Chapter 2

A couple hours passes. Gibbs and Jamie remain in the waiting room. Jamie is sitting in a couch watching her father as he paces back and forth. She wants so badly to talk to him, but doesn't really know what to say or how to say it. So she remains silent. As Gibbs paces, though his thoughts should be on Abby, he can't help but think of his daughter Jamie who is sitting on the couch close by. More than anything, he would love to start up a conversation with her. A conversation about how much he loves her and how he'd like to be a family again but there's only one problem; Jamie doesn't remember him so it wouldn't make much of a difference. For the two of them; Jamie thinks her father abandoned her and Gibbs thinks his daughter has no memory of him. They remain at an emotional distance, as they have ever seen coming back into each other's life.

Gibbs and Jamie stay in the waiting room of the hospital for any news on Abby's condition. Tony, Ziva and McGee enter into the waiting room area as Gibbs is pacing around the room. Jamie is still sitting on the couch, but now rocking back and forth as she's really worried about her friend Abby.

"Boss… How's Abby doing?" McGee asked in concern.

"Don't know yet… The doctor hasn't come around."

"And Jamie?" Tony wondered.

"She's a little shook up, but she's alright for the time being. She hasn't said much since we got here." Gibbs said. "Ziva, you think you can…"

"I'm not very good with this type of stuff, but sure." Ziva knew what Gibbs was asking of her. She walks over to the couch and sits with Jamie.

"Are you up for hearing what we got?" Tony asked.

"I want whoever did this!" Gibbs exclaimed in a strong voice.

"The victim who crashed through the window was Johnny Buxton." Tony said.

"He was a Marine Sergeant." McGee added. "So we have jurisdiction over this."

"We have a couple witnesses who saw the car as it drove by. They remember seeing three people inside…" Tony begins to say.

"Can any of them give a description of their faces?"

"They were wearing black masks." McGee said. "We have the color, model and license plate of the car. We also recovered all the bullets that were fired."

"You know Boss, this could've been gang related. I mean, it was a drive-by shooting." Tony said.

"What else?"

"That's it." McGee replied.

"What do you mean that's it?!"

"That's all we got from the crime-scene, Boss." Tony stated.

"I hope I don't have to tell you how to do your job, DiNozzo." Gibbs said. "You have the dead Sergeant's name. Where does he live?"

"Don't know yet, Boss." Tony replied.

"Find out! And find out who wanted to kill him!" Gibbs barked.

Ziva, Jamie and other people in the waiting room hear this and all look in Gibbs' direction.

"And you better find something quickly or else." Gibbs said in a softer tone of voice.

"Or else what, Boss?" Tony wondered.

Gibbs stands in Tony's face and stares him down.

"Or else you'll be the next person crashing through a window." Gibbs said. "I want the bastards who did this."

Tony and McGee walk away from the area and away from angry Gibbs. Ziva joins them. The three of them walk down the hallway of the hospital in order to get to the exit.

"Why do you always feel the need to test him?" Ziva asked.

"Don't know… Force of habit, I guess." Tony answered.

"You know how much he loves Abby." McGee stated. "She's his favorite."

"I know. So let's go do something about this." Tony said.

The three of them walk out of the hospital in order to go find out where the dead Marine Sergeant lives. After the three of them leave, the doctor finally comes out to speak with Gibbs. Jamie glances over in concern. Her heart beats faster as she gets up and walks over to find out about Abby condition.

"Doc, how's she doing?" Gibbs asked. "Is she okay?"

"She lost a lot of blood. But we were able to give her an immediate blood transfusion so it's not as bad as it probably should be."

"But she'll be okay, right?"

"She's in stable condition at the moment. I did everything I could. The rest is up to the man upstairs."

"Can we see her?" Jamie asked.

"She's resting now, but you can go see her. She's in room 112 which is through those doors, fourth room on the left." The doctor points in the direction.

"Thanks doc." Gibbs said.

"You're welcome."

Gibbs and Jamie walk to the room where Abby is. They suddenly heard the flat-line noise of a heart monitor and quickly run into Abby's room. Jamie begins crying in relief as she realizes it wasn't Abby's heart monitor. Abby is lying on the hospital bed with a breathing tube down her throat and an IV tube sticking out of her arm. Gibbs and Jamie are standing just inside the doorway. Both of them stunned at what they see. Jamie slowly places her hand into Gibbs' hand. Together, they walk over to Abby's bed-side. Gibbs places his hand on Abby's arm.

"I'm going to find the people responsible for this, Abs. I swear to God they're going to pay for what they did to you. I promise you that." Gibbs said.

Gibbs moves closer, leans down and kisses Abby on the forehead. He turns and walks away. He walks out of the room. Gibbs walks to an area where nobody is around. In anger, he immediately kicks a trashcan. Gibbs leans up against the wall. He looks upward and begins to get teary-eyed.

"Please God… Help her make it through this."

Gibbs' back slides down the wall. He's now sitting against the wall with his back to it. He places his hands over his face and begins to cry slightly.

Meanwhile, back in the hospital room where Abby lies, Jamie pulls up a chair next to the bed and sits down. She gently places her hand into Abby's. Jamie gets teary-eyed at seeing her friend in such a horrible state.

"Abs… Don't you even think about dying on me. You can't. You've quickly become my best friend. You mean too much to me for me to lose you now. I love you Abby." Jamie paused for a couple seconds to wipe a tear from her eye. "Can you hear me, Abs? Friends don't quit on each other. I'm going to be here at your side as long as it takes. Don't you give up on me… Cause I'm not going to give up on you. I love you, Abs."

A couple seconds pass. Jamie starts to feel something. She looks at her hand which is holding Abby's hand. With what little strength Abby has, she tries grasping Jamie's hand. Jamie cracks a smile and makes a little laugh of relief. A couple tears roll down her cheeks because she knows Abby recognizes that she's there.