Gibbs was in shock watching his young lover be shot right in front of him. Scaletti's voice over the phone turn into a hum has his brain was unable to focus on anything other than the body laid out helplessly in front of him. He had to protect the young man who held his heart. All the doubts and self incriminating feelings over Shannon's and Kelly's deaths started to overwhelm him. He could not lose the young man. He would rather face armed terrorist himself than watch pain be inflicted on the young man.

"Gibbs, Gibbs hand me the phone." Vance said when he realized the Gibbs wasn't hearing the man on the other end.

Gibbs gave him the phone in a daze, his eyes never leaving McGee's body. He released a breathe he didn't realize he was holding when the man showed signs of life.

"DiNozzo, phone." Gibbs held out his hand needing to talk to Tim to settle his own emotions.

"Tim?" Gibbs just needed to hear his voice.

"Jethro, that you?" his voice was definitely pain-filled but he sounded excited to hear his partner's voice.

"Yeah, it's me."
"Why did they shoot me?"

"They want to exchange you for Scaletti's sister.", he wasn't going to tell him that they weren't planning on giving Tim back alive.

"Don't do it, Boss. She will make the case so strong that none of them will get away, plus she has committed no crimes herself. She is the perfect witness against the family."
"Tim, he's going to keep hurting you until we hand her over."
"No Jethro, you will stop him. I believe in you. I love you."

Tim's words gave Gibbs the strength to focus on the situation at hand. If Tim believed in him he couldn't let his lover down.

"Tim, I'm going to give the phone back to Tony. Let him know if you need me and I'll be back as quickly as I can."
"I always need you, I don't think we can do anything about that right now." Tim joked trying to lighten the situation.

"Yeah, me too." Gibbs answered grinning to himself.

As soon as Gibbs handed the phone over to DiNozzo, Fornell was by his side, "You okay?"

"Will be real soon." He responded walking over to where Vance was talking to someone on his phone.

"I don't care about flight plans or clearance. I have an agent being used for target practice! I need that helio up NOW. I need heat signatures and locations of the men attacking him and I need it yesterday!"

Vance was furious as he slammed his phone shut.

When he saw Gibbs walking over to him he motioned for everyone to give them a little privacy.

"Are you able to handle this, Jethro?"

"As long as he's still breathing I have to. He told me he believes that I'll rescue him. He has always trusted me and I won't let him down now."
"You are not alone and neither is he. Let us help you. No lone wolf shit on this, got it?"

"Yeah, I got it.", he rubbed his hand across his face trying to organize the thoughts running through his mind.

DiNozzo's phone rang once again and everyone held their breathe as Gibbs put the phone on speaker, "Gibbs"

"Still don't see my sister down there."

"We're working on it, give us a little more time, or at least a sign of good faith. If you decided to not kill or agent it would probably make things go a little smoother."
"Agent Gibbs" the man said as if talking to a child, "I have a reputation to keep up. I can't make promises and then just change my mind. A man is only as good as his word you know. Your five minutes are almost up."

"Please, just a little more time."

Everyone was shocked to hear Gibbs plead with the man on the phone.

"Not happening."

Just then another shot rang out and once again they all saw Tim's body shutter in pain as the bullet entered his body.

"You have fifteen minutes. The next shot might be fatal."

AN: Thanks so much for the reviews, favorites and follows. I am totally overjoyed by the response I am getting. Please review and let me know what you are thinking. Stray.