Author's Note:
Thank you for all the reviews, favourites and followers… Your feedback is very much appreciated.
I love this story and have decided to finish it before the new season of NCIS starts at the end of September… So expect the updates to be regular over the next few weeks.
Enjoy and review… thanks.
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Gibbs awoke with a start. His phone was ringing. Sitting up quickly he answered it.
"Gibbs."
"Let my wife go." Dearing snarled. He sounded drunk.
"Give yourself up." Gibbs said, rubbing a hand over his face.
"Not before I kill you."
"What are you waiting for? I'm at home. Come and get me." Gibbs glanced at the wall clock. It was 8am.
Dearing's voice rang out, a bitter, cold laugh. "You're being babysat by agents. Why I didn't expect you to be so afraid to face me on your own?"
Gibbs knew he had to push Dearing to make his next move.
"Your wife's already endured a long, cold night in an interrogation room." Gibbs taunted. "She can't believe you've abandoned her again. What does that say about you?"
"Shut up! Just shut up." Dearing growled. "You took one of mine and…" he started laughing again.
"And?" Gibbs felt a chill race up his spine.
"And I have one of yours."
"You're bluffing."
Dearing laughed loud and hard.
"I don't bluff. Why don't you ask Ms Scuito yourself?"
All blood drained from Gibbs' face.
"Ms Abby Scuito, Jethro would like to say hello." Dearing laughed.
Abby! No.
How?
When?
Damn it!
"Dearing!" Gibbs growled.
"Gibbs." Abby's tearful voice came on the line. "I'm so sorry. I don't know what I was thinking. I just went home for a change of clothes. He was waiting for me. I'm so sorry Gibbs."
"Shhh, Abby. Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" Gibbs demanded.
"No."
"Abby?"
"Ah, not too much."
"Where are you? Give me something to work with Abby."
"I don't know, a …" Gibbs heard the sound of flesh connecting against flesh a nanosecond before Abby cried out.
"Dearing! Leave her alone." Gibbs shouted.
"Shut up and listen." Dearing growled. "You want to see Ms Scuito alive again you do exactly as I say." Dearing growled. Dearing explained what he wanted and Gibbs listened, his blood boiling with fury.
"You have an hour, Jethro. You waste my time and Ms Scuito's blood will be on your hands." Dearing growled and cut the call.
Gibbs raced out of the house. He knew what he needed to do and he needed to do it alone. Dearing was beyond reason now. He was a madman who had lost sight of his mission and was going to kill for the sake of killing. Abby, damn it.
Gibbs called Ziva and told her to stay with Tony and to up the number of agents at the hospital. Next he called McGee and told him to get Mrs Dearing ready for transfer. He didn't tell either of them that Dearing had Abby. He needed to keep them safe, while he went after Dearing. He had to find Abby. And then he was going to kill the bastard.
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The nurses had just wheeled Tony back into his glass room. He was awake and the back rest on the bed was up at a gentle angle.
Ziva watched the nurses adjust his IV and hook up the various monitors to his chest and index finger. Then they covered him, indicated that she could wear the gown and mask and enter the room.
"Hello beautiful." Tony whispered.
Ziva smiled. He was going to be okay. She just knew it.
"How are you feeling?"
"Better." He said.
A doctor entered the glass room. "Agent DiNozzo, we have your scan results back and I am very pleased to see that the infection is responding to our aggressive treatment plan. I would like to start with nebulization and physiotherapy this morning. It will help move the fluid out of your lungs."
"When can I eat something?" Tony asked feeling famished.
"You will be allowed to have liquids and soft foods for the rest of the day and maybe tomorrow. I don't want to tax your digestive system when your body has already got so much to deal with. I must warn you that with the physiotherapy you will be coughing quite a bit and this may lead to vomiting."
Tony grimaced, "Great, more torture to come. When will you let me out of this glass prison?"
"If your blood work shows significant improvement, we might move you as early as tomorrow to a private ward. Rest now and I will be back to check on you this afternoon."
"Thank you, Doctor." Tony replied as the doctor left.
Ziva took a seat next to the bed and slipped her hand into Tony's.
"So." Tony said.
"So?" Ziva responded.
"What's happening with the case?" Tony asked. Ziva told him what she knew. She didn't tell him that Dearing had been lurking outside his door or that Gibbs had increased the number of agents protecting them.
"Does Gibbs know about… us?" Tony asked.
"I think he does."
"We're breaking Rule no. 12."
"I know." Ziva replied.
"How are we going to handle it, when we get back to the office?"
"Don't worry about it right now. We'll discuss it when you're better."
"I love you, Ziva. I won't let you go." Tony said, pulling her hand to his lips.
"Ah Tony. I love you too." Ziva stood up, leaned forward and kissed his cheek.
"That's not a proper kiss." Tony complained.
"That will have to do until you are better. I won't risk giving you an infection by kissing you on your lips, no matter how much I what to right now."
"Okay, but you can lie down next to me." Tony said smiling.
"I shouldn't."
"But you want to."
"Yes I want to." Ziva said slipping into the bed next to him careful not to disturb any of leads that connected him to the various monitors.
"This is really not fair." Tony said a moment later.
""What isn't fair?" Ziva asked looking down at him.
"I'm naked and you're not."
"Oh Tony, go to sleep." Ziva smiled as she leans down and placed her head lightly on his shoulder.
This felt so right.
This was where she belonged.
In the arms of the man she loved.
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