Ducky had been among the several members of hospital staff that rushed into the room just moments later. Tony felt himself pulled away from Gibbs' bedside, unable to even struggle against whomever was maneuvering him toward the door. His eyes were too focused on the ashen face of his boss, and his ears on the sound of death emanating from the monitor. He could see nothing, hear nothing else...

Tim had hold of Tony's arms from behind the slightly older man as he tried to pull him from the room. "We have to leave, Tony!" he told him. But the senior field agent didn't seem to register anything being said to him as he clung to the door frame in efforts to continue his observation of what they were doing to his boss.

Tim gave up the struggle and turned in the doorway to watch them work. He, too, was afraid; dumbstruck by what had just happened, and terrified that they might lose Gibbs. He chanced a glance at Tony beside him, still clinging to the frame as he looked on in horror.

Tears rapidly filled his eyes. "Gibbs...c'mon..." he whispered, but Tim could hear him even over the alarms and chatter between the staff. "Please...please, boss..."

Tim couldn't look at him anymore as the burning overwhelmed his eyes and the lump grew heavy in his throat. All he could see now was the doctors intubating Gibbs as they performed CPR. One was readying paddles.

"Clear!" the nurse shouted and they all stood back as she placed them. Tim and Tony both jumped in response to seeing Gibbs' body lifting from the voltage...

Baltimore. 10 years ago...

"Where ya goin', DiNozzo?" Agent Gibbs asked the clearly peeved detective as he headed to his car with a packed box.

He paused only for a moment before resuming his course. "Where's it look like, Gibbs?" he asked as he stuck a key into the trunk lock and opened it up. "I'm out of a job... But I guess you knew that, huh?" He set the box inside the trunk and slammed it closed before turning to face the man that was standing beside him now. "What is it you want from me? I did everything you asked... and look where it got me."

Gibbs stood there with a smirk on his face, silent for a few moments.

"Are you actually happy I lost my job?" Tony asked incredulously.

"A little," he replied.

"What the hell, Gibbs..." He shook his head, then brushed past him to get to the driver door.

"I'm happy, because I want you to come work for me." His reply caused Tony to pause another moment. "Makes it easier when there's no waiting period. Ya know, notice and all."

Tony turned around with that same incredulous look on his face. "You want meto come work for you at NCIS?" Gibbs nodded. "And you can just...hire whoever you want? No questions asked?"

"Think I didn't look through your file?" He quirked a brow.

For a moment, Tony didn't reply. But then a grin lifted one corner of his mouth. "'Course, ya did," he said as he let out a small laugh. "And ya still want me to work for you. Guess ya just skimmed?"

"You takin' the offer or what, DiNozzo?" he asked.

Tony appraised him for a moment, then glanced over at the building he used to call his place of employment. Then looked back at Gibbs. "When do I start?"

Gibbs smiled, then turned on his heel to walk away. "See ya bright an' early Monday morning," he told him. "Don't be late!"

As the older agent got into his company-issued car with one of his team, Tony allowed a smile to slip on his face. "See ya Monday...boss."

Present...

"We've got a pulse!" a tech shouted.

Suddenly Tony could breathe again. But before he and Tim could comprehend what was happening, they were shoved out of the room and Gibbs was being wheeled out and down the hall.

"Where are they taking him?" he asked Ducky.

"The original CT was interrupted mid-way," he reminded him. "They're going to run him through an MRI."

"Why? What happened? Why did that happen, Ducky?" Tony asked.

"That's what they intend to find out, dear boy," Ducky put a hand on his arm. "I'm afraid there will be more waiting on our hands..."

Tbc...