Author's Note:

This oneshot takes place right after the Episode 14x11 Willoughby. This is my first fanfiction and i'm not a native speaker so please excuse if i make any mistakes ;). It would be nice if you leave costructive critisism on my work. The story was original written in german.

Main Part:

It was already late night when NCIS Special Agent McGee entered the lobby of the ICU. His boss, Abby, Ducky and Reeves sat on a bench in a corner.

`What did i miss boss? Anything new on Qasims condition?'

'Gibbs filled him in and after he ended McGee sat down besides him stocked by the news. So Qasim did not make it. They sat there silent until he asked, `How did Bishop take it?'

`Apparently not well. I talked to her briefly and asked her if i should stay with her but she didn't want company. She is in his room since he left surgery', Reeves told him. He locked down sadly. After he said that they remained silent. One after one, they had to leave. At first Reeves was called and summoned to the embacy for a debriefing. He left without a word but not until he had looked after Bishop through the window in the wall of the ICU. Next Ducky left so he could immediatly start the autopsy of Jin Tao's body. Abby went with him but Gibbs had to order her because she didn't want to leave her friend. Only Gibbs and McGee remained. An hour later Gibbs started talking. He hated it that he could not stay but he had no choice.

`McGee i have to go back to the Navy Yard. You...'

`Boss i don't think it is a good idea the leave Bishop here alone.'

`McGee...', Gibbs cut him off but he kept talking.

`one of us should stay here.'

`McGee!', Gibbs repeated louder, `we will not leave her alone. You stay here by her side as long as necesarry. And if she want to go home you will drive her. Do you understood.'

`Got it boss', he nodded in approveal. So he continued sitting silent in the corner. By now, it was after midnight and silent and peacefull in the lobby. He just sat there worrying about Bishop and the case. It was already after 3 a.m. when two men and a women entered Qasims room. McGee put close attention to them. Just in case. So he rose from the bench so he could observe the scenery throuht the window in the wall. He could not hear what the women said to Bishop but suddenly she was gesturing wildly. McGee opened the door immedeatly and rushed into the room.

`Ellie, what is going on?'

`They want to switch off Qasim's life support and...'.

The doctor interruped her,`I'm sorry agent Bishop but tecnically your friend is already dead. Nothing we do will make a diffrence and will only delay the inevitable. I am truly sorry.'

`But...' Bishop started again. She sounded like she was close to tears.

`Ellie', said McGee quietly. He was still standing in the backround at the door, `You can not do anything anymore'. His word make her fall silent and she just stood there with hanging shoulders. The doctor gave a nod to the nurse an he proceed to prepare the deactivaton of Qaisms life support.

`Do you need a last moment alone', the doctor asked Bishop. She shook her head and bend down to kiss Qasim one last time. After that, she took his hand into hers and remaind silent besides his bed. McGee watched as the nurse flipped several switches. Short time after, a monotone tone filled the room and the display of the life support unit showed a straigt line.

`Please note 03:37 a.m. as the time of death. You are my witness'. She turned to the other man, who had not said a word yet. He nodded in approval. McGee stepped out of the shadows around the door as he saw that Bishop was trembling uncontrollably. He stepped quietly beside her ready to catch her if she should collapse. Silent tears were running down her cheeks an she was still holding Qasims hand. He felt immensely sorry for her and he laid his hand gently on her shoulder. She flinched at his touch and woke up from her trance. She looked up at him and at his touch she lost her laborious self-restraint. She began sobbing uncontrollably and McGee felt a stab in his heart when he saw his partner so upset. Bishop looked at him for another second before wrapping her arms around him, burying her face in his shoulder. He took her protectively into his arms and hold her tight. While he held her he gently stroked her head again and again trying to calm her. McGee had lost all sense of time as he began to speak.

`Ellie, come on let's go, you can't do anything here`. Just at this moment, the nurse who had left with the others to give Bishop and McGee some privacy returned with a shroud that he placed over Quasims body. McGee broke from the embrace with the still quietly sobbing Bishop.`Come on let's go', he repeated. Bishop had turned away from him and looked one last time at her boyfriend, his body now covered by the shroud. McGee put his arm around the still trembling and crying Bishop and she let him lead her out of the room. As they left the room, Bishop sat down with his last strength where Ducky and Gibbs had sat hours before and buried her face in her hands. McGee also sat down and looked sadly at his partner. He had never seen her so upset before. He took her hands and pulled her close so she could lean against him and he wrapped his arms around her again. She huddeld up against him, like she had done in the ICU before. He felt that his presence calmed her. McGee had lost all sense of time as Bishop's tears finally dried up. `Ellie?', she looked up at him with reddened eyes. `Come on, I'll take you home'. She nodded slightly and sat up laborious. McGee got up and helped Bishop to her feet. He went with her to the Charger, wich still parked in front of the hospital. It was nearly 5 in the morning when McGee stopped in front of Bishop's house. He looked at her. `Would you like me to stay with you or would you prefer to be alone'.

She shook her head quickly. `Please stay I do not want to be alone now'. He nodded and got off with her after parking the they arrived at her apartment, her tears came back when she saw some of Qasim's clothes in her apartment. She quickly turned away.

`I get us something to drink and you get changed`. He did not wait for her answer but went to the kitchen to get two glasses. After he found a half-empty bottle of Bourbon, he went back into the living Room. Bishop was sitting on the couch, dressed in sweatpants and an old pullover instead of the bloodstained jacket. She had settled down cross-legged and had a framed photograph of her and Qasim in her lap. McGee filled their glasses. He sat down beside her and handed her one of them.

`Qasim', he said raising his glass.

Bishop also raised her glass, but she was unable to speak. McGee took only a sip while Bishop drank her glass all at once. She put her glass down next to her and her eyes rested again on the framed put his arm around her shoulders again, but time she did not cry. A short time later, Bishop went to bed and McGee said goodbye to her. He threw the blanket over her and then knelt down beside her bed.

`Sleep as good as you can Ellie', he wispered and gently stroked her hair, `and if you need something call me or anyone else on the team, ok?'

`Thanks Tim. Thank you for everything', she answers tiredly. When McGee got up and left her apartment, the last thing he saw was that the grief in her eyes had been replaced by something else that looked curiously familiar but that he had never seen in her eyes before. He did not recognized it as the desire for vengeneace.

END