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…

"They're moving in," Sebastian replied, his eyes glossy. "Hill gave his team the green light. They're going in for LaSalle."

Those few words reverberated through Sonja's ears like a drum as the room erupted in chaos. Gregorio jumped from her seat and dialed NCIS headquarters, urgently asking whether or not she and her teammates were being called in as back-up. Patton, half in on the conversation, yelled his remarks her way as his fingers rapidly beat down upon his tablet. Sebastian stood, knees wobbling, as he raked his nails through his hair. Pride was bouncing back and forth between each person in an attempt at peacekeeping.

"I have to get back to the lab. They're sending over the blood sample, not to mention in any other evidence they may find. Oh God, what could they find…" Sebastian mumbled to himself, covering his mouth in fret.

"It's official, we're being sent down to the auto-body shop," Gregorio announced, stuffing her cellphone in her pocket. "NCIS has been requested for back-up."

"Do we have an update? Did Hill's team find anything?" said Pride, arms crossed.

"All they would say is that units are currently in pursuit. We got nothin' else."

"Then enough yappin'!" Patton interjected. "Get your stuff and get outta here!"

"He's right," Pride nodded. "They're gonna need your help, Gregorio."

"What about me? Should I stay here or head back to the lab?" Sebastian butt in.

"You need to go too, Son. Your job is just as important."

"While you're at it, give me a lift so I can go along with you. I'm gonna see if I can hack any nearby security camera's so we can get a clear shot of the scene," Patton instructed.

With the exception of Pride, the group gathered their belongings and headed for the door. Suddenly, the sound of a harsh whistle screeched through the room. The team members gasped, holding their ears in agony. The sound didn't cease until all attention was diverted to the lone woman standing next to the coffee table.

"So, you're actually planning on leaving me behind? You're just going to walk out of here without me?" Sonja's voice was calm, but laced with a note of intensity.

"It's not that simple, Sonja," Gregorio replied softly. "If we could bring you, we would."

"Hell yes we would," Patton nodded. "You're the reason LaSalle is even bein' rescued right now! If anyone deserves to be there, it's you."

"Then take me!"

"Sonja," Pride let out a sigh. "You know it's against protocol. Hill will probably be there any second, if he isn't already, and if he catches one glimpse of you it's over. He'll know you went behind his back, and we'll all be charged."

"How am I supposed to sit here and be quiet when all I've been waiting on for the past two days is bringing my husband home?" she exclaimed, arms flung in the air. "I have to be there when they find him. I have to be."

"We've got to make a decision soon, guys. We're late on arrival," Gregorio worriedly informed them.

"How about we all go and Pride can drive Sonja to the scene?" Sebastian suggested, adjusting his glasses. "All you have to do is stay out the way and hope you're not discovered. It's still risky, I know, but Sonja has a point. She should be there- law abiding or not."

"Thank you," Sonja whispered, a smile finding its way onto her lips.

"Oh boy," Pride muttered, biting into his fist.

"What do you say, Pride? Yay or nay?" said Gregorio eyeing the door.

After a beat, the retired agent gave a reluctant nod.

"I'll tell Brody we're heading out. Everyone get ready to go, and for God's sake, be careful."

"You got it, Boss," Sebastian grinned before scrunching his brow. "Uh- not boss, but you know what I mean! This has got me feeling nostalgic, like the old days!"

"Okay then, now that everybody's settled, let's roll!" Gregorio voiced, swinging open the door.

It took Pride only a few seconds to inform Brody of the plan and return to Sonja's side, ushering her out the door behind the rest of the crew.

"Are you ready if things go south?" he asked, glancing her direction as they made their way to his vehicle. "Are you prepared for what could happen?"

"I don't know, Dwayne. Are you referring to Hill, Livingston, or LaSalle?"

"Either or," he replied, opening the passenger side door.

"I don't think I could ever prepare myself for something like that, but I know I'm going to deal with it. Is that good enough?"

Sonja waited for her old friend's response as he made his way to the driver side and stooped into his seat.

"Yeah. I think that's how I feel about it, too," came his somber response.

"Listen," Sonja reached over and touched his hand resting upon the gear shift. "I want you to know, whatever happens, I thank you for everything you've ever done for Christopher and me. You're like a father to us and you've always been such an important part of our lives. He would be so grateful for you helping me get passed these last few days…"

"No, Sonja. Don't talk like this," he started, voice shaky. "Me, you, and Christopher are all going to have this conversation together. After this is over we're going to sit down and talk and everything will be alright. We'll all have some dinner and we'll play board games with the kids like we used to do. Do ya understand me? We will."

Sonja could feel his fist tightening around the gear shift underneath her palm.

"Okay, Dwayne. Okay." she fiercely gulped, suppressing tears.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, putting the truck into drive.

She retracted her hand, buckling herself into the seat.

"He really loves you, you know," she offhandedly replied, staring out the window. "Even if he never says it."

"I love him too, and after today, I'll make sure he knows it."

…

10 years earlier…

"LaSalle? Is that you? Christopher, say something! You're scaring me," Sonja exclaimed into her phone as she tripped out of bed, awkwardly catching herself on her bedside table. It was in the early hours of the morning and her bedroom was pitch dark. She winced as pain shot through her mending shoulder wound.

"Yeah-yes. It's me. I'm sorry Sonja," he apologized, voice unsteady. "I don't know why this is happenin' to me…"

It had been over a month since they closed the Amber Matthews case and returned to NCIS headquarters in New Orleans, bandages and all. The last thing either of them counted on was carrying back emotional baggage as well. Everything seemed to be slipping back into a normal routine until the past week or so. Out of the blue, LaSalle had been calling Sonja at odd hours of the night. He would either call and be silent on the line, or sob uncontrollably and hang up. At first, Sonja was annoyed and didn't understand what was going on with her partner. After the eighth consistent phone call, she was becoming increasingly concerned. It also didn't help that when she tried to confront him about it privately, he would brush her off and say he had too much to drink, or she was overreacting. Sonja knew he wasn't an alcoholic and couldn't figure out what he was trying to hide. Tonight was the last straw, she had had enough. If LaSalle wouldn't open up and let her in on his secret, she was going to take matters into her own hands. If that meant telling Pride every single detail, then that's what she was going to do- neither of them could continue going on like this.

"Chris, please don't hang up. What do you mean what's 'happening' to you? What's going on?"

"I- I don't know. I thought I was fine. It's just ever since these dreams started, I've been messed up in the head. It's really gettin' to me, Percy."

"Okay, okay. What dreams? What are you dreaming about?"

The line went silent and Sonja became anxious, gripping the sheets on her bed.

"No… I can't talk about it. I changed my mind, I have to go…"

"LaSalle! Please! Just stay where you are, I'm coming to you. You're at home, right?"

She heard a deep sigh as he paused again.

"Really, Percy, it ain't a big deal. I'm a grown man, I can deal with it-''

"Clearly, you can't, because I wouldn't be on the phone with you every single night if you were alright!" she cut in, agitated. "Just sit your ego aside for a second and tell me where you are. I'm your partner, damn it! I'm here to help you, so let me."

LaSalle, realizing he hit a nerve, didn't want to make matters worse.

"I'm at home, okay? Are ya happy now?"

"I'm sleep deprived, so no, far from it," she replied, eyes rolling. "I'm going to get dressed and be there in twenty minutes. Unlock the door for me."

"There's no way out of this one, huh?" he grumbled, rubbing his equally tired eyes.

"Absolutely not. See you in a few."

…

Before Sonja laid a knuckle on his door to knock, it gently became ajar, and a disheveled agent LaSalle appeared on the other side with a weary smile.

"Hey," he whispered, scratching his broad bare chest. The only thing he had bothered putting on was a pair of gray sweatpants.

"Hi," she answered, wrapping her cardigan tightly around her body. In her rush to get out the door, she managed to find a clean tank top and shorts. Luckily, her favorite cardigan was already laying in the backseat of her car.

"Well, I guess you'd better come in," he nodded, stepping aside to let her pass.

Sonja noticed his house was just as unkempt as his appearance, unknown to her that his mind was in similar disarray. She stepped over piles of clothes and magazines until she found the couch and sat down, waiting for him to join her in the living room.

"Can I get ya somethin' to drink? Are ya thirsty?" he politely asked, avoiding the elephant in the room.

"No, Chris, I'm fine. I'm more interested in talking about you." Sonja crossed her arms, her eyes concernedly following him around the room as he paced.

