Jay took another look at the clock that was above the kitchen counter. She long ago lost her appetite and placed the food in the refrigerator. He was supposed to show up an hour ago. She phoned him twice and reached his voice mail after a few rings. She shifted on the couch, the black negligee hugged her curves, but the thong was going to take some adjusting. She sighed, moving towards her bedroom, intent on changing her clothes.

Knocking on her door startled her and she quickly put on a robe before opening the door "Bobby, I've been worried si…" The sight of the two foreign men startled her and she moved to close the door, gasping when one of them pushed her inside. Her legs feeling like rubber, she stumbled, crying out as she tumbled to the floor.

"Miss Morgan, isn't it?" She nodded dumbly, watching as the other man closed the door behind him, locking it with the key. She averted her eyes to the taller man, registering the gun that was strapped to his waist. Panic seized her, liquid and boiling hot as it traveled from her mind to her heart, her heartbeat accelerating.

"What do you want?" She shook like a leaf, aware of her state of undress and the way the bulky man leered at her, as if he could see her body with some x-ray vision. Tears of fear sprang to her eyes as his gaze traveled up her legs.

"Now, now…" The taller man handed her a handkerchief. "There is no need to be afraid of us; we're just taking care of our business."

She desperately sought courage and was highly disappointed when she couldn't find any. In the movies, the actors always asked the right questions, always had the perfect way out, they never had their throat so dry that they couldn't speak. Her head was pounding and from a distance, she felt someone shaking her, realizing that the pounding was in fact someone knocking on her door. "Open the door." Shaking her head, she watched the two men backing away, standing in a way that they could not be seen from the door.

She stumbled twice before she reached the door and her hands shook so much that it took her longer then usual to open the locks Bobby installed himself. Opening the door slowly, she stared at him, words failing her at his sight. His face was pale and his eyes were brimming with red, dark and serious. Suddenly realizing that things just might be a little more complicated then she understood, she pushed him from the door. When he barely moved an inch, she pushed harder. "Go away…"

Bobby frowned at her, startled when she gave a shout of surprise and someone pulled her inside. He rushed after her, the sickening sound of flesh hitting flesh imprinting itself in his mind. The scene in front of him almost brought him to his knees, Jay stood in front of him, Morino holding her captive, his gun pressed to her temple, a heavy bruise slowly forming on her cheek.

The gun he held in his arms felt heavy as he lowered it to the floor, kicking it away from him. Disarmed, mentally and physically, he willed his voice not to break. "Don't hurt her."

Morino shook his head. "That wasn't part of our deal, Manning. Buying a ticket for your girlfriend on the first plane to New York won't do." He chuckled at the surprise in Bobby's eyes. "It doesn't matter that you paid for it in cash, you just forgot that I have friends every where."

"A plane ticket? What's going on, Bobby?" She hated the tremor in her voice, hated the hands that held her so tightly, sickeningly warm against the silk she wore.

"There will be time for questions later." The other bulky man tied her hands together in a painful twist, gagging her mouth with a cloth. Bobby looked at her but his eyes couldn't bear to see her horrified ones.

"At least let her wear some clothes." He tried to buy some time, a cry of rage surfacing when the bulky man picked her up and threw her like a potato sack on his shoulder. He winced at her muffled cry of pain.

Morino grinned at her, lifting her head a little with his finger. "We won't travel long and then you will have plenty of time to question your lover. I'm sure he'll be more then happy to answer your questions, after all…nothing is as burdensome as a secret." He turned to Bobby. "One wrong move and I see to it that she will make it down the stairs faster then you would have liked, got it?"

Numb, Bobby nodded his head, the gun in his back propelling him to move forward, Jay's horrified eyes haunting him as they went down the stairs.

While they covered his eyes for the duration of the ride, Bobby was quite sure they were headed towards down town D.C. He thought they headed that way when they left Jay's building and now when they stopped every other minute he was even surer that they were down town, probably standing in a traffic light every few minutes.

The limousine took another turn to the left and then slowly stopped. Beside him, he felt Jay tensing again and he inched closer, wanting to somehow reassure her that things would be alright. The doors opened and someone pulled him outside, he heard more doors opening and then someone lifted the blindfold and he was forced down the stairs and inside a completely darkened room. One of the men untied the ropes that tied his hands and immediately pushed Jay inside. Bobby hurried to catch her and the door closed, leaving them in complete darkness. "Jay?" He whispered. She whimpered and he moved his hands to her face, gently removing her gag and the scarf that was wrapped around her eyes. "Are you alright?"

