Chapter 2: Hospitals

Chapter 2: Hospitals

When the ambulance arrived at the scene McGee and Tony had already cleared the area and collected the brass from the snipers nest and put the evidence in the van. Kate wanted to collect the bullet from the wall herself. It was the least she could do for him. He had taken a bullet for her. That was a thought she couldn't comprehend, she also couldn't get the thought of how good he looked when he was worried. As she was thinking this, the paramedics were loading Gibbs into the ambulance, the next thing she knew she was climbing into the ambulance and begging him not to die. What she didn't know was that they were being watched.

McGee and Tony stayed behind at the scene photographing where Gibbs had been when he was shot and making sure there wasn't any evidence they had missed when Kate and Gibbs were there.

"Do you think it's weird that they're so close?" McGee asked Tony

"No, they've known each other since like, well forever. And between you and me I reckon that they like each other and won't admit it to each other." Tony replied

McGee felt dismayed at this comment. In his mind he said 'Oh well, I guess we just wouldn't be right together anyway' but out loud he said

"I can see why as well they're almost perfect for each other."

They carried on looking in silence until suddenly they heard another rockslide. Guns out they stood back to back

"Hang on a mo. Tony"

"What? I don't think now is the time for a heartfelt confession."

Tony snapped back.

"What if this is what whoever is making the rockslides happen wants? Make us to make it so that we can't see each other. I suggest we get in the truck and get the hell away from here ASAP."

"Now that is the best idea you've come up with in a while. Let's go."

With that they ran to the truck, Tony had the keys so slid over the bonnet and flipped into the drivers' seat and checking to make sure McGee was inside drove off as fast as possible. When they drove off all that could be heard was an evil cackle and with that a bullet was shot into the number plate. It hit exactly into the middle of the '0'. The shot hit as they were turning a corner, McGee and Tony heard this.

"Either the person is a really good shot or that was just luck. It's not easy to hit a truck that's going round a corner at…" he checks the speedometer "105 miles per hour.

"We'll have to get that bullet out when we get to the lab and compare it to the one in Gibbs."

When this was said by Tony they went on in silence remembering all the good things about Gibbs and all the things he had done that made them laugh. Like the time he caught Tony putting superglue on McGee's keyboard and mouse.

He was around six foot two, silver haired and blue eyed. His eyes, it is said that the eyes are windows too the soul, his were more like solid concrete doors. You didn't see anything through those eyes unless he wanted you to, unless you were Abby and Kate as well. Of course, if you asked Abby, he was a Silver Fox…

Trying to imagine what it would be like without him ay NCIS was like trying to imagine what life would be like without a foot…

At the hospital Kate was pacing the waiting room waiting for any news on Gibbs' condition when a voice from the door said

"You're going to wear holes in the floor if you don't stop pacing like that."

"Jeez Ducky, are you trying to give me a heart attack? Although we are in a good place for me to have one…" Kate trailed off as she looked a Ducky. "Thanks for coming. I know you had an autopsy to do."

"It's no problem. I knew you'd need somebody and you wouldn't want to stop working. You want this case closed"

As he said this, a doctor came in saying

"I'm looking for the family of Special Agent Jethro Gibbs"

At this Kate and Ducky looked up. Kate almost ran to the doctor while Ducky walked up calmly saying to the Doctor

"I'm a medical examiner so I'll be able to explain any medical jargon that you can't explain."

"OK. We managed to save the bone and the muscle and he should regain all use of the limb."

"Did you manage to retrieve the slug from his shoulder? As we need it to run it through ABIS." At the confused look on the doctors face Kate reiterated "ABIS is the Automated Ballistics Identification Systems and has the striation markings of all bullets that have ever been used in a crime. If we got the bullet we could compare the markings against others."

"Anyway… Special Agent Gibbs will have to be on desk duty until his shoulder is fully healed and we have pronounced him fit to work in the field. I would suggest he has the next week off and goes back to the office after that. He's ready for visitors and is asking for one Kate Todd. I wish I didn't have to tell you this but there wasn't a bullet. It was a through and through."

"No bullet? Goddamn it. I'm here anyway." Turning to Ducky "Do you think you could leave us alone for 5?"

"Of course. I have no problem leaving. I have a few people that are of need of my services anyway."

Kate walked into his room to see Gibbs lying with his eyes closed. Presuming he was asleep she picked up the chair, moved it closer to the bed, and put it down on the floor silently. She sat there holding his hand listening to the heart machine beeping away. The longer she sat there the more it annoyed her. Beep….beep….beep.

"You know you can hold my hand more often. It feels nice." At this Kate startled.

"Jeez Gibbs you're the second person to try and give this girl a heart attack. It's nice to see you're awake though." She blushed hoping he had been asleep while she was sitting there and even if he was awake hopefully he was to doped up to hear what she was saying.

"I wouldn't want to give you a heart attack 'coz then I'd have to train a new Agent, and that's just not worth the hassle." He gave her a cheeky grin and continued "plus this was almost worth it to hear those words come out of your mouth." At this sentence Gibbs watched the blush creep up her neck and settle on her cheeks, she also avoided his eyes

"I didn't know you were awake when I said those things. Do you know when you're getting out?"

"Nice subtle change of subject there and yes they said I could go when I wanted to. Kate…." He wheedled

"Yes I can take you home. Have you got anything here? If not get dressed and lets go" With that Kate turned to go out of the door so that he could have his privacy when a call from Gibbs stopped her.

"Kate… I can't put my shirt on with one hand so can you help me please." Stopped her continuing out of the door

"Fine but only your shirt."

After helping Gibbs with his shirt and leaving him to struggle with his trousers they got him out of the hospital and on his way home.