Reaping the Bounty

by Gottahavemyncis

The 2nd volume, following Professor McGee, in the series Becoming Tim. Starts as the California family begin their travel to their new homes and work in the UK. During their time there all of the Gibbses will experience love and adventure, reaping the bounty of their hard work through years of poverty or sorrow. Family, adventure, love, growth,and more. Disclaimer on my profile.

16. Chapter 16

WARNING, this chapter contains violence. It's not terribly graphic but if you feel it will bother you, please scroll past the 'WARNING…' phoofs and scroll to a regular 'NCIS' phoof. Without giving away the plot, I will say no children are involved.

Also, there are some 'armed federal agency' protocols in this chapter that are my best idea (aka guess) for what would and would not be acceptable. Some I've extrapolated from the show, some are my own ideas, not show canon or necessarily Real World (at least not that I know of).

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Chapter 16: Someplace Warm, Scotland, The Twins Turn Three, Emergency!

Jethro and Lu thought this might be the worst part of the year while they lived on a different continent from some of their children, the post-holiday slump followed by months of waiting for their trip to Greece.

Then they shook their heads at each other, there was no need to wait for anything, they could go anytime they wanted! Realizing they also owed themselves a celebration of their 3rd wedding anniversary, they made plans to head to the south of Spain for some sunshine and warmth. By the time they were home, it would be close to the twins' third birthday.

They also decided to spend Easter in the US, which was March 31st that year, 2013. They'd be there two or three weeks and then when they came home, they'd stay with the twins so Tim and Artie could finally have their time in Paris. If it was just the two of them or if one of their kids and that persons' partner, went with them to the US, they'd stay with Ducky.

In the meantime, they made their reservations for their winter escape. When Lu and Jethro decamped to Spain for three weeks, Grandpa, LJ, Charlie and Dick Barnes went with them, although they were not all staying at the same place. The older men only wanted to find a warm spot and sit in it. The two retired colonels, Charlie and Dick, would share a room and would stay at the same place as Jack and LJ but planned to do some sightseeing and other activities. When the US visitors left after the winter holidays, Mac went with them, returning to his home in Florida for the winter. He'd join them again for the annual trip to Greece.

While their parents and the others were in Spain, Tim, Artie, the twins, Sarah and James, Rob, Geordie and Bec, whose classes had not yet resumed, Tony, Maggie and McKenna, decided to embrace the cold and flew north to one of Scotland's ski resorts. Tim was again teased about reversing his "not going anywhere until Greece!" declaration but he took it cheerily.

When the senior Powells, who had retired from their jobs at the end of the year, offered to help Nikki and Bill with little Jasper while the others were gone, the couple happily accepted. The little boy was slowly progressing, beginning to make some of the movements that would lead to him being able to lift his head and neck and ultimately to sitting up. Now 8 months old, he was a much happier baby than he'd been when his parents first met him.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Skiing was fun and the adults rotated taking McKenna and the twins on sleigh rides, tubing, playing in the snow and making snow people. There was also a nursery with all sorts of fun things for the three little ones.

Tim and Artie stayed in a condominium on the resort property which gave the children more room to play in addition to having their own kitchen for breakfast. They ate in for a few dinners as well and even hosted a dinner there for their group. Tony and his family also found staying in a condo more comfortable for them. As they were just across a walkway from Tim and his family, it was even more fun and the men teased each other about finally being neighbors.

One of their reasons for booking in at this particular resort was the hope that they would see the Northern Lights. Mother Nature granted their wish and even the three toddlers were able to see the wonderful, awe-inspiring lights a couple of times. Of course many photos were taken of the Lights and of the children and everyone else watching the Lights. It was an amazing experience for everyone, especially the former street kids.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Home after a week in the snow, the group was just as happy there wasn't any snow in Jaxton. Rob, Geordie and Bec resumed their classes, James returned to work at NCIS, Sarah went back to work on her newest manuscript, Tony returned to his company responsibilities while Maggie quietly wondered about something, Nikki and Bill happily welcomed their housemates, Jasper was very excited to see his cousins, and George and Edith Powell left for their home in Castleton, with heartfelt thanks from Nikki and Bill.

While doing their laundry, Tim and Artie sat down to plan the rest of their winter and spring. The twins' third birthday was coming up in two weeks. They'd again invite some of the nursery children to the house for a party, which meant deciding on a theme along with planning which games the children could play and what songs they'd sing. And what flavor cupcakes, of course. The twins were still taking afternoon naps, so the party would start after naptime. Contacting the nursery adults, they were given a list of the children's favorite games and songs and told that was the best bet. There were five other children in their age group and all five were invited, with their parents.

