Summary: A protection detail quickly turns into a deadly game of cat and mouse. When the bullets start flying will Tony and Ziva be able to protect their charges? Will they be able to protect each other...A sequel to Anguish.
Disclaimer: NCIS is the property of CBS. Any copyright infringement was not intentional. Any characters that resemble people living or dead were also unintentional.
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Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs didn't like feeling helpless. He was a man of action, not a man of circumstance.
He hated that there was nothing he could do to save the young sailors life. Yet kept his hands pressed against the bloody wound that tore a hole through the young man's chest and kept talking to him until, finally, he slipped away.
His last words, "I love you my sweet", stirred the dust that were his memories and for the briefest moment he could see his wife and his daughter. He could hear those same words passing over his lips. Just like this young man they would be amongst the last words he would ever speak to them. Had he known that, he would have never have left them. He never would have said goodbye. For him the memory was bitter sweet.
"Boss, the ambulance is here…. They want to talk with you," McGee said from just behind his right shoulder. The sound of his voice, strangely calm and collected, pulled Gibbs from his memories. He rose the small half smile on his lips fading as he gazed, momentarily, at the blood on his hands.
He squared away his emotions and turned towards the tech, his eyes traveling immediately past him and settling on the paramedic who stood at his shoulder. "You're too late. He's already dead." He said cutting straight to the point.
The man fidgeted a bit under Gibbs scrutiny. He was a large, heavy set Asian man with the name John stitched into his jacket. Gibbs could tell by the look in his eyes that he had seen death before and that nothing made losing a client any easier. He could also see the war raging in his eyes. This man had certainly seen death before. But that didn't make losing a client any easier. This man wasn't in his profession for the money. He genuinely wanted to help people.
Gibbs respected that. He softened a bit. "We'll handle it from here John. This is a murder scene now….." He said reaching out to shake his hand, then thinking better of it. His hands were still coated in blood after all.
"Do you want us to help you bring him into autopsy?" John asked.
"No. You can give your report to McGee, and then get back to your route. We'll handle it from here." Gibbs replied, pointing at the tech.
The man nodded and headed towards McGee who was busily processing the scene. In the meantime Gibbs knelt next the man again and gently closed his eyes, taking time to retrieve his wallet from one of his pockets.
He was going through it when Tony and Ziva came jogging up. "No trace of 'em boss." Senior field agent Anthony DiNozzo reported.
He nodded, accepting that. "You two start processing the scene. McGee I want you to find whatever information we have on Petty Officer First Class Jacob Jensen, and his wife Chiara Jensen." He said reading from the man's blood stained ID.
"His wife, boss? Do you think she might be responsible for this?" McGee questioned handing his camera over to Tony.
"I don't know McGee. What I do know is that this sailor seemed to think she was important. He died keeping her safe. "
"Keeping her safe from what?"
Gibbs leveled his best why-are-you-still-here look at the techy.
"Right. On it Boss." McGee responded, turning away.
Gibbs just shook his head slightly, a slight smile hinting at his lips, as he watched the young tech walk away.
His smile quickly faded though as he returned his gaze once more towards the dead man. "I'm sorry we couldn't save you sailor. But rest assured we'll keep her safe. "Gibbs reassured and for a moment he lingered there. For a moment he understood how Ducky felt and why he spoke the way he did to the deceased.
Then he was on his feet and moving. They had a long night ahead of them, and a lot of work to do.
