Here we go! I do not own NCIS...

Chapter 11

The world moved in slow motion for Sergei Mishnev as he made his final stand. His twisted grin turned into a horrified grimace as he aimed at Ziva and pulled the trigger, and the gun clicked in his hand, signaling an empty chamber. At the same moment he was thrown back against his car as five bullets hit him in the chest at once. He hit the ground, blood pooling around him and gasping for air. The team approached and surrounded him. No one offered help or a comforting word to the man who lay dying before them.

"I suppose," Sergei whispered, his eyes becoming wide and blood pouring from his mouth, "The Checkmate is yours after all, Agent Gibbs." .

"You're goddamn right." Gibbs replied, looking right into Sergei's eyes as he passed away.

The team let out a collective sigh of relief when Sergei died, and remained silent for the next few minutes. They were recovering from the shock while they secured the scene and waited for the ambulances for Tim and Tony. Fornell finally broke the ice.

"Well THANK FUCK that's over!"

Gibbs looked at him with a smirk and shook his head, while the rest of the team laughed.

Ducky and Jimmy arrived to collect Sergei's body. Director Vance sent enough agents to cover the scene, and when the ambulances arrived, Fornell agreed to drive Gibbs' car back so Gibbs could ride with Tim and Ziva could ride with Tony. They gathered up the injured and sped toward the hospital.

With the adrenaline worn off, Tim was going into shock. His face was pale and he was taking quick, shallow breaths as the paramedics cut his shirt and the old bandages off of him and began cleaning the wound. He cried out and threw his head back in agony, looking like he was ready to pass out. Gibbs stood stood next to the stretcher and placed a hand on his forehead, rubbing circles gently but vigorously. Tim groaned and tried to turn his head away. The rubbing kept him conscious, and he was praying for a few minutes of blissful relief.

"Come on, Tim, gotta stay awake for me, ok?" Gibbs said as he continued rubbing his forehead and Tim kept groaning in pain. "Yeah, I know it hurts," he said softly, "just hang in there a few more minutes. They're gonna finish cleaning that hole in your shoulder then put an IV in. As soon as we get to the hospital, we'll get you something for the pain."

Tim sucked in a deep breath and two tears slid down his cheeks as the paramedics put pressure on the wound and tried to stop the bleeding. He jerked away from them and sat up and leaned forward when the pain got too bad, and Gibbs gently but firmly guided him to lay back. He placed his hand back on Tim's forehead and then ran it through his hair a few times, trying to give him any kind of comfort he could.

"I'm sorry, Tim. Just hang in there. You're gonna be ok."

"Rule six, Boss." Tim said, hissing with pain. Gibbs just smirked at him and continued to rub his forehead.

At Bethesda, Tim went through triage, and a nurse finally pushed a few cc's of morphine into his IV. "Oh, thank you, Jesus!" Tim exclaimed as it hit him full force. He finally leaned back and closed his eyes.

"Sit tight, McGee. Gonna go see DiNozzo and I'll be back in a few." Gibbs said.

"Got it, Boss." Tim slurred as he waited to be taken to x ray and have the bullet removed.

Gibbs walked further back into the ER and saw Ziva sitting by herself, nervously chewing her thumbnail. "Ziver! Where's Tony?"

"They took him back to trauma. He started vomiting on the way to the hospital... they think it may just be a concussion, but they want to check that he does not have internal bleeding. They would not let me go back with him..."

Gibbs sighed and pulled her into a hug. "How's McGee?" She asked.

"McGee's fine. Freaked out a little in the ambulance when the adrenaline wore off, but they have him comfortable and pumped full of morphine, now. Just have to pull out the bullet and bandage him up. And Tony's gonna be just fine, too. Did you tell him that you were coming home, yet?"

"Not yet. There hasn't exactly been a good time. I will tell him tonight, when we all get to go home."

"Good. He's a lucky man, you know."

"I am a lucky woman," Ziva replied with a smile, "And speak of the devil!"

Tony arrived back in the main Emergency room on a stretcher being pushed by a nurse in her early 60's. "Thank you, Carol," Tony said sweetly, offering a tired smile.

"Take care of him. He's a good boy." She said to Ziva, before pinching Tony's cheek gently. "Be good, doll face."

Gibbs rolled his eyes and Ziva smiled as the doctor came over with news that there was no internal bleeding, just a concussion. Fornell met them at the hospital as they discharged Tony with pain meds, antibiotics and bed rest, and they all went back over to see how Tim was doing.

Tim was under a local anesthetic and pain meds as the doctors removed the bullet from his shoulder. After they stitched him up, Tim looked up at his team and gave them a sloppy grin. "Hey, guys. Thannkkksss for coming!"

"You're in rare form, McGee," Gibbs said to his youngest. "You're coming home with me."

"Aahhh... Gibbs' house..." Tim slurred. "Cowboy style steaks, black and white westerns... Take me home, Boss! No! Wait! We gotsa go... to Ducky!"

"Why do we have to see Ducky?" Gibbs asked.

"Because... I wanna sees if I took the kill shot on the bad guy!" Tim slurred.

"Yeah, that's right. I was wondering about that myself," Fornell added, "Who made the kill shot on Sergei?"

Tony grinned, "I have a feeling it was me."

Ziva scoffed, "Who is the trained assassin here, Tony? My shot took him out!" She offered a mischievous, competitive grin. Tony held onto his sore ribs as he laughed.

"Fifty bucks says that I took the kill shot," Tony replied and Ziva narrowed her eyes at him.

"You're on."

"We'll find out soon enough," Gibbs said. "Tobias, go get Emily out of that safe house. Ziver, take Tony home. I'll stay with McGee."

"On it, Boss!" Tony said, grateful to be leaving the hospital. "Shall we, Ziva?" He asked with a smile while sitting in a wheelchair. Ziva smiled lovingly at him and kissed his cheek before wheeling him out of the hospital to take him home.

TBC..