"I don't know where to start," he replied, sulking over to a window to look out at the moon. "I don't know."

"You said you were having dreams. What kind of dreams? Nightmares?"

It took him a second to respond, his head turning to make eye contact. He nodded.

"Yeah, I suppose that's what they are. Really bad nightmares."

"Do you get those a lot?" Sonja asked, almost feeling as if she were a therapist. "Is that a common thing for you?"

"No. That's what's confusin' to me. I rarely ever get nightmares." LaSalle absentmindedly began picking up discarded books and sat them back on their shelves.

"What are they about? What happens that makes you so upset you have to call me?"

LaSalle stopped picking up books and crossed his arms defensively, mirroring Sonja's body language.

"I'd rather not get into that," he responded, walking into the kitchen.

"If you don't talk about it, it's only going to get worse. Trust me on this one," his partner replied, having flashbacks of her own situations.

"I don't think I'm ready, okay? It's not good stuff."

"Of course it's not, that's why they're called 'nightmares'," she sighed. "LaSalle, I thought you could tell me anything. Especially after our time together in New York. I thought we would grow closer, not further apart. You're shutting me out…"

"Sonja, please. You're wrong," he began, making his way back into the living room. "I'm not tryin' to shut you out."

"That's all you've been doing since these dreams started!" she yelled, unable to keep her composure. "We were doing great the first few weeks back on the job and suddenly now I'm getting the cold shoulder. Why? I thought I was worth more than that to you. I thought I meant something to you-"

"You do!" he exclaimed, voice rising several levels. In the blink of an eye, LaSalle was across the room and knelt in front of his partner, his strong hands taking hold of her arms. "Sonja," he gulped, eyes intense, "You mean the world to me. Don't ya know that?"

In shock, she breathlessly tried to mutter a response.

"I thought I knew," she whispered, eyes wide. "I don't know what to think when you brush me off at work and hang up after you call me."

LaSalle deeply inhaled, the grip on her arms lessening. Letting go, he sat on the couch next to her and tried to formulate his speech.

"You. They're about you."

Sonja blinked. "What is about me?"

"My nightmares. They're about you."

"LaSalle! What do you mean? I'm making you have bad dreams?" Sonja flung her hands to her face and groaned. "How could I have done that?"

"No, no, no. You didn't make me do anythin', Percy. Just listen to me for a second," he begged, reaching out to grasp her hand.

She paused, eyes falling on their joined hands. She nodded.

"Okay. Explain."

"My dreams… they all start with us back at Livingston's mansion-"

"No, don't you dare start that with me again Christopher," Sonja cut in yanking her hand away from his. "My injuries are not your fault! Look at me, I'm fine! We were in that fight together. We both got hurt."

"I'm not blamin' myself for that, that's not what's hauntin' me," he refuted, trying to get her attention. "That's not it."

"Okay," Sonja breathed, trying to calm down. "What else about me then?"

"I keep dreamin' that Livingston succeeded in killin' you, alright?" he muttered, biting his lip. "Every dream it's a different way of killin' you."

Sonja's body went cold, her mouth clamping shut. Minutes ticked by before he spoke again.

"When he left me tied to that chair to die, and told me he was on his way to kill you…" LaSalle shakily whispered, "That was probably the lowest point of my life. I had to sit there, hopelessly wonderin' how long it would take him to get to your room. I had to think about what he would do to you…"

"Chris, please…"

"No, let me finish. I need to do this," he interrupted with certainty.

Sonja didn't stop him.

"I would have gave my life for yours, ten times over, but there was nothin' I could do. I thought findin' you alive and comin' home would fix eveythin' for me, but I guess I underestimated my anguish."

He shook his head and reclined against the back of the couch, staring up at the ceiling.

"Once I stopped lyin' to myself, the dreams came rollin' in like a threatenin' storm. Night after night, my mind took me back in time. There I was, just standin' in our room at the mansion, watchin' Livingston strangle you, stab you, shoot you, you name it. Obviously, it's been takin' a toll on me…"

"LaSalle," she whispered, covering her mouth. "Oh my God. That's why you've been calling me?"

"I didn't really mean to, to be honest," he sadly smiled. "It just felt so real my first reaction was to call you and see if you were really here or not. I'm sorry if I scared ya."

"Don't be sorry, it's not your fault. None of what happened was your fault," Sonja consoled, rolling in his direction to wrap her arms around him in a hug. It was the first time in a long time that she heard the laugh that she loved so.

"Shoot, if I knew I was gonna get a hug after all of this, I woulda told you sooner," he chuckled, casually rubbing her back.

Sonja flicked the back of his head.

"Hey, LaSalle, why don't you ruin the moment?"

He sighed, breath hot on her neck as he drew her in closer.

"Oh, Percy. Don't ya know that's what I do best?"

The night after their talk LaSalle's nightmares ended. Sonja sat eagerly by the phone waiting for a call that never came. They both puzzled over how something so strange could come and go so quickly. His house was back in order, and their partnership stronger than ever. Now, the only thing replaying itself over and over again in LaSalle's head, were the words Sonja left him with before she went home, as she whispered in his ear.

"I'm here, he's there, and I'm not going anywhere."

…

"Do we have eyes on Livingston? I need confirmation, men! Somebody report back," Director Hill was yelling into his walkie-talkie from his vehicle outside the auto-body shop, only being on the scene less than twenty minutes. "Can I get a confirmation on Agent LaSalle?"

"Negative, Sir. We're making our way through the shop and towards an office door. No sign of movement," an agent replied.

"Any signs of Jameson? Be on the alert," Hill instructed.

A large rap sounded on the director's window, causing him to jump. When he saw who was causing the intrusion he groaned, rolling down the window.

"Agent Gregorio, do you want to fill me in on why exactly you and your team have been MIA on this mission? You had specific orders to report as back-up, and for some reason I find you knocking on my window instead of leading your team inside that building to retrieve your missing agent?"

"I apologize, Sir," Gregorio responded, biting her cheek to refrain from sarcastic comments. "I didn't want to move in and jeopardize the mission if your team had Livingston or Jameson in your sights."

"That doesn't tell me why you were late," he squinted, adjusting his tie. "Why don't you and your team cover the back of the building? I have a feeling things are going to get interesting fairly quickly."

"You got it," she nodded, ushering her team members to follow. In the back of her mind, Gregorio wondered if Hill knew what they were up to all along.

The director shook his head and turned his attention back to the walkie, stepping out of the vehicle.

"I need an update, men!" he shouted. "Everyone be ready," he exclaimed, addressing the officers and agents armed to the teeth.

…

"Oh gosh. Just as we suspected," Sebastian announced, sweating rolling down his cheek. The moment he and Patton arrived at the lab, they got to work. Sebastian began running DNA samples he was sent from LaSalle's truck and Patton quickly figured out a way to hack the closest security cameras to the scene.

"What did you find, Sebastian? Spit it out man!" Patton encouraged, pulling the footage up on the big screen.

"It's a match. The blood belongs to LaSalle," he replied, beginning to pace. "This is not good, this is not good…"

"Did you find any other evidence?" Patton asked, watching director Hill order men around on the screen.

"I'm running a few other tests right now on the floorboard mats of the truck and samples from the seats. Hopefully I get a few hits to help everyone out."

"Dude, do you see this? Hill has got Gregorio and the team covering the back of the building. Why aren't they in there?"

"Maybe Hill wants to keep an eye on them," Sebastian shrugged, scratching his chin. "Do you think he knows something?"

"If he does, who could have told him? I wouldn't put it passed the guy though, he's pretty slick. It'll be a miracle if we all get out of this without a scratch."

Sebastian nodded. "Especially LaSalle."

…

"We need to park a couple blocks away and walk onto the scene, hide behind somethin'," Pride was explaining to Sonja as he parked the vehicle.

"Oh, yeah, that won't look suspicious at all," she grumbled, head aching. "Why can't we just drive up on it and stay in the car?"

"There's no way. After further thought, I forgot that they'll have the streets blocked off. The only way to get there is by foot."

"Fine. If that's the only way then I'll do it," she nodded, stepping out and onto the sidewalk.

Pride raised a brow.

"Don't ya mean, 'we'?"

Sonja sighed, hands in her pockets.

"You and I both know once I show up on the scene Hill will have me arrested. I'm not going to take you down with me."

"You've got to be kidding," he remarked, walking up to meet her. "I thought when we started all this we said we're in it together. Am I wrong? Isn't that what we agreed to?"

