AN: Flashbacks in Italics

-------------

"Probie!!" Franks had been the one to take him to ground and dragged him behind cover as the shooting continued. Before he knew it the warehouse was filled with Feds and most importantly Gibbs team. It felt like the middle of a battlefield.

Tony and Ryan came from the back and were the closest to the young girl. Though surprised by the back up, they didn't resist it. They may have been civilians but there purpose was clear.

"Gibbs is down!" Tony shouted.

"We get the girl." Ryan countered. "Cant get to him now." He took aim and fired a few rounds before taking cover. The girl was being ushered towards the limo when Ryan came out and fired a second time, this time hitting home. He waved for Tony to go for the girl, while he covered him. But just as Tony reached the girl, they were hailed with bullets…

"Behind you McGee!" Ziva fired and hit her target, seemingly saving her partners life.

Tim cringed as the body behind him hit the floor, but was soon focused on the task at hand. "Gibbs was hit."

Ziva nodded. "Franks is with him…we must stay put."

He glanced at Gibbs position and saw him prostrate on the ground, not moving. "He needs help…"

Ziva placed a hand on his arm firmly. "The only way we can help is by ending this siege."

Not knowing he was capable of such strength he loosened her grip and raced in the direction of Gibbs car. An array of bullets following his every stride…

Fornell could make out Randazzo and two of his men ushering him towards his limo when he rose to his feet and took chase. "Oh no you don't." He was able to take out the two men and watched Marian throw his hands in the air.

"I give up."

Fornell's aim was steadfast. "Oh, that's too bad."

Ziva found herself alone as the siege came to an end. She stood up and saw a body in every direction. She'd never fought in a war and wondered if this was how it felt to be the one who survived…

Franks had just burnt out his fifth cigarette in the past ten minutes when a familiar face appeared at the entrance of the ER.

"How are they?"

Mike examined the older man; who seemed to have aged decades since he'd last seen him. "Critical…" He offered him a smoke. "Nothing you can do in there…"

Ducky politely declined; his voice strained. "No thank you; I prefer whiskey for such circumstances."

"From the looks of you, I'd say you've already been partaking…"

He nodded slowly. "Yes, well. One thing I've become accustomed to is drowning my sorrows. Unfortunately, it is only temporary." He swallowed. "It seems the only permanent anecdote is death."

Mike only nodded as he lit yet another cigarette and watched the man enter through the doors before calling back. "Your people put up one hell of a fight out there…"

Ducky didn't turn to face him but replied solemnly. "Let's only hope they won it."

Ziva sat alone in the waiting room, her Star of David gripped in her hand; softly whispering prayers she'd memorized as a child. Holding onto the only hope she could, feeling completely helpless for once in her life. There was no one left to kill; nothing left to avenge…all there was, were her teammates fighting for their lives and that Star of David…

Ryan took hold of the girl and carried her in his arms to safety, only to return to another body riddled with bullets. He took care to cover each of the wounds just as the shooting came to an end.

"Hang in there son…"

Tony coughed violently. "The girl?"

"She's safe. You did good." He held pressure to what he assessed as the most life threatening wound and let out a yell. "Medic!"

"G-G-Gibbs?"

Ryan looked away to see a group hovered over the Gunny's location, and gave the boy some comfort. "He's alright son." He lied. "So don't go pissing him off and hang in there…got me?"

"Yes s-s-sir…"

Ryan met Franks outside the ER entrance and sat beside him. "I didn't catch your name…"

"I didn't throw it." Mike looked away and assumed that would be good enough. It wasn't.

He put out his hand. "I'm the Gunny's old CO. You can call me Ryan."

Franks took it reluctantly. "Mike Franks, retired."

"You were with him when he went down…how was he?"

Mike eventually turned to face him. "He wasn't."

"I don't understand."

He put out his cigarette and cleared his throat. "He was gone long before that bullet hit him."

Ryan didn't need an explanation. "Yeah, I've seen that look in his eyes before. And believe me, once is more than enough…"

"You were there?"

He knew what Mike was referring to and slowly nodded. "He ran out into enemy fire like he was super man…"

"Well I'd like to say Jethro's got it in him to fight…but it looks like losing that girl was his kryptonite."

Ducky's feet were like that of clay when he reached the waiting room to find Ziva sitting alone. Their eyes met and he barely had the courage to offer comfort; knowing full well he didn't have much left to give. But never the less he held her in his arms. "We will be alright my dear." He placed a soft hand on her cheek as she eased away and couldn't help but notice the dried blood. "Are you hurt?"

