"Abby! … Ab's!" Gibbs was trying to pull himself out from under the bed, turned on his good side and using his good arm. His desperation to find and protect his wife was overwhelming. "DiNozzo! Tell me you got her!"i

"On her Boss." Tony was standing astride Abby in the doorway, literally. "C'mon Ab's, get back into the room."

Abby moaned and slowly dragged herself up onto all fours and crawled back toward Gibbs, retching occasionally. Tony backed up covering her. Abby crawled over to Gibbs and lay down, her hand over his. Gibbs grabbed her arm and pulled her hard up against him. She scooted under the bed and allowed him to hold her tightly. "Don't you ever do something like that again!" he growled.

"S..Sh..Shut up Gibbs!" she said pressing her face against his chest. "I do what I have to do, just like you!" she gasped and then she began to cry silently against him. Jethro held her as tight as he could and wished for two good arms. He nuzzled her and whispered soft gibberish to attempt to calm her. He closed his eyes hard and wished she had never seen such things. His Ab's had seen and done many things in her career, but it seemed wrong to have her do it in protection of him.

"They're on the floor Boss, clearing the rooms." Tony said. Just then Ziva came up from the far end of the hall.

"There are dead people up here Tony, in a store room. I think they are staff, they are wearing those dresses, like Ducky and Jimmy."

"Scrubs my dear, they are called scrubs. Oh dear, I think I should go down and see if there is anything I can do to help." Ducky turned on the floor lamp by the chair and rose slowly to stand. "My, that never seems to get easier." He moved out into the hallway.

Voices could be heard. They were authoritative and Ducky's voice could be heard calling for medical help. Tony remained in the doorway, Ziva just inside.

"Tony, why would clothing be called 'Scrubs'? Isn't most clothing washable?"

"I'll explain later Z. The police are coming."

Gibbs held Abby until she was still against him. "Ab's?"

"M-OK Gibbs. Just not something I want to think about right now. Are you OK?"

"I'm fine Babe. I could use a kiss though." He wheedled. Abby turned over and kissed him.

Sgt. Peter's and Trudeau came back into the room breathing hard. Tony stood up and switched the lights on. The two Marines knelt and Peters reached a hand in under the bed. Abby took it and slid out. She supervised as they brought Jethro out and replaced him on the bedding.

"He needs bedding without holes in it." Abby was still holding her gun.

"No linen closet right now Ma'am." Trudeau said quietly. "We can just put him over in the other bed if you want."

"Yeah, thanks." she said. "No." Gibbs said with finality. "I'm done. I'm staying here."

Tony had slipped out of the room and Gibbs could recognize the tone but not the words of his friends. Ziva's voice was speaking very firmly to someone. Gibbs saw the two Marines were guarding the door, one high and one low. His head was throbbing with his inability to follow everything going on. A tall thinner figure came into the dim room. The overhead lights hadn't come on after flickering a few times.

"Boss?" Tim's voice was clear.

"Yeah McGee. What the hell has happened here? Whad'ya know? Anything?"

"Well," Tim began but he was interrupted.

"McGee! Come out here and tell these LEO's what happened on your end of things." Leon Vance's strong voice could be heard.

"Sorry Boss. I'll be back quick as I can." McGee slipped out of the room.

Leon came in. "Are you alright Abby?" She nodded. Vance came to the bedside.

"Leon, what the Hell is going on? I woke up to the shootout at the OK corral!"

"Nice to see you too Gibbs. We're still piecing things together, but it seems Mike made a phone call to DiNozzo telling him there was going to be an attack on you. I haven't found Franks yet, but apparently he and your father defended your house and killed 4 men. No fingerprints, no ID. Two of them had SWAT type armor on and carried rifles. Two others were waiting at the end of the street in a car. Franks told your father he felt they were transport and/or supervision."

"Did they say anything?" Gibbs said rubbing his temples.

"Hard to do with 45 cal slugs in your head, and a Winchester 1873 bullet in your heart. You gotta hand it to your Dad, body armor doesn't stop those bullets apparently. He hit him dead to rights. Mike literally peppered one in the back yard who was trying to get up to the roof."

"There has to be a reason why!" Gibbs fumed.

"I've got people trying to contact the rest of your team Gibbs." Leon said quietly.

"What? Why? Aren't they all here somewhere?"

"I'm talking about your Marines Gibbs." Leon leaned forward to make good eye contact. " To me it stands to reason if they want so badly to kill you and your family since you made it back alive, they're going to want all the survivors and their families dead too."

Gibbs was stupefied. His mouth hung open for a moment the he shut it and it became a grim line. Abby reached out and held his hand.

"My son?"

"He's with Leila and your Dad. They're fine."

"Do we know who 'they' are?"

"No. Not yet. I'm sure the Secretary himself will be in to see you. The shit's going to hit the fan with this one. The dead outnumber the living on this floor right now. I'm arranging for all the enemy combatant bodies to get taken to NCIS before FBI can figure it wants them." Leon paced to the shadows near the foot of the bed.

"I don't know who to trust right now Gibbs. The list of people who have the type of power to send American Marines on a suicide mission to a hostile land is pretty small…Or it should be. My advice is to play confused, shocked and weak. I'll go to work on getting you out of this hospital as quickly as I can. I'll assign some guards…"

"With all due respect Sir but we're here and we ain't planning on leaving our Gunny." Trudeau said. Peters nodded fiercely. "I already called for some back up weapons."

"He's got us too Director." Tony said quietly. Ziva and McGee nodded.

"I am going to need your expertise Agent McGee." Vance said firmly. I may need all of you."

"A Marine leaves no man behind." Peters said in a deep firm voice. "We are going to call in our squad"

"That may be a good idea. Official means of communication may be being watched. Private phones may not be. Warn everyone to get their families out of town surreptitiously."

"I think a little R&R is exactly what the doctors have been telling us." Peters said.

Gibbs was frowning fiercely. Vance recognized the look. "Gibbs, what are you thinking?"

Gibbs glanced up and his face was blank. "Don't bother with that look Gibbs. I'm pretty good with interpreting you after all these years." Vance stood next to the foot of the bed.

"Enough Director. We've had a bad day/evening. Enough." Abby was starting to get angry now, her body trembling and sublimating her trauma.

Tony stepped up then. "We're here Director. I'll let you know if anything comes up. Maybe you can tap some of the same sources that helped get the Marines and Gibbs home?"

Vance was frowning. Gibbs had his eyes closed, his good arm around Abby who was snuggling close and ignoring everybody.

"Alright DiNozzo. I'll check in later. You have my numbers. Right now I have no idea how this is all going to be cleaned up."

"Perhaps there should be no cover-up Director." Ducky came in to the room. "I'm going back to the Morgue now. I will certainly notify you if we are able to determine anything pertinent. Jethro I just wanted to see you are alright before I go."

Gibbs looked up to Ducky and met his gaze. "I'm OK Duck. Really. Talk to you later when you get time."

Ducky nodded. "You can be sure of that. Goodnight."

Everyone murmured "Nite Ducky." In one form or another. The room became quiet while he left.

Vance sighed and turned back to Jethro. "Don't keep me in the dark Gibbs. I 'm not the enemy."

"I haven't been sure of much for months now Leon. But I'm damned sure you're not responsible for anything that's happened here or to me." Gibbs made direct eye contact, his blue eyes blazed.

"Thank you for that." Leon looked at his friend for another moment, then he left.

Tony and Ziva stood quietly, their pistols still in their hands. Trudeau and Peters remained on post at the door. McGee came into the room then. Gibbs looked up and looked at all three of them and then focused on Tim.

"Whad'ya know McGee?"