“What Had To Be Done”

-Chapter One-

The courtroom was filled nearly to the brim with spectators, media personnel, military personnel, and representatives from each and every party involved or connected in any way to the case in question on this particular day. The room, itself, was dimly lit even though, outside, the sun was high in the sky and clearly visible through the unblocked windows; and only a few of the overhead lights in the room had actually been switched on�"why this was so is a question that still remains, as of yet, unanswered. There was also a certain air of excitement and nervousness that seemed to hang over everyone inside�"spreading from one corner and outward to all others like a very contagious virus.

To anyone who might get the chance to take a quick glance around the room it would immediately become more than obvious that whatever was going on was certainly of great consequence and importance.

The all-too-familiar faces of the crack-team of NCIS Special Agents and Investigators filled the foremost front seats of the auditorium-esque courtroom�"except the first seat of the first row, which had purposely been left vacant.

NCIS Special Agent Anthony ‘Tony’ DiNozzo sat in the second seat down looking somewhat worse-for-wear; but given the most recent events that had taken place within the agency�"this was expected. He shifted nervously in his seat, his movements encumbered by the cast and sling that he wore across his right arm and the neck brace that he was forced to wear�"temporarily of course�"while his body continued to heal itself from the injuries it had sustained. At least his black eye was clearing up nicely.

“Stupid-” Tony muttered under his breath, out of frustration, as he twisted his body back to its previous position to alleviate the sharp pain now shooting up the length of his spine.

Most positions were not comfortable, he had learned, especially in his current condition; but staying in one, constant, position for prolonged periods of time was even more uncomfortable�"at least for him anyway.

Timothy McGee, NCIS Special Agent and Computer/Electronics Forensics Expert, was the next in line. The younger man shot his co-worker and partner an aggravated look out of the corner of his eye. At first glance, Tim McGee, did not appear to have lost any of his youthful�"and somewhat boyish�"look; but if one were to look just ever so closely then one would surely notice that with the passing years some edges become rougher than others. And as with everyone else involved the past few weeks had taken its toll on him as well.

“Would you stop that,” McGee whispered forcefully to Tony. “You’re gonna hurt yourself worse if you keep up like that.”

Tony rolled his eyes distastefully at McGee. “Worse!” Tony spat out in a hushed voice. “Look at me McGee. How could things possibly get any worse�"Than This!”

As the words left his mouth Tony’s eyes wandered past McGee and down two more seats where they fell upon a silent, and somber-looking Ziva David. Ziva had not been quite herself in quite some time, and it showed outwardly.

The last two years, for Ziva, had overall been rather eventful. She had passed her citizenship test, and became an official United States Citizen�"an accomplishment which she was very proud of. The next momentous event for the former-Mossad Officer-turned-NCIS Special Agent was her relationship with her partner Anthony DiNozzo. It had taken quite some time for the pair to actually come clean about their feelings for each other, but once they finally did they found themselves much happier than they had been before.

The hardest part of the two of them being together, at least for a while anyway, was keeping their relationship a secret from Gibbs and Vance�"which did not last too long�"thankfully though the ramifications of their actions were not too severe. But the biggest, and by far, most traumatizing event of the past two years or so was the main focus of the case that was to be argued in that courtroom.

Gibbs and his team had seen the better part of an entire year devoted to one assignment in particular�"an assignment that pushed nearly every boundary both professionally within the agency, and also personally for most of those who had an active role throughout the course of the long-winded investigation.

Between Ziva and McGee sat NCIS’ star Forensics Expert Abigail ‘Abby’ Scuito. Abby had been sharing her rather small place with Ziva for the last little while both because she cared immensely for her friend, and also as a personal favor to her silver-haired boss. Right now, though, Abby was just a trifle unhappy. This was due, in big part, to the fact that she had to wear a hideous, light-blue blazer, blouse, and skirt combo, which she utterly hated with a red-hot passion�"not too mention the hideous and vastly uncomfortable high heels she was forced to wear along with the ‘outfit’.

“This whole fiasco is nothing but poppycock.” Ducky muttered in a hushed voice from where he sat just to the right of Ziva.

The aging Medical Examiner was the last one of the group sitting on the very front row. His demeanor at present was one that was shared by pretty much everyone else on the team. In a just world the second empty seat, located just to the left of Ducky, would be filled, as would the first vacant seat at the head of the row; but, alas, to Ducky the world was, at least in this particular moment, anything but ‘Just’.

“Alas, poor Jimmy,” Ducky murmured, almost lovingly, in the direction of the empty seat to his left. “You should be here…at my side…just like always.”




-Chapter Two-

The Bailiff appeared at the front of the courtroom near the judges’ bench and stood at attention for a few seconds. The room began to steadily grow quieter and quieter with the passing seconds.

“All Rise!” the Bailiff bellowed over the still somewhat noisy crowd of people standing and sitting throughout the large room. “The Honorable, Judge Louis Russo Presiding!”

Everyone stood, almost in unison, as a sudden hush quickly ran from on end of the room all the way to the other. A door just to the side of the bench opened and the presiding judge stepped out and nodded towards the bailiff.

“Thank you,” Judge Russo said, with a kind nod, as he took his seat at the bench. “Please be seated.”

Everyone in the room, once again, responded in unison retaking their seats as one in a single, fluid motion. The moment both anticipated and dreaded by everyone in the room had finally arrived.

“Bailiff, please bring out the accused.” Judge Russo said quietly to the bailiff.

The Bailiff turned and flashed a signal to the other side of the courtroom, and within mere moments the doors opened up, and two armed guards led the ‘guest of honor’ into the room�"guiding him as if he were a blind man�"towards the front of the room to the table marked for the Defense.




“There he is.” Abby exclaimed, in a hushed voice, to her colleagues. She was both excited to finally see this man once again�"after so long�"and also a little bit afraid for him at the same time.

It had been at least a week or so since any of them had actually laid eyes on him, and compared to their last meeting he looked really well�"all things considered. He wore one of his traditional gray suits, and a nice pair of loafers as well. Also, this time he was clean-shaven, and his silvery hair was nicely trimmed back to its original, old, loveable self.

It seemed so strange to everyone�"well at least those who knew him anyway�"to see him of all people in this position.

“Leroy Jethro Gibbs.” Judge Russo read his name off of the file of papers in front of him. The way he said Gibbs’ name sent chills through every member of the team. The Judge actually made it sound as though Gibbs really was a criminal. “You hereby stand accused of 2 counts of murder, theft of private and government property, and among other things--treason.”

Gibbs stood completely still at his place behind the Defense desk/table listening to the list of charges that he had managed to rack up during the course of the last few weeks or so. He did not flinch�"not once�"he took everything at face value and accepted it for what it was.

“How do you plea?”

“Well, your Honor I-” Gibbs started to say.

“Not Guilty.” The attractive female defense attorney said, as she stood firmly by Gibbs’ side.

