Chapter 25

Kate was standing between Nat and Paul and was still in the process of turning around. Natalie quickly pushed Kate out of the way of the knife suddenly thrusting in their direction. Natalie roundhoused Paul in the head as Tony shot from a prone position. The kick spun Paul so that he took the shot in the chest. He dropped and started gasping. Blood began spilling out of his mouth. Tony was holding his stomach and Kate was holding her gun back on Paul. They called for the paramedics to hurry but it was too late. They watched as Paul gasped his last breath.

"Guess jail is out of the question," Tony said.

"Tony are you okay?" Natalie asked rushing to his side to check on his wound.

Tony chuckled then winced from the pain, "Yeah, just a cut, he didn't have the angle to stab. Should have noticed him reached for a weapon, stupidly thought he was trying to grab his knee or something from pain."

They could hear the sirens in the distance but knew whatever help they could provide would be too late for Paul. The good news was case over, Natalie was safe. She wouldn't feel like it was real until she saw Paul in autopsy, or buried, or both. It still seemed like he was some kind of movie monster. Like any minute he would sit up and continue his crusade. She snapped out of staring at his body when Kate handed her a cell, "Gibbs" was all she said.

"Hey Gibbs," she said.

"You okay? I'm on my way, FUCKING MOVE PEOPLE!" she heard him while obviously driving to her.

"Please drive carefully, I'm okay, Tony's been cut, Kate is unharmed. You don't need to rush," she advised him.

She swore she could feel him glare, "I don't care, I'll be there shortly, 2 blocks away. You're sure you're alright?"

She took stock of herself just for him. Other than a few sore spots she knew would bruise she was okay. Still shaking slightly but she clearly kicked Paul's ass and felt proud. "Yes Jethro, I'm alright. May have a couple bruises and a little shook up but I'm alright."

"SHE WAS TOTAL BADASS!" yelled Tony as the ambulance pulled up. "Hey Hey! Me, help me!" he was telling the paramedics when they rushed to Paul's dead body first, "Dead guy ain't going anywhere!"

"Gibbs, you're starting to scare me, CHRIST SLOW DOWN," she heard McGee say in the background of the phone and saw the NCIS crime truck drift around a corner before coming to a stop beside the ambulance.

"I didn't think it was possible to drift on of those," Kate commented watching Gibbs exit the vehicle closing his cell and berating McGee's backseat driving. Natalie hung up as well before handing Kate back her phone. She ran to Gibbs and he hugged her. He grabbed her face, looked into her eyes carefully before he kissed her. In. Front. Of. Everyone.

"I KNEW IT! Pay up McGee!" Tony said while paramedics were checking him over.

"Don't pay McGee," Kate began as she walked over to Tony, "He only made that bet because he heard Abby and I talking about it. He didn't think about it on his own, he was prompted by us."

"Nu UH! OWW" grumbled Tony as the paramedics put something on his cut. "I always know when people have a sexual chemistry, I knew, pay up."

"No one's paying anything." Gibbs barked, "No one bets on my personal life."

Natalie smiled while she snuggled into Gibbs. "Can we go get my stuff, I really need to finish grading papers. And I have to get my dissertation done."

"Woman, you were just attacked, and all you think about is work?" Gibbs said to her.

She kissed his cheek, "I know you need to take a statement but you won't be ready to take it for at least an hour. Do you have any idea how much work I can get done in that time?" she argued.

It took Gibbs 3 hours before he could take her statement. She had completed grading her psych papers and was alternating between her dissertation and her bio students lab reports. The lab reports were less pressing but she needed a break every so often from what she was doing. While her dissertation was pressing (she had to get it to her advisor soon before she could submit it to review), her work with her bio Phd was more an ongoing project and needed less time but it too was due soon.

"Ready," he asked walking into the conference room they set her up in. It wasn't a big one, thankfully she didn't need THAT much space. "We can do this here," he told her when she went to stand up. He put down his own recorder and so they started. He asked questions and let her tell her side of what happened. They had some video and audio to back everything up but they still needed her victim's report to complete everything. It took nearly an hour to go through it all but when they were done he asked her, "You ready to go see him? Ducky has him prepared?".

