------------"School Days, Pt. 1"------------
Story by R. O. Knight
Based on the hit television series "NCIS"
Created by Donald P. Bellisario

Chloe and Paige had been dropped off at their school by their parents, Gibbs and Abby.

Chloe was now 8 1/2 years old, and Paige was 5 years old.

As usual the sisters had taken up their usual spots on the first bench right outside the school doors where they would wait patiently until time for the teachers to let them come inside so they could go to their classes.

Also joining them on the bench was Chloe's friend Jenny. Jenny was maybe a hair or two shorter than Chloe, and Jenny had shoulder length red hair, and Green eyes. Overall Jenny was a cute little girl. And Jenny was actually a year younger than Chloe, this was because Chloe didn't start school when she was supposed to--her parents held her back until the next year, because they just felt like maybe she wasn't quite ready to start school at that time.

While the two girls sat talking and giggling together, Paige usually sat quietly beside her sister--unless Britney was there, and she usually was there, but not today.

Britney was the same age as Paige, they were in the same grade and class together--which made things so much easier. Britney had dirty blonde hair and hazel colored eyes. Paige had light brown hair and her mother's fierce green eyes.

Paige and Britney had the fact that they both liked horses in common, among other things.

Paige sat and listened to her sister and Jenny talk about, well the kinds of things that little girls in the second grade talk about.

Suddenly a butterfly flew past Paige, and then circled back and landed on the bench beside her.

Paige looked at it, and watched as it fluttered it's wings slowly as it got ready to fly away again. After a second or two the butterfly lifted off and flew away. Paige jumped down off of the bench and followed after it.

That was another thing that Paige liked was butterflies.

Paige followed the butterfly as it flew towards the small playground that was actually not too far away from where she started out (at the front doors of the school building).

"Come back." Paige said, as she followed the butterfly.

-------------------------------------

Chloe and Jenny were talking when the bell rang overhead. All the children who were standing/sitting outside began to make their way into the school building.

Chloe and Jenny hopped off of their bench and, Jenny grabbed her back pack.

"Where's Paige?" Jenny asked, looking around.

"She was-" Chloe started to say, as she looked around and didn't see her sister anywhere.

Chloe began to walk away from Jenny, moving against the crowd of kids trying to get inside the school building.

"Chloe." Jenny called after her friend.

"I'll meet you in class." Chloe called back as she proceeded forward through the crowd.

Chloe finally made it to the end of the crowd and that's when she spotted her sister, in the distance, on the playground with a couple of boys that were bigger than her.

Chloe watched as one of the boys shoved Paige backwards down onto the ground.

Chloe immediately started running towards them, her pigtails bouncing up and down as she ran.

Chloe reached her sister's side in no time. Paige was crying and holding her knee.

"Paige!" Chloe said, as she reached her sister.

Paige's knee was scraped up pretty good.

Chloe dropped to her knees by her sister's side, and examined her sisters' knee.

"It's okay...shhhh...it's okay." Chloe said, soothingly, trying to calm her little sister.

The three boys were still standing behind them, and Chloe could hear them snickering.

"What a baby." one of the boys said.

This remark made all three of them laugh hysterically.

Chloe knew the boys. They were in the third grade, they were bigger, and they were mean bullies.

Chloe turned and looked up at the boys.

"Stop it." Chloe snapped, at the boys.

Chloe turned back to her sister, and began to wipe the tears from Paige's eyes with her sleeve. "It's okay."

"Cry baby." Danny said again, real mean-like.

Danny Wittle was the leader of the group of boys, and perhaps the meanest of the three bullies.

Chloe stood quickly, and turned to face them directing her attention to the leader of the group, Danny, almost immediately.

"What?" Danny snorted, as Chloe stepped up to him.

"I said stop it." Chloe snarled at the boy.

"What if I don't want to?" Danny said, very rudely. "You're not the boss of me." he added, real mean-like, stepping closer to Chloe.

Chloe narrowed her eyes at the boy in just the way she had learned from her father.

The other two boys were intimidated almost immediately by the second grader.

Danny snorted through his nose as he tried to stare Chloe down. Then suddenly, without warning, the boy--Danny--doubled over in pain as Chloe's fist hit its mark right in the middle of his stomach.

"Read my lips...Leave her alone." Chloe snarled, as the boy fell to his knees clutching his stomach.

Chloe and Paige were very close, as good sisters should be. Chloe always looked out for her little sister, whom she loved very much.

Chloe was usually the sweetest most caring person you'd ever meet or even wanna meet, but she had learned from her father (Gibbs) that sometimes you have to be tough--violence always came as a last resort.

Chloe turned and walked back over to where her sister was. Paige wasn't crying as much as before--at this point it was more hiccuping and sniffling than anything else.

Chloe helped her sister up off of the ground, and then proceeded to brush sand and dirt, etc. off of her sister.

Chloe began to lead her away from the boys and back towards the school building.

"You wanna ride?" Chloe asked, sweetly and softly, with a smile.

Paige nodded, as she wiped another tear from her eyes.

Chloe turned around and stooped down so that Paige could climb onto her back. Paige carefully climbed up onto her sister's back, just as the bell rang to signal the start of classes for the day.

Chloe stood up, and shifted her sister, just ever so slightly, so that the weight on her back would be distributed evenly, and then she trotted off towards the school building with her sister on her back resting her head on her sister's shoulder.

---------------------------------------

Chloe carried Paige into the school building, and straight to the nurses' office.

The nurse, Ms. Prentiss, fixed Paige up quickly with a little bit of Neosporin and a band-aid over the scrape on Paige's knee.

Then Chloe walked Paige to her classroom before she herself, went to class.

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A few minutes later Chloe walked into her own classroom where Mrs. Crawford was waiting for her.

Chloe took her seat dropping her backpack down beside her.

"Chloe Gibbs." Mrs. Crawford said, as soon as Chloe had taken her seat.

"Yes ma'am?" Chloe responded, quietly.

"Where have you been?" Mrs. Crawford asked. "The bell rang 10 minutes ago."

"Yes ma'am, I know but-" Chloe started to say.

"She was fighting again." one of the other kids in the room interjected.

"Really." Mrs. Crawford said, not really surprised.

Mrs. Crawford rubbed her hand across her forehead, and let out a sigh.

"I'm sorry to have to say this, Chloe, but this time I think I need to have a talk with your father instead of your mother." Mrs. Crawford informed her, reluctantly.

"No, you can't." Chloe said, suddenly upset by what her teacher had said.

"I'm afraid I have no other choice." Mrs. Crawford said.

---------------------------------------

2 Hours Later...

Gibbs was walking onto a crime scene, with his team following close behind, that they had been called to earlier that morning.

Gibbs ducked under the crime scene tape that marked off the area behind Bethesda Naval Hospital.

"What've we got?" Gibbs asked the police officer who was waiting for him beside the dumpster behind the hospital.

"Dead Marine, from the looks of it." the officer replied. "That's why we contacted you folks, down at NCIS."

"Well, we appreciate the call." Gibbs replied, taking a big sip of coffee from his coffee cup.

The officer began to explain what little knew about the case so far, when Gibbs' cell phone rang.

Gibbs pulled out his phone and read the caller ID, at first not planning on answering it, but when he saw that the number on the phone was that of the school where his daughters went he answered it right away.

"Sorry, this is important." Gibbs said to the officer as he turned away.

"Gibbs." he said into the phone.

After a few seconds...

"Alright, I'm on my way." Gibbs said, just before hanging up the phone.

"DiNozzo!" Gibbs shouted.

"Yeah Boss?" Tony said, as he looked up from taking crime scene photos.

"Think you three can process the scene without me?" he asked.

"Sure Boss." Tony replied.

"Without screwing it up?" Gibbs added.

"Yeah, sure boss...why?" Tony asked.

"Parent/Teacher conference." Gibbs said.

"I'll meet you three back at NCIS, as soon as I can." Gibbs said, as stuffed his phone back into his pocket, and then turned to leave.

"Screw this up, DiNozzo, and you'll be looking for a new job." Gibbs said, as he ducked under the crime scene tape and headed for the car that he had driven up to the crime scene.

------------To Be Continued in "School Days, Pt. 2"------------

------------"School Days, Pt. 2"------------
Story by R. O. Knight
based on the hit television show "NCIS"
Created by Donald P. Bellisario

The principal opened the door to her office and Gibbs stepped inside and found Chloe sitting in one of the two chairs in front of the principal's desk.

"I'll give you two a chance to talk in private." the principal said, as she closed the door to her office.

Gibbs strolled over and pulled the second chair out and sat down.

"Hey." he said softly, to his daughter.

Chloe didn't look up or even try to lift her eyes up to her father's.

"Your, um, principal says that you were fighting, and she said this isn't the first time." Gibbs said, quietly.

There was a moment of silence before Chloe spoke, finally.

"He hurt Paige." Chloe said, quietly and slowly.

Inside, Chloe felt this overwhelming guilt, not because of what she did to that little boy, but because she felt like she had let her father down.

"Oh, I see." Gibbs said.

Gibbs saw a lone tear rolled down Chloe's cheek.

"I promised I would take care of her." Chloe said, her voice a bit shaky.

"I know." Gibbs said, softly.

Chloe covered her face with her hands, and began to sob.

"Oh, sweetheart." Gibbs said, softly.

"I'm sorry." Chloe said, through her sobs.

"You don't have anything to be sorry about." Gibbs said, soothingly, as she got on his knees in front of her.

"Look at me." He said, as he gently lifted her head up so that he could see her face.

"You stood up for your sister, and there is nothing wrong with that." he said, calmly.

"You made a promise to your little sister, and you've kept that promise." he said. "And we always keep our promises...don't we?" Gibbs asked.

Chloe nodded at her father, and as far as she could see there was no sign or trace of anger or disappointment in her father's eyes.

"I love you." Gibbs said, softly.

"I love you to, daddy." she said, as she wiped her eyes, with a sniffle.

Gibbs smiled.

"Now give me a hug." he said, with a chuckle.

Chloe leaned forward and wrapped her arms around her father's neck and they hugged each other.

---------------------------------------

A minute later...

Gibbs stepped outside the principal's office and closed the door behind him.

"I would like to discuss a suitable punishment for your daughter." the principal said.

"Or, we could not, and say we did." Gibbs suggested.

"Sir, your daughter hit a young boy this morning, and this isn't the first time either." the principal said, sternly.

