New chapter. I know I am the worst at updating stories, but please! I swear you're gonna get some good TATE stuff soon. Some users have sent me messages asking to have Tony and Kate get together already. I am absolutely a TATE shipper, but I also feel that a relationship between those two has to develop organically. If it happens right away, where's the fun? Also I am trying not to write the characters _too much_ out of character. I can't really imagine either Tony or Kate just being all "I will love you forever and ever" just out of the blue. I'm not making sense, am I? If you'd like to give me some heads up about the whole TATE development storyline, feel free to PM me ;)

Also, as always, thank you for reviewing and sending me messages. I promise I will try to update again as soon as possible. Maybe tomorrow? Enjoy this chapter for now! Reviews and criticism are always appreciated. xos

Tony watched the scene unfolding in front of his eyes, unable to do anything to help Kate out. He saw her promptly shooting the first man with a precise double tap to the chest, and quickly redirecting her aim to the second terrorist who, startled by the sudden attack, didn't have the time to take aim properly but still had time to fire once at Kate before dropping dead on the floor. He saw the bullet hitting her right arm, blood spilling from the wound. Kate eyes widened in shock, as she instinctively brought her left hand to the wound to contain the blood loss. She started feeling dizzy and took two deep breaths trying to gain the strength to get to Tony and free him from the ropes tying him to the chair. She took a few tentative steps, ignoring the increasing pain. With a swift move she took her knife from the holster and with shaky hands cut the ropes bounding Tony's hands. As his hands got freed, Tony took the knife out of Kate's hands and proceeded to cut the ropes tying his feet. He quickly took off his jacket using it to stop the rather copious amount of blood spilling from the gunshot wound on Kate's arm. She tried her best to steady her voice before speaking.

"I'm fine."

Tony carried her to the chair he just vacated and carefully examined the wound. It wasn't fatal but the bullet had still gone through her arm.

"Tony, seriously. I'm fine. It's just a flash wound."

Tony shook his head.

"No. We need to go to the hospital. Even if we manage to stop the blood loss if this is not treated properly it will most likely get infected. We need to prevent that."

Kate nodded weakly. It scared Tony that she didn't even try to argue with him; it meant she was seriously in pain. He carefully helped her stand but as he noticed the color draining from her face as she got up and tried to take a few tentative steps, he decided to just scoop her up, carrying her out of the rusty door and down the stairs. He saw his car parked across the street and hurried to get Kate in the backseat. Looking for something familiar to tell him where he was, he started driving, until he saw a sign directing him to the Mount Sinai Hospital. He sighed with relief and hurried into the emergency entrance. Carrying Kate inside, he took out his badge.

"Federal agent! My wife has been shot. She needs help!"

Two nurses hurried to call the doctors, who proceeded to take Kate inside and much to Tony's dismay, out of his sight. He was left with some paperwork to fill. He sighed. Insurance fraud: 10 years in jail; maybe 3 with parole. He felt helpless as he stood there, watching the clock on the wall slowly moving. It was 4 in the morning when a doctor finally came out calling his name. He stood up his heart pounding in his chest, all the worst possible scenarios passing through his head.

The doctor, who Tony thought looked like he belonged to some low budget sitcom from the 90s, cleared his throat before introducing himself.

"I'm doctor Lawrence."

Tony nodded impatiently trying to sound as polite as he could.

"Yes, yes. How's … my wife?"

Dr. Lawrence touched the bridge of his nose as lost in his thoughts before answering.

"She was in pain so we had her sedated. The effects should be wearing off right now. It was a flash wound so a full recovery can be expected in about eight to ten weeks. We recommend she spends the next 24 hours here under observation. Her condition is not critical but due to the type of injury we will need to contact the authorities…"

Tony interrupted the man shaking his head.

"There is no need for that. I am a federal agent. That's my partner and my wife."

The doctor sighed.

"It doesn't matter. It's standard procedure…"

"I understand. Can I see her now?"

Dr. Lawrence studied the young man in front of him, then called a nurse.

"Nurse Dale, could you show Mr. Dinozzo his wife's room?"

The nurse gingerly nodded, smiling at Tony and asking him to follow her. They stopped in front of a door.

Nurse Dale opened the door as quietly as she could.

"She's resting now. You can stay here until they come for rounds."

Tony forced a smile past his lips and hurriedly got into the room.

Kate was lying on a bed, looking very pale and very exhausted. He sat down next to her bed, timidly taking her hand and holding it. Her eyes slowly opened. She blinked a few times and looked around. She smiled weakly at Tony and he squeezed her hand.

"Do you need anything?"

She shook her head, her voice hoarse.

