Disclaimer: NCIS is not mine.

A/N: Hey! Thanks so much for the reviews. Hope you are enjoying this story...its been fun writing it. Its still growing so I hope I can keep getting it done on paper! Sorry about the cliffhanger! but it was the spot to stop. Ok...on to this part of the story! Hope you like it :-Ddark rolling sea.

Chapter Five: Kate Was Right

Gibbs put a finger to his lips and then took the steps two at a time. He barely made a sound. Kate followed him up a bit more slowly taking the steps one at a time. She reached in and pulled her weapon out. Gibbs opened the door with the gun ready and moved out into the living room. As soon as Kate hit the door and came through it, shots rang out from her right side.

She dropped down to the floor and looked in the direction of the noise. She then heard return fire coming from the other side of her. She looked and saw Gibbs crouched and firing his service weapon. She looked up raising her weapon and started to fire as well. The shots were coming from the front of the house but Kate didn't think whoever was shooting at them was actually in the house.

Gibbs fired a few shots then darted to the bedroom. Kate anticipated his move and when he stood to go she picked up firing when he stopped. He made it safely back to the room.

Kate stopped fire and turned to look down the hall again but she heard an explosion of gunfire again. She felt the bullet wiz past her head and she felt another pass her arm. She backed herself quickly to the basement door and slammed it shut. She heard the wood splinter as more bullets slammed into it. She huddled down on the third step from the top and waited.

She couldn't hear anything but gunfire coming from up above and her stomach twisted in knots. After a few moments it stopped. The silence was worse than the gunfire Kate thought as she waited. Finally she heard Jeb yelling. She rushed up the steps and burst through the door with her gun raised. She felt her stomach constrict with what she saw. It took her a moment to take it all in.

"Kate!" Gibbs yelled from the other side of his couch when he saw her. She made eye contact with him and relaxed a little, but the look on his face was not settling to her. She looked at Jeb and saw why.

Jeb had taken a round in his shoulder. His shirt was already stained with blood. Gibbs reached up quickly and applied pressure to the wound. He then pushed Jeb around to the other side of the couch and forced him to sit.

"Kate, put pressure," Gibbs barked as he stood up and removed his now blood soaked hand. He flipped his phone out and called for an ambulance as Kate squatted in front of Jeb and applied pressure to the wound. As soon as Gibbs was off the phone he went to the back bedroom.

He came out a few moments later with Hunter on his hip. The boy had tears running down his face but otherwise didn't make a sound. Gibbs held him tight and squatted down next to Kate. Kate kept pressure on Jeb's shoulder wound and they waited in silence for help to arrive.

After what seemed like ages Gibbs finally heard the wail of a siren. It had only been six minutes. Jeb was still conscious but barely. Kate continued to talk to him to keep him awake while applying pressure on the wound. She had slowed the bleeding but not stopped it. Gibbs felt absolutely helpless and frazzled. Hunter continued to cry and Gibbs did his best to console the child.

Finally paramedics came through the door and went to work on Jeb. Kate and Gibbs could do nothing but step back and watch. They stood shoulders touching, as Gibbs stared the scene in front of him, holding Hunter on the outside hip. Kate was watching his face; trying to analyze the emotions she could see rushing through his eyes. His hand was hanging passive next to hers. She reached out hesitantly brushing her fingers along his palm.

He looked at her, locking eyes and the charge of emotion was astounding. Kate then gently placed her fingers and entwined them with his. He accepted it and let out a breath. Kate squeezed and Gibbs nodded. She was here for him, to the end. Or until he drove her away his brain threw in.

Jeb was taken in the ambulance and Kate drove Gibbs and Hunter to the hospital behind it. To Kate's surprise it didn't take much to convince Gibbs she should drive, she just asked for the keys. He sat in the passenger seat leaning against the side window with his eyes closed.

Kate kept taking glances at him and noticed the tiredness and stress on his face. She couldn't help but worry about him. They finally reached the hospital and Jeb was taken into the emergency room where it was determined he needed surgery on his shoulder. Gibbs filled the doctors in on Jeb's previous injury and gave the doctor's information that preformed his first set of surgeries.

All the doctors scurried away and it left the three of them alone in the waiting area. Gibbs stood by the window staring out at the vast expanse of city below. He had one shoulder resting against the window's frame. Hunter was sitting in a chair curled up in a tight ball staring at the floor. Kate didn't know what to do. She couldn't imagine what Gibbs was feeling. She slowly came up behind him and when she got to him wrapped her arms around his waist. She felt him relax and lean back into her embrace. She closed her eyes and laid her head against the back of his shoulder. They stood like this for a while in silence. Finally Kate felt Gibbs shifting. She picked her head up as he turned slowly in her embrace.

"Thank you," he whispered and leaned in lightly brushing his lips to her forehead. Kate closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment. She then rested her head on his shoulder and he in turn rested his head against hers.

"You ok?" Kate asked.

"I think so," Gibbs replied, picking his head up so he could check on Hunter. The boy was still curled into a chair staring at the floor. "But I'm not so sure he is."

Kate picked her head up and looked over towards Hunter. She nodded, and then looked up at Gibbs. She lowered her arms and she saw him question her with his eyes.

"Go be with Hunter," Kate told him with a smile. Gibbs nodded, but as he walked past her he took hold of her hand and brought her with him. Gibbs sat down next to Hunter, while Kate took the third seat in the row, her hand still tangled with his.

TBC...