My Beautiful Doll

Warning: Unwanted touching and lots of pain...

A/N: HOLY FUCK! WE'RE FINALLY DONEEEEE! LET'S FUCKING GOOOOO! Warning about the long and very sappy author's note. Also slight apologies for the late upload, i was really busy for the entire week.

God...I'm practically speechless at the fact that I can finally press complete on this fanfic. It's just so surreal. It's a bit like seeing people grow up. I never thought of the day that this little thing would grow into something big and that I would get people to actually read my silly stories but here I am. This fanfic was my first ever published thing, a project so massive to me that I thought that my whole endavour would be doomed to fail. But man, y'all came in clutch and I'm so happy about it. I will forever be grateful that there are still people in the fandom who are willing to come around and read my stuff. I will honestly say that I'm about as mediocre of a writer as you can get. Hell! I can't even constitute some of the things I write as "good." But you guys make me feel like my writing is something wonderful, something to get excited about. And that excitement does get conveyed with every click and interaction. While I might not get as many views as some other better writers, I'm still proud with this gathering of fans that I've managed to entice and sometimes keep. Y'all are the ones who make me grateful that I decided to jump the fence into being a fanfic writer instead of just a reader. I've made friends, engaged with some very kind people, and managed to help practice a skill that I never thought would ever see the light of day outside of research papers. So for that, I thank you guys so much for reading this through. I'm happy that you guys like what I'm doing and that I've brought you some emotions like amusement or dread, whether it be from my angst writing or my silly author's anecdotes. Whatever it is, I hope that y'all are willing to come around a little more.

Thank you guys so much and have a wonderful day!

"So, Don" Megan started as she sat back in the chair. "How are you doing?"

"Do you want the truth or the PR answer?" he replied, leaning back into the bed. This entire team was here, stubbornly refusing to switch or go out when he asked them to. As fond as he was of their own stubborn streak, he couldn't help but feel a small ounce of suspicion at this. He was well aware that there were people stationed outside his door despite everyone's clear attempts to hide it from him. His room was never really devoid of people, even if it was just his family sometimes. He could tell that something was wrong, he just needed time to look into it.

"Do you even need to ask?" Colby said, raising an eyebrow at him.

Don shrugged, "fair enough." He looked at the ceiling, tracing small imaginary lines on them as he tried to keep himself calm. "To be honest, I'm a bit tired."

"Is…Is that it?" Colby sounded astonished before he winced, David elbowing him sharply in the ribs.

"I'm not surprised. After everything that happened, you've surely been pushed to your limit both physically and mentally" David said sympathetically.

"I'll say" Don snorted, rubbing a hand through his face. He looked at his team, all looking back at him expectedly. Looks like these few days are just one filled with sharing he thought sarcastically. "Look, if you guys want a transfer after this because you feel like I'm not going to be a good leader, get your requests in now so I know what to do when I get back in the office."

They all blinked in unison, their faces the perfect picture of confusion. Then, out of nowhere, Megan snagged a piece of paper, wadded it up, and threw it at his head. "Hey!" he complained as the paper ball bounced off of him, landing in his sheets.

"Out of all the questionable things you've ever said, this is by far the worst one" Colby spoke up, giving Don an annoyed look.

"Don," Megan said, sounding impatient. "If you even think that we would give up on you after everything you've done to get yourself back to us, then it seems like we haven't drilled ourselves into your life enough. Looks like we need to ask Alan to sign adoption papers for us in order to convince you that we'll stay" she said, shooting him a smile, one that felt genuine.

Don's shoulders slumped in relief, another smile on his face. "No thanks. I already have my hands full with Charlie, don't need to add you guys on the plate."

David gave Don his most innocent look. "What? Us? We're all saints."

Don rolled his eyes. "If you guys are saints, I'm the holy spirit" he shot back, causing everyone to grin widely.

Megan placed a hand on his shoulder as she got nearer, her smile now a touch gentler. "It's good to have you back, Don" she whispered as she looked at him with a grateful expression. "We missed you."

Don smiled back, placing his hand over her's. "Same here. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you guys. Thank you."

"C'mon Don, you would've done the same for us" Colby sounded like he was trying to play it cool, but the look in his eyes didn't fool Don. He was just as relieved as everyone else.

