Thanks to all for the reviews! This is my first posting, so it means a lot that you were so nice. Sorry it's taken me so long to update. To answer some questions -
WBH21C - Thanks! You're my first ever review!
Salem Navy -This will be a McGee focused story, but there will be some 'Tate' (beginning this chapter!).
Rinne - I had the wrong rating initially, which is why it started in 'T' and moved to 'M'. Sorry for the mix up! As for the rest, thanks for the tip, much appreciated!
Raysgal - Would I kill McGee? Well, possibly, but not in this story, and I'd always bring him back!
Disclaimer - I'd love to own these characters (I'd walk them and feed them, I promise!), but unfortunately they don't belong to me…I don't think there are any spoilers, but if I miss something, please let me know!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The emergency services arrived just as McGee lost consciousness. Tony and Kate followed behind the ambulance as it sped to the hospital.
"What did he say?"
"What?"
"He said something before …what did he say?"
"Abby."
"Damn!" Tony hit the steering wheel in frustration. "We have to tell Gibbs."
"I know." She pulled out her cell phone and dialed. "Gibbs? It's Kate…there's been an accident…"
Gibbs was examining evidence with Ducky and Abby when the call came. He heard a tremor in her voice, and was instantly on the alert. At the word 'accident' he interrupted.
"What happened?"
Ducky and Abby looked up at his tone.
"McGee's been shot."
He turned away from the others. "How bad is it?"
Her voice caught. "I think it's bad."
Gibbs closed his eyes for a moment. This part of the job never got easier. He turned to see the other two watching him intently.
"Where are they taking him?"
Kate told him. He forced himself to think of the case. "What about the witness?" He rubbed his eyes as he listened. How could it have gone so wrong? "I'll meet you at the hospital."
He finished the call and turned to the others. He did not want to have this conversation.
"Ducky, I need you to go to a crime scene." The file was nearby and he pulled out the information on their witness. "This is the address."
"Jethro, what's happened?"
"McGee's been shot."
He wasn't a person to gloss over things, but he wished he had put it differently, worked up to it somehow but there just wasn't time. He saw the blood drain from Abby's face.
Ducky saw it too. "I'll go now. Keep me informed, won't you?" At a nod from Gibbs, he left the lab.
"Is he…will he be okay?"
He hated to be the one to hurt her, she was like his daughter. He knew she and McGee were close, but he hadn't enquired to closely. There were rules against fraternization, but he'd chosen to ignore it. Now, seeing her distress, he only cared that she would be hurt. He moved towards her and put an arm around her shoulders.
"I don't know, Abbs. Lets go and see."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tony and Kate were only a few minutes behind the ambulance, but McGee was already headed to surgery when they arrived. They sat in the waiting area, side by side, not speaking. Tony looked down and saw Kate's hands in her lap, blood-soaked and shaking. He reached over and covered them with his own. She looked at him gratefully.
"He'll be okay. He's tougher than you think.'
"It's our fault. He shouldn't have been there on his own, we should have been with him. What the hell were we thinking?"
"We weren't thinking." Tony looked up at the ceiling and sighed. "We were messing with each others heads and it finally went too far. This time, someone got hurt."
He looked at her then, her eyes red and her face wet with tears. He reached up and gently wiped a smudge of mascara from her cheek. "We shouldn't fight." He squeezed her hand and their eyes met. It wasn't the time for games.
"I didn't want you to think I was like every other woman you know, that you could charm and sweet-talk."
He saw her stripped of all her defenses, vulnerable. But he didn't want her this way. He wanted her as an equal, as she had always been. Just not fighting him all the way. He wanted to protect her and reassure her, tell her it would be alright. It occurred to Tony that in other circumstances he might have kissed her then. But not now. Not here, with Tim's blood between them. She was right. It was their fault he was here.
They heard footsteps and saw Gibbs and Abby approaching. They broke apart like nervous schoolchildren as they stood up. Facing Gibbs was bad enough, but Abby? How could they possibly explain to Abby? Tony reached again for Kate's hand as they rose. They saw the tear tracks on Abby's face and Kate gripped his hand tighter.