Tony stopped again for a moment, looking down at the table, just breathing. He'd left out the part about Gibbs, and some of the more gruesome details of the things Stratton did to him. He knew he had a lot more to tell before he could finish. And, hopefully get Jarvis on board to get Latham. But it was overwhelming. And he still wasn't sure how he'd managed to survive.

Gibbs had turned to lean on the wall, watching Tony's face, as he'd recounted this part the ugly and chilling experience. McGee had finally sat down, in a chair and was leaning forward, elbows on knees, unable to look at any of them while he listened. He looked like he was going to be sick.

ZIva had resumed pacing, and hearing the story as well, but now occasionally let out a little hiccup as she angrily swiped at her tears.

Only Vance and Ducky seemed to remain, oddly still, with a grim set to their mouths.

Gibbs shook his head. It was too much. "I should be in there with him." He stood away from the wall, listing towards the door.

Ducky gently grabbed his arm, "Jethro, I don't know if he could get through it, with you there." His tone was gentle as he looked at the grief in Gibbs' eyes. "I think we should let him finish it, with Jarvis, if he's able. There will be time for all of us, later. He's home, and alive, and it seems that is clearly a miracle. Let's try to focus on that."

The words were soothing to them all, and Gibbs took a deep breath, and nodded, walking back to the glass.

Jarvis was looking a bit sickened himself. "Go on, Tony," he said gently.

Tony nodded slightly, and looked up from the table finally.

"I guess O'Shea wasn't expecting me to be there, looking like that, much less being called a spy."

Jarvis seemed to be thinking.

"He didn't believe it, did he?"

Tony smiled, "No."

"When did you see him next?"

"Later that night."

(Flashback)

They had brought Tony back to the interrogation room again, where he sunk into a corner, dazed and oblivious.

He'd just come from the seriously warped Latham dinner, which went more poorly this time because Tony was still tripping from the drugs that day. They miscalculated the dosage, and he couldn't manage to even eat. It wasn't for lack of hunger…but the food kept talking to him, telling him Latham was going to kill him.

When he crazily yelled at a potato to shut up, Latham gave up and had him sent back.

He sat in the corner, talking to himself, finally starting to straighten his head out. He laughed, suddenly finding what happened with the potato to be hilarious. He laughed and laughed, like a lunatic. He wondered if they had thought of the possibility he would just simply go insane, and not be of any use for their purposes.

"Oh. Well, then they'll just finally kill you, DiNozzo." He realized the sad truth of that. Of having been put through all of it, never to see Gibbs, or Abby, or any of them again. He closed his eyes, and put his hands over his face in despair.

Just then, in the dark, the hatch opened. It wasn't the usual time for Stratton to play his sick games…but maybe it was going to be something new, that the sadistic bastard had planned for him.

He stayed in the corner, watching the lone figure approach him. In the darkness, he finally made out this was a much bigger person that Stratton.

"Tony!" A voice whispered sharply, as a hand gently rested on his shoulder.

He flinched and gasped at the contact, but relaxed as soon as he heard, "It's Brian. Man are you in deep shit! What the Hell did you do? I know you are no spy. No way."

Tony said as strongly as he could, "No, I'm not. I would never. You know me. Latham is dirty, Bri. You have to believe me…"

"Latham?" Brian said softly, in surprise.

"Yes. He's been stealing microchips…killing people for them, that…" Tony suddenly faded a bit…the whispers had stated getting louder for a moment.

"Tony… God they really screwed you up in here, didn't they? You looked pretty bad outside today man."

Suddenly Tony felt overwhelmed, that after so many weeks, there was someone who would believe him, and gave a damn about what was happening to him. Tears sprang from his eyes…he was for once grateful it was so dark in the room.

O'Shea felt him shaking.

"Don't worry man, I'm gonna figure something out. I paid off the PO outside to let me talk to you and keep his mouth shut. It cost me DiNozzo. You're gonna owe me big bucks for this."Tony knew the men Stratton had picked to be involved with his "re-programming" were none too scrupulous. They could be bought...but he worried about them ratting O'Shea out.

Tony chuckled through his tears. Then he warned, "Bri, don't let on to Latham or Stratton, or anyone you know…they will kill you."

"You're always trouble, Agent Afloat. Next time I come…I'm gonna try to get you outta here…just gonna try to do it without ending up in the brig…"

"That might be a good idea. No one can know that you helped me. I don't want you in the middle of this mess….but…" Tony trailed off, unable to finish saying that O'Shea was his only hope.

"It's okay, Tony" O'Shea squeezed his arm. "Right is right." Tony smiled. O'Shea had said those same words, during Tony's investigation into the false accusations made against him on the Sea Hawk.

And with that he was gone. He knew O'Shea was going to do what he could, and try to see what the truth was for himself.

Tony just hoped Brian wouldn't end up like E.J.

(End Flashback)

"When did you see him next?" Jarvis knew at this point there was more to it.

Tony tilted his head a little and raised his eyebrows.

"When he busted me out."

A/N: I'm getting blurry ! Must break ! Probably a million type o's. Please let me know what you think of this spin off on the original story. All you good readers who inspire – many many thanks !