a/n - I was in the mood for ice cream, but it's too cold outside. So instead of a double scoop, how about a double dip?

It was almost three hours after their arrival before word came, in the form of Palmer's appearance in the waiting area. He seemed a little overwhelmed with the swarm of people that surrounded him. By unspoken design, they all deferred to Gibbs, including Vance.

"How is he, Palmer? Was Ducky's diagnosis right?"

Palmer tried to look reassuring, a feat in itself considering how intimidated he was by both Gibbs and Director Vance. "All the tests confirmed it; cardiac tamponade brought on by untreated pericarditis. He's on oxygen and they've got him on a medicated drip to bring his blood pressure back up to a safe level. They'll perform a pericardiocentesis as soon as he's stable enough."

Gibbs had no idea what that meant. "Is that dangerous?"

"It has some… risks." Palmer swallowed hard as Gibbs moved closer, Fornell right behind him. Feeling cornered, he rushed to detail the procedure and the risks, holding his left hand up in a fist with his other hand hovering over it. "Okay, his heart," Jimmy wiggled his left hand briefly, "is surrounded by the pericardium and there's usually a small amount of fluid in there, but in McGee's case, there's too much fluid and they have to drain the extra before the pressure does too much damage."

So far, the explanation was understandable. "This pericardio-something is to drain the fluid?"

"Pericardiocentesis. Yes, sir. They use a needle to go through his chest wall and puncture into the pericardial sack to place a catheter. Then they drain the excess fluid until his heart starts beating normally again."

"It sounds simple enough." DiNozzo's words didn't match the look on his face, while Ziva tried to be practical.

"What are the risks you mentioned?"

"They could go too far with the needle or the catheter and puncture the heart or one of his arteries, or if it goes in wrong, it could puncture his lung or his liver or even his stomach." Palmer started to panic at the expression on Gibbs' face and clarified. "They'll use an echocardiograph to watch the movement of the needle, so it's a really small risk, Agent Gibbs."

"What else?"

Palmer always wondered how someone could talk with their jaw clenched so tightly, but decided this wasn't the time to ask. "He could develop an infection or he could have a heart attack during the procedure." Gibbs stared at him and nervously he added a few more. "If they remove too much fluid, it can cause other problems. Other than that, the biggest danger is if air gets in the pericardial sack which can cause another episode of tamponade and then we're back where we started."

Vance decided to step in before Ducky would need a new assistant. "Thank you, Mr. Palmer, I'm sure that's more than enough information for now." However, Palmer was too nervous to stop talking.

"I'm sure he's going to be fine, Agent Gibbs. Dr. Mallard is still in there with him and he'll make sure they're careful and keep McGee calm when they work on him."

"Calm?" Myers shoved his way to the front of the group, much to DiNozzo's displeasure. "You mean they're going to keep him awake when they do this?"

"Umm, yes?" It was a barely audible squeaked answer as Palmer found himself surrounded by stressed agents. Ziva tried to change the focus.

"Shouldn't we call his family? His sister, at least, should be here for him."

Fornell and Myers both looked uncomfortable, but Fornell was the team leader. "We can't."

"Of course we can. That has nothing to do with the case. McGee and his sister are very close and I am sure she would want to be here for him. Especially if they have just lost their father."

"No, Officer David." Fornell looked up at the ceiling as he told in a low voice, "they're gone."

"What do you mean, gone?" Gibbs was in Fornell's face before anyone realized he'd moved. "What in the hell did you do?"

Fornell knew this had been coming and stayed calm, even as Myers moved close to defend him. "Moore's people tried to make a move on the family, and we retrieved them the second they were in danger. The Marshals have them in the deepest layer of witness protection right now."

Gibbs let go of Fornell's jacket and walked over to look out the window. "That must have just about killed Tim to send them away."

"Yeah, it did." Fornell stood in back of Gibbs, both staring at the window, both actually watching the reflection of the doors behind them, both waiting for Ducky to come through those doors.

---NCIS---

"Mom, I'm fine, stop fussing." Ron Sacks smiled in amusement at his mother as she insisted on tying his shoes. He had his release papers in hand, all that was left was the ride home. A subtle glance at his watch showed that Myers was almost thirty minutes late. In the next bed, Hank watched in boredom

"At least you get to go home. I'm stuck here for another week." They both looked up as the door opened, but it was Julia back with a milkshake for Hank. The older man grinned as he took his treat. "If I'd known Jason was going to be this late, I'd have asked Julia to get you one too."

"Actually, Jason called me a bit ago. I'm your ride home." Violet picked up on the stress in her voice and closed the door the rest of the way. As soon as the door was closed, Hank leaned forward in his bed.

"What's going on, baby?"

Julia played with the strap of her purse. She hadn't met McGee yet, but she knew her husband was fond of him already. "That agent from the other agency you're been working with," she paused, knowing she had to be vague since they were not in a secure building. "He's been rushed to the hospital."

"What's wrong?"

"What happened?"

"Something to do with…" She quieted, tapping at the center of her chest when a nurse walked in the room. Once the nurse was done and the door closed behind her, she continued. "It's bad, Hank, Jason said it's really bad."

"Then that's where we're going." Sacks sat in the wheelchair the nurse had left. "Julia, can you drop Mom off at home on our way to Bethesda?

---NCIS---

When the doors finally opened, everyone was back on their feet before the bed was rolled out the door. The staff moved back to give them a moment, as Ducky broke the news. "He handled the procedure well, Jethro. Now he just needs some rest and time to recover."

"No time, we're running out of time." Tim was arguing even before his eyes were open, searching desperately through nonexistent pockets, as he tried to get up. Gibbs was right there, pressing his shoulders back down onto the pillow.

"Tim, you rest while Fornell brings us up to speed, all right?" He reached up and brushed the hair back from McGee's face. "We're not going to walk away from this. We're here, Tim, we're here."

"Flash drives?"

"I've got them, kid." Fornell caught one of the restless hands and pressed it down onto the bed. "Everything is safe and accounted for, I promise."

"Keep pushing New York for the autopsy results. Those are the key, those and the bodies we have. Somehow, that's the key."

"We'll take care of it. You just worry about getting better, all Right?" Fornell leaned over and waited until he got a nod.

Finally the exhaustion and the drugs pulled him under. Gibbs kept his voice low as to not wake him. "What happens now?"

Ducky smiled, but didn't comment on the two men unconsciously smoothing the blankets and tucking them in. "He'll be moved up to the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit to be monitored. Once we're sure there is no additional bleeding or fluids building up again, then he can be moved to a regular room." At a nod from Dr. Mallard, the staff moved back in and began moving the portable bed towards the elevator. After a slight debate among the many volunteers, DiNozzo and Myers drew the first shift of guard duty outside of CICU while the rest returned to NCIS, allowing Fornell to start explaining the details of the case.