Rush advanced on Gibbs from the front, as Al slowly closed the distance between them in the other direction. The kidnapper's face had hardened and he waved the gun menacingly.
"You were never supposed to find those girls alive. You were supposed to find them in little itty-bitty pieces strewn all over the marina and dissolve into a worthless puddle of humanity because you couldn't handle another failure. You should've failed those girls just like you failed Kelly."
Gibbs shuddered at the sound of his daughter's name on the man's lips, and his stance faltered a bit before he pointed the gun back at Rush's forehead.
"But I didn't fail them Sam," he countered. "You failed in your plan. You weren't good enough. We got through your tricks and traps and got the girls home safe."
"No," Rush said, getting even closer, "you have still failed because you walked into this trap." He laughed, the sound grating on Gibbs' nerves. "I knew you would come. I knew you were too much of a hero to let a man who would kidnap two little girls get away. This whole thing was planned just for you. You deserve to die for the years of my life you wasted." He began pacing, his movements getting more agitated the louder his voice got. "You were the one that caught me and sent me to rot for ten miserable years of my life in that dirty hole they call a prison. I wasted a decade in there and I've spent the whole time planning a fitting end for you, the only one who ever caught me."
Listening to the man's rant, Gibbs became aware that he was even more unstable than the team had thought. This obsessive, escalating behaviour was a serious sign and he tried to decide if he could reason with a man that was losing it, and talk his way out of this trap.
Before he could decide though, Gibbs heard Tony's voice carry down the alley. "Boss, duck!"
Gibbs hit the ground at an angle, landing painfully on his right shoulder and rolling sideways to get out of the line of fire. Two of Tony's shots hit Al Steven's in the back and then man crumpled to the ground in a heap. Without a second to think, Gibbs swivelled around and aimed, a bullet landing solidly between Sam Rush's eyes, the gun that had been pointed at Gibbs' heart falling harmlessly to the litter strewn pavement.
Gibbs closed his eyes, thankful that it was over. The nightmare was over.
Tony and Ziva rushed to him and McGee appeared in the alley moments later, having heard the shots on his way back to the car. He'd ditched the coffee and ran at full speed, arriving just in time to miss all the action.
"Boss!" Tony shouted. "Boss, are you okay?"
"Gibbs?" Ziva asked.
McGee just stood with them and nervously peered over their shoulders.
Gibbs glared at the lot of them to show that he was fine, though he held his shoulder while he got to his feet. When he was standing and could look them in the eyes, Gibbs nodded to each of them, and reached out to squeeze Tony's shoulder. "Good work DiNozzo." He started heading back down the alley and looked back over his shoulder. "Thank you."
Tim pulled out his phone to call in the two dead bodies, knowing it was almost the middle of the night and that they'd be waiting for Ducky in Autopsy Tuesday morning. They all followed Gibbs back to the car and before they split up into separate cars again, he looked at them all sternly.
"How close that was?" They nodded. "That doesn't get back to Jenny." He frowned. "I wouldn't be allowed out of the office for a month."
Tony and Ziva grinned, exchanging glances as they tried to picture the stand off between Gibbs and the Director, as the wife part of her that wanted to keep him safe tried to reason with the agent side of him that knew he belonged on the streets chasing down the bad guys. They headed back to their car, while Gibbs handed McGee the keys and settled into the passenger side, trying to ignore the ache in his shoulder. A little bit longer, and he could finally go home.
NCIS
Jenny received the phone call she'd been waiting for from the security guard working the front entrance of the NCIS building that night. "Thank you Paul," she smiled. "I'm glad they're back."
She looked over to the doorway of her kitchen, where Will was hovering. "Are you sure I can't get you anything Will? Coffee? Tea? Something eat maybe?"
It wasn't the first time she'd asked but the man still declined. "No thank you Ma'am, I'm fine."
Jenny shook her head. She wasn't used to having her security detail hanging around at her house and she wasn't quite sure what to do with them. The one time she'd opened the door to see how Aaron was doing, both men closed in on her and asked her to please stay inside until her husband got home. Though out of respect, they still referred to him as Agent Gibbs.
After waiting a couple of minutes to give them time to get back to the squadroom, Jenny picked up the phone again and dialed an extension after the familiar number for her agency.