They would have the party in the main level playroom and came up with an appropriate theme, mailing the invitations, including Miss McKenna and Master Jasper. The party was a lot of fun for both the adults and the children. The parents came with their toddlers and stayed for the party.

Lu, Jethro and the others arrived home a few days before to help with the decorations and the cupcakes. The children's family party was fun and also included the Greek family although they watched via Skype. The Clachers originally planned to attend in person but the weather in Edinburgh was so bad that weekend that they also attended via Skype, considering themselves lucky to still have an internet connection.

A week later, Artie was surprised when her sister called her from their grandmother's home in Varkiza!

Suse explained, "The weather at home has been so atrocious that Ian and I decided to have the baby here, in Greece, where our entire family will be in June. It was his idea and the doctor approved although she said if we were going to go, we should go as soon as possible. We called Yaya, packed and here we are! Ian will work from here although he says it will be difficult to concentrate."

"What a wonderful idea! Hmm, that means any baby shower will be in Varkiza."

Suse laughed, "Just come when you can, after Paris!"

"You're right about that! We may arrive in May and leave in July, to Varkiza, I mean."

Disconnecting, Artie went to find Tim who was in the pool with the twins and brother Bill, having them practice holding their breaths, kicking and pushing through the water with arm movements. Jasper was also in the water, on his baby mat and in his neoprene swimsuit.

Telling the twins it was time for a break, all of them climbed out of the pool. The twins wrapped up in their towels and sat down on a bench to eat snacks their father brought with them.

Artie pulled Tim a few feet away, both keeping an eye on their children. Quietly she told him about her sister's escape to Greece and Tim grinned, "That's a great idea and I agree with you. Let's go as soon as we get back from Paris and stay until July!"

She returned his happy smile, excited about the new plan. When they eventually left the pool, they checked on their usual vacation rental and finding it available from mid-April to their original arrival date, changed it to several days after their return from Paris, with a note to the owner. They'd check with Jethro, Lu, Tony, Maggie, Charlie, Dick and the elders before talking about flights.

While their parents thought they'd come later in May, after being away for Easter, Grandpa, Uncle LJ, Charlie and Dick loved the idea of going early.

WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING

After the children's birthday parties and Susannah's news, February seemed to drag. They bundled up, going for walks and traveled into the city to visit McKenna and her parents but time still seemed to just poke along.

One early morning, Jethro remembered later that the time on his phone was 0117, he had a call. When he answered, it was Freddie. "Dad, help. I don't know where I am, it's dark in here and I'm hurt, I'm bleeding. Dad…." Freddie's voice broke, "she stabbed me and the knife is still in me."

Telling him to leave the knife where it was, Jethro spoke soothingly to his son, trying to get more information, waking Lu with his free hand, asking her to wake Tim and call Tony, that Freddie was in trouble. She called Tim and when he picked up she said, "Freddie's on the phone with your dad, he's hurt and doesn't know where he is."

"I'll trace his phone. Mom, could you please wake Nikki and ask her to come in with her phone?"

Malu said yes, stepping into their lounge to call her daughter-in-law while Tim worked on tracking his brother's phone, something for which he no longer had any legal authority to do. When Nikki ran into the suite, Artie told her what she knew and Nikki nodded. "Tim, just the phone or anything else? "

"I'll call Ned or Barry once I have his location, so also need approval for that, at least for NCIS."

"Got it." Nikki got on her phone, calling her SAC, Agent Zhao, quickly telling her what was going on. The woman approved everything, saying she would notify the director. When Nikki disconnected, she took Tim's cell, "I'll finish this, you call Ned. You have permission to do whatever needs doing."

Nodding, Tim used Artie's phone to call Ned who answered on the first ring, "What's wrong?"

Tim quickly told him as the trace completed. Telling her brothers-in-law where Freddie was, Nikki disconnected and called Malu who said she and Dad were downstairs, in the kitchen. Tim ran to the kitchen, telling his dad where Freddie was and that Ned and his team, who were closer to Freddie's location than Barry's precinct or any of the other NCIS teams, were on their way.

Tim spoke with Freddie for a couple of minutes, talking in a calm, soothing voice, telling him that Ned was on his way with his team and that they would stay on the phone with him until they got there. When Freddie asked why NCIS, Tim shrugged, saying, "Because we're an NCIS family, Fred. You're the son of a retired Marine and NCIS agent and the brother of two former NCIS agents and the brother-in-law of three NCIS employees, Nikki, James and Ned. Freddie, do you know who hurt you?"

