Tony DiNozzo had just hung up the phone and was about to take a sip of coffee when an explosion rocked the building. The hot liquid poured out onto the front of his shirt scalding him. NCIS/Mossad agent Ziva David immediately hit the floor simultaneously drawing her weapon. For just a few seconds, chaos reigned in the squad room. Agent Timothy McGee got up off of the floor and said "There's smoke coming from the elevator!" Then he added, "Abby!" He ran for the stairway closely followed by Tony. The pair bounded down the stairs arriving at the door leading to Abby's lab at the same time. The door was blocked by something, and smoke was coming from inside the room. Together, the pair managed to push the door open just enough to squeeze through. "Abby!" Tony shouted. No reply. This time both men were calling their co-worker. There was a lot of smoke and damage but no visible flames. Tony moved to his left searching. Then McGee shouted, "Tony, over here!" On the far side of the room against the wall was the small crumpled form of an unconscious Abigail Sciuto. Tony moved the stricken girl so that she was laying on her back. There was blood on the wall and it was obvious it had come from a gash on the side of her head. NCIS medical examiner Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard arrived at that moment, and moved to the motionless lab technician feeling for a pulse. There was none, and she wasn't breathing. He immediately tore open her blouse and began chest compressions. McGee being the closest to her head, dropped to his knees, pinched her nostrils shut, and covering her mouth with his, began blowing air into her lungs. Tony said, Don't let her die Ducky. She's not going to wind up on your slab like Kate did." The pair continued CPR, stopping only to check for a carotid pulse. Finally McGee said, "I have a pulse" Doctor Mallard stopped his compressions, and could see that indeed Abby was breathing on her own. EMS had been called and soon the wailing of sirens reached their ears. The easiest way at this point to reach the lab, was through the double doors usually used to transport bodies to and from the morgue. Paramedics moved in and soon the forensics whiz was breathing oxygen, and had a saline solution coursing through a vein in her arm. Ducky identified himself as a physician, and accompanied the paramedics as she was carried-firmly immobilized, on a backboard to the waiting gurney, and then to the ambulance.

When Gibbs and Jenny arrived at Bethesda Naval Hospital, it was with the same screeching of tires that got them on their way. Although rarely used by Gibbs, the vehicle had strobe lights and a siren both of which were used liberally en-route. Ducky met them in the ER waiting room. He had been with Abby up until the time she had been taken for x-rays to determine whether or not she had any bones broken in the blast. So far, she was holding her own. There was concern that she may have sustained internal injuries. The doctor warned them that she looked pretty bad, and had two black eyes. This was common with head injuries, and is called "racooning" he said. "Why don't we sit down and wait for more news?" As he spoke, Ducky gestured toward a row of uncomfortable looking chairs. "I know the physician who is treating the dear girl very well" he continued. Abby is young and a fighter as you both well know. She is in very good physical condition which is a plus, and she is in good hands. "And", he added, in God's hands." Gibbs grumbled something, then sat down. He picked up the same outdated periodical three times thumbing through the pages without seeing a word that was written on them. He got up and paced the floor like a caged animal and Jenn could tell he was about to explode. She was going to say something in an effort to calm him, when a doctor approached them. The doctor, a slightly balding middle aged gentleman with wire rim glasses, held out his hand to Ducky saying, "Doctor Mallard, how good to see you again. I am just sorry it's under such circumstances." "Thank you Walter." Ducky replied. He turned and introduced him to Jenny and Gibbs. Dr. Walter Frederick shook their hands and said, "Your friend is a very lucky young woman." There were some minor fractures, ribs mostly, but as far as we can tell, there may be no really lasting effects. She might experience some hearing loss as a result of the explosion, but only time will tell that. Her head wound is our main concern right now, and she has some internal contusions that will heal with time. As you might suspect, she has a concussion. She is going to have quite a headache when she wakes up. Jenn looked concerned and asked, "She is still unconscious?" "Oh, no, not from the explosion. We do have her on a mild sedative however. We have to be careful due to her head injury. She should be conscious and alert in a couple of hours. "Can we see her?" Gibbs asked hopefully. Dr. Frederick nodded his head and said, "Only for a few minutes. We still have a lot of tests to run on her. I'll take you to her room personally."

