Amelia said the first thing that came to her mind… "Gun barrels look so much bigger up close."

"Get back!" A desperate male voice yelled at her. "Get back into the house!" Amelia instinctively put her hands up and took four steps back. Once back inside, she could see that the man was average height and build. He had a scruffy, unkempt look to him. All of her impulses told her to strike out at him, but it wasn't just her life she would be risking. And this guy was definitely hyped up on something.

"Oh, my God…" She heard Lexi mutter behind her. No doubt by now, Lexi had gone to hide behind Tim. Amelia wasn't sure if Piper would hide behind Tony, or the other way around. The fact that she was able to clearly process all of this told her… Yes, she really was as abnormal and calculating as everyone said. But they would thank her for it later… They better.

"Look, if you need help, you don't need a gun." Her voice came out low and strong. "Just don't hurt my friends." Yes, they better thank her for this.

"Shut up!" He yelled at her again. She was starting to take offense to this.

"Look, man." Tony stepped forward. Amelia let her head turn just enough to see that Lexi was in fact behind Tim. Piper had moved to stand next to Tim. Tony was just in front of Piper. "Just tell us what you want."

'Oh Tony,' Amelia thought to herself. 'Just keep your mouth shut.'

"I need money! Give me all your cash!" Tim and Tony immediately pulled out their wallets. "You!" The gun was once again shoved in Amelia's face. "Get their wallets and bring them to me!" Amelia grudgingly did as she was told. Just as she handed over the wallets, the man grabbed her arm and twisted her, so she was facing away from him. Then he forced her back against him. He held his gun hand out, pointed right at Tony's head.

"Let her go." Piper tried to step forward as she spoke but Tony swung his arm out, stopping her. "Just let her go and you can have a car."

"Give me the keys!" He shook Amelia and screamed.

"I have them." Amelia dug her hand into her pocket and pulled out both sets of keys. She let them all drop to the floor.

"Pick them up!" She stiffened when the gun was promptly shoved into her back. "Now!" Amelia kept her eyes on her friends as she bent down. When her hand made contact with something fuzzy, she knew she had her keys. Straightening back up, she sent a wink at Piper. Piper cocked her head forward slightly. Amelia hoped it was confirmation that Piper knew Lexi's keys were still on the floor, not just Piper being confused. "You're coming with me." Amelia felt her hair being pulled and instinctively fought against it.

"Now, wait a minute." Tony took another step towards them. "Just let her go, and you can walk out of here."

"Don't come any closer!" The gun was pointing at Tony again.

"Look, just let her go."

"Tony, back off!" Amelia yelled her warning. Out of the corner of her eye she could see her captor's hand squeeze the gun grip. "No!" She blindly jabbed with her elbow, and was relieved when it sunk into his abdomen, causing his aim to falter. The bullet tore high through Tony's shoulder. Tony fell back.

The shrill ringing in her ears caused Amelia's mind to spin out of focus for several seconds. By the time she got her bearings back, she was outside and being thrown against the side of her car.

"Unlock it!"

She blinked and shakily hit the button on her key set that would unlock the door. The keys were snatched away from her and she was unceremoniously shoved into the back seat, on the driver's side. Just as her head came up, she saw Tim and Piper running out of the cabin. The tires skidded on the dirt driveway and she was jostled back down against the seat. The last thing that registered in her mind was a sharp pain as her forehead connected with the door.

NCIS

Piper looked around her, in a daze. The ER waiting room was packed full of police, FBI, and NCIS. Tim was sitting in a corner with Lexi almost in his lap, talking to Gibbs. Ziva had long since gone into Tony's exam room to question him. Someone named Fornell had just handed her a coffee and sat in a chair next to her. His jacket decal said FBI, but Piper had seen him talking to Gibbs earlier, like they knew each other.

"Miss, Brooks," Fornell grabbed Piper's attention. His tone was sympathetic, but still all business. How did cops do that?

"Yes?" Her mouth finally decided to work.

"You told one of the other agents that you didn't recognize the man?"

"Right?" And there was another thing cops did that confused her. They all asked the same questions a hundred damn times.

"Can you describe him to me?" She had already given his description four times. She had it memorized by now.

"Maybe 5'9'', not built, but not slender, shaggy, sandy brown hair, cut kinda short, stubble, dirty, like he hadn't bathed in a while. He was wearing jeans that were torn at the knees, a blue plaid shirt, unbuttoned with a white tee shirt underneath. His hiking boots were really muddy, but the mud was dry. He had a tan line on his forehead like he wears a hat a lot, or maybe he just got a hair cut. And there was a scar on his left cheek, across his cheekbone."

Fornell sat back in his chair, looking mildly impressed. "That's one hell of a detailed description. Most people only see the gun."

"It was a small glock, possibly a nine millimeter." Fornell's eyes bulged for a second. "I used to own one. I had to sell it when my mom moved in." He nodded, understanding crossing his face.

"Are you the baker girlfriend?"

"No, I'm the photographer girlfriend."

"That explains the eye for detail." Fornell smiled and stood up. "If you remember anything else, let me know. You've been the most helpful one so far." He turned to walk away.

"Can I see Tony?" Fornell stopped and eyed her for a second.

"I'll see what I can do." He walked away and Piper happily slipped back into her daze.

NCIS

Amelia shook herself out of the fuzzy darkness that had overcome her. Her right hand came up and gingerly touched the bump on her forehead. That was gonna leave a mark. Before she let her hand drop, she glanced at her watch. She had been out for maybe two hours. Either she was exhausted, or that hit to the head was harder than she thought. Her captor still had his attention on the road. Amelia brought her head up just enough to see that they were on a paved road in the middle of nowhere. All she saw through the darkness on either side of the car were fields dotted occasionally with trees.

How the hell was she going to get out of this?

"Uhg." She hadn't meant to do that out loud. Her captor, who in her mind she had nicknamed Shaggy, suddenly turned in his seat and glared at her. She sent a glare right back at him.

"Lay down!"

Amelia bristled at his tone, but laid back down across the seat. If this was a movie, what would the badass chick do right about now? But she wasn't a badass chick. She was a pregnant chick. Pregnant badass chick… Pregnant… Amelia smiled as an idea formed in her mind.

"Ah!" She cried out so loudly that Shaggy swerved the car. "Ah!" She put both hands on her stomach. "Oh my God!"

"What the hell is the matter with you?" Amelia sat up in the middle of the seat.

"Oh God! Not now!"

"What?"

Amelia's eyes searched for the gun. She let out another wail and bent forward slightly to get a better view of the front seat. The gun was in between Shaggy's legs. "No, I can't have my baby now!"

"What? You better not be going into labor!"

"Oh, God, my baby!" She tried concentrating on her act but the realization that this idiot couldn't tell a five month pregnant belly from a nine month pregnant belly, made her want to laugh. "My baby, please!"

"No freaking way!" The car came to an abrupt stop, sending Amelia forward, between the two front seats. When she finally righted herself, Shaggy was already puling open the back door and grabbing at her. "You wanna have your baby, you can do it out here!"

Amelia backed herself against the other door and tried to get it opened. Shaggy had his upper half in the backseat with her, still trying to pull her out. Amelia brought her leg up and kicked at him as hard as she could. She wasn't exactly aiming, but somehow her foot connected right in the middle of his face. She could have sworn she heard his nose crunch. The other door finally opened and Amelia spilled out onto the pavement. She was surprised Shaggy wasn't coming at her anymore. She bent down and saw him sprawled out, still half in the backseat.

Great… She was never going to get that blood off her seats.

Acting quickly, she ran to the driver's side and popped the trunk. When she crossed to the back of the car, she heard Shaggy groan. She smiled when she opened the big tool box in the trunk. Her friends had called her over-prepared and paranoid for carrying an industrial sized roll of hospital tape in her car. Well, they were going to hear about this… If she ever spoke to them again, that was.

Amelia taped his wrists behind his back. Then wrapped tape around his arms and back. After she managed to shove his legs into the car, she finished by taping his ankles together. She took a moment to rest when she finally sat in the driver's seat. After several cleansing breaths, she flipped on her navigation system.

Yes, she was a badass pregnant chick. Why weren't there more of those in movies?

NCIS

Gibbs looked around him and scowled. This was supposed to be a stress free weekend. Well, for him anyways…

When he went home Friday afternoon, all that was on his mind was the beer his new neighbor had promised him. After helping Chloe paint and wallpaper her small house, the two had retired to her back porch for beer and BBQ sandwiches. They were working out a schedule for putting down her flooring, and Gibbs had seen some plumbing problems he could fix for her, when his cell rang. After explaining the situation to Chloe, and promising her an update when he knew something, he headed to the hospital where Tony had been treated for his gunshot.

Now, they were all scattered around the bullpen, back at the Navy yard. Lexi and Piper were huddled together in chairs near McGee's desk. Neither had said much since they got here. McGee was at his computer, cycling through face recognition using the computer composite of the kidnapper Piper had helped render. Tony was at his desk, his left arm in a sling, having a hushed phone conversation.

Ziva came rushing into the bullpen, followed closely by Gavin Shorne. Gibbs came up out of his chair and greeted the younger Marine.

"Any news on my wife?" Gavin asked anxiously.

"Boss," Tony hung up the phone and stood. Gavin and Gibbs both turned to faced him. "Local LEOs just confirmed, our kidnapper is escaped convict Jason Krebs. He was convicted of multiple murder. He escaped when the bus transporting him crashed. No one knew he got away until they did their official body count and came up missing one."

"Any clue where he might be headed?" Gibbs asked.

"He has a sister in Huntington, West Virginia. No other family. But it's anyone's guess." Tony looked at Gavin. "I wish I could tell you more."

"Amelia's strong. I know she's okay." Gavin kept level eye-contact with Tony. But his voice shook just a little. Tony desperately tried to think of something to say that might make everyone feel better.

"Well, knowing her…" Tony shrugged. "She's probably already strangled the guy and is on her way here with his unconscious body."

"Actually," Everyone turned at the familiar female voice. "I kicked his face."

There stood Amelia flanked by two security guards, with her hands behind her back. Gavin made a guttural noise and ran to his wife. He wrapped his arms around her, but then jumped back suddenly.

"Why is my wife in handcuffs?" He roared at the nearest security guard.

"She had a dead guy in her backseat." The guard defended himself.

"He's not dead. How many times do I have to tell you." She rolled her eyes. This was the second time she was in the bullpen for beating someone unconscious. Starting to get old…

"Sure looked dead." The guard muttered.

"Hey," Gibbs barked out. "Get her outta those, now! She's the one who was kidnapped, you idiot!"

Amelia just stood there, looking at the floor, while the handcuffs were quickly taken off of her. When Gavin wrapped himself around her the second time, she barely moved in response. Gibbs watched and for the first time that night, his faced softened.

"Mrs. Shorne," His low voice finally brought her head up. "Do you feel up to giving me a statement? This isn't anything that can't wait until tomorrow."

"Just… Now. Get it… Over with." She shook her head and brought her wrists up in front of her. Her thumbs traced ugly red lines on both her wrists.

"What did that?" Gavin was suddenly taking her wrists in his hands and kissing them. "Did that asshole tie you up?"

"No… The cuffs. I was trying to get out of them. I don't like being bound."

"You tried to get out of handcuffs?" Gavin's voice was both bewildered and angry. Amelia just shrugged.

"Why don't you have a seat." Gibbs led her to his desk chair. He quickly pulled up two more chairs for Gavin and himself.

Ziva had gone by now to arrange transport for their prisoner. Tony pushed his chair over to McGee's desk where everyone else sat and tried to listen in on Amelia's escape story. She was just loud enough that they caught about every other word. Piper and Lexi traded looks with each other when they heard, "faked labor pains," and, "kicked his face as hard as I could." Tony had to stifle his own laughter when he heard, "used hospital tape." When all was said and done, Amelia just stood up and looked at Gavin. Lexi knew this look. There would be no talking to her right now. But of course, no one else knew that.

"Amelia…" Tim faltered when she turned her deadpan stare in his direction. "Can I offer you a ride home?"

"I'm taking my wife home, thank you." Gavin glared at Tim.

"Is there anything we can do for…" Tim trailed off again.

"I don't need anything from you." Amelia's monotone voice made Lexi's eyes bulge. "I don't need anything from any one of you." She looked right at Tim. "I don't need sympathy." Her eyes shifted to Tony. "I don't need a wanna be hero jumping at me." Now to Piper. "I don't need a shoulder to cry on." And finally Lexi got hers. "Or any help when I actually do have my baby." Lexi let out a whimper. Her God-mother rights had just been revoked. How had that happened? "I just need to be left alone." She turned and headed for the elevator. Gavin looked around at his friends and shook his head before following his wife.

"I don't need anything from you right now either." Gibbs' voice snapped at everyone. The look of utter disappointment on Gibbs' face left Tim and Tony both feeling about two inches tall. "Have your reports on my desk by the end of Monday. I expect you all to fix this. But right now, get out of here. I don't wanna see any of you."

NCIS

Piper stayed quiet as she dragged herself out of the backseat of Lexi's Xterra. She was surprised when Lexi had offered to let everyone crash at her apartment. Someone from NCIS had brought all of their weekend luggage from the cabin to the Navy yard. But when they got to Lexi's place, no one really wanted to lug anything upstairs.

Lexi and Tim headed straight to her room. Piper turned to a weary looking Tony and tried to force a smile. It wasn't working.

"There's a futon in the spare room." She pointed to the door leading off from the kitchen.

"You take it." Tony answered her with a shrug. "I got the couch." His serious and slightly sad tone shot her worry meter up.

"It might be better if you take the futon." She shifted on her feet. "You're hurt. I can take the couch."

"No." He was already kicking off his shoes and setting himself down on the couch. He didn't bother changing out of his clothes. "I'm good here."

A fear that Piper had never felt before was beginning to creep up her spine.

"Are you… Mad at me?" Her voice came out sounding so tiny. Tony looked up from his relaxed position and scrunched his eyebrows together.

"No. I'm just tired." Without another word, Piper turned and slowly entered the spare room.

(A.N. Sorry too short. Darkened Shadows is co-authoring this with me. She finished this chapter but I put her half up as the next chapter.)