AN: Packed chapter here folks. Sorry for the rediculous cliff last chapter...oh who am I kidding? I loved it... enjoy. :)
"Easier said than done boss…Ziva is out cold."
Gibbs dusted himself off and rubbed his temples before starting to run back towards the house. Tony did his best to keep pace with him, but found himself lagging behind more than once.
"Wish you'd gone on those runs with Kate now don't ya?" Gibbs hollered behind him.
Tony waved. "Yeah, yeah."
They arrived at Ziva's side within minutes and Gibbs found a weak pulse. "She doesn't have a lot of time…Jay get out there and find the keys to that last truck…we gotta move fast."
"Bout me boss?"
"How about you just stare at me like a two year old?"
Tony pointed outside. "Help Jay find the keys…on it."
Gibbs stared down at her and stroked the hair away from her face. "Don't you even think about leaving me with just DiNozzo...that's an order…"
It was only minutes before Jay emerged through the front door. "Tony's got it started…he's pulling around."
Gibbs nodded and lifted Ziva into his arms quickly. He raced outside and slipped her beside Tony, then got out. "Boss what are you doing?" He watched as Gibbs raced over to another body, threw it over his shoulders and motioned for Jay to get into the bed of the truck.
Gibbs set Pat's body beside Jay and got into the passenger side quickly. "Drive DiNozzo!"
Tony didn't have time to form a response and threw the truck into drive. The ride to the hospital was relatively silent. Neither Tony nor Gibbs needed to say what they both were thinking. It was useless. The fear ripping through their guts needed no explanation and when Tony saw Gibbs hand clutching to Ziva's it was all he needed to realize how scared they both were.
When they pulled up it didn't take long for Gibbs to start barking out orders. "She's a federal agent; I want nothing but the best…" He watched as they quickly rolled her through the doors. "Jay, get down here damnit."
Jay handed Pat's body into Gibbs arms and watched as the man he was so afraid of, seemed to freeze. "Boss? Boss?"
Gibbs heads snapped up. "What?!"
"He's…"
"Dead? Yeah. I may be getting older, but I can tell a dead body from a live one."
Tony waved a gurney over and watched as Gibbs placed Pat's body down slowly. He stared at him for a few moments before leaning over and whispering something to him.
"He has a mother…"
The Doctor standing in front of him widened his eyes. "What is this boy's last name?"
"Steeples…why?"
"I'm afraid this young mans mother is also deceased. She was brought in a few hours ago…beaten pretty badly I'm afraid."
Gibbs let his head hang low for a moment. "You're sure?"
"Quite sure. Her identification matches the name." He took in a deep breath. "I don't suppose you know the next of kin for either of them?"
Gibbs slowly shook his head. "No…" he cleared his throat. "But I'd put a call into your ME…you're gonna have quite a few bodies on your hands real soon."
The Doctor nodded. "What happened to the woman who was just brought in?"
"She was shot."
"May I ask the circumstances?"
Gibbs came inches from his face. "Is it gonna make a difference on whether she lives or dies?"
"No…"
"Then stop playing twenty questions with me and get in there and do your damn job."
The Doctor straightened his coat before turning towards the doors.
Tony and Jay approached Gibbs and his Senior Agent placed a calm hand on his shoulder. But Gibbs shrugged it off violently.
"Now's not the time to console DiNozzo…if you would've been a better shot when I hired you, a hell of a lot of people would still be alive right now." He stormed through the ER doors, leaving Tony speechless.
Jay placed a hand on his shoulder and watched as Tony shrugged it off as well. Then watched him enter through the doors and quickly followed. It might be some time before he figured either of them out, but right now he had phone calls to make.
Within a two hour period, Gibbs had talked to everyone from the Director of NCIS to the Secretary of the Navy. He had a lot of explaining to do. Meanwhile, Jay was explaining himself to the Sheriff and every other Deputy that had only arrived out of curiosity. Anthony DiNozzo only had one phone call to make, and he spent the full two hours making it.
"I bet staying with Ducky has been exhilarating?"
She stifled a laugh. "It has been an experience…but he is such a sweetheart. It's just what I needed."
"But he hasn't been able to talk you out of leaving has he?"
She shook her head then realized Tony couldn't see her. "No…and he's not the only one who's been trying."
"Who else has enough clout to try and change your mind?"
Abby contemplated telling him about her dreams and sighed outwardly. "Not important…what's important now is you guys…that's so sad about Pat, I bet Gibbs is bumming out pretty bad?"
"Yeah, I guess."
She picked up on his tone. "That didn't sound too sympathetic Tony…you know he needs to know you care, even if he doesn't show it."
"Oh trust me Abs; he's just fine without it."
"Did I miss something?"
"No…it's nothing…listen, the Doc is coming over. I'll call you back soon, I promise…"
Tony closed his phone and arrived in front of the Doctor simultaneously with Gibbs.
"How is she?" They responded in unison and he couldn't help but smile.
"Are either of you the next of kin."
"I am." Again they replied in unison and the Doctor flipped through his chart in response.
"I see, well, she was touch and go there for a while, but I'm glad to say she'll be making a full recovery. You got her here just in time. Five minutes longer and she would've been at the point of no return."
Both Tony and Gibbs sighed in relief and managed to smile a bit. "Can we see her?"
"Oh sure…but please, only one at a time. We aren't as big as those large city hospitals."
Tony motioned for Gibbs to go first. "Go ahead."
Gibbs didn't hesitate or offer thanks before following behind the Doctor. It was then Jay approached.
"From the looks of you, it's good news?"
Tony smiled. "Yeah kid, she's gonna be alright."
"Good thing you found those keys when you did eh Tony?"
"Yeah, just wish Gibbs saw it that way."
Jay shrugged. "Why do you care so much about what he thinks anyway?"
Tony was taken aback by his question and thought to himself for a few moments. "Good question kid…good question."
Tony would've given anything to ride in the helicopter back to DC with Ziva, but after all somebody had to drive the car back. Only this time, he had company.
"Excited kid?"
"Totally."
"Bet those other deputies are pretty jealous?"
"That I'm going to DC to be a Federal Agent….heck yeah they are!"
Tony smiled. "Happy for ya…you earned it."
He shrugged. "Yeah I guess…"
"Trust me, you wont learn from anyone better."
"Man, you still compliment the guy, even when you're pissed at him."
Tony switched lanes. "Doesn't change how good he is kid…you'll see."
Tony arrived at the hospital a few hours after the Helo arrived and slipped into Ziva's room quietly. He watched as Gibbs got up to leave at his entrance. Tony avoided eye contact but stopped to hand him a lone envelope as he passed. Tony sat down beside her and watched as he quickly opened it right then and there. He had hoped he'd at least waited till he left, but he wasn't that fortunate.
Gibbs looked him up and down. "This what you really want DiNozzo?"
Tony only nodded.
"Then I'm waiving the mandatory two weeks…you can pack up your things and get out today."