"Maybe so, but I have the right to go back on our agreement, Pride. Chris is my husband and we vowed till death do us part. I've got to end this."

Pride gave a solemn smile and took her by the shoulders like he'd done a thousand times before.

"Let's get one thing straight, my dear. You and Christopher are my family. This team is my family, and family doesn't give up on each other. I'm goin' with you whether you like it or not. We're all gonna end this together, you hear me?"

"But-''

"Hey! No 'but's.' We all knew what it meant to sign on for this and we're gonna see it through. So. How about we go get LaSalle back?"

Sonja pressed her lips into a line that eventually spread into smile.

"Let's do it."

…

"Sir, we have visual on a man in a back room. Permission to proceed?"

"Yes, proceed with caution men. Shoot to kill if necessary," Hill responded, switching on all channels on his walkie.

"Okay everyone, get ready for possible gun fire. Suspect spotted. I need all channels on and ready to communicate."

Gregorio heard the message loud and clear through her walkie strapped to her hip, as she white-knuckled her gun. With the flick of a switch, she completed the order from the director.

"Stay alert," she ordered to her team, making sure everyone was on their toes.

An eerie silence fell over the auto-body shop as everyone awaited the sound of crackling gunfire.

Inside the shop, the team in pursuit kicked down the door to the room on the count of three. The man sitting at the desk gasped in fright, flinging his arms in the air in surrender.

"Don't shoot! Don't shoot!" he screamed, falling to the ground as an agent yanked him out of his chair and onto the ground, pressing his hands onto his back.

"Where is Agent LaSalle?" The FBI agent on top of him demanded. "You have guns from all direction pointed on you Son, tell me where Agent LaSalle is located!"

"I don't know who that is! I didn't do anything, I swear!" the young man began to cry. "Please don't kill me!"

An agent took to the walkie and relayed the info.

"Sir, we have a Caucasian male here about eighteen to twenty-five years of age. Does this match the description of either suspect?"

Gregorio, hearing this, raised a brow.

"There's no way that's Livingston or Jameson," she muttered confusedly.

"Ask him what he does there," Hill ordered.

"Do you work here?" the agent asked, still clasping the boy's hands to his back.

"Yes, this is my dad's business. This is my dad's!" he shrieked, tears pouring down his face.

"Who's your dad?"

"Charlie. Charlie Jameson," he sniffled.

"Did your father come to work today?"

"Yeah, uh- I think he's in one of the garages in the back. He says he needed to work on a truck."

"Go!" the agent instructed his men, making gestures to pursue the posterior of the building.

The agent took to his walkie again.

"I need this boy detained for the time being. Still in pursuit of both suspects. We're currently in pursuit."

As another agent rushed into the room and took the boy into custody, the agent joined up with his team who were nearing the back of the building which was a four-car garage, all doors closed.

"Do you see anything, men? Do we have visual?" Hill shouted into the walkie, sweat drenching his two hundred dollar dress shirt.

"We have visual! I repeat, we have visual!"

…

"What? Is this right?" Sebastian baffled, analyzing one of his samples.

"Man, I don't know what the heck is goin' on down there but there seems to be a lot of commotion between Hill and his team outside. Everyone is running around."

"Oh my God," Sebastian mumbled, completely ignoring Patton's play-by-play.

"What are you up to over there? What did you find?" Patton questioned, pulling himself away from the display at Sebastian's odd demeanor. "What's up?"

"I'm reviewing one of the samples I found on LaSalle's floor board, and it came back as a result for a specific ingredient found in…dynamite."

Patton blinked. "I'm sorry, back up. Did you just say 'dynamite'?"

"TNT, nitroglycerin, trinitrotoluene, whatever you want to call it," Sebastian nodded. "It's dynamite."

"Well, hell! We gotta call Gregorio and let her know that place is loaded!"

"Right! I'll call her right now!"

Sebastian grabbed his phone and had her dialed in under a few seconds.

"Can this day get any worse?" Patton sighed, rubbing his face.

"I really wish you wouldn't say things like that…"

…

"Okay, here it is. I think we should stand behind this tree for the time being," Pride instructed, as Sonja had the urge to run up and join Director Hill on the scene.

"I can't see anything over here, Dwayne. We need to get closer."

"If we get any closer we will be in direct sight and that'll be that!"

"What's going on over there? Why is everyone running around?" Sonja asked, her eyes glued on the director. "What's he saying?"

"I don't have one clue. Why don't I call Patton so he can tell us what he's been seeing on the security cameras? For all we know, they may be close to nabbing Livingston."

"Yes! Call Patton, hurry," she nodded, her stomach twisting into knots. "Maybe he can give us some answers."

…

"Sebastian, are my ears deceiving me or did you just say 'dynamite'?" Gregorio blurted, her cell phone in one hand and her gun in the other. "They just caught one suspect literally a second ago, and you want me to tell them there's dynamite?"

The agent who caught the boy now had his hands on the suspect, forcing him to the ground, hands behind his back.

"You have one second to tell me your name or I will order my men to shoot!" he demanded, close to the suspect's ear.

"Charlie! I'm Charlie, please God help me," the older man sobbed. "I didn't want to help him! He made me! He was going to kill my family, oh God…"

"We have Jameson, I repeat, we have Jameson," another agent announced into the walkie.

"Where is Lawrence Livingston, Charlie? Help us and maybe we can make a deal," the agent baited him, his knee digging into Jameson's back.

"He's in my office! He's in my office in the back. I swear, I swear," he cried.

"Go, go, go!" the agent ordered his team. "Proceed with extreme caution, men! Livingston may be armed and dangerous!"

"Does he have an Agent LaSalle with him, Charlie? Is he holding LaSalle?" the agent ordered, coming close to Jameson's ear once more.

"The guy is an agent? He's a cop? Oh God!" hesobbed into the concrete floor.

"Take him," the agent ordered as he armed himself to rejoin his team.

…

"Director, this Agent Gregorio. Director Hill, do you hear me Sir?"

"Yes, I hear you. Go."

"I have a lab report back from my men and we have confirmation of possible explosive activity Sir, tell those men to get out of there!"

"What are we talking here, Gregorio?" he hastily questioned, loosening his tie which was beginning to feel like a hand around his throat.

"Dynamite, Sir. Dynamite."

…

"Slow down, Patton! I can't understand a single thing you're sayin'!" Pride exclaimed into his phone.

"Livingston is gonna blow the place up! He has dynamite, Pride!"

Sonja felt her heart drop to her knees as she heard the news over speaker phone. This was it, he's done. Chris is gone.

"Oh my God, NO!''

…

72 hours earlier…

The heaviness of sleep was interrupted by a pair of warm, strong arms wrapping themselves around her waist, and a broad chest pressing against her back. Soft lips landed on the crook of her neck.

"Chris," she murmured drowsily, reaching behind her head to sink her fingers into his hair.

"Hey, baby," he replied, voice low. "I'm sorry I got home so late again."

"What time is it?" she asked, the blurriness of her vision preventing her from reading her alarm clock on the dresser.

"It's three in the mornin'. Obviously a lot later than I planned on…"

"I thought you said you would be home by ten. Twelve at the latest?" she sighed, turning in his arms until they were face to face.

"I know, I know. This case has really been kickin' my butt," he smiled, nudging her nose with his own.

"The kids have barely seen you in the past two weeks. You missed family game night, you know that's their favorite."

"You're mad at me, huh?" he asked, slowly letting out his breath.

"I'm not mad, just concerned. I know you can't talk about your cases with me, but this one seems different than the other ones. It's taking all of your attention."

"Hey now, it's not takin' all of my attention. What do ya want me to do? Bein' the boss is hard work. I miss you guys more than anythin'."

"Can Tammy take over some of that stuff for you? She's more than capable."

"She's takin' it on, alright. Believe me. Gregorio headed home the 'bout the same time I did."

"Okay," Sonja responded with a hint of defeat in her voice. "I get it." She placed a kiss on his shoulder and turned back around to face the wall.

She heard her husband sigh as he readjusted their pillows and propped himself up on an elbow.

"Are you sure you're not mad at me?"

"I'm sure. Your team needs you, I understand. You should get some rest."

"Sonja," he whispered, brushing her hair away from her face, "You and the kids are my team, too. I would never put NCIS before my family."

"Honey," she replied, sitting up to face him, "It's not about putting us first or your team. It's about finding a healthy balance between the both of them. Does that make sense? That's all I want you to do, Chris."

