What if?

By William "Blissey" Raymer

Based on the CBS Television Studios television series NCIS

Created by Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill

Certain dialogue passages taken from the NCIS episode "Life Before His Eyes"

Written by Gary Glasberg

Summary: NCIS' 200th episode, "Life Before His Eyes," showed pieces of what would have happened if Gibbs saw Ari on the rooftop before he shot and killed Kate. Now, the full story can be told...

I

On a rooftop somewhere in Washington, D.C.

March 15th, 2005

"SHOOTER!" NCIS Agent Caitlin Todd yelled out before diving in front of her commander, Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Moments later, a sniper's bullet impacted Kate's chest.

Gibbs pulled out his own pistol and shot several times at a nearby door. A body slumped into view—dead.

One of Kate's teammates, Anthony DiNozzo, ran to Kate's side as Gibbs unzipped Kate's field jacket and saw that the bullet had only hit the armor plating of the bullet-proof vest that she wore.

"You okay?" Tony asked Kate. "I just got shot at point-blank range, DiNozzo. What do you think?" Kate asked, woozy from the bullet's impact.

"You're not going to Pilates class tomorrow?" DiNozzo replied, sarcastically. "And that wasn't point-blank range..."

Suddenly, DiNozzo was interrupted by Gibbs yelling into his radio, "McGee, get air support. We've got a sniper!"

Tony turned back to Kate and told her to stay down. Gibbs moved off as close as he could to the sniper's location without falling off the building they were now on.

Suddenly, the roaring of helicopter engines could be heard overhead as they attempted to find and neutralize the sniper, Ari Haswari.

After a while, a voice came over Gibbs' radio. "Boss, Ari has been neutralized," the voice of Agent Timothy McGee said. "How so, McGee?" Gibbs asked.

"One of the helicopter shooters shot and killed him," McGee said. "At least we won't have to deal with Ari anymore," Gibbs said. "Get back here."

"Right, Boss," McGee said. Then, Gibbs jogged back to where Kate and Tony sat. "Did Ari get away?" Kate asked.

"No," Gibbs said. "He's dead." "Thank goodness," Kate said. "Let's help you down," Tony said. He and Gibbs helped Kate to a waiting medical vehicle.

McGee then joined Gibbs and Tony as the EMTs began to examine Kate. "McGee, stay with Kate. We need to get back and brief the Director," Gibbs said.

"Right, Boss," McGee said as Tony and Gibbs got into a car and drove off.

An hour later, in her office on the Washington Navy Yard, NCIS Director Jennifer Shepard sat and looked over the preliminary reports from the incident on the rooftop. A buzzing came over the intercom terminal on Shepard's desk.

"Director, Special Agents Gibbs and DiNozzo are here to see you," the voice of Shepard's secretary said. "Show them in, Cynthia," Shepard said. "Yes, ma'am," Cynthia said.

The door opened, allowing Gibbs and Tony to walk in. "First of all, is Special Agent Todd all right?" Shepard said.

"She will be," Gibbs said. "The extent of her injuries will be some minor bruising where the sniper's bullet impacted her vest's armor sheet."

"Good," Shepard said. "Agent DiNozzo, please excuse us. Special Agent Gibbs and I need to talk alone." "Yes, Director," Tony said before he left her office. Shepard turned to Gibbs. "Are you all right, Jethro?" she asked.

"Now that that bastard Ari is gone, I will be, Jen," Gibbs said. "I haven't been able to take a breath since he shot Gerald in our own morgue, but now I am glad that I can see him on a slab."

"You won't," Shepard said. "I've already received a request from Eli David, my counterpart at Mossad. He wants his son's body returned to Israel immediately, so that it could be buried in accordance with Jewish tradition."

"His son?!" Gibbs said. "Ari was David's son?" "Half-son, from what I understand," Shepard said. "So as to avoid a diplomatic incident, I have agreed to his request. The body is already en route to Dulles, where a private plane is waiting to fly it back to Tel Aviv."

A disgusted look formed on Gibbs' face. It seemed that even in death, Ari had gotten the last laugh. Noticing Gibbs' expression, Shepard added, "However, it seems that someone, without my authorization, took a picture of Ari's body before it was taken to the airport."

She reached into a file folder and, with a smile, handed Gibbs a photograph. For a moment, it looked to Shepard that Gibbs was smiling, too. "I recommend that you destroy that picture as soon as you can, Jethro," she said. "If word gets out that someone photographed Ari's body, there could be flak from both Tel Aviv and the Hill."

Gibbs nodded, then reached down and put the photo in the document shredder next to Shepard's desk. "I saw what I wanted to see," he said before he turned and left Shepard's office.

Down in the squad room, Abigail Sciuto ran up to Gibbs. "Gibbs, I heard about Kate. Is she all right?" she asked.

"She'll be back on duty in a couple of days, Abby," he said. "The Director told her to get some rest and reflect on what happened."

Abby smiled, then hugged Gibbs. "Well, are you all right?" she asked. "Jen asked me the same thing," Gibbs responded when the hug broke. "Well, now that Ari is dead and gone, I can finally take a breather."

An African-American man in a business suit walked down the stairs from Director Shepard's office. "Special Agent Gibbs?" he asked.

Gibbs turned from Abby to look at the man. "Assistant Director Vance, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Gibbs remarked.

Assistant Director Leon Vance cocked an eyebrow. "Where is Agent DiNozzo? I was told to speak to all involved in the attempted assassination of Agent Todd and the death of Ari Haswari," he said.

"I was the target, Leon," Gibbs said, irritation seeping into his voice. "Kate only got hit because she took the bullet that Ari shot at me."

Gibbs took a breath. "Besides, A.)Kate is on leave, B.)DiNozzo is assisting with the analysis of the evidence we collected at the scene, and C.)I do not have the time or inclination to deal with bureaucrats like you right now."

Vance looked at Gibbs with a smug expression. "I had a feeling you'd say that, Gibbs," he said. "Just come and see me when you have the time."

As Vance walked off, Gibbs turned to Abby and muttered, "I am really starting to hate that guy." "You and me both, Gibbs," Abby said.

::TBC::