Warnings: Dark, lots of angst, Tony whump.

A/N: Decided that I'll give you another update before the weekend ends. Enjoy and please let me know what you think! Thank you all for the reviews favorites and follows!

"Gibbs thinks that Tony's on the move," Tim softly and tiredly told Leah. "They found his suit coat in a shed on the inn's property. They're following him and have called in to local forces to be on the lookout for Tony."

"But he can't be certain," Leah responded, trying to hold it together. "It might not have been Tony at all."

Tim sighed and looked over at Delilah. It was close to midnight. He had come over to Tony and Leah's apartment as soon as he had gotten off the phone with the boss. He had been expecting Leah to be a mess... but he was still shocked at her appearance. She was normally so well put together and confident, but now there was a broken woman sitting with him on the sofa and he wasn't sure how to proceed. "It's Gibbs... he sounded pretty certain on the phone."

Leah scoffed and wiped at her eyes. She knew that she beggars couldn't be choosers but this was not the news she wanted to be woken up for to hear. She waned to be told that they had found Tony, that he was safe and coming home, putting this hell she was living in to an end.

Gently a hand reached out and began to rub her back. "At least he's still alive, Leah," Lauren's voice soothed her. "Okay. If he's alive that means there's a chance he's going to be rescued."

He's fighting for you and Jack, a tiny voice of reason said in the back of her brain. Leah took a deep, shuddering breath and numbly nodded her head. Even though she had managed to get some sleep it had been restless. She was trying to remain as optimistic as she possibly could, but the odds... they felt like they were against her, and maybe they were. "Did Gibbs say why his suit coat was found in that shed?"

Tim looked nervously at Delilah. "I don't think you really need to know all the details, Leah."

"Why? What are you trying to keep from me, Tim?"

"Leah... you have enough to worry about..."

"Please, just tell me!"

He lowered his head and nodded. "We suspect that when Tony walked into the inn he was taken by surprise. He was held captive in that shed by a nineteen year old who... let's just say isn't completely right in the head."

She felt the color leaving her face, if she even had any color left at this point besides ashen. "Are you trying to tell me that Tony... was taken by a serial killer?"

"At this point it's just alleged, Leah."

"Alleged? No one normal does something like this!"

Tim could see his news was sending her over the edge that she had been dangerously teetering near since Tony had gone missing. He wasn't sure how to comfort her in this insistence because he wasn't sure how to comfort himself. He wanted to make her feel better, wanted to end this awful nightmare that the entire team and Leah had been thrown into... but he couldn't. "I promise, Leah, we're going to find him. Gibbs isn't going to rest until he does."

Delilah reached out and pat Leah on the knee. "Chin up. You know how stubborn Gibbs is. He's going to get his man. And he's going to bring Tony home, okay?"

Leah, shaking from head to toe, rose up off the sofa and mumbled something about going to check on Jack. The baby was sound asleep having been fed and changed by his aunt earlier, and his mother felt a fresh onslaught of tears as she stood there watching him.

Reaching into the crib she lifted Jack out, settling him into her arms and wrapping a blanket around his legs. Jack's blue eyes opened, lazily and glanced at his mother, he offered her a small smile and she silently sobbed as she found the rocking chair that Gibbs' had made. Falling into it she hugged her son tightly to her and began to rock. Jack sensed a change in his mothers' demeanor and frowned at her. He reached one of his little hands out to her and she gave him one of her fingers. He clutched it in his small hand and smiled.

She wanted to take comfort in that smile, Tony's smile, but if offered her very little. Tony might never see that smile again and Jack might never get to see where he got his smile from ever again. It tore her heart into so many pieces. "We're... we're going to be okay, Jack," she whimpered, rocking back and forth. "We have to be okay. Daddy... he has to come home... it just... it can't end any other way."

"Leah?" Lauren questioned before entering the nursery. "You need to sleep."

"No. I can't," Leah cried, holding onto her baby. "Not until... not until Tony's home."

"Jack needs his mother, Leah. You can't be there for him if you're exhausted."

Leah glanced at Jack, his eyes slipping shut as he drifted back to sleep. Numbly she nodded her head and allowed Lauren to take the baby from her and put him back in his crib. Gently her older sister helped her up from the rocking chair and guided her back to the bedroom, where she pulled the covers back and helped her sister get into bed.

Exhaustion was evidently going to win out as she felt herself drifting away as Lauren pulled the covers around her. Leah burrowed deep into them, trying to draw warmth from the heavy blankets. It wasn't the same as having a warm body to snuggle up too, it wasn't the same as having Tony's arms around her, making her feel safe and secure. She had once told him that she depended on him to make her feel safe. Right now with him gone she felt vulnerable, exposed, and very much alone.

Fighting her tears as she went to sleep she prayed that when she woke up this nightmare was going to be over. That Tony would be home with her and Jack and this would be nothing but a bad memory.

Howard Marks was sitting in his squad car, watching the snow fall and keeping an eye out for any erratic drivers when his radio gave a cackle and dispatch, reporting that a man had been spotted walking the main road matching the description of the missing federal agent.