"Okay. I'm sorry. I'm gonna try to do better."

"I know it's a lot," she continued, taking his face into her hands. "Being a boss, a father, and a husband must not be easy. You have a lot on your plate. I just want you to see my perspective."

"I see it," he nodded, turning his head to kiss her palm. "I need to be home more. I'm gonna work on that first."

"The kids are on summer vacation and want to spend time with the both of us. I told them I'll try and make that happen. Once school starts back up again, everything can go back to normal. You'll be running NCIS and I'll be cleaning the house listening to my seventies music," she smiled, dropping her hands to rub his arms. "We just want a little time with you."

"You're gonna get more than a little, I promise you that." LaSalle leaned in and took her into an embrace, causing Sonja to fall on top of him. She laughed.

"What would I do without you?" he smiled, kissing her cheek. "I'm so damn lucky you're mine."

"I know." She returned his grin, pressing her forehead against his own. "I'm lucky, too. But you really need to get some rest. You have another early morning tomorrow."

"Okay, let's get some rest."

LaSalle sat the both of them up and pulled the covers back as the pair cuddled up underneath them, Sonja decidedly resting her cheek upon his chest.

"How 'bout we go to the park this weekend? It's supposed to be pretty hot, we can take the kids to the pool?" he asked, his fingers running up and down her spine.

"I thought you had a meeting to go to this weekend?"

"Pshh, what meetin'?" he smirked, kissing her head. "I can pull a few strings. I am the boss after all, right?"

"The kids will love that! It's a great idea. We haven't been to the park in ages."

"Who knows, maybe Pride might even watch the kiddo's that night so we can go on a date."

"A date? What is that?" she laughed, rubbing her tired eyes.

"A place where no children are allowed that involves food and kissin' on each other," he replied, his laughter shaking his ribcage.

"Sounds like my kind of place."

"Yeah, but if I'm honest, any place that has you in it is fine by me. The zoo, a swanky restaurant, the park, you name it- all I need is you."

"Aw," she sighed, pinching his arm. "How could I ever be mad at you when you say stuff like that?"

"So ya were mad! I knew it," he chuckled, patting her on the behind. "I always know when you're mad."

"You also know how to make me not mad, and that's a good skill to have."

"Mhm, I sure do. I could try out one of my special skills, right now if you'd like…"

"Chris," she grinned, as he flipped her onto her back, "I thought you said we were going to rest?"

"We will," he replied as he took her wrists and placed them above her head. "Right after this."

…

Boom…Boom…Boom

"What was that?" Sebastian mumbled, hearing the sound rumble through his phone call with Gregorio and seeing smoke cover the auto-body shop on the screen in his lab.

Gregorio hung up, smoke immediately engulfing her and her team like a deadly fog. Gasping, she brought her walkie to her lips.

"Is everybody alright? Do we have men down?"

"Move, move, move!" Hill ordered the rest of his teams into the building to assess the damage and locate the missing team. Shortly after that, the roof began to cave in.

"We have men down! I repeat, we have men down! We need medical assistance!" an agent called over his walkie, voice being drown out by commotion.

"Do we have eyes on Livingston? We cannot let him escape!" Hill fiercely yelled.

Suddenly, the long-awaited sounds of gunfire rang out, quickly grabbing everyone's attention.

…

"We have to go in there!" Sonja screamed, Pride holding her back as her body thrashed in his grip. "Chris needs us!"

A minute later, flames began wafting out of the windows of the shop. Not long after that, an ambulance and fire truck arrived.

"Where is Livingston? I need a visual men, please!" Hill's voice was beginning to sound desperate.

With no response, he rolled up his sleeves and bent down to rest his palms on his knees, head hung low. Emergency medical teams breezed past him.

"Let me go!" Sonja shouted, shoving Pride away with all her might until she was free, flying across the street and onto the scene.

"This can't be it," she exclaimed, somehow making her way within proximity of Hill. "We have to do something!"

Pride was on her heels the entire way, wrapping his arms under hers for support.

Hill flipped around, eyes wide.

"Mrs. LaSalle? Pride? What on Earth are you-''

"Sir!" a young agent of the FBI interrupted the awkward reunion, as he stood nose to nose with the director. "I've received a report that the building and surrounding sheds on the property are clear. The suspect is on the run."

Director Hill, hesitantly ripping his eyes away from Pride and Sonja, addressed the man.

"On the run? How far could he possibly get with a hostage who is most likely injured?"

"I don't know, Director. We're canvassing the area as we speak."

…

"Suspect is on the run! Everyone, eyes open!" a voice rang over the walkie.

Gregorio groaned as she stomped her foot with impatience.

"Screw this, man," she scoffed, throwing her head back. "The director and the whole damn FBI can push us out all they want, but I just can't stand here like some moron for the next two seconds." She gestured to her team. "Let's spilt up. I'll go this way and you guys take the other. We're not callin' it quits until LaSalle is safe."

"Livingston could be trying to use the fire as a smokescreen for a clean getaway," one of the NCIS agents commented, gun held high and ready to shoot. "He can be anywhere by now."

"Maybe so, but I bet he won't get far. Let's move."

…

"Sir, the explosions did quite a number on our teams. Most of my guys are injured and are unable to pursue. I have received word that Gregorio and her team from NCIS are closing in."

"Gregorio? I thought I told her to-" the director sighed, shaking his head. "Never mind. Do we have a location on her team?"

"They've moved about a block down the neighborhood. We have no visual."

"Someone call Patton!" Sonja exclaimed, yet again escaping Pride's grip. "He can hack security cameras all over this neighborhood. Maybe he can even see Livingston himself."

Hill opened his mouth to yell obscenities Sonja's way but decidedly clamped his mouth shut, eyes shooting daggers. He turned to his man.

"Contact Patton and fill him in on the situation. Have him patch any visual to my laptop, understood?"

"Understood, Sir!"

The agent quickly grabbed a phone and began performing what he was instructed to do.

Pride cleared his throat and stepped forward, reaching out for the director.

"Director, I promise you there is an explanation regarding Sonja and I-"

"Oh, I'm sure of it agent Pride," Hill scoffed, hands on his hips. "I can't wait to hear it."

…

"At first I wasn't seein' anything, but when I hacked into a camera three blocks from the scene, I think I got something!" Patton hollered, transferring the information to Hill's computer screen in real time. "I mean, I know I got something!"

"Is it Chris? Did you find him?" Sebastian exclaimed, nearly slipping and falling as he crossed the laboratory floor to Patton.

"I can't make out the faces, but it's definitely two adult males attempting to break into a car. One of them is in rough shape. The whole time I've been watchin' this go down he's been slumped against the car and the other dude is shaking him. I don't like this, Sebastian."

"Gregorio better get there quick or Livingston will have that car started! LaSalle will be gone for good, and I don't think it will be easy to find him for the second time. We won't have a chance."

"Bro, if there even is a second time, it won't be a rescue mission," Patton replied, heart heavy. "We'll just be recovering a body."

…

Beads of sweat traveled down the back of Gregorio's neck as she and her team approached the street that supposedly held Livingston and LaSalle. The director himself informed her on the situation, and pressed that timing was of the essence, as though that had yet to occur to her. Thankfully, to keep the area under control, stray FBI agents were to go to the back door of every residence and explain what was currently in motion. As a result, the neighborhood was eerily quiet. Step by step, with her heart thudding in her ears, the weight of possible outcomes began to weigh heavy on her. The moment Livingston spotted her he could plant a bullet straight into LaSalle's head. If her team got spooked and fired their weapons, he could use LaSalle as a shield. Hell, LaSalle might already be dead! Gregorio was biting her lip, the faint taste of blood on her tongue. She hadn't put her badge on the line to come out of this empty handed. Sonja and her friends hadn't put in every ounce of their energy for her to mess this up for them. People were depending on her now, especially Vivian and Max. Those kids deserved to have their daddy come home safe and sound and heal together as a family. Her palms began to sweat as she grasped to hang onto her gun. This was a moment in time that would define her or ruin her… it was a coin toss as to which.

Gregorio crouched behind a vehicle, head slightly peeking out to assess the scene. After hour after excruciating hour, her eyes finally landed on a familiar face covered in cuts and bruises. His hair was coated in dried up blood. She felt her heart skip a beat. LaSalle! If only she could let him know how close she was. His eyes were closed as he sat leaning against the car Livingston was in the middle of hot-wiring. His usual attire of a Henley shirt and jeans were dirty and tattered. He appeared unresponsive.

