Hm guess you guys didn't like the last chapter? Well hopefully this one meets or exceeds your standards!
I wonder if they're all going to die . . .
Kate POV
I reread the message, my eyes widening and quickly set my phone on a timer, and ran out the door into Gibbs's room.
I pounded on the door until my knuckles were cracked and chapped with blood, and, finally, he opened the door, his face solemn.
"What do you want, Kate?" He asked, motioning me inside.
I showed him the message, "20 minutes is on the clock, Gibbs, we have to find it before it goes off. We can't get out of here alive unless we find it and disable the bomb."
"Dammit!" He swore and threw me back my phone, and began searching the room, leaving me in the door way.
"I can't leave this room just in case Ari plans to visit them while I'm not there, so you have to cover the rest of the area, alone," he told me, currently ducking under the bed, looking for the bomb.
I nodded, and saw Jake spring out of bed and run to me, his eyes wide with fear.
"Katie! I'll come with you, you need someone to watch out for ya," he stated firmly, crossing his arms over his tiny little chest.
I shook my head, already heading out the door, "Stay with you daddy and mommy, I'll be back," I told him, feeling my fear slowly set in.
I pulled out a detector I had installed in my phone and began looking around the silent hotel/motel. I strained my ears for any sign of beeping and felt my phone vibrating again. I pulled it out, and quickly scanned over the message.
What you seek is very close by, but the question is, will you have the time? 18 minutes.
-A.H
I let out a string of curses as I quickly bolted into my own room, and flipped through some of my things. I felt sweat pour down my face and back as I bent into corners, constantly moving, and hoping that I would find the bomb before it detonated.
I dialed Gibbs's number with trembling fingers as I bolted down the steps into the basement.
"Gibbs, take them and try to get the hell out of here, I'll find the bomb and I'll come looking for you guys," I told him, my breathing coming out in gasps as I searched the nearly pitch black basement.
"What? No! Kate, I'm not leaving you here!" He told me, his voice sounding just as stubborn as mine.
I shook my head, "You have to trust me on this one, Gibbs, for once, listen to my gut."
I hung up the phone, cutting off further protest as my eyes slowly got used to the darkness that was quickly enveloping me.
I looked down at my phone and saw another message.
Listen for the ticking, do you hear? It sounds so close . . . as if it were in a little, small, stuffed bear. It's a shame you will not get there in time. Climbing up three flights of stairs is hard work, especially when my hand is on the trigger right now, ready to end it with a bow.
Time is ticking Caitlin, 2 minutes.
-A.H.
My eyes widened and I ran in the direction that I came, pressing my phone to my ear, willing him to pick up.
"Gibbs! It's the bear! It's in Jake's bear!" I yelled, just as a fist connected with my ribs, sending me flying backwards.
"Kate? Kate!" I heard him yell, but couldn't bring myself to find my phone.
I stumbled up, my back against the wall, shaking away the dizziness and the urge to just lie there in a heap and not get back up.
There wasn't enough light, making me stumble blindly towards where I came until I saw the same fist fly out. I grabbed it, twisting it at an odd angle and yanked his arm, causing him to fly over my back and onto the floor.
I got on top of him, punching him quickly in the temple, knocking him out cold.
I didn't have time to check my bruises as I ran up the stairs, willing my legs to go faster despite the pain and the sound of footsteps behind me.
My legs were burning from the speed and pressure I exerted and when I finally reached the third floor door, I saw the man rounding the corner, ready to grab me, his arms out stretched.
I quickly opened the door and closed it shut. I ran into Gibbs's room and kicked open the door, seeing Gibbs working on the bear and Jake in a corner with Jackie's arms around him.
"We have company," I told him, slightly out of breath as I waited for the man to burst through the door, adrenaline coursing through my veins and my heart pounding in my ears.
The adrenaline made everything accented, and I could practically hear his almost silent footsteps approaching the door.
"Jake, turn away if you can, Jackie, hide yourself and him," Gibbs growled out, his eyes trained on the bear.
The door bust open before either of them could move and the man charged me with such speed that I wasn't able to react until he had me pinned against the wall.
He brought his hands up to my throat, squeezing hard and robbing me of breath. I clawed at his hands, gasping and trying to get air into my close to bursting lungs.
I brought my leg up and kneed him in the groin, causing him to drop like a stone onto the floor, clutching himself. I delivered a quick blow to his head, knocking him unconscious and pulling out a pair of cuffs, cuffed him to the table.
