So much for getting in and out clean. Fornell could only gasp at the sight as he reached out for Gibbs body and eased him to the ground. Tony and Ziva had come through the back and taken out Barclay; but they'd been too late. Barclay had fired at Gibbs before Jen even had a chance to flinch. As soon as Barclay fired the shot, Kort took a round from Franks crippling him and with one glance in Gibbs direction; he didn't hesitate finishing him off.

Jen had knelt immediately at Gibbs side. But it was only seconds before Tim literally shoved her aside. "Stay the hell away from him."

Tony and Ziva could only watch it unfold as Franks and Fornell tended to him. Ziva was phoning in an ambulance while Tony took a knee beside McGee. "You alright Probie?"

"Fine." Tim shot back, removing his jacket and placing it behind Gibbs head.

Gibbs was writhing in pain; his eyes opening and closing furiously. The round had come dangerously close to his chest; and the blood pouring from the wound seemed as though it would never stop. Fornell and Mike were applying pressure with their hands and soon McGee and Tony had joined in on the effort. Gibbs nothing short of yelled out in pain as the four men applied as much pressure as they could.

Ziva was relatively quiet as she approached Jenny; quickly gesturing towards the bodies and blood covering the floor. "Tell me Jen, was it worth this?" Only she didn't wait for an answer as she left and placed herself near Gibbs face.

"Hang in there Probie…I didn't come all the way to DC to watch you die, you hear me?" Franks had his hands at the bottom of the pile and could feel the heat leaving Gibb's body. "Just hang on damnit."

Ziva was gently stroking his forehead in an attempt to soothe him as the men replaced the bandage over his wound and continued the pressure. Jen was sitting silently as she took in the sight; with nothing left to do but pray.

"Come on boss; don't do this." Tony was barely audible as he spoke; Tim however didn't hold back as he removed one of his hands and intertwined it with Gibbs'.

"Boss, listen…please don't…" Tim swallowed hard; his throat still finding it hard to speak. "Just stay with us okay?"

Gibbs coughed violently as he tried to lean his head up. Ziva quickly placed her hands behind his head to assist him. "McGee?"

Tim nodded as he responded to the faint call. "It's me boss, I'm okay. We're all okay."

Gibbs almost smiled as his Agent anticipated the question before he asked it. He wanted to say more but a shot of pain so strong jolted him off the floor and rendered him unconscious.

"Boss?! Boss?" Tim pleaded as he felt Gibb's hand loosen from his own. He looked to his left at Tony who was still holding down pressure to the wound. Ziva had taken his pulse soon after he lapsed.

"It is faint, but there…"

Franks shook his head. "Damnit Probie; you wake up…that's an order!"

It was then the faint sounds of sirens were heard. Tony took charge immediately. "David…meet them downstairs…"

She left without hesitation and the four men continued tending to him until the paramedics arrived. They moved aside but only a few feet as they watched them place him on the stretcher and out the door faster then they've ever seen. Tony once again took charge.

"Fornell, fill in the local LEO's on the scene, have the bodies taken somewhere secure." He was just about to give another order when he noticed McGee pacing towards the Director. "Probie…"

Tim had retrieved Gibb's weapon and placed its aim directly at Jenny. "How's it feel? Knowing you had a hand in possibly killing your own partner?"

"Agent McGee, stand down." Tony hollered in his direction but soon noticed that no one had their weapons drawn but him. He slowly lowered it and swallowed hard. "You do this and she wins Probie…you can't let her…not for me, not for the boss…not even for yourself…"

Tim's eyes were no longer welled up with tears; but fury in its purest form. "She should be the one they're taking out in a stretcher Tony…"

Ziva was now at Tony's side and spoke gently. "McGee, I know this doesn't seem fair; but Gibbs would not want this…she will pay for what she's done…but not like this."

McGee shook his head and looked behind him at Franks. "He would do it."

Mike simply shrugged his shoulders as he stared intently at the blood covering his hands. "With all due respect McGee; you'd be doing her a favor…if I were you; I wouldn't put her out of her misery just yet…"

Tim thought for a few moments before lowering his weapon. Tony took it quickly and replaced it with handcuffs. "Would you like to do the honors Probie?"

