Thank you everyone for reading and the alerts and reviews. They are very encouraging and I appreciate them very much. I'm working on replying to them all. Chapter 3…Enjoy!

Tony felt like he was floating, it was a fascinating feeling. Something nagged in the back of his mind, something was wrong, but he wasn't sure what it could be. He didn't care to place it either, certain it wasn't anything good and he was enjoying the feeling of weightlessness too much.

He heard a voice, a familiar voice he was sure he heard everyday yelling, but he couldn't make out the words. Abruptly the floating stopped rapidly replaced by unbearable pain, a deafening crash and then darkness.

This time when Tim awoke it was much more painful than before. Every part of his body ached, throbbed, or pulsated with pain. He opened his eyes or at least thought he had. It was pitch black and for a few moments he started to panic at his complete inability to see.

Calm down. He chastised himself. Taking a few deep breaths to focus his thoughts, he shook his head. Stabbing pain shooting through his skull made Tim quickly regret that action. He felt a stickiness on his head and a tentative touch of his fingers confirmed it was blood.

Not good. McGee thought, taking another calming breath.

Tony! Tony had been with him in the car before they were dropped down the hole.

He reached to his right, groaning as his body protested the sudden movement. In the small backseat it didn't take him long to find the unmoving body of his partner. Before panic was able to take hold again, the smell of gasoline snapped him back to reality.

"Tony." He crocked out hardly recognizing his own voice. "Tony, wake up. We have to get out the car."

There was no movement from his partner. Feeling a sudden urgency to get out of the death trap they were sitting in, Tim turned his attention from Tony to test his door. He knew they had to get out of the car quickly; he had no idea why the car hadn't exploded on impact which was almost certainly the outcome their attacker had intended. Still, he could feel heat and smell gas and knew their luck wouldn't last.

The door didn't seem to want to open and he doubted Tony's had fared much better since it would have been the side of impact as they were falling. Grimacing at that he remembered that Tony would also have been on the side of impact.

Have to get out. He thought rattling his door.

Since the door was still refusing to open even a little McGee leaned back to throw as much weight as he could gather from the cramped backseat and in his weakened state. As soon as his shoulder connected with the door his consciousness was consumed in pain.

He wasn't sure how long had passed but eventually the buzzing in his ears stopped and his vision cleared. Through the haze McGee realized his efforts hadn't totally been in vain. The door was slightly looser and all that seemed to be holding it were some slightly bent hinges.

"Ok, let's try our feet this time genius." He muttered to himself still trembling from the pain.

Using the leverage of his legs it only took a few kicks before the door swung free and for the first time Tim paused unsure of what to do. Not especially confident in his strength at the moment to drag Tony to safety there was also the very real possibility Tony had a head or neck injury and McGee wresting him out of the car would only make it worse.

Paralyzed is better than dead from a car exploding. The voice of reason in his head interjected.

"Okay, Tony, it's ok." He comforted probably more for himself than the unconscious man beside him. "We're just going to get you out of the car, then Gibbs and Ziva will come and everything will be great."

Carefully trying not to jar his injured shoulder, he eased Tony toward the doorway as fast as he dared. He continued to talk to himself and whatever part of Tony that was conscious enough to listen.

Tony talks non-stop even when people aren't listening, works for him, might as well work for me. Tim though ruefully.

"Almost out, Tony. Just hang on DiNozzo."

He finally managed to ease Tony to the ground before re-gathering his strength to move both of them away from the car. Unable to see he decided the best route would be to find a wall of the tunnel and follow that away from the car.

With one of Tony's arms draped around his uninjured shoulder's, dragging him, the going was slow. Each step was sluggish and McGee began to wonder if they were making any progress at all. Finally when he reached his hand out in front of him he felt the cold earth of the tunnel wall beneath his fingers.

Moving along several more feet, suddenly Tim stumbled. He dropped to his knees and gritted his teeth to keep from crying out. Try as he may his weak shoulder prevented him from keeping Tony upright and he also hit…hard. Tim grimaced at the sound of his body dropping on the cold ground.

"Sorry Tony." He whispered softly reaching over to hoist him back up so they could continue on. Tim's hand grazed the object that had caused him to trip and he froze before his eyes widened in shock.

It felt like hair, human hair. He continued down and found ice cold flesh.

It's like their own personal dumping ground. Shivering involuntarily, he hesitated but then leaned closer to see if he could make out anything. Reaching down until he felt the neck Tim searched and pressed for a pulse, pulling back when he was unable to find one.

Maybe there's some ID. He searched quickly mindful of their necessity to get away from the car.

Well, she's a woman. He thought blushing as his hands brushed the body to find some clue of identification.

Suddenly a small spark in the darkness caught his eye. McGee knew their time was running out and got Tony up as quickly as he could forcing himself to leave the mystery in front of him for a later time when he got his partner to safety. He could feel himself getting weaker, his eyes wanted to close and not open again and his steps were reduced to dragging his feet along. He hoped, when the explosion finally came, they would be far enough from the car to avoid further injuries.

Tim felt before he heard the explosion. Pressure and force throwing both agents down as the roar of the blast seemed to echo forever around the caverns. Tim did his best to cover his head and Tony's as pieces of metal and glass rained down around them. Only when the noise died down and the lone sound heard was the cracking of the fire, did he dare raise his head. Looking back he saw the remains of the car engulfed in flames.

The explosion sent a new rush of adrenaline through the battered agent allowing him to struggle to his feet. He hooked his good arm around Tony's chest and started to drag him further back.

Getting as close to the tunnel wall as possible, he hoped the smoke would rise and stay to the middle or better yet be pulled to the surface by some other opening.

With Tony safely propped against the wall of the cave, McGee sank down to catch his breath. He reached a shaky hand to Tony's neck to find a pulse. The beat he felt under his fingers wasn't strong or particularly stead but Tim almost cried with relief at its presence.

"It's ok, Tony, everything's going ok, you're going to be ok." He mumbled, this time knowing the reassuring whispers were for himself. He leaned back barely able to control his shaking and let the welcome, pain free unconsciousness he had been fighting take over.

Gibbs called Tony's phone and shut it annoyed when it went to voicemail. McGee's did the same thing. He hadn't been able to shake the uneasy feeling he had had for the past hour. It was five hours since his two agents had left. Three hours since they should have arrived at Mrs. Baird's

"Perhaps they are out of service for their phones." Ziva suggested noticing Gibbs worry through the nonchalant mask he wore.

"Yeah maybe." He said even thought they both knew the two agents should be close enough to town at this point to be fully covered.

Clomping of boots interrupted his thoughts. He looked up as one Gothic forensic scientist planted herself in front of his desk.

"Hey, Abs."

"Hey Bossman, I finished my report from the Lessing case. Any evidence for me from this one?" She asked hopefully.

"Not yet, Abs. No body, no crime scene, no evidence of foul play."

"What's going on then? McGee said we had a case." She said looking from one agent to the other.

"A Petty Officer went missing. She handles sensitive information." Gibbs said glaring at his computer. "The Navy thought we would look into it before it becomes an issue."

"She and her boyfriend had an argument." Ziva said.

"Ohhh, been there." Abby nodded knowingly before turning back to Gibbs. "You know Gibbs she and they guy probably made up and then just ran off together. Like that one Seaman you guys were looking for last year. And then you found out he and his fiancée' had taken an early honeymoon." She grinned cheekily.

Gibbs smiled despite himself and glanced at his phone one more time.

"McGee and Tony are not answering their phones and Gibbs is worried." Ziva informed Abby

"I am not worried." Gibbs protested. The fact that he chose to protest verbally instead of with a look told Abby that he was in fact worried but she chose not to antagonize him more. She turned to Ziva.

"Where are they?"

"They went to speak with the boyfriend's grandmother." Ziva replied.

"Oh, Gibbs, that's why they aren't answering." Abby said nodding her head so her pigtails bounced.

"Why?"

"They're probably still there."

"Why would they still be there?"

"You remember the last grandmother's house you sent them too."

Gibbs thought and then smirked at the memory of finding his agents just eating "one more cookie", their reward for helping her move some stuff in from her shed.

"They just don't know how to distance themselves from sweet little old ladies." Abby summed up. "See McGee is a gentleman and Tony is too even though he hides it better. He's actually much more gentleman-like with older women." She said shrugging.

Ziva smirked.

Gibbs shook his head.

"Ok, well, I guess I'm going home if there's nothing for me to do?" She said looking at Gibbs. He waved her off.

"Go on Abby, see you tomorrow."

"Great, bye Ziva!"

"Goodnight Abby."

She turned back to her lab before Gibbs stopped her.

"Abby, do one thing for me before you leave?"

"Anything."

"Trace Tony and McGee's cell phones."

I was going to try to finish editing this and post last night, but I just moved into my apartment and was hanging curtains. I know…the audacity that curtains would come before writing. Lol. They look nice though if that is any consolation to anyone. ;)

Hope you all liked the chapter. Thanks so much for reading. :)