"She defended her sister from a bully who was twice her size, and older than her." Gibbs pointed out.

"Chloe's a good girl, and she's very protective of Paige." Gibbs said.

"She still acted inappropriately, Mr. Gibbs." the principal said, beginning to raise her voice.

"She wouldn't have ACTED that way unless she was provoked, or felt cornered." Gibbs pointed out, sternly.

...A Few Minutes Later...

"So forgive me if I don't agree with that statement." Gibbs said.

"I will not prevent my children from protecting themselves." Gibbs added.

"Okay, I'll tell you what, let's discuss this matter with your wife--sort of a "family council" session." the principal said, in an attempt to regain control of the situation.

"Sure, why not." Gibbs said, sarcastically.

----------To Be Continued in "That's One For The Refrigerator"----------

------------"That's One For The Refrigerator"------------
Story by R. O. Knight
based on the hit television show "NCIS"
Created by Donald P. Bellisario

Paige skipped through the front door of the Gibbs house with a big smile on her face, and Chloe and Gibbs followed close behind.

"Mommy! Mommy!" Paige shouted as she skipped through the house in search of her mother.

"In here sweetheart!" Abby called from the kitchen.

---------------------------------------

Paige entered the kitchen where Abby had just finished putting up the last of the few groceries that she had picked up on the way home from work.

They had managed to wrap up the case that they had been working on early so Director Vance had decided to let eveyone go home early.

Abby was wearing her usual mini skirt, platform shoes, dog collar, black lipstick, etc. as was her custom. Abby and Gibbs had found that when they were out in public together, people had a tendency to stare at them--they knew that as a couple they must look weird to most folks--and they had learned to just laugh whenever they did notice someone staring at them.

Gibbs and Chloe entered the kitchen shortly after Paige did.

"I see you beat us home." Gibbs said, with that trademark grin of his.

"Pretty good, hunh?" Abby replied, with a playful grin.

"I'll say." Gibbs said, as he leaned in for a kiss.

"Mommy." Paige said, trying to get her mother's attention once again.

"What is it sweetheart?" Abby asked, as she looked down at her youngest daughter, who now stood in between her and Gibbs.

"Look." Paige said, as she held up her picture that she had drawn at school that day.

Abby's eyes, somehow, landed on Paige's knee instead of the drawing in her hand.

"What happened to your knee?" Abby asked, as she stooped down to examine her daughter's band-aid covered knee.

"School nurse said she scraped it up pretty good." Gibbs said, as he stuffed his hands into his trouser pockets.

"How?" Abby asked, a worried tinge to her voice, as she picked her daughter up and sat her down on the kitchen counter.

"Mommy." Paige groaned, not impressed with her mother's lack of focus, on the real issue at hand--her drawing that she had done in class.

"Danny Wittle happened." Chloe said, as she retrieved two juice boxes from the refrigerator.

Gibbs chuckled at his oldest daughter.

Abby peeled back the bandage on Paige's knee to inspect the damage.

"Goodness Gracious." Abby said, with a horrified gasp.

On the small kitchen/breakfast table nearby Chloe prepared the two juice boxes, inserting the straws into them with sufficient force to pierce their perforated holes.

"Hold still hon, and let mommy put some medicine and a fresh band-aid on your knee." Abby said, as she reached over and opened the corner drawer just to her left to pull out the supplies that she would need to temporarily play doctor.

"I hope that little monster got in so much trouble for this-" Abby started to say, angrily.

"Not exactly." Gibbs said, from behind his wife.

"But, it seems that our eldest child is quite the fighter." Gibbs added, with a grin.

"Oh, so you know about it then?" Abby asked, nervously, without looking away from her task of doctoring up her daughter's knee.

"I wanted to tell you, but Chloe asked me not to say anything to you." Abby explained.

"I know." Gibbs replied. "We've talked about it."

Chloe walked over to the where her mother and Paige were--her dad tousled her hair, which she had let down out of its pigtails earlier after Danny Wittle had sent one of his goons for payback and all that that had accomplished was that she had ended up losing one of her ribbons/bands that she used to tie her hair up with, as she walked by. Chloe handed Paige one of the juice boxes.

Paige took the juice box, and thanked her big sister just before she put her lips to the straw and sucked in a big sip of apple juice from the carton.

"Chloe, sweetheart, why don't you run and drop you and your sister's backpacks in your room real quickly?" Gibbs said to his oldest daughter, as he ran a hand through his silver-gray hair.

"Okay." Chloe said, with a smile, as she picked up Paige's backpack which her little sister had dropped onto the floor by the breakfast table when she came into the kitchen.

Gibbs watched as Chloe left the kitchen, and headed towards the bedroom that she and Paige shared.

Abby gently rubbed a little bit of some Neosporin anti-bacterial gel/cream on Paige's scraped up knee, and then after she applied that she reached back into the drawer to her left and pulled out a box of assorted band-aids.

Abby looked into the box of band-aids and after a second or two she pulled one out of the box and held it up.

"How about one with ponies on it?" Abby asked her daughter, with a playful, knowing grin.

The five year old just kind of rolled her eyes with a grin, and a slight sigh, as her mother unwrapped the "My Little Pony" band-aid and pressed it gently over the scrapped up area of her knee.

"Mommy." Paige tried, yet again, to get her mother's attention back to where SHE wanted it to be in the first place.

"What is it sweetie?' Abby asked, as she looked up from her doctoring job on her daughter's knee.

"Look." Paige insisted, as she held up her drawing in front of her face so that her mother could finally look at it.

Abby's eyes landed on the color/crayon drawing in her daughter's hands. At first glance, Abby thought to herself "Well when it comes to drawing/coloring Paige sure seems to, at least at this point in her life, have at least some talent."

The picture was of their schoolyard playground on a bright, sunny day. It also showed several cute little stick figures in it as well. The stick figures were separated into two groups. One group, of three stick figures, was off to a far side of the drawing--to Abby they looked like they might be a group of boys; and the other group, a group of two girls it looked like (one slightly taller than the other with what appeared to be pigtails), Abby guessed that it must be Paige's representation of herself (meaning Paige) and Chloe--holding hands on the playground.

Right above the figure that was Chloe, Abby found that Paige had written: "Bestest Big Sister In The Whole World."

Abby smiled a warm smile, as she pulled, gently, the drawing down away from her daughter's face, and laid it down behind her on the breakfast table.

"So, what'dya think?" Paige asked, with a big smile.

"I think it's wonderful hon." Abby said, with a smile, as she hugged her youngest daughter. "I think we should put this one...on the refrigerator."

Behind them, Gibbs grinned at his wife and youngest daughter.

------------To Be Continued in "The Big Picnic Surprise"------------

------------"The Big Picnic Surprise"------------
Story by R. O. Knight
based on the hit television series "NCIS"
Created by Donald P. Bellisario

Story Background:

Gibbs & Abby-- The couple has been together for nearly nine years now, and they are as happy as can be--although I mean you know they do have moments every every now and then, but its very very rare--Their oldest daughter, Chloe, is 8 1/2 (roughly), and their youngest daughter, Paige, is 5 1/2 (roughly). The two sisters get along great (excellent really).

Tony & Ziva-- Have been together, technically, for nearly 4 1/2 to 5 years. They've had a few 'moments', but they're usually pretty good about working things out. They're not married--not yet anyway but they're definitely thinking about it. They've always thought of Gibbs and Abby's children as their adopted nieces (in a way) and they just love'em to death. Ziva's relationship with her father, Eli, has improved considerably over the last few years--in fact Eli makes trips over into the United States to see his daughter and her boyfriend and the rest of their "NCIS FAMILY" (which he often refers to as part of his family as well) as often as he can between all the work that he has to do with Israeli Intelligence/Mossad.

Director Leon Vance & Family-- It has only been almost a year or so since the death of former NCIS Director Jenny Shepherd, and since Leon took her place at NCIS, and things had been somewhat slow in the beginning, but they were slowly getting better. The rest of the team (Gibbs' team) had begun to accept him and his family as part of their "NCIS FAMILY". He and Gibbs still had their moments of disagreement and dis-functionality, but other than that things were looking good.

Jimmy Palmer-- Jimmy was progressing through his medical school/classes, and what not, very well indeed. Ducky enjoyed having him to work with down in autopsy, and Jimmy always enjoyed any little bit of help or insight that his somewhat comical and eccentric mentor could provide to further assist/help him with his studies.

Ducky-- As always he enjoys working down in autopsy helping his "NCIS COMRADES & FAMILY" to unravel one mystery after another. His mother had passed away about a year or two ago leaving the aging medical examiner all to his own, but Ducky never let it get to him or let it get him down. He had/has held on to his mother's precious Corgis and has taken very good care of them. To him his "Associates/Teammates" at NCIS are his "FAMILY", and he delights in being sort of a doting adopted grandfather to Gibbs and Abby's two young daughters, Chloe and Paige.

McGee & Cindy-- Have been together for nearly 2, 3, or 4 years (somewhere around there), and are happy with each other. They have recently been discussing the possibilities of moving in together (even though Cindy isn't/hasn't ever really been comfortable with co-habitation before marriage, and McGee understands that), but its just one of those things where one just has to wait and see what happens, or what plays out.

Mike Franks-- Still lives in Mexico, with his deceased son's lover/almost fiance/almost wife, and her son--his grandson--and he enjoys it. He finds time every now and then to fly up from Mexico to visit his favorite "Probie" and the rest of the gang. To Gibbs and Abby's two young daughters Mike is sort of like an adopted Uncle, and that is just how they like it and just how he likes it.

Eli David-- Despite all of the work he is/was involved with w/ Israeli Intelligence/Mossad, Eli David also found time to spend with his daughter, Ziva, and her boyfriend in the United States of America and their "Extended NCIS FAMILY" (which he also referred to from time to time as being part of his "Extended" family as well). He and Ziva had managed to patch things up, somewhat, between the two of them and now they were getting along like a father and daughter should (well sort of anyway). Eli David also, the NCIS team (as well as others) having found out (kind of/sort of the hard way one might say) that he did, indeed, have a fun-natured side (he had/has a bit of prankster in him), had also developed a side business that, to him, was fun and enjoyable. He made fireworks and sparklers, and that kind of stuff, that were fun and safe for (the) whole family(families) to enjoy; and it turned out to be a pretty good business at that. When he did make a trip over to the United States to see Ziva and Tony, he always delighted in seeing everyone else as well, especially the children. He usually did have the good fortune of being able to spend time with Gibbs and Abby's children, and also sometimes their friends Jenny and Britney--and he would always make sure to bring some goodies and such for the little ones to enjoy.