"That's true," Don said, "but that doesn't make what you guys did any less impressive."

"Shower us with more praise and we might throw you to another kidnapper" Megan grins, causing Don to snort.

"No thanks, that one was enough character building for a lifetime."

"Fair enough," David said, smiling. "You're not the only one who's done with all of this."

Don leaned back into his bed, smiling brightly as he saw his team start joking around him. Looks like everything is going to be fine here.

"You doing okay, Eppes?" Gary asked, poking his head into the door to Don's room. Don looked up in surprise, he didn't think Gary would be up and running right now. Gary seemed to see his confusion because he walked in with a grin, gingerly sitting down on the nearest chair.

"Your boy helped break out of this hellhole."

Don raised an eyebrow, "Which one?"

Gary returned the eyebrow raise with his own. "The one who doesn't look like he would blow up a hole on the side of the hospital as an escape route option."

Don snorted at the sarcastic description. "Ian it is then…" While Coop does have the capacity to be subtle, nine times out of ten he doesn't choose to. He's only subtle when he's stalking a fugitive. Other than that, he's about as careful as a raging bull in a china shop. "So…how are the injuries?"

Gary shrugged. "They're healing well enough, can't wait to go back to work though."

"I feel you on that" Don snorted. Looking over at the man, he was glad that everything seemed to be healing quite nicely, although that didn't stop a small pang of guilt going through him. That feeling must've been clear on his face because Gary sighed a bit.

"You're not at fault for what happened. You're just as much of a victim as everyone else."

Don flinched at that. Whether it was because Gary could see it on his face or the fact that Gary called him a victim, he wasn't sure yet. What he was sure about was the uncomfortable feeling that was crawling around his gut, his stomach churning slightly. "Gary, I-"

Gary held his hands up, "has your father told you that it's rude to talk over your elders?"

"You're an elder now?" Don shot back, remembering all the playful but also painful smacks that he's received for calling Gary old.

Gary grinned, "when it suits me." Then he put his hand down again, giving Don a piercing look. "I'll say it once and I'll say it again, you're not responsible for anything. He is. You just happened to be the one who got his attention this time. You tried your best with what you have, but sometimes, your best can still slip through. That doesn't mean that everything was meaningless or you did nothing, it just means you need more help in fully plugging that hole." Gary snorted a bit, "trust me, it took me far too long to understand that, but once I did, it helped me with the way I view this job."

Don sighed, slumping his shoulders. "You're right…" he admitted. "I think it's going to take far longer for me to actually accept that, but I see your point."

"That's what I like about you Eppes" Gary said approvingly, "you know when you're in the wrong. Sometimes you fight back if you truly feel it, but a lot of the times, you know when to admit it like a man. You see things from people's perspectives, not your own and that's not something you see a lot around here."

Don coughed uncomfortably in his fist, looking away. "Thanks…" he muttered, not sure what to do with the praise. Thankfully, Gary seemed to understand that because he got back up again, glancing at his watch.

"Well look at the time" he exclaimed. "I gotta go back, I have a feeling that everyone else is going to plan some sort of welcome back party so I want to cut it before they have a chance."

Don snorted, shaking his head. He had a feeling that his team might do something similar as well. "Well then, tell your men I said hi."

"I would rather have you come down and tell them yourself, I have a feeling that they also have something in store for you."

"As long as it's not explosive or would ruin my suit, I think I'll be up for that" he grinned.

"I'll let them know," Gary said, mirroring Don's smile. "Good luck and be careful," he said before walking out.

"You too," Don replied, watching Gary walk out. But as soon as he was out of sight, something struck him. "Be careful? Of what?" Something was clearly going on and he intended to get some answers. But first…a little bit of a jailbreak on my own.

Don didn't think that he would be lucky enough to get the opportunity to escape but for once in his life, he did. It took a lot of grunting, maneuvering, and movement of very sore limbs but he managed to get out the bed himself and sneak out, despite the large IV pole he had to carry. After that last stunt where he collapsed in his bathroom trying to walk himself, everyone did up the amount of people around him, but because he didn't pull another similar thing again, it looks like they thought that he had given up.

Don was grateful that he still had some of his capacity to manipulate.

The only ones who were still suspicious were Ian and Billy, but it looks like they were too busy to be around him twenty-four seven. That's more than fine for the moment. He needed to take advantage of that to gather intel. Also, he was getting a bit too suffocated by the people and the room. As much as he loved having them around and how much it's helping him with his own emotions, he also wanted just a tiny bit of space. He was getting tired of all the constant questions and worried looks along with the almost heavy vigilance. He wanted to escape, just for a moment. At least this time, he was prepared for the blowback.

Don found a nice table near the window in the corner, the area being blessedly empty. It looked quite hidden as well, which is just what he needed. He had grabbed a cup of tea earlier from the vending machine and sat down, admiring the view. It overlooked the backyards, trees and greenery surrounding the area despite the fact that they were in LA. Looking down, he could see nurses and patients walking around, nothing but white specks on the ground.

Maybe it was because he's been stuck inside horrific places for some time but the outside world seems more beautiful now. He guessed that peace would always look beautiful especially after he knew what it feels like to have his freedom taken away. He let out a small genuine smile, leaning back into the shitty metal chair. "God…I missed this" he whispered, feeling at peace for the first time since he walked out.

"Not as much as I missed you" a warm voice spoke from behind him, causing Don to flinch violently. Before he could even move, he felt a hand grab his hair, pulling him back to expose his throat. As soon as his head was pulled back, another arm wrapped around him, holding what seems to be a small knife right on the artery in his neck. Don grit his teeth as he tried to pry the hand away, snarling as he felt the blade press even deeper.

FUCK!

"You're still alive" he commented idly, faking bravado as his heart raced up. He craned his neck up to see his worst nightmare. Baker's face was looking down at him, his constant loving smile stretched across his face. Don could feel Baker's body pressed up against him, the warmth feeling like fire on his back. "That's a shame."

Baker snorted. " It was a close call" he admitted, "no thanks to your little team of misfits" he bit out that word, like the term physically disgusted him. Don felt pride bloom in him, the fact that his team managed to get under this guy's skin.

"That little team took you down, so why don't you put some respect on their names? They certainly earned that more than you" he shot back, wincing as he felt the hand in his hair tighten and the knife on his neck pressed in just a bit deeper. Not enough to draw blood, but enough for a warning.

"I should've cut that tongue out when I had you," Baker growled, glaring.

"But you didn't, now deal with it" Don grinned sharply despite feeling terrified of the possibility. Unfortunately for him, his mouth ran faster than his brain in these kinds of situations.

"Maybe next time," Baker mumbled idly, causing Don to sweat even more.

"Next time?" Don would've shrieked if it weren't for the fact that they were at a public area. "There will never be a next time."

Baker smiled, his hand now calmly running through Don's hair. "Don't be so sure, doll. Now that I have finally gotten a taste of you…" Baker then held onto Don's hair even tighter, pulling his head back even more as he leaned down, his smile now manic. "I will never stop coming after you. I will chase you to the ends of the earth. Nothing, not even heavenly intervention will stop me from coming after you. I will hunt you forever until you're mine or we're both dead. I can promise you that."

"Then I will promise you this. I will never stop fighting back" Don growled at him. "You can hunt me, bend me, break me all you want, but I'll never be yours. I'll make sure that for all eternity, I will be a reminder of the fact that you failed. No matter what, you'll never be perfect."

It seems like that last statement broke something in Baker because he narrowed his eyes, the anger in them almost physically suffocating. Then, without warning, the hand in Don's hair disappeared for a second, only appearing with a rag. Don opened his mouth to shout but Baker stuffed it down his mouth, causing Don to choke. In his brief distracted moment, Baker released the knife from his throat, only to grab one of Don's hands, slammed it on the table, and then suddenly rammed the knife clean through his palm, pinning it to the wooden table.

Don let out a guttural scream, the rag barely muffling him as he felt fire burn through his entire arm, his vision blurring as he felt the knife pierce through bone, cutting into him cleanly. He could barely feel anything other than the burning pain, the sting as the bitter cold air seeped into his wound, and the sensation of blood underneath his palm, slowly leaking out. The rag fell from his mouth, trailing saliva as it fell down. "Fuck…you…" he hissed in between clenched teeth, his other hand gripping onto the edge of the table tightly, the edges of his vision threatening to swallow him whole.

