Title: NCIS – Fallen Hero
Author: D M Harper
Summary: When Naval Criminal Investigative Service's MCRT investigates the death of a decorated Marine, one member finds much more than a motive for murder.
PAIRINGS: Agent Ziva David & Abigail Sciuto; Agent Ziva David & OFC; Abigail Sciuto & OFC.
Rating: MA for Mature readers.
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction borrowing characters from a TV series. Other characters are original, but have learnt to play nicely with the others. No profit is gained and no copyright infringement is intended to creators Donald P. Bellisario & Don McGill or Belisarius Productions, Paramount Network Television & CBS Paramount Network Television.
A/N: Please take a dip into the review pool and leave a message. The Muse gets a little hungry!
Chapter 18
Grayson's vision was blurred as she pulled to the kerb and took off her headgear. Wiping away the tears with the sleeve of her jersey, she didn't need to inspect her left shoulder to know the wound had reopened. The excruciating pain and blood dripping down her arm told her all she needed to know.
As she sat by the roadside, Eli David's previous words to his daughter played over and over in her mind, "Is DiNozzo still lushing over you?" Fresh tears flowed down her face and Grayson struggled with the ache in her heart. "How could Ziva have fallen for DiNozzo's bullshit?" she asked herself. Grayson couldn't determine what hurt the most, the fact Ziva had not confided in her or the reality she had slept with a man only a month before they met. Grayson concluded it hurt either way and pulled on her helmet.
-o-
Twelve minutes later she parked her bike and entered the Emergency Department of Bethesda Naval Hospital. Approaching the reception counter, she waited until the nurse looked at her and said, "Hello, I'm Captain McCall. I was here two days ago with a gunshot injury."
The nurse's eyes focused on the blood soaked jersey, "Obviously you have a problem."
Grayson pulled her dog tags out from under her shirt, "I left the house in a hurry and forgot my identification."
"That's not a problem," replied the nurse as she inspected the metal tags. "Follow me."
Grayson did and entered an examination cubicle.
"Take a seat on the bed and the doctor will be with you shortly."
Putting her helmet on a table, Grayson eased herself onto the bed.
A female doctor joined her moments later, "Hello Captain, I'm Doctor Lucas."
"Hello," replied a somewhat lightheaded Grayson.
"Let's get your shirt off and take a look at your shoulder. How long have you been bleeding?"
"About forty minutes."
Doctor Lucas helped Grayson remove the blood drenched sports top and tee shirt then asked, "Do you feel dizzy?"
"Yes, it started a couple of minutes ago."
"Captain, you've lost a considerable amount of blood and are still bleeding profusely from the original wound."
"I thought so, I made quite a mess," remarked Grayson before collapsing forward and hitting the floor solidly.
-o-
Ziva jumped when her cell phone rang, "I do not recognise the number."
"Maybe Gray is using a pay phone," suggested Amy.
"Hello," answered Ziva tentatively.
"Miss Ziva David?"
"Yes, that is me."
"My name is Sarah Lucas and I'm an Emergency Department doctor at Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland."
Ziva's heart sank rapidly, "Oh my god is Grayson okay? Has she been in an accident?"
"Please calm down Miss David. Captain McCall is currently undergoing a blood transfusion and has not been involved in an accident."
"I am on my way," declared Ziva before ending the call and receiving more information from the doctor. She quickly relayed the news to Amy and Abby then grabbed the keys to Grayson's truck.
-o-
Twenty eight minutes of frenzied driving found Ziva pulling into the hospital car park. The trio ran into the E.D. and Ziva inquired at reception for Grayson's location. Once the women had a room number, the threesome filed into the lift and raced to the nurse's station on the fourth floor.
Both Ziva and Amy displayed their identification while Abby said, "I'm with NCIS too."
Checking the computer screen, the nurse announced, "Miss David, I'll page Doctor Lucas for you. If you take a seat in the waiting room to my left, I'll call you as soon as the doctor arrives."
"Am I not allowed to see Captain McCall?" inquired a stone faced Ziva.
"The doctor will explain everything."
Amy placed a hand on Ziva's shoulder, "Come on let's go sit down."
Ziva allowed herself to be led to the alcove and sat down beside Abby, "Something is wrong."
"You don't know that Ziv," reasoned Abby with a slight grin.
"Then why can we not see her?"
"You're listed as her emergency contact, right?"
"Yes I am."
"So maybe the doc wants to talk to you about what happened to cause her to end up here."
Amy remained silent as did Ziva.
Moments trickled by before a tall brunette entered the room, "Which one of you is Miss David?"
Ziva stood and answered, "I am."
"Hello, I'm Doctor Lucas. I treated Captain McCall down in Emergency."
