Author's Note: Hey, I didn't get many reviews for the last chapter (hope it was alright) but I think people are going to like this one a lot. I love getting reviews, it lets me know people are reading and I should continue the story, so please if you have the time.

I decided to put this one up early

"What the hell is this Ryan!" Tony yelled, storming into the conference room.

"What the problem Almeida?"

"Michelle doesn't have the kind of training for this type of thing."

"She's been trained to do this ever since she started working here. She's going. She's been working on this case for months, she has the most Intel." He retorted.

Tony looked out of the glass to see Michelle getting ready to leave. His eyes filled with a black rage he hadn't felt since the first time she had been sent out into the field.

He loved her from day one.

Michelle watched Tony climb to his office, seeing an anger in his eyes that scared her. She had to talk to him, tell him she could do this.

"Tony…what are you doing?" She asked, getting to his office and hearing him on the phone.

"Calling division to get someone to take your place in the field." He stated.

She reached over his desk and disconnected the call.

"Damnit Michelle you're not going. This is too dangerous, even for you." He shouted.

"Damn it Tony this isn't your choice or mine, you know that. This is what we do and if you can't handle it…" She was cut off by the feel of rough lips against her, pressing her back in the cold wall.

Momentarily stunned, feeling his lips in her, she was about to say something, those three words that had been on her mind since day one. But the intercom came first, telling her it was time to go.

"It will be alright." Was all she said before she left CTU. He didn't believe her.

Michelle stood in front of the warehouse dividing her team, stationing an agent at each exit and at the main surveillance areas in the warehouse.

"Alright everyone, our main target is Cullen. We need him alive understand?" Michelle said over the comm.

She informed CTU everything was about to go in to apprehend the suspect. Tony paced nervously around the room, sweat forming on his brow, possible situations running through his mind of what could happen to her.

Michelle had two agents behind her going in the room. She was the first in, looking around to see computers and some lights. They searched under the desks in case he was hiding out.

Both agents started to go in what looked like a bathroom. As Michelle examined the computers she heard shots firing. She ran in the room and saw both her men on the ground, lying in a growing pool of blood. Before she could check their pulses she felt a stabbing pain in the back of her head. She had been hit with something hared, her vision went black. The last thing she felt was being dragged by her limp arms.

"Tony, three of the agent's lines just went dead." Shouted one of the analysts.

"Which ones?" Tony asked in masked panic.

"The three that went in to get Cullen."

This was exactly what he knew could…would happen. He wished he had gone. He knew the information, he knew what to do, but most importantly, he knew she was safe.

Now that was far beyond the case, Michelle wasn't safe anymore. He took a couple of unsteady steps away from everyone; he couldn't take it something happened to her.

He found he had no strength in his knees; his heart was pounding fiercely in his chest, he felt his throat constricted, his breath shaky with emotion. Michelle…

Michelle woke to her flesh being stung at the entrance of a knife's point in her arm. Cullen, as he called himself, was taking extra care to penetrate the skin deeply.

After knocking her unconscious he tied her to the railing of a bathroom in the warehouse, somewhere he was sure no one would her screams when he was through with her.

His eyes were ablaze with frustration and anger, and his voice was soaked with impatience when he spoke.

"Michelle, I'll only ask you this once. Tell me where the rest of your team is. I will have no problem dispatching you if I have to."

The words seeped from his lips with desperation and malice.

And all Michelle could do was smirk at him.

"You're one hell of a liar, you know that? I won't tell you anything. And don't give me that shit about killing me. I'm no good to you dead." She regretted the words the moment they flew out.

In a blur the knife scraped across the burn on her arm, slicing into it and furthering the intense agony that her left arm was already in.

His free hand wrapped itself around her throat, and Michelle knew she had sealed her fate.

Suddenly something as simple and insignificant as taking in air became the greatest priority in her mind, as the hand that gripped her throat threatened to squeeze the life out of her. The knife that occupied Paul's left hand glinted menacingly in the light that streamed in from the windows. She could see the fresh blood from her arm surrounding it.

"I'm sorry you had to bring me to this."

He spoke between gritted teeth, and if she had been able to scoff again she would have.

She knew he would eventually have to let go, he needed her for information. Unfortunately for her, it was a pain she feared to the point of tears. She feared it because it was slow, like drowning, which happened to be right up there on her list of "worst ways to suffer."

Michelle fought to squeeze her hands through the rope, leaving blood stains on her wrists. Cullen let loosened his grip to get the gun he had knocked her out with. Before he could she lunged forward, knocking him and the gun to the ground. They struggled.