Natalie nodded. She confessed to Gibbs her fear, that she needed to see him dead and buried to feel like it was really over. He understood given her past with Paul. He led her to the elevator and they went down. It was only late afternoon so the office was still quite busy. By the time they reached the morgue though it was much more quiet.

"Hello my dear," Ducky greeted her. "You ready?" he asked while gesturing at the covered body on the table. Upon her nod he pulled back the sheet.

Paul lay on the table. He was so pale. He had been cleaned and all that could be seen were the bullet holes on his chest and arm. She imagined his knees looked pretty bad under the sheet. She grabbed a pair of gloves and put them on, "May I?" she asked the little scotsman.

"What would you like?" he clarified before saying yes.

Natalie thought for a moment, "To touch him, know he's really dead."

"He's very dead my dear, help yourself, I haven't started the autopsy yet. I'm my own assistant today, Jimmy has exams." Ducky explained. "Would you like to stay?" he offered her.

"Can I? At least for a bit?" she asked Ducky, also looking back at Gibbs for his approval. They both nodded.

Ducky let her touch Paul. She felt for a pulse first. Left a hand on his chest feeling for breathing. She knew it was irrational, the man was dead, but she didn't trust her eyes, she needed to feel, she needed to know it in her soul in order to feel safe.

Ducky walked her through the autopsy. It wasn't the first one she'd seen. She was involved with a couple back when she was completing her Masters. She had done well then and wasn't worried about 'losing her lunch'. He was meticulous, making noted as he went but was sure to point things out to her. Specifically the chest wound.

"This was the cause of death, DiNozzo's shot punctured a lung, without immediate medical attention a person dies," Ducky explained to her. "I know you know this, but if it helps make it real, I don't mind explaining in more detail," he offered.

"No, thank-you Ducky, this helps. Seeing him open, seeing the damage. He's really gone" she said. She whispered to herself, "He won't be coming back this time."

Ducky went to put a comforting hand on her arm but stopped himself, "No Natalie, he won't bother you in your waking life. I imagine you may dream of him occasionally, but that will lessen yes?"

"Yes." She knew the likelihood of nightmares involving Paul, but Ducky was also right, those would lessen over time. And she had the benefit now of knowing it was over. Her nightmares before were worse; knowing Paul was out there.

She thanked Ducky and left him to complete his autopsy. It would take Ducky hours to complete. She went back upstairs and stopped by the team's desks. She thanked them as well, for the millionth time, before she continued to the conference room they set her up in. She packed up her things and got ready to go home for the first time in two weeks. She almost didn't know what to do with herself now. She imagined she could get back into a routine, but it would be a new routine. One that included Gibbs in a personal capacity.

McGee drove her home as Gibbs was still working. Tim walked her to her door as Gibbs ordered. It was good he did. Her place was trashed. "We'll get someone over to document it, get it cleaned up for you, wanna go back to the office with me?" he asked her while calling Gibbs.

"Can I just go to Gibbs'?" she asked suddenly feeling exhausted. Gibbs preferred it that way it seemed so off to his place they went. After ensuring Natalie was settled McGee left to meet people back at Natalie's. Natalie was making food when she got a call from her grandfather.

"Hey Grandpa, I'm okay" was the first thing she said.

He chuckled, "Course you are, just checking in after I heard about your place. I got some junior agents tidying up when McGee and Todd are done documenting. It will be cleaned up when you get back to it tomorrow. So sorry about all this, you are a sweet girl. Also heard a rumor going around, thought you should know, people are aware of you and Gibbs. They also know not to fuck with you. I guess they heard about your badass Krav Maga skills. I'd blame DiNozzo for bragging.:

She smiled, "He would be my first guess. He's strangely proud of my skills, for a guy who was beaten up by them."

"Yes, personally I think he might be a little deranged," he joked. "Well I have another call I need to make I just wanted to check in one more time."

"Thanks, I'm good. Just about to make some food actually."

"Well Gibbs should be done in about an hour, expect to see him shortly after. Love you kiddo."

"Love you too."