"Yeah, her name is Sara Jane. I met her at a party I went to with Abby. Tonight she kept saying that I hurt Abby and had to die."

"Freddie, is she a friend of Abby's? And may I record the call?" Tim hit record and the speaker.

"Yes, please record the call. Sara Jane something that starts with a P is who attacked me. Abby is not friends with her. She, Sara Jane, showed up at my place. I had the door locked because Joe and Char weren't home but she got in anyway. She was weird, saying all kinds of awful things, like I'd killed Abby's heart. I tried to play it off as a joke but she got mad. I tried to get out of the apartment but she kept suddenly appearing in front of me. Then I got mad and told her to leave but she just laughed. And then there was a knife and she lunged at me. I don't remember anything else until I woke up here, found my phone and blood all over me. The knife's still in me and it hurts like hell."

Tim didn't comment on the woman having stabbed his brother in Abby's name, too many criminal cases tried in court had taught him to keep his mouth shut and he did that now, even though he was reeling with the news. Someone needed to check on Abby, make sure she was all right, and, once again using Artie' phone, he sent a quick text.

When they heard footsteps, Freddie said, "Someone's here. Oh God, please don't let it be her. Please!" His words were slower and slurred. Around him, Tim saw his father, mother and James who'd showed up a few minutes ago, tense, holding onto each other. Nikki slipped away for a couple of minutes before returning, "I called the director and told him who it was, that Abby knew her. He already had a team on the way to Abby's place to make sure she's all right, she's not answering her phone. He told me Tim had already texted him that she might be in trouble. I also called Maggie, who woke Tony and told him."

Thanking Nikki, they all exhaled sighs of relief when they heard Ned's distinctive voice, "Freddie, it's Ned, I'm here with my team and the medics are right behind us with a gurney. You'll be all right, Fred, I'll ride to the hospital with you, stay with you." Then his voice moved closer to the phone, "I want to take him to Bethesda, the security is better there."

Jethro had to clear his throat twice before he agreed. Holding onto her husband, Lu nodded her agreement, never opening her eyes. Ned continued talking with Freddie, letting him know what they were doing. When they heard a bumping sound and more people, they hoped it was the medics with the gurney and they were right.

Ned's voice told them he was going to turn Freddie's phone off and that he would call them from Bethesda. A minute or so later, he added in a husky whisper, "The medics are saying it was close but we got to him in time."

Tim held onto Artie while he called Joe. His brother answered, "Tim, what's wrong? Do you know where Freddie is? We're just getting home and Freddie's door is open and there's stuff on the floor, it looks like…" He made a noise, "There's an NCIS team here!"

"Yes, Joe, Freddie's apartment is a crime scene. He's been hurt and is alive, Ned is riding to the hospital with him."

Joe swore, something Tim didn't think he'd ever heard his brother do before. He was the mild mannered sibling, the one who had a loving, fully functioning parent until he was 4 and had been taught not to say bad words. Finally he asked what had happened and Tim gave him the basics, leaving the suspect's name out of it. Joe made a noise, "What hospital did they take him to?"

"Bethesda, with permission from Director Vance. He's the son of a Marine and retired NCIS agent."

"That's good, the security is better anyway. We've done jobs there."

"Ned will stay with him. When he's ready for surgery, he'll probably call Jimmy."

"To do the surgery?"

"No, to observe and translate all the medical stuff for us."

"We're going over there."

"All right, Joe. Dad and Mom want to talk with you before you go."

Their parents told him that as soon as they heard Freddie's condition, they'd be on a flight to the US. Joe cried then and so did his family, nearly 3700 miles across the Atlantic.

WARNING, WARNING WARNING, WARNING WARNING, WARNING WARNING, WARNING

Calls to Abby continued to go unanswered although her phone was traced to her apartment. NCIS Special Agent Jim O'Brien and his team had been alerted and were quickly at the apartment building where they joined Metro Police, arriving on site in response to several 9-1-1 calls from residents of the building reporting a woman screaming in anger and another woman screaming for help. One of the callers had pinpointed the screams as coming from Abby Sciuto's apartment and once inside the building, they could hear someone screaming and Jim knew it was Abby, although he'd never before heard her scream in terror.

There was an older man, probably one of Abby's neighbors, trying to break the door down and they moved him aside. Kicking the door open, they entered, seeing Abby standing over a female, her foot pinning her to the floor. Abby was bleeding on her left side and the woman was stabbing her feet and legs, anything she could reach. The woman was screaming obscenities at Abby and only a few words made any sense, "I killed him for you. He broke your heart, so I killed him for you."

