Author's Note-Mild Tissue Warning, no other warnings to my knowledge. Also, Fantasygeek101, my updating pattern during the last few chapters has been deliberate :D. Read and review please NYLF xx
Seconds before the ambulance parked at the hospital doors, the paramedic called it, pronouncing Pennie dead. The moment the announcement was complete, Tony wrenched the now stationary ambulance's doors open, and managed to make it as far as the nearest trash can before being sick. He sank to the floor, leaning heavily against the can before the paramedic that had tried so desperately to save Pennie helped him up and sat him on one of the benches, returning moments later glass of water in hand. He left shortly after, not expecting or receiving a word from Tony.
Ziva was rushed straight into emergency, the paramedics and swarming doctors, recognising that Gibbs wouldn't leave, simply ignored him, only speaking to him when he was in the way. After some less than gentle persuasion he agreed to wait outside the door of the treatment room so long as the medical staff agreed he could come back in the moment they had her stable and settled. The agreement made and set, Gibbs paced the corridor outside her room, still praying to a 'god' he'd long stopped believing in that she would be okay. She had to be.
In paediatrics, given how LJ was conscious and relatively alert, things were a lot calmer. LJ was rolled into a private treatment room, Tim, only slightly falsely claiming to be family, by her side. Apart from a rather nasty cut on her cheek, requiring thankfully only butterfly stitches, and a mild concussion, she was unharmed. Tim sighed in relief once she'd been thoroughly checked over and was given an otherwise clean bill of health. She'd have to stay in over night for observation, but it was a small price to pay in Tim's mind.
While everyone else was arriving at the hospital, Lilly parked in Tim's spot at the Navy Yard and unbuckled a still close to tears and trembling Ethan from the car seat and hoisted him onto her waist before entering the building and stopping before the guard on duty.
"Can we help you, Miss?" The young-ish man asked politely. Lilly smiled before carefully adjusting Ethan to hold him closer just as the tears made their appearance.
"Hi, I was wondering if Abigale Sciuto was available." The guard picked up the phone and dialled the lab before holding his hand over the receiver while he waited for an answer.
"And your name?" He asked gently, studiously ignoring the toddler's almost screamed cries as he buried himself further into Lilly's shoulder.
"Lilly Grover. I'm Agent Timothy McGee's partner." The guard smiled, the MCRT was famous, no one in the building hadn't heard of them.
"Labby." Abby's cheerful voice came across the line before the guard pressed it to his ear.
"Hello Ms Sciuto, I have a Miss Grover here, wanting to see you. Says she's Agent McGee's partner. Has a young boy with her." Lilly could hear the excited tones and inflections of Abby's voice but not the words. After a few 'mhmm's and nods of his head, the guard thanked Abby and put down the receiver. He them beckoned over an agent who couldn't be far off Lilly's twenty nine years. After a very quick exchange between the men, the guard turned to Lilly. "This is Agent Jones; he'll escort you to the lab." Lilly smiled thankfully before soothingly hushing Ethan.
"Thank you." The guard shook his head.
"Pleasure to have met you, Miss Grover." She smiled and raised her hand in a wave before following Agent Jones into the elevator.
Lilly stepped out of the elevator, thanking her escort but making no apology for Ethan's crying. Abby came running out of her office the moment the doors had opened enough for her to hear the little boy's distress.
"Ethan? Oh, Little One, what's the matter?" Ethan held out his arms to her and Abby quickly gathered him up, Lilly offering no resistance. "What happened? Why are you here? Where's McGee? Is everything okay?" Abby fired questions at Lilly before noticing just how pale and quite frankly terrified the young woman looked. "Are you alright?" Lilly nodded, a tight smile curling her mouth.
"I'm not exactly sure what happened. Gibbs called Tim while we were at his and told him to meet him at the park. Once he had hung up I asked if he had to go, presuming it was a case." Lilly hesitated, her brow furrowing as she remembered the day, the way Tim's hands had trembled as he put the phone in his pocket. "Tim said there was something in his voice that told him it wasn't work, asked if I'd come with him. He was scared, asked if I could drive, and told me along the way that Gibbs was with his step daughter and her children today." Abby gently touched Lilly's arm and led her over to a stool, encouraging her to sit while she reached for 'Mini Burt' a smaller version of the original she'd brought for Ethan just a few days before, and gave it to him, who snuggled it close, his tears slowly dissolving into hiccups. "There were three ambulances there when we arrived. LJ was unconscious, another young woman, I don't know her name, she was too, the man I presume to be Gibbs was holding her hand."
"Ziva." Abby provided. "Young, tanned, dark curly hair?" Lilly nodded. "That's Ziva."