Gibbs turned to face his attorney, which he had reluctantly agreed to, and gave her a look of somewhat irritation. “Margaret. I thought we talked about this.” Gibbs said in a hushed whisper. Indeed he and Margaret Allison Hart�"his attorney�"had had this discussion twice before, and with no clear winner either time.

“Do not expect me to just watch you hang yourself, Jethro.” Margaret snapped at the silver-haired man that she had shared the last few years of her life with. The rest of the conversation was spent in hushed, inaudible whispers which finally culminated in Gibbs nodding his head at her�"albeit reluctantly.

“Ahem.” Judge Russo cleared his throat rather loudly.

Both Gibbs and Margaret turned back to face the Judge once again. “Sorry your Honor.” They both said apologetically.

“Well?” Judge Russo asked, somewhat impatiently.

Gibbs shook his head, slightly, and then nodded at Margaret. “What she said.” He said in sort of a mumbled voice.

Judge Russo stared at him for a moment, then gave a nod, and then gave the signal for Gibbs and his ‘attorney’ to be seated. “Alright. Now onto opening arguments�"Ms. Hart if you would start us off.” Judge Russo said, as he pulled out a pair of reading glasses and placed them atop his nose.

Margaret stood up, walked around the table, and then turned�"just in front of the bench�"to face her ‘audience’. “My client is here today, not because he’s accused of being a criminal; but because he is accused of doing what he believed was right. He’s here because he did what he believed was his sworn duty�"not just to his country, but to his fellow man.”




Gibbs listened to Margaret ramble on and on with her opening argument all the while knowing, in his gut at the very least, that nothing that she could do what make a bit of difference here today.

He also knew that any one of his (former) team members would willingly give up their lives to save his from its inevitable fate; but this was how it needed�"no how it had to be. Besides he wouldn’t do anything any differently even if he could.

No, something else was pulling at his heartstrings at this moment in time in particularly. Would his team be able to understand why he did all of the things that he did?




-Chapter Three-

So far, for the team anyway, the opening statement made by the prosecution stung the most, and by far blew everything way out of proportion. They all sat uncomfortably and nervously in their seats listening and watching, watching and listening to every word that was said and every gesture that was made. It was heart-wrenching to hear a complete stranger painting this hideous picture of a man that they all had the utmost respect for, and to have him turned into some sort of soulless monster right before their very eyes.

“In order to give the jury members a feel for what this case is really all about�"the prosecution has had this recording prepared as an opener.” The prosecutor said, as he held up a cassette tape in his right hand for everyone to see.

“With your Honor’s permission of course.”

“You may proceed, Counselor.” Judge Russo said with a nod, giving the prosecutor the go ahead.

The Prosecutor nodded to the Judge, and then turned his back on him. He slid the cassette tape into a tape player setting in front of him on his own desk/table, and then pressed the play button.

A few seconds passed before Gibbs’ voice was actually heard coming from the tape player, and it came through loud and clear. It only took a few minutes for the tape to play out in its entirety, but every minute was agonizing for the NCIS team members.




Tony leaned forward, slightly, extended his good arm and tapped Margaret Hart lightly on the shoulder. This wasn't right. If this was all the jury or anyone else for that matter heard then there was absolutely no way that Gibbs would get off with anything less than the death penalty.

"When do we get to tell our sides of the story?" Tony asked, somewhat agitated. His arm, neck, back, and pretty much everything else seethed with unimaginable pain. Sure he could take the pain pills that his doctor had prescribed; but what was the point he often thought to himself.

"In time." Margaret whispered back over her shoulder in a hushed voice.

The recording finally ended, and the prosecutor stood picked up the tape player and stowed it away for the time being.




"Now I'm sure that once you, the members of the jury, have heard the rest of the evidence you will find it impossible to render any verdict other than 'Guilty'." the prosecutor's voice droned on and on it seemed--like forever--to Abby Scuito.

"Its not true." Abby whispered under her breath at the words coming from this horrible man's mouth. "None of that is true."

Once the lines had been drawn in the sand, so many tumultuous weeks ago, Abby had made it abundantly clear where her loyalties were rooted. This had caused a bit of a rift between her and NCIS Director Leon Vance in the ensuing chaos; but there was no swaying the Goth Forensic Specialist in any other direction.

She had even gone out of her way to help Gibbs even after he explicitly explained to her why doing so was a very bad idea. She felt like she owed Gibbs so much, and now she was willing and determined to everything in her power to save his life just as he had done so many times before for her.




The prosecutor finally finished giving the last of his speech, and turned to return to his own seat; but as he did so he made an extra effort to pass close by the Defense table on his way.

"May as well give up now, Counselor." Prosecutor Mace Franklin said with a bit of a smirk, as he passed within mere feet of the Defense table.

"Fat chance." Margaret replied, through her teeth.

"Margaret please." Gibbs whispered quietly as she rose to her feet. "Don't do this."

Margaret's face was stilled and calm, but her eyes betrayed everything that was going on inside her--deep down inside her heart; but she could not let that interfere with her doing her very best today.

"Your Honor--The Defense calls NCIS Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo to the stand." she said calmly and clearly.




-Chapter Four-

"Agent DiNozzo, would you please--in your own words--describe the events leading up to your 'being incapacitated'?"

"Yes ma'am." Tony replied quietly, his eyes already flickering with the intensity of the haunting memories he was now having to recall.

Tony eyed his team mates and then his boss, cleared his throat, and began his tale. Though dredging up the memories was painful enough in its own right, it was even worse knowing that something he could say might free or doom Gibbs forever. "It started two months ago--just after Admiral Joseph Rucker was found dead in his home--NCIS was called in to head the investigation..."

Tony trailed off a bit, staring down into his boss' steely blue eyes for a moment--as if searching for something...a sign perhaps. He knew that what would come next might throw some people for quite a loop, even though it was the honest to goodness truth--but he just could not be sure how it would be recieved.




Gibbs nodded at his (former) Senior Field Agent knowingly. "Its alright...just tell the truth." he thought to himself as if Tony might be able to somehow hear what he was thinking.

Tony once again picked up where he had trailed off, and Gibbs listened intently all the while remembering the events just as they had unfolded--more or less like one of Tony's film scenarios which he was accustomed to talking about more than just frequently while on the job. "...and, though appearances suggested no more than death by 'Natural Cause', Gi-err--A-Agent Gibbs' 'Gut' suggested 'Foul Play'..."

--FlashBack--

The door to Director Vance's office slammed shut as Gibbs exited it and made his way back in the direction of the squad room. He had already been in somewhat of a foul mood when he came in this morning, and Vance wasn't going to make things any better--at least not right now anyway.

Gibbs heard Vance's secretary say something--what he wasn't sure, because he wasn't paying much attention to her--but in response all he could manage was a low growl under his breath.