I turned around, my breathing labored to see Jake cowering in a corner, still wrapped up in his mothers arms.
I nodded at him, telling him that I would be ok, and walked over to Gibbs.
"Any luck?" I whispered, glaring at the clocks flashing red numbers. We have less than 40 seconds now.
He nodded, "Almost, just hang on a sec," he mumbled, his nimble fingers working through the bomb and tugging wires free.
"How'd you know?" He asked, his voice soft, but his eyes hard.
"He sent me a text, practically told me. He thought I wouldn't get here in time to help you guys out, but I did."
"Yeah, good thing you did too. You just saved our asses again, Kate," he whispered, tugging the last wire free.
I watched as the red numbers faded away and collapsed beside him, feeling as if the world had finally been lifted off of my shoulders.
He bent over me, his fingers tracing strange patterns on my throat.
"Kate, does it hurt?" He asked, and I realized that he was tracing the bruising along my throat.
I tried to swallow but grimaced in pain and shook my head, "I'll be OK, Gibbs, the bruising will heal and I'll be good as new," I told him, forcing a small smile.
I looked at the cuts on his hands, "You should put something on those, before they get infected," I told him, propping myself up on my elbows.
He laughed, a wonderful sound, "You're worrying about me when the man could've killed you or damaged your esophagus?" He questioned, a sparkle in his eye.
I laughed too but it was cut short when I heard footsteps coming up the stairs and cursed.
"Dammit! He woke up!" I hissed, making myself spring to my feet.
"Gibbs, go and protect them, I have a weird feeling that this isn't over yet," I told him, my voice soft.
"Kate, you're in no shape to fight!" He told me, his eyes narrowed.
I didn't seem to hear him; my eyes were locked on the door, watching as the knob twisted. I hid myself behind a corner and he did the same, his gun out and raised.
"She is not hear, boss," the man whispered into an ear piece.
He walked a few more steps into the room, his gun raised. My eyes went up and down his body to see a few knives concealed at his waist and heard a soft whimper.
I turned and saw Jake, his eyes wide with fear, clutching his mother for dear life. I mouthed: "It will be OK."
I lunged myself at the man, side tackling him and causing the gun to fly from his hand. I took out one of his knives and pressed it to his neck, making him freeze instantly.
Gibbs came up behind me and took out the ear piece and bent down, looking over the frightened man.
"Where. The. Hell. Is. Haswari." He growled, his voice shaking with rage.
The man laughed, "I will not tell you even if you do kill me," he turned to me, "So kill me, Caitlin, I dare you."
Gibbs looked at me and shook his head, knocking him out with the butt of his gun.
"Gibbs, we have to leave," Jackie whispered shakily, Jake tucked in her arms, shaking.
Gibbs immediately softened and went over to them and took the shaking boy from his mothers arms.
"Hey, buddy, it's OK, daddy's ok, everything will be alright," he cooed to the little boy, almost making my heart break.
This was a different Gibbs, I thought, the one part of him he had left pure and sweet, allowing children to come into his life. He kissed the boys head and rocked him back and forth, as if the boy was a baby again. Jake quieted and looked into his dad's eyes and smiled.
I watched as Gibbs's face, a few minutes ago twisted with rage, now filled with happiness and pride and above all; love, love for the boy he held in his arms, and love for the mother of the child, I thought. But he will never love you, I thought venomously.
I watched them for a few minutes more, taking in the sweet family scene before silently making my way to the door.
"Kate!" I heard two familiar voices call behind me and turned, running a hand through my hair and rubbing the sleep away from my eyes.
I turned to see two pair of identical blue eyes looking at me, both so alike, and yet so different.
Gibbs walked over to me, his son still in his arms and pulled me into a one arm hug. I was startled for a minute but then relaxed, wrapping my arms around him, breathing his scent in and finding shear comfort and protection in his embrace.
"I am so glad that you're ok," he whispered in my ear, kissing my forehead, his hand in my hair, absentmindedly twisting at my dark curls.
I laughed, "Yeah, but not as glad as I am that you're both OK," I told him, my voice soft.
He slowly pulled out of the embrace, as if reluctant, and placed Jake back in his mother's arms as they went to get a bag.
"Well, I'm just going to go and get my stuff-" I began, when he caught my arm as I began to turn away from him.
"I'll come with you, someone needs to watch your six, just in case," he told me and opened the door for me, following me out and into the still oddly silent hallway. He opened the door, a protective arm around my shoulders and motioned for me to pack up all I needed.