"DiNozzo," came the alert but drained sounding voice.
"Tony, it's Jenny."
"Oh." He sounded unsure. "Umm...Gibbs is right here."
"No," she shook her head. "Thank you, but I need to talk to the team. Can you put me on speaker please?"
"Of course." One didn't argue with the boss's boss. It wouldn't end well. Tony snapped his fingers to get everyone's attention and pushed the button for speaker phone.
"Welcome back," Jenny's voice floated out of the phone's speaker. "Good work today team. You got two little girls home safe to their parents and found the men responsible. Paperwork and reports can wait, believe me. I don't want to see any of you before 1400 tomorrow, understand?"
Tony cleared his throat. "Umm...that's really not necessary Director..." but she didn't let him finish.
"Are you refusing a direct order Agent DiNozzo?" Jenny asked, her voice hard. She didn't mean it, but she knew he was only refusing because he thought he should.
Tony glanced at Gibbs who did nothing to help him, having learned a long time ago when to argue with Jenny and when to let it go. When she was trying to help or to care for people, it was better just to play along.
"No Ma'am," Tony said at last.
"Thank you. Now go home, all of you, and get some rest. You've earned it." She hung up, hoping that whatever loose ends there still were would be wrapped up soon. She wanted to look her husband in the eyes and know that he was alright.
The team collectively turned their gazes to Gibbs, who shrugged, then winced when the movement caused pain. "You heard the Director, go home. Sleep. No one shows up before 1400 or you have to answer to me her. Got it?"
Murmurs of 'yes Boss' came from all corners of the room and Gibbs strode towards the elevator, very ready to go home. It had been a long day. Too many emotions, too many memories. And he just needed to see Jenny.
McGee immediately scooped up his things and headed for the back elevator and Abby's lab. Tony leaned against his desk, feeling the heaviness from everything today suddenly weighing down his shoulders. He crossed his arms and looked over at his partner.
"So..." he began and she met his eyes, "since we're stuck with each other..." Ziva's expression was a question. "You remember, the 'don't get out of each other's line of sight' rule Gibbs put in effect earlier?"
Ziva shook her head. "I do not think it applies anymore Tony. Rush is dead."
"Yes," Tony conceded. "But since Gibbs never technically rescinded the order, and the last thing I want is more trouble with the Bossman than I usually get into, I think we should keep it in place, just for tonight."
Before Ziva had a chance to protest, she saw the...neediness in Tony's eyes, for lack of a better word, and realized that she didn't particularly want to be alone tonight either. "What did you have in mind?" she asked instead.
Tony's grin began to creep back onto his face. "My place? Lots of movies to choose from, a comfy couch, leftover pizza," Ziva wrinkled her nose. "Okay, well, there's take out nearby or I'm sure we can find something else edible in my kitchen. What do you say?"
"I say alright," Ziva replied. "Just give me a few minutes to check something and we will go to your place and wreck."
Tony eyed her confusedly for a moment before he finally got it and chuckled. "Not 'wreck' Ziva, it's crash. We'll go to my place and crash."
She shook her head. "Whatever. Five minutes."
He sat down at his desk. "Take your time." Glad that she was willing, Tony waited.
NCIS
McGee entered the lab to find the security guard that Gibbs had left to watch over Abby standing at attention beside the door to her office. He nodded at the man.
"Thanks for staying. You can go now."
The guard waited a beat and then headed back to the security office. McGee set his stuff down and walked into Abby's office. He had to smile. She was laying on her little, plaid, roll out mattress, partially under a desk, using Bert as a pillow.
He squatted beside her. "Abby? Abby? Come on babe, wake up. It's time to go home."
Slowly Abby's eyes fluttered open and she rolled over to look up at him, causing Bert to release one of his signature sounds. She giggled.
"Bert, be polite." Then she turned to McGee. "Did we get him?"
Tim's eyes shadowed but he nodded. "We did. It's over Abby."
She sat up and put her hands on both sides of his face. "What's wrong Tim?"
He tried to look away. "What do you mean?"
She gave him a knowing look. "I mean I know when you're upset and something's wrong. Tell me."
McGee sighed and sat down on the floor next to her. "It's no big deal, really Abby."