A loud shot was heard down the hall. The two agents Michelle had set up came running down. One pushed his way through the door, seeing the terrorist on the floor clutching his leg, seeing he had been shot in the thigh.

Michelle straightened herself out, trying to be strong.

"Agent Dessler, are you alright."

"I'm fine. Look we're gonna need some backup to transport him back." She said, trying to fight the wobble in her step.

"We already called into CTU when you went missing. Jack and Tony should be here soon."

"Good. Keep an eye on him til they get here." She said, retaking charge of the situation.

She could hear the vans pulling up to the warehouse. She came out with her badge high, making sure she would be noticed.

Even before Tony reached her she could tell he was fighting to stay calm. Just seeing him was making her lose control fast.

Tony got out and saw Michelle soaked in blood. He didn't care who was around, he raced over and threw her into him, holding on with no intention of ever letting go. Not going unnoticed by Jack Bauer.

"Michelle do you know Cullen is?" Jack pushed.

"Jack she needs medical now." Tony yelled over the noise.

"Cullen…he's inside." She said weakly to Jack.

"Alright we'll get him, bring him in for interrogation." He nodded.

Tony could see her eyelids flutter every so often, her mind trying to fight the growing state of dormancy. She was losing blood.

"You're gonna be ok." He whispered, getting her over to the ambulance despite her protests.

They wheeled Michelle into medical followed right by Tony. One of the nurses stopped him in front of the door.

"I need to be in there with her." Tony pleaded.

"Sir, I can't permit you to see her at this moment. I'm sorry but no one is allowed to see her." The nurse continued.

"I'm sorry but maybe you didn't hear me clearly? I love this woman and I would go to any lengths to see her. So you can either show me to her room or I can show myself." Tony yelled.

"Sir, I'm sorry…but I can't…now if you will please have a seat the doctor will be out shortly to explain the situation more thorough. Please have a seat sir." The nurse persisted.

"It's alright Julia he can come in." Dr. Benton interjected.

Dr. Benton stood examining Michelle's head wound; certain she had a pretty bad concussion. He looked over at the director of CTU, eyes filled with worry, not leaving her side even for a second.

"Mr. Almeida, we need to get a better look at her arm. Maybe she would be more comfortable if you helped her." He said, knowing it would do Tony good if he was helping her.

Tony looked up and nodded in appreciation.

Leaning down, close to her face, his hand moved to wipe the sweat-dampened hair from her face.

His voice came out low, filled with shame and concern.

"Michelle. Michelle, wake up."

A few light pats on her cheek and her eyes cracked open slightly.

"What...Tony…"

Michelle's whisper faded away under a small whimper, and his heart clenched to the point of holding back a falling tear.

He had done this, more or less.

If only he had gotten someone else.

He patted her face a few more times, getting one fully open eye as a response.

"I need you to wake up, listen. Your…your shirt. I need to help them get it off."

At this both eyes opened and stared at him with a hint of confusion.

"Listen, your arm, it's bleeding pretty badly. The doctors need to get a good look at it like this. I need you to help me maneuver so I can get your shirt off."

A small moan emitted from her throat at the memory of what had happened.

The knife cutting into a burn, an unbearable pain that returned more with every thought of it.

She nodded and grasped the handle on the bed.

Tony pulled her to his chest and slowly worked her arms over her head to pull of the soaked shirt. The doctors were getting everything ready, Dr. Benton walked over to examine the wound.

"Okay, I don't think this is bad enough to merit a total panic, but I do need to tie something around it stop the blood from continuing to flow. It's going to hurt like hell for a minute, but try to bear with me." He said.

"Alright, I'm gonna have to pull this tight, ready?"

This time her voice, small and broken, filled Tony's ears.

"Yes."

And he yanked, applying the needed pressure to stop the blood, and eliciting a sharp yelp from the agonized woman who writhed in the bed.

As her quickened breathing slowed, and the initial pain died, Michelle looked at him sleepily and forced another smile.

"You did good." Tony said.

Tony looked down at Michelle's face, brushing the dampened curls so he could see her eyes.

"You should get some rest. I'll stay awake…and watch over you."

Half-lidded eyes landed on his chest, and his skin twitched as her cool fingers ran over his heart.

She said nothing.

She removed her hand and closed her eyes.

Shifting over to one side, facing the sleeping Michelle, he reached over and laid a hand on her wrist.

He remained so for the rest of the night, watching her, listening to her steady breaths, feeling the strengthening beat of her pulse beneath his fingertips, waiting for her to be ok.

So let me know. I hope I did Michelle justice in this chapter, I believe she is an extremely strong agent who can hold her own so I hope I got that across.

Please review!! I always love getting them