A/N: Well, here's the last part. This is what Eliot fears. lol, at least in this little verse of mine. Glad to have another fic under my belt and I hope it lives up to the hype. lol. I made that hype. Enjoy! -pj

Losing

VI. The One Thing That Terrifies Him

He's been screaming threats for hours now. His throat is hoarse and feels like its bleeding, but he keeps screaming. The chains on his wrists and ankles are digging so far into his flesh they can't be seen for the blood, but he continues to throw his whole weight against them. His chest aches and explodes with pain every time he takes a deep breath but he pulls them in just the same.

"Let them go! Its me you want!"

So far there has been no response, he isn't expecting one this time and is surprised when the disembodied voice of his captor starts bouncing around the cement cell.

"It's too late."

Eliot feels his heart seize painfully in his chest and his eyes snap over to the video screen on the wall. Just like before he sees the camera pan across Hardison, Sophie, Nate, and Parker and he finds it hard to breathe.

But this time is different than before. This time their heads are slumped over and their bodies limp. Even on a grainy black and white feed he recognises blood soaling into their shirts.

When he screams again it bubbles up from the depths of his soul, from the deepest, darkest places in his mind where even he knows not to venture. And a rage so strong and big and ugly takes hold that he doesn't recognize himself.

Eliot doesn't know how the chains came loose. Doesn't remember finding and breakhurtkilling everyone he laid eyes on in that god forsaken building. He certainly doesn't know how he was able to get back to the offices in the state he was in. But he knows most of the blood on his clothes is not his.

He's lost count of what hurts. It all hurts. But what really gets him, what scares him, is that the worst pain isn't from the broken bones or the deep lacerations or the dark bruises. He recognizes those pains. Knows what to do to heal them.

But this blinding, shredding, heartsick phenomena he feels on the inside, the one that starts over his heart and throbs out to the edges of his being is the one he can't handle. It's sharp and black and frightening because he's never felt this way before.

Never lost something he truly cared about before.

Eliot stumbles into the office, half concious and barely alive and he doesn't care. He lets himself go.

Only...

He doesn't meet the floor as painfully as he expects and that is unexpected. He isn't sure what to think when small, gentle hands start to carefully assess his wounds and quiet, worried voices start talking.

He recognizes those voices.

Pure stubborn determination forces his eyes open because why would fate play so cruel a trick on him?

"It wasnt real Eliot. I'm so sorry. It wasnt real."

He closes his eyes again. They're still covered in blood, but their eyes are open and teeming with worry. He isn't sure if he can beleive it, but he likes to think they would never lie to him about something that really mattered.

He feels blackness and oblivion starting to pull at his jagged edges and doesn't want to fight it. The pain he recognises is starting to get stronger. The gentle hands are still there with the quiet voices, and he slurs heavily when he speaks.

"Don't ever scare me like that again."

Nate, Sophie, Hardison and Parker all freeze instantly upon hearing the first coherrent thing Eliot has said in full minutes.

"Never. Never again, Eliot. We promise."

Eliot allows himself to slip away into the black, that sharp, unknown pain lessening just a little.

END - hope you guys liked, let me know what you thought!