A/N: I really love where this is going…bring on Chapter 8! Woo hoo!

Chapter 8- Discoveries

Ziva spoke nothing of the incident in the streets last night. At least she survived. McGee didn't show up for work again. By now it was unspoken that he had something personal to deal with. Tony, oblivious to the stressed atmosphere, continued with his antics throughout the day. Kate was unusually quiet. She continually glanced at the elevator door during her chess game, as if she was expecting something. Ziva watched her curiously. A moment later, it happened. Abby walked out of the elevator and headed straight for the bathroom. Kate was watching her so intently the she didn't notice Tony rearranging the pieces on the board. But why would she be interested in what Abby was doing? Things were generally quiet. Gibbs and Director Sheppard milled around, doing their own thing. They were mostly ignored by the team. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore.

"Why doesn't something happen?" she exclaimed out loud, startling even Gibbs in the back. He briefly glanced at her before heading for the elevator.

"Like what?" Kate asked lazily, moving a knight toward Tony's black bishop. He stared at the board and moved a pawn.

"Check," he muttered.

"Like a new case, the building blowing up, someone getting shot, something!" she said, her voice getting louder with each word. They ignored her, continuing on with their game. Abby passed by and skipped over to Gibbs. They spoke briefly.

"All right, see you later!" she said, gaily waving a goodbye as she skipped over to the elevator. Ziva went into the bathroom. The second the door shut behind her, she froze. That wasn't sitting there five minutes ago, she knew. It was a bottle of pills, half empty. She walked over to the counter and picked it up. Half of the label was torn off, but somehow she knew this was Abby's. Its use was still readable, though. For nausea and stomach cramps. She whipped out a cotton swab and took a sample of where the tear was on the label. Time to get nosy, she thought. As she came out, she ran into Abby.

"Uh…hi, Abby," she said nervously.

"Hello, Ziva. I just left something in there that belongs to me," She narrowed her eyes. Ziva calmly stared back. Interrogations never bothered her. She was good at hiding information. Apparently, so was Abby.

"What, your integrity?" she shot back coolly. This was unkind, seeing as Abby was normally an honest person. Abby rolled her eyes and shoved Ziva aside.

"Who asked you, anyway?" she returned with a voice that didn't sound like her at all. Ziva went over to her computer and started a new search. There was fifty prescriptions given out with medications for nausea and stomach cramps. Time to add Abby's name…she paused over the keyboard. Did she really want to know? She looked up and saw Abby talking to the Director now. She held up something to her, and the Director nodded. She ran off, taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Ziva typed in Abby's name and pressed Enter without any hesitation. Forty-nine entries vanished in the blink of an eye. Kate laughed at something Tony said, leaning on his arm.

"Tell me the story again," she whispered, gazing into his eyes like a lover. He chuckled and started talking again.

"Okay, so it was a story night, on the last of my energy when Gibbs walked in the door…" Ziva smiled. Romance. It was a fickle thing. She sat there for a minute, remembering all the dates she had. They were nothing but a blur of mysterious faces and hands that reached where they shouldn't have. Of course, that was also when she used a gun for the first time. She glanced at her computer screen. The medication was purchased last week at the local pharmacy.

Some random forest in Maryland near NCIS…

"Where…where am I?" McGee asked, ripping off the blindfold. There was nothing but trees all around him.

"A place where they won't hear your screams if you don't cooperate…" Victoria breathed. "Now tell me, are you going to take care of the Director?" He nodded nervously, his throat going dry with fear. He felt sick at the thought of hurting his boss, but something had to be done to make her go away.

"Good…you're learning fast," she said, brushing her hand along his arm. He was afraid to look at her. Oh, God he felt awful. This was blackmail. Someone save me, he thought desperately. Victoria was quiet for a few minutes.

"Dispose of the Director, and you keep your girl," she said, melting into the trees. He took in a shaky breath. There was a muffled moan at his feet. McGee looked down.

"Get…Ducky…" Palmer called out weakly, coughing up blood. "She shot my lung…I can't breathe!" McGee took out his cell phone and rapidly pressed 1.

"Probie? Where have you been?" Gibbs demanded.

"Never mind that," he said quickly. "Palmer's been shot! You have to get over here!"

"Where are you, anyway?" he asked.

"I…" He looked around for a sign. There was one just a few feet away.

Maryland State Park

"Uh…Maryland Sate Park," he said. "Just needed to get away for a while. Sorry to worry you, boss. Bring Ducky by, it was Palmer's request," He hung up and tried to keep Palmer's torso elevated. Come on, he thought. Live, Palmer, live!

"Keep talking to me," he cried out. "Come on, buddy!"

"Who was that lady?" he slurred, more blood spewing out of his mouth. He was pale from blood loss. McGee took off his jacket and pressed it on the gunshot wound, keeping the pressure steady.

"Old friend of mine," he answered, counting the seconds. Twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two…the jacket was starting to become soaked with blood. He pressed down harder, determined to save him. Palmer's breathing became labored.

"I…did you see her with anyone?" he asked, trying to distract him.

"No…" he whispered, his voice starting to give out. "She was alone. She was very fast. I could hardly get a glance at her. But I swear I saw her eyes were blue,"

"Blue?" he repeated faintly. "Not green?" He nodded, coughing. Thirty-seven, thirty-eight…how long was he supposed to hold this down again? Oh yeah, sixty seconds. Twenty more to go…

"Yes, I'm sure they were blue," he said.

"Then I don't know her…the one I know has green eyes. I have no idea who you're talking about," Finally the minute was up. He removed the jacket. The bleeding was more sluggish, but he would live now. A car pulled up. The side door opened, revealing Gibbs. He ran toward McGee to investigate.

"Nice job on stopping the blood flow. Ducky will take it from here. You take the car back, I have a ride on the way. Ducky, over here!" McGee headed for the car. The keys were still in the ignition. Ducky had already gotten out of the car. He put the car into reverse and pulled out of there. Time to head back to NCIS.

A/N: Okay. The plot will really start to move forward in the next chapter. Wonder who that stranger was that shot Palmer, hm…-winks- Don't worry, she'll have an important part in the plot very soon…if you pay close enough attention.