---------------------------------------

In a Park somewhere in Washington D.C. the gang and friends is gathered around two picnic tables side-by-side in arrangement. They are busy conversing with one another.

"Hey, quit shoving McGee you'll get your turn." Tony snapped, as he felt someone shove him forward, slightly, from behind.

"It wasn't me Tony." McGee insisted, in an irritated tone.

Everyone stood in a single-file style line waiting to fix their plates so that they could eat.

Together the gang had managed to bring together quite a nice spread one could easily say.

It took a few minutes but everyone finally had a plate and was seated and enjoying their meal(s) in peaceful relaxation on blankets spread out in front of the picnic tables.

---------------------------------------

Later that Afternoon...

Tony and Ziva had just announced that they were expecting their own little bundle of joy, and everyone was extremely excited and happy for them.

"Gotta say, I never saw that one coming." Vance commented with a smile, to Gibbs.

"My thoughts exactly, Leon." Gibbs replied, with a grin.

"You know what...this calls for a celebration." Eli exclaimed as he reached into a paper sack that he had brought with him.

The sun was setting on the horizon, and the lighting was perfect for what he had in mind.

From the paper sack Eli withdrew a small, colorfully wrapped object with a short string hanging from it.

He sat the object on the ground a few feet away, and pulled a lighter from his pocket, and then he lit what turned out to be a fuse.

After doing so he rushed Vance's children, and Paige and Chloe back out of the way as the object shot upwards into the sky where it exploded into dozens of sparkling lights and sounds that showered back down towards the earth.

The colorful displays of Eli's fireworks captivated the children who spent the rest of the evening (with their parents supervision of course) playing with Eli and his fireworks and having a good time.

In the background Ziva stood with Tony, laughing at her father acting like a child and having a good time with the children.





......This Chapter Is Not Yet Finished......

------------To Be Continued in "Paige's Dilemma, Pt. 1"------------

"Virus"

A group of kids walk out of a mall somewhere in Washington D.C. laughing and talking amongst themselves. A man approaches one of the girls in the group, they converse briefly, and then she walks away with something in her hand.

Its a beautiful Friday afternoon as the group of kids is led onto a yellow school bus sitting in the parking lot.

On the bus the little girl walks down the aisle and sits down by her best friend, Paige Gibbs, and they begin talking to each other.

---------------------------------------

A few minutes later the little girl, Britney, reveals what the man at the mall gave her. It is a small package of what appear to jelly beans. Happily, the two girls share the candies between themselves, and themselves only.

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Later...

A few hours have passed and making it, currently, 6:30 a.m. Saturday morning.

The house is relatively quiet except for the sound of the television in the living room area, and the coughing noises coming from the back of the house.

Abby walked into the girls' bedroom where Paige was lying in bed, coughing.

"How're you feelin' munchkin?" Abby asked her daughter, softly, as she approached the bunk-beds.

"It hurts." Paige replied, hoarsely, before she spat out another cough.

"I know sweetie." Abby replied, softly, as she ran her hand along her daughter's forehead brushing the hair from Paige's face.

Abby let her hand linger for a moment against Paige's forehead.

"Your fever's up a little bit." Abby said, more to herself, than to her daughter.

"Grandpa Ducky's on his way to watch you guys while I run down to the corner store to get you some medicine...alright?" Abby said.

Paige nodded her approval to her mother...anything to make her feel better.

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Not To Long Afterwards...

Abby walked up and down between two aisles at a different store than the one she originally planned to go to. The other 'corner' store, as she discovered to her displeasure was closed.

She picked up bottles and read their labels and compared them to others as she tried to decide which to get--or which was best.

Suddenly her cell phone rang from within her purse, and she reached for it, pulled it out, and answered it.

"Hello-" Abby started, but then she was cut off by a familiar voice.

"Abby?" the voice said, rather urgently.

"Ducky, what's...?" she tried to ask.

"Abby, I think you'd better meet me at the hospital...and hurry." Ducky said in a way that startled Abby, and caused a wave of fear to wash over her.

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20 Minutes later...

Abby found Ducky sitting in the waiting room of the hospital.

"Ducky...what's going on?" Abby asked, when she noticed that Chloe was sitting in a chair beside Ducky.

To Abby, something just didn't feel right about all of this.

Ducky stood up, and the look that Abby saw was not one that she liked.

Ducky walked over to her.

"She's in good hands...I know Dr. Morrison personally and he's a good man." Ducky explained.

"Ducky...y-you're scaring me." Abby said, slowly.

Ducky paused for a moment, and lowered his voice.

"Paige developed a nasty rash and she was starting to cough up blood...so I brought her here." Ducky said, calmly.

Abby's heart immediately sank in her chest. Her knees suddenly felt very weak and she thought she might collapse their onto the floor--and if Ducky had not grabbed her arm she very well might have done just that.

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5 1/2 Hours Later...

Gibbs entered the waiting area where he found Abby and Ducky waiting for him. Abby, he could tell, was a bundle of nerves sitting next to Ducky.

"Where is she?" he asked immediately.

Ducky and Abby stood up from the seats.

Abby immediately fell apart in her husbands arms.

"They won't let me see her...th-they-they won't say anything...they just keep telling us to wait." Abby stammered, hysterically.

"I'm tired of WAITING." she insisted.

"I know." Gibbs said, as he tried to calm his wife.

"I got here as soon as I could." Gibbs said, looking at Ducky. "Where's Paige?"

"The doctors have had her for quite some time now...and they've been very reluctant to say anything about anything so far." Ducky explained.

"Then we'll find someone who will." Gibbs said, as he kissed Abby, and then turned around searching for someone who worked their.

"B-but I assure you, Jethro, Dr. Morrison and I have been friends for a long time--I trust him and so should you." Ducky added.

"Yeah...well I've never met the guy so I'll reserve judgment for after I know something." Gibbs said, as he headed for the nearby nurses' station.

"Jethro..." Ducky started. "Dr. Morrison is and has always been very capable and very thorough in his work...just like his father was." he added, insistently.

Gibbs approached the nurses' station.

"Yes, can I help you?" the nurse on duty, at the desk, asked.

"Dr. Morrison please." Gibbs said, calmly.

"I'm sorry sir, but Dr. Morrison is in with a patient right now. If you'll just wait a moment He'll-" the nurse started.

"No, I want to see him now." Gibbs insisted.

"Sir, I've already told the others he is with-" the nurse began again.

"-my daughter-." Gibbs cut her off, forcefully. "-Whose sick--possibly dying and I wanna know what the hell's going on!?" Gibbs demanded, raising his voice.

The nurse was shocked by Gibbs' sudden outburst, rude as it seemed, and found herself at a loss for words.

"Something wrong, Susan?" a voice asked from a few feet away.

The nurse and Gibbs both turned in the voice's direction.

"D-Dr. Morrison...n-no sir, I was just telling him that you were with a patient and-"

"That's okay Susan, I'll handle it from here." Dr. Morrison said, with an amused grin.

The nurse nodded, knowing that Dr. Morrison would want some privacy, so she turned and walked away from her station momentarily.

Ducky and Abby had seen Dr. Morrison come in and they had gathered at Gibbs' side.

"You must be, Gibbs, am I right?" Dr. Morrison said, as he extended his hand to Gibbs.

"Indeed he is." Ducky said, from behind them.

"And Mrs. Gibbs I presume?" Dr. Morrison said, as he shook Abby's hand next.

Abby nodded at Dr. Morrison.

"How is she?"

"Ducky was right...straight to the point." Dr. Morrison said, with a slight chuckle. Then suddenly his expression grew quite grim.

"I would like to tell you that she'll be alright, but the truth is...the truth is I just don't know." Dr. Morrison said in a quiet voice.

Abby felt like someone was busy carving her heart out of her chest at that very moment.

"We've done extensive tests and while we won't know anything definite right away, I can say for sure that its unlike anything I've ever seen before." Dr. Morrison added.

"We do, however, have her stabilized for the moment." Dr. Morrison added.

"Can we see her?" Abby asked, her eyes reddened with worry.

"I don't see why not...but I do feel that I should warn you...you may not like what you see."

"We want to see her." Gibbs insisted, quietly.

"Alright...come with me." Dr. Morrison said, as he turned to lead the way.

"I'll stay with Chloe, you two go to Paige. Let me know how she is." Ducky said, to Gibbs.

"Thanks, Duck." Gibbs replied, quietly.

---------------------------------------

Dr. Morrison led Gibbs and Abby into a small viewing room.

Through a single window Gibbs and Abby could see their youngest daughter lying on a bed in the next room hooked up to several different machines.

Abby pressed herself against the glass, and stared out at Paige, helplessly.

"My baby." Abby said, choking up, as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"This morning she was just coughing a little bit with a slight fever." Abby said.

"I know it looks bad, but all of this necessary I assure you." Dr. Morrison said, quietly.

"Is she awake?" Gibbs asked, quietly.

"For the moment, yes, but we're keeping her contained this way until we know whether its contagious or not...just a precaution. And I assure you we're doing everything that we can."

"Those machines are regulating her body temperature and keeping the blood out of her lungs." Dr. Morrison added.

"Whatever it is that's doing this to her...its not something you can just catch out of thin air." Dr. Morrison informed them. "And it seems to be moving through her body quite rapidly." he added, as he adjusted his glasses on his face.

"It actually reminds me of something...a project that I consulted with the Pentagon on 2 years ago."

Abby turned away from the glass and fell into her husbands' arms, sobbing.

"We're gonna lose her Jethro." Abby sobbed into Gibbs' arms.

Gibbs hugged Abby tightly, and tried to comfort her. "Shhh. We're not gonna lose her, we'll get through this." Gibbs said softly, his eyes betraying the way that he was really feeling even though he tried to hide his emotions.

"And you're right." Gibbs said, to Dr. Morrison. "Its not somethin' you just 'catch'." he added. "This was a hit."

---------------------------------------

.........DREAM-LIKE SEQUENCE.........

Paige's eyes constantly darted back and forth across the room searching and scanning its dreary bleakness.

"Hey baby girl." a voice said, softly.

A woman approached the bed where Paige was lying.