When the attacker seemed oblivious to them, they were able to move her hand with the knife, knocking it out of her reach and slapping handcuffs on her. It happened so fast, she looked at the cuffs as if she didn't know where they came from.

While that was going on, Abby was able to move away on her own and she yelled, "She says she killed Freddie, Freddie Gibbs, that she hid him somewhere. Please find him, hurry, he might still be alive, please! Oh God, Freddie, please don't be dead, please, please God, please don't let Freddie be dead."

While his team formally arrested the suspect, identified as Sara Jane Pruitt, Jim saw to Abby. She was bleeding from all the cuts and stabs but the worst were her left arm and hand. From the angle of the wound on her arm, what Jim could see through the blood, the knife had been aimed at her heart and she'd blocked it with her arm. She'd wrapped her left hand in something that was now saturated with blood. EMTs appeared in the doorway and Jim beckoned them over and then stepped away, telling Abby he would check on Freddie's status.

While Ned was waiting in the Trauma center at Bethesda for additional information about his brother-in-law, his phone chimed with a call from Jim O'Brien. When he answered, Jim said, "We busted the woman while she was attacking Abby. She told Abby she killed Freddie, please tell me she's wrong."

"She is wrong, Jim. Freddie's alive. He's lost a lot of blood and will have a transfusion. The medics told me that another couple of minutes and it would have been a different outcome. The family knows. How's Abby?" He listened as Jim told him and then sighed, "Do you want to call the Gibbses or shall I?"

"I'll call them, Ned, thanks. The EMTs are working on her, I'll ride with her to the hospital. Guess I'd better call the director first!"

Ned nodded, "Thanks, Jim. If they let me see Fred, I'll tell him. Or if I'm not allowed to see him, I'll ask them to tell him she's hurt but alive, that you caught the woman in time."

They disconnected and Ned sent a quick text to Tim letting him know that Abby was hurt but not as bad as Freddie, and was now on her way to Bethesda. Her attacker was the same woman who attacked Fred. She was now on her way to the NCIS lockup.

When Vance heard that Abby was hurt and the suspect, who still believed she'd killed Freddie Gibbs, had been arrested, he took a deep breath and called Henry Sailes, his counterpart at the FBI. As an employee of an armed federal agency, Abby's case would be handled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Director Sailes agreed that the transfer of custody would happen as soon as possible, to avoid any perceived ignoring of protocol.

Once that was settled, Vance called Jimmy Palmer, letting him know what had happened with Abby. Jimmy was already on his way to Bethesda, his mother having called him about Freddie. Before he left home, he'd sent a text to Breena, filling in for one of her sisters, working late at the mortuary.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

While all that was going on in the US, Tony, Maggie and her dad arrived in Jaxton, carrying a sleeping McKenna. She was tucked into one of the portable cribs in one of the unoccupied bedrooms on the main level, the baby monitor put back into use for the night.

Bill stumbled out at some point, wondering where Nikki was and for a few seconds after he was told what was happening, Tim wasn't sure whether he was going to cry or break something. Crying won. Geordie was the next to join them and he also cried. Rob was asleep; he'd worked a shift after his classes and now Tim went to wake him up, he would never forgive them if they didn't.

Rob grabbed Tim after he gave a quick knock and entered the room. "Is it Freddie? I had a horrible dream about him."

"Yes, Rob. Freddie was attacked, stabbed and when he regained consciousness he didn't know where he was but had his phone and called Dad. Malu came to get me and then Nikki and I were able to trace his call. Ned's team was closest to Fred's location; they found him and they should be at the hospital by now. They took him to Bethesda, none of us even thought of Johns Hopkins."

"You're used to Bethesda and it's a good hospital." Rob sagged into Tim's arms, "Do you know who?"

"Yes but I can't talk about it. I know I'm not an agent anymore but if we talk about it, it could lead to his attacker winning their trial."

"Okay. Just nod if it was Abby. She was the one in my dream."

Tim shook his head, "She didn't hurt him, it was someone she knew, although Freddie said they're not friends. NCIS got to Abby's apartment in time, she's injured but it's not life threatening. She's also on the way to Bethesda. "

Rob sighed in relief that it wasn't Abby although now he was worried about her injuries as well.

When they went downstairs, Sarah and Bec were both there, shocked, scared and sleepy.

WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING

Within three hours, their parents were on the way to the airport, driven by Geordie with Tim riding along. At the last check-in before they left, Freddie was being given a transfusion and then would be prepped for surgery to remove the knife and repair the damage to his body. They'd been warned that the surgery would be several hours. Abby was also at Bethesda and was also being prepped for surgery to repair the damage to her arm and to start repairs on her hand, which might need multiple surgeries, feet and legs. They'd called in a hand specialist, an orthopedic surgeon with additional training in the repair of hands.

