did everyone think of the finale?