"W-Who are you?" Paige asked, hoarsely, somewhat scared at first but then she suddenly felt quite calm.

The woman chuckled, quietly.

"We haven't met, but I'm your Aunt Caitlin." Kate replied softly, with a smile.

Paige tried to clear her throat, but that feat was easier said than done.

"A lot of people are worried about you...you know that?" Kate asked.

"I'm scared." Paige said, and the look in her eyes said it all.

"I know baby girl, but that's why I'm here...to help you get better." Kate replied softly, with a knowing smile.

Kate slowly and gently sat down on the edge of the bed.

"No she's not." a second voice said, in a foreign accent.

Kate looked up and was surprised and horrified at the same time at who she saw standing on the other side of the bed.

The man smiled, in much the same way that he had the last time he and Kate had had the misfortune of crossing paths.

"Hello Caitlin." the said.

"Ari." Kate breathed.

.........END OF DREAM-LIKE SEQUENCE.........

---------------------------------------

"Dr. Morrison, can I speak with you privately?" Gibbs asked, in a low whisper, as he left Abby sitting in a chair in front of the viewing window.

Dr. Morrison nodded at Gibbs and the two of them stepped out of the viewing room, and out into the hall.

---------------------------------------

"Ducky told me everything, well not the details, but that it was important...the 'Black Op' that you're overseeing." Dr. Morrison said, quietly, so that no one else could hear.

Gibbs nodded at the doctor. "It is."

"We can talk more in my office...this way." Dr. Morrison said, as he turned and lead Gibbs down the hall.

---------------------------------------

In Dr. Morrison's Office...

Dr. Morrison sat his medical charts down on his desk, and as he stood behind his desk he chanced a peek out of his window.

"Its almost exactly the same as the strain that we worked on at the Pentagon." Dr. Morrison said, more to himself than to Gibbs. "Except this strains' been modified." Dr. Morrison added.

"Hmm?" Gibbs asked, confused.

"Four years ago, I consulted with some top-level scientists at the pentagon on a project that they were engaged in." Dr. Morrison began. "The project was to create a super-virus that would kill so rapidly that no one would have any chance of survival, due to the relatively small window of time in which to treat the virus." Dr. Morrison continued.

"You succeeded?" Gibbs asked.

"Well that part I'm not quite clear on...see I was only assigned to the project team for about 4 weeks before they said they no longer needed me, and revoked my clearance." Dr. Morrison explained.

"I know your current assignment has a lot riding on it, and I believe that you may be correct in your assumption. This might very well be 'a hit'." Dr. Morrison said.

"Someone at the Pentagon has something to hide." Gibbs mused. "Who had access to this 'super-virus' of yours?" Gibbs asked.

Dr. Morrison sat down on the edge of his desk, and scratched his head. "Only five of us had the necessary security clearance." Dr. Morrison replied.

"Is there a cure?" Gibbs asked.

"Again, I don't know the answer to that question...They were working on something of the sort when I was forced to leave, but whether they finished it is rather hard to say." Dr. Morrison said, as he reached down into the pocket of his white coat.

"And I'm afraid that even if they did, the Pentagon wouldn't help you anyway." Dr. Morrison continued. "But I can offer you this, as a close friend of Dr. Mallard's." Dr. Morrison said, as he pulled a flash drive out of his pocket and extended his hand to Gibbs.

Gibbs took the flash drive from Dr. Morrison.

"What's this?" Gibbs asked, as he rolled it over in his hands.

"Fortunately, when I was forced to leave they forgot to take back all of the research that I had done for them." Dr. Morrison explained. "It's all there...I'm not sure what good it'll do, but maybe it'll help." Dr. Morrison said, finally.

"And we're running out of time." Gibbs added.

"Time...time..." Dr. Morrison mumbled under his breath.

"From the earliest tests that we conducted we were able to divide the spread of the virus into 4 stages...Paige is in Stage 2 right now." Dr. Morrison said, quietly.

"How much time do we have, doctor?" Gibbs asked.

"At this point...its hard to say exactly." Dr. Morrison said.

"How long?" Gibbs repeated his question, a little more forcefully this time.

Dr. Morrison looked up at Gibbs with a somber look on his face.

"18 hours...give or take." Dr. Morrison said, slowly. "Could be a little more than that, but like I said, it's hard to say." Dr. Morrison added.

---------------------------------------

.........DREAM-LIKE SEQUENCE.........

"Oh, don't look so shocked Caitlin." Ari said, with a smirk.

"What'dya want?" Kate asked, angrily.

"Why, this little one here of course." Ari replied, with a fake smile.

Ari reached out his hand to pat her on the head, but Kate intercepted his hand and swatted it away.

"Why fight it Kate, you know you can't save her." Ari said, as he rubbed his hand.

"We'll see." Kate snapped.

"Who are you?" Paige asked, innocently.

Ari chuckled slightly in a way that utterly disgusted Kate, and made her want to puke.

"A friend." Ari replied.

"Don't listen to him baby girl, he just wants to hurt you." Kate said softly, to Paige as she placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

Ari looked down at the watch on his wrist and began to count down from 5.

"5...4...3...2...1...And." Ari said, as he pointed towards Paige who suddenly fell backwards against her pillow without warning.

"Paige...Paige." Kate repeated the little girls' name, suddenly frightened.

"What'd you do?" Kate snapped angrily, as she looked up at Ari.

"Nothing." Ari said, with a smirk.

"Liar." Kate fumed.

Kate then resumed her attempts to bring the little girl back around.

"Believe me Caitlin, there is nothing that you can do." Ari said.

Kate held Paige's hand gently between hers, and brushed a stray strand of hair away from her eyes.

"Be strong, baby girl, be strong." Kate said softly.

.........END OF DREAM-LIKE SEQUENCE.........

---------------------------------------

Dr. Morrison rushed into Paige's room where a team of nurses were working hard to stabilize her.

"She's having a seizure!" one of the nurses exclaimed, as she stepped aside so that Dr. Morrison could get in.

In the bed little Paige's body convulsed uncontrollably.

"Get me 6ccs of Benzodiazepine, stat!" Dr. Morrison instructed, urgently.

---------------------------------------

Later, In The Viewing Room...

Ducky and Chloe have now joined Abby in the viewing room.

Dr. Morrison stepped into the viewing room, as he removed his safety 'Hazmat' mask.

"Is she okay?" Abby asked immediately, as she stood and faced Dr. Morrison.

"We've got her stabilized, for now, but time is getting dangerously short for her I'm afraid." Dr. Morrison said, slowly.

Chloe was only 81/2 but she still knew that the looks on the adults faces meant that her little sister was in trouble.

"Is Paige okay?" Chloe asked, innocently, breaking into the conversation.

Dr. Morrison squatted down to Chloe's level.

"Paige is very sick." Dr. Morrison said very softly (and sweetly).

"Ooh." Paige replied.

"We're gonna do our best to make her better...as a matter of fact I think that you might be able to help us." Dr. Morrison said.

"I wanna help." Chloe repeated.

"Good." Dr. Morrison said with a smile, as he stole a glance at Abby (and Ducky) for approval before continuing.

---------------------------------------

Later...

At NCIS HQ...

Gibbs walked into the squad room to find his team waiting for him, even though it was late in the evening on their day off.

Gibbs had said that Ziva didn't have to come, everybody wanted her to go ahead and start taking things easy, being that she was 3 and a half months pregnant with Tony's child (its her child too); but she insisted that she would be fine and that she was coming with them.

"McGee." Gibbs barked as he entered the bullpen.

"Yeah Boss?" McGee replied, as he stood behind his desk at attention.

"Take this." Gibbs said as he walked by handing Tim the flash drive. "Find out what's on it...and make it fast." Gibbs said as he moved towards his own desk.

Gibbs set his coffee cup down on his desk in front of him.

"DiNozzo, take Ziva and starting questioning people...I don't care what you have to do or where you have to go. Get it done, and do it fast." Gibbs instructed across the bullpen.

"On it boss." Tony said, as he grabbed his weapon, badge, and back pack (Ziva did the same as well).

"Here." Gibbs added, as Tony walked over and took a piece of paper from him. "Abby wrote down everything that she and the girls did from Friday morning until this morning." Gibbs instructed.

Ziva strolled over to Gibbs' desk with her pack in hand, and stood next to Tony who was silently reading the list in his hand to himself.

"How is Paige?" Ziva asked.

Gibbs dropped into his seat and rubbed his hands over his face.

"Not good." Gibbs replied. "She's running out of time, and we haven't even started yet." he added, as he glanced up at Ziva.

"How're you?" Gibbs asked.

Ziva placed her hand over her stomach.

"Good...although if Tony asks me to take it easy one more time, he...won't be." Ziva said, as she shot Tony a look.

Gibbs grinned. "Just be careful okay...both of you." he added. "Now go, get to work."

"On our way Boss." Tony said, as he and Ziva both turned and headed for the elevator.

"McGee?" Gibbs said, as he turned in Tim's direction.

McGee worked feverishly at his desk/computer studying the information on the flash drive that Gibbs had handed him.

"Working on it Boss." McGee replied, knowing what Gibbs was about to ask him.

"Well, work faster." Gibbs instructed him.

---------------------------------------

Meanwhile...

At The Hospital...

Ducky and Dr. Morrison stand out in the hallway outside of Paige's room talking.

"Is there anything that you can do?" Ducky asked Dr. Morrison.

"We're doing all we can Dr. Mallard." Dr. Morrison replied. "I've started her on some antibiotics...I don't know I guess I'm hoping it'll at least buy us sometime." Dr. Morrison said, as he shook his head.

"That's alright, I understand." Ducky said. "At this point I think all any of us can do is pray." Ducky added.

"Perhaps your right doctor...perhaps." Dr. Morrison said.

---------------------------------------

In Paige's Hospital Room...

Chloe and Abby sit in Paige's room together with Paige.

Chloe sits on the side of the bed next to her sister who can barely talk in her current condition, while Abby stands beside the bed stroking her youngest daughter's forehead and cheek trying to comfort her.

"You know what always makes me feel better?" Chloe asks, even though she knows her sister can't answer her.

Chloe leans in close to her sister.

"When daddy does this." Chloe said, as she planted a gentle kiss on Paige's forehead.

Paige looks weakly up at her mother with a scared look in her eyes.

Abby smiles a forced, and painful smile as she tries to comfort her sick daughter.

