Disclaimer: NCIS isnt mine...

A/N: Took a while, but here it is!!! Enjoy!

"I'm Leroy Jethro Gibbs. I think you a couple of my people, and I'd like to get them back."

Jonathan looked the man up and down, sizing him up. He was older, his hair was gray and semi-long with a gray mustache. He held his pistol like he was experienced, but also like he hadn't done it in a while. Jonathan could see the fire behind the man's eyes and a chill went down his spine. It was going to take more than a raised voice and a pistol to go against this guy.

"Well, that's rather unfortunate for you Mr. Gibbs," Jonathan called, and both Abby inside and Tony outside slightly cringed. Mr. Gibbs sounded way too weird.

Looking through the sight of his gun, Gibbs could see only half of Jonathan's face peering out from the front door. It wasn't enough for a clear shot, and Gibbs couldn't risk Abby and Tim's life with a missed bullet. Gibbs blinked when the face vanished from his sight. Jonathan quickly went to his brother and took posession of the pistol. Still keeping it fixed on Abby, he knelt down beside her and pressed the barrel to the back of her head. At the touch, Abby startled and whimpered fearfully.

"What is it that you want?" Gibbs asked, leveling his voice.

"It was this bitch and those agents that put our brother in jail!" Jonathan yelled heatedly, and Ben pressed his foot down harshly on Abby's back, bending her painfully more forward and she winced audibly.

"Well, that may be, and your plan might've been working until now, but look around Masterson. You are out-manned and out-gunned, you wouldn't last a minute in an ambush."

"You take one step toward this house and there will be a bullet in her brain before you get to the front step!" Jonathan screamed. For emphasis, Ben swung his leg, kicking Abby in the side, and she let out a scream of pain.

"Oh damn Gibbs," Tony breathed, his stomach knotting, "they've got Abby there with them."

Gibbs swore under his breath, then muttered quietly to Tony, "This changes things. Still trust me DiNozzo?"

"Never stopped, Boss."

Gibbs made a quick glace to the younger agent then put his focus back to Jonathan. "Okay, okay, I get it. No one's going to move. Let's talk about this though. We want to help you."

Inside, Abby's eyes widened slightly. Had she heard him right? What the hell are you doing Gibbs?

Ben's head snapped over to his brothers, his eyebrows raised. "Jon...maybe we should listen to him," he whispered nervously.

Jonathan nodded slowly then called back, "Keep talking."

Gibbs exhaled sharply. "I've put through a call to the director of NCIS, and she's willing to make a deal. Our people for your transport out of here, and you'll be free of prosecution."

"Gibbs!" Ziva whispered harshly, not daring to believe what she heard.

Tony's head turned sharply and glared. "Shut up Ziva, we've got this covered," he whispered back just as harsh.

"You interested?" Gibbs held his breath in anticipation.

Abby lay pressed against the floor, her heart beating wildly in her chest. She felt odd. Half terrified and half, strangely enough, happy...Gibbs was back. He was here to save her as he had done so many times before. Abby just prayed now that he would get to her in time. She could still feel the cold steel of the gun barrel pressed against the base of her skull.

Upon hearing the offer for their freedom, Jonathan stood up sharply from Abby's side and began to pace a short path back and forth, racking his brain for any solution to getting out alive.

"Jon..." Ben whispered, eyes wide in panic. "Jon, we've got to do something."

"Shut it, Ben," Jonathan muttered aggrivatedly, still pacing.

"Jon, just do what he says." The younger brother was becoming jittery. "You're the one who wanted him to keep talking--"

"I said shut up Ben!" Jonathan exploded in that frightening, hushed whisper than made Abby's blood run cold. "I was just trying to buy us some time! Maybe we can sneak her out the back and make a break for it."

"You'll never make it," Abby suddenly piped up from the floor. "They'll know something's wrong and they'll charge in after you."

Jonathan glowered down at his hostage, and slammed his foot to the floor mere inches from Abby's nose. She startled violently and was silenced.

"Jonathan? You still there?" He startled when he heard Gibbs address him. Jonathan and Ben exchanged a long look, which seemed to silently communicate their thoughts to another.

Jonathan nodded curtly then called back to the agents outside, "What's the catch?"