McGee simply nodded as he turned Jen's back to him and firmly laced her wrists inside the cuffs. "You didn't really think I'd let you off that easy did you?"

Jen swallowed the lump forming in her throat before meeting his eyes. "I wish you had."

The ride to the hospital consisted of three men chipping blood off their hands, and one woman who wished she could've used her hands to do a lot more damage. Just when the crisis seemed to be coming to an end; it began to fall apart all over again. No one seemed to grasp all of the details and with two more dead bodies they wondered if they'd ever get any answers.

Ziva pulled the car to a screeching halt outside the ER entrance and the four piled out within seconds. Tony had made the executive decision to wait on telling Abby in person; and though he wasn't looking forward to it had volunteered telling her himself. While Ziva and Franks were threatening the nursing staff on Gibb's condition, Tony decided to pull McGee aside for a minute.

"Hey, I know we uh, didn't get much chance for a reunion back there, but it's good to see you Probie…"

Tim pulled his eyes off of Ziva for a moment. "Good to see you too Tony…listen about back there…I wasn't really going to…"

Tony put his hand up to interrupt. "I know you weren't…just figured a bit of Ziva had rubbed off on you while I was away…you had that crazy look in your eye…"

McGee couldn't force a smile on his face if he tried, but put his hand out for Tony to take. "It was hard without you here…really hard."

Tony took his hand firmly. "Well that's in the past now McGee; what matters now is the team…"

Tim agreed and noticed some dry blood had transferred between their hands. "Think the boss will be alright?"

Tony turned back towards Ziva. "He has to be Probie…he has to be."

Abby was half asleep on Ducky's shoulder when Tony entered quietly. He stood there for almost a minute just taking in the sight and in a way postponing the inevitable. After getting up the nerve he gently nudged her awake. "Abs, it's me…"

She had to resist leaping into his arms and slipped off the bed slowly before throwing her arms around him. "Tony! What happened? Where's McGee?"

"He's safe…"

She eased away from him and took in his expression. "What's wrong? Something's wrong isn't it?"

Tony cleared his throat before responding. "Listen, it's the boss, he was hit."

"Hit with what?"

He tried to motion towards the hall way; but soon realized the attempt was useless. "He was shot Abby…he's in surgery…" He had quickly prepared himself for another embrace but watched as she rushed to Ducky's side and placed a kiss on his cheek.

"I'll be back okay? Don't go anywhere." She was fighting back tears as she grabbed her stapler and reached for Tony's hand. "Take me to him."

Franks was pacing back and forth while Tim and Ziva stood quietly outside the OR doors. All three of them turned quickly at the sound of Abby pulling Tony down the hall way.

"Oh McGee!!" She leapt into his arms and squeezed tight. "You had me worried sick…" She eased away and placed her hands on his face. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay." He replied gently; before pulling her into another hug. "Are you?"

Abby shook her head as a couple tears broke loose down her face. "No…where is he?"

Ziva spoke up. "He is in surgery. As soon as they know more they will tell us."

Abby clenched the stapler in her hand before shaking her head. "That's not good enough…we need to be in there." She broke free from McGee's hand and forced her way through the doors and down the hall. McGee reached her first; the others following suit.

"Abby, we can't see him now." Tim was gentle as he held onto her left arm. Ziva and Tony were standing close by while Franks had taken the job of meeting the Security Guards. "I promise they'll tell us as soon as they know anything…"

"You can't promise that McGee…he could be dead right now and we wouldn't know!" A few more tears had forced their way out and Tim gently wiped them away.

"You're right I can't promise you that. But I can promise you that no matter what happens, we're not going anywhere."

She examined him for a moment in amazement. How had he known exactly what to say? Over the last month her fear of losing them had increased more and more by the day. And just when she'd hoped things were coming together; a man she loved more than anyone in the world was slipping away from her. She could feel it. "He's leaving us..." It was in that moment her stapler slowly fell to the ground and she crumpled into McGee's arms in tears…