"Go," Gregorio mouthed to her teammates who were scattered throughout the street, ducked behind vehicles. "Follow my lead. Don't shoot."

A monstrous growl rolled through the air, causing Gregorio and her team to stop in their tracks.

"This is taking too long!" a harsh male voice bellowed, slamming his fist into the car. "If we can't get out of here then I'll just have to change plans and kill you now, instead." Livingston swirled on his heel, bending down and taking ahold of LaSalle's cheeks in one hand. "I know, it's not ideal. However, you haven't got much of choice Agent LaSalle."

Gregorio was taken aback by the character known as Mr. Livingston she's heard countless stories about. Besides being covered in dirt, his appearance was completely accurate. His jet black hair was now sprinkled with gray near the crown, slightly frazzled as it hung over his mischievous eyes. His pen striped suit still contained his signature silk pocket square. His shiny black dress shoes had a few scuffs, but this was him. Lawrence Livingston in the flesh.

"Give it up, Livingston. I know ya ain't gonna kill me," LaSalle scoffed, almost egging him on. His head rolled slowly to face the criminal, Livingston still holding his face between his fingers. LaSalle paused, licking his cracked lips. "You and I both know you'll keep me alive long enough to torture me until I'm dead. Ain't that what this has been?"

"Time is obviously not on my side, Christopher," Mr. Livingston sneered, roughly pushing away LaSalle's face, "Otherwise I would be doing just that."

"What do ya mean, time?" LaSalle laughed, his voice suddenly turning into a deep cough after a second or two. "You've been runnin' this whole thing. You're in control, Livingston. You better make your next move."

"Would you shut up?" he hissed, swiftly kicking LaSalle in his side. The agent buckled, grasping his kidney with slow breaths, eyes closed.

"Your little friends will be here any minute," Livingston continued, ignoring LaSalle's anguish. "If I don't kill you now, they'll kill me. Now, what kind of reward would that be after all the trouble I went through to get you?"

"You don't get any award for stealin' a man from his family," LaSalle mumbled, squinting towards the sky. "People like you get what they deserve."

"A jail won't hold me, Mr. LaSalle," Livingston cackled, ducking back into the car. "No matter where they put me, I'll plan my escape. And after that, I'll find you. I have people who will help me find you. There is no way out of this one, Agent LaSalle. Your sweet partner can't bail you out now. You're mine."

"Put your hands up, scum bag!" Gregorio exclaimed as she and her team surrounded the men and the vehicle, weapons ready to fire. "Let me see your hands, Livingston! Turn around! Slowly!"

"Well, well, well," he snickered, his head still inside the vehicle. "Another woman come to rescue you. Why am I not surprised?"

"Cut the chit-chat Livingston and turn around! Hands up!" Gregorio ordered, finger on the trigger.

"Gregorio," LaSalle softly muttered, "I think he has a-''

"Gun!" the men on the team hollered, as Livingston swung around bearing a pistol pointed directly into LaSalle's brain.

"Take one step closer agents and I'll be thrilled to fill your precious LaSalle with as many bullets as possible," he smirked, poking LaSalle with the weapon to prove his point.

"Whoa, calm down, okay?" Gregorio insisted, lowering her gun. "Let's not do anything hasty here, alright?"

"I don't see your men lowering their weapons," Livingston frowned, pulling back the hammer.

"Hey! Okay!" the men responded, lowering their weapons and taking a step backwards.

"Perfect," he sneered.

"Just give us LaSalle and we'll let you go. You have my word we won't follow you," Gregorio proposed, placing a hand over her heart. "I'll get on my walkie right now and call off the FBI, too. Just give us LaSalle."

"Don't do it," LaSalle interjected, getting his head hit with the butt of the gun.

"Shut up!" Livingston yelled, grasping LaSalle by his collar. "Don't you say another word! The moment you stepped foot in my life, you ruined everything! This isn't over until I tie up loose ends."

"Lawrence, please," Gregorio softly interrupted, trying not to set him off. "You can walk away from this, okay? You can walk away without a scratch. Give us our guy and you're free. No jail, no nothin'. Let him go."

LaSalle locked eyes with her as new blood spilled down his forehead. Livingston was holding tight onto his collar as his hazel eyes begged for help.

"What if I don't?" Livingston flippantly asked, smugly shrugging his shoulders. "What are you going to do, agent? Shoot me? If you shoot me, I shoot him. We'll both be dead."

"I'm going to give you one more chance, which is more than I should," Gregorio contested, holstering her weapon. Her teammates exchanged confused glances. "Let LaSalle go. Now."

Livingston stood in silence as time began to melt into slow motion. Gregorio saw LaSalle slipping in and out of consciousness. The sun was burning a hole into her back. Her mouth had gone dry, and her senses were on full alert. Finally, a voice jarred her, and she felt her body fling itself across the yard, her arms reaching forward. She faintly heard her own screaming in the background, and Livingston saying:

"No."

…

"I had two males on screen with Gregorio and her team surrounding them, now I've lost visual!" Hill bellowed at surrounding agents. "Someone call Patton and tell him to get me another angle!"

"Two males? Do you think its Chris and Livingston?" Sonja gasped, her pulse racing.

Crack. Crack. Crack, crack.

Everyone suddenly held their breath.

"What was that?" Sonja whispered, nails digging into Pride's arm. "Was that-''

"Gunshots," he breathed, head twisting in the direction of the sound.

"Close-range shots fired!" Hill yelled into his walkie. "Can I get a confirmation they are from the scene of the suspect? I have lost visual!"

No response.

Director Hill shoved his laptop further across the hood of his vehicle and brought his hands to face, pacing.

"Dwayne," Sonja choked, turning around to face him, "What do we do?"

"Oh, sweetheart," he sighed, bringing her in to rest her head beneath his chin. "I am so sorry."

"Sir, do you copy?" an unfamiliar male voice rang through the walkie. "We need immediate medical assistance on the scene. We have several injuries. We also have a body."

Hill stood in shock, eyes wide, before he picked up the device while motioning to medical teams.

"We have medical assistance on the way. Stand by. Is subject detained?" Hill's voice was eerily calm as everyone awaited an answer.

"Subject is no longer a threat, Sir."

Sonja felt her body go limp as sobs shook her core. Pride attempted to gather her up, but was unsuccessful.

"Thank God," she cried, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"What condition is Agent LaSalle in? And Gregorio and her team?" Hill continued, his stance uptight.

"Undetermined, Sir. I'm sorry."

"Undetermined?" Sonja yelled, hotly making her way toward the director. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Mrs. LaSalle, please," the director wearily replied, holding up a hand. "You and Agent Pride are on a short leash with me after this stunt you're pulling, so I would appreciate if you didn't take that tone-''

"Take me to the scene. Now." Sonja's voice was direct, and her eye contact unwavering. "I need to be there."

"You're not even supposed to be here!"

"Come on, Director," Pride spoke, calmly approaching them. "We've come this far, and we will answer for that. Just get Sonja one step closer, I'm beggin' you. It's her husband."

Hill crossed his arms, foot urgently tapping. He let out a long breath, head lolling backward.

"Fine," he replied, making eye contact with the has-been agents. "I'll hold you to your word on that, Pride. But for now, I'll take both of you with me. Let's go."

…

The scene was frenzied as FBI and NCIS vehicles advanced upon the small neighborhood. Ambulances and medical teams blanketed the area, and Sonja's eyes immediately fell upon a medical responder zipping up a body bag. Her emotions ran high as she jumped out of the vehicle the second it crept to a halt. An FBI agent was hastily roping off the crime scene with tape, as Sonja hurtled toward him.

"I need to get through here. I'm LaSalle's wife," she ordered on tip-toes, eyes sweeping over the sea of people. "I need to get in here, please!"

"I'm sorry, Ma'am," the man replied. "I'm on strict orders to keep out civilians."

"Step aside, agent," a deep voice announced, causing Sonja to jolt. Director Hill was suddenly at her side, holding up his badge. "This woman and man have clearance." He gestured to Sonja and Pride.

The agent nodded, lifting the tape and standing aside.

Sonja locked eyes with Pride before she took off, her heart in her throat.

"Chris!" she bellowed, bumping shoulders with various people. "Tammy! Chris!"

She grabbed hold of a medical responder who had blood up to his elbows.

"Excuse me, do you know Agent LaSalle? Agent Gregorio? Do you know where I can find them?"