Gibbs exhaled slowly, slightly relieved but still on his guard. "Just a little show of good faith," he called back. "There's that window right near the front door. Let Abby go to the window so we can she if she's okay."

Before Abby could register what was happening, Jonathan had scooped down and grabbed her painfully by the upper arm. He pulled her up then forcefully pushed her back against the wall, clasping his hand over her mouth.

Looking at Abby, Jonathan yelled to Gibbs, "Okay, she's coming out!" He then lowered his voice to a menacing growl and addressed Abby. "Nothing funny now. Just go to the window and let them get a good look at you. This gun will be pointed at your back the entire time. You understand me?"

Abby shuddered, but nodded nervously. Jonathan lifted his hand and stepped away from her, leaving a clear path to the window. Abby started to walk slowly forward, staggering slightly from her injuries and nerves. She reached her arms forward to take hold of the sides of the open window, but as she stretched, her broken rib caught sharply. She grimaced in pain, and she stumbled forward, hitting the window sill in complete view of the agents outside.

Tony, Gibbs, and Ziva all felt their insides squirm when they saw Abby pitch forward; but when she stood, their blood ran cold. From twenty feet away, they could see how badly she had been hurt. She was thinner, almost hollowed. Her face was almost unrecognizeable. Her lip was cut, bruises covered both cheeks, bloody scrapes and cuts were dotted everywhere, and the reminants of a gash in her temple were visible. She wore only a black spaghetti strap shirt, and there were deep bruises visible where her clothing did not cover. The team knew she had a couple broken ribs, but the pain they were causing was eminent in the way he carried her upper body. She held a swollen and bruised wrist tight to her torso.

Ziva swore aloud in Hebrew then whispered, "Oh, my God."

"Oh Jesus, Boss," Tony muttered, horrified. "They've beaten the crap out of her."

Abby gazed out of the window and into the faces of each agent outside. Tears filled her eyes as she passed over Tony, but her breath caught in her throat and the tears began to fall when her eyes fell on Gibbs. For two months, Abby had prayed for the day she would see Gibbs again, and now that it had come...she hoped he hadn't come only to see her get killed.

As hot tears streamed down her face, Abby raised her good hand to her face and wiped them away, trailing them down her neck. She slowly brought her fisted hand to her chest. Looking right into Gibbs' eyes, she ever-so-subtly turned her fist in a tiny circle.

Sorry.

"Oh Abby," Gibbs whispered.

Abby sniffed thickly and gasped when she felt Jonathan grab her arm and pull her from the window, pinning her back against the wall.

"Hold her," Jonathan told his brother, who took over the grip of Abby's arm. Jonathan stepped carefully toward the front door and called out, "Okay now, you've seen her. Now get your director on the phone!"

Jonathan watched cautiously as he saw Gibbs pull out his cell and dial with one hand as the other still grasping his pistol with perfect aim. He couldn't hear his voice, but he could see his lips moving, so Jonathan was sure that he wasn't being played. Inside, Abby was trying to steady her emotions. Gibbs, Tony, and Ziva were out there...her freedom was so close. The only thing that was keeping her from it was Jonathan's short temper, Ben's increasingly painful grip on her forearm, and the pistols they both carried.

Gibbs snapped his phone shut, nodded to both his agents at his side, and called up to Jonathan. "Okay Masterson...there's a transport on its way. Now, here's the deal. You send out one of me people, and when the transport gets here, you send out the other. Starting with Abby."

Jonathan glared over at Abby and called, "Why her? I kinda like having her around."

"Jeez," Tony muttered. "Make things more complicated."

"Because in the long run," Gibbs replied, starting to get weary, "it's better for you to keep my agent. He has gives you more leverage than she does. Abby's worthless to me."

Abby gasped and felt tears burn in her eyes as the bottom dropped out of her stomach. She tried to shake his voice from her mind, but it only settled to the back. Abby knew exactly what Gibbs was doing...but that didn't keep his words from stinging.

"All we need her for is to go to trial, relay our information, and look pretty," Gibbs continued.

Jonathan chuckled wryly. "'Look pretty'? I would have picked someone else for that one Mr. Gibbs."

"All right, that's it!" Tony growled. "I've got dibbs on him Boss, his ass is mine."