"Sorry sweetheart, but I'm the one doing the fucking around here" Baker replied coolly as he went to sit the opposite of Don, smiling again. But this time, his smile looked tight. Baker threaded his hand through Don's hair once more, yanking it up so that Don was looking at him. Don hissed, the pain on his palm almost bringing him under but the sudden sharp pain in his scalp brought him back again. Then suddenly, Don heard a ringtone play out, one he recognized well. Baker tilted his head to the side, his smile turning more sinister. "Why don't you say hello to your team? They've been calling you nonstop" he said before pulling out Don's phone from under his jacket, probably stolen from someone.

Don was about to protest but Baker took the call, putting it on speakerphone. "DON! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?" Billy screamed, causing more pain to Don as his head now pounded even more, the blood rushing through his ears from the pain.

"...Hospital" he somehow managed to force out, his voice surprisingly level despite everything.

"Of course we know that you idiot! WHERE in the hospital are you? Do you know how dangerous it is to roam about with HIM on the loose?"

Suddenly, there was another voice, a bit fainter but something Don was still able to hear. "He doesn't, we never told him, remember?" Charlie said, sounding anxious.

"And whose fault is that?" it was Ian who hissed this time, sounding extremely angry. There were more sounds of protest before Don could hear the phone being wrestled away. "You know what? Screw you guys, I'm telling him." There were sounds of rustling and fighting before Ian came back, this time his voice was clearer. "Listen Don, Baker was admitted to the same hospital as you and he managed to escape, okay? That's why we were all paranoid. So will you stop being a prideful stubborn ass for ONE second and tell us where you are?"

It was extremely painful, trying to process Ian's words but he somehow managed. Swallowing down his pain, he rasped out. "Would've been…nice to kno-" he suddenly let out a pained cry, his vision blacking out for a second as Baker cruelly moved the table just an inch, jostling the knife in his hand. "-before I…found out…myself…"

"DON!" There was a panicked cry, but Don couldn't tell who it was from. Everything was starting to blur into a mess for him. He could hear a flurry of movements and shouting demands, feet pounding against the floor.

"Don't worry, I won't be taking him with me for now" Baker spoke suddenly, "but I couldn't leave without saying goodbye, isn't that right my pretty little doll?" then grabbed the knife and moved, causing a new wave of pain to wash over Don as he let out another guttural scream, his throat burning with how much he was shredding his vocal chords. His entire left arm felt like it was completely on fire, consuming him and his senses.

He could barely hear the screams and curses coming from the phone, he could barely feel the cool air against him. But, he felt a gentle hand come under his chin, lifting his head up. Don couldn't do anything but let it do what it wanted, taking the weight of his head he pulled Don nearer. He could barely see Baker's face, the blurry row of white near the bottom of his face being the only indication that told Don he was smiling. "Don't worry, I'll be coming for you again." Then he placed a gentle kiss on Don's lips before pulling back, the sound of the chair telling Don that he was getting up.

"I…hate…you" Don growled bit by bit through the pain. The burning hatred and anger along with the burning agony mixed with each other, setting Don on fire from the inside.

"And I love you," Baker replied. "See you later, my darling sweetheart."

And then with no warning, he was gone, leaving Don to suffer in agony until someone found him. Don could feel the darkness start to seep in as the pain overtook him and his senses. After that last declaration, he knew in his blood that Baker was coming back. It didn't matter how much protection Don would be under, Baker would find a way to get him. He had to end it, whether it was by killing him or arresting him, nothing mattered. What mattered was that he had to get to Baker before Baker got to him.

Don wasn't going to let the bastard nearly destroy him again, not if he could help it.

A/N: Sorry Don, Baker's not done with you just yet and neither am I.

Heh...and right after all that mushiness too. This is the final ending to this fic by the way. I might be nice, but I admittedly do have a sadistic streak sometimes :). Never fear though! Chapter one for the sequel will be uploaded next week on Monday at the latest so you guys would wanna stay tuned for that. Love you guys!