"I- I'm sorry, I don't know who that is-''

"Who have you treated? Who's in the ambulances?"

"Uh- I just treated a woman. She has a bullet wound in her shoulder. Her partners had a few abrasions obtained in the scuffle, I believe."

"You treated her? How is she?"

"There was a good amount of blood-loss but she's going to pull through. She should be heading to the nearest hospital any minute."

"And the man. Where is the man?" she pressed, clinging to the medical personnel. "What happened to him?"

"We had a deceased person on site, a man," he replied, sweat running down his brow. "I never treated a man."

"Okay, okay. Thank you," Sonja spat, releasing him and continuing her journey for LaSalle.

Every corner she turned, every agent she questioned, seemed to come to a dead end. As minutes passed, Sonja grew frantic in realization of losing sight of Pride and Director Hill.

"Sonja! Sonja!"

Her ears perked at the sound of a male calling her name from afar, but she couldn't pinpoint who it was.

Suddenly, a pair of strong hands took her by the shoulders.

"Chris!" she screeched, flipping around.

"No, honey," Pride replied. "I'm not Christopher."

Sonja's excitement fell to despair.

"Don't give up hope, just yet," he smiled. "Patton and Sebastian have been combing through security cameras and they found him. I'm here to take ya to him."

…

Sonja was in a dream sequence. The yells and the chattering turned into a dull hum as Pride coaxed her step, after wobbly step. Her bones were made of jello. Her eyesight melded into tunnel vision. She knew Pride was whispering something in her ear, but she couldn't make out exactly what he was trying to say. Her sweat ran cold.

All of a sudden, a woman in medical clothing stopped them in their path.

"Excuse me, are you Mrs. LaSalle? Are you the wife of the male in critical care?"

"I-uh, yes, I'm-'' Sonja was beginning to feel faint as Pride stepped in.

"Yes, this is her. I'm Agent Pride. If you could lead the way to him, we'd sure be really grateful."

"Of course. Come this way," the woman nodded, ushering them towards an ambulance.

"Are you fit to receive medical information on your husband, Ma'am?" she asked, eyes etched with worry. She glanced at Pride. "I believe Mrs. LaSalle may be suffering from shock. We should get her checked out."

"No," Sonja quickly replied, shakily touching her arm. "I'm fine. Please take me to him and tell me what we're dealing with."

"I'm not one-hundred percent convinced," the woman warned, "but I can have my team check your vitals afterwards. Let's go see your husband now."

Pride never left Sonja's side as the trio approached the ambulance as personnel made room for the new arrivals. Looking into the vehicle, Sonja laid eyes on a man seriously battered and bloodied, his body being strapped to a gurney. He was hooked up to various machines, with an oxygen mask covering his mouth. His neck was in a brace.

"Oh, God! Chris."

"Mrs. LaSalle, wait-''

It was too late for conversation as Sonja broke free from Pride and leaped into the vehicle, adrenaline taking over. Pushing several people out of the way, she finally made it to LaSalle's side, delicately placing her palm over his heart.

"What did he do to you?" she softly cried, registering a faint thudding beneath her hand. With swollen eyes and so much blood covering his head, Christopher LaSalle was barely recognizable.

"He isn't awake, Mrs. LaSalle," a woman's voice spoke from behind her. Sonja turned her head.

"Is he-" Sonja roughly swallowed, "going to make it?"

"We're unable to give you a full medical report at this time, but we're fairly certain he sustained a concussion at some point. As for broken bones and internal damage, we'll have to get a CT scan at the hospital as well as a full physical evaluation. For now we're supplying him with oxygen, medicine and fluids. He's in an induced coma. Your husband has a long road of recovery ahead of him."

"Can I go with him to the hospital?" Sonja sniffled, taking a seat on the bench beside him. "I don't want him to wake up alone."

"Of course you can," the woman smiled. "I've heard from Agent Pride you've been waiting for this moment for a long time. In times like this, these are the moments I look forward to."

Sonja let out a slow breath and reached for LaSalle's hand. Intertwining their fingers, she felt herself release a laugh.

"Yes. Oh, yes. It's been a long time."

…

1 week later…

"How are you feeling? Do you want me to help you sit up?"

"Nah, baby. I got it."

The LaSalle's had spent the last week of their lives in a small hospital room, and were undoubtedly staying there for the near future.

LaSalle slowly but surely sat himself up in bed and motioned for his wife to join him, as he scooted over to make room.

"How many times have the nurses told you to not do this?" she smiled, shaking her head as she climbed in next to him.

"Ah, who cares?" he grinned. "Watch out for my cords though. Don't want those rippin' out."

"Chris," she sighed, snuggling into his chest.

"What's wrong, Sonja?" he asked, resting his chin on her head. "I know this situation ain't ideal, but we don't have much of a choice. Livingston did me in good."

"We all have that meeting with Director Hill today, that's what. I don't know what to say…"

"You tell him you saved my life," he whispered, kissing her head. "I would be dead without you. I'll tell him that myself."

"You'll probably get your chance. Pride texted me and said we're all meeting in this hospital room in the next hour."

"Well, then," LaSalle shrugged. "I guess we'll get it over with."

"Are you sure you're up for it? You still have your concussion to worry about. You also have a few broken bones and a lot of swelling. Not to mention we finally have your vitals back on a normal level, and that's not the end of it."

"Of course I'm up for it. If Hill is tryin' to condemn my team and throw my wife in jail, hell yes I'm up for it!"

"Okay," Sonja exasperatedly replied. "I won't stop you."

"The sooner we get all the legal mumbo-jumbo taken of, the sooner I see my kids," he grinned, eyes growing bright. "I haven't seen them in so long."

"They sat in here with me while you were asleep for the first few days," she smiled. "They were so worried about you. I almost didn't let them see you in that condition, but Vivian begged me. She missed her daddy."

"What story are we usin' to explain this?" he sighed, gesturing to the monitors.

"I told them you got hurt on your work trip. I didn't want to go into any detail."

"Alright then." LaSalle gathered his wife into his arms, and his soreness melted away.

Silence fell upon the couple as the sun began to peek from behind the clouds, filling the room with light. Sonja's eyes wandered to a vase filled with an elegant floral arrangement sitting in the corner of the room. She spotted a white card attached to a yellow bow.

"Chris, who are those flowers from?"

He didn't need to look over his shoulder to come up with a response.

"Oh, you'll love this one," he snickered, patting her back. "There was no specific name on the card, but all it says is, "Thank you. J."

"J?" Sonja wrinkled her brow. "As in- Jan Livingston?"

"Looks like it. I guess she saw the news and wanted to send us a message!"

"Wow," she commented, eyes wide. "That's nice. It's just so unbelievable how much she's changed! You probably wouldn't even recognize her. Inside and out."

"I don't much matter to me," he smiled. "I'm just grateful she came to her senses and helped track down Livingston for good. That was a big thing she did."

"It really was. I'm proud of her."

"And I'm proud of you, Sonja," he gently replied. "So many things could have happened. I'm just glad we didn't have to find out how to live without each other."

"Why is it every time Livingston gets involved, one of us almost dies and ends up in the hospital?"

"I know," he nodded. "Kind of like a cruel full-circle moment, wasn't it?"

"Did he say why he took you, Chris? Did he tell you his motive?"

"I haven't told ya everythin' that happened in that auto-body shop," he explained, "I'm just not ready to. That'll take time. All I kept hearin' from him is that I ruined everything and had to die. I don't know the motive, exactly."

Sonja turned his head towards her and placed a kiss on his forehead.

"It's okay, I'm in no hurry. I'm just glad here. You're safe. That's all I need. I love you."

"Boy, do I love you too."

…

"Glad you could all join me today," Hill announced, clearing his throat. "I will make you all aware before we get started that this conversation is being recorded."

"What's the news on Jameson? He gettin' released?" Gregorio butt in, her curiosity halting the proceedings.

"No. Charlie Jameson has been booked on several counts, some including aiding and embedding as well as accessory to commit murder. He won't be enjoying any sort of freedom any time soon."

"Geez, that's good to hear," Sebastian mumbled, relieved Livingston's right-hand man wouldn't be haunting the streets of New Orleans.

"Now, if everyone is appeased, we can get down to business," said Hill.

"We're all crammed in here like sardines, man," Patton groaned, commenting on the size of the hospital room. "Can't we save this nonsense until the boss is outta here? Shouldn't he be resting?"

"This 'nonsense' you are referring to, could land the lot of you in a federal prison," Hill deadpanned, crossing his arms. "You all should consider yourself lucky you haven't been detained."

