* * * * * * * *

    Back at the Pitt, the Joes were becoming more and more frustrated . Stalker kept grumbling obscenities that would make a sailor blush, Snake Eyes was in a vicious black mood and Hawk was getting a migraine. It had been hours since she'd disappeared and they still had no idea where Scarlett was. Everyone was walking on eggshells around Snake Eyes. They all knew he was the deadliest Joe on the force, but none of them had ever seen him in such a dangerous state.

    All of the sudden Breaker started calling frantically for Hawk, "I'm getting a message! It says Scarlett and the other hostages are being held in a fortress. I'm even getting schematics on the layout of the main building!"

    In amazement Hawk leaned towards the screen and looked at Breaker, "Anything else?"

    Breaker checked and then looked back at Hawk,"Yeah, just one word. Hurry."

    Hawk stood up, "Then let's do so!" Turning to the group he yelled out, "Saddle up!"

    The group of Joes mobilized to go take back their friend, Snake Eyes in the lead.

* * * * * * * *

    Cobra Commander entered the interrogation room and said, "Well, Major Bludd, what is wrong with the scanner?"

    Major Bludd gulped before answering, "A key computer chip has gone missing, Commander, that's why it went dead."

    "What do you mean, gone missing? Did it sprout legs and run away?" CC sneered angrily, "I want that woman broken, one way or the other!"

    His tirade was interrupted by a Viper running into the room, "Commander, there is a large contingent of Joes heading straight for us!"

    "What!? How the Hell did they find us!? Mobilize defences quickly! Major Bludd, come to the control room with me." Cobra Commander arrived in the control room to see via his camera surveillance systems that the Joes were already inside the fortress and had caught his troops mostly by surprise.

    One Joe in particular was cutting a swath through his troops, the one called Snake Eyes. The dark commando seemed to be moving with a frightening single mindednesss; and Cobra Commander knew exactly what he was so single mindedly searching for.

    Suddenly a terrible thought entered the Comander's mind, "If that man realizes I used the brainwave scanner on Scarlett he'll eat me alive!"

    Suddenly feeling sick with worry he barely heard Storm Shadow's voice behind him, "Commander, I believe staying here would be unsafe for you."

    Cobra Commander latched onto that life preserver with all the dignity he could muster, "Uh, I believe you may be right, Storm Shadow, perhaps in this case discretion is the better part of valor."

    With that statement CC got out of his chair and beat a hasty retreat, with Major Bludd tailing him.

    Storm Shadow paused for a moment and watched the masked commando on the view screen. When the masked warrior looked at the camera for a moment, Storm Shadow was shocked. He'd only seen eyes like that once before. Eyes of that same slashing silver shade that had belonged to the man he'd called brother, what seemed like a lifetime ago. But it couldn't be...could it?

    Deciding this warranted further investigation he turned and left the room to join Cobra Commander in his escape. Finding out more information on this dark warrior with the silver eyes could wait for another day.

* * * * * * * *

    In another part of the stronghold, Stalker finally caught up with Snake Eyes, who was holding a Cobra trooper up by the neck of his tunic. The trooper was obviously terrified of Snake Eyes, since he'd wet himself in fear.

    Stalker questioned him for his mute friend, "All right chump, where are the hostages?"

    "M-most of them are in c-cell block d-d-D! Except the w-woman, she's in a cell alone th-that way!" He raised a trembling arm to point down a nearby hall.

    Snake Eyes dropped him like a bad habit and charged down the hallway, throwing open every door along the way until he got to a dark, dreary room with a single cell inside.

    Inside that cell, laying on a wooden bunk was Scarlett. Not really taking notice of the fact that the key had been left in the lock he opened the cell door and went to his knees beside the bunk, checking Scarlett for injuries. She'd fainted, but there were no obvious wounds or fractures on her. Then he noticed her wrists. The red, chaffed marks were ones he'd seen before on his own wrists, when the brain wave scanner had been used on him. A wave of black fury swept through him, and had a Cobra chosen that moment to enter that room Snake Eyes probably would have flown into a berserker rage.

    He sighed silently in disgust with himself. He was the one to blame here, if it hadn't been for him they wouldn't have kidnapped her. It should have been him in that thing. He noticed Scarlett had been covered with a blanket. He thought that odd but forgot about it when Scarlett began to stir.

    Her eyes opened slowly and in the darkness it took her a few moments to realize who was there."Snake Eyes! How did you find me? Are the other hostages safe?"

