Chapter 14

Gibbs drove to Matthew Caldwell's last known address. The team all looked nausea as they got out. "Ziva, McGee, cover the back." As they ran around the little house, Gibbs headed for the front door, with Tony. His hand rested on his weapon as Tony knocked.

"Matthew Caldwell. FBI, open the door."

The door creaked open. "Hello, Special Agent Gibbs," a voice said. "You can come in."

Gibbs pulled his gun out, holding it at the ready, as he pushed the door open. He cleared the hall before moving to look into the living room. In the middle of the room was a man sitting in a chair. It took Gibbs a matter of seconds to see the bomb strapped to his chest. "DiNozzo, fall back."

Tony stood just behind him. "Boss?"

"Fall back, DiNozzo!" Gibbs felt Tony move back.

"How noble," Caldwell said, a smile playing at his lips. "Sacrifice yourself for them. Tell me, Agent Gibbs, are you doing it for her or for them?"

"You have three options here, Caldwell," Gibbs said, his gun aimed at the other man's forehead. "We both die, you die or neither of us do."

Caldwell chuckled. "How is that?"

"You can kill us both with that bomb, I can shoot you, or I can take you into custody."

"Do you want to kill me, Agent Gibbs?"

"Yes," Gibbs growled.

"But you won't," Caldwell whispered. "Would it help if I said, Emma's next?"

Gibbs felt his stomach twitch, a cross between a drop and a flutter. "No."

"That knee-jerk reaction that caused your back to straighten is a dead giveaway," Caldwell smiled. "You're afraid for her."

"Stop this," Gibbs growled.

"Did he mourn his son?" Caldwell asked, suddenly.

"Of course he did," Gibbs muttered.

"Would he have mourned her more?"

"I-I don't know."

"I knew I should have killed her, or her mother," Caldwell looked up. "She'll mourn you."

Gibbs only had a moment to jumped into the hall, putting one thin inner wall between himself and the bomb as Caldwell pressed the detonator. The building blew up.

Tony was blown into the street by the force of the bomb. He jumped up as quickly as he could, shock flooding him. McGee and Ziva came rushing around the building see him, clearly looking around for their boss.

"Where's Gibbs?" Ziva asked, jogging slightly, over to him.

"He was in the house," Tony whispered, his eyes locked on the pile of rumble that had been the house.

"He-He was in the house?" McGee repeated.

Emma was pacing when Ducky came rushing into the Lab. He was frantic, speaking so fast she could read his lips. Abby started to freak out too, she crying. Something was right but Emma couldn't understand what was going on. Abby grabbed the other woman's arm dragging her to the elevator. Ducky followed them. Isabella had gone upstairs shortly after Gibbs and team had left, so it was only the three of them.

'What's going on?' Emma frantically signed, her eyes darting between her two companions.

'Caldwell blew himself up,' Abby allowed.

'There's more. There has to be more.' Emma was getting more scared by the second.

'Gibbs was in the house,' Abby signed, her fingers shaking. That was when Emma realized they had headed down to the parking lot.

'You're going to visit him?'

'We're going to see him,' Abby corrected, as Ducky lead them to his Vintage Austin Martin.

'He's alive?'

Abby looked at Emma. She nodded. Emma then began to cry, her body shaking. Abby, her own eyes filling with tears, helped get Emma into the car. Ducky was behind the wheel and, as soon as Abby's door closed, took off towards military hospital where he had received word that Gibbs would be delivered to.

The moment they arrive, Emma and Abby were out of the car. Emma beat Abby to the front desk. Abby called, "What room is Leroy Jethro Gibbs in?"

The nurse clearly wanted to stop them. She clicked away on the computer. "Only immediate relatives can see him right now."

Ducky, who had just walked up, and Abby said together; "She's his fiancé." They shot each other a look, before looking back at the nurse.

The nurse sighed, heavily. "He's being moved to room 460. His surgery went well. He's still in critical condition but stable for now."

Abby turned and relayed on the information. Emma looked torn. 'I can't leave you down here.'

'Emma, go to him,' Abby signed, 'Don't leave him alone.'

Emma nodded, rushing to the elevator. She found the room without much effort. She rested her palm against the door for a minute before pushing it open. The room held only one bed, and in that bed lay a battered and bandaged Jethro Gibbs. He really looked like a building had fallen on him. Emma covered her mouth with her hand. She knew she was sobbing; she could feel it. She rushed to the edge to the bed, holding his bandaged hand in hers. All she could do now was wait.