"Boss." Tony greeted Gibbs a few minutes later as the silver-haired Senior Agent rounded the corner into the bullpen. "How was your meeting with Vance?" the younger man asked, as a follow-up to his greeting. That's Tony for you--inquisitive as always, and always interested in everyone elses business.

"Uh, judging from the look on his face, Tony--probably not good." McGee said from where he sat just right across from Tony.

"You're probably right." Tony whispered back across the bullpen, leaning to the side so that McGee could hear him.

Gibbs plopped down into the chair behind his desk swearing under his breath as he did so in such a way that would make any man of any size or shape tremble with fear on the spot. "What was that DiNozzo?" Gibbs snapped from his seat.

"Uh, uh--n-nothing Boss." Tony stammered nervously trying to cover himself. "McGee and I were jus-just..." Tony stopped mid-sentence and true to his nature his DiNozzo-ish sense of humor showed its true colors. "I told you we weren't supposed to pass notes in class Tim!" Tony said suddenly, with a childish smirk.

McGee rolled his eyes at Tony, but did not respond to the older man's remarks.

"So, does that mean we're off the case or what?" Ziva asked, from behind her desk. In just the last year or so she had completely given her entire work space a makeover--with a little help from Abby of course--because she felt that doing so would better reflect the fact that she was now officially a proud citizen of the United States of America.

"Nope." Gibbs replied, without looking up from the stack of papers that sat in front of him on his desktop. "McGee, I still want those-" he started to say, but was cut short McGee before he could go any further with his demands.

"Got'em right here Boss." McGee said, interrupting Gibbs, as he stood up behind his desk with a file folder or so's worth of papers and such. "Bank records, phone records, credit card statements, cell phone records--its all here." he said as he stepped up to Gibbs' desk and handed his boss the file folder. "I even ran a back-ground check on the Admiral." the younger agent said with a smile.

Ziva was the next one to approach Gibbs' desk, and she too handed him a similar-looking file folder. "Here. Admiral Rucker's personal records, service records, deployment history, etc." she said as she stood in place beside McGee.

"And, as usual, we save the best for last." Tony said, not moving from his own desk across the bullpen.

"Yeah right." McGee said, with a smirk, to Ziva as he rolled his own eyes once again.

"Ignoring that." Tony said in response. "I made a few phone calls to--well here and there--and I managed to track down a very...interesting...young man." Tony explained, with a huge grin. "Should be here at 8:00 sharp tomorrow morning--says he's got something really important to talk to us about."

Gibbs just sat behind his desk in complete silence for a minute or so before he even thought to speak up again. "Nice work." He would have said more, but just at that very moment his desk phone rang.

Gibbs answered his phone on the second ring, listened to the voice on the other end talk for a minute or so, and then he hung up. He stood up, removed his reading glasses and stowed them away in his coat pocket as he made his way out from around his desk.

"Going somewhere Boss?" McGee asked, innocently as Gibbs turned the corner and headed for the elevator.

"Yep." was all Gibbs said.

"Wh-?" Tony started to ask.

"To get a Caf-Pow." Gibbs said before Tony could go any further.


--END OF Tony's FLASHBACK--





Prosecutor Mace Franklin stepped closer to the stand, and locked his eyes onto the fierce green eyes of Forensic Specialist Abby Scuito. Time had passed, and the questioning had moved onto Abby now.

"So 'Agent Gibbs' came down to see you--in your lab?" Prosecutor Mace Franklin asked the Goth scientist coldly.

"Well yeah, b-" Abby started to reply.

"Good. Now could you, Ms. Scuito, tell us all what you remember from that afternoon down in your lab?"

"Sure." Abby said, nervously eying Gibbs and the others as she began to tell what she knew. "Gibbs appeared, as he always did, like a super-stealthy ninja assassin." she began. "He also brought me a Caf-Pow--he usually does that too..."

--Abby's FlashBack #1--

"Caf-Pow." a familiar voice said from behind where Abby was standing at her workstation. She knew that voice all to well, and it always made her extremely happy to hear it.

Abby spun around and found herself face-to-face with the man that she often referred to as the 'Silver-Haired Fox'--and he had brought her a Caf-Pow. "Gibbs!" Abby exclaimed. "Oh, and a Caf-Pow, for me?" she said, flicking her wrist and turning her head away slightly as if she were blushing, but did not want him to see.

"Whatcha got Abs?" Gibbs asked, as he handed over the large beverage cup to the Goth Forensic Specialist.

Abby took the Caf-Pow from her boss, took a big gulp of the red liquid inside, and then turned back to her workstation. "Well, I've still got some samples running through Major Mass Spec., so we'll have to wait for those results--but I did find something 'hinky' when I ran the 'Tox-Panel' on the blood sample that Ducky sent me."

"Hinky?" Gibbs asked, arching an eyebrow as he leaned in closer to Abby's computer monitor as she continued to punch keys across the keyboard quite feverishly.

"Yeah. Take a look for yourself." she offered as she pulled up the results from the 'Tox-Panel' onto the computer screen.

Gibbs' stared at the tox results now displayed across Abby's computer screen for a moment in silence, squinting a couple of times at the screen. "I need my glasses." Gibbs mumbled, as he reached his hands into his coat pocket.

Abby blew out a sigh at her silver-haired boss. "Gibbs. Its right here." Abby said, pointing a figure at the computer screen. "Its 'Cicutoxin'." she added.

"Hinky." Gibbs repeated, with a half-grin as he pulled his hands back out of his coat pocket leaving his glasses where they were.

"Yeah. It's a deadly poison found in the roots of-" she started to explain to her boss.

"Water Hemlock." Gibbs said, interrupting Abby's train of thought.

"Yeah--how did you-?"

"Marine survival training." he explained. "We had to learn what was edible and what wasn't." he added.

"Oh. Well, I guess that makes sense." Abby said, shaking her head. "Anyway--After I found that, I tested for traces of the toxin on many of the various articles that were collected from the crime scene-"

"And?" Gibbs asked, as he watched Abby walk from the workstation over to her work table where he saw that there was stuff just laying out everywhere across the entire surface of the table.

"And-," Abby said, repeating Gibbs' own impatient words. "I found this." she added, holding up a plastic evidence bag that held a Snifter glass. "Whoever killed Admiral Rucker--did it by spiking his Cognac." she explained.

"Not exactly original." Gibbs said, more to himself than to Abby.

"I know right." Abby replied in agreement.

"Anything else?" Gibbs asked, as he took a step back from the workstation. This visit to Abby's lab was turning out to be very 'enlightening' for him.

"Um, oh yeah." Abby said, suddenly remembering the other thing that she was going to show Gibbs. "There's always more Gibbs," Abby said with a devilish smile as she began punching away at the keyboard once again.

"Put it up on the plasma." Gibbs said, as he walked around to where he could see the big plasma screen mounted high on the wall in Abby's lab.