Abby took his hand in hers. "Tell me anyways." She knew it'd be better if he got it off his chest.
He rubbed his eyes. "I wasn't there when it happened Abby. Gibbs sent me for coffee. By the time I got back, Tony and he had taken down Rush and Stevens. I was Gibbs' partner tonight, I should've been there watching his back."
"Timmy," Abby said sternly, "we both know that Gibbs and coffee go together like me and Caf-Pow, he has to have it. You were just doing what he asked, that's your job, right?"
"Not to play errand boy," McGee protested.
Abby shook her head. "No, to get the team something they needed to work the case. If Gibbs knew something was going to happen so fast, he never would've sent you away. That's why there's more than just two people on the team. When you couldn't be right there, Tony and Ziva stepped up and took responsibility." She kissed his cheek. "No one, least of all Gibbs, is going to think less of you for what you did or did not do."
McGee still looked unsure, but he appreciated that she was trying to help. Abby stood up, tugging on his hand. "Up. Come on, it's time to go home. I don't sleep so well on the floor, even if Bert does make a pretty good pillow."
He smiled and held her hand tighter. "Come home with me?" he asked.
Abby was surprised. McGee didn't usually offer something like that. "Timmy?" she asked, not sure what he meant.
"I'm still on protection detail, remember? Gibbs didn't say I wasn't still to stick with you, so I'm not risking the headslap I'll get if I don't follow orders."
Even if it was just an excuse, Abby could appreciate him wanting to have someone else around tonight. Kid cases always made the feelings afterwards worse.
"Okay." She grabbed the few things she needed and came back to her place at his side. "I'm ready."
It was a quiet drive home with McGee just holding Abby's hand and caressing the back with his thumb. In silence they got ready for bed and met in McGee's bedroom. Abby knew tonight would be a comfort night, where they shared his bed just to be close to each other, nothing more, but she was okay with that.
For a moment Tim just stood and stared at his girlfriend, then he sighed. "I think I need a hug."
"Oh, Timmy," Abby whispered, drawing her arms around his neck, "it's okay."
McGee clung to Abby, savouring her nearness and needing the love she was showing. When he finally let go, it was only to kiss her once, before they got in bed. Abby curled up facing him, and McGee turned on his side as well, to hold her in an embrace as they fell asleep.
"I love you Timmy," was the last thing he heard and tonight it meant more than usual.
"I love you too Abs," he returned quietly, pulling her just a little closer.
That was how sleep found them. Together, in each other's arms, giving silent support and letting love heal the hurts.
NCIS
When they got to Tony's place, he immediately put on some mindless movie they wouldn't really have to pay attention to, while Ziva rummaged through his kitchen looking for food. In the end, all they came up with was cereal, eaten in bowls while sitting on the couch as they tried to figure out the movie when they hadn't seen the beginning.
Not even an hour later their empty bowls rested on the coffee table and Ziva had curled up on half the couch and was now asleep. It didn't matter that they weren't talking or doing something, tonight Tony had just wanted someone else around. And since Ziva was the closest thing he had to a best friend, she was his first choice.
Playing the gentleman tonight, Tony decided to let Ziva have the couch and moved so she could stretch out if she wanted to. While the credits were playing, he grabbed a couple of the sleeping bags and blankets from his storage closet, and made up a makeshift mattress on the floor between the couch and the coffee table. He surveyed his handiwork and nodded as he shut the movie off. It would do for one night.
Tony lay down on the mattress and got comfortable, watching Ziva sleep for a long time. When he was sure she wasn't going to wake up, he slowly reached up and took the hand that was resting on the edge of the cushion, just holding it. He wanted some form of contact with her, even if he knew she would kill him for trying it if she was awake. He smiled, glad for the peace on her face as she slept. Finally he closed his own eyes and let sleep try and wash away the memories of today.
On the couch, Ziva concentrated on not giving away the fact that she was no longer asleep. She was awake the instant Tony touched her, after all, she was Mossad. It was her first instinct to jerk her hand away or make some silly comment. But she sensed the seriousness in her partner tonight and it had been a bad day for all, Ziva understood wanting to know someone else was there. So she kept pretending to be sleeping as Tony's breathing evened out and deepened. After a long time, she realized that it felt really nice for someone to hold her hand. And that was how she fell asleep.