While he waited in his room for the nurse to return with his medication, Gibbs thought he heard familiar voices in the hall outside. Just then the door to his room burst open and in bounded an energized, seriously concerned Goth whom he instantly recognised.

"Gibbs!" she exclaimed making a beeline towards him. "You're here!"

"Abs?" Gibbs said not believing his eyes.

"Oh my poor Gibbs," she said throwing her arms around his neck causing him to grunt in pain. "Oh my God, I'm sorry, did I hurt you?"

"No, eh, not really," Gibbs replied still stunned at the sight of her. "Abs, what are you doing here?"

"The thought of you over here hurt, alone and helpless made me so worried that I couldn't function so there was no point being in the lab doing nothing. I was going crazy so I hopped on a plane and here I am," she explained excitedly.

"I can't believe you came all this way alone," he said appreciatively.

"Oh, I'm not alone," she told him. Just as she spoke the door opened once again, more slowly this time and in walked Ducky.

"Duck?" Gibbs said flabbergasted.

"Jethro, you look …… flushed," Ducky commented straight away.

"Thanks, so do you," Gibbs replied to his old friend.

"Well I've just got off an 11 hour flight, sat in a taxi in 98 degree heat and rushed here to see you. What's your excuse?" Ducky said walking over to him and feeling his forehead.

"Infection or so I'm told," Gibbs replied sounding unimpressed.

"Yes, well I'm here now so we'll soon have you back to your old self," Ducky said positively. "How's the numbness?"

"The what?" Gibbs asked puzzled by the question.

"Numbness. Tony said you were experiencing loss of feeling," Ducky explained.

"Oh, that. Well I think Tony …… misunderstood," Gibbs stammered knowing he couldn't lie to his old friend.

"So you don't have numbness and loss of feeling?" Ducky asked feeling somewhat confused.

"Not really. I just needed people to think I had so I had an excuse to get to Israel," Gibbs admitted sheepishly.

"Really Jethro! How could you? All sorts of scenarios were going through my mind when Tony described your symptoms. I feared the worst," Ducky reprimanded with a disappointed tone.

"Yeah Gibbs! I was so worried about you. And you were lying all the time?" Abby said disillusioned. Gibbs felt like crap, physically and emotionally. He hadn't intentionally set out to hurt the people he cared about. His mind was focused elsewhere so much so that he had never even considered the worry he would be inflicting on Abby and Ducky.

"Well, I did actually get shot," Gibbs pointed out in a vain attempt at his defence.

"Good thing too," Abby snapped "because if you hadn't I might have to shoot you myself for lying to us." Gibbs felt ashamed. Abby was mad with him and that didn't happen very often.

"So, Jethro, are you going to tell us what this ruse was all about then?" Ducky asked inquisitively.

"It's a long story," Gibbs told him. "Why don't you two get settled into your hotel and I'll tell you everything when you come back? Anyway, I'm feeling a bit rough and could do with some rest myself," Gibbs told them. He was starting to feel nauseous.

"You do look tired, Jethro. I might have a word with your doctor on my way out," Ducky informed him. "We'll see you in a couple of hours."

Abby noticed how hot he felt as she leaned in and kissed him goodbye. She said nothing until she got outside the room and then mentioned it to Ducky.

"He has a fever Ducky," Abby said trying not to sound over concerned.

"I noticed that too Abigail. I'll find his doctor and see what they're treating him with," Ducky said as he continued down the corridor. "Why don't you check in on Ziva and the boys?" he suggested. Abby thought that was a great idea.

Abby called Tony on her cell phone and enquired what room Ziva was in. He told her and then asked why she needed to know that. She lied and said that she wanted to get flowers delivered and hung up the phone without any further discussion. She wanted to surprise them. And she did!

McGee, Tony and Ziva were watching t.v. and eating junk food when she leapt into the room shouting "Surprise!!!" Tony jumped to his feet and grabbed his weapon and swung it towards her, McGee fumbled for his as he dived to the floor and Ziva tensed preparing to pounce. Abby was immediately rooted to the floor and put her hands in the air.

"Don't shoot, it's only me!" she shouted waving her arms above her head.

