While Tony called McGee, Kate managed to use the room phone and call the Director, then alert the local police. Once their calls were done, with McGee hanging up only when he reached the area where Gibbs crashed, Tony took a breath, then pulled out his weapon.
"Kate, I'm going to tell Dr. Harmon that until we have Ari, dead or alive, no one comes in this room." Kate saw the worry in his eyes.
"Tony, it'll be okay. Gibbs is probably all right, Ari'll be caught before he makes it here." She told him calmly. "I mean, what are the odds he'll risk capture just to get another shot at me."
"Zilch, but I still have dibs on that bastard." Tony growled, then saw Kate's look of surprise.
"What?"
"Nothing, 'cept…..thanks." Tony couldn't believe her response, it was almost …affectionate.
He bit back the quip he was about to toss back, then quietly said, "You're welcome."
They smiled at each other, then froze as footsteps sounded outside the hospital room door.
Suddenly Tony checked his gun, then hissed "Kate, get in the closet, now!"
"Whaaat?" Kate didn't get it, then nodded, realizing she was a liability as far as being able to defend herself.
Soundlessly slipping off the bed, she grabbed her robe off a chair then hid in the closet just as someone tried the door.
"Ms. Todd, Agent DiNozzo, open the door. It's Doctor Harmon."
Letting out a deep breath, Tony went to the door, then peered out the small window glass.
Seeing a man in hospital whites with a surgical mask on, he opened the door a crack.
"Uh, Doctor, sorry. There's a threat to Agent Todd, so we have to keep this door secured for now." he explained.
"I don't understand….Where's Ms. Todd?" the voice was concerned.
Tony jerked his head toward the closet, then got a creepy feeling.
"Doctor Harmon, can you tell me why you have a surgical mask on?" Tony asked, stepping back and raising his weapon.
"Good question, Agent DiNozzo." The voice lowered, then Tony struggled with his anger as the mask dropped to reveal the smiling face of Ari.
"Yeah, well you'll have plenty of time to think of an answer when you go to prison." Tony replied tensely, indicating with his gun that the Israeli agent should sit down.
"Oh, I'll have one for you even sooner if you don't put your gun down. I think Agent Gibbs' life might be worth it." The smug look on his face didn't quite reach his eyes.
Suddenly he made a move toward his side pocket, then threw a small pellet to the floor, instantly releasing a cloud of smoke.
Choking, Tony made as if to grab at the terrorist, only to feel a steel grip on his neck, then found himself thrown to the ground.
"Get away from him." Tony heard Kate's voice, raw with fury, then saw the dark-haired man abruptly flipped out of his sight. Catching his breath, he managed to get to his feet, then saw through the disapating smoke Ari coming off the floor, then knocking Kate backwards onto the bed.
"Too bad you turned down getting to know me better, my dear Catlin." The smooth voice roughened as Kate struggled against him, then Ari grasped her arm, causing her to cry out in pain against her will.
"No!" Tony started to lunge towards him, then halted as Kate jackknifed her legs, catching the renegade agent below the waist.
With a loud below of pain Ari fell backwards then bent double as Tony ran to Kate's side, hustling her to the door. At once Ari straightened up, then grabbing up his gun, pointed it at the two of them.
"Sorry about Agent Gibbs, but he died so quickly; fortunately I can do the same for you." He said, then a look of shock came over his face. Instantly Tony heard a familiar growl, "DiNozzo, move!"
Taking Kate with him, Tony hit the floor, then heard two shots.
A loud thud nearby told Kate that the target had been hit, then strong arms picked her up.
"Gibbs!" she cried, relief in her voice. Tony got up, wincing then flashed a pained smile. "Boss!"
"Kate, are you all right." Blue eyes gazed into hers, then flicked down to a spot of blood on her hospital gown.
"He hurt you." Gibbs said tightly, then guided Kate back to her bed as McGee came in, then directed two security guards to remove the fallen body of Ari.
"He twisted my arm, Gibbs, I think he just broke the stitches, oh." She let out a gasp, then clung gratefully to his arm as he lifted her onto the bed.
"I'll find Doctor Harmon." Tony quietly offered, then grinned as Kate told him "Thanks, Tony."
"No problem, Kate." He smirked, then whacked McGee on the arm. "Come on, probie, you can hear all about the facedown." Giving Kate a smile then rolling his eyes for effect, McGee followed him out.
Suddenly Kate saw Gibbs' face, then realized the hate that had consumed him was ebbing.
"I'll be all right, thanks to you and Tony." She grabbed his hand and squeezed it.
Startled, Gibbs focused on her, then sat down heavily on the bed.
"I thought, I heard you… in pain. I thought I was too late…." He admitted wearily.
"No, you were right in time. Any sooner and he would have caught you with that smoke bomb; that's the only way he got the drop on us." Kate explained, then yawned, her adrenaline flagging.
A ghost of a smile played around his lips. "It's over, Kate. He'll never come after us again." He promised, then stood up as a subdued Doctor Harmon entered the room, followed by Nurse Brandi.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Todd, your attacker lured us into a room with an alarm then locked us in." he muttered, then went to work on her bloodied arm.
Gibbs gave him a withering look, then told the doctor "I think Agent Todd will be leaving first thing in the morning. She'll be under the care of our doctor."
"Very well, Agent Gibbs." Doctor Harmon grumbled, then finished tending to Kate.
"I'll give you something for the pain, Ms. Todd. Please call the nurse if you have any discomfort." He added, then politely said good night.
As soon as he left the room, Gibbs pulled an extra blanket over Kate, who was awkwardly trying to adjust the pillows.
"I'll do that." The senior agent pulled an extra pillow from the closet, then placed it under her injured arm.
"Thanks Gibbs." Kate felt oddly comfortable with him fussing over her. "Any time, Kate." Gibbs said offhandedly, then gently tucked the blankets around her.
Yawning, she whispered, "Good night, Gibbs."
Closing her eyes, she heard him reply in a quiet tone, "Sleep well, Kate."
As he turned down the lights and started to leave, he heard a slight moan come from her, then returned to her side only to see she had accidently turned on her bad arm.
"Sorry." She muttered sleepily, then nodded off.
Satisfied she was asleep, Gibbs took a seat next to the bed, then made himself comfortable.
A few minutes later, Tony poked his head in, then saw both agents sleeping.
"He sure looks peaceful." McGee's whisper nearly caused Tony to jump.
"Damn, don't do that!" he hissed then froze as Gibbs quietly warned, "DiNozzo, McGee, you wake her and you'll end up in the same condition."
"Sorry, Boss."
"Yeah, sorry, boss."
As both men withdrew from the room, Gibbs gave a satisfied grin, then took one more look at Kate then closed his eyes.