Disclaimer: NCIS is owned by CBS, DPB and Paramount, no profit is being made.
A/N: I am such a slacker, I haven't updated Grace in… well, it's been so long I'm not actually sure. But I am so sorry for anyone who believed me when I said there'd be more chapters soon! --ducks and hides-- Well, I have been busy – working would you believe, yes! I got a job!
I wanted to say thank you so much to my buddy Hannah who helped me get my muse back, which for a while there I thought was gone for good! xxoo
Anyways, please just R&R!
Chapter 16
Tony sat bolt upright in the chair, feeling an electric tingle travelling up his spine. He spun his head around, breathing heavily as the blindfold pressed up against his head wound, the feeling of pain and adrenaline pumping through his system, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. The pungent smell of motor oil wafted through the air, a different smell to the oddly stale odour of the oil on the blindfold. This smelt fresh.
Tony shifted in his seat as much as the restraints would allow him, pausing when he suddenly felt something warm touch his skin – the sun. He had not felt the sun for what seemed like forever; instead his position had been encased in darkness, the coldness making his bones ache.
He sat tensely, almost jumping out of his skin when he heard the roar of a car engine approaching him. He sat still, afraid to move or speak, hoping, praying that the car would pass. But it didn't, instead the steady chug chug of the car engine got closer, then stopped, the sound of a car door opening, then silence. There was no sound for a few minutes, then out of nowhere a voice hissed into his ear, causing Tony to involuntarily jump.
"So," the gruff voice said, pausing for a second while the man watched Tony flinch at the sound of his voice, "Where is she?"
Tony swallowed hard, sweat pouring down his forehead and soaking into the blindfold. Tony remained silent, instead waiting for the man to talk again. He remained silent, and then out of nowhere the voice appeared again, this time hissing into his other ear. Tony's head shot around in the direction of the voice, "Who?" he asked.
The man chuckled, his quiet laugh turning into a gruff cough as he hit his fist against some metallic object nearby. He sound echoed around the building, then stopped. The man sniffed loudly, clearing his throat to speak again.
"I am not a patient man. Do not screw with me," he threatened, walking around to the front of Tony and resting his palms on the arms of the chair that Tony was restrained to, "Now, I will ask you again, one more time. Is that understood?"
Tony remained quiet, instead waiting for him to make the next move. He chuckled again, leaning in towards Tony, "Where is she?"
"I don't know who you're talking about." Tony replied, almost mechanically.
"Oh, you will. You will." The man said before leaning away from Tony, turning to walk back towards the car he drove in with. Tony could hear him opening the rusty car door, then slamming it shut. Tony could hear footsteps heading back towards himself as his muscles tensed again.
The silence was shattered as Tony felt warm metal pressing into his temple, then the click of the safety being released. Tony recognised the sound immediately, it was a Sig Sauer, the same gun Tony uses daily in the field.
"What are you going to do? Shoot me?" Tonysensed that this man was all talk, no action. He was wrong.
The man suddenly lunged forward, grabbing Tony by the shoulders. He held onto his shoulders, the Sig in his right hand, the grip unwavering. Then, as quickly as he lunged forward, he released his grip; instead untying the restraints that held Tony's arms behind his back, then lent down to do the same to the restraints around his ankles.
He grabbed Tony by the arm and yanked him to his feet, all without uttering a word.
"Whoa! Look, I can't tell you what you want to know if you won't tell me who you're looking for!" Tony objected.
"Shut up!" the man demanded, pressing the pistol into Tony's upper left arm.
"C'mon, I can help--" Tony began, only to have pain shooting through his arm, and before he knew what happened, the darkness washed over him and he passed out.
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Two Hours Later
The restraints on his wrists and ankles were heavy, connected to chains that allow him movement but, he expected, not very far. The floor was cold and solid because the floor, like the restraints, were iron.The burning in hisleft armintensified when he moved, and as he waited for his eyesight to clear. Everything was blurry and his eyes watered when he tried to sit up, blood staining his clothes as he gripped his arm, his fingers digging into his flesh as the heat intensified.
Tony took a few deep breaths to try to calm himself, banging his fist against the metal wall in pain and anger. He released his grip on his arm, instead attempting to pull at the metal restraints as best he could, but to no avail. The chains were connected to the wall of the small 2x2 meter long cell, the only light a dim glow coming from underneath the heavy iron door of the cell.
