A/N – Here's chapter 5! This one is filled with stuff that's not so good, but exciting all the same. Enjoy.

Disclaimer – I don't own NCIS or the characters

Chapter 5

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

The alarm went off again. Jen had hit the snooze button at least five times already. Now she realized what she had done and looked at the clock. She was already running late. She shot out of bed and quickly regretted moving so fast. Her head spun and she sat there, while she got her bearings back. Then she stood up a little slower and sent her father a text message.

Overslept. Going to be late. Leaving here in about 10.

That was easy enough. She didn't bother with a shower, since she was running late. She quickly ran a brush through her hair and changed her clothes. When she got to the door, she noticed that her keys were not on the key hook where she left them last night and her shoes, which she always left by the door, were gone.

Who would take keys and shoes? Her car was still there. But her keys were gone. She scratched her head and thought hard. She had other shoes, but the ones that she had left by the door were the only ones that kept her back and knees comfortable throughout the day while she worked with the added weight in her middle. She sighed and turned to get another pair of shoes. Then, she stepped out of the house, with some spare cash. She was going to have to take the bus that morning.

As soon as she turned around from locking her door, holding the spare key in her hand, she stopped, feeling as though there was danger. She looked all around her yard and didn't see anything. She took one more step and then heard it. A gun was fired from not too far away. The bullet hit her in the shoulder with too much force, causing her to stumble backward. She tripped over the steps of the house and smashed her head into the stone stairs. She was knocked unconscious then.

Gibbs was pacing. He was pacing because an hour ago he had received a text message from his daughter saying that she was leaving her house in ten minutes. It only took her ten minutes to get to work when she was driving like a normal person, and less if she was driving like she was in the Middle East. He was pacing and glancing at the clock on the wall.

"McGee, trace her cell phone," Gibbs said.

"Whose, boss?" McGee asked.

"Jen's, who else's?" Gibbs asked angrily.

"Well, Abby's not here either, boss? Should I try calling her or texting her?"

"Try, yes. I'm going to call Jen see if she answers, but you need to get a pinpoint on her cell phone," Gibbs said as he picked up his own phone and dialed the number for his daughter, feeling that something was wrong, not only with his little girl but with Abby as well, another one of his girls.

The phone rang and rang and rang. He could hear McGee get a hold of Abby behind him. McGee was talking quickly as he worked on his computer. He was distracted by something.

"Abby calm down," he said. "Tell me what happened?"

"My apartment was shot at this morning," she said frantically on the other end of the phone. "I'm in the car now, though. I'm on my way. I'm fine, I wasn't hit. I don't know who did it. I need you guys to come and look at the house to see if you can get any trace."

"Sorry, what, Abby?"

"My house is a crime scene!" she shouted into the phone so loudly that Gibbs could hear her through the phone.

"Boss?" McGee said as he found something on his computer.

Gibbs started to step over and could hear Abby talking loudly still.

"Are you listening to me McGee, or are you trying to work while you talk to me again?" Abby asked.

Gibbs took the phone before looking at McGee's computer. When he did he was shocked to see that Jen was still at her house.

"Abby, Jen hasn't come into work yet. He was tracing her cell phone. She text me an hour ago saying she was leaving in ten minutes. She is still at her house though. What happened with you?"

"Someone shot at my house this morning before I went to leave," Abby said. "I spent my morning dodging bullets and hiding in a closet. What's going on with Jen, did you try to call her?"

"She's not answering. I'm worried," Gibbs said. "We're going there now. When you get here, just stay here. I want you to call Ziva and Tony and tell them what's happened, or at least what you know."

"Will do, Gibbs," Abby said quietly, knowing that she was, again, becoming an investigator for the purpose of the safety of the team.

Ziva stirred lightly in the morning sun. She did not particularly want to wake up, but she did not feel herself this morning. She glanced at the clock it was ten already. That was unusual. They had gone to bed early last night too. She looked up and noticed that Tony was staring down at her.

"I thought you were never going to wake up," he said to her. "You were tired?"

"I guess so," Ziva said, sitting up slowly and disentangling herself from Tony's arms.

She made her way to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. She was a little pale. Maybe she was coming down with something. But then, she never got sick. Quite suddenly, her stomach lurched and she rushed to the toilet, making it just in time.

Tony could hear her getting sick in the bathroom at the same time that one of their phones was ringing. He went to the door, ignoring the cell phone, thinking that Ziva was more important. He went right in, not bothering to knock or talk to her first.

"Everything okay, Ziva?" he asked.

She nodded as she stood up to brush her teeth. Oddly she felt perfect now. She felt just fine, as though she had never gotten sick. She reached over and flushed the toilet.

"Is one of our phones ringing?" she asked.

"That's the third time, it better be important. I was going to make French toast this morning," Tony said and walked back into the bedroom, allowing Ziva to finish brushing her teeth.

"DiNozzo," Tony said into the phone, already knowing that it was Ziva's phone.

"Tony!" Abby said frantically into the phone. "I tried calling you two times before this, why didn't you answer? Where is Ziva? This is her phone! I was actually calling her."

"She's in the bathroom. What is wrong Abby?"

