Life Line: An NCIS Fanfiction [Book One]

Chapter 37 - Hope

"I can't believe this is happening... They're gone. Abby, they're gone." Tony said, pacing the lab. It had been twenty-four hours since any of them had last seen Carter and Tim.

"Calm down, Tony. We'll find them." Abby put her hand on Tony's shoulders, "I promise."

"What if we don't, though, Abby? She's my sister... I don't want to lose her."

"No. We will not have that kind of negativity. Not when we have science on our side." Abby said, turning to her computer.

"What do you mean?" Tony asked, confused.

"Shoe prints. You guys found shoe prints at the place you last saw Tim and Carter. If I can find out what type of shoes they came from and what size they were, I may be able to backtrack the person who bought them."

"Well, work your magic!"

"I will, Tony. Now you, go talk to Gibbs." Abby said, "Oh, and Tony?"

"Yeah, Abbs?"

"We will find them. Don't doubt us. We've done this plenty of times before." Abby smirked pulling Tony into a hug.

"Thanks, Abby." Tony said.

Ding!

"DiNozzo. We had a tip called in. Put a B.O.L.O. out for a dark green SUV, first three letters of the plate DHZ. The caller reported two men driving away from the area in a hurry about the time of the disappearance." Gibbs said as I entered the bull pen.

"On it, boss." Tony sat at his desk and began typing.

"Ziva, you're with me. We're going to talk to all of the neighbors, find out if any of them saw anything."

"What can I do, boss?"

"Call around. See if any of Carter's marine buddies knew anyone who would be out to get her. When you're done with that, cross check her phone records. Look to see if anyone has tried calling her repeatedly."

"On it." Tony said, picking up his phone.

*****

"Tim? Are you awake?" Carter asked, still face down on the floor.

"Yeah." Tim responded with his raspy voice. She turned her head to look at him.

"It is so dark in here I can barely see you."

"I know... Do you have enough strength to sit up?" He asked, slowly lifting his body off of the ground. His shirt was soaking wet and brown with mud. He leaned against the wall and looked at her.

"I can try." Carter propped herself up on her elbows, but couldn't manage to get any farther. After quick thinking, she began to army crawl over to Tim. When she reached him, he helped her sit up. As she leaned against the wall, she put her head on Tim's shoulder. "I can't feel my legs, Tim."

"You... You can't?" He asked frantically. She shook her head 'no'. "I hope they find us soon."

"What happens if they don't find us in time, Tim?"

"They will. I've worked with them long enough to know they will not let us die."

"I hope so." A tear ran down her cheek, creating a line of skin to emerge from her mud covered face.

"I know so." Tim said as he kissed her.