It had all started with a simply arrest. They had gotten the suspect of a triple homicide without problems, and it should have been a happy ending. Only that is wasn't.

Gibbs still couldn't understand how he'd come to stand here, alone in the middle of the corridor of a run-down hospital, listening to the grim doctor telling him things he couldn't and didn't want to understand.

It had all started so well…

Two and a half hours ago…

"McGee, David: you take the back. DiNozzo: you're with me."

Three whispered 'yes, boss' answers were heard over the comms while everyone made their way into the appointed direction. There was no room for argument in a situation like that and the team worked like a well-oiled machine together.

"NCIS! Open the door Mr. Scutberg!" – Called Gibbs as they reached the porch with weapons drawn and held at the ready. – "NCIS, open or we'll use force!"

After a couple of seconds' silence, he wordlessly nodded to Tony who knew instantly what his boss expected of him. With an expertly aimed kick, they were inside. A crack was heard from the direction of the kitchen and the team leader knew the other two members were with them, having their sixes – as they should be.

The four of them moved silently and with practiced ease. They only communicated with hand gestures as they searched the house – no need to alert the enemy of their location now. The living room, the kitchen and the bathroom were clear. Gibbs nodded at Ziva to follow him upstairs, while he motioned for McGee and DiNozzo to take a look at the basement. The team separated.

The search of the second floor turned out to be as futile as the ground floor's had been and when Ziva whispered 'clear' on her side, Gibbs spoke into his comm again:

"McGee? DiNozzo? Do you have something?"

It was the younger agent of the two who answered.

"No, Boss. I think- Aaaaaaa!"

Gibbs and Ziva both ran towards the stairs throwing caution to the wind, while they called to their teammates. This time, no reaction came. They bolted towards the narrow staircase leading to the basement and desperately tried to see something in the darkness. Why hadn't the other two turned on the lights anyway?

After successfully locating their flashlights, Gibbs and Ziva directed the light towards the farther end of the basement to find-

"What the…?"

Ziva couldn't help the chuckle that escaped.

"You having a party, boys?" – She asked mockingly, seemingly finding the whole situation hilarious.

"Hehehe, Zivaah. Very funny indeed." – Groaned Tony from his spot on the floor, trying and failing to stand while also keeping the suspect from escaping. – "He was trying to climb out through the window." – He explained, pointing towards a narrow slit far above their heads; it was obviously only meant to serve as some meager source of light during the day and not as an escape route for a fully-grown man. Especially not for someone of Scutberg's build. – "He got stuck."

McGee, who up until now had been sitting slightly dazed a few feet away, finally snapped out of it and together, the two agents hauled the protesting man up.

"I'll sue all of you! This is my home; it's breaking and entering! I've seen no warrant! You don't have the right…"

Ziva cuffed him while Gibbs shook his head.

"You have the right to remain silent, Mr. Scutberg. I suggest you make use of it."

"This is a scandal! I'm going to…" – They didn't learn what he was going to do, because Ziva led him up the stairs and out of the house before he could make any more threats.

The team leader looked at his two remaining agents.

"Are you two all right?"

"Yeah… He fought back and… well. You can see he's a lot heavier than we are." – Explained McGee shyly. – "And the lamp's not working, we couldn't fight and hold a flashlight at the same time, so we couldn't see very well… Anyway. We're all right."

"DiNozzo? Are you injured?" – Asked Gibbs, since the other man was unnaturally quiet.

"Just my pride." – Ignoring his boss' smirk, the senior field agent started to climb the stairs. As soon as he lifted his right leg onto the first step, he let out a little shriek of pain though.

"Tony?"

"DiNozzo?"

"Ahm… Boss? I think I might be a bit injured after all…"

Tim shone his flashlight at his partners leg, to find-

"Blood! Tony! You're bleeding!"

"Oh? Really?" – Trying to see for himself, Tony craned his neck towards his thigh. And sure enough: a fair amount of bright-red blood had already sipped though his designer suit pants, ruining it no doubt for ever. No dry-cleaner would be able to get this out for sure… – "Oh! When did that happen?"

"It doesn't seem to be too deep but I believe the wound will require stitches, DiNozzo." – Determined Gibbs. – "Come on, I'll help you up and then I'll take you to the nearest hospital while McGee and Ziva sort out our suspect."

"I don't need a hospital! I'm fine! Why can't just Ducky take a look at it?"

"Ducky is not here, DiNozzo. Suck it up."

"Boss, I-" – But the glare and the accompanying head-slap from his boss silenced all his protests. – "Gotcha, Boss. We're going to the hospital."

Now

So, they had come in. This was the nearest hospital Gibbs had been able to find; he'd figured it wouldn't matter, they didn't need to specifically go to Bethesda just to get a couple of stitches. No big deal, right? Surely, Tony had been right and they could have waited for Ducky to take care of him, it was just that Gibbs hadn't wanted to take a chance. Not with that boy.

But with what the doctor was saying now… How was this possible?

"I don't understand." – He said for the third time. He sounded like a broken record but he couldn't care less right now. – "What you're saying is impossible."

The doctor, a well-built man in his late forties, sighed tiredly. He seemed to be getting impatient – probably had a hundred other things to do. But still, this conversation couldn't be taken lightly.

"I'm sorry, Agent Gibbs, but it's true: Agent DiNozzo didn't make it. I am very sorry for your loss, sir, I understand he was your teammate and that you were very close."

The team leader shook his head in disbelief, still not ready to accept what the doctor was saying.

"No. It can't be. He only had a small gash on his thigh. He only needed a few stitches. Nobody dies from an injury like that!"

"It was deeper than we originally thought. It bled very quickly and we couldn't stop it. And besides that, he had other injuries as well: bruises and cuts."

"Just small things! Nothing to warrant death!" – Argued the NCIS agent, ignoring the desperate tears that threatened to fall. He just needed to make the doctor see the truth and then everything would be all right. He was sure of that. – "Look: this boy survived the Plague! Do you understand!? He had a 15% chance and he made it!" – Not caring about the doctor's skeptical expression, he continued. – "He was chained to a mass murderer for days that tried to kill him. In the end, Tony ended up killing the murderer. And then one time he was kidnapped and brought underground to die there. He escaped and saved the other hostage as well. He-"

"I get it, Agent Gibbs. Really, I do. But still, the truth is-"

"The truth is that you're mistaken, doctor. There's no way Tony is dead. He wouldn't die without my permission." – Gibbs stated, and for him, this made absolute sense.

"I am so very sorry for your loss. We did out best. Sometimes, it's just not enough."

A small sob escaped from the otherwise always calm and collected man.

"It's not possible."

"Do you need me to call someone? You shouldn't be alone right now."

But the NCIS agent wasn't paying attention anymore. The only thing he could think about right now was the fact that he'd never see his agent again. his friend. His son.

"NO!" – He slowly sank to the floor and burst out crying.