I grabbed my unopened duffel from underneath my bed and handed him the cup of black coffee I had barely touched.
"You look like you need it," I told him quietly, surveying the dark circles under his eyes.
He nodded and drank up the coffee in one gulp. I handed him another cup and he downed that one as well.
"You all ready?" He asked, looking around the room.
I nodded and we headed back to his room to find Jake tucked in his navy blue coat and his mother right beside him, hanging onto his hand.
"Jethro, he should probably go to his grandparents," Jackie began but Gibbs cut her off.
"They're watching us, Jackie, we can't risk it. He's safer with us, believe it or not," he said softly pulling her to him and giving her a small kiss to her forehead before we descended down the stairs.
We arrived in the deserted parking lot and quickly shoved our bags into the trunk. I got into the front seat, slamming the door shut behind me and felt the familiar chill as the adrenaline slowly left my body, leaving me cold and shivering from the shock.
I heard him get in and hid my face from him, goose bumps covering my arms and legs.
"Kate, you alright?" He asked as he reversed from the parking lot.
I nodded, pulling on my coat and crossing my arms over my chest. Suddenly, I found it hard to breath in and out and winced.
"Dammit," I mumbled, opening my coat and lifting my shirt slightly to see the bruise that was already taking form on my right side.
"Anything broken?" He asked, turning his head slightly away from the traffic.
I shook my head, "Just a little sore, it should heal up in a few days," I told him, careful to take shallow breaths and avoid the area all together.
"Where are we going now?" Jake asked, looking at the trucks that passed us.
"We're going to NCIS, get Kate checked out, and then both of you are going to be staying here with a scientist I know very well," Gibbs mumbled, beginning the long drive back to D.C.
"Gibbs, I don't need to get-" but he silenced me with a look.
I sighed, and closed my eyes, settling in for the long ride back; but to my dismay, it only felt like a few seconds before Gibbs was shaking me awake, calling out my name.
"Kate, we're here, wake up," he mumbled, shaking my shoulder.
I jolted awake and nodded, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I opened the door and stepped out of the car.
It felt good to be back at NCIS and not having to worry that much about security and bombs, I thought.
We walked through the door and rode the elevator up, all of us silent.
Once the doors opened, we piled out of the elevator and into the bullpen. I dropped my duffel on my desk and sighed in relief.
"Kate!" I turned around to see Abby coming at me and pulling me into a tight hug.
"Oh God, when Tony showed me those pictured I was so scared you were dead! I didn't know that Ari knew where your place was, and I didn't know if it was safe to call and-"
I cut her off, wincing as her arms crushed my bruised ribs.
"Oh God, Kate, what's wrong?" She asked, pulling away immediately.
I shook my head, "We ran into some trouble and the guy got in some lucky hits, I guess."
"Speaking of which, you need to go see Ducky, now," Gibbs whispered in my ear, his blue eyes staring into mine, leaving no room for protest.
I sighed, "Gibbs," I began but he cut me off, putting a hand over my mouth.
I saw Tony heading around the corner and as soon as he saw me, I saw the relief flash across his features and he whispered a relieved, "Oh thank God!"
He rushed over to me, and hugged me close to him. I wrapped my arms around him slowly, trying to ignore the radiating pain.
"God, we were so worried Kate," he whispered and pulled away, looking me up and down, trying to see if I was hurt or not.
"DiNozzo, I need protection detail on these two," Gibbs growled out, making him turn around.
"Boss! God, I would hug you, but I don't want a bruise on my head," he joked, his classic Renaissance smile plastered on his face.
Once he saw the boy and his mother his expression was immediately serious.
"Who are these two?" He asked, smiling at the little boy.
"They're family," Gibbs said, his tone clipped and short.
Tony looked up, his eyes wide. He opened his mouth but closed it again, thinking better of questioning Gibbs further.
"Alright boss, they're staying here, right?" He asked, heading back to his desk.
Gibbs nodded, "Take care of them while I run Kate to Ducky and get his opinion."
He nodded and began to talk to Jake and his mother. We got back in the elevator and almost immediately, his hand slammed on the Emergency Stop button.
I felt myself get a little disoriented at the sudden stop and leaned against the railing for support.
"Kate, where else did you get hurt?" He asked, his voice seemed so far away now.
"I might've . . . gotten a concussion?" I mumbled and suddenly, my body slumped onto the floor, my eyes closed and my body completely shutting down.