"Someone shot at my apartment, Tony," Abby said quickly, like she usually did, but this was faster because there was adrenaline pumping through her system still. "Someone shot at my apartment and I hid in a closet. I am okay, just rattled. But Jen never came into work today. She never left her house. About an hour ago she sent Gibbs a message saying she was late and would be leaving her house in ten minutes. She never left her house. Gibbs and McGee are on their way there now and I will be alone at NCIS with Ducky and Palmer, if they are there. Ducky was sick yesterday and Palmer has had a lot of baby stuff going on with the adoption place! Tony, what if Jen is hurt?"

"Calm down, Abby. Ziva and I are on the way, okay?"

"Yea," Abby said quietly. "See you soon. Meet me at NCIS."

"I will," Tony said quietly and hung up the phone.

"What was that about?" Ziva asked coming out the bathroom finally.

"We're heading to NCIS today, sweet cheeks," Tony said quietly. "Abby's apartment was shot up. She's fine. Jen never showed up for work. Last contact was over an hour ago. Her cell was traced to her apartment."

"Sounds like a bad morning all around," Ziva said quietly as her stomach churned. "I am not feeling very well."

"Stomach still?" Tony asked. "Your color has drained from your face again."

"Has it?" Ziva asked. Then, she clapped her hand over her mouth and ran for the bathroom again. Tony could hear her getting sick.

"I'm going to grab some crackers and make you a slice of toast. But, we've got to go see that Jen's okay, if you are up for it?"

"I'm coming, Tony," Ziva said, as she took a break from throwing up.

Tony nodded even though Ziva couldn't see him. He worked quickly and by the time Ziva came out again. Her face had color in it again and he handed her the toast.

"Water too," she said quietly. "I'm a little dehydrated."

"Dry heaving?" he asked.

"Once," Ziva said.

He grabbed a bottle of water and they made their way out the door while Ziva nibbled on a corner of her toast.

Gibbs pulled into Jen's driveway and nearly flew out of the car. He could see her lying on her steps unconscious. McGee instantly dialed the phone, but didn't place the call yet.

"Ambulance, boss?"

"Yes," he said before ever getting to her.

As soon as he was there. He noticed that she had been shot in the shoulder. He could see blood oozing out from under her. She was shot through and through. His heart nearly stopped and he took the phone from McGee.

"911 what is your emergency?" the operator asked.

"We have a Federal Agent shot in the shoulder," Gibbs said.

"I need name, age, agency, and any medical conditions the person might have that you know about, as well as if this was work related or not?" the operator said at once. "We've already dispatched the ambulance."

"Her name is Jennifer Gibbs. She's twenty five and works for NCIS. She's five months pregnant," Gibbs said into the phone.

"Do you know next of kin?"

"I'm her father, and her boss, Jethro Gibbs. Her fiancée is in Iraq. He's the father of her children," Gibbs said.

"Have your agency locate and notify the fiancée, Agent Gibbs," the operator said. "Also, if you have any medical knowledge check her heart and breathing. Is she alert or unconscious? Is this work related?"

"It's too soon to tell if it is work related or not," Gibbs said. "Her heart is weak but stable and breathing is stable. It appears that she hit her head as well."

"Stay with her, the ambulance should be there in a minute," the operator said.

Gibbs hung up the phone. "McGee, call Vance, tell him what happened with Abby and Jen," Gibbs said handing the phone over to McGee.

"Yes, boss," he said dialing the phone again. He listened to it ring a couple of times before the secretary picked it up. "Is Vance in, this is Special Agent McGee."

"Just a moment, Agent McGee."

He waited while the secretary went to tell Vance that he had a call. The ambulance arrived and started to take Jen's vitals.

"When you're done start bagging and tagging and taking photos. If I have to send Tony and Ziva to help you, I will. But, I'll try not to use them. I can't believe we're now two short, plus Abby is not coming into the field. I can't help but think these are related," Gibbs said, rolling his eyes. "I'm going with her to the hospital. Have Abby locate Isaac's CO and tell him what happened."

"Yes, boss," McGee said as Vance answered in his hear.

"Agent McGee, this better be good, I was in a meeting with the Secretary of Navy," Vance said.

"Jen's been shot and is on her way to the hospital. Someone made an attempt on Abby this morning too," McGee said into the phone. "We're two down and I'm at Jen's house now. About to start processing by myself."

"I'll be right there. I'll see if I can get one of these two to help as well, probably not Ziva, she doesn't look well right now, and I need someone to take care of Abby while she's here."

"Thanks boss," McGee said quietly into the phone and hung it up, picking up the camera as he went.

Tony, Ziva, and Abby all looked up as Vance came down the stairs from the catwalk to the squad room. He stopped in front of them.

"Jen's been shot," he said. "Abby, I heard what happened this morning. Tony, could you help McGee with photos or something that doesn't require touching or signing? Ziva, could you help around here with that stuff. Abby, I need you to locate Isaac David's CO and inform him of what's going on."

"Yes," they all said at once and scattered.

Tony kissed Ziva on the head as he headed down toward his car. "DiNozzo!" Vance called to him.

Both Ziva and Tony turned around. They looked confused.

"Both of you," he sighed. "I know you haven't made a decision yet, but we could really use your help around here. We were already one down. With Abby in danger and Jen going to the hospital we are now three down."

"Thinking, Vance," they both said at the same time as they got to work, going separate ways; Tony went into the elevator and Ziva went to a desk where Vance signed her in as McGee. Abby was already down in her lab.

A/N – What a twist of fate! Wonder where that will take us. Let me know what you think!