He looked around the cell, but there's nothing but iron walls riveted together, no way out other than the thick iron door. He rubs his shoulder against his cheek, pushing the blindfold out of the way so it hang loosely around his neck.
The bastard shot me!
That was all Tony could think, all he could focus on. If he tried to think too hard his head throbbed and he had to stop himself from throwing up. All he could focus on was the anger; it was all he could do to stop himself from passing out again.
"Do you need another drink of water?"
Tony's head shot up, his eyes darting from side to side to see where the voice had come from.
"Who's there?" he called groggily, attempting to shift his head in the direction that the voice came from.
For a moment, Tony is sure he's losing his mind. "Kate?" he calls out hesitantly.
"Tony. Tony wake up, you're okay now." The voice says, and Tony is sure he can feel a hand resting on his forehead.
"You're still warm, I'll get you a wet cloth."
"Who are you!" He calls out, panic seeping into his voice. "What are you talking about?" the voice asks in return. Suddenly everything goes blurry again, his head starts thumping and he's thrown into darkness again. Only, this time the darkness doesn't stay, but it morphs into the familiar surroundings of his own apartment.
"Anyway, the doctor says you'll be back to your old self in a week or so." The voice continues, hardly perturbed by Tony's silence, or the way he watches her with one eye half-open, "well, I hope you're not too much like your old self," she gives him a wry smile as she places the wet cloth over his forehead. He reaches a hand up to hold it there, their hands touching for a split second before she pulls away.
She blinks at him from her position on the edge of the sofa, watching his expectant smile.
"Kate." Tony calls out, his voice raspy and he has to stop himself from coughing.
"Yes?" she replies, almost as quiet as Tony, but much more hesitant.
He opens his mouth to speak, but the words get all jumbled up, "Thanks, for this I mean. It was stupid of me to open that envelope, put you… everyone, at risk. Just, thanks for sticking by me, it means a lot." he says instead, watching her drop her eyes back to the jug of water on the table. Kate reaches down to pick the jug up and pour him a glass, handing the glass to him, which he sips slowly.
"It's the least I can do, you've saved my butt enough times…" she trails off, instead reaching out to take the glass back from Tony and placing it on the coffee table.
Kate moves closer to him, taking the cloth off his forehead and placing it neatly on the coffee table. She leans in close to him, then unable to hold back any longer, pulls him into a deep kiss…
Tony's eyes fling open; his breathing starts to get faster and faster as panic washes over him. He tries to move but the pain in his arm stops him from doing so and he lets out a pained cry.
"No! That wasn't what happened… It wasn't…" He stammers, his teeth clattering together as shock begins to set, the heat in his arm combining with the coldness of the rest of his body.
He squeezes the wound tighter, tugging at the restraints in a blatant attempt to loosen them.
He starts to shake, the ice cold travelling to the core of his body, making his bones ache like nothing he'd ever experienced before. "That wasn't… what… happened…" he stammered slowly, his voice trailing off to the end.
"Kate… I'm sorry, I love you."
Suddenly the sound of laughter echoes around the iron cell, "Ahhh, I see now."
Tony tries to lift his head to see who was talking, but the pain was too much. There's a loud screech as the iron door opens and a figure enters, standing over Tony. He strains his eyes to see the man's face, but everything's blurry and disorientated.
"What did you do?" Tony stammers slowly, his teeth chattering together as he battles to stay awake.
"It's the drug I gave you. It seemed to have to have the… desired effect." He replies, resting his hands on his hips as he looks down at Tony lying helplessly on the floor.
"What drug? What 'desired effect'?" Tony asks, squeezing the wound tighter until his knuckles are a ghostly white.
"Hallucinations. Now I have what I need." He turns to leave, half closing the iron door before Tony calls out.
"Wait! Please, tell me what you want and I'll give you what you need."
The man pauses at the door, "I don't think so. There's nothing you can help me with anymore."
"Please…" Tony asks, attempting to make the man see his side of it. He's in too much pain to argue, so instead waits for an answer.
"You couldn't protect Kate, what makes you think you can protect Grace?"
A/N: R&R peoples, and thank you to everybody for your loyal reviews, they mean so much to me! And thank you again to Hannah, I've finally got my muse back thanks to you! xxoo :)