"Steady DiNozzo," Gibbs muttered. He then called out, "We got a deal?"

Jonathan continued to stare at Abby, who was wide-eyed with anticipation and fear. He nodded shortly to his brother and motioned for him to bring Abby up to the door.

Gibbs quickly turned to Tony, muttering directions rapidly. "Tony, if and when Abby comes out, she'll come to you. Take her behind the van and keep her safe. The back-up team is stationed at the rear of the house and is ready to advance at the signal, Ziva and I will cover the front entrance. Have Abby tell you where they are keeping Tim, and relay it to me. Got that?"

"Yes Boss," Tony replied.

"You've got a deal Mr. Gibbs," they heard Jonathan call out, and all their spirits lifted slightly. "She's going to walk out and come to you...don't come forward, because I'll still have my gun at her back the entire time.

Now pressed up against the wall beside the front screen door, Abby's heart leapt for joy. She gasped happily, but the remaining ribbon of fear within her took over when Jonathan closed in in front of her.

"You know Abby," he whispered with that malicious glint, "it's been fun having you over. Hope to see you again sometime."

Abby stared back into Jonathan's eyes, her stomach knotting tighter and tighter. But it wasn't in fear. She blinked when she realized that every ounce of fear she had collected and endured over the past 52 hours had changed into burning hatred. Her eyes narrowed and darkened as she suddenly leaned forward and spat in Jonathan's face.

Jonathan tensed like he was going to retaliate, but he only wiped off his face with a lopsided smirk. He knew it wasn't worth it to hit her, not with three pistols points at him. Jonathan simply chuckled lightly and then violently shoved Abby back out of the door. She stumbled horribly, pain ripping through her chest, down the front two steps. Abby never hit the ground, but her vision was swimming and she was visibly disoriented.

Tony, quickly holstering his weapon and reaching both arms out in front of him, gently called out, "Abby, I'm over here. Come on, baby, you're going to be okay."

Abby started moving forward, shivering with emotion, being beckoned on by Tony's soft and gentle words. She felt her throat tighten and tears begin to well up once again as she inched closer and closer to her friend. Her eyes cut to her left and she made eye contact with Gibbs, who nodded encouragingly, and she felt her legs buckle weakly beneath her.

"Come on Abs," Tony said softly, "I've got you."

Abby raised her uninjured arm and shakily reached for Tony's outstretched hands. When her fingers touched his hand, Tony immediately bent down and scooped Abby up in his arms in one fell swoop, careful not to aggrivate her painful chest. Abby wrapped her good arm around Tony's neck and began to cry harder as he swiftly carried her behind the NCIS van. He gingerly laid her down on the ground, resting her back against the side of the van and Tony quickly fell to her side.

"Abby," Tony said urgently. "Abby, where's Tim? Where are they keeping him?"

Abby was crying so hard she was barely able to find her voice between her sobs. "Long hall...last room...bright red door. Oh God, Tony...I think he's dead."

Tony felt his stomach drop and he spoke into the microphone in his sleeve. "Did you, uh, get that, Boss?"

"Yeah DiNozzo, I got it," Gibbs replied. Tony recognized that tone...that hollowed growl he took on when his people's lives were in danger.

Tony wrapped his arms around Abby shivering body and she leaned into him, still crying. "Hey, it's okay," he whispered, petting her head. "Shh, you're safe know, I've got you. We're about to get Tim out of there, then we can all go home."

Gibbs raised his wrist to his mouth and spoke into the microphone, "Back up team, did you get the location of Agent McGee?"

"Affirmative," replied a voice.

Gibbs steeled himself, then yelled into the mic, "Secondary team, move in now! Go, go, go!!"

Tony startled and Abby screamed when gunfire erupted from the house behind them. Abby pressed herself against Tony's chest, and his protective hold around her tightened. Both the passenger and driver's door windows exploded above them as a stray bullet flew through and Tony shielded Abby's head and face from the flying shards.

Tony pulled away to see Abby slumped uncomfortably forward. He leaned her back, and was stabbed with a brief moment of panic when he saw her eyes closed and her body limp. He quickly checked her neck for a pulse and found a slow, steady one...Abby had fallen unconscious.

"DiNozzo," Tony heard Gibbs' voice in his ear, "the scene is secure. You can call in Ducky."