"I know sweetheart." Abby said, as a tear rolled down her cheek. "Its gonna be okay...I promise." Abby added as she herself placed a gentle kiss on Paige's forehead.

---------------------------------------

Elsewhere...

At NCIS HQ...

"Hey Boss...I think I got something." McGee said, suddenly, from his computer/desk.

Gibbs got up and walk, quickly, around his desk and over to McGee's side.

"What?" He asked, as he leaned over McGee's shoulder.

"Well, so far its all here, all of the research that was used to create the 'Super-Virus'...except, of course, how to cure it. But it does contain a list of names of the people who worked on the project." McGee informed Gibbs.

"Good job. Take off William Morrison's name, and see if you can track down the other four." Gibbs instructed McGee.

"Already on it." McGee replied.

"Good." Gibbs answered. "One of these guys must know the cure for this thing." he added.

"That is if there is one." McGee said, without thinking.

Suddenly he felt Gibbs' eyes boring through his skull, intensely.

"I-I-I mean...th-that didn't come out right." McGee stammered, nervously.

"You think." Gibbs whispered into McGee's ear.

Suddenly Gibbs and McGee heard the elevator ping.

Gibbs looked up and saw Director Vance heading across the bullpen towards them.

"Gibbs." Vance said.

"Leon." Gibbs replied.

"D-Director Vance...um, uh we-we..." McGee started to say.

"Gibbs, may I have a word?" Vance asked, as he pointed to a spot off to the side, away from McGee's desk.

Gibbs followed behind Vance until they reached the spot, at which time Vance spun on his heel to face Gibbs.

"I don't have time for this Leon." Gibbs said immediately.

"I was on my way home to see my family for dinner, when I got a phone call that said some of my agents had come in to work on their day off." Vance started, quietly.

"Yeah." Gibbs replied.

"I want to know why." Vance said, in a low voice.

"Like to share, Gibbs?"

"NCIS is opening an official investigation concerning a biological weapons attack." Gibbs replied.

"An Attack...on who?" Vance asked, his attention fixed.

"Paige." Gibbs replied, as he turned to walk away.

"So it's personal." Vance mused.

Gibbs stopped, turned around, and then leaned in close to Vance--lowering his voice.

"Someone infected my daughter with a deadly 'super-virus' to which...we don't have the cure." Gibbs said in a low, angry voice. "So yeah, Leon, it's personal."

Gibbs turned and began to walk away from Vance, headed back over to his and/or McGee's desk.

"Gibbs." Vance called after him.

Gibbs stopped, but did not turn around.

"What?" Gibbs asked, in an irritated voice.

"What can I do to help?" Vance asked, more calmly at this point.

Gibbs turned around to face Vance.

---------------------------------------

An Hour and A Half Later...

Tony and Ziva stood outside on the front porch of a small house somewhere in D.C.

Tony held his cell phone to his ear waiting for Gibbs to answer.

"DiNozzo?" came Gibbs' voice over the phone.

"Boss." Tony greeted Gibbs.

---------------------------------------

At NCIS HQ...

"Find anything DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked over the phone.

"We've interviewed most of Paige's classmates, and so far we've turned up nothing...until now." Tony replied.

"Yeah, and?" Gibbs asked.

"Does the name Britney Schultz sound familiar to you?" Tony asked.

"She's Paige's friend." Gibbs replied. "Why?" Gibbs asked.

---------------------------------------

Outside a House Somewhere...

"Well according to a next door neighbor her parents rushed her to the hospital a few hours ago." Tony informed Gibbs.

"Coincidence?" Tony posed the question.

---------------------------------------

At NCIS HQ...

"DiNozzo." Gibbs started.

---------------------------------------

At A House Somewhere...

"I know...you don't believe in coincidences." Tony finished Gibbs' sentence.

"Do you want us to check it out?" Tony asked, over the phone.

"Well, yeah, DiNozzo." Gibbs replied.

"Right...we'll call if we find out anything." Tony told his boss over the phone.

---------------------------------------

At NCIS HQ...

"You do that DiNozzo." Gibbs said, as he hung up his phone.

Gibbs looked across the bullpen at McGee's desk.

"McGee?" Gibbs said.

McGee looked up at Gibbs knowing what his boss was about to ask him.

"Yeah boss...I've managed to track down 2 of the 4 persons on the list." McGee informed Gibbs.

"Both of them are here in D.C." McGee added.

"The other two are not. Richard Cox, the project team's leader, died of a heart attack 3 months ago, and Frank Reynolds has been in Africa for the last 6 months." McGee explained.

Gibbs leaned forward at his desk.

"And the other two?" Gibbs asked.

"Um, right, uh...Travis Whittle has been doing 'Viral Research' right here in D.C. with the CDC." McGee began, as he feverishly pressed keys on his computer's keyboard.

"Rene Brenner, is still working at the Pentagon." McGee added.

"I need their-" Gibbs started, but McGee cut him off.

"-Addresses." McGee finished Gibbs' sentence. "Already got'em for you." he said, as he got up and walked over to Gibbs' desk and handed his boss a sheet of paper that he had printed out.

"Good work, McGee." Gibbs said, as he took the sheet of paper from him.

Just then Vance walked out of his office and made the journey down the stairs and around to the bullpen carrying some papers in his hand.

"I called in a few favors at the Pentagon." Vance started.

He handed the papers to Gibbs, who had stood up behind his desk.

"This is a list of known personnel who have and who HAD necessary security clearance to access the 'super-virus'." Vance explained to Gibbs.

Gibbs took the papers from Vance and quickly glanced over them before laying them down on his desk.

"Thanks, Leon." Gibbs said.

Gibbs retrieved his Sig and his badge from his desk drawer.

"McGee come with me." Gibbs instructed as he walked out from around his desk and headed towards the elevator.

"Where are you going?" Vance asked.

"To interview suspects." Gibbs replied, without turning around.

McGee trotted by Vance as he tried to catch up to his boss, back pack slung over his shoulder.

---------------------------------------

Later...

3 1/2 Hours Later...

At The Hospital...

Dr. Morrison and Ducky stood talking, quietly, outside Paige's room.

"I don't wanna say anything to anyone else until I talk to you." Dr. Morrison said to Ducky.

"What is it?" Ducky asked. "Is something..." Ducky started, but then he stopped when he saw the somber expression on Dr. Morrison's face.

Dr. Morrison took a deep breath before continuing. "The virus is attacking Paige's kidneys...which is causing them to fail." Dr. Morrison added.

"We're going to put her on a dialysis machine." he added.

"Oh, good heavens." Ducky gasped.

"And you haven't said anything to Abigail?" Ducky asked.

"No." Dr. Morrison said, with a sigh, as he wiped his brow with a handkerchief which he produced from his pocket.

"And we're running out of time." he added. "We've tried multiple anti-biotics, but at this point I would be scared to try many more." Dr. Morrison said, in an almost defeated tone of voice.

"Yes, yes." Ducky agreed. "We've don't know what effects the mixtures will have on her body...Best not to tempt fate, I suppose."

"From all indicators she's entering into the virus' "stage 3"...from here its only a matter of time." Dr. Morrison said.

"If the anti-viral isn't administered before she slips into "stage 4", I'm afraid it might be too late at that point." Dr. Morrison added.

"I guess its up to Jethro now." Ducky said, quietly.

"I believe you are right, Dr. Mallard." Dr. Morrison agreed.

---------------------------------------

.........DREAM-LIKE SEQUENCE.........

Kate sat on the edge of Paige's bed, talking to the little girl who had finally come back around. Kate had propped up the pillows behind Paige so that they would keep her in a slightly, upright position.

Kate would not admit to herself or to Paige, how bad the little girl actually looked. Kate knew it meant that Paige was getting wore, and time was beginning to run out; but she was determined to put on a brave face, and make Paige as comfortable as possible, and try to keep her smiling and happy--to keep her morale up.

"I-I don't feel good." Paige sniffled, in a hoarse voice.

"I know baby girl, but you're doin' so good." Kate said, softly, forcing herself to smile, hoping that it would help.

They had spent a good portion of time talking about Gibbs, Abby, Chloe, and of course, Teddy, their dog. It made Paige feel a little bit better.

Paige coughed a little bit, and then she turned her head away and closed her eyes.

"You okay baby girl?" Kate asked, softly.

"I'm sleepy." Paige whispered, in a hoarse voice.

Kate ran a hand, gently, over Paige's cheek.

"Hang in there baby girl." Kate whispered, as a tear rolled down her cheek.

.........END OF DREAM-LIKE SEQUENCE.........

---------------------------------------

Somewhere in D.C. ...

At Dr. Travis Whittle's House...

Gibbs and McGee slowly make their way up the front steps of a small house.

"Doesn't look like anyone's home." McGee observed.

"Nope." Gibbs agreed.

The two agents reached the door, and McGee raised his hand to knock. He barely touched it, and it slowly swung open.

Gibbs and McGee wasted no time in drawing their Sigs.

"Ready?" Gibbs asked, quietly.

McGee nodded, and the pair headed into the house.

They moved from room to room, slowly and carefully clearing each one as they went.

---------------------------------------

Travis Whittle's Bed Room...

"Boss, I found Travis Whittle." McGee called from the back of the house.

Gibbs entered the bedroom in the back of the house in just a matter of seconds.

McGee stood looking down at a blood covered body when Gibbs stepped up to his side.

After a moment or so, Gibbs spoke.

"You sure its him?" Gibbs asked, calmly.

McGee stooped down to get a closer look at the body.

"Positive." McGee said, quietly. "There was a photo of him on Morrison's flash drive." he added.

"Looks like he took two in the chest." McGee pointed out.

"Guess he wasn't our guy." McGee said.

"Nope. But it means we're on the right track." Gibbs said, quietly, as he turned to exit the room.

"I'll call it in." Gibbs said. "Start taking pictures."

"On it."

---------------------------------------

At Mercy Hospital...

Tony and Ziva step off of the elevator onto the 5th floor of the hospital.

"The help desk is...this way." Ziva said, as she made a right turn from the elevator.

"Uh, sweetheart?" Tony said, with a half grin, as he grabbed Ziva, gently, before she got too far.

"I think the nurse said it was left...not right." Tony said, with a grin.

"Oh really." Ziva said, with an amused chuckle.

Ziva knew just how finely tuned Tony's sense of direction really was.

"Yes, really." Tony said. "Just stick with me, okay."