"Not…really." He felt her turning her head. "It's dark."

"We're inside a basement I think." He moved to her hands, slowly untying the ropes. She clutched his hand in hers and he squeezed, lacing their fingers together.

"We're going to be fine." He whispered.

"Bobby, what's going on?" She asked, the darkness around her suffocating.

"Jay, I'm so sorry for not telling you sooner." His voice shook and pulled his hand away, burying his face in them, blocking the darkened world that surrounded them.

Tentative fingers touched his hands, slowly prying them away from his face. Her breath was hot against his cheek. "What's wrong?" The small voice tugged his heart, so different then the voice of the woman he knew.

He took a deep breath, fighting against the burning in his eyes. "I have a gambling problem." He confessed quietly, recognizing her sharp intake of breath and the way her hands slacked in his.

"Those…those people…you owe them money? That's why you came all beaten up last night?"

"Yes and no." He whispered. "I was clean for nine straight years until last year when I lost control in the middle of a case." He paused for a moment, squeezing her hands. "We were trying to bring down John Morino and I was supposed to enter his poker game. Somehow, I lost control and ended up maxing three of my credit cards and using bureau money to play some more." She remained silent and he continued. "Jack pulled me out and helped me throughout the following months." She moved one of her hands from his and then returned it to his hand, warm moisture clinging to her fingers. "Please don't cry…"

"Did you gamble in the last two weeks?" Her voice sounded hesitant and he squeezed her hands again.

"No…I didn't. I go to meetings every two weeks; I even started to sponsor this guy…" He trailed off. "The thing is that…somehow, Morino and his men figured out I was a federal agent. One of his men recognized me when we busted them three weeks ago and they looked into my accounts and figured it out. They came with papers and…pictures and they…" He shook his head, remembering the event that changed his life clearly, as it just happened.

They caught him before he headed off to meet her, cornering him outside his car, his quiet street providing enough privacy. He played the game of indifference but the threats were clear. He would help them and they would not reveal the truth about his past. He would help them and they would keep away from Jack.

He promptly refused, ignoring them and heading towards his car. The first picture was left at his doorstep the next morning. Jack and Sue were eating dinner together in one of the team's favorite coffee shops. He threw the picture to the garbage can, the next one featured the same couple again and he received an insight into his friends' actions after that dinner in the café; Jack and Sue shared an intimate moment outside the restaurant. He stared at the picture for hours before tossing it as well. When Jack came in the next morning and complained about the huge scratch someone left on his car, his heart started to beat funny and when the last picture arrived, the mangled face of Sue staring at him with hollow eyes he could have sworn he had a heart attack.

"They sent it to my e-mail at work and if I didn't know for sure that she was sitting in front of me I could have sworn it was real…" His voice was low, the burning in his eyes and throat intensifying. "I did it, Jay, I corrupted the crime scene, I removed the evidence…I'm the reason why we can't convict Morino."

"Why didn't you tell someone? Anyone?" Her voice broke. "Oh…Bobby, what did you do? You can go to jail for that…"

"I know…" He closed his eyes again. "I thought it was all over today and then…then he threatened you…he bugged my bedroom and took photos…"

"Today?" Her voice was unnaturally high. "They have pictures of us…" She couldn't continue, words failing her as the chill consumed her body. Her teeth started to chatter.

"I am so sorry…" He whispered, not knowing if she would appreciate any attempt to touch her.

The feeling of humiliation managed to overcome all the others. Knowing that someone took pictures of them together made her sick. When they were together she thought it was beautiful that they were able to express their love to each other but now she felt dirty and betrayed. She clutched the silk robe to her body, breaking the contact between them and enveloping her arms around herself.

The total darkness assisted them in building firm walls: his wall of shame, her wall of betrayal and above all, fear was the last layer that assisted in driving them apart. She couldn't believe he hid so much from her, from his friends. Did he really think he could hurl her to a plane and that she would willingly go? A sob escaped her lips.

Misreading her reaction, he tried to assure her, presenting inner strength he no longer possessed. He reached out for her, his hand encountering the soft material of her stockings. "I won't let them hurt you." He whispered.

Jay fought the tremors that shot through her spine, her earlier fantasy replaying in her mind, taunting her with erotic pictures of him removing the material with his teeth. She gasped softly. "Don't make promises you can't keep." She whispered and was somewhat relieved when the warmth from his hand disappeared and she remained alone behind the wall of darkness.

