Past:

“Foolish..... Girl!” a terrorist shouted between kicks. In front of him was a metal box with a hole in the side that exposed someone’s rib cage, which is wha he was kicking. That ‘someone’ was Kate. She didn’t know how she got there, she didn’t want to know, she just wanted to get out. She had been there for three days. Three days of being asked to betray her country and being kicked when she refused. She was in pain, terrible pain. Tears were streaming down her face, but she didn’t care. All of the sudden it stopped. The kicking stopped. The lid of the box opened and staring down at her were Gibbs, Tony, and Mcgee.

“Kate, Kate you all right?” Gibbs asked. Kate shook her head, but couldn’t say a word. “Tony, help me lift her out.” But as Gibbs and Tony started to lift her, she shrugged off their hands.

“Please, don’t touch me.” Kate Begged as she cried harder.

“Kate...” Gibbs started.

“Boss can I try to talk to her?” Tony asked. He hated seeing Kate like this, weak, hurt. All he wanted to do was hold her close and tell her everything was going to be okay. He loved her, and everyday he craved her smile.

“Why not.” GIbbs said as he stepped back.

“Hey Kate.” Tony said quitely as he kneeled down to talk to her.

“Tony?” Kate asked quietly.

“Yeah, you okay?” Kate shook her head in answere to Tony’s question. “Is it okay if I lift you out of that box? It can’t be all that comfortable.” Kate didn’t answer. She didn’t want anyone to touch her, she was in too much pain. But, she trusted, and loved, Tony and she knew he wouldn’t hurt her. Finally, she nodded, telling Tony that it was okay, and he lifted her out of the box. “Now, it’s that better?” He asked smiling. “Now is it okay if I check for broken ribs?” Again, Kate hesitated, but nodded. Tony ran his fingers over her rib cage to see how many ribs were broken. “She has ten boss.” He told gibbs as he stood up.

“Nice job Tony.” Gibbs praised as he knelt down next to Kate. “Kate. Say something.” He begged, but Kate just shook her head again. “Please.” Gibbs continued to beg, but Kate shook her head again. She tried to stand up. but she shook so hard that she collapsed again. Mcgee caught her just before she hit the ground.

Now Kate was really annoyed. They were treating her like some five year old, she didn’t like that, she was stronger than that. She pushed Mcgee away and stood up on her own. “Leave me alone!” She shouted. “I’m fine!” and she ran away from them, she wanted to be alone.

“Boss I got...” Tony started as he began to go after her.

“No Tony, let her go. She needs time.” Gibbs said as he stared at the fragile girl in the doorway.....
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Presant Day:

It had been almost two weeks since the terrorist incident and Kate still wouldn’t talk, not even to Abby. SHe hardly slept, and when she did sleep it was unplesant. Her dreams replayed the incident over and over and over again. Sure, she still worked, against Gibbs’ orders, but she worked. Tony tried to talk to her, Abby did too. Kate was Abby’s best friend, and was the love of Tony’s life. THey both hated seeing her like this.

“C’mon Kate, you’ve gotta talk.” Tony told her one day, it had been exactly two weeks since it happened.

“Yeah, Kate, please.” Abby begged, she missed her friends voice.

Kate didn’t say anything. Insted, tears filled her eyes and she ran from the room, running into Gibbs along the way.

Hey, you okay?” He asked, but Kate didn’t answer. She coninued to run away, down the stair well. “Tony!” Gibbs shouted as he entered the squadroom, “What did you do!?!”

“I just asked her to talk, Boss.” Tonyh answered and the was slapped on the back of the head by Gibbs.

“DiNozzo! Pretend you were Kate.” Gibbs said as he walked away. Tony thought for a moment and then sat down at his desk.

“Tony, will she ever talk?” Abby asked. Tony didn’t answer. A few minutes lator Abby got a text. “OMJ!” Abby shouted and she ran from the room leaving her phone open on Tony’s desk. Tony read the text, it was one word from Kate, “Help”. Tony ran out of the room too. He met up with Abby in the stair well. She was putting pressure on Kate’s leg. Around them was a pool of blood and Kate’s gun. Kate was unconcious.

“Tony, go get Ducky!” Aby shouted, but Tony didn’t move. “Tony, now!” Abby shouted again, louder this time, and Tony ran to autopay to get Ducky, and then he went to get Gibbs. When he and Gibbs got back to Kate, Ducky, Abby, and Mcgee were all ready there with Kate.

“What happened Duck?” Gibbs asked.

“She shoot herself, Jethro. Twice in the leg.” Ducky replied.

“Tony, I should shoot you!” Gibbs shouted at him. “If you had never asked her o talk...” Gibbs continued on and on, and Tony just stood there and took it. He believed that he deserved it and that every word that Gibbs was saying was true.

“Gibbs stop that!” Abby finally shouted at him and he stopped. “This isn’t Tony’s fault!” Sirens could be heard in the distance as the ambulence arrived. They loaded Kate onto it, and Ducky rode with her. Everyone else got into the sadan and drove toe the hospital. Everyone minus Tony who was still sitting in the stair well staring at the pool of Kate’s blood.
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“Kate’s gonna be okay.” Gibbs said aloud to reassure his team, but mostly to reassure himself. They were all sitting in the waiting room at the hospital, Kate was still in surgery. Everyone was waiting, waiting for good news. Everyone minus Tony, He was still staring at Kate’s blood. “She’s gonna be okay.” Gibbs said again.

“We know that GIbbs, but why...” Abby started, but her tears wouldn’t let her finish.

“I’ll Tell you why...”

“Jethro this isn’t Anthony’s fault.” Ducky siad, interupting Gibbs.

“The hell it is Duck!” Gibbs shouted, “If TOny hadn’t asked her to talk, she would have never gotten upset! SHe was recovering Duck! And Tony ruined it!”

“Umm.. excuse me, is this the family of Caitlin Todd?” The doctor asked as he walked over to them.

“Yes.” Gibbs answered as he stood up.

“I’m sorry. She lost too much blood. She didn’t make it.” The doctor siad gravely. Gibbs collapsed back into his chair in disbielif. Abby began to sob uncontrolably, and Mcgee held her while his tears fell into her hair. Ducky followed the doctor to collect Kate’s body while Gibbs gathered up Abby and Mcgee to go back to the NCIS building.
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“Tony!” Gibbs called when he found him still staring at Kate’s blood. “Tony, Kate’s...”

“I know!” Tony shouted through his tears. “She’s dead!” He stood up and stood in the middle of Kate’s blood. “And it’s my fault!” He raised his gun and rested the barrel against his temple.

“No, Tony it’s not!” Gibbs shouted back as Abby and Mcgee joined him. “I was angry Tony, I needed someone to blame!”

“I loved her Boss! I never told her that!” Tony continued to shout. “I loved her, and I made her kill herself! I can’t live knowing that! I can’t live without her!”

“Tony No!” Gibbs shouted, but it was too late. Tony had pulled the trigger and died instantaneously. He saw a bright, white tunnel and at the end of it was the beautiful love of his life, Kate.

“Together at last.” Kate said as he held her.

“Together at last.” Tony agreed.