He hated to worry her, but he knew they had to keep moving.

"We have to leave soon."

"I know."

"I told you were my wife. Showed my badge. Yelled to a couple of doctors. Lied once or twice filling insurance papers… You know, my usual Tuesday night routine."

She grinned.

"Way to keep your cool, Dinozzo."

She tried to sit on the bed, fighting the wave of dizziness the painkillers had provoked. She took a few deep breaths.

"Okay. How are we gonna get out of here?"

He shrugged.

"Haven't thought it thru yet…"

"Dammit... I need some clothes."

Tony nodded and stood up.

"I could go back to the car and get you some stuff."

Kate grabbed his hand with her good arm.

"No. Don't leave me here."

Tony gave her a flirtatious smile. She rolled her eyes at him.

"Mind out of the gutter, Dinozzo! Now… Call a nurse. And get me a glass of water."

He pushed the button on the side of Kate's bed to call a nurse and then got out of the room to get a bottle of water. When he got back, after less than 10 minutes his eyes widened and his jaw almost hit the floor.

"Kate, what the hell have you done?"

Kate turned around and pain caused by the sudden movement showed in her features. That didn't stop her from continuing what she was doing even under Tony's disapproving look. After quickly recovering from the shock, he walked over to her and grabbed her by her left elbow, turning her around to face him.

"Kate, you just gagged, tied and stripped a nurse out of her scrubs!"

The nurse looked at him. Panic showing in her eyes and muffled sounds coming from her gagged mouth.

"Tony, help me getting this on. Don't look!"

She grimaced as he tried his best not to touch her injured arm while helping her into the baby blue scrubs she had just stolen. Once she was sure she looked half decent she held Tony's arm and with wobbly legs walked towards the door. Faking confidence she walked, as fast as she could in her condition, to the pharmacy at the end of the hallway and asked for a painkillers refill. She signed a few papers with her left hand trying to not make it look like a 4 years old first attempt at writing.

She walked back to Tony and didn't fail to notice the distress he was obviously feeling.

"Tony… You don't have to do this."

He just kept walking next to her, til the exit, to the parking lot and finally to the car.

"Tony. Talk to me."

Turning around to the passenger seat he looked at her and saw the guilt in her eyes. He gulped.

"It's okay, Kate."

Kate ran her hand through her hair and sighed. Then she turned to him again.

"No, it's not. It felt great until now. It felt familiar, like old times. Except it's not like old times. You are taking big risks here. I won't let you throw away your career. You can pretend it doesn't matter, you can pretend everything is gonna be okay, but it's not. You can't follow me around and fight my battles. I can't ask you to do that. It's not fair…"

Tony grabbed her hand, maintaining eye contact.

"You just saved my life. You got shot. You were forced into a new life. You were kidnapped. That's not fair. Me, being with you, here, following you and doing whatever it takes to get you out of this mess, it's right. This is right."

Kate squeezed his hand fighting the tears that were threatening to fall.

"Thank you."

He smiled at her wishing he could just hold her and make it all go away. Still, he didn't move, and just stared at her for another couple of seconds before nodding meaningfully.

"Always."

He drove away from the hospital parking lot, still smiling.

Gibbs was sitting on his hotel bed, unable to sleep. Standing up, he walked to the window, looking at the early morning Indianapolis sky. He sighed replaying the conversation he had with Kate's mother the previous night. Watching the tape, knowing how Tony had just took off without telling him anything, learning that Kate was most likely still alive, living under a new identity, was just too much to take in all at once. The past few days had managed to rethink everything he thought he knew. He was snapped out of his thoughts by the sound of his cell phone.

"Gibbs."

He paused. Director Vance didn't sound happy.

"Gibbs. We were just contacted by the NYPD. Your agent has been accused of some serious…"

He cut him off.

"NYPD?"

"Yes. This is not gonna be good for NCIS."

"What happened?"

As Gibbs listened to what his agent had supposedly done, mixed feelings ran through him. He was angry; angry with Tony for not asking his help, angry with Kate for the same reason and angry with Jen for hiding everything that she had hidden from him, and bringing it to her grave. He couldn't help it but being relieved, too. He knew that as long as Tony and Kate were together they would have done anything in their power to keep each other safe. Sure, what Tony was doing was probably going to be a career killer, but he also knew that he would have reacted the same way if put in Tony's position. He wasn't paying attention to what Vance had to say. He didn't like the situation Tony had put him in, but he trusted his agent. He absent-mindedly hung up to Director Vance angry complains; something about gagging a nurse and tying her to a chair. He probably had misheard it. After a loud sigh he decided it was time to wake up what was left of his team.

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