"I asked him for my purse, since I knew I had paper in there. For a minute he got suspicious, but I convinced him that I really just wanted to find my pad so I could write down her name."

"And he gave you your purse?" Fornell couldn't believe what he was hearing. Mrs. Vance nodded. "He handed me his pen, but then I showed him I couldn't write while my hands were tied so…"

"Don't tell me he actually untied your hands?" Gibbs asked incredulous.

"Only the one I write with. So once I had my purse, I rummaged for a while. That is how I was able to turn on my cell phone and turn the volume off."

"That single move may have saved your life, Mrs. Vance."

Vignette Nine- "Hello, Goodbye"- Part Ten

Jackie shuddered. "I also realized that the gun was still in my purse. I was able to slide it out and put it in my waistband."

"Hang on a second. You had a free hand and a gun. Why didn't you just shoot the bastard?" Fornell demanded.

Jackie Vance started to cry. "Way to go, Tobias."

"I didn't know if I had killed Agent David. Everything went through my head how it was supposed to go at the house."

"I didn't want to kill him; I want him to pay for what he did, but not at my hand."

"I was afraid he would move like Agent David did, or I wouldn't hurt him enough and he would kill me."

"OK, ok. So what is this Foundation thing he kept going on about?"

"Well, I actually suggested it, to keep his mind on something other than killing me."

"He said he had been thinking the same thing and then asked for my sticky notes and his pen back so he could start writing up everything he wanted for the foundation."

"If you've seen the notes, you can tell it is totally incoherent. I told him it was brilliant and he had missed his calling. He got all excited about that and was prancing around."

"That's when I saw movement outside and realized someone was there. I didn't want him to see you, so I called him back to me to explain a particular note he had written."

"I laid it in my lap facing toward him, so he would have his back to the door and wouldn't see you."

"So it can be said that you actually helped us apprehend Agent Patrick." Fornell grudgingly admitted.

"Agent Fornell, Agent Gibbs: he needs help. He lost his girlfriend and his mind. I'm not sure he can truly be held accountable for anything he has done. He's in grief."

"That's very generous of you, considering the threat he made against your family. But he didn't lose his girlfriend."

"Cynthia Collier would have nothing to do with Agent Patrick. They were not seeing each other; it was all in his mind."

Jackie looked horrified. "Oh, my God. He told me they were planning to get married and have children."

"Do you think he said all that to win me over?" She was upset to have been duped like that.

"No, Mrs. Vance, I think he really believed that. According to her co-workers she was just about to lodge a complaint about him and was considering stalking charges."

Mrs. Vance looked defeated. "I promised him I would do whatever I could to start this foundation."

Gibbs cleared his throat. "I see nothing wrong with a Foundation for Victims of Acts of Terrorism."

"It can even be set up solely for employees of the Navy and the Marine Corp or even the Navy Yard."

"But it should have absolutely nothing to do with Agent Patrick or Cynthia Collier. She wasn't the only victim."

Fornell cleared his throat. "Mrs. Vance, I have to ask this question because it has really been bugging me. Why didn't just shoot your sofa or something to alert Agent David that there was a problem? You could have pointed outside. She could have gone after Agent Patrick."

Mrs. Vance looked confused. "He was watching me. He would have seen what I did and taken off, to go get my children…" She broke down again.

Jackie slumped in her chair. "So what's going to happen to me now? How am I ever going to explain this to my children?" Fornell signaled for Director Vance to join them.

Fornell looked solemn. "Mrs. Vance, I wish I could tell you that everything will be fine, but that is not solely up to me. The Secretary of the Navy wants a full report."

"Agents David and DiNozzo will also be shown recordings of your interrogation. A lot may depend on the wishes of Agent David."

He picked up his paperwork. "You are however, being released under the supervision of the Director of NCIS. You may go home, unless that is too painful for you right now to face."

"If you would prefer to stay in a hotel, we will arrange for your children to join you. You are both to report back here tomorrow at 0800."

Director Vance stuck out his hand to Fornell. "Agent Fornell, thank you and your teams for finding my wife and bringing her safely home."

Fornell took Vance's hand and left with Gibbs. "When do you need that recording, Jethro?"

"Now." He said.

"Why would I think otherwise? Ok, I'll see what I can do."

Gibbs sat at his desk, thinking about what he had just witnessed. He looked at the empty desks, but mostly at Ziva's and Tony's.

Fornell walked up and handed Gibbs a disk. "This has all three interrogations on it. Do what you want with it, you can't edit it or change it in any way."

"Gee, Tobias. Thanks for the trust." Gibbs said sarcastically.

"You know what I meant. Do they have something they can play this on at the hospital?"

That stopped Gibbs for a moment. "I don't know. I'll call and find out." He picked up his phone. "Thanks Tobias." He added.

Fornell just waved his hand and left.

Tony picked up after the fourth ring. "What took you so long?" Gibbs growled. "I was supervising while they got Ziva up into a chair."

"Wow, she's up in a chair. That's good, right? They wouldn't make her do something like that too soon would they?"

"I haven't understood a single thing they've done since we got here, so I'm not the best source for that kind of stuff." Tony admitted, frustrated.

