Title:The Most Unexpected Way
Author:Nerwende
Summary:I can't believe I'm gonna leave them like that. I hope Abby won't cry too much. I hate it when she cries.
Disclaimer:Don't own 'em, sorry. I just own this story.
Author's note: As I said in the summary, it's a deathfic. If you don't like it, it's time to turn around

Tony

I'm lying on the floor. I feel something wet and warm beneath me. I let my fingers move slowly in it then hold my hand up so I can see it.

Blood.

I wince as a sharp pain stabs me in the guts. I put my hand back down as I try to remember how to breathe.

My chest hurts. My back hurts. Actually everything hurts. But the most painful injury is the one in my heart. Because I know who did it. I know who put that bullet through my chest, puncturing my lung.

I try to laugh at the irony, only to end up coughing up blood. Breathe, damn it! Funny, the voice in my head sounds just like Gibbs.

I struggle to catch my breath. He's gonna come rescue me. He always does.

I think about Kate. I wonder if she even knew she was dying. Probably not. It all happened so fast, she probably didn't even have time to feel it. She was dead before she hit the ground.

God, I feel tired. I can't sleep though. I have to stay awake. Gibbs is gonna be so pissed if he came here to find me dead.

So I try to think of them. Anything to wrap my head around that twisted situation.

I remember Ducky laughing at one of my jokes. Palmer stuttering because that kid seemed to be scared everytime Gibbs or me was in the room. Abby sipping her Caff!Pow and joking around with me. McGee holding my gaze and answering one of my smart ass question. Ziva laughing at me and trying to make me question my virility. Gibbs hitting me behind the head and telling me to get back to work.

I can't believe I'm gonna leave them like that. I hope Abby won't cry too much. I hate it when she cries.

I feel so cold. In fact my whole body's trembling. And I start to feel numb.

My killer's sitting in my couch, his head resting in his hands. It's probably a good thing. I think I'd completely lose it if he was looking at me right now.

Tears start to roll down my cheeks. Jeez, I was trying so hard to hold them back. Well, I guess it doesn't matter now.

It's getting more and more difficult to breathe. Stay awake I keep telling myself. Only it's getting hard. The pain stabs me once more, even though I made a point not to move. I want to cry out but all I can manage is a strangled moan.

And then, just like that, it stops.

I can't feel anything except the cold that makes my teeth shatter. I thought the pain was bad, but I find out that the lack of pain is worse. Because it can only mean one thing.

I'm dying.

I close my eyes. I feel so scared. Which is ironic cause death had never scared me before. But now...

It's not just dying that frightens me. Hell, I can't do anything about it anyway.

I just don't wanna die alone.

I hear footsteps coming toward me. But I didn't hear the door open or close, so it can only be one person.

I open my eyes and find my killer looking down at me. "Sorry Anthony" he says "It was better for everyone"

More tears escape my eyes as I summon all my strength to answer him.

"I never thought you hated me that much" I say, only to end up coughing again.

He looks like he's gonna answer, but the sound of the door opening startles him. I can hear voices shouting but I can't make out what they say. I can't quite see what's happening either cause everything is blurry now.

I can tell when someone kneels down beside me. I feel an arm wrap around my shoulders and I'm lifted into someone's arms.

I blink a few times to clear my eyes. Gibbs is looking at me, saying something I don't understand at first.

I force myself to focus on his voice. He sounds worried, scared even.

"Hold on, Tony, stay awake" he says.

I lick my dry lips and mutter an answer "Trying, Boss"

But it seems like it took all the energy I had left, because everything sounds like I've got cotton in my ears. I barely register movements around me, but I can't really tell what's happening.

As the darkness starts to fall on me, I vaguely see a white figure coming toward me. It's getting clearer as it approaches and I nearly jump as I recognize her.

"Kate?"

She smiles at me and I almost start to cry again. I almost forgot how beautiful she was.

"It's okay, Tony. You can let go now" she says.

At first I don't understand what she means. I try to look at Gibbs or the others I know are in the room, but it all starts to fade away.

"Why?" I ask Kate "Why now?"

"Because it's your time, Tony" she answers simply.

I look in her eyes as I feel myself slip away. I can vaguely feel Gibbs shaking me slightly, telling me to hold on. Only I can't. In a last effort I manage to look at him and say "Sorry Boss"

And then it's all black.

I open my eyes to see Kate standing in front of me. She smiles and takes my hand. For the first time in a very long while I feel truly good.

Gibbs

I take him in my arms, telling him to hold on. I'm not sure he can hear me until he answers "Trying Boss"

I keep talking to him, hoping it will help keeping him awake. His eyes start to look around and I think he's gonna pass out until he focuses on something in the corner of the room. I look in the same direction, trying to see what he's looking at.

"Kate?" he rasps out.

I look back at him, confused. He's delirious. "Tony, try to focus" I tell him urgently. But he doesn't seem to be able to hear me.

"Why? Why now?" he asks to no one again. I feel my eyes burn with the tears that threaten to fall.

I look at the pool of blood that surrounds him. He's not gonna make it I think, and it feels like a punch in the guts.

"You're not gonna die, DiNozzo" I say "I'm not gonna let you"

I'm not sure who I'm trying to convince here. It looks like he didn't hear me anyway.

"Ziva, where's that damn ambulance?!" I yell at her. But I'm not mad at her or at the paramedics. I know they do what they can. I'm frustrated because my agent is gonna die in my arms and there's nothing I can do about it.

Ziva shrugs sadly. I can tell she's holding back her tears as much as I am. Just as I want to tell her something, I feel the body in my arms relax a little.

I look down at Tony, alarmed. He's still looking at no one in the corner of the room. "DiNozzo, don't you dare!" I yell at him, shaking him gently "Hold on Tony. Stay with me!"

He finally looks at me as one last tear run down his cheek "Sorry Boss" he whispers, and before I can say anything, the light leaves his eyes and his body goes limp.

I scream his name and shake him, trying to wake him up. It's not right! He shouldn't have died! Not like this!

I keep on shaking him and yelling at him until I feel a hand on my shoulder. I look up to meet Ziva's wet eyes. She sadly shakes her head and I understand what she means.

I look down at Tony and I gently close his eyes. A single tear falls from my eyes and lands on his cheek. Slowly, I lay him back down.

I quickly wipe at my eyes and I stand up. My knees almost buckle and I use the near table to stand upright.

I hear a commotion behind me and I turn to look at Ziva and McGee holding the man that just killed my agent. He's trying to break free, but they've got him in a strong grip. He's not going anywhere.

I walk up to that man and it's a miracle I don't just shoot him right now. "Why?" I bark. I don't care if he heard my voice break. I want to know why he did it.

"Because it was better for everyone" he answers and though I still don't understand, I'm not gonna push him any further. Because actually, I don't care why he did it. The reason is not gonna change anything to the fact that this man just murdered his own son.

Tony

I look at them all. I feel bad for them. I can see the pain in Gibbs' eyes as he shakes my body, trying to revive me.

But what hurts the most is the lack of emotion in my father's eyes. It looks like he doesn't even care. I turn to look at Kate. She still has her everlasting smile on her lips.

"It's ironic" I tell her "After all this, I die by my father's hand"

"Sometimes it happens the most unexpected way" she says softly.

I just nod. I turn once more to see Gibbs close my eyes. For a moment I think I saw a tear run down his cheek… no, I must be wrong. Gibbs wouldn't cry…

I feel her hand slip in mine and entwine our fingers. I smile at her and follow her as she takes me away from the world I used to live in.

- - Fin - -

Do your best not to hate me please!

Reviews are love!

nerwende