After watching the jet take off, the brothers rode home in silence. Geordie parked in front and they went in, finding the rest of the family huddled in the kitchen. Bec filled two large mugs with coffee and handed them to her husband and brother-in-law.

Tim looked at the kitchen clock, 0430. Three hours and 13 minutes since Freddie's call. He'd reached the hospital less than an hour after he called, the rest of the time was spent stabilizing, transfusing and preparing him for surgery.

When he asked if anyone had let Ziva know, Sarah nodded. "I did, Tim and had a reply that she and Brian would get to Bethesda as soon as they could catch a flight and to please keep them updated."

Tim nodded, "Thanks, Sari. I'm glad Brian's with her, Ziva's lost too many people to go through this alone. None of us will go through this alone."

His thoughts returning to the events as they'd happened, Tim knew that as soon as Joe and Charlotte arrived at the hospital and were taken to Freddie, Ned would have handed the case over to the Annapolis team, who had been called in to replace his team. It was acceptable for Ned to be involved in his brother-in-law's rescue and he'd left in the ambulance with Freddie so his team handled that scene without him but he could not be involved in handling the scene at Freddie's apartment. Not without creating problems for whoever prosecuted the crime and creating an easy way for a defense attorney to plant doubt.

Tim was right about Ned turning over the case to the other team although they in turn handed off to an FBI team who joined them at Freddie's apartment. Instead of leaving the hospital Ned found Jim O'Brien and waited with him for news about Abby, wondering why Barry hadn't responded to his or anyone else's calls about the attack. He was a little worried about that, knowing it would have to be a particularly nasty case to keep his husband from answering.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

As Leon was driven to the hospital, he nodded to himself, proud of his agents, past and present, for the way they were handling the case. Before he left the SUV, he had a text that made him sigh. He was thankful that Freddie Gibbs and Abby had survived but the news he'd just received about Abby's injuries was worrying. Jimmy had just confirmed that she would probably need multiple surgeries and there was no guarantee that she'd regain full function in that hand. Also, scans showed that one of the wounds to her legs was worse than originally thought.

Directed to the appropriate waiting area, he and his security detail took the elevator up, finding Agents Dorneget and O'Brien both working, likely writing up their preliminary reports and one of the brothers, Jose, who Leon met at Palmer's wedding and on the beaches in Greece, pacing the area. His bride, Vance recalled their wedding had been the same week as Jimmy and Breena's, was sitting and knitting although from what little he remembered of knitting, his mother had been a knitter, she was dropping a lot of stitches.

By the time he'd fully entered the space, Dorneget and O'Brien were already standing and walking over to him while Jose stopped pacing, sitting next to his wife.

Ned started with a sitrep, "Director, thank you for coming. Freddie is still in surgery and Dr. Palmer is observing. They said the surgery would take several hours. Abby has just been taken to surgery, the hand specialist has arrived and that, too, will be several hours. Also, my team handed off to the Annapolis team at the original scene and I've been updated on the more recent events. Sir, are we keeping it?"

"No, it's in the FBI's hands, protocol for an attack on any employee of an armed federal agency."

O'Brien nodded, "I just received a text that the suspect has been transported to the Hoover Building."

"Yes, Director Sailes and I agreed she should be in FBI custody as soon as possible. I hoped to have preliminary reports to send them as well, thank you for getting them started. Sailes will send his agents in London to Jaxton to interview everyone who spoke with Freddie."

He turned to include Freddie's brother as Jose and Charlotte's heads popped up at the mention of Jaxton. "Leon Vance, director of NCIS. Mr. Gibbs, we've met a few times but I won't hold you to remembering me as those have all been weddings or on a beach in Greece, happy times. Mrs. Gibbs," he shook both their hands.

Joe nodded, "Thank you for coming, Director." He blinked, trying to hold back tears and Leon put a hand on his arm, saying, "I spoke with Tim, your parents are on their way. Your dad will send an ETA as soon as he has one – or wakes up."

That got a small smile and then Joe said, "Ned said he couldn't talk about it until everything was verified."

"Yes, that's standard procedure and since everything has now been verified, I can tell you that the woman Fred named in his phone call, Sara Jane Pruitt, was arrested while attacking Abby. Abby was also injured and as Ned said, is in surgery to repair damages to her left arm and hand, both legs and feet. Pruitt has been charged with two counts of attempted murder. There are other charges but the FBI lab is still examining and testing the evidence."

