Chapter 4

The door creaked quietly open as Dimitrius Gans peeked through at his sleeping son. Too many nights had passed that he'd come home from work late, missing the chance to help his kids with their homework, to throw a ball with his son, and to watch his daughter in her school plays. Most important to him was being able to tell them goodnight.

Over the course of his FBI career, D hadn't had the opportunity to do that as often as he liked, and it had taken the toll on his marriage before. However, the last couple of months as the team's acting supervisor, his family had enjoyed the privileges of him being able to get off almost every day at five.

That is, until the team was assigned the D.C. Bomber case. While officially, D didn't have to work the late hours with the team on the investigation, he couldn't bring himself to go home when so many people had been hurt and killed.

We have to find this madman before anyone else gets hurt, D vowed determinedly, taking one last look at his son before pulling the door shut. Checking on his daughter briefly, he continued down the hallway towards the master bedroom, where the flickering light told him the television was still on.

Rounding the corner, D expected to find his wife had fallen asleep again waiting on him, but he stopped short in the doorway when he saw her propped up against the headboard reading. A soft smile played across his face as he leaned his shoulder against the doorjamb, watching her in the dim light. How did I ever get so lucky? he asked himself, his eyes traveling across her.

"Are you just going to stand there gaping, or are you going to come to bed?" Donna asked with a smirk, barely looking up from her book.

"Do I have to?" D pouted dramatically. "I sort of like the view from here," he grinned, enjoying the bashful blush on his wife's cheeks before he pushed away from the doorway.

"Well, I could make it worth your while," Donna flirted, catching his hand as he passed on his way to the closet.

"Oh, really," D teased, smiling as he leaned down to press his lips against hers. A flash on the television caught his attention as he stood up again, a frown coming over his face when he saw the information scrolling across the bottom of the screen. "Honey, turn that up, would you?" he asked, motioning toward the television, the tension filling the room.

"Sure," Donna replied, grabbing the remote from the corner of the nightstand, pressing the button to increase the volume.

"…Ground Zero of the blast was the trendy Westhurst nightclub," a new reporter briefly relayed into the camera. "Sources say a bomb was detonated roughly fifteen minutes ago. There are no reports of survivors at this time." At her husband's sharp intake of breath, Donna glanced up.

"D, what is it?" she asked, but he eyes were glued to the television screen, an unfamiliar and overwhelming sense of panic shadowing his face. "D?" she repeated, anxiety lacing her voice as she swung her legs off the bed. Donna was concerned to say the least. She'd never seen her husband turn that pale before…not in all the years they'd been dating or married.

"Myles and Hannah were in that building," D murmured, her hand on his chest jarring him out of his trance.

"Are you sure?" Donna's jaw dropped as she stared at him in shock.

"I talked to Myles myself less than an hour ago," he choked out as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "They were working a lead on the bomber case…" his voice faded off as he burying his face in her hair.

"Oh, God," Donna whispered, laying her head on his chest as he shifted his line of sight back to the devastating rubble displayed on the television.

The ringing of his cell phone had them both reluctantly pulling apart. Reaching for his phone, D flipped it open, hoping that it would be someone telling him it was a mistake, and his fellow agents were okay.

"Gans." Keeping his arm around Donna when she tried to move away, D listened with growing disappointment as Jack confirmed his worse fears. "We just heard the news report," he replied, pulling her closer, needing to feel her next to him.

"That was Jack," D explained when he closed the phone a few moments later. "He's picking up Sue and Lucy, and they're going to the nightclub. Bobby and Tara are going to meet them there," he continued, staring unseeingly at the floor as he stuffed his phone back into his pocket.

"You want to go," Donna stated, pulling away from him turning to the bed.

"I just got home. Jack will call if there is any news," D grabbed her arm, turning her back to look at him.

"No, I mean you need to go," Donna smiled reassuringly. "Give me a minute to call Mom to come and stay with the kids, and I'll go with you," she stated, grabbing the phone from the nightstand.

"I love you." D pulled her into his arms before she could dial the number. "Thank you."

"Your friends need you, darling," Donna looked up at him with compassion in her eyes. "Now let me make this call so I can get dressed and we can get going," she insisted, caressing his cheek.

Pressing his lips to hers, D released her, watching her quickly punch out the seven-digit number before turning to the window. Looking out into the night, he could only think that the nightmare was just beginning.