Ziva gave a small laugh, and then turned right once again.

"Ziva, I'm telling you that-" Tony started as he jogged after her, catching her from behind only to have her lovingly jab him in the ribs.

Tony winced at the sharp blow to his ribs. 'She can really knock the wind out of a guy', Tony thought to himself.

"Alright...right it is." Tony said, as he attempted to catch his breath while trying to keep up with Ziva.

The couple made their way down to the end of the hallway where they found the help desk waiting just around the next corner.

The nurse at the help desk was a slightly heavy-set black woman in her mid to late thirties, possibly older. She was busily marking up some charts that were stacked in front of her on the desk.

Tony and Ziva stepped up to the help desk, at which point the attending nurse looked up at them.

She gave Tony and Ziva a once over with her eyes, and noticed that Ziva was pregnant.

"I think you two might be lost." the nurse said.

"Lost?" Tony scoffed. "Not possible."

"Sorry hun, but I beg to differ." the nurse replied. "Maternity ward is on the 7th floor, you're on the 5th floor."

Tony and Ziva were confused at first, but then everything clicked once they realized that the nurse had noticed Ziva's stomach.

"Oh, oh sorry." Tony chuckled. "We're not-we're not looking for the maternity ward, no, we are with NCIS."

"NCIS...never heard of it." the nurse said, much to Tony's displeasure.

"Of course you haven't." he mumbled under his breath.

"What was that?" the nurse asked, quickly.

"Nothing...he said nothing." Ziva said, attempting to rescue her lover before he made things worse.

The nurse eyed the two for a second or two before nodding slightly, and then continuing.

"NCIS hunh?" the nurse said.

"Yeah, it stands for Naval Criminal Investigative Service." Tony explained.

"Really?" the nurse replied.

"Yeah, and we're looking for a Britney Schultz." Tony said.

"We were told that her attending doctor is a Dr. Stephen Hendricks." Ziva added.

"Yes, that's correct...but I'm afraid you can't see her." the nurse said.

Tony and Ziva were thrown for a loop by that statement.

"I do not think you understand." Ziva said, in a low voice.

"Oh, I understand alright...but I have strict orders from Dr. Hendricks, and I intend to follow them." the nurse said, harshly.

"Listen, this is a matter of national security, and if you hinder our investigation we will have you arrested." Tony said, in a low, menacing voice which is/was so uncharacteristic of him.

At Tony's statement the three of them found themselves locked in an argument that continued for 2 or 3 minutes or so until Dr. Hendricks approached the front desk.

"Is there something wrong, Berta?" Dr. Hendricks asked the nurse, as he stepped up to the desk.

"No sir, Dr. Hendricks." the nurse said. "These two are here to see the little Schultz girl, but I told them-" the nurse started, before Tony cut her off.

"We're with NCIS, Naval Criminal Investigative Service--" Tony said, as he flashed his badge and credentials. "And we're in the middle of an investigation, and it is very important that we speak with Ms. Schultz." Tony finished.

"Sorry, I'm afraid I can't allow that." Dr. Hendricks said, bluntly.

Now Ziva was getting REALLY frustrated, and Tony knew it all too well. He could see it in her eyes.

"Her condition is steadily declining, and you would only be in the way" Dr. Hendricks continued.

As the doctor spoke Tony glanced over and saw, lying there on the desk, a room chart that displayed room numbers and the patients within said rooms for the entire floor just about.

Ziva opened her mouth to speak, but Tony stopped before she could saying anything.

"We understand." Tony said, flashing a fake smile in the doctor's direction. "We'll just be on our way...oh, but if there's any change, here's my card, just give us call." Tony said, as he hand the doctor his card.

Tony and Dr. Hendricks shook hands, and then Tony practically drug Ziva away.

Once the two of them were out of sight and earshot of the doctor and the nurse Tony stopped and turned to face Ziva.

Ziva snapped, and with only a single swift movement had the doctor pinned to the wall behind them with her arm at his throat.

"What was that all about?" Ziva snapped at Tony.

"Shh." Tony said, quieting her. Tony peeked back around the corner, quickly, and then pulled back. "I saw the room chart." he informed her. "She's in room 514, which is just down this hall I think."

"And how do you know that?" Ziva asked, quietly.

"Because, we passed 510 when we left the help desk...and we're standing right next to 511." Tony said, as he flashed Ziva a triumphant grin.

"Very...deceptive of you." Ziva said, quite amused.

"Come on, we probably won't have much time." Tony said, as he turned and led the way down past two more doors.

"5...14, here we are." Tony said, quietly.

Quickly, and quietly the two of them slipped into the room.

---------------------------------------

Inside the room the little girls' parents were surprised by their unexpected visitors.

The two parents sat up from their chairs and immediately started shooting questions at Tony and Ziva.

"Who are You? What do you want?" Britney Schultz's distraught mother immediately popped off.

"Calm down, its okay." Tony said, with a reassuring gesture, as he pulled out his badge and credentials. "We're with NCIS, I'm Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, and this Officer Ziva David."

"NCIS?" the man next to the little girl's mother asked.

"Yes, it stands for Naval Criminal Investigative Service." Ziva explained.

"Well, what is it you want?" the man asked again. "Neither of us are in the Navy."

"Y-Y-you must have the wrong room." the mother said, with a sniffle, as she dabbed at her eyes with a Kleenex.

"Are either of you familiar with your daughter's classmates?" Tony asked, quietly.

"Only her friends, why?" the man asked.

"What about Paige?" Ziva asked.

The girl's mother stared for a second, and then spoke.

"Paige...Gibbs?" she asked, slowly.

Tony nodded.

"Well, she's Britney's best friend, why?" the mother replied.

"Wait...her father works for NCIS...I remember speaking with him at a PTA meeting once." the man said, suddenly. "What's this about?" he asked, his tone and mood changing, and adapting a little more urgency than before.

--------------------------------------

NCIS HQ...

1 Hour Later...

The Sliding Doors of Autopsy slid open and then shut.

"Whatcha got for me Duck?" Gibbs asked, as he approached his old friend, who had come down to NCIS HQ from the hospital to lend a hand in their investigation.

"Not much I'm afraid." Ducky replied.

Ducky stood looking down, examining a cluster of photos spread out over the surface of one of the autopsy slabs.

"That bad hunh?" Gibbs said, quietly, as he stepped up next to Ducky.

"Without the actual body, Jethro, its extremely hard to make any definitive calls." Ducky informed Gibbs.

"Well, I'm sorry Duck." Gibbs apologized, with a playful grin.

"Yes I know." Ducky replied.

"Travis Whittle was a civilian who was contracted for top-secret work by the Pentagon." Gibbs explained.

"I see." Ducky said. "Well, judging from these photographs, which were so thoughtfully provided by our own young Timothy, Mr. Whittle did indeed receive two shots into the chest."

"Anything else doc?" Gibbs asked, as he switched from being one side of Ducky to the other, so that he could get a better look at the photos.

Ducky reaches into the pile and pulls out a photo that shows a real close-up shot of the wound areas.

"Yes, The second shot would, most assuredly, have been overkill; as the first shot, which entered just below his left nipple would without a doubt have hit his heart." Ducky continued.

"Also, from these photos, it appears that the shots were fired at point-blank range--which makes it is reasonable to suggest that Mr. Whittle knew his killer." Ducky added.

"Yeah, we kinda got that, Duck." Gibbs said.

"And...without the actual bullets or bullet fragments or anything else of the like...it is highly unlikely that you will be able to identify any sort of specifics regarding the weapon that was used." Ducky continued.

"Doesn't really narrow down our suspect pool does it?" Gibbs asked, sarcastically.

"No, I am afraid not, Jethro." Ducky answered, with a sigh.

"But, did you know that many cultures today, still believe that to have one's picture taken is to have their souls ripped from their very bodies to remain trapped forever--" Ducky started.

"Here we go again." Gibbs thought to himself, as Ducky began another one of his Fascinatingly long-winded stories.

"Duck." Gibbs said, sternly, suddenly interrupting Ducky's story.

"Yes?" Ducky asked.

"How is she?" Gibbs asked, referring to his daughter, and suddenly growing very serious.

"Paige...well--well Dr. Morrison informed me that she was slipping into stage 3 of the virus, and that was about an hour ago. Jethro...she is rapidly running out of time." Ducky said, turning to face Gibbs.

"I know Duck, I know." Gibbs said, as he leaned against the steel autopsy slab, and letting out a sigh.

"But the only thing we know for sure is that this makes two of the team members deceased, 1 in Africa--been there for the last six months--and 1 supposedly still working at the Pentagon...and he's the one whose least likely to be our guy." Gibbs vented.

"It just seems like we're constantly running into dead ends on this one, and...my-my daughter is dying, and I'm helpless to do anything to save her." Gibbs continued to vent, tears and frustration showing in his blue eyes.

At this point, Ducky, felt that the only thing he could do was place his hand on his friends' back, and try to comfort him.

---------------------------------------

At Mercy Hospital...

In Britney Schultz's Hospital room...

Mr. and Mrs. Schultz now sat in their chairs once again talking with Tony and Ziva, who were lucky enough that so far Dr. Hendricks hadn't decided to stick his head into the room.

"And you think the two cases are related somehow?" The man asked.

"Yes, that is what we believe." Ziva replied.

"Now, is there anything...anything at all that has happened since Friday morning that seemed unusual or that seemed...I don't know--" Tony began.

"Wait." Mr. Schultz said, suddenly, yet somewhat quietly. "Friday afternoon, after school, I picked Britney up...she said that she had gotten some candy from a 'nice man'...when they were on their field trip." Mr. Schultz added.

"She never said anything to me about it." Mrs. Schultz chimed in, still dabbing at her eyes.

"Candy?" Ziva repeated.

"Yeah, candy...I admit I didn't think anything of it at first, but now...you don't think?" Mr. Schultz said.

"Its definitely possible, the candy could be how she was infected." Tony said, quietly, more to himself than to anyone else in the room.

Tony puzzled over the new information for a brief moment, and then he pulled out his cell phone, flipped it open, and dialed Gibbs' number.

---------------------------------------

AT NCIS HQ...

In The Squad Room...

Gibbs and McGee sat in the squad room at their respective desks.

Gibbs picked up his ringing cell phone and answered it.

"Gibbs." he said, over the phone.

"DiNozzo?" he said, when he heard Tony's voice.

