Title: One Of Their Own
Classification: Crossover (NCIS/Medical Investigation), Tragedy
Disclaimers: I don't own NCIS or Medical Investigation or any of their characters.
Spoilers: Missing and SWAKWarnings: Contains NCIS character death.
Summary: A dangerous threat brings teams from NIH and NCIS together.
A/N: This is going to be slightly rewritten. The fact is that after Kate got killed, I felt weird about this story because of the character death I'd written in, especially since I wanted to leave the option open for a sequel (if I ever get there). So for my own peace of mind, I've chosen to put Ziva in instead of Kate, so it doesn't jar as much. Therefore Director Shepherd is in instead of Morrow as well.
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"Come on, you stupid pig," Abby muttered as she pushed the thermostat from 53 degrees to 50. She wiped her soaked forehead with the sleeve of her lab coat and sighed. "This is insane."
"You got that right," Gibbs commented from behind her. She turned and grinned.
"Sorry, Gibbs, the heating's gone hinky."
"The heating's gone, period," Gibbs retorted.
"Gibbs, it's hotter than a crematorium in here," Abby said, confused. "I can't get it to cool down."
Gibbs stepped forward and put a gentle hand on her forehead. "No, you can't get you to cool down," he replied, his voice full of concern. He put his other arm around her waist. "Let's get you sitting down."
Abby rested her head on Gibbs' shoulder as he guided her over to a chair and helped her sit down. "I'll call Ducky."
Gibbs walked quickly over to the phone and punched in the speed dial for Autopsy, then looked over at Abby and gasped. The lab tech was slumping to the side. "Abby?" He rushed back over in time to catch her and keep her from hitting her head on the floor. "Abby!"
"Hello?" Ducky's voice came through the speaker phone. "Abby?"
"Ducky, it's Gibbs!" the agent yelled. "I need you in Forensics, now!" Gibbs looked back down at the young lab tech in his arms. "Abby's collapsed."
"I'm on my way."
Gibbs looked again at Abby, who lay motionless in his arms. "Hang on, Abbs," he said softly. He kept his eyes trained on hers as with one hand he checked for a pulse. It was there, but weak. Gibbs sighed. "Come on, kiddo, don't do this."
Ducky rushed in. "Good land it's cold in here!" he exclaimed as he knelt down next to Gibbs. "What happened?"
"She said she was feeling hot and then when I went to dial you she collapsed."
"I'll say she's hot," Ducky murmured, pulling the thermometer out of Abby's mouth.
"Dr. Mallard!" Gibbs and Ducky jumped as Jimmy Palmer came running in.
"They need you up in the director's office, Doctor," Jimmy said. "It's an emergency."
Ducky didn't look up. "I have an emergency right here."
"Director Shepherd collapsed, Doctor." Gibbs and Ducky looked up at Jimmy, startled. "Her secretary said she was coughing and had a fever."
Ducky looked down at the unconscious lab tech. "She must have the same thing as Abby."
"Abby!" Jimmy swallowed, seeing her in Gibbs' arms for the first time. Gently he reached down and touched her forehead. "She's burning up."
"Yes, she is," Ducky said absently.
"Duck, go check on the Director," Gibbs said quietly. "I'll stay with Abby."
Ducky stood up and started for the door. "Doctor!" Jimmy called after him. "There was an agent down in Autopsy when I got the call. Came down for an Autopsy result."
"Tell him to wait," Ducky retorted, not stopping.
"He was coughing." The older man stopped dead in his tracks. "When I asked him about it, he said the agent next to him was doing the same thing."
"Four people who work for a government organization – not together – and they all come down with the same symptoms at the same time?" Gibbs' voice was quiet. "This doesn't sound natural, Duck."
"No, it doesn't." Ducky turned to Jimmy. "Your cousin works at NIH, right?" Jimmy nodded. "Call her."
ooooooooooooooo
"Stephen!" Dr. Stephen Connor turned as Eva Rossi came running up behind him in one of the hallways at the NIH headquarters.
"My cousin just called. He said they've got some type of outbreak at NCIS headquarters and they're afraid it's a bio attack."
"What kind of outbreak?"
"Fever and coughing. Four people have it so far, two are unconscious, and they all work in three different departments."
"Terrific," Stephen sighed.
"They haven't called the paramedics yet. If it's a bio agent they don't want it getting out. They want advice on what they should do."
"Tell your cousin to get the victims set up in a treatment area. Do they have a lab?"
"It's used for Forensics, but it's fully equipped."
Stephen nodded. "Nobody leaves or enters NCIS except us."
ooooooooooooooo
For the fifth time that morning, Tony pulled back from his desk and bent over coughing. Ziva looked at him in concern.
"I thought you were over that bout of pneumonia."
"So did I," Tony answered when he had enough breath to speak. "Do you have any Advil? My head is killing me."
"From the way you're coughing, no wonder," Ziva answered. She grabbed the bottle from her desk and walked over. "Here." Tony reached out his hand, then drew back and doubled over, coughing uncontrollably.
"Tony, are you okay?" Her partner was coughing too hard to answer, but Ziva noticed a streak of red crossing one of his hands. She gasped. "Tony, we need to get you to a hospital!"
Just then an alarm sounded loudly. Ziva looked up. "What the..."
Tony clapped a hand to his ear, the blaring noise adding to the stabbing pain encompassing his forehead. Ziva hugged him tightly, biting her lip.