"She was unconscious and a third woman, I'm guessing Pennie off Tim's description of her, she'd been…" Lilly swallowed nervously. "She'd been shot. A man beside LJ and Ziva was dead." Abby gasped, knowing almost immediately what had transpired.
"They're all at the hospital?" Lilly nodded.
"Tim asked me to bring Ethan to you; he knows you and we had to get him out of the situation." Abby smiled.
"Yeah, he's good at controlling the situation like that." Abby shook her head before going to her desk and dialling her phone. "I have to let the director know."
"Let me know what?" Jenny appeared in the door way, file in hand, and looked from her forensic scientist to the young boy in her arms to the new face, worry etched deeply in the eyes of both woman and immediately crossed her arms, professional and protective modes warring within her. "Tell me everything."
Tim found Tony in the waiting room on Ziva's floor just over an hour later. He hesitated for a moment before sitting beside him, being sure to leave a seat between them. He didn't need to be crowded.
"How umm…" Tim paused, not quite sure how to ask the question. "Pennie?" Tony shook his head, swallowing tears, not looking away from the ceiling tile he'd been staring at for the last half hour. Tim nodded. "I'm, I'm sorry Tony, I know how much she meant to you." He hesitated before gently squeezing Tony's shoulder. Tony nodded again. "You, you heard from Gibbs?"
"He uhh…" Tony cleared his throat, pressing through the lump to talk. "He came out about thirty minutes ago, just for a second." Tim nodded. "She's pretty banged up."
"What's wrong with her?" Tony rolled his eyes to find Tim's while sitting back in his chair.
"Couple of cracked ribs, bad concussion, fractured cheek bone, the full rainbow of bruises. He hit her hard, she went down harder." Tim winced.
"Jesus. How's Bossman taking it, I know what he's like when we get hurt?" Tony shrugged.
"Hasn't left her side." There was a long awkward pause as Tim tried to determine if he should ask.
"He know about about Pennie?" Tony opened his mouth to talk but quickly closed it, tears burning the back of his eyes.
"He knows. I'm sure. He just has to concentrate on Zi." Tim nodded before leaning against the wall beside him. "How's LJ?" Tim sighed softly.
"Pretty good all things considered. She's got a mild concussion and a nasty cut on her cheek from where her head hit the ground and she'll have a wonderful hand print bruise around her neck for a few days, but she's okay. Emotionally, she's a wreck, but that's to be expected. She's asleep at the moment, doc's think she'll be out for a while, wanna keep her in over night for observation." Tony nodded.
"And Ethan?"
"Lilly took him to Abby. She says she's gonna meet me here in a bit." Tony nodded.
"Any of the team hurt?" Jenny asked once Abby had finished relaying what Lilly had said. Ethan had cried himself to sleep in Lilly's arms as she paced back and forth, not even she sure if it was to sooth him or her own worry making her do so.
"Ziva was unconscious when Lilly left to bring Ethan here, I don't know how badly she's hurt." Jenny nodded. "Director, Gibbs won't leave her." Jenny nodded.
"I know Abby. This team is a family; you all look out for each other." Jenny noticed something in Abby's eyes that worried her. "What aren't you telling me Abbs?" Abby shook her head quickly. "Abigale?" Abby shuddered.
"Ooh full name, I am in trouble." Lilly flashed her a reassuring smile. "Ziva isn't just 'family' to Gibbs Director." Recognition flashed in Jenny's eyes but Abby clarified all the same. "They've been together for seven months." Jenny's jaw went slack.
"Did you know about this the whole time?" Abby shook her head quickly.
"No ma'am. Ziva only told me a few days ago." Jenny nodded.
"Okay. I'll send Ducky to go collect Mr Harrod, are you going to the hospital?" Abby nodded. "Okay, Miss Grover?" She turned to Lilly. "Are you okay to take Ethan?" Lilly hesitated.
"Not to tell you what to do or anything ma'am, but is the hospital really a place for a three year old? Given that LJ is just a child she will probably have to stay the night and if Ziva is hurt nearly as badly as she looked to be, I wouldn't be at all surprised if she was too." Jenny nodded, running her hand across her forehead.
"You're right, of course you are." She sighed before Abby raised her hand. "Yes, Abby?"
"Why don't I go to Gibbs', take Ethan, spend the night? Lilly, McGee will need you." Lilly nodded. "And Ethan knows me. Plus, Director, won't you want to oversee this case?" Jenny sighed.
"Okay, Abby, good idea, take Ethan, get the poor boy home. Lilly and I will go to the hospital." Lilly nodded, passing Abby Ethan and grabbing her car keys. Jenny and Lilly both left quickly while Abby carefully shut off her machines and made her way to Gibbs'.
Author's Note-*hiding until you all stop hating me or at least until smush68 puts away her gun*