Tony moved toward the window. "I take it the interrogations are done?"

"Yes, and it was enlightening. Tony, do you have a laptop with you?"

Tony frowned. "No, why?"

"Well, I need something to put this disk in so you can see the interrogation." Gibbs explained.

Tony's eyes widened. "No kidding, they actually gave you a copy? Hang on."

Tony looked at the nurses. "Would it be possible for us to get a DVD player and TV for a while? We need to watch something our Boss is bringing in."

Ziva glanced over at Tony and gave him a worried look, knowing what he was talking about. The nurses looked at each other.

"We have some of those around. Usually they are on the kid's unit, so they can watch movies. We should be able to get one for you. When do you need it?"

"Uh, I think he's getting ready to head over here now. He's coming from DC." One of the nurses nodded. "I know where I can get one. I'll be right back."

"Thanks. Boss, you still there?" Tony hoped he hadn't accidently hung up on Gibbs.

"Still here, DiNozzo." Gibbs said drily.

"Ok, one of the nurse's is going to get us a TV with a DVD set-up, so come on over when you're ready. Ok, see you soon."

Tony hung up his phone, and watched as the other nurses fussed over Ziva to make sure she was comfortable. "How long will she be allowed to sit up?" He asked.

"Well, since this is the first time, we won't make it for too long. Maybe thirty minutes?" The cute little blonde with freckles replied.

"OK, I think she should be in bed when we watch this DVD." Tony went and sat by Ziva. "That is if you want to watch it."

Ziva looked at Tony. "Yes, I need to know why." He took her hand and held it tightly. "Well, Gibbs will be leaving shortly. We'll find out soon enough." He reached up and pushed back a strand of hair.

"How do you feel, sitting up?" He asked, trying not to convey the concern he really felt.

"Like moist spaghetti." She replied. Tony looked confused at that, and then thought he knew what she meant. "You mean like a wet noodle? Like you're all wobbly and have no bones?"

"Yes, that is it, a wet noodle." She sighed. "It is uncomfortable, with this tube in my sidelmj. It pulls…I am afraid I will accidently pull it out."

Tony looked at one of the nurses in alarm. "Is that possible? Could she accidently pull out her chest tube?"

She smiled and shook her head "no." "It's sutured in; it's not going anywhere until the doc decides to remove it."

"Oh, well that's good." Tony sighed. They kept Ziva up for about twenty minutes, but she got tired, so they put her back into bed.

They were just finishing up making her comfortable and checking on all of her lines and the tubing's, when Gibbs showed up.

The TV/DVD player set-up was already in the room, on a big cart. The nurse helpfully turned it on to make sure the settings had not been messed with.

All they had to do was insert the disk and press "play."

Once the nurses left the room, Gibbs went up to Ziva and kissed her. "How are you feeling?"

Ziva smiled wanly. "I was up in the chair for a while. I cannot believe how weak I am." She looked at Gibbs. "So Mrs. Vance has been found?"

"And Agent Patrick." Gibbs added.

Ziva looked confused. "Agent Eric Patrick?" She looked at Tony. "He was behind all of this?" Gibbs and Tony both nodded.

"Are you ready to see this Ziva? You will be reliving what happened to you. I think it's important that you know why all of this transpired, but you could read it in a transcript."

Ziva shook her head. "No, I want to hear her voice, see her face." Gibbs looked at Tony, who nodded.

Gibbs put the disk in and handed the remote to Tony. "I don't need to be in here if you would prefer to view this privately."

Ziva and Tony looked at each other. "Maybe for the first time? Then we can talk to you about any questions we have and go over any parts we need clarified." Gibbs nodded and left the room.

Tony looked at the remote in his hand. He took Ziva's hand in his other. "Are you ready?" Ziva took in a deep breath and nodded yes.

Tony hit the "play" button and the recording began. There were a few seconds of silence, and then the interrogation room came on the screen, with Fornell explaining what they were doing.

Jackie Vance looked exhausted and disheveled, but appeared to be unharmed. They listened in silence as she described what had transpired with Agent Patrick.

Like the group in the viewing room, they both tensed as the time of the shooting was coming up, waiting to finally hear what they hadn't known at the time.

They both listened to Jackie explain the threat to her family, how she was to shoot one or both of them and leave with the Agent. Tony "paused" it there.

"Well, at least we know it didn't have to do with either of us personally, although I never really considered that as a possibility." He hit the "play" button again.

Now she was explaining how she went back into her house to get the purse, and Ziva following her back in. They both knew what was coming next and gripped each other's hands tightly.

Mrs. Vance described exactly what happened: that she was walking ahead of Ziva, that she turned around and pointed a gun and her, said she was sorry and shot her.

They listened quietly as she explained that she tried to shoot Ziva in the arm and when that didn't happen, the second shot was unintentional and she had no memory of firing the gun, that she had panicked.

She ended by saying she ran out the back as instructed by Agent Patrick where he was waiting for her. That was where her testimony ended.

Tony put the disk on "pause" again. They both just sat there for a few minutes, absorbing what they had just seen and heard. Tony finally found his voice.