    Stalker entered the room at that moment and answered her questions, "The others went to secure the hostages, they're all fine. Someone sent us a message telling us how to find you. From the looks of things it was someone on the inside."

    "Someone on the inside?", Scarlett asked, dumbfounded. Then she said quietly, mostly to herself, "I wonder..."

* * * * * * * *

    The day after they returned to the Pitt, Scarlett sat in her room, upset and concerned. After finding her in the cell in the Cobra fortress, Snake Eyes had helped her to her feet and them had basically passed her off to Stalker and had kept his distance from her since. He wouldn't even look at her on the way back to the Pitt and had retreated to his room immediately upon arriving.

    She had stewed about for a long time until she had asked for some help. When she heard her door knock she opened it to find Stalker on the other side. Asking him in she looked at him anxiously until he smiled gently and said, "I bet you want to know why Snake Eyes hasn't come near you since we found you yesterday."

    She nodded and asked, "Is it because of the way I ran from him that night? I mean did I ruin any chance we might have had?"

    He shook his said, "No Scarlett. I think he's just afraid to get close to you. He blames himself for you getting captured. He told me if he hadn't upset you by dancing with you you wouldn't have been taken by surprise."

    "But that's ridiculous! He didn't upset me, he just took me by surprise. I mean, until he danced with me I wasn't sure he felt anything for me anymore. I was just overwhelmed to think he still loves me!" Scarlett exclaimed.

    Stalker just grinned and said, "Maybe I'm not the one you should be saying this to."

    Scarlett sighed and gave him a wry smile, "You're right. Do you know where he is?"

    "His room" Stalker replied.

    Scarlett gave him a hug and whispered, "Thank you."

    "No problem, girl. Now you go talk some sense into that man."

* * * * * * * *

    A few minutes later Snake Eyes answered the knock he'd been anticipating and dreading. His heart was in his throat as he opened the door to see Scarlett there, looking beautiful, and nervous.

    "Can I talk to you?" At his nod she walked into his room and sat down in a chair as Snake Eyes closed the door and then sat down in a chair opposite from her.

    She finally spoke, "What is this I hear about you blaming yourself for what happened?"

    The question was asked softly, but his reaction was anything but soft. He shot to his feet and turned away for a moment, breathing hard in his anger at himself. He turned back to her and signed, "Of course it was my fault! What I did was out of line. I pushed you to hard and upset you. I distracted you and you let your guard down and weren't prepared for the attack. Because of me they used that machine on you! It should have been me in that thing. You got hurt because I upset you!" As he finished signing angrily he sat down and dropped his head into his hands, looking dejected and miserable.

    In an instant Scarlett was kneeling in front of him taking his hands in hers, his head remained down. "Is that what you think? That you upset me by dancing with me?" Scarlett asked him. At his nod she said, "Snake Eyes, look at me."

    Slowly, fearfully, he lifted his silver gaze to meet her beautiful blue eyes. Then she spoke again, "I wasn't upset. You just surprised the heck out of me. You see, until you crossed that dance floor and took me in your arms, I wasn't sure you still had feelings for me. I didn't know if you still felt the way I do." As she finished her statement she looked at the floor, until she felt his touch on her chin as he raised it.

    Once her eyes locked with his again he signed to her, "Always. I love you. I will love you until the day I die. I just didn't want you to feel you had to stay with a man who was mute and disfigured." He pulled his mask off, revealing his horribly scarred face and signed again, "I didn't want you to stay with me out of pity for this." As he finished his last sign he pointed to his face.

    It was Scarlett's turn to take him by surprise as she stood up and, holding his hands pulled him to his feet. Then she took his scarred face in her hands and kissed him. It was a passionate kiss, full of feeling and emotion.

    At first Snake Eyes just stood there in shock, but then he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back. When they finally broke apart, she rested her forehead on his and whispered, "Did that feel like pity to you?" As he shook his head she continued, " Never doubt how I feel about you. I loved you before the accident, and I love you just as much now. I was just so afraid you didn't feel the same way. I should have talked to you a long time ago."

    A lone tear trickled down her cheek, and he wiped it away before signing, "No more secrets."

    She smiled and agreed, "No more secrets."

    Feeling the tremendous weight lifted from their shoulders they stood there hugging each other for a long time. As he held her, Snake Eyes sent a silent prayer of thanks to the person that had given away Cobra's location and helped him get her back.

~End~

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