Chapter Fifteen – Coming Together

"AH!" the man said as he stumbled into the room he had rented earlier in the day. Looking down at his shoulder, he knew it would take surgery to fix the damage done by the federal agent's bullet. There wasn't time for that at the moment. He had to report.

Picking up the secure cell phone, he pressed one digit and the call was sent.

"What news do you have for me?" the voice on the other end asked.

"Sterling's gone off on a vendetta. He wants three people taken out without proof of anything. He's not stable enough to continue your plan."

"What's wrong with your voice?"

"I was shot while doing your bidding, by doing what Sterling sent me to do."

"You're unable to complete your assignment?"

"For tonight, I am. Tomorrow, I'll be fine."

"Good, good. Tomorrow is soon enough. You know what must be done."

"He'll be taken care of."

As the line went dead, the man slumped against the headboard of the bed on which he was sitting. With shallow breaths, he eased off the bed, ignoring most of the pain. What he was about to do to stop the bleeding would hurt even worse.

---

Daniel ran into the ER to see Agent Gibbs walking out of the bathroom. He'd been following Jenna since they left the NCIS building. Knowing how much Damien favored her, and seeing that Agent Gibbs felt the need to continue their buddy system, he'd felt it prudent to be nearby to protect her. Once again, fate had twisted things so that neither man was able to prevent her from being shot. He had chased the ambulance through the city, running red lights and nearly causing a wreck here and there. He had been right behind them until he'd had to find a parking space in that tiny piece of pavement the ER called a parking lot.

"Agent Gibbs, how is she?" he asked.

"Carver? What are you doing here?" Gibbs asked, taking the clipboard from the registration nurse. He stared at it blankly, and then filled in Jenna's name.

"I work for DAX, Gibbs. Jenna is very close to Damien and I… I have to call him," Daniel said, taking out his cell phone.

A ring distracted both men and Gibbs realized it was Jenna's cell phone. "Yeah," he answered.

"This is Damien Xavier, is Jenna available?"

Gibbs looked at Daniel, "You don't have to call him, Carver." Addressing the man on the line, he said, "Mr. Xavier, there's been an incident. Jenna was shot and she's in surgery now."

"Jenna was shot? Good God, man, I thought you were protecting her! What hospital are you at?"

Gibbs ignored the insult to his ability to protect Jenna and told him the hospital's name.

"My plane is just touching down in DC. I'll be there shortly, Agent Gibbs."

Gibbs pulled the phone away from his ear. It wasn't often that someone hung up on him. Looking at the PI, he told him, "Xavier will be here shortly."

He put the phone in his pocket and looked behind Carver to see Tim running to catch Brenna as she came through the entrance.

"Where is she?" Brenna demanded.

"They have her in surgery right now." Gibbs told her.

"What happened? How on earth did she get shot?"

Gibbs was caught in eyes that looked so similar to Jenna's. "Jenna walked outside to get her cell phone when the guy grabbed her and dragged her off the porch. She struggled with him; just about got away. She took a bullet to the abdomen, but I wounded the guy before he fled."

"Have you spoken with the doctor?" Brenna asked, her eyes pleading with him to tell her Jenna would recover.

"No; no one has been out yet."

Brenna's eyes filled with tears and Tim grabbed her before she fell. She'd been so strong until then and for a moment she leaned into him, fighting her tears. Her tears wouldn't help; they couldn't save Jenna. She would be strong for her sister and she'd be waiting for her when they told her she was okay.

Pulling away from Tim, she noticed that Tony, Abby, Ziva and Steph had arrived practically on their heels. They all had worried expressions on their faces. Angry at the doubts filling her mind about her sister's welfare, she told them, "Jenna will be fine. She's going to pull through this."

Tim put his arm around her and Abby came forward to hug her tightly. "Of course she will!" Abby said.

Brenna returned Abby's hug, and then pulled back to smile at her. "Thanks," she said softly. "Seriously, y'all. I don't want anything negative spoken about her condition. Positive thoughts and positive words. That's all."

Everyone nodded in agreement, willing to respect the wishes of Jenna's sister. Tim and Abby stood on either side of Brenna, each touching her in a comforting way. They walked over to some chairs in the waiting area and took a seat.