"You know, when Gibbs told me about the Agent Patrick angle and that this was probably a personal thing about the Vance's; he tried to sell me on the scenario that Mrs. Vance hadn't meant to shoot you the first time as badly as she did and probably panicked and that's how the second shot came off."

"I told him I didn't believe him and that I believe she meant to kill you and second shot was to finish the job."

Ziva had tears running down her face. "I don't know what to think. I can't imagine what she was thinking, how she was feeling, except maybe powerless to do anything except what Agent Patrick told her to do.

"I don't think she felt she had an alternative; that she had to shoot one of us if we came back."

Tony kissed her forehead. "I want to get Gibbs' take on this before we look at any more, ok?" Ziva nodded. Tony went to the door and looked out. He caught Gibbs' eye and waved him over.

Gibbs walked in and could see immediately the effect the recording had on Ziva. He went over to her and hugged her as well as he could without messing up any of her lines.

He took a seat when Tony sat back down. "We just saw Mrs. Vance's testimony. I want to know what your take on it is." Tony asked.

"It doesn't matter what I think. This happened to you, Ziva. Based on what you've seen, you may be asked to indicate what charges you want held against her."

Ziva looked up at that. "Really? I did not know that, or considered that."

"Mrs. Vance was brought in, charged with the attempted murder of a Federal Agent. I think you both can agree, based on her testimony that she never intended to kill you."

"She can still be charged with Assault on a Federal Officer with a deadly weapon. She did win Agent Patrick's trust and was able to turn on her cell phone, which helped us to locate them.

"She also distracted him so the teams could get into position and capture him. Fornell has considered that she assisted in the capture of Agent Patrick, which would help to reduce any sentence if she were to be charged, tried and found guilty."

Tony cleared his throat. "Are you saying Ziva should not press charges?"

Gibbs shook his head. "I'm only saying that you need to look at everything before a decision is made."

Tony nodded. "OK, let's watch the rest of the recording. You can stay, Boss, if you would like." Gibbs smiled slightly at that.

The next interrogation was of Agent Patrick. Tony and Ziva were shocked at his demeanor and words. Tony got particularly pissed when he confided he wished it had been DiNozzo who had been shot.

"Do I even know this guy? Boss, this guy's a nut case!"

"Ya' think, DiNozzo?"

When they heard Fornell read out all of the charges against him, and then Agent Patrick agreed that "that was about it," they both gasped.

And then the implication that it was Ziva's fault she got shot because she should have stayed outside with the kids made Tony get up and pace.

"Calm down, DiNozzo. This guy isn't going anywhere." Tony took a deep breath and sat back down.

Next, they viewed the final interview with Mrs. Vance, explaining how she realized he was disturbed, gained his trust, kept him engaged, the Foundation, all of the writing, the purse, the gun and in the end, keeping him occupied while the teams entered the room to take him down.

"I have to say I'm with Fornell on this one. She should have shot the SOB when she had the chance." Tony griped.

"Well, she didn't need to, although she did press her gun into his back." Gibbs got up, and removed the disk from the player and put in back in its sleeve.

"So what's next?" Ziva asked.

Gibbs shrugged. "The SecNav wants to see this as well. Hell, he may throw her to the sharks. If you want any say regarding her welfare, you will need to come up with it before 0800 tomorrow."

"What happens then, Boss?"

"Director Vance and Mrs. Vance have been instructed to report to NCIS at 0800. I am assuming Fornell and the FBI will then begin with the formal charging."

Ziva cleared her throat, the pain much lessened. "I remember several years ago when I was still the Mossad Liaison that I punch a witnessed in the throat because he would not cooperate and he died."

Gibbs and Tony both nodded, remembering the case. "I knew that I did not intend to kill him, but since I was a trained assassin, it was difficult for me to prove to others that my intentions had been otherwise."

"Even if everyone believed I did not intend to kill, him; I remember the doubt you had that I was still responsible for his death, intentional or not." She directed this at Gibbs.

"Ducky finding a genetic anomaly was fortunate, but I still could have been charged with Involuntary Manslaughter, or kicked out of the country on Diplomatic Immunity."

"Instead, Director Sheppard stated it was a clear case of self-defense. I know I was extremely lucky that day, that my life at NCIS was a heartbeat away from being taken away. She did not have to do that, but she did. She took care of her people."

"Mrs. Vance is not a trained NCIS agent or Mossad assassin. She is not trained to deal with these high-pressure situations that can quickly get out on control."

"I am upset that I was shot and I do not know if I will ever forgive for the loss of our child; but I do not wish her to be taken away from her children; from the man she loves; from her life; because she was placed in a situation for which she had no idea of how to handle."

Tony rubbed Ziva's forehead, frowning. "What are you saying, Ziva?"

She looked at Tony. "I know you are so angry, Tony. I am not even sure how I will feel working with Director Vance again. But I believe Mrs. Vance has been punished enough."

She looked at Gibbs. "I do not wish to press any charges, Gibbs."

Some of you guessed this was coming, but it may not all be up to Ziva…thanks for the great reviews and comments.