"No," she spoke softly. "It is not mine."

He ushered back towards the chairs and sat down beside her. "What happened?"

Ziva raced to Tim's side, only feet from where Franks was attending to Gibbs. "Easy, I am here McGee."

"Almost…made it…" He turned his head and reached his hand out towards Gibbs.

Ziva took it and brought his focus back to her. "He will fight for himself McGee, you must fight for you. Do you understand?"

Tim swallowed, his eyes still focused on the body lying feet from him. He'd almost made it.

Ziva reached for his face; forcing him to make eye contact with her. "McGee, do you understand?"

But just as their eyes met, the grip on her hand loosened…

Ziva opened her eyes and met the ones across from her. "I could not stop him…I should have stopped him."

"Non sense my dear," he spoke gently. "You did what needed to be done. Now it is up to Timothy."

She stood up, frustrated by the statement. "He did not fight Ducky…He was supposed to fight…we were supposed to fight together. All of us."

"It is not that simple…"

She interrupted. "No, it was. I told him to fight, but instead he reached out for him…for the man who left us. Left us to fight alone."

Ducky was almost at a loss for words. "He did not want you to fight at all."

"Ha!" She almost shouted. "As if he expected us to just walk away? If he thought that, then maybe he has gone mad…he knew we would stop at nothing. He should have come to us for help…he should not have left us…" She took in a breath and began to pace. "Now look at us…and all because he thought of no one but himself."

Vance stopped in his tracks at the sight of Colonel Ryan and Franks sitting together outside the ER. It wasn't long before words were spoken.

"Come to repent for your sins?" Franks questioned. "If you are, Chapels on the fifth floor."

"I should've known you'd be in involved in this. Seems death follows you."

Mike scoffed. "Seems cowardice follows you."

"I'm not gonna stand here and listen to this."

"The hell you aren't," Franks stood up, and couldn't help but notice his new friend doing the same. "Why don't you just go sit behind your cushy little desk and leave them be."

"They're my people…"

"Were," Ryan corrected. "You took their badges remember? Maybe if you hadn't…maybe if you'd helped…they wouldn't be in there all shot up…"

Leon straightened his jacket. "They made their own choices."

"Only because you didn't give them any…" Ryan stepped in front of Franks. "So I would take this mans advice and go hide behind that desk…cuz it's probably the safest place for you to be right now."

"Are you threatening me?"

Ryan looked back at Mike and stifled a laugh. "Are we threatening him?"

Franks shrugged. "Sure, why not?"

Vance contemplated his next move before turning back. "I wouldn't outstay your welcome if I were you."

Mike glanced to his right. "He talking to you or me?"

"I think both of us."

Leon left reluctantly; perhaps suddenly aware that his presence may do more harm than good. And that was the last thing his people needed…

Ducky stopped her pacing by standing in front of her. "What Gibbs did or did not do does not matter now…what matters are Timothy and Anthony coming back to us."

She examined him for a moment. "You did not mention Gibbs."

He took a few steps away before turning towards her. "Only because I fear that even if he awakens…he may never truly come back to us…"

"Abby?" Gibbs squinted at the image before him and was soon on bended knee. "Abby…"

The image moved closer but not close enough to touch. "Hey…"

The gentleness in her voice caused him to well up with tears. "Please tell me this is real."

"If it were, you'd be dead Gibbs."

"That's okay," he was quick to respond. "I don't care what I have to do…just please don't let me go…"

She stepped closer; knowing full well it was futile. She couldn't touch him no matter how badly she wanted to. "I can't…"

He did nothing but stare at her for what felt like hours, but was only seconds. " I'm sorry."

She watched him begin to weep and knelt down in front of him. "What could you possibly be sorry for?"

"I just…I didn't…I couldn't love you enough..."

She reached out for him; then remembered she couldn't. "You loved me as much as you could…that's what matters…and I loved you. That won't change okay?"

Just the sound of her voice made him reach for his chest in agony. He searched his mind for a response but only one phrase seemed to come. "I miss you…" He reached a hand toward her face and watched it pass through. "It hurts so much…"

And in a moment she didn't think was possible she brushed a lone tear from his cheek. "I'll always be there…"

Ducky stood solemnly at his friends bedside when he noticed him starting to stir. He leaned over and gasped at the sight, his lip beginning to quiver. What he saw on his face…was a tear…