Tony stood next to Gibbs and Carver, but kept an eye on the door. The last thing they needed was for things to come to head while they were in the hospital emergency room.

Ziva smiled absently at Brenna and the others who had been seated, but was battling confusion. She didn't understand why anyone wouldn't want to face the facts as they are and move forward, fully informed and ready to act. She remembered that Abby was always that way as well – preferring to focus on the positive alone. In fact, she had nearly taken her head off for speaking the wrong thing when they had believed Tony to be dead. She shook her head, casting her memories aside. Knowing the best way to resolve the issue was to stop the person behind the problem, she turned to report to Gibbs.

"Larson's team went over the crime scene and the street in front of your house. They found two bullets on the street and blood as well. We believe you shot him, we just do not know how much damage it did. Also, the casing from the bullet that shot Jenna was found."

Another cell phone started ringing and everyone looked to see Steph step away and answer her phone. She spoke in low tones, and the call was short. She faced them once more. "I've been called back in." Looking at Brenna, she told her, "I'd stay if I could."

Brenna nodded. "Thank you for that."

"I'll call to check on her tomorrow," Steph said as she hurriedly left.

"Sir, have you completed that form yet?" the nurse asked.

Gibbs carried the clipboard over to Brenna. "They need her information."

"Oh! Of course!"

---

Brenna was speaking quietly with McGee, talking to him about Jenna, when a man with salt and pepper hair caught her eye. "Damien?"

The man's head turned and he rushed over. "Brenna! Where's Jenna? Is she okay? How are you? Is there something I can do?"

Brenna smiled and hugged him as he wrapped her in a big bear hug. "We haven't talked to the doctors yet, Damien, but I'm sure she's going to be fine."

"Where's Agent Gibbs?"

"Damien, he's been good to Jenna, don't tear into him because of this," Brenna cautioned.

"He was protecting her, wasn't he? And she was shot on his watch?" Damien asked.

"Yes," Gibbs said from behind Damien.

Damien turned around and stared at Gibbs, neither man giving any ground until Brenna touched them both on the arm. "Can we save the alpha male stuff until after we hear how Jenna's doing?"

Both men agreed, and Damien said to Brenna, "I need to speak with you for a moment."

As they walked away, Gibbs heard him ask her about Franklin and the drug. He was left to wonder exactly what the relationship was between Damien Xavier and the Davis sisters.

---

Brenna stuffed the book back into her purse. After making several attempts over the past few hours to read, she found that she had advanced five chapters, but had no idea what they said. It wasn't just worry for Jenna that skewed her concentration, although that was at the top of the list. McGee had been sitting next to her while she tried to read. Every time one of them shifted, a part of his leg would touch hers and her breath would catch. Standing, she was ready to try, once again, to drink a cup of the sludge the hospital called coffee, when a surgeon walking down the hall called out her name.

She tried to answer him, but her throat closed at the look on his face and the slow way he removed the surgical cap from his head. He called her name again and McGee answered for her, "This is Brenna Davis."

She found herself in a protective semi-circle; McGee and Abby were on either side of her, and flanking them were DiNozzo, Ziva, Gibbs and Daniel. Each person had noticed the slow way the doctor walked. Damien was returning with his third coffee and he saw the looks on everyone's faces.

"Doctor, you have word on Jenna's condition?" He asked the question no one had been able to voice until then.

The doctor looked at those that had come together to support the woman he'd just operated on. "Yes, I do." Noting the worry and concern on every face, in each set of eyes, he hurriedly assured them, "She came through surgery fine. The bullet pierced her spleen and broke a rib. We were able to remove the complete bullet and set it aside as evidence for NCIS. We also had to remove her spleen."

"Her spleen? You had to take it?" Damien asked.

"Yes, but people can lead healthy, normal lives without one. We've moved her into recovery and we'll be waking her up soon. Now, Ms. Davis, if you'd like to follow me, I think we can convince the nurse to allow you to sit with her as she comes around."

"Yes, yes, thank you doctor!" Brenna said as she hugged McGee and then Abby. "She's going to be fine! That is just the best news ever." She beamed as she allowed the doctor to take her to Jenna.