"Your wish...is my command." she replied, as she clicked on her mouse, and an image flashed up onto the big plasma viewing screen.

Gibbs stared at the image displayed right in front of him on the screen for a few long seconds, before Abby finally spoke up once again.

"Know what it is Gibbs?" Abby asked, a slight air of excitement in her voice as she spoke.

"No, but I have a feeling you're gonna tell me." he replied in that Gibbs-ish way of his.

"Its Cigar residue Gibbs." Abby continued somewhat excitedly. "And before you ask--I already did." she added. "I ran a sample of the residue through the Mass Spec. earlier--you know before everything else went in--and I was able to narrow down our pool to something a little more specific, and a little less legal. It's-"

"Cuban." Gibbs said, really guessing more than anything else.

"Whoa," Abby said, throwing her hands up--apparently impressed by her silver-haired boss yet again. "How DO you do that?" she asked aloud excitedly. "That's it--now I'm sure your like psychic or...something."

Gibbs turned and began to walk back in the direction of Abby and the door. "So our killer smokes Cuban Cigars, and has access to a poison drawn from Water Hemlock." Gibbs said, summing up everything that Abby had just told him. "Nice work Abs." he added, as he stopped and planted a gentle kiss on her cheek.

Gibbs headed for the door, but then stopped and turned back around right as he started to actually pass through the doorway. "Oh almost forgot. You got plans tonight?' Gibbs asked, rather unexpectedly.

"No. Why?" Abby asked, slightly confused.

"Good--You're coming with me. I need a date for that big Gala-thing tonight." Gibbs explained.

"Aren't you dating that lawyer lady?" Abby asked, still slightly confused.

"Yeah. She's working on some really important case right now." Gibbs explained.

"Okay, sure." Abby replied. "I'll go--what should I wear?" she asked.

"Doesn't matter--just don't wanna be alone with all those baby-kissing bureaucrats and politicians." Gibbs said, with a smirk, just before he turned around and headed back out the door.

Abby couldn't help but smile at her silver-haired boss as he walked away. Good old Jethro Gibbs--never failed with that one-of-a-kind sense of humor of is. "So be it," Abby thought to herself. "I shall go forth and protect Gibbs from the bad people." she laughed at herself for thinking such childish thoughts, but she was Abby Scuito--she just couldn't help herself.

P.S. I will finish posting the rest of the story as I finish getting it typed up from my notebook and onto my computer....Just hang in there guys...

"What Had To Be Done"

-Chapter Five-

"So what's this whole shindig about anyway?" Abby asked Gibbs as the two of them walked through the doors into the massive auditorium-like room.

The room was huge alright, and lavishly decorated from top to bottom--might even say that it was a little bit over-done in a way.

"It's Congressman Donald Ferrell's birthday party." Gibbs explained. "He's fifty-something I think." he added, in a hushed whisper.

"So why are WE here exactly?" Abby continued, inquisitive as ever.

"Director's orders." Gibbs replied, quietly.

--END OF Abby's FLASHBACK #1--




Abby returned to her seat with the others after being excused from being questioned on the stand. The next part of the story that still remained untold--she knew as well as the others did--was where there shared pain and suffering first started.

"Dr. Mallard," Ms. Hart, Gibbs' attorney, called his name from where she stood in front of her table. "Could you take the stand please?"

Ducky nodded, and then stood up. He looked around and then swallowed a huge lump that had formed in his throat before moving forward.

"Dr. Mallard, I know that this must be difficult for you," Ms. Hart said genuinely. "But could you please describe the events as they unfolded that night at Congressman Ferrell's Birthday Party?" she asked. "You did attend that 'function'--did you not?"

"Yes ma'am--I did indeed attend said party." Ducky replied, slowly, the memory of that horrible night visibly haunting him where he sat in front of all of those people in that courtroom. "In fact, I attended it with my colleague--my friend--Jimmy Palmer." Ducky added, a slight grin playing at the corner of his lips.

"Yes, please go on." Ms. Hart lightly prodded the aging Medical Examiner.

Ducky nodded slightly back at the attractive Defense Attorney. "It was indeed Congressman Ferrell's Birthday party, and we were invited as guests of the Director's." Ducky began his story slowly, and with a slight bitterness to his voice. "Jimmy and I hadn't been there long when I ran into an 'old' acquaintance of mine--Carter Harrison..."

--Ducky's FLASHBACK #1--

"Carter, how are you old friend?" Ducky greeted the burly congressman with a big, warm smile and a firm (but friendly) handshake.

Carter Harrison was, indeed, bigger/taller than Ducky, his hair and his mustache were both graying in unison. The man also sported what appeared to be an old man's version of a military hair cut.

"Donald Mallard, how the hell are ya?" the burly man replied, with a big smile as he shook the aging Scotsman's hand.

The two men laughed like old friends should, and usually do.

"Jimmy, this is Congressman Carter Harrison," Ducky said, introducing Jimmy to his old friend.

"Hi. Nice to meet you." Jimmy said, as he shook the burly man's hand.

"Carter, this is my protege--Jimmy Palmer." Ducky said, beaming proudly.

"Nice to meet ya son." The burly man said, with a hearty chuckle as he shook Jimmy's hand.

"So how do you two know each other--exactly?" Jimmy asked, genuinely curious about the relationship.

"Oh, Ducky and me here go way back." Harrison replied, issuing yet another hearty chuckle as he remembered how the two of them met all those many years ago.

"Ducky and I served together back in our younger days--different units-same damn hole in the ground." Harrison started to explain.

"You see Jimmy both of our units were passing through the same small town--searching for survivors from the previous nights' bombings and such; and as it happened both units were caught up in the same ambush at the same time." Ducky explained.

"Our medic took one to the head early in--poor unlucky bastard--and then I took shrapnel from a mortar shell to my left side; and be damned if Ducky here didn't crawl through hell just to pull my sorry ass out of the fryer just so he could sew me back together again." the burly man continued to explain, with another hearty laugh.

Jimmy nodded in understanding now. "Oh okay--interesting."

"Ah, and here-" Ducky said pointing to a familiar couple that was approaching their current position. "Carter these are friends of mine as well." Ducky said, as he shook Gibbs' hand, and then Abby's.

"Carter, this is Jethro Gibbs and Ms. Abigail Scuito." Ducky said introducing the twosome.

"Ducky!" Abby squealed at the sound of being called 'Abigail'.

"Oh I'm sorry Carter--she prefers to be called 'Abby'." Ducky said with a chuckle, as he corrected himself.

"Agent Gibbs and I have already met once before." Harrison said, as he greeted Gibbs with a firm handshake. "And, uh, Evening Miss." he then said as he greeted Abby by gently kissing the back of her hand.

"Really, you have?" Ducky asked, referring to Harrison and Gibbs having already met before.

"Oh yeah sure." Harrison replied, with a chuckle. "Joe Rucker was a good friend of mine."