He paused, "I do have one question and I'm sure the FBI agents will ask when they interview the Jaxton family. Do you know how Freddie was able to find your dad's contact information on his phone so quickly?

Joe nodded, "Yes. Tim set our phones up, Freddie's, mine and Char's, I don't know if he did anyone else's, so that we just have to say the name we want to call. Because we wear coveralls at work and things slip out, Freddie and I carry our phones in a little harness on a lanyard around our necks - we tried headsets but neither of us liked them. We wear the lanyards under our coveralls or our shirts if we're not wearing the coveralls. He worked later than I did today so he must have still been wearing the phone lanyard when everything happened. All he had to do was say 'Call Dad'."

Ned nodded, "He was still wearing the coveralls, Joe, although they didn't look dirty."

"He said he was going to take a look at one of our long-time customer's kitchen and bathroom sinks. She's elderly now so when we have time we stop by to make sure the drains are clear and also to see how she's doing. If his coveralls were clean, that probably means everything was working all right."

Thanking Joe and Ned for the information, Leon sat down, hoping someone would be out to give them an update. Then he realized something, "Has Ducky been informed? I don't remember anyone mentioning his name."

Ned looked at Joe who shook his head, "No, Jimmy said that Mom and Dad decided to wait until after Freddie is out of surgery. He hasn't been feeling well but refused to 'bother' a doctor, says he can take care of himself. "

Ned made a noise, "Malu and Breena will take care of that."

"I hope so. If not, I will. He's not fully retired yet." He looked at the three Gibbses, "Where are Jethro and Lu staying?"

Ned held up a hand, "At our place, sir, Malu's former home. We've got extra rooms and it's close to the hospital. Joe, Char, I just had a text from Barry, he's on his way. He's been on a nasty case and didn't know about Freddie and Abby until he got back to the precinct a few minutes ago."

Barry arrived a few minutes later, looking haggard. He and Joe hugged for long moments, both still teary when they parted. He kissed Charlotte on the cheek, shook hands with Vance and O'Brien and then went into his husband's arms. When he regained some composure, he turned, "Sorry I'm so late. We had…well, it'll be on the news along with Freddie and Abby. Is there anything you can share about the attack?"

Joe nodded, "They arrested the woman while she was attacking Abby." Briefly he told his brother what had happened to Abby.

Barry closed his eyes and sank into a chair. Then he opened them and looked between Ned, Jim O'Brien and Director Vance. "Is it your case?"

They shook their heads and Ned said, "FBI."

"Yeah, I remembered Tim talking about that once." He looked a question at Ned who answered, "Attempted murder and your folks are on their way."

Barry nodded, closed his eyes again and sat back, leaning against Ned, who wrapped an arm around him.

Vance was still there when Jimmy Palmer, dressed in scrubs, showed up in the waiting room. He sat down, gratefully accepting a bottle of water from Charlotte.
"He's still in surgery, holding his own. I only want to say the details once; I'll wait until Malu and Dad get here. Do we have an ETA?"

Charlotte looked at her phone and nodded, "They landed several minutes ago, they should be here any minute."

"Freddie might be in recovery by the time they get here but no promises." He looked at Joe and Barry, "It'll be a long recovery." He drank the rest of his water, "Any news on who?"

Vance moved to sit next to him, "Yes, the Bureau arrested a woman a few hours ago, while she was attacking Abby. She's charged with two counts of attempted murder."

Jimmy closed his eyes and made a noise, burying his face in his hands. Vance put a hand on his shoulder and kept it there until Jimmy sat up, tears still rolling down his face, "I don't understand. How could anyone hurt either one of them? It maybe would have made sense when Abby and Tim were dating because he was a criminal investigator but why Freddie? And he was the first one attacked."

Vance frowned, "McGee and Sciuto dated?"

Jimmy nodded, "They began when Tim was in Norfolk, about when I started at the agency. When he was transferred to the MCRT, they broke it off because of Gibbs' Rule 12. They were friends after that, until, well, things changed."

He looked at Joe and Charlotte, "Were Fred and Abby still friends after they broke up? I know he met someone else."

Joe tilted his head, "I don't know, Jimmy. He's been focused on work and trying to find time to see Samantha."

His eyes widened and Ned said, "I wasn't sure if they'd had their coffee date. Her voice mail gave another number so I called that and talked with her business associate. She's out of town, won't be back until Thursday."

Charlotte sighed, "Thanks, Ned. I'll call her after he's out of surgery and we know more. She's probably visiting her grandmother in Philadelphia. She's in hospice care. Their coffee date is, was, for this weekend."

