Author's Note:
Thank you for the overwhelming response to the first chapter of this story...
Here's the next chapter.... Enjoy and Review soon.... Thanks
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Gibbs cursed, rolling so that Ziva was completely shielded by his body.
He heard Tony shout, "Hold your fire! Damn it Roberts, hold your fire!"
"Sorry Tony. I had a clear shot... I thought... I'm sorry." Roberts said.
"Boss?" Tony shouted ignoring Roberts.
"Fine." Gibbs replied. Then he heard Ziva gasp.
"Ziva," he pulled away from her. She gasped again, her eyebrows were drawn, her face pale.
"Where are you hit?" Gibbs demanded.
"Gibbs..." That was all she could say as blood bubbled up and out of her mouth.
"Damn it!" Gibbs shouted getting off her. "Get Ducky and call the EMT's."
"Someone untie me." Tony shouted.
People talked and moved at the same time all around them but Gibbs and Tony's focus was completely held by Ziva. Gibbs looked across her torso, as he ran his hands over her body. Tony rushed to his side and waited.
"Gibbs..." Ziva coughed, more blood splashing out of her mouth and across the front of Gibbs shirt.
"I have to turn you over." Gibbs apologised keeping his fury at the shooter at bay.
"Easy does it Ziva." Tony said.
Ziva moaned as Gibbs and Tony gently rolled her onto her stomach. A bright red patch of blood stained the area just below her right shoulder blade.
"Shit." Tony swore as Gibbs applied pressure to wound causing Ziva to cry out in pain.
"DiNozzo, check on McGee." Gibbs ordered. "Where the hell is Ducky?"
"Jethro," Ducky materialised throw the throng of agents. "Oh dear. What happened?"
Ducky sat down next to Ziva accepting that Jethro would not move out of his way. He lifted Gibbs hand and examined the wound quickly.
"There's no exit wound." Ducky said as Ziva coughed again. "Help me get her onto her right side."
"Punctured lung." Gibbs stated his face a mask of fury.
"I'm afraid so. Ziva dear, try to stay calm. By keeping you on your right side, we will prevent blood from filling your lung." Ducky said as he quickly took her vital signs.
"Someone get me a blanket." Ducky ordered. He didn't have to say it. Gibbs knew Ziva was going into shock.
"Ziva, listen to me." Gibbs bent down to the ground and waited for her eyes to focus on him.
"It hurts." Ziva gasped between painful breathes.
"I know. You need to listen to Ducky and stay calm. I'm right here. I'll take care of you." Gibbs said.
"Who... who shot... me?" Ziva asked. "Why?"
Gibbs was taken aback but didn't let it show.
"What's the last thing you remember?" he asked running a hand across her cheek.
"Mmmm... I ... McGee at his desk.... Tony arriving... I don't know... Argh...." she coughed and gasped at the pain.
"Shh.... it's okay." Gibbs looked up and met Tony's gaze. He looked at McGee, noting that the young man was still unconscious. Ducky moved between McGee and Ziva. He didn't hide his concern at the fact that McGee was still unconscious.
"Ducky?" Gibbs asked.
"His vitals are stable. But I would be happier if he were awake by now." Ducky said.
Gibbs stayed next to Ziva, his eyes moving between her and McGee.
What the hell happened?
Why did you attack us, Ziva?
And the why the hell don't you remember it?
Gibbs felt a hand on his shoulder.
"You need to give the EMT's room to work Jethro." Ducky said.
"Gibbs.... don't.... ahhhh...." Ziva's voice rose.
"I'm right here, Ziva." Gibbs said his hand still in her hair.
"Don't leave me...." Ziva whispered.
"I won't." Gibbs replied.
His hand remained on her head as the EMT's got an IV line going and dressed her wound. He helped them move her from the ground to the gurney. When she gasped in pain, he leaned forward and told her that she was doing great.
As Ziva was wheeled to the elevator, he heard Tony say, "That's it McGee. Open your eyes buddy."
"Tony, go with him to the hospital. Ducky meet us there." Gibbs ordered. "Roberts, don't go anywhere."
"Yes, Sir. I mean agent Gibbs. I'm sorry... I..." The elevator door closed before Roberts could say anymore.
Nobody saw the sharp glint in Roberts' partner's eye or the fleeting smirk on his face as he patted Roberts on his shoulder and told him not to worry.
"Easy for you to say, Jackson. Gibbs wasn't giving you a death glare." Roberts replied.
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Moments later the elevator at the other end of the bullpen opened.
"McGee!" Abby shouted as she ran forward and practically fell across McGee on the EMT's gurney.
"Argh!" McGee groaned.
"Abby!" Tony pulled her off McGee.
"Sorry... Who did this? Where's Gibbs and Ziva? Oh ..." She gasped looking at the ground. "Whose blood is that?"
"Gibbs and Ziva are on their way to Bethesda. Ziva was shot." Tony said.
"What?" Abby and McGee said as one. A moment later McGee moaned.
"We'll discuss the details later. Right now it's time to get you to the hospital." Tony said to Mcgee before nodding to the EMT's.
"I'm coming with." Abby said following them.
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In the ambulance, Gibbs held onto Ziva's hand. The EMT's had placed an oxygen mask over her face but she still seemed to be struggling to breath.
Gibbs replayed what happened in him mind.
"Get off me! Not again. You won't rape me again!"
Ziva had not shared any of the gory details of her capture and imprisonment. But Gibbs wasn't that naive to think that she could have pulled through three months of torture and that is would not include rape. But he had refused to think about that. He didn't want to face that and if she was ready to forget it then so was he.
Only now he realised or rather he admitted to himself that she was still dealing with it, silently, internally and it was manifesting into something dangerous within her.
Now he wanted to know everything. He needed to know everything.
He needed to know so that he could help her.
He needed to know because ... he loved her!
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Author's Note:
That's it for this chapter....
The next sees Ziva and McGee treated in hospital...
Gibbs gets all the details of what happened in the bullpen from Tony and tries to make sense of it...
And Roberts' partner Jackson arrives at the hospital...
So stay tuned and please review soon.... Thank you...