Sunlight filtered through the curtains of the room. A random sunbeam illuminated the bruised face of the raven haired young woman lying in the bed. Jethro Gibbs leaned over and gently kissed her on the forehead and held her hand. He stood there for a moment on one side of the bed, with Jenny on the other side. Ducky stood near the door with Dr. Frederick. "You hang in there Abbs" he said. "You've got a big mess to clean up in your lab when you get back." Jenn had notice a paper bag Gibbs had been carrying, but had not really thought to ask what was in it. He reached into the bag and produced "Bert" the farting Hippo and placed him on the bed next to Abby. A nurse came into the room and adjusted the drip on the IV leading into Abby's right arm. Jenn touched Gibbs on the arm and motioned toward the door with her head. Gibbs nodded and said softly to the doctor, "You take good care of her for me. She's special."

When Jethro Gibbs returned to the squad room at NCIS headquarters, the first thing he noticed was a swarm of FBI personnel, and to top it off, Tobias Fornell was sitting at his desk. "DiNozzo!" he yelled. Tony DiNozzo was just coming out of the restroom when he heard Gibbs call his name. His first instinct, was to turn around, go back inside, and hide in one of the stalls. Instead, he put on his patented grin and said, "Right here boss." Gibbs glared at him and said, I am going to go outside, and when I come back, I am going to shoot the first person sitting at a desk where they do not belong." Tobias Fornell said, "No need Jethro, I was just checking something out using your computer. You know, this TV looking gizmo that you use to put sticky notes on? He got up saying, "It's all yours." Damned right it is, and don't you forget it" Gibbs snapped. Then he added, "Upstairs in Jenn's office, right now!" Without waiting for a reply, he wheeled and ran up the stairs to Director Jenny Shephard's office. Reaching the outer office, he blew by the receptionist and flung open the double doors. Fornell came up the stairs more slowly, apologized to the young lady outside Jenny's office and followed Gibbs into the room. Jenny had been expecting this confrontation, and steeled herself for the fireworks that she knew were imminent. She forced a smile and said, "Won't you come in gentlemen?" Gibbs leaned over her desk and said, "Get this Jackass out of my squad room!" The Director shuffled some papers then looked up at his face just inches from hers. "I can't do that Jethro." she replied. Gibbs threw up his hands and paced around the room before saying, "Great! I guess I'll just go back down to that shack on the beach in Mexico and go fishing. At least I'll be in charge of that!" "Look," Jenn replied. I don't like this situation any better than you do, but I have direct orders from the Secretary Of The Navy, to give the FBI our full cooperation. Jethro, the bomb was placed in the forensics lab so we have to assume that Abby was the target. Who knows, maybe she found something about an ongoing investigation that she had not had time to tell us about. We are not going to let whoever did this to get away. We have to find out who is responsible and why. That means we do all we can, and use every resource available to accomplish that goal. That young woman has busted her tail for this agency. She was here very early this morning before anyone else, unpacking and setting up new equipment. I suspect that's where the bomb was.
Fornell broke in. "It was. We found the remains of a timing device, and traces of C4 in what was left of what we suspect was a new computer. Apparently, it was rigged to activate the timer when the unit was powered up. It's a wonder she wasn't killed when it detonated. A little more C4 and"--his voice trailed off. Jenny Shephard looked at Fornell and said, "I have been on the phone with your superiors at the bureau. The results of that conversation is that you and Jethro are to share equally in this investigation. In other words, you will stop acting like two school boys fighting, and work together. She looked at them both before continuing. "Do I make myself clear?" "Ah Hell! Gibbs exclaimed, and stormed out of the office. The Director looked at Fornell and said, "I'm not going to have a problem with you am I Tobias?" He started to speak then thought the better of it. He just shook his head. "Good," she replied. "Now go help Jethro find out who did this." With that, she turned back to the paper work on her desk and Fornell excused himself and left the office.