"Can you tell us what happened?"
"Captain McCall arrived here suffering from severe blood loss."
"I do not understand."
Amy rose to her feet, "I do. Grayson must have opened up her shoulder wound when she slugged DiNozzo."
"That is correct," affirmed Doctor Lucas. "And you are?"
"I'm Doctor George and a Naval Lieutenant."
"I recognise your name from the Captain's medical file. You performed the surgery to her biceps brachii, deltoid, brachioradialis and humerus?"
"That is correct."
"Captain McCall lost consciousness while I was examining her and as a result, hit her head on the floor."
"Oh no!" exclaimed Abby.
"When I called you Miss David, Captain McCall was near the completion of her second transfusion. An MRI was taken of her skull earlier and a depressed fracture was located in the front left side of her cranial bone. The trauma resulted in an epidural hematoma, a blood clot."
"Does she require surgery?" asked Amy.
"She is currently in theatre undergoing a craniotomy."
Ziva reached for Abby's hand, "Thank you Doctor Lucas."
"I'll take you up to the surgical ward and you can wait there. Mrs McCall has been notified of her daughter's condition."
"How much damage was there to her shoulder?" inquired Amy as the group stepped into the lift.
"Several internal sutures in her subscapularis were ruptured, but there was no injury to the tendons or muscles."
Amy sighed with relief, "That's reassuring news."
The lift doors opened and Doctor Lucas led the trio to the waiting room, "A surgeon will speak to you once the procedure is completed."
"Thank you," said Amy as Abby sat Ziva in a chair.
"Goodnight," replied the doctor before leaving.
"Amy," uttered Ziva. "What are Grayson's chances?"
"She'll be fine, I'm sure of it."
"If she is not, DiNozzo is a dead man," declared Ziva with steely eyed conviction.
-o-
Abby called Gibbs, Tim and Ducky with the news and insisted they stay at home until there was an update. Of course Gibbs ignored that advice and arrived at the hospital at twelve thirty.
Ziva broke down when he hugged her then apologised for her weakness.
"Showing emotion for a loved one is not a sign of weakness Ziva," explained Gibbs.
Ziva pressed her face into her friend's shoulder and sobbed, "I cannot lose her Gibbs. Grayson means everything to me."
"She feels the same way about you."
"No she doesn't, she thinks I slept with Tony."
"It will be okay when you tell her the truth."
"What if she refuses to listen to me?"
"Then I'll talk to her, I have your back on this one."
"Thank you," mumbled Ziva as she stepped back and dried her eyes. She sat down and Abby held her hand.
"How long has Grayson been in the O.R.?" inquired Gibbs while he took a seat beside Abby and clasped her other hand.
"One and a half hours," responded Amy. "Under normal circumstances, it's a three to five hour procedure."
Gibbs turned to Ziva, "Have you spoken to Ashley yet?"
"Yes, we talked a little while ago. She is unable to get here until 0800 hours."
"I'll pick her up from the airport," offered Gibbs.
The group of four nervously waited for another four hours before a male wearing dark blue scrubs entered the room. Taking off his surgical cap, the grey haired surgeon spoke, "Are you all here for Captain McCall?"
Four anxious people stood and replied in unison, "Yes doctor."
"I'm Doctor Hill."
Ziva quickly made introductions then asked, "Is Grayson okay?"
"She is in recovery at the moment and is fairly groggy. There was significant trauma to her hippocampus which is located in the temporal lobe and I will be monitoring her for any complications during the next twenty four hours."
"Complications?" queried Ziva in a panicked voice.
"With any injury to the brain there is always the risk of side effects, particularly short or long term damage or post-traumatic amnesia. Captain McCall did recall her name, rank and serial number before returning to sleep, so that is an encouraging sign. I'll know more when she wakes again and can be asked more relevant questions."
"How long will that be doctor?" asked Gibbs.
"The Captain will be weak due to her initial blood loss, so she may sleep for some time."
"Thank you Doctor Hill."
"You'll be advised by nursing staff when Captain McCall has been moved to her room."
The surgeon left and Ziva offered to go get coffee.
"I'll give you a hand," proposed Amy.
The two women strode down the hall to the coffee machine and Ziva turned to Amy with tear filled eyes, "Is there the possibility Grayson may have permanent brain damage?"
"Ziva you heard the surgeon, he said she responded well to his questions."
"I am worried all will not be well."
"She will be just fine and you can explain all about bonehead Tony."
"He was deceitful and I am disappointed with his behaviour."
"We can deal with him later. Abby told me Doctor Mallard said Tony's nose was broken and his jaw fractured."
"Grayson must have been very angry."
"I certainly don't blame her."
"Nor do I."
"Come on, let's grab that caffeine fix."
-o-
"How is Grayson?" inquired a worried Ashley after greeting the others in the hospital room.
"She is still asleep," answered a forlorn Ziva.
Ashley approached the bed and looked at her daughter. Grayson's head was swathed in a white bandage with a drain leading out from underneath the left side. She had a nasal prong delivering oxygen and the side of her face was expansively bruised.
Leaning over, Ashley softly kissed Grayson's right cheek, "She looks so pale." Straightening up, she turned to Ziva, "You can buy me a coffee and tell me what happened."
"I wish to be here if Grayson wakes."
"We'll only be gone five minutes."
"As you wish Ashley."
Abby and Gibbs sat down again while Amy checked Grayson's chart for the fifth time.
"How am I doing Doctor George?" asked a raspy voiced Grayson.
Amy put down the chart and went to Grayson's right, "Considering you are awake and asking that question, tells me you are fine."
"Thank you for saving me," said Grayson as she reached for Amy's hand.
Amy knotted her eyebrows in confusion, "I didn't operate on you Gray."
"Oh, then who fixed my arm?" Grayson looked past Amy, "Gibbs, what are you doing here?"
Amy turned to Abby, "Go tell the nurse to call Doctor Hill."
Abby ran out of the room and Gibbs noted, "I think we have a problem."
Amy nodded, "Gray, do you know where you are?"
Grayson grinned sardonically, "Of course I do. I'm in Camp Dwyer Hospital Garmsir District, Afghanistan. When did you fly over Jethro, are you on a case with NCIS?"
"I didn't fly over Gray," replied a perplexed Gibbs. "What year is it?"
"2008 and you guys are starting to scare me."
Amy squeezed Grayson's hand as Ashley and Ziva stepped into the room.
Grayson looked at the two women and the panic set in, "Okay, why is my mother in Afghanistan?"
"Oh dear god," whispered Ziva.
Ashley went to her daughter, "Grayson, we are not in Afghanistan."
"All right, I'm going to close my eyes then wake up again."
"Honey, you are wide awake."
Doctor Hill, Abby and a nurse stepped into the room and Doctor Hill asked that everyone except Ashley and Ziva leave the room.
"Who's Ziva?" asked a bewildered Grayson.
Stepping in closer, Ziva answered, "I am."
"Oh, are you a nurse or doctor?"
"I am neither," explained the brunette before rushing out of the room in tears.
"What's the last thing you remember Grayson?" inquired the doctor.
"I was being prepped for surgery at Camp Dwyer after being shot in the upper left arm."
"That was two years ago. You have just had a procedure to remove a blood clot from your brain."
Raising her right hand, Grayson touched the bandage on her head, "I don't understand."
"You received trauma to your temporal lobe after collapsing due to blood loss and appear to be suffering amnesia."
"Crap!" exclaimed Grayson in disbelief. "So where am I?"
"Bethesda Naval Hospital."
"In Maryland?"
"Yes."
Feeling a headache coming on, Grayson closed her eyes and asked, "So why am I in Maryland?"
Ashley caressed her daughter's furrowed brow, "You took up a position with the Pentagon on the fifth of April. It is now August the sixteenth."
"2010?" queried Grayson.
"Yes honey, that is correct."
Grayson winced, "I have a headache."
"That's to be expected," explained the doctor. "I'll give you an injection to ease the pain."
Once Doctor Hill was finished, he said, "I know this is rather confusing right now, but you need to concentrate of resting."
"Can I speak to Amy please?"
"Yes, I'll send her in."
Doctor Hill and the nurse left and Grayson turned to her mother, "Mom."
"Yes Grayson?"
"Can you let me talk to Amy alone?"
"Of course, I'll just wait outside."
"Thank you."
Ashley passed Amy in the doorway and went to comfort a distraught Ziva. Gibbs and Abby had departed for work while Ziva had been left on her own.
-o-
Amy smiled and took a hold of Grayson's hand, "You totally confused yet?"
"Yes completely. It's like I'm in some kind of weird dream."
"It's real."
"I remember we had a date planned for dinner after I recovered. Did we go on it?"
"Yes we did."
"I assume because you are here, we are a couple still."
"No we're not, but we are good friends. I'm actually here visiting you and am on leave from Camp Pendleton."
"Oh, were we lovers?"
"Yes, for two years."
"Why did we break up?"
"We never had that kind of relationship?"
"So it was just a sex thing like my other liaisons?"
"Correct and we stopped our arrangement several months ago."
"We did?"
"Yes, you wanted more than I was willing to give."
Grayson smirked, "That doesn't sound like me."
"Well it was and still is."
"Is this amnesia permanent?"
"There is a possibility Gray, but most cases are only temporary."
"You look tired, how long have you been here?"
"A few of us have been here since late last night."
"Do me a favour and take mom home. I assume I still have my house in Arlington."
"You do and sleep would be a good idea."
"I'm sorry I don't remember us Amy."
"It's okay and I'll visit you later."
"Thanks and can you send mom back in?"
Grayson looked at the raven haired women as she entered the room a short time later and thought, "My god she's beautiful." She noted the woman had been crying and looked exhausted, "Am I supposed to know you?"
Ziva neared the bed, "Your mother thought it best if I spoke to you. She has left with Amy and will return after having some sleep."
Grayson smiled at the lightly accented woman and asked, in Hebrew, "You are from Israel?"
"Yes, my name is Ziva David and am originally from Tel Aviv."
Grayson's eyes widened in recognition and stated, "You work with Jethro at NCIS."
"That is correct."
"So you are here waiting with him?"
"No, he and Abby had to leave and commence work."
"Is Abby an Agent too?"
"No she is a Forensics Specialist."
"I must know you both if you are here."
"You do, do you mind if I sit?"
"Please make yourself comfortable."
Ziva sat in the chair closest to the bed.
Grayson reverted back to English, "Do you know Amy?"
"Yes, we met yesterday."
A blonde eyebrow arched in question, "How did you meet?"
"She introduced herself to me when she arrived at your house from Hagerstown."
"So you were at my house?"
"Yes."
"We are friends then?"
"Yes we are."
"I'm sorry I don't recall. How did we meet?"
"You were involved in a case with NCIS." Ziva thought it best not to mention Mason's murder until Grayson recovered more. "You are with the Intelligence Investigations Unit at the Pentagon."
"All this information is pretty daunting." Grayson noticed Ziva twirling the ring on her left hand, "Are you married?"
"No, I am engaged."
"Oh, do I know them?"
"It is you Grayson, you proposed yesterday morning."
"Holy shit!" exclaimed a shell shocked blonde.
"This must be difficult for you?"
"It is, but I have to admit your news is exciting."
Ziva allowed herself a smile, "You are the love of my life."
"God, I wish I could remember having such a gorgeous fiancée."
"It is time you rested and thank you for the compliment."
"Will you stay with me?"
"If that is what you wish."
"I can't explain it, but I feel comfortable and reassured by your presence."
The smile on Ziva's face grew, "As I am always by yours."
"How long have we known each other?"
"Six months."
"Do you know all about Amy?"
"Yes, we have no secrets darling."
Grayson yawned then smiled, she liked the way this stranger spoke the word of endearment, "Do you always call me that?"
"Yes and you call me honey or baby, which I simply adore."
"Are you frightened I won't remember you?"
"I am very scared by that prospect," admitted Ziva as tears fell from brown eyes.
"You are too beautiful to be upset." Grayson gingerly moved over to the left of the bed, "Lay down with me and sleep Ziva. It feels right to have you closer."
Ziva eased onto the mattress and settled in the crook of Grayson's shoulder, "You are very romantic."
"I am? I must have changed when I met you. I wasn't into relationships."
"We both changed our ways when you walked into NCIS at the Navy Yard."
"Was it love at first sight?"
"It was for me, but you resisted my affections before I wore you down."
Grayson chuckled, "I have a feeling that was a smart decision on my behalf."
"It was." With small caresses on Ziva's arm, Grayson grew tired, "Ziva are we happy?"
"There is something I must tell you in that regard."
"Go ahead."
Ziva painstakingly recounted the previous night's incident with DiNozzo.
"So I hit this guy because he insinuated you had slept with him in Paris and was carrying a tantalising picture of you in his wallet?"
"That is correct. Tony is not known for his subtlety. If you had taken your phone with you, I could have explained it all to you and prevented you from ending up here. The truth is Tony and I had to share a room because the Hotel messed up the reservations and there were no more available rooms."
"It's not your fault and by the sounds of things, I was fairly upset."
"I believe you were inconsolable. You once told me I was the only person capable of breaking your heart."
Grayson held Ziva tighter, "I must really love you to have said that."
"You do," responded Ziva in a quivering whisper.
"In that case, I better hurry up and remember."
"I hope so, but if not, I will endeavour to make you fall in love with me all over again. I won't give up on us."
"Is that a promise?"
"Yes."
"I'll hold you to it."
"Do you promise?"
"I most definitely do." Grayson had no idea why she was reacting this way to woman for all intents and purposes was a complete stranger to her. As she succumbed to slumber, she hoped she woke with her memory intact.
-o-