Gibbs listened intently as Tony explained what he and Ziva had been able to find out so far.

"I think Abby did mention, when I talked to her on the phone Friday Night, that Paige had said something about 'candy', but I didn't get all the details." Gibbs said, over the phone.

After another moment or so of listening to Tony talk.

"There's just one problem with your theory, DiNozzo." Gibbs said, into the phone. "Whittle's dead."

---------------------------------------

At Mercy Hospital...

In Britney Schultz's Hospital Room...

"Oh, okay." Tony said, quietly.

"What is it?" Ziva asked, quietly.

Tony moved the mouthpiece of his cell phone away from his mouth, as he leaned closer to Ziva.

"Boss says they found Travis Whittle...dead." Tony whispered to Ziva.

"Yeah Boss, I'm still here." Tony said, into the cell phone.

"Oh, well then if I remember our suspect list the only person left is Rene Brenner." Ziva said, quietly.

---------------------------------------

AT NCIS HQ...

IN THE SQUAD ROOM...

"DiNozzo, tell Ziva we already knew that." Gibbs said into the phone, having heard Ziva's remark.

---------------------------------------

At Mercy Hospital...

In Britney Schultz's Hospital Room...

Tony turned to Ziva.

"Boss said to tell you-" Tony began.

"I know, I heard." Ziva said, as she rolled her eyes.

Mrs. Schultz stood up.

"Did you say, Rene Brenner?" Mrs. Schultz asked Ziva.

"I did, yes." Ziva replied.

"Boss, could you hold on just a second." Tony said into the phone as he turned to look at Mrs. Schultz.

"Oh my-my..." Mrs.Schultz staggered backwards towards her chair, gasping for air.

"Mrs. Schultz, are you alright?" Tony asked, as he, Ziva, and Mr. Schultz moved over closer to help Mrs. Schultz.

The three of them managed to get a now sobbing Mrs. Schultz back into her seat.

"Rene--Rene was my first husband...Britney's father..." Mrs. Schultz sobbed.

Tony and Ziva exchanged glances at one another.

Mr. Schultz held Mrs. Schultz's hand and tried to comfort her.

"We were together for only 5 years, then we had Britney, she was only a year old when Rene and I separated." Mrs. Schultz continued.

"That was about 4 years ago, after he started working for the Pentagon. I didn't want to take the chance that Britney might get infected with something that Rene brought home." Mrs. Schultz continued, still sobbing, and dabbing at her eyes with a fresh Kleenex given to her by Mr. Schultz.

"Mark and I met and married about 2 years ago. He adopted Britney as his own." Mrs. Schultz continued. "I never would have thought that he would do something like this...ever." Mrs. Schultz said, with a sniffle.

Tony and Ziva swapped glances once more, and then Tony resumed his conversation with Gibbs over the phone.

"Boss-" Tony started.

---------------------------------------

At NCIS HQ...

IN THE SQUAD ROOM...

Gibbs jumped up from his chair, grabbed his Sig and his badge, while motioning to McGee to 'Gear-Up' as it were.

"Do you still have the list I gave you?" Gibbs asked, over the phone, cutting DiNozzo off before he could finish his sentence.

"Yeah." DiNozzo replied, over the phone.

Gibbs and McGee stepped onto the elevator.

"Good. Brenner's address is on that list...we'll meet you there." Gibbs said, and then abruptly shut his cell phone as the elevator doors closed.

---------------------------------------

At Mercy Hospital...

In Britney Schultz's Hospital Room...

Tony and Ziva step outside the room and head down the hallway towards where they expect to find an elevator.

"Makes sense." Tony said, to Ziva.

"Yes, but we'll we get to him in time, and we'll he have the anti-virus?" Ziva replied, as they neared the elevator at the end of the hallway.

Tony shot a worried glance at Ziva.

"We don't have a choice." he said, to Ziva.

"This is our last chance." Tony said, in a low voice.

---------------------------------------

A Few Minutes Later...

IN THE NCIS COMPANY CAR...

Gibbs and McGee are speeding down the highway (or whatever) towards Rene Brenner's home.

Gibbs pulls out his cell phone and dials Abby's cell phone number.

---------------------------------------

Washington D.C. General Hospital...

Paige's Hospital Room...

Abby reaches into her pocket and pulls out her cell phone, and then she answers it.

"H-hello?" she says into the phone, with a sniffle and a hiccup.

"Abs." Gibbs' voice is heard over the phone.

"Jethro, where are you?" Abby asks, as she tries not to start sobbing again.

---------------------------------------

IN THE NCIS COMPANY CAR...

"We're on our way to get the anti-virus now." Gibbs replied, over the phone.

---------------------------------------

Washington D.C. General Hospital...

Paige's Hospital Room...

"Jethro, please hurry." Abby sobbed, over the phone. "Dr. Morrison said if Paige doesn't get the anti-virus within the next two hours she'll slip into 'stage 4', and by then it'll be too late to save her."

Abby glanced over at Paige lying unconscious in the hospital bed with Chloe sitting next to her.

---------------------------------------

IN THE NCIS COMPANY CAR...

"Abby, I promise you...she'll get that anti-virus...I promise." Gibbs said.

"Please, hurry." Abby pleaded with Gibbs one more time.

Gibbs then hung up the phone with a 'Snap'.

"Hang on McGee." Gibbs said suddenly, as he pressed the gas pedal even closer to the floor, causing the car to lurch forward faster and faster.

---------------------------------------

Outside Rene Brenner's Home...

33 Minutes Later...

Gibbs and McGee, and Tony and Ziva all pull up at about the same time.

The four jump out of their respective cars, armed and ready.

There are lights on in the front of the house.

They silently, and yet quickly make their way up the front lawn and towards the door. Gibbs gives directions to his team.

While the team checks and re-checks their Sigs and their Kevlar vests, and etc. Tony steps up next to Gibbs.

"You really think we can win this one, Boss?" Tony asked, quietly, as he stood next to Gibbs.

Gibbs slammed the ammo clip back up into his Sig, and primed the weapon for use. After he finished he looked up at Tony.

Gibbs placed a hand on Tony's shoulder and squeezed it gently as he looked into his senior field agent's eyes.

"If its worth fighting for, you fight like hell even if you think you might lose." Gibbs whispered, quietly, to Tony.

A few moments later...

He motioned for Tony and Ziva to go around back, the objective being to box Brenner in so that he can not escape from them.

Once Tony and Ziva give the signal over their ear-pieces that they are in position, Gibbs knocks on the front door.

"Rene Brenner! Open Up, Federal Agents!" Gibbs calls out through the front door.

Gibbs waits about 10 seconds, if even that long, before he gives his team the go ahead.

"Alright, Brenner, We're Comin' In!" Gibbs shouts as he rears back and kicks in the front door.

---------------------------------------

Gibbs and McGee step inside the house and look around quickly before several rounds are fired over their heads.

"Aah!" McGee yelps as one round pegs him in the center of his Kevlar vest, and sends him sprawling to the ground.

Gibbs ducks back outside the front door, dragging McGee along with him with lightning speed.

Gibbs and Brenner proceed to trade-off a few shots.

"McGee, you alright!?" Gibbs asks, loudly, over the sound of gunfire.

"Yeah, I think so." McGee replies as he straightens himself up. "That really smarts."

Suddenly A 'CLICK!' is heard, and Gibbs knows that Brenner is out of ammo so Gibbs nods at McGee and the duo charge back in through the front door once again.

Brenner jumps up and sprints towards the back of the house and the front door.

Gibbs yells into his 'mini-mike' as he and McGee pursue Brenner.

"Tony, he's headed your way!" Gibbs shouted into his 'mini-mike'.

"On it boss!" Tony replies.

---------------------------------------

Brenner's Home...

The Back Door/Back Yard...

After a few seconds Brenner tears out of the back door and out into the back yard.

Brenner catches Tony and Ziva off guard, pushing past them and heading for the fence at the back of the back yard.

Tony and Ziva give chase after Brenner.

Brenner reaches the fence and quickly hops it and heads into the nearby forest.

"He's in pretty good shape for a lab nerd." Tony remarks as he, himself, tries to pour on more speed.

Tony reaches the fences and hops over it right behind Brenner and the chase continues into the forest/woods.

Gibbs and McGee tear out of the back door and out into the back yard.

They reach Ziva who points over the fence.

"McGee go with Ziva, search the entire house." Gibbs snaps, as he turns and takes out at full speed towards the fence at the back of the back yard.

Tony lunges out, after finally gaining enough ground on Brenner, and manages to snatch Brenner down to the ground; and the two of them go into a roll at first.

Tony and Brenner pop up, and Brenner swings and catches Tony on the side of the cheek.

Tony falters but then manages to right himself enough to dodge a second swing after which he lands a left hook of his own right across Brenner's jaw.

Brenner is sent sprawling across the grass, with Tony stumbling after him.

Tony gets close to Brenner, drawing his Sig back out of its holster once again, Brenner then proceeds to kick Tony in the leg/knee, bringing him (Tony) down to his knees, grasping at the now sore area.

At this point Gibbs and McGee coming tearing out of the back door and out into the back yard.

Brenner rights himself up on his haunches, and then reaches for Tony's gun which is now lying on the ground, his hand lands on Tony's gun, Tony has other plans.

Tony sees Brenner picking up his Sig. Tony reaches down to his belt buckle.

"Rule number 9, never go anywhere without a knife." Tony said, gasping for breath, and quoting one of Gibbs' many rules, as he reveals a knife that he keeps/kept hidden in his belt buckle.

Tony pulls out his knife, and then lunges forward towards Brenner.

"Oh no you don't!" Tony said, as he wrapped his arms around Brenner from behind and shoved the knife into Brenner's side.

The two of them finally roll to the ground with Tony immediately pulling himself up, while Brenner grasps at the blade now stuck in his side.

Tony reaches for his Sig now laying just a few inches/feet away as he climbs to his feet.

"Your under arrest!" Tony barks, as Brenner pulls the blade from his side and tosses it away.

Gibbs finally catches up, as Tony drags Brenner up to his feet.

Gibbs reaches outs and grabs Brenner and backs him up and slams him into a nearby tree.

"Where is it!?" Gibbs barks, angrily.

"What?" Brenner replies, gasping and wincing in pain.

"The anti-virus!?" Gibbs demands, angrily, as he pulls him forward slightly and then slams him back into the tree.