He remained quiet, the darkness toying with his mind as his synapses captured colors and shapes that didn't exist. The colors turned into pictures that taunted him, Jay's tears breaking his heart, her cries for help echoing in his ears, as he remained in his place unable to help her.

"I called Jack." Her voice startled him, now stronger and steadier. "When you didn't answer your phone, I called him…"

He wasn't sure how long they sat there in the darkness. Jay didn't utter a sound and he had no words to offer her. He wondered if he was observing the end…the end of them as a couple. Assuming they somehow made it outside, would she stay with him? He knew his mistake was a fatal one, the type of mistake one is bound to pay for no matter what…but loosing her might be too much.

He wondered if he would loose his friends as well, the men and women he could trust with his life in their hands. Would they understand that he was tangled too deep to get out? Would Jack understand that he was trying to protect him? He shook his head to the suffocating darkness. Jack would be furious; he would probably punch him for his stupidity.

He heard Jay shifting beside him, her teeth had been chattering for a while now. The sudden feeling of her hand on his thigh startled him and he jumped. "Sorry…" She whispered.

"S'okay." He replied immediately. "Are you cold?"

"Y…yes."

Somehow, he managed to pull her into his arms, her back leaning against his chest, his hands stroking her arms firmly, the silk cool against them. "Would you have told me?" She asked quietly. "About your…problem?"

He pondered the question for a moment. "Yes. It's just…it's not an easy thing to broach over a casual dinner…"

"Did Darcy know?"

"Yes…and although she said it didn't mater to her she still kept a close eye on me ever since I told her." He trailed off, biting his lips. "Does it bother you?"

Her reply was instant. "A little." She admitted and he greatly appreciated her honesty. "I believe you when you say that you're clean but when you come to my apartment in the middle of the night all bloodied I need you to tell me what happened, especially if it involves our life." She whispered the last few words as they both heard footsteps hurrying down the stairs.

Leaping to his feet, he pulled her after him and pushed her behind him, taking a step backwards as the door burst open. "Don't shoot!" He shouted, the bright light allowing him to recognize his friends at the door.

Jack led them inside and they scanned the room before announcing that it was clear. Myles and Dimitrius hurried towards them and Myles handed Jay a blanket before guiding her towards the stairs.

"Let's get you upstairs, you need to get this bruise checked."

Jay swallowed, looking between Bobby and Jack who still hadn't said a word to each other. Jack's jaw was clenched and he stared at Bobby with a calculated look. "I think I need to stay here." She said softly.

Myles led her up the stairs. "They can handle it on their own…"

"You self centered idiot! How could you not tell me about it!" She heard a loud snap and Bobby groaned loudly.

Jay paused. "Did Jack just…"

"The paramedics are waiting." Dimitirus insisted.

"You could have gotten yourself killed, not to mention Jay!"

She couldn't hear anymore when they arrived upstairs and the two men led her outside the house towards the waiting ambulance. The paramedic checked her out before giving her an ice pack and telling her to rest for a few minutes. She smiled when Sue joined her, pulling her into a hug.

"Are you alright? We've been worried sick."

Okay. She signed one of the few things she learned. "They ruined my new set of lingerie." She pouted with a smile, sudden tears springing into her eyes. "I know it wasn't his fault, Sue…but now I feel like he's been keeping so much from me…he can't tell me much about his work and…I don't know…" She stopped talking when Sue pulled her into her arms again, knowing that she couldn't hear her.

"Bobby is a good man." Sue whispered and Jay nodded her head. She knew that. Bobby was a special man. "He made a mistake…one that I'm sure he will not repeat in the future. I know that he loves you."

"I know…I love him too." Jay wiped her tears and moved her head to look at Sue's eyes. "I said that I love him too." Sorry.

Sue's grin was infectious. "I kinda figured it out."

They both turned to look when Jack and Bobby came out of the house. Bobby headed towards the ambulance and Jay shook her head at the bruising on his face. "Jack, I can't believe you hit him!" She exclaimed.

"It's nothing, he used his left hand." Bobby grabbed and icepack and handed another one to Jack to place on his fingers, a look of understanding passing between the two men.

"Get some rest, we'll talk more tomorrow." Jack's face was serious and Bobby nodded his head. "I'm sending you to a hotel while we scan your apartments for the bugs, they might have some in yours too, Jay." Jay nodded her head. "I'm also placing SOG nearby just in case Morino has more friends around." Jack smiled at Sue and pulled her to his side. "Good night."