"Oh, the Admiral and you were--okay I see-well then I'm sorry for your loss my friend." Ducky said.

"Thanks Ducky, I appreciate it." Harrison replied, his face and voice growing somber for just a few seconds.




Tony and Ziva had arrived earlier, before Gibbs and Abby, and the two of them were already 'mingling' with the crowds of politicians and such. Tony had been doing his best to pretend like he gave a damn out anything that any of these people said, but he was finding it increasingly difficult to focus because of what Ziva was wearing.

Ziva's evening gown was a gorgeous red silk garment--that was made only that much sexier to Tony because SHE was the one wearing it. More than once or twice he caught his eyes moving up and down her lean figure tracing every line and curve perfectly outlined because the dress fit her so well.

She had also taken the time to do her hair up especially for this occasion--and she was wearing earrings. Yeah, Ziva David wearing girlie earrings--that was definitely a sight to see.

But Tony had to admit she had come a long way since they had first met, all those years ago, after her half-brother Ari killed his first partner Kate Todd.

"Yeah thanks. You too." Tony said, forcing a fake smile as he shook hands with another slightly aging politician.

He and Ziva continued to make their way through the crowd of people as they headed for the refreshment table on the other side. When they finally reached the table they also found a momentary quiet--a clear space in which to breathe a little bit--and Tony once again began tugging at the collar of his tuxedo.

"Something wrong with your tux Tony?" Ziva asked, with a smirk, as she set about the task of pouring herself a drink.

"Its all wrong." he mumbled, as he tugged at the tight collar/bow tie, once again.

"Well, I guess tux's aren't for everyone I suppose." Ziva said, between sips of her freshly made drink.

"No, its not that. Its just--its all 'Polyester'--and 'Polyester Blends'--Ugh." he explained, with a grimace. "But its all the Tux shop had."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Apparently everyone in this town gets their Tux's from the same place." Tony commented, on his unfortunate luck.

Ziva set her drink down behind her on the table, and then turned towards Tony. She moved close, and began fiddling with his bow tie--which he had managed to somehow turn a little bit crooked to one side with all of his incessant pulling and tugging at it.

"Well--I for one think you look--dashing." Ziva said quietly--to him--as she straightened his bow tie up for him.

"Hey, you can take that thing, rip it off, and burn it for all I care--never liked Bow Ties anyway." Tony replied, just as quietly.

"No, no--I think we'll leave it on for now." Ziva said, her voice gaining a slightly seductive edge to it, as she brought her lips to his and kissed him.

"Okay," Tony thought to himself as his eyes fell shut and he pressed his lips even closer to hers. "If she 'plays' like this for the rest of the night--we're seriously gonna have issues."

"You two seem to be enjoying yourselves this evening."

A familiar voice cut through the tender moment that the two lovers were having, and startled both of them out of their embrace.

Tony's eyes flew open, and he quickly pulled Ziva back, and cleared his throat--all while trying to regain some sense of composure--as was Ziva.

"Boss."

"Gibbs."

"Relax DiNozzo." Gibbs said as he poured up two drinks--one for himself and one for his date for the night--Abby. "We're not at work." he added, with a sly grin.

"I, uh-W-We just didn't expect to see you here--that's all." Tony stammered.

The truth was--just that. He was surprised to see Gibbs. He knew his boss wasn't really into things like this, and would much rather spend the night at home working in his basement building a boat or something.

"Who are you with--anyone?" Ziva asked, picking her drink back up off of the table.

"Aw, he probably dragged Allison along with him." Tony remarked, with a grin.

"Nope. Abby." Gibbs replied, turning away from the table, and now holding two drinks--one in each hand. "Now I'm kinda wishin' I hadn't." he added unexpectedly.

"Why is that?" Ziva asked, between sips of her own drink.

"Yeah. What she said." Tony chimed in, also curious as to what would cause his boss to re-think a decision--which was something that the silver-haired Senior NCIS Agent rarely did.

"Dunno," Gibbs replied, his voice growing a little serious and a little quieter as he spoke now. "Somethin' just doesn't 'feel' right." Gibbs explained quietly.

"That's never a good thing." Tony remarked, looking suspiciously around the room at everyone whose face he did not immediately recognize.

After a few seconds or so, Gibbs finally let out a sigh and gave a slight shake of his head at the couple standing next to him. "Then again, I could just be getting 'old'." he said, a little more light-heartedly.

"I've got to get these drinks back to Abby." Gibbs said at last, as he started to walk away. Then he stopped, and looked back over his shoulder at Tony and Ziva, momentarily. "Just--watch each other's backs alright."

And then with that Gibbs was gone--headed back to where Abby was supposed to be waiting for him and the drink that he was supposed to be bringing her.

"If Gibbs' gut is talking to him," Tony said quietly, turning back to face Ziva. "We should probably be ready for anything."

"Agreed." Ziva replied, quietly, seriousness evident in her voice.





By now, Ducky and Congressman Harrison had parted ways due, in part, to an unexpected phone call that Harrison 'reluctantly' claimed he just had to take. Jimmy had also excused himself, momentarily, to quickly locate a restroom.

Ducky and Abby now waited on the side of the auditorium-like room near where the smaller 'sitting' tables and chairs were set up ro use by the 'party guests' whenever they happened to get tired of standing on their feet.

Ducky was finishing a conversation with an older lady as Gibbs approached them, with one arm outstretched to offer a drink to Abby. He chuckled at something that the woman said, smiled, and then she went off on her way once again.

"What, no drink for me Jethro?" Ducky said playfully.

Abby chuckled at the aging M.E.'s sense of humor and unrivaled wit. "Thanks." she said, thanking Gibbs for the drink that he had brought her.

"Sorry Duck. Forgot to ask." Gibbs said, playing off of Ducky's humor.

"Well that's quite alright," the Scotsman said, with a grin. "Now if they had a nice Scotch laying around, then things would be different."

"Where's Jimmy?" Gibbs asked, between sips of his drink as he, Ducky, and Abby prepared to have a seat at one of the nearby tables.

Ducky chuckled. "Lad needed to find himself a restroom I'm afraid, but he should be back any moment now."

Gibbs and Ducky both shared that laugh together, as the three of them picked out a table to sit down at.

"Oh, Gibbs. I almost forgot--we need to talk." Abby said, suddenly anxious, and with slight urgency in her voice.

"Can it wait?" Gibbs asked, as he set his glass down on the table top. "Looks like the shows' fixin' to start." he added, motioning with his free hand towards the big stage setup at the front of the auditorium-like room. But at the same time he was also looking around the room, almost as if he were searching for something

NCIS Director Leon Vance was taking the stage as the three of them were about to take there seats. Apparently he was the one who had been chosen to 'host' the elaborate event this evening. He reached for the microphone, and removed it from its stand, and began speaking into it. As he did so the room began to fall quiet, and the lights were slightly dimmed--but only just ever so slightly.

