CHAPTER TWO

"Keep breathing, Luce," Tony begged, watching her eyes start to lose focus. He reached toward her face, gently slapping his hand against her cheek. Anything to keep her alert. To keep her alive.

When she didn't respond, Tony cursed, returning his focus back to the gunshot wound in her side. His jacket was drenched in her blood, and so was her shirt and the carpet floor. He glanced toward her shoulder, where Gibbs was putting pressure on her other wound.

Shot. Twice.

Tony swallowed, trying to force down the knot of guilt that was forming in his throat. Luce had been standing by the window, probably taking a break from work and just enjoying the natural light. And then, watching her, he'd spotted something on a nearby roof that stilled his heart and made his blood run cold. A sniper.

He'd screamed her name, hoping to get her attention, but it was already close to too late. He'd heard one shot, but luckily her position had shifted quickly enough that it struck her side. By then, Tony had already reached her, but the sniper fired again, this time hitting her shoulder as she was forced to the ground by him. He'd stayed put then, shielding her body with his own, until he heard Gibbs' cry of "All clear!" from the bullpen. Then he'd shot up, spotting her first gunshot wound, and set to work applying pressure in the hopes of stopping the bleeding.

He'd nodded to Gibbs then, who watched him anxiously, telling him he had it covered. The boss had then worried over the rest of the team, checking that they weren't injured aside from a few scratches from the glass window that had shattered. But then Tony'd seen the extra blood, coming from her shoulder. That had sent his mind into a panic, and screamed out for Gibbs.

"Boss!" Gibbs' head jerked toward him, and, despite his ability at hiding his emotions, Tony could detect a trace of fear in his eyes. "She's shot twice!"

Almost immediately Gibbs was next to him, peering down at Luce's pale face as he pressed on her second wound. "Come on, Luce," he'd muttered, before raising his head so the other agents could see him from the bullpen as he shouted orders. By then Luce's eyes had started to fade out, and Tony knew she was losing consciousness.

Tony snapped back to the now, pushing aside the guilt attached to the last few minutes. Luce was still lying on the ground, unconscious. He could only hope she hadn't lost too much blood. Because there was a lot of blood. It was all over him, all over Gibbs, all over everything within a one foot radius of Luce. It had pooled under her, soaking everything and staining it dark red.

Tony heard the elevator door slide open, and Abby came running out. Her face was pale. Well, paler than usual. Her hands flew up to cover her mouth as soon as she saw Luce lying in her own pool of blood.

She was about to reach them when McGee stepped in front of her, keeping her a good distance back. Abby argued with him for a minute, but then backed against the wall, sliding until she was sitting on the floor with a very solemn expression on her face. McGee muttered something in her ear and then ran off back into the bullpen.

Tony's eyes followed him as he quickly shifted course and went to stand by Gibbs. "Boss, they're on their way." Even as he was speaking, his eyes never left Luce's paleing face.

Gibbs quickly checked the agent's pulse, making sure she was still breathing, and then jerked his head up to look at the younger agent. "Who's coming, McGee? The director? The FBI?" He was shouting, and it was obvious to everyone that he just needed someone to yell at. To let his anger out on.

"The paramedics, Boss," McGee corrected. He glanced at Tony, a question in his eyes.

A question that Tony didn't have an answer too. So instead he simply looked back down at Luce, listening to her slow, shaky breaths, and praying she'd make it.

Sorry these are so short, but I kinda like to right in tidbits ;)

How's it going so far, by the way? Reviews appreciated!