Jimmy thought about that, "He might be out of the ICU by Saturday. They'll have to keep him in there a few days to watch for infection." He stood up, "I'm going back in. Tell Mom and Dad…" He looked up as Vance's protection detail moved in, relaxing when they saw the new arrivals were Jethro Gibbs and his wife.

Dad patted Leon on the shoulder as he and Lu wrapped their arms around their kids. "Is he still in surgery?" He looked at Leon, "News?"

"The FBI arrested the woman Fred named for stalking with intent to kill as well as attempted premeditated murder. She also attacked Abby. O'Brien's team got there in time but Abby's arm and legs require surgery."

Jimmy continued, "She's in now for her arm and the first of what might be several surgeries on her left hand and then they'll start repairing the muscle damage to her legs."

Jethro's knees started to buckle and he would have hit the floor if Vance, Ned and Barry hadn't grabbed him. Charlotte sat Lu down in a chair and made her drink some water while Vance pulled away from Jethro to let Joe and Jimmy in. Breena entered in time to hear what Jimmy said, having picked her in-laws up from the airport.

She sat on the other side of Lu and she and Charlotte hung onto her.

Jethro was put in a chair, he put his elbows on his knees and his head into his hands, "Tim said he texted someone to check on Abby. I just…premeditated, stalking with intent to kill. Our poor kids. He said his door was locked, the woman picked the lock."

Leon looked around, "Gibbs!" When all the men except Palmer and his detail looked at him, he tried again, "Jethro." His former agent looked up and Vance said, "We cannot talk about this in public. We cannot." He looked at Ned and Barry who nodded.

Barry looked at the others, quietly explaining, "Anything that is said can be overheard and possibly used against the prosecution. The case could be lost and the arrested person could walk."

A phone chirped with a text and Jimmy smiled as he looked at his phone. "They're moving Freddie into Recovery and will keep him there for a couple of hours, make sure his vitals are stable. Mom, Dad, you can see him in about an hour."

They both smiled at that and Joe said he'd call home to let them know.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

In Jaxton, everyone tried to sleep while Freddie was in surgery, although it was a futile attempt, made even more futile when they learned that Abby had not only been attacked but was also now in surgery.

Tim feared for Abby, not for her life, they'd been told her injuries were not life threatening, but for her life's work. He prayed that the damage to her hand wasn't as bad as it sounded and for the moment wished he didn't know as much about the intricacies of human anatomy as he did from his studies at Johns Hopkins.

George and Edith were driving over after the morning commute to help with the children as they'd slept through the night. No one went to work or school. The twins and possibly McKenna could have gone to the nursery but their parents wanted them home where they could cuddle and hold onto them.

Tim and Artie mostly sat on their bed holding onto each other. When the twins woke, they knew something was wrong and their parents explained that Uncle Freddie and Aunt Abby had been hurt very badly and the doctors were helping them. They wanted to know if it was worse than skinned knees, the worst hurt they remembered, and their mommy said yes it was worse than that. Poppy and Grama had flown across the ocean in the middle of the night to be with Uncle Freddie and Aunt Abby. Uncles Joe, Jimmy, Barry, Ned and Aunts Breena and Charlotte were also there. The children sat in their laps, saying prayers for Uncle Freddie and Aunt Abby.

When their little tummies started rumbling, their daddy managed a smile, "I hear hungry tummies! Come on, let's get breakfast. Sweetie, all of us, we need to keep going."

She smiled back at him, "Yes, love and thank you Ducky!"

Uncle Charlie, Grandpa and Uncle LJ weren't up yet, they'd decided not to wake them, the senior Powells wouldn't be here for another hour and the house was quiet. Deciding to make comfort food, which today meant scrambled eggs, bacon, cinnamon toast and fresh fruit or juice, Tim and Artie got busy. They made enough for everyone, dished food for themselves and the twins, put the rest in the warming oven and sat down to eat.

They were about halfway through their meal when they heard sounds of life from the downstairs bedrooms. Grandpa and Uncle LJ appeared in the kitchen, surprised to see anyone else there this late in the morning. They were usually the last ones up. When Papi Barnes entered the kitchen right on their heels, they stared at him in confusion. He didn't live here and they couldn't ever remember a time when he'd stayed overnight, including last night.

Charlie was next, looking concerned. "Is everything all right? I heard people rushing around early this morning and then as I was thinking about getting up to check, it got quiet again."

Tim bit his lip and Artie took his hand, looking at all four of the men, "Everything is not all right."

The twins decided to help Mommy and Daddy. "Uncle Freddie and Aunt Abby got hurt really bad and Poppy and Grama flew across the ocean in the middle of the night."

