It was a sunny Friday morning, the team were headed to a crime scene in a 6 story abandoned apartment complex.
They arrived outside the building and piled out of their cars where they readied for the crime scene. "tony, do you always have something degrading to say about women or is It just an instinct" Kate asked as the two were standing at the trunk of their car where they put their gloves on. "hm, I don't know" Tony said sarcastically. Kate rolled her eyes and headed inside the building
"hey, where are you going?" Tony yelled as Kate walked off "I'll be inside" She smiled before walking inside. Tony shook his head and turned his attention back to the car. He was just about to grab his bag and head inside when the building exploded.
Tony watched in horror as bright red flames roared out of the windows, he watched as the entire building cracked and tumbled down until it was just a clump of rubble. "KATE" he screamed as he ran towards the rubble only to be stopped by huge flames covering his view of what was the building.
He stood there in complete shock, he waited desperately for his partner to magically walk out from the flames but she never came. He looked over at Gibbs and McGee who were standing at the car in horror as they realised what had just occurred.
"Gibbs, she went-" Tony started but was stopped by the feeling he was drowning, he felt like he couldn't breathe, his chest tightened and his vision blurred. "Come on Tony" Gibbs said quietly as he put an arm around the agent's shoulder and pried him away from the scene.
Tony sat quietly in his chair as he looked over at Kates desk. He could imagine her sitting there with a smile on her face when he said something embarrassing or simply because she was in a good mood. He looked over to his right and saw Gibbs sitting at his desk In his own world , typing away at his computer.
McGee was downstairs comforting a distraught Abby and Ducky was with Palmer in autopsy.
"boss, do you think" Tony started but seemed to lose his words, "Do you think she could be alive?" he asked in hope. Gibbs looked up at him and was about to answer when his phone rang.
yep, I'll tell them" Gibbs said on the phone before slamming it shut and walking towards the elevator. "are you coming, Dinozzo?" he said as he walked off, Tony glanced over to his partner's desk one last time before swiftly standing up and following his boss.
The two walked to Abby's lab where they found McGee hugging Abby as she cried. Gibbs cleared his throat and the two separated, they walked over to him like they were hoping for good news. "the fire department just called, the building was too badly burnt after they put the fire out to find any bodies" Gibbs said as he stared at his phone, "She's gone, I'm sorry" He said before he walked off.
Tony ran off and headed back upstairs where he grabbed his things and went home. He couldn't bare being at his desk, looking over at her desk that she sat at not even two hours ago.
He drove home and threw his things on the ground before walking over to the fridge and pouring himself a glass of whisky. He downed the glass and winced as the liquid burned the back of his throat.
He felt tears drip down his face as he stood aimlessly in the kitchen. Soon he couldn't stop himself, he dropped to his knees and sat against the fridge as he cried. In a fit of anger, he chucked the glass against the counter and watched it shatter.
After an hour of crying he gathered himself and slowly stood back up. He left the broken glass on the kitchen and stumbled to his bedroom where he flopped onto the bed and stared at the ceiling.
He smiled as he remembered the last words she ever said, the last smile she ever wore before turning and entering the building. Tony felt tears run down his face again as he pictured the building collapsing around her, he pictured her body being burnt by the flames. He had to slap himself to get those graphic thoughts out of his head.
He sighed and rolled onto his stomach where he clutched the pillow and cried himself to sleep.