"Lawrence Livingston is dead and LaSalle and the rest of our team is intact. Why isn't that enough for you? Haven't we all been through enough?" Gregorio proposed, her arm propped up in a sling to hold her shoulder steady.

"This case isn't closed until I receive full statements from all parties involved," the director instructed, leaning against the window sill. "I will keep everyone in this room until I get the full truth."

"You're only doing this because of me," Sonja piped in, stepping away from LaSalle's bedside. "I'll tell you everything you need to know. Don't persecute these people for my wrong-doing."

"Come on, now, Sonja," Pride sighed, stepping forward. "It's just as much of my fault as it is yours, maybe even more. I'm sure the FBI is familiar with my reputation for going around the law."

"You're right, Pride," Hill nodded. "We've been keeping detailed records on you ever since Gregorio joined the team. We thought you would bow out gracefully when you handed in your badge and retired, but I guess we were wrong."

"You can't do this," LaSalle interjected, sitting up too quickly and wincing. "These people are my family. They only wanted me to come home safe."

"These people went behind the backs of the FBI. These people defied specific orders," Hill responded, pacing around the room. "Someone has to answer for this. That's how the world works."

"Do you have any proof?" Gregorio questioned, rising to her feet. "You have no ground to stand on without proof."

"Funny you should ask," the director chuckled, squeezing the bridge of his nose between his fingers. "It seems the hard-drive on Patton's computer at headquarters had been completely wiped clean. Same with Sebastian's at his lab."

"Phone records?" Gregorio continued, hand on her hip.

"Squeaky clean as well." The director's mouth was pressed in a thin line, his hand making a fist at his side.

"Then it doesn't matter what you think we did," she said. "There's nothin' to talk about."

"At this very moment, my men are arduously looking into each of your bank accounts, credit cards, passports, and we won't stop there until we have something. Give up the information now, and maybe we can make a deal."

The team glanced around the room, with the actual truth weighing heavily on their shoulders, their mouths clamped shut.

"It was my fault," Sebastian spoke, all heads whipping his direction. "Getting Sonja and Pride to the scene was all me. I admit to it."

"Nah, man! It was me," Patton exclaimed, poking himself in the chest. "Lay all the charges on me. Sebastian is just tryin' to cover for me."

"Both of you are lying," Gregorio dramatically sighed. "It was me. I lead Sonja and Pride to the scene. It was the least I could do for them. Sebastian and Patton had no idea what I was doin'. They're covering for me."

"No, no, no," Pride piped in. The director's eyes were bugging out of his head. "I called Gregorio a while back and made her promise to take Sonja and me to the scene whenever Christopher was found. She was only following through for me. The boy's had no idea we had a deal. Everyone is just coverin' for me. Like I said earlier, pin it on me. Case closed."

"Dwayne," Sonja exhaled. "You know you only called Gregorio because I made you. All of this is happening because of me. I jeopardized the entire team because of my grief, and I can never make that up to you all. I'm so sorry. They're covering for me."

"You'll have to arrest all of us, Hill," Gregorio smirked. "I'm not sure how good that would look for you, considering the FBI just gallantly rescued the head of our NCIS team, and took out the assailant single-handedly, but it's totally up to you. Ball's in your court."

"Enough."

Hill's voice was sturdy and filled with frustration.

"I don't know what kind of game you're all playing at, but I promise you, I'll figure it out. Until then, I'll privately take each of your statements and I'll be on my way." The director turned to LaSalle. "Get well soon."

Breezing out the door with his recorder in hand, the team exchanged amused looks and waited for the door to close entirely before erupting in laughter.

"How did that actually work?" Sebastian eyes were alit with amazement. "We didn't even practice that! There wasn't even a script!"

"You kiddin' me, Sebastian?" Gregorio winked. "We're professionals."

"Do you think Hill's team is gonna rake up some dirt on all of us?" Patton mused, scratching his head. "That sounded like a definite threat, to me!"

"If he does, then we'll worry about it then. If I'm not mistaken, you guys have a pretty slick clean-up job if I don't recall?" Pride smiled, a hand in his pocket.

Sebastian blushed.

"Well…yeah. I guess you could say that."

"I can't believe the FBI stole credit for what went down," LaSalle groaned, shaking his head. "Sonja was the one who found me in this big mess and Gregorio took a bullet in the shoulder that was meant for my head! It just ain't right!"

"Hey, it doesn't matter who took credit," Gregorio consoled, patting his leg. "They can keep the fame as far as I'm concerned, if it means the scent is off our tails. I'd rather just head back to work."

"Really? I was figurin' on givin' you some time off! We've been swamped with cases, you know?" LaSalle chuckled.

"Oh, no, Boss. Work is exactly what I need right now. It's the best form of therapy there is! Not to mention good ole' NCIS headquarters coffee. Can't beat that."

LaSalle took hold of Sonja's hand, a glow finding its way onto his cheeks.

"Then I hope ya'll don't mind if I take some time off to spend with my family. Its summer vacation, and the kids need their daddy!"

"Dude, you'd be crazy if you didn't take time off," Patton laughed. "After all the blood loss, broken bones, and dehydration, you need some R&R!"

"Thanks for remindin' me of all that, pal," LaSalle winked.

"You're not going to quit are you?" Sebastian gasped, always leaping to conclusions. "What if you spend so much time away you realize work is too dangerous and quit! Oh no, I don't know if I can handle something like that-''

Gregorio gave him a good shove. "Would you cut it out? Why do you always make everything about you? Let the man rest. Okay?"

"I'm sorry, you're right," he nodded, collecting himself. "Totally overreacting."

Pride draped a supportive arm around the younger man's shoulders.

"I think its high time we give the LaSalle's some privacy, hm?" he grinned, beaming at Chris and Sonja. "I'm sure Director Hill is anxious to get on with these interviews."

"Yeah, I volunteer to go first. Triple P is a good ice breaker." Patton flashed a toothy grin, dusting off his shoulders. "Sebastian, you should roll with me too. See you guys around!"

"That's a good idea, considering you drove me here." Sebastian nodded at his logic. "We'll catch up with you guys later! Get better LaSalle!"

"Thanks Patton," Sonja waved as he exited the room. "Thank you Sebastian."

"I should head outta here too," Gregorio softly smiled, eyeing the door. "I got interviews to take, bad guys to catch, paperwork to fill out. A typical day in the life."

"Don't work too hard, Tammy." Sonja was careful of Gregorio's sling as she gave her friend a tight hug. "I will never be able to thank you enough."

"You got that right," LaSalle added, locking eyes with his colleague. "I don't think I can ever get the image of you jumpin' on top of Livingston and the gun goin' off out of my head. You saved my life just as much as Sonja and the rest."

"Pshh," the agent shrugged, trying to avoid a display of emotions. "Don't mention it, okay? I remember all the stories about him. I'm just glad that douchebag is off the streets. He can't hurt anybody anymore."

"No, he can't," Pride smiled, patting her on her good shoulder. "You did a great job, Tammy."

"So did our team," she nodded. "It was a team effort. Oh, and I forgot to mention," she continued, looking at LaSalle, "Thanks for stallin' Livingston so we could surround the car and catch him off-guard. You really egged him on."

"I saw you guys comin' and had to create a distraction," he smiled. "Even if that meant gettin' a kick or two. I'm sittin' here talkin' to you, so it didn't turn out that bad."

"Nope. It sure didn't." Gregorio gave the group a small wave, and journeyed toward the door.

"Hold the fort down for me, okay?" LaSalle called as she opened the door. "I'll be back soon!"

"Not too soon," she replied, lip turned up into a smile.

"Well, guess I better get in line for those interviews," Pride gestured, eyes soft. "It's sure nice to see you two back together."

LaSalle stared at the man he looked to as a mentor and father, and cleared his throat before he could tear up.

"Listen, Dwayne," he began, voice low. "I know what ya did for Sonja while I was gone. She told me everythin'. You were her rock when I couldn't be, you took care of my kids. You held my family together when most would have crumbled. I will never forget that. I'll do my best to repay you someday."

"I could never turn my back on family, Christopher," the older man replied, his tone light. "I was takin' care of the people I love, plain and simple. That's all I ever try to do. There's no debt to be paid."

"Thank you," Sonja said, crossing the room to envelope him in a hug. "We love you too. Take care."

The retired agent locked eyes with his protégé turned boss and an unspoken understanding resonated between the both of them.