"Are they all right?"

Tim tilted his head, "Fred's not all right but he is alive, he was in surgery for 8 hours. He'd been in for an hour when Mom and Dad left for their flight and was moved into the Recovery room minutes after they arrived at the hospital. Abby's still in surgery."

"Car accident?"

Artie shook her head, "We'll tell you in a bit." Turning to her children, she looked at their plates and then their faces, "Oh my, you were very hungry. Tim?"

He nodded, leaning over to kiss her, "Thank you." He smiled at Ellanni and Jack, "Come on, let's go get cleaned up. Uncle George and Aunt Edie will be here soon to hang out with you, Jasper and McKenna today."

"Will you be here?"

"Yes. We need to find out how Uncle Freddie and Aunt Abby are and then we need to sleep because we were up all night."

"Oh. How come McKenna's here?"

"Because her parents and Papi brought her with them very early this morning. They're asleep somewhere in the house." Tim frowned before remembering carrying the portable crib to one of the unoccupied downstairs rooms, while Tony carried his sleeping daughter.

In the kitchen, Artie sadly told the two elderly men and Lu's brother, Maggie's dad already knew about the attacks, what happened to Freddie and Abby and the news they'd received from Barry. "The FBI took the case, Tony and Tim said that's protocol, and they had enough evidence and the warrants to arrest the woman who attacked them, charging her with stalking with intent to kill and attempted premeditated murder."

The four men sat there staring at her, tearing up as she talked about Freddie's desperate call, realizing that Abby might also be in danger and everything that had happened. Although Dick 'Papi' Barnes had already heard everything much earlier that morning, it was still shocking.

Tony came into the kitchen, carrying McKenna, "I just talked to Barry. Freddie's still unconscious but his vitals are all right. Abby's still in surgery and Jimmy's been allowed to observe there as well. They have two surgical teams working on her, although not at the same time. One for her hand, a hand specialist and the second team will repair the damage to her arm and legs. Jimmy says her vitals are good and her surgeries will take another three to four hours. Barry said the hand specialist may have to do multiple surgeries over time. Mom and Dad are still there with everyone else. Jimmy and Breena will go to Georgetown later, it's still very early there, to tell Ducky. Our parents will stay with Barry and Ned for the next few days and then decide whether to move to the Palmers or stay.

"The attacker, whose name is Sara Jane Pruitt, will be arraigned this morning. The DA wants her in maximum security lockup without bail, she's a flight danger, a danger to the public, to Freddie and our family. I was told her passport had recently been renewed and she'd been looking at flights to countries that don't have extradition treaties with the US. Apparently, Vatican City was one of her choices."

Eyebrows expressed surprise at that and Artie rolled her eyes. She found the portable high chair for her niece and then gave her some of the eggs and a bit of toast while Tony made a plate for himself. "Is Tim asleep?"

"No, he took the twins to clean them up. They were a little enthusiastic with the cinnamon. George and Edie should be here soon, they offered to help watch the children so we can get some sleep."

Jack, LJ, Charlie and Dick protested, "We can take care of them!"

Artie nodded, "Yes, that's why I said they offered to 'help'. Tony, is Maggie still asleep?"

He nodded with a little smile and Artie smiled to herself, wondering. When the three older men said they'd clean up the kitchen after everyone else had eaten, she kissed each of them, including McKenna, Tony and Maggie's dad before retreating to her family's suite.

She smiled as she walked in. Tim was on his back on the bed while the twins were sprawled across and around him, playing with some of their plush toys. She helped them gather what toys and books they wanted, taking them to the playroom. She found McKenna and Jasper there, playing with the four older men. They smiled at the twins, "There you are! Come play with us."

When Tim woke again, he picked up his phone to contact Ziva, to let her know the latest. Instead, he found a message from Sarah reminding him that she'd already called her and that their sister and Brian were on their way to Bethesda. He also found a voice mail from Ziva expressing her grief and fear and sending love to all of them. He forwarded that to the rest of the family. There were messages from Mimi, Susannah, the senior Clachers and the rest of the Greek family, saying they were keeping Freddie and Abby in their prayers and to please to let them know if there was anything they could do to help.

Susannah's mother-in-law Fiona said she'd been in touch with the Powells and knew they were on their way over and that she and Alastair also wanted to help. When Tim and Artie talked about that, two British couples who were connected to the American-Greek family through Artie and James, pitching in to help out, they cried.

When the Powells arrived, they found all four children in the playroom with Charlie, Dick Barnes and the two family elders. Nodding to themselves, they settled in for a day of play amidst the tension and stress of waiting to hear more about their loved ones.