Chapter 3: Recap pt. 2

Rating: M
Summary: Abby and Tony are kidnapped only to lead to a life neither one thought was possible.

Abby took time to calculate her injuries…she was pretty sure her left eye was swollen shut; her right wrist was broken, and yep..definitely a concussion.

Flashes of images flooded her brain. She saw herself entering the lab around 3 AM. She heard her doubt as she sensed someone behinds her. She saw that someone's arms grab her, putting a cloth over her mouth. She saw Tony rushing in, gun raised, yelling for her…she saw him lying limp on the ground.

"TONY!"

"Abby! Hey, I'm here, ok? It's ok."

"No, I saw…I saw them hit you. I saw…you weren't moving!"

"I'm fine, Abs! Listen to me!"

"o…ok, what?"

"Gibbs."

"What about him?

"You trust him, right?"

"Of course."

"Then believe. Believe he will find us."

"Tony, I…"

She allowed herself a moment of uncertainty…a moment of fear. Yet above everything her head could imagine, her heart won out.

"Ok."

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"McGee! I want a BOLO out on that sedan. Ziva, I want you to get in touch with everyone you know. Find out why they wanted Abby and DiNozzo!...NOW!"

Gibbs had arrived at the Naval yard, intent on handing his favorite girl her drink and smacking his boy on the head. Instead, he was met with a dead-silent laboratory and a neat desk. His heart stopped cold as he realized they were both gone. His first call had been to the director, telling her that two of her people had been kidnapped. His second (and third) call had been to his other surviving agents. His fourth…to his best friend and autopsy specialist, Dr. Mallard.

Hours later, they were no closer to identifying who stole Abby out of her lab…let alone who was able to catch Tony unaware.

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"Ok, movie quote time…"

"Tony, please…my head hurts too bad to—"

"'Wanna make my day…punk?'"

"Clint Eastwood. And thanks."

"For what?"

"Going easy on me. Do you think they'll be back?"

Tony glanced at his 'friend' as she lay sprawled out on the stone table, cuffed at each limb. His heart stopped when he thought of anyone 'taking' her. He had long ago discovered his feelings for the dark-haired lab rat and wasn't willing to let them go now.

"Ok, here's one…'Are you a Mexic-can or a Mexic-can't?'"

"Come on. At least pick something hard. Now I know we must be trouble if you're giving me easy---"

"Ahh, Agent DiNozzo, I see you are well capable of entertaining Ms. Scuito. She's lovely, isn't she?"

Abby struggled against her bonds as the masked man raked his hand over her face and down the side her neck.

"Go to hell!"

"Really…Ms. Scuito…such words!"

"You're going to hear more if you---"

She felt the immediate sting of a back-handed slap. Momentarily, she flashed to Julia Roberts asking Richard Gere how men know just how to hit a girl. 'Damn, Tony!'

"Hey! Asshole, why not hit on someone who can take it?"

"I have no doubt you can…'take it', Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo. I have read up on your history. However, it does not explain why you are so protective of this one."

"…"

"Ah, speechless, eh? Would it help if I were to enlighten Ms. Scuito of your past?"

"There's nothing you could possibly tell me that would turn me against---"

"Did you know he has had male lovers?"

Abby gasped. Not merely because of the shock factor (although that was a good reason) but that this man knew something Tony had never told her.

"You didn't know, I see. Oh yes, he's had many…many lovers. Isn't that right, Tony?"

Tony was barely able to open his eyes, afraid of what he may see in Abby's…

"Tell her!"

Another man—most likely a lackey---grabbed him by the neck, forcing his choice.

"Ok, fine…yes!"

Tony watched as the main man smiled, thinking he had won some sort of prize. But he knew his Abs.

"You think that'll make me hate him? Knowing he had male lovers? The only thing I gasped at—creep—is that you knew something I didn't. I don't care if Tony had a million male…alien…or women lovers! And if you had bothered to do HALF of the recon you did on him, you'd know that. It's not like I haven't had my share of female lovers. Which Tony knows, by the way."

Tony hadn't known it, but he had suspected. Being an ex-patrol cop and Senior Field Agent he was able to hide his surprise.

"You're only mistake, Mr. 'I'm-masked-and-am-holding-two-NCIS-people-in-custody' is that Gibbs is going to find us. And when he does—"

"Yes, yes…I have been warned about your Agent Gibbs. I hear he is relentless in pursuit of 'bad guys'."

"Then you might as well give up now."

"Ms. Scuito, you mis-underestimate me…you think I would actually kidnap Agent Gibbs' love interest and top field agent without doing background checks first?"

"What? Love interest—"

"Come now…you cannot tell me you and he are not…"

The man searched Abby's startled face.

"My God, you didn't not know! This is even better than I had hoped! I thought that—"

"Alright! Enough with the whole 'Gibbs loves Abby' thing. We all know! Just…let her go, and we'll work this out. I'm just as valuable and—"

"Oh, believe me, Agent DiNozzo, I know."

Tony felt his face redden from the indication.

"I see…neither one of you…oh, I believe this is, what you Americans would say "priceless""?

"You bastard!"

Tony and Abby were left with not only heavy thoughts, but the sound of the man's-- holding them hostage—laugh.