Sonja let him go, as he meandered to the door, taking one final look over his shoulder.

"Where do ya think you'll go now?" LaSalle asked. "What's next for the great Dwayne Pride?"

"It's hard to say, Son," he chuckled. "Hopefully my next adventure will take it easier on me. Say hi to the kiddo's for me."

LaSalle nodded, heart full.

"I will! Stay outta trouble, King."

…

"Come on, everyone, get in here. I don't think the nurses are lookin'," LaSalle chuckled, shuffling his wife and two kids into bed next to him.

"It sure was nice of Meri to bring you kids by to visit Daddy and me, wasn't it?" Sonja grinned, kissing the top of her children's heads.

"Yes, she is super nice. Is it okay if I sit on Daddy's lap?" Vivian cheered, nearly knocking her brother off the bed to get her way. Sonja quickly stopped her in her tracks.

"Sweety, Daddy isn't feeling too well to have someone sit on him. How about you take my spot and sit right next to him?"

"That means Max is going to get to sit on him," the little girl sighed, clearly unimpressed.

As if on cue, the boy clapped his hands and crawled across both the girls to reach his father. He held up his arms delightedly.

LaSalle gathered him into his lap while nestling Vivian into his side.

"Don't ya realize you get the greatest honor of all?" LaSalle grinned, eyes filled with excitement. Sonja couldn't help but smile at the scene she hoped she would be seeing after all was said and done.

Vivian appeared puzzled until a moment lapsed and she flung her arms in the air with laughter.

"I'm the storyteller! I get to hold the book!"

"That's right," he winked, eyes landing on Sonja. "Okay, Mama. Where's her book?"

"Right here," she chimed, laying the selected hardback in her daughter's hands. "I hope you don't mind tonight's reading selection."

"Oh, I don't mind!" Vivian gasped, examining the title. "This is the monster book Daddy always reads in silly voices! I love this one."

"I can't wait to hear it, my lil' firecracker," LaSalle cooed, bringing his kids closer.

"It won't be as good as you, Dad," the little girl shrugged, her brown eyes finding her father's. "You always do it so perfect!"

"You read books to Daddy while he was asleep," Sonja smiled, rubbing Vivian's cheek with the back of her hand. "You did just fine."

"It was good practice," LaSalle nodded in encouragement. "Besides, if you get stuck I'll help ya out. It'll be easy-peasy, kiddo!"

"Okay."

Vivian, sitting up with her back straight, flipped to the first page as her family anxiously awaited the story.

"Once upon a time…"

…

One year later…

"We're gonna be late! I'm not used to all this!" LaSalle exclaimed, sliding on his socks through the kitchen. "Where are your backpacks? Do ya'll take lunches?"

"Daddy, is it your first day here?" Vivian joked, diving underneath him to reach a cabinet. "Mom puts our lunches in here once she makes them in the morning. See?" she demonstrated, shaking the lunch boxes.

"Oh okay, got it," he nodded, holding a 'thumbs up'.

"Why are you doing this instead of Mommy, anyway? Where is she?"

"She's upstairs gettin' ready, baby," he replied, scooting his daughter closer to the door to exit the house. "Please get your shoes on. I gotta find Max."

"He's probably playing Hide and Seek," Vivian laughed, bending over to fasten her sandals. "He does that when it's time to go to school."

"It's Pre-School, Max!" LaSalle hollered, "The hardest thing you'll do today is finger paintin', buddy!"

The giggling of a small boy resonated throughout the home.

"I got him," Sonja sighed, toting the small child down the stairs. "He's almost ready to go."

"Wow, Mommy!" Vivian squealed, brushing her hair away from her face. "You look so pretty!"

"Just because I put some make-up on I look so much better, huh?" the mother teased, sitting Max on the floor.

"No," Vivian rolled her eyes, "You have on nice pants and a nice shirt. Are you going somewhere special today?"

Sonja smoothed out said pants, and adjusted her cool-toned blouse. LaSalle saddled up beside her with a grin.

"I am going somewhere special today! I have a job interview."

"No way! I thought you liked working at home?"

"I do, honey," Sonja smiled, poking Vivian's nose. "I think I would just have more fun doing something else. What do you think?"

"Okay," she nodded. "What is it?"

"Let's get you guys out to the car and I'll explain as we go!"

The parents took the hand of each child and lead them out the door, backpacks in tow.

"Viv, do you remember all those stories I used to tell you about when Daddy and I were just friends? When I worked at NCIS like Dad and Uncle Dwayne?"

"Mhm! I remember. That was a long time ago."

Sonja popped open the door to the vehicle and lifted Vivian inside, safely fitting her into her car-seat.

"What would you think if I went back to work there?"

"Yeah, what would you think about that?" LaSalle winked. "Sounds pretty fun, right?"

"Wait!" Vivian gasped. "You mean you're gonna work for Daddy?"

"Well…yeah. Sort of," Sonja giggled. "I need to get through this interview first."

"I think you should do it. You're really smart, Mommy. You'll do good."

"Thank you, sweetheart."

Sonja gave her a quick kiss and leaned over to kiss Max as well.

"Now don't worry about me, have fun at school! Daddy will take you there right away."

"Okay. Bye Mom," the girl smiled.

Sonja shut the door and turned to her husband.

"This really is, a good idea, right? Am I crazy? Tell me now and I'll just go back inside and put on my comfy clothes!"

"Come on, Sonja," he huffed, nudging her with his elbow. "Don't back out now! We've been talkin' about this every day since closin' the Livingston case. NCIS is nothin' without you. If you're not perfect for the job, I don't know who is. You got this."

"You don't think I'll get any sort of special treatment since I'm your wife, do you?"

"Ha," he laughed, shaking his head. "No. As a matter of fact, it might be worse!"

"Glad to hear it," she smiled, kissing his cheek. "I'll let you know how everything went later. Or, I guess you could just track me down and ask me yourself! We'll be in the same building, after all. The team will get a kick outta that."

"Can't ya just picture it? havin' lunch on our old bar stools, gossipin' with Patton and Sebastian, Gregorio playin' her dumb pranks, crackin' open a beer after a long day," he sighed with a faraway dreamy look. "It'll be like old times."

"I'm looking forward to it, Country Mouse."

He grinned, a glint in his eye.

"Not as much as me, City Mouse."

Post A/N:

Hi guys! Oh my god! It's been 84 years since I've updated this story and caught up with you all. I had a serious case of writers block and wanted the finale of this piece to be perfect, so, I hope it was everything you wanted it to be! This story was a cocktail of action, passion, heart-ache, and humor and I think it really suited each character incorporated. Is it just me or is anyone else LIVING for Sebastian/Patton scenes? I love writing those two so much! They give definite comedic relief in intense situations. Most of all, this story was meant to be a complete full-circle end to the Livingston drama that I started in the 'Mr. and Mrs. Matthews' series, so we got to give Jan Livingston and Lawrence himself a proper send-off. Who knew so much angst could build up in ten years, right? My most favorite part of all we seeing the character development of Percy and LaSalle throughout the separate stories (*cues Started from the Bottom song*). We get to see them acting like cute high school crushes to freaking PARENTS trying to balance their work and home lives. I wanted to make that scenario as realistic as possible in the flashbacks, because everything can't be candycanes and lollipops in marriages, right? They have their ups and downs. Percy and LaSalle, in my opinion, are the kind of couple to overcome that and work it out and that's exactly what they did. Bye-bye stay at home Mom, Sonja! Mama's goin back to work. Power couple AF. I also love that Gregorio played a huge part in saving the day. At this point in the future, the whole team is a tight family, and it's cute to see Gregorio really step up for the people she loves. I liked writing from her perspective a little bit here and there.

Anyways, cheers to Season 4! The writers left Persalle on shaky ground in the season finale, and I really wasn't feeling it to be honest. Why give them four step forward and ten steps back? They need to get it together! I get this is a 'slow burn OTP' (which are 99% of the couples I ship) but come on. Hopefully Season 4 we can delve a little deeper into this romance and sparks will fly. If not, I'll be here, writing fanfic for you all. Message me your thoughts this season and give me suggestions for new material! I need prompt ideas, people. I would also love a review on this epic finale. If you wanted to get crazy and read my 3 stories in order to get the full effect its- "This is Not a Date" "Mr & Mrs Matthews part 1 and 2" and this one "That's my Girl parts 1-3". I love and appreciate you guys so much! I can never thank you enough for the support. Until next time…