Chapter 2

Tony, Ziva, McGee, Ducky, Abby and Jimmy sat in the waiting room at the hospital. Ducky had told them that the ambulance ride over had been less than smooth. Gibbs' heartbeat was weak and erratic. At one point his heart even stopped all together, but they were able to get it going again.

"Ducky, do you know what is wrong with him?" Ziva asked moments after first arriving.

"My guess would be a heart attack," he somberly said.

"Gibbs had a heart attack?" McGee asked disbelievingly.

"Its not uncommon for a man of his age and stress level. Not to mention his diet. The man practically shoots caffeine into his veins."

Abby, who hadn't said a word since her and Jimmy left the squad room, visibly began to shake. Jimmy put his arm around her to help calm her. His heart was breaking for her.

After 30 minutes of waiting, Tony finally got impatient enough to ask the nurse, "What's taking them so long?"

"What's the patients name?"

God, she doesn't even know who we are here for?! "Gibbs. Leroy Jethro Gibbs."

She typed the name into her computer. "He's still in surgery. I'm sure the moment they know something, the doctor will come out and tell you."

"What kind of surgery?"

"Are you a relative, sir?"

"No."

"Then I can't tell you anymore than that." Knowing he would continue to ask questions she couldn't answer, she got up from her desk to get more coffee.

"What did the nurse say, Tony?" McGee asked when Tony came back to the group.

"They said he's in surgery, but wouldn't tell me why." Tony looked over at Abby and Jimmy who were sitting a few seats away from everyone else.

"Well, if it was a heart attack," said Ducky, "they are most likely trying to clear out the blockage in his artery."

"How long does that normally take?" asked Tony.

"It really depends on which artery, if they needed to open the heart cavity, and how big the blockage is."

"This is very serious, is it not, Ducky?"

"Yes, Ziva. I'm afraid it is."

A couple of hours later, a doctor emerged from the automatic double doors. Tony, who had been anxiously sitting on the edge of his seat, was the first to see him. He jumped up, but no one seemed to notice. "Gibbs?" asked the doctor moving farther into the room.

"Yeah," said Tony stepping forward to meet the doctor. Everyone else got up and moved with him, except Abby. She continued to stare at the floor. "How's he doing?"

"Mr. Gibbs had a blockage in the back coronary artery causing him to have a heart attack. We performed an angioplasty and placed in two stents to get the blood flowing again. There was some damage done to the heart tissue, but it was repairable."

"But how is he now?" Ziva asked impatiently.

"He's stable but in critical condition. We have him in the ICU."

"Can we see him?" she asked.

The doctor sighed. "Only immediate family can go in."

Before anyone had a chance to object, Jimmy spoke up. He had thought something like this may happen. "Abby," he said turning towards her and walking over. "Abby, go see your brother and tell us how he's doing." He pulled Abby to her feet and walked her over to the group. "Abby's his little sister," he told the doctor. "She can see him, right?"

The doctor looked her over. He doubted that was his patient's sister, but he didn't know for sure. "He's still unconscious, and may be for a while. You'll have to keep it short." He doctor turned sideways and gestured with his arm towards the double doors. The group watched as she and the doc walked away.

Abby stood in the doorway staring at the bed on the far side of the room. Gibbs laid there, practical lifeless and pale. If not for the steady beeping coming from the machine next to him, she would have thought him dead. She didn't want to see him like this, but, for whatever reason, they thought it was best she come in and be their eyes and ears.

"Miss Gibbs?" said the nurse behind her. If she didn't feel so broken, she would have laughed. The thought of them actually thinking she was Gibbs' sister was comical. "Do you want to see him?"

No, she thought, I don't. "I have to," she softly said despite herself and slowly stepped into the room. She sat in the chair between the bed and the window. "God, Jethro," she said using his first name because the nurse was still standing in the room. The nurse might think it suspicious if Abby called "her brother" by his last name. "Can we have some privacy, please?" The nurse left. "What am I supposed to tell everyone?" she asked Gibbs. "That you look like hell? Because you do. Know what would make you look better? If you woke up. At least then you wouldn't look so…dead," she trailed off. She touched his forearm. So cold, she thought. Poor blood flow. That's why he's so cold. The science was ringing in her head. At times like this, she wished she could turn that part of her brain off.

Abby was only able to stay for 10 minutes before the nurse told her she had to go. When the team asked her how Gibbs looked, she replied, "Like Gibbs." She didn't know what else to say. She didn't know when she would be able to go back. She wasn't sure if she wanted to stay though either. She really just wanted to be alone; possibly pretend none of this was happening. Maybe she should just go back to work. The license plate! Oh God, I forgot!

"Tony! I got a license plate number off that video Gibbs brought me. I didn't get a chance to tell anyone."

"Do you remember what it was?" She shook her head. "Okay, let's go. Where's your car?"

"I rode out here with Jimmy."

"I rode out with McGee and Ziva."

"I can take you back," said Jimmy.

"I don't think so, Palmer. Ziva! Probie! Got a case to solve!"