The next morning Charity woke to the smell of her grandfather's French Toast cooking in the kitchen. Tony was already up with AJ, sitting in the rocking chair. He looked up at her. "Good morning, Beautiful. How are you feeling?" He asked, a soft smile on his lips and concern in his eyes.
"I'm okay." Charity answered.
"Are you really?" Tony asked.
Charity sighed. "No, but you're the only one who can know."
Tony stood up, still holding AJ, and walked over to the bed. He sat down and shifted so that he was holding AJ in one arm and wrapped his other arm around Charity. He pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. "Hey, I promise you everything is going to be okay. This guy isn't going to have the chance to get near you."
"He has his ways…besides he's been in this house. He had to put the camera in sometime." Charity replied.
"Nothing is going to happen. I won't let it." Tony replied. "I will keep you and AJ safe."
Charity just nodded. She knew that Tony would do everything in his power to keep Smith from getting near her and AJ, but she also knew Smith. He was a very capable man. "Let's go get breakfast."
They climbed out of bed and headed to the kitchen. Everyone else was already up and digging into the food. Jackson was still at the stove, making the last bit of toast for Tony, Charity, and himself. "This is the best French Toast I've ever had." Fornell said. "You're a good cook Jack."
"The secret is the cinnamon." Jackson replied. He then turned to see Tony and Charity entering with AJ. He smiled at them. "Good morning. Your plates are almost ready."
Charity returned her grandfather's smile. "Thanks Pappy." She said, walking over to kiss his cheek. She grabbed her and Tony's plates once they were done and then walked over to the table. She looked at her team. "So, you guys make any progress?"
"Well, we did figure out how Smith got in here and got that camera up." Burley answered. "He posed as a man from the phone company and planted the camera while he was supposedly working on the phone line."
"He had an id and everything." Jackson said, like he had to defend himself.
"It's okay, Pappy." Charity replied. "He's good at tricking people."
They were sitting down discussing more of what they could do between mouthfuls of French Toast when there was a knock on the door. "I'll check it." Burley said, getting up. Ziva got up with him. She peeked out the window.
"Mail man." She said.
Burley nodded and then cautiously opened the door. The mailman smiled at Burley. "Hello, where is Jackson?" He asked.
"I'm right here, Jim." Jackson said, walking over to the door.
"Whose this?" The mailman asked.
"This is Stan. He's one of my old war buddies grandson." Jackson replied. "He wanted to get some stories on his dear old grandfather and thought I would be the best choice."
"Wow, and I thought only your granddaughter and her husband and son were here." Jim replied.
Jackson chuckled. "I've got a full house."
"Well, I've got this package for you…well actually it has Charity's name on it." Jim said, holding out a small flat package.
"Thanks, I'll make sure she gets it." Jackson said. "She's sleeping still. You remember those days when your kids were first born with the up and down all night."
"Oh boy do I remember those days." Jim replied. "I'll see you later."
"Bye now." Jackson said.
Jim turned and left and Burley closed the door. "We should find a way to get that package all checked out before you open it, Boss." Burley said. "It could be from him."
"It is from him." Charity replied, already knowing. "He did this last time. There will be a DVD in the package."
Burley opened the package and sure enough there was a DVD. He popped it into the laptop they had set up at the kitchen table and hit play. Smith's face popped up on the screen. He smiled an evil smile. "Hello Charity. It's been a while since you've seen my face. Don't worry, we'll be meeting in person again soon."
He then turned the camera from his face and shined a light to show that he was in a dark underground room. "As you can see, I've recreated the room I held you in before."
In the room there was a chair with straps on it. There was a table next to the chair with various frightening-looking medical instruments and then there was a large white screen and a slide projector. "You remember our time together in the room just like this one, right? We'll have that again and this time, we won't be interrupted." He then laughed and the screen went black.
Charity felt herself trembling. She remembered every detail of the room he'd held her in before and he had indeed recreated it perfectly. She knew the horrors that awaited her if he were to catch her. It was then that she felt Tony's arm wrap around her waist and pull her close. She felt AJ next to her, cradled in Tony's other arm.
"It's not safe here." Charity stated.
"We have plenty of people and arms." Burley countered.
Charity shook her head. "It doesn't matter how many people we have or how many guns and knives. It isn't safe. We have to get out of here."
"So, this visit gets cut short." Jackson said.
"You're coming back with us, Pappy." Charity replied. "He'll come for you to get to me."
Jackson was about to protest, but he saw the look in his granddaughter's blue eyes. He knew she wouldn't back down and how scared she was. He sighed and nodded. Arrangements were quickly made and the group was soon heading back to DC.
Tony drove the car he and Charity came in, with Jackson riding shotgun. Charity rode in the back with AJ and Ziva. Burley drove with Fornell in the other car, in the lead. They were driving along a country road that would take them to the interstate, when a large truck and trailer pulled out in front of Burley and Fornell at the last possible second, causing them to crash into it. Tony didn't have enough time to react and was slamming into the back of Burley and Fornell's car.
The group was in a state of unconsciousness or semi consciousness. Tony felt dazed and disoriented. He turned back slightly to see that Charity was knocked out and leaned over AJ's car seat in a protective manner. He could hear AJ crying, but couldn't see if he was hurt or not since the car seat was a rearward-facing one.
Jackson was passed out in the seat next to him and Ziva appeared to be partially conscious. While trying to inspect his passengers, Tony didn't notice the man climb out of the truck that had caused the wreck. "Charity…" Tony said weakly, trying to rouse his wife. "Come on, honey. Wake up."
That was when the man who had been driving the truck had made his way to Charity's side of the car and was opening the door. Tony looked up to see that it was Smith. "You get away from her!" Tony managed to shout weakly.
Smith just smiled at him. "Your wife and I have unfinished business." He was then dragging Charity from the car and pulling her towards the woods.
Tony immediately unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to open his door. To his dismay the door was stuck. Tony began furiously trying to open his door, pushing with everything he had until the door finally opened and fell off of the car. Tony climbed out of the car, stumbling as using so much force and energy had made him dizzy.
AJ's cries made their way to Tony's ears once again. I have to make sure he's okay, too. Tony thought as he looked towards the car and then towards the woods, where Smith was headed with Charity. Tony let out a groan as he pushed himself towards the other side of the car. He reached a hand in and placed it on AJ's belly. "Hey, buddy, shh…it's okay. You'll be okay buddy." He said. He then looked inside to check his son over for any injuries. Luckily, everything appeared to be just fine. He got AJ calmed down and then turned to see Smith just behind the line of trees, still carrying Charity off.
Tony checked AJ once again and then turned to stumble towards the trees. I have to save her. He thought. I can't let her wake up and see that he has her.
Tony was stumbling through the trees, doing his best to keep up with Smith. "Let her go!" He called a little more loudly and forcefully than he had before.
"Don't make me have to kill you, too." Smith said, stopping and looking up at Tony.
"You won't be the one walking away from this alive." Tony replied.
"So confident for someone who can barely stand."
"You won't leave these woods alive." Tony repeated.
Smith sighed. "If you insist on your own death, then let's get this over with." He then charged at Tony.
Tony braced himself, but was still knocked over by Smith. They rolled on the ground, throwing punches at each other, each trying to gain the upper hand. Tony managed to roll so that he was on top of Smith. He then recalled the move Charity showed him the first time he met her. He placed a hand on Smith's chin and the other around his head and snapped Smith's neck, breaking it.
"I told you, you wouldn't be walking out of here alive." Tony said, getting up and stumbling over to Charity.