"No, it can't." Abby insisted. She grabbed Gibbs' arm, after having set her own drink down on the table, and pulled her boss off to the side just a little bit so that Ducky and hopefully no one else would be able to hear what she was about to say.

"Abby, what the hell's-" he started to say after she stopped pulling on his arm.

"Gibbs. Congressman Harrison, Ducky's friend, smokes Cigars." Abby finally blurted out, in a hushed voice.

"Cigars?" Gibbs asked, slightly confused, at first.

"Yeah. Cubans--Gibbs." Abby added, still trying to make him see where she was going with her train of thought.

"He lit one right before he had to take that phone call." Abby explained. "At first I didn't think much of it until I actually smelled it. I'm positive its the same blend from our crime scene."

"Abby--are you sure?" Gibbs asked, now realizing what the Goth Forensic Specialist was saying.

"Gibbs--this is me we're talking about." Abby replied, grabbing her boss' shoulders tightly in her hands.

Gibbs stood in place, silently, his mind whizzing about in a million different directions as his gut churned violently inside him.

"Find Tony and Ziva--go." Gibbs said, as he turned Abby in the direction in which he last saw the other two NCIS agents.

By now Vance had wrapped up the evenings introductions, and he had introduced the first speaker of the night. He was currently making his way down off of the stage via a small set of stairs set just off to the side.



-Chapter Six-

Ducky stood up from the table he was sitting at when he saw Jimmy coming towards him through the crowd(s). It had taken the lad long enough--Ducky had begun to wonder if the young man had 'fallen in'.

Ducky gave a small wave to Jimmy so that the young man would see where he was sitting. At that point, Jimmy actually began to speed up a little bit more.

Suddenly a loud bang echoed across the auditorium interrupting the man who was currently up on stage giving a speech about the 'Guest-of-Honor' of the evening.




The gun shot rang out loud and clear. It was just a single shot, at first, and it struck its target straight and true. Its target was the man currently occupying the stage area, and he fell forward, crashing over the microphone stand on the way down to the ground.

Gibbs was walking swiftly in Vance's direction when all the commotion broke out all through the auditorium-like room. But after the gun shot was heard he took off in a mad dash.

A security guard was standing a few yards away from where he was, and he was drawing his service weapon out of its holster. Then to Gibbs' horror the security guard aimed his weapon at Director Vance who was trying to help a woman who had fallen down in the commotion.

Gibbs quickly drew his trusty pocket knife out of its secret hiding place, and lunged for the armed guard without a moment's hesitation.

"Look out!" Gibbs yelled in Vance's direction as he leaped at the guard. He plunged the knife deep into the guard's neck before he could fire off a single shot.

The guard collapsed to the ground grasping at the knife sticking out of his neck. Gibbs then picked up the unused service pistol, checked it over once, and it held it at the ready as he looked around the room for other assassins-in-disguise.




Gun shots were now streaking through the crowd(s) of people who were now trying desperately to escape.

Ducky ducked as a shot whizzed by over his head, and when he looked back up there was no sign of Jimmy anywhere.

Then he heard a cry of agony, and looked over to see a woman kneeling over her fallen husband who was apparently injured, and true to his nature Ducky--without thinking--headed into the fray to offer his assistance.

--End of Ducky's FLASHBACK #1--




Tony was now back on the stand telling more of his side of the story, and he still wasn't very happy about it either.

"It turned out that the 'security guards' were actually hired hit-men in really good disguises." Tony was now explaining. "And they were supposed to take out a preselected number of targets..."

--Tony's FLASHBACK #2--

A security guard near where Tony and Ziva were, pulled his gun and began firing shots into the crowd of screaming people rushing about the room trying to find an exit that either wasn't blocked off or wasn't locked up tight.

Abby was still trying to find Tony and Ziva, and she almost took a bullet in the process. She saw the other two NCIS Agents and started to run towards them when the security guard's gun turned in her direction.

Tony saw Abby at the last minute and lunged at the guard without thinking knocking him off balance for a split second, and sending the bullet off elsewhere instead.

The guard righted himself and then swung his gun at Tony's head, but Tony ducked out of the way just in time for Ziva to come out of nowhere with a side-swipe to the guards side.

The guard then buckled to the side, and then before he could blink Ziva knocked him out cold with a fist to the temple. After which she recovered his weapon to use as her own for the time being.

"You alright?" Ziva asked, as she helped Tony back up to his feet once again.

"Yeah I guess-" he started to say as he dusted himself off quickly. "Hey, no fair." Tony exclaimed, upon seeing the gun in Ziva's hand. "Why do you get the gun?"

"Because--Dear--I'm a much better shot than you are." Ziva replied, with a smirk.




Abby had somehow fallen to the ground amidst the stampeding crowd(s) of people still moving feverishly about the room. Her head was spinning with, and throbbing with excruciating pain now--as was her leg for some unknown reason.

"H-h-help," she tried to say, but the words wouldn't come out right for some reason.

Just then a hand reached down and grabbed her arm. "Abs, you alright?" the familiar voice asked her.

"G-Gibbs-" Abby stuttered, hoarsely.

"I"m here Abs." Gibbs said softly.

"M-my head-"

"Yeah, you're bleeding--probably hit your head coming down." he said quietly as he looked her over and--Damn!" Gibbs suddenly swore under his breath as his eyes fell across her exposed left leg. "You've been hit."

Tony and Ziva arrived at Gibbs' side at that moment as well.

"Boss?" Tony said as he knelt down beside them.

"She's hit." Gibbs explained. "Where the hell is Ducky!?" he bellowed angrily.

"Don't know." Ziva replied.

"But we'll find him." Tony assured his silver-haired boss.

"No," Gibbs replied instead. "DiNozzo--Get her somewhere safe-Now!" Gibbs barked. "Ziva, find Vance--and get those Damn doors open!"

With that the three of them started to stand up to go their separate ways.

"Get down!" Ziva suddenly hollered at her teammates.

Gibbs and Tony both instinctively cowered low--throwing their bodies over Abby's like a shield.

Just 50 or 60 yards away was a guard pointing a gun in their direction, but Ziva was much quicker than he was. She aimed her weapon, and with expert precision nailed the disguised assassin right between the eyes--dropping him to the floor in a silent heap.

--End of Tony's FLASHBACK #2--




--Ducky's FLASHBACK #2--

"Jimmy! Jimmy" the aging Scotsman yelled above the high volumes of noise as he moved on from his latest stop along the many fallen men/women. "Jimmy Palmer!" He yelled out once again.

He'd been looking for his young associate ever since the whole commotion first started up.

He pushed through yet another crowd and on the other side spotted Carter Harrison propped up against a nearby undisturbed table clutching at his right leg--which had blood oozing out from it.

"Carter!" Ducky said, as he dropped to his old friend's side. He then quickly snatched off his belt once he got a glimpse of what kind of wound his old friend had.