"You killed Whittle, because when he left to join the CDC he took the 'virus' with him, and you needed it!" Gibbs barked in Brenner's face.

"You used it to infect your daughter just so you could get revenge on your ex-wife." Gibbs continued. "Only, my daughter got infected too...now where is the 'anti-virus' dammit!?" Gibbs yelled in Brenner's face once again.

"Boss?" came McGee's voice over the 'mini-mike' system.

"What!?" Gibbs snapped, without thinking.

"We have found it." came Ziva's voice next.

Gibbs stood in place for a moment, holding Brenner pinned against the tree, all the while Gibbs was breathing pretty heavily.

"Good." Gibbs breathed.

"Boss, there's two vials." McGee added.

"You and Ziva leave now, take one vial with you and go to Mercy's." Gibbs instructed, while still trying to catch his breath put the other one in my car."

"Right." McGee replied.

Gibbs looked over at Tony.

"Go, get the second vial from McGee and start the car I'll be right behind you." Gibbs instructed Tony.

"On it Boss." Tony replied as he stowed his Sig back into its holster and then turned and headed for the fence/house/car.

---------------------------------------

35-40 Minutes Later...

At Washington D.C. Memorial Hospital...

In Paige's Hospital Room...

Gibbs and Tony dash into the room right behind Dr. Morrison.

Dr. Morrison quickly begins to attend to Paige who is once again having another seizure.

"Give her the anti-virus." Gibbs snaps.

Dr. Morrison turns to Gibbs.

"I can't." he informs Gibbs. "It won't do her any good in this state, her body'll just reject. We have to stabilize her first." he tells Gibbs.

Dr. Morrison turns back to join the nurses in attempting to stabilize Paige.

---------------------------------------

.........DREAM-LIKE SEQUENCE.........

Kate is holding Paige's hand and attempting to coax her out of her current state.

"Come on baby girl fight it...they've got some medicine for you now, but you have to do your part first." Kate pleaded with the unconscious little girl whose eyes were moving (as in REM movement) back and forth very rapidly.

Ari suddenly appeared on the opposite of Paige's bed once more.

"Give up Caitlin." Ari said, with a pleased smirk.

Ari turned his head slightly and glanced up at the clock on the wall above them.

"Time's almost up Caitlin, she's as good as mine." Ari smirked once again.

Kate flashed Ari a threatening look.

"Its not over yet." she snapped.

.........END OF DREAM-LIKE SEQUENCE.........

---------------------------------------

At Washington D.C. Memorial Hospital...

In Paige's Hospital Room...

Gibbs, Abby, Tony, and Chloe stood in silence watching the doctors work on Paige.

Chloe, frightened by what was happening to her little sister, began to cry, and Abby had to stoop down and try to comfort her even though she too had been crying.

Suddenly a tear rolled down Gibbs' cheek.

"Earth angel, earth angel will you be mine..." Gibbs began to sing quietly, under his breath at first, but then it got slightly louder as he moved closer to the hospital bed.

"Earth Angel" had been Gibbs' mother's all-time favorite song, and Gibbs had taken to singing it to Paige at night when she couldn't sleep as a baby.

"...my darling dear, love you all the time..." Gibbs continued.

---------------------------------------

.........DREAM-LIKE SEQUENCE.........

Kate suddenly looked up, as another tear(s) rolled down her cheek.

She could hear Gibbs' voice.

"Gibbs?' she whispered.

Ari sucked in a deep breath, as he reached out to lay his hand on Paige.

"...Earth angel, earth angel, the one I adore..." Gibbs could be heard continuing his song.

Suddenly there was a bright glow that surrounded Kate and Paige and it made Ari shrink backwards (in pain, well sort of).

"What is this?" Ari demanded.

"...Love you forever, and ever more; I'm just a fool, a fool in love with you..." Gibbs' song continued.

Kate was bewildered by what was happening, but then a smile began to spread across her face, as she looked and saw Paige opening her eyes.

Kate then flashed a victorious, teared stained smile at Ari.

"You lose." she said.

"...Earth angel, earth angel, please be mine;..." Gibbs' song continued.

Paige then, spoke.

"Daddy?" she mumbled hoarsely.

"That's right baby girl, its daddy, and he wants you...he loves you so much." Kate said, softly, as tears continued to stream down her cheeks.

"...My darling dear, love you all the time..." Gibbs' song continued.

Ari suddenly disappeared without a trace, and Kate finally let out a sob/chuckle of relief.

.........END OF DREAM-LIKE SEQUENCE.........

---------------------------------------

At Washington D.C. Memorial Hospital...

In Paige's Hospital Room...

"...I'm just a fool, a fool in love with you." Gibbs finished singing just as Dr. Morrison finally injected the now stabilized Paige with the anti-virus.

---------------------------------------

NCIS HQ...

AUTOPSY...

Around 8:30-9:00 In The Morning...

Ducky has/had apparently fallen asleep at his desk down in autopsy.

Suddenly his phone rang yanking him from his slumber.

He rubbed his weary eyes for a moment and then answered his phone.

"Autopsy."

"Duck." came Gibbs' voice.

"Jethro." Ducky responded. "How is she?" he asked.

"Dr. Morrison expects her to make a full recovery." Gibbs informed Ducky.

Ducky breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank Heavens." Ducky said, with a long sigh.

"I'll tell Jimmy when he gets in." Ducky said.

"Abby and I are gonna stay with Paige, but we'll call when she wakes up." Gibbs said.

"Yes, you do that Jethro." Ducky said. "I'll have a surprise for her when she does." Ducky said, with a grin that he knew Gibbs couldn't see.

Gibbs is heard laughing over the phone.

"Oh, and Ducky...could you tell Vance to check his e-mail, he's got a surprise waiting for him." Gibbs said.

"I will give him your message, Jethro, take care of Paige...and give her a hug for me." Ducky said, just before he hung up the phone.

---------------------------------------

............To Be Continued In "Recovery"............

"Recovery"

Gibbs Residence...

Mid-Morning...

Gibbs walked in the front door and closed it behind him.

He walked towards the kitchen carrying two shopping bags from the grocery store.

---------------------------------------

Gibbs Residence...

In The Kitchen...

He entered the kitchen where Abby was finishing up cleaning everything from breakfast.

"I'm back." Gibbs said, setting the bags on the breakfast table.

"Did you find it?" Abby asked.

Gibbs turned to face her back.

She stood at the kitchen sink with her back turned to her husband, but she couldn't help but feel like he was 'staring' at her.

"The Gibbs stare doesn't work on me anymore, Jethro." she said.

He remained silent.

She finally turned to face him.

"See watch."

She turned, her eyes met his, and she quickly turned back around again.

"Damn, it still works." She swore.

Gibbs could see from where he was standing that she was trying not to smile.

"Sometimes you act like I've never bought groceries for children before." Gibbs said, quietly.

He reached into the first bag and pulled out two gallon containers of Apple Juice.

"Voila." he said, as he set them down on the table.

Abby picked up the two containers, placing one inside the refrigerator and then stashing one in the pantry nearby.

"How is she?" Gibbs asked, as he unloaded the rest of the groceries. "Could she eat anything?"

"She's doing better, not great, but better." Abby replied.

"She ate a piece of toast and a piece of bacon." she added. "She had a little orange juice, but you know she prefers Apple Juice to anything else."

Gibbs nodded.

"Chloe with her?" he asked.

"Yep."

Gibbs slid the new loaf of bread into the bread box on the counter next to the microwave.

"Ducky said she probably wouldn't have much of an appetite for the first couple of days." Gibbs said, remembering what his aging friend had said.

Abby nodded in agreement as she set the jar of apple sauce in the refrigerator next to the juice.

"And I got this for you." Gibbs said, holding up a container marked tofu wraps.

"Excellent." Abby said, taking them from him and putting them in the refrigerator.

"How did you know I was out?" she asked, closing the refrigerator door.

"I didn't." Gibbs replied, leaning back against the kitchen counter.

"Really." Abby remarked.

"Yeah, they were on sale, and I just thought maybe you might like some." Gibbs explained.

"On sale...since when do you pay attention to whats on sale?" Abby asked, with a chuckle.

Gibbs shrugged his shoulders.

Abby stepped forward a bit.

"Are you sure you're a man?" Abby asked, with a mischeivous grin.

"Are you calling me a girl?" Gibbs asked, leaning forward.

"Well no, more like a 'lady'." she replied.

"A lady hunh?" Gibbs said, stepping forward.

Abby took a step back, almost as if she was reading Gibbs' mind.

"Come here!" Gibbs said, jumping towards her.

She dodged away from his reach, darting for the kitchen door.

Gibbs was too fast for her though, manuevering around the breakfast table, and managing to nab her around the waist just before she got to the door.

"Not so fast," he laughed, as Abby playfully struggled in his grip. "You were sayin'?" he said, as he playfully swatted her on the behind.

"Ooh, Gibbs," Abby laughed. "Not so hard." she said with a giggle.

Gibbs leaned close and whispered something in her ear that made her laugh.

"No no no, Mr. Gibbs, I have a sick child to take care of." Abby said, placing a kiss on her husbands lips.

"But, maybe later." she added, kissing him again.

---------------------------------------

Gibbs Residence...

The Girls' Room...

Abby entered the girls' room carrying a small bottle, and a measuring spoon.

Gibbs was close behind.

"Time for your medicine, angel face." Abby said, softly, as she approached the bed.

Paige turned over slowly to face her mother.

Abby knelt by the bed, twisting open the bottle, measured out about a teaspoon and a half of the pink liquid.

Paige sat up and looked at the liquid.

"Mommy." she moaned.

"I know you don't like it, sweetie, but the doctor said it'll help you get better--faster." Abby said, softly.

Reluctantly, Paige slowly opened her mouth, and swallowed every bit of the pink liquid in one big gulp.

Her little body shuddered as the disgusting pink liquid slid down her throat.

The stuff made Paige gag almost on cue.

Gibbs admired how good his wife was with their two kids.

"Okay baby you can go back to sleep now if you want." Abby said soothingly to Paige.

Paige nodded, and turned over pulling the covers up around her. Soon she was fast asleep. Abby closed up the medicine bottle, and walked over to where her husband was standing in the doorway of the room.

"We should let her sleep." Abby said quietly.

Gibbs nodded in agreement with his wife, and the two of them left the room quietly together.

------To Be Continued------