"Abs, what the hell are you doing?" Tony demanded as he lowered his weapon. "You don't jump into an Israeli hospital room, especially not a Mossad Agents hospital room," Tony pointed out. Abby remained motionless, her hands still in the air.

"You can put your hands down now Abs," McGee told her as he stood up and dusted himself down. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard Gibbs was badly hurt so I had to come," she told him. "Ducky's here too."

"Oh oh! Busted!" Tony said sitting back down and grabbing a napkin to wipe the ketchup from his sling. "Would you like a french fry?" he asked her, quickly changing the subject.

"No thanks," Abby replied. It was only then that she got to see Ziva properly for the first time. She stood, looking horrified at the disfiguring injuries her friend had sustained. For once she was speechless. She just walked over to her and put her arms around her as tightly as she could. As usual Abby let her actions do the talking for her. Tony and McGee looked on, Tony bursting to make a comment about girl on girl action but thought better of it. Just as well he restrained himself as he noticed silent tears trickle down Ziva's cheeks as she clung on to her friend. It was the first time she had let the barrier down since her rescue. She always felt like she had to prove that she was just as tough as the guys but inside she was still a woman with female emotions and had suffered more than they would ever know. He signalled to McGee and both men left the room to give the girls some space. He hoped that Ziva would open up to Abby and talk about what had happened to her. She had told them bits and pieces about what had happened but he suspected that she had been holding back. He wasn't sure if it was because she still didn't trust him or that she was embarrassed that she needed rescue. There were still many crevices to be smoothed over before their relationship would ever return to what it once was that was for sure. He hoped that time would help.

-------------------------

The next morning Ducky and Abby returned to the hospital to visit Gibbs and Ziva. Their first port of call was Gibbs. They were totally unprepared for the shock they got when they entered his room. He was lying there unconscious looking jaundiced and wearing an oxygen mask on his face. A nurse was with him.

"What on earth happened?" Ducky asked walking directly to his friend.

"The infection is taking hold despite the antibiotics. I'm waiting for a doctor to assess him and determine the next course of action," the nurse explained. Ducky grabbed the chart from the bottom of the bed and scanned the details. Abby stood back, still trying to recover from the shock.

"Roll him onto his side," Ducky ordered.

"Excuse me?" the nurse said surprised by his demands.

"I'm this man's doctor in the U.S. and I would like to examine the gunshot wound myself," Ducky explained. Satisfied, the nurse rolled Gibbs onto his side where Ducky removed the dressing. The wound looked raw and the skin around it felt hot. Pus oozed from the stitches. It looked a mess.

"This man needs to go back to the O.R. and the wound needs to be cleaned out again," Ducky told her. "It's possible that the ships surgeon missed a piece of bullet or other debris. Did anyone check?" he asked.

"Well, no Doctor. The initial surgery was not carried out here. He was admitted for wound management and rehabilitation only. He seemed perfectly fine until last evening," she told him.

"Well, he's not fine now. In fact if he's not treated soon, he could develop sepsis. By the look of him his liver may already be compromised. When your doctor gets here, I'll need to speak to him," Ducky told her firmly but not rudely. She agreed and went searching for the doctor. Ducky used the time they had alone in the room with Jethro to try and ease Abby's worries.

"I know it must be frightening, Abby, but he will be alright. They just need to find the source of the infection and he'll be back to his old self," he told her calmly as he looked over at his friend.

"I hope so Ducky. He looks so sick though," she said sounding distressed. Ducky squeezed her hand in an effort to comfort her. She kissed him on the cheek in appreciation of his efforts and then went to sit with Gibbs. She placed her hand on his and spoke softly to him, encouraging him to be strong and to get well.

Soon after his doctor entered the room and checked his chart. Ducky introduced himself and in no uncertain terms explained to the doctor his theory on Gibbs' deterioration. The doctor looked at the Obs and meds and agreed with Ducky's diagnosis. He agreed to have Gibbs taken back to surgery and have his wound surgically cleaned and to examine him for any remaining foreign debris which could be causing the infection. Ducky felt relief knowing that Gibbs was going to get the treatment he needed and that his friend should recover.

Keep hanging in there. Posting as I'm writing. As usual love to hear your thoughts!