Starting his car up, Marks headed in that direction. He'd pick the agent up and take him to the local hospital to get medical attention and then phone Agent Gibbs. Even though it was late… he was sure the NCIS agent wasn't sleeping. He'd had a look of fury in his eyes when Marks had spoken to them earlier and the Deputy Sheriff surmised that Gibbs wouldn't sleep until his agent was safe.

Driving through the intense snow, Marks arrived near the last sighting of the missing agent. His headlights didn't see much in front of him but snowflakes but then a strong, solid form danced into his vision. He pulled the squad car over and jumped out, calling into the storm, "Special Agent DiNozzo?"

The man turned, shivering violently, arms hugging himself and his face lit up with relief. Marks grabbed his radio and called into dispatch. "This is Marks. I got the missing agent. Going to take him to the hospital now, copy that?"

"Copy that Marks. We'll radio a head to the ER."

Marks tossed the radio back into the front seat and approached the federal agent. "Got the whole town out looking for you, Special Agent DiNozzo. Good thing I found you before this storm gets any worse. Do you require medical attention?"

DiNozzo nodded. "My knee… stab wound. Feels like I have a torn ligament."

"I'm gonna get you to the ER, Agent DiNozzo. Then I'll call Agent Gibbs. Is there anyone else I can call for you?"

"My… my wife. She… she has to be going… crazy right now."

Marks promised he would call his wife and gently reached out to help him to the car. It was slow going due to DiNozzo's injured knee. Halfway to the car he felt something hit his chest, heard the echo of a gun and realized he'd been shot. DiNozzo tried to ease him to the ground but got tripped up in his feet. Both went crashing to the snow covered asphalt. In a flash the entire mood had changed and his last thought was he didn't even have a chance to make those phone calls.

Tony felt torn. The officer that had stopped to help him now needed help himself. He was bleeding out from a chest wound. But going out to help him meant that he would blow his cover behind the open door of the parked cruiser. Tony clutched the pistol in his hand, the one he'd manged to grab before Wayne could line up another shot in the snow. He knew the nearly white out conditions were going to work to his advantage.

Calmly the NCIS agent weighed his options. He could easily take off in the car but there was no way he was going to leave the officer behind so that idea was out. He reached for the radio and identified himself,praying that dispatch was quick and got him help... and that the officer was not the only one this small town had.

He heard the approach of heavy boots in the snow. The officer's gun felt foreign in his hand, it didn't give him the comfort his trusty SIG did. But it was better than nothing.

"Wayne," Tony called out. "Come on, kid, you don't want to do this. It's going to end badly for you. Trust me."

"Looks like things are going fine for me," Wayne said. "By the time help gets here in this snow both you and Sheriff Marks will be dead."

Tony winced and moved towards the back of the car." Really? Well, if so then I'd hate to be you... two dead cops on your rap sheet... people will be gunning for you. In fact you'll probably end up with a needle in your arm."

Wayne didn't respond at first but then, "Do you think your wife will come? To see me die?"

"I think she'll ask to put the needle in herself," Tony hissed.

"Too bad she'll never know my name."

"Wouldn't count on it. My boss is one stubborn, grumpy old marine. He'll find you."

Tony pulled himself to the passenger side of the squad car, finger hooking the trigger. He felt a sharp pain in his rib cage as he did so. Peering under the vehicle he could see Wayne's boots. Come on! Where's that help I need!

The kid stopped and waited, sending a shiver down the federal agent's spine. "Is your boss looking for your now? Or is he back in Washington unaware you're missing?"

"He knows."

"But how can you be sure?"

"Because he knows everything."

Wayne shifted, his legs inching their way through the snow towards Tony. He rounded the car and found his victim, struggling to get to his feet and out of harm's way. In the distance sirens could be heard and he smiled, sadistically as he raised the SIG in his hand.

Tony countered showing the kid that he now had a weapon too. He knew it wasn't going to detract Wayne from firing at him but he had to let him know that they were on an equal playing field. Some how it felt like Wayne was rather enjoying that.

"Looks like your time is up. Pity. You were fun to play with. A challenge. I like those."

Swallowing he applied pressure on the trigger. "Don't make me shoot you kid."

His opponent laughed. Tony saw that he was going to have no choice. He pulled back all the way and let the round fly.

Wayne startled as it hit him square in the chest, like he was surprised Tony had done it. There wasn't a drop of blood that came from him. Tony concluded that Wayne was either a demon that couldn't be killed by a bullet or he was wearing a vest. But then he laughed again, aimed the SIG right at Tony and fired, the round echoed by the one that sailed from Tony's gun. He didn't have time to see where the bullet ended up, he was too busy trying to dodge the one that had been fired from his very own SIG. He was slow moving with his knee not as nimble and his act of bravery or stupidity, whatever one was going to call it, came at a cost.

Tony felt the air leave his lungs as the bullet pierced him, knocking him to the ground. He heard the sirens getting louder and bleakly thought, you're too late. I'm sorry, Leah.