"Duck-" Carter said, panting heavily. "Musta got clipped--er--something when-"

"It's alright." Ducky commanded him as he wrapped his belt around the burly man's wound and pulled it tight against it--which made the burly man grimace at first. "Carter, the young man that was with me--Jimmy--have you seen him?" Ducky asked urgently of his friend.

Harrison shook his head at the aging M.E.

"Stay here. I'll be back as soon as I can--but I have to find Jimmy." Ducky pulling himself up and darting off once again.

Ducky searched unsuccessfully for a few brief moments while the sound of gun shots continued to fill his own ears.

"Damn it Jimmy!" Ducky swore angrily. "Where in bloody hell are-" but then he stopped short, as his eyes fell upon a sight that he wished like nothing else he had never seen.

Jimmy was laying, sprawled out on the floor blood pooling over/around him, and his glasses laid, smashed to bits--nearby his head.

"Oh--Jimmy." Ducky gasped, as he rolled the young man over onto his back and pulled him close.

Jimmy's eyes fluttered open, and then closed, and then back open again. Then he coughed--once and then twice--blood beginning to ooze up over his lips.

"Dr. M-Mallard-" the young man gasped, trying to draw in air to breathe but finding it very difficult to do so.

"It's alright Mr. Palmer--I'm here now...just try and relax."

"I-I" Jimmy stuttered as he tried to gasp out the words he was struggling for.

"Shhhhhh--You mustn't try to speak." Ducky instructed the young man, his own voice beginning to quiver as he surveyed the damage.

"I-I tried to-" Jimmy gasped through his labored breathing once again. "Guess I w-wasn't fast enough-"

"Jimmy. Please. You must conserve your energy." Ducky pleaded with the young man resting in his arms as he knelt there on the floor.

The young man made choking sound, and more blood oozed up over his tongue and then over his lips; and then down over his chin. Huge tears glistened in the young man's eyes as he looked up at his long-time friend and mentor.

"D-Dr. Mallard---I-I'm s-s-so s-sorry-" the young man managed to choke out, through the tears that were now rolling down over his cheeks, just before he took his final breathe.

Ducky sat there in silence for a moment waiting for the young man to say something else, but nothing else came.

"Jimmy--Jimmy!" Ducky shouted down at the young man's now lifeless body. "Jimmy!" he shouted once more, and then the uncontrollable sobs overtook him as he pulled the young man's body close and hugged it tightly against his own body.




Suddenly there was a clicking sound, and then the faint sensation that someone was watching him. Ducky looked up, and found one of the guards standing just mere feet away aiming a gun down at him.

The guard slid his finger into the grip, but just before he could pull the trigger another gun shot was heard coming from elsewhere; and then the guard suddenly slumped forward and then crashed loudly to the ground.

Ducky looked past where the guard had been standing and saw Gibbs, who looked a little worse-for-wear, standing just a few yards away aiming his own gun in the direction of where the guard had been standing just mere seconds before.




Seconds later a set of doors on the far left-hand side of the room were thrown open--a combined effort by Director Vance and Ziva--and those still left standing stormed out as quickly as they possibly could screaming and sobbing the whole way.

"Lets go!" Vance was shouting over the noise. "Everyone out! Move! Move!"

Towards the other side of the room Gibbs suddenly found himself caught in the stampede headed for the doors. He tried to step out of the way, but was hit from the other side by another couple running for their lives.

Gibbs fell backwards into a cluster of chairs near an upturned table setting. The gun he had been holding slid off somewhere away from him in another direction--leaving him unarmed, and somewhat more vulnerable.

He struggled back up to his feet, by now pretty much clear of the escaping crowd of people, and his eyes immediately began searching for the gun once again.

He spotted it--finally--and started to move towards it when he suddenly felt cold steel pressed against the back of his head/neck.

"The others are all dead, but not me--not yet." a gravely voice said from behind Gibbs. "You and I are walking out of here together--out the back."

"If I refuse?" Gibbs asked plainly, without blinking.

"Do you really want to die tonight!?" the man nearly screamed, pressing the muzzle of his gun into Gibbs' skin more firmly.

"Do you?" Gibbs asked, smoothly and still very calm and in control.

"Hey!"

The gunman spun around at hearing the new voice coming from just behind him. "Wha-"

Bam! Tony's fist connected hard with the man's jaw, and the blow sent him sprawling backwards. The man hit the floor, dazed at first, but then he shook it off and began looking for the gun that he had dropped.

But before the man could get very far Tony was on top of him, slamming his fists hard into the man's face/head until Gibbs finally reached where they were, and pulled the younger man off.

"Clear!?" Ziva yelled across the auditorium-like room, weapon still held out in front of her, which by now had gone eerily quiet.

"Clear!" Gibbs yelled back, looking from Tony to the unconscious man lying on the floor before them.

......To Be Continued......

"What Had To Be Done"


-Chapter Eight-

The team met outside the courtroom now, as everyone had been released for a short break, and the first they did was turn to Ducky. The aging M.E. had been able to hold back the tears that he had been fighting since he'd first been asked to give testimony on the stand.

"Ducky?" Abby asked slowly, as she approached the older man--who was now standing in front of a vending machine just down the hall from the courtroom. "Are you alright?" she asked, that genuine concern that she always had for her friends more than evident in her voice.

"I never told him--" the old man began to say quietly, but then he stopped short.

"Yes?"

Ducky looked up at Abby with sad eyes. "I never told him how proud I was of him--I never told him that he was like a son to me..." then suddenly the old man broke down right there in front of Abby.

Abby stepped forward and wrapped her long arms around the old man and hugged him as tightly as she could--without hurting him of course--and did her best to comfort him. "I miss him too Ducky." she said quietly, a few tears forming in the corners of her own eyes.




McGee nervously kicked his shoe against the bathroom floor as he stood, leaning against the wall, waiting for Tony to finish with his business.

"Look, Tony--I-I'm sorry I snapped at you earlier." McGee said quietly, bowing his head down.

"What's that McGoo?" Tony called over the stall door.

"I said I'm sorry," McGee repeated, slightly louder this time. "You know--for snapping at you in there."

"Oh," Tony replied. "Don't sweat it McGee--at least you didn't KILL anyone." he said, half-jokingly.

There was a silence that followed Tony's words where neither man said a single word for what seemed like forever--until Tony finally spoke up, a little more serious at that point.

"Look McGee--this whole thing has us all shook up in one way or another," Tony said, as the sound of a toilet flushing threatened to drown out what he was saying. "We just have to roll with it ya know--try not to let it get to us."

The stall door opened, and Tony hobbled out--rather slowly--and headed towards the sink(s) to wash his hands before heading back out of the bathroom.

"Tony--" McGee began, raising his voice a little so that he could be heard over the noises that the sinks made. "Vance came to my apartment last night."

Tony turned the sink off, gave his hands a few shakes over the sink, and pulled a couple of paper towels down off of the nearby rack.

"Why?" Tony asked.

"He told me that in order to keep us all together, ya know within the agency--he has to separate us." McGee admitted to the slightly older man.

"Separate us?" Tony repeated the words, slightly confused.

"Yeah--you're getting a new team, Ducky's already resigned, Abby's being replaced by someone else, and they're sending HER (Abby) to L.A.--" McGee shook his head as he tried to continue.

Tony was now looking more serious than he'd ever looked before--probably in his entire life. "Really?"

"Yeah--but that's not all," McGee admitted. "He said he doesn't know, yet, what he'll do with Ziva--and...I'm being transferred back to the 'Cyber Crimes Unit'." he added, rubbing his face with his hands wearily.

"For how long?" Tony asked, seriously, and somewhat in shock.

"Don't know." McGee replied. "And neither does he--he's only doing it to satisfy the Brass."

"That's insane--" Tony spat. "--He can't do that...I mean--what the hell did YOU even do?" he asked, meaning the question to be, more-or-less, rhetorical.

--McGee's FLASHBACK #1--

NCIS HEADQUARTERS--2:00 A.M.

There was a ping, and then the elevator doors opened and McGee stepped out--heading in the direction of the bullpen. To his surprise the whole room was buzzing way more than usual (or more than he expected)--especially when it was so early in the morning.

He was dressed in rather casual attire--on account of Gibbs told him not to dress up just to get down there Pronto--and seemed somewhat confused and bewildered at the sight that he was seeing as he rounded the corner into the bullpen.

Tony was already at his desk, dressed in an NCIS jumpsuit, and phone in his hand--talking with someone on the other end, and doing so with a rather agitated tone to his voice.

McGee stopped short, in front of Tony's desk, and waited for him to finish his phone conversation.

"No. I'm sorry I can't say 'anything' definite at this time. NCIS is currently heading the investigation...and handling it as best as it can at this time." Tony was saying into the phone. "Uh no, sorry--no comment at this time--no, no that's--that's not--that's not what I--you know what," Tony, by now, seemed to be getting more and more upset with whoever it was that he was talking to on the phone.

"I'm--sorry M--I'm going thr--tunnel--signal fa--call dro--" SLAM! Tony slammed the phone down onto its base, loudly and angrily, his face already having turned a certain shade of red as well. "And good DAY to you SIR!" he yelled angrily at the phone (referencing Gene Wilder from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory in his momentary fit of rage).

"Everything okay there, Tony?" McGee asked.

"No, McGee, everything is not okay!" Tony shouted back, his anger from the telephone conversation inadvertently carrying over.

"Gee, sorry I asked-" McGee started to reply.

"Sixteen people are dead, Congressman Ferrell's party was ruined, and on top of all that--the media is nipping at our heels like a pack of yapping hell hounds!" Tony fumed.

"Wait--Sixteen people are--Tony what happened out there?" McGee asked, slightly confused, bewildered, and shocked.

Tony began to settle back down, realizing that McGee did not know anything yet. "Sorry about that." Tony apologized.

"Oh, good--Ziva's back." Tony said, as Ziva strolled up to her desk, also wearing an NCIS jumpsuit, and carrying two medium-size paper sacks with her. "Ziva, why don't you fill McGee, here, in on what's been going on in the last few hours."

"Sure. Why not." she replied, as she set the two sacks down on her desktop.

Ziva explained the whole thing to McGee in less than just a few minutes flat, after which McGee just stood in silence for a few moments thinking to himself in silent-shock.

Just then Gibbs came around the corner into the bullpen, dressed in a pair of jeans, a T-shirt, and a gray sports coat. He also carried two gym bags with him. "DiNozzo. David. Go change--Now." Gibbs said, as he tossed one gym bag to each team member. "Then take your other stuff down to the lab." he added.

"Thank you Boss--you're a life saver, ya know that." Tony said, grabbing the bag in mid-air, and then standing up from his desk.

"Thanks." Ziva thanked her boss for the change in clothes.

"He filled in yet?" Gibbs asked, referring to McGee, as he passed McGee and headed for his own desk.

"Yep." Tony said, as he passed by Gibbs' desk on his way towards the restroom to change with Ziva following suit behind him.

"Good." Gibbs replied, sitting down in his desk chair. "McGee--get to work." he said pointing towards McGee's desk.

"Yeah. Sure thing Boss." McGee said, slowly, as he began to make his way to his own desk. "What exactly am I working on?"

"Its all on your desk McGee." Gibbs replied, somewhat coldly. "Run everything through the system--I wanna know what's real and what's not--and I wanna know it 'Yesterday'." he added, as he turned to face his own computer screen.

McGee plopped down into his desk chair, several thick file folders stacked up on top of each other in the middle of his desktop. "So, Abby's in the hospital..." McGee muttered. "H-How's Ducky and Jimmy--are they-?" he started to ask.

Gibbs spun around in his chair to face McGee across the bullpen. "Didn't those two tell you anything!?" Gibbs snapped, unhappily. But then his demeanor changed, somewhat quickly, as his face fell somber.

"Sorry Tim." Gibbs apologized to McGee. "McGee...Palmer didn't make it--he's-" Gibbs explained quietly, shaking his head a little bit.

McGee looked really shocked at hearing that Jimmy Palmer, Ducky's assistant was 'DEAD'. And he sat in silence for the next few minutes.




Tony and Ziva strolled back into the bullpen a while later, enjoying being out of the ridiculous-looking jumpsuits they had been forced to wear before, and into a fresh change of their own clothes.

"Oh, that feels so much better." Tony said, as he plopped back down into his own desk chair.

"Indeed it does." Ziva chimed in, following suit.

"Oh, Boss." Tony said, almost forgetting what he had been thinking about just a few seconds before. "Abby said to ask you where your stuff was at." Tony said, relaying the message that the Young Goth Forensic Specialist had given him to deliver to their boss.

"Abby?" Gibbs said at once, confused. "Abby's HERE?" he said, his voice rising a little bit.

"Yeah--you did not know?" Ziva asked, somewhat confused, for she thought that Gibbs already knew.

"Damn it!" Gibbs swore out loud, as he jumped up from his desk and headed off towards the elevator.

"Uh Boss, where are you-" Tony started to ask, but then immediately shut his mouth as quickly as he could.

"To find out why a member of my team disobeyed a direct order!" Gibbs shouted as he slapped the button on the wall just to the right of the elevator.




-Chapter Nine-

"Abs!" Gibbs bellowed from the down the hall. Abby heard the anger in Gibbs' voice, and knew instantly what was coming.

Gibbs marched through the door glaring at her angrily, his steely-blue eyes burning into her soul as she stood their in front of her workstation.

Abby was so nervous that her frantically beating heart made the throbbing in her head even worse. She had left her hair hanging straight down because of the bