Gibbs POV

I froze, my heart froze, my breathing froze. Everything quickly just stopped and stood still. I couldn't hear anything more, although I knew perfectly well that the doctor had more to say about her.

"How long will she be in a coma?" I asked quietly, cutting him off mid-sentence.

He shook his head, "We're not sure, we're pumping in fluids and antibiotics into her now to prevent infection. We should hook you up to some fluids and antibiotics as well, seeing that you were in the same situation as her."

I shook my head, "Focus on her, I can drink water by myself, thank you very much."

He nodded, hesitantly, "Well, there weren't many complications in surgery. We only lost her once, and managed to get her back again. Her injuries should heal just fine, but the concussion she has probably made her body go into overload, so she has to sleep it off."

I stopped again, "What do you mean you lost her?"

They almost lost her in surgery? How could they almost loose her! Weren't they trained well enough, didn't they have their fancy PHDs or masters degrees? How could they loose her even for a second?
"We got her back, sir, don't worry about it. Her room is 305, in the ER room, first door on your right."

I nodded and sprinted through the ER doors and stopped at her door. Did I dare go in and see what kind of state she was in? Did I dare see what had happened to my darling girl, all broken on that damned hospital bed?
I shook my head to clear it and slowly opened to the door, and walked in. I froze. Her body looked so small and frail on that hospital bed, her body hooked up to several machines that were keeping her from drifting further away.

I pulled up a chair beside her bed and took her hand in mine. Her skin was cold, and yet still as soft as ever. I pressed her palm to my lips and gave her a soft kiss, first kissing her knuckles, then the tips of her fingers.

"God, Kate," I whispered, feeling grief flood me again, "this wasn't suppose to happen to you, you're suppose to be at home in your own bed at your own apartment, completely relaxed, on lying on this damned bed fighting for your life."

She didn't stir. She just lay there, oblivious to everything. It hurt me to think that she was only partially alive, only partially the Katie that I loved so much that it made my heart constrict every time I looked at her.

Only the steady beeping of the heart monitor kept me informed that she was indeed awake. Otherwise, I would've assumed the worst.

"Boss?"

I turned to see Tony leaning against the wall, I hadn't even heard him come in. He looked haggard, and ten years older. He looked just as pained as I did, and probably felt just as bad.

"She's gonna be alright, right?" He asked, his voice resembling that of a child's. All trace of the tough agent underneath his façade had seemed to disappear.

I hesitated, I wanted to tell him so bad that of course she would be alright, she was so damn strong. But another part of me was nagging at me, chewing me in the center, telling me that even the strongest woman didn't have a definite possibility of surviving after a few days in the desert and multiple gun shot wounds and a concussion.

"I don't know," I told him, and heard the sharp scrapping of another chair beside mine until he was sitting next to me, looking down at his partner.

"Boss, go home, take a shower, get some rest, I'll stay here with her and I'll tell you when she wakes up," he offered, already his eyes were glued to her still frame.

I shook my head, "I can't just leave her, Tony."

"Yes, you can. Knowing you, you'll be back in ten minutes flat. I can hold down the fort for that long. Abby and McGee are going to get here soon, as soon as the director lets them off."

I hesitated, until I felt those green eyes glaring at me, "Go, Gibbs, it'll be alright."

He tossed me his keys and I promptly caught them.

I nodded and gave Kate's hand one last squeeze, pressed a kiss to her forehead and walked out the door, hoping for the best.

I fingered the keys that Tony had tossed at me and went out the doors of the ER.

"I'm going to be back, Duck, just going for a shower," I told him and he nodded, a smile dancing in his eyes.

I walked out of the hospital, my heart heavy, and easily found Tony's red ferarri, and got in. Leave it to DiNozzo to buy a car that's worth twice his salary and pull it off. I got in the car, and just couldn't seem to put the keys in the ignition. I needed time to think.

I thought of how close I am to loosing her and felt pain coursing through my body once again. I can't do this, I thought, I can't just let her go, not without her knowing that I love her more then my life.

Suddenly, as if on it's own accord, I jammed the keys into the ignition, an idea bursting into my mind. If she survived, and now I had no doubt that she will, then I had to do this quickly. I couldn't put this off any longer, I had to prove to her in some way that I was madly in love with her and that I wouldn't be leaving her side anytime soon.

My foot floor the gas pedal and I streaked out of the hospital parking lot and onto the freeway. I dodged cars left and right, leaving a streak of blasting horns behind me and angry curses, but I didn't care. All I cared about was where I was going, not how I got there.

I stopped in front of a jewelry store, abruptly stomped on the gas pedal, my heart beating in my throat, and got out of the car, taking the keys with me.

I strode into the store, and was met with a neatly dressed sales woman.

"Can I help you, sire?" She asked, a smile on her face.

"You got any wedding rings?"

I know this one's short, but that's because I have finals in exactly 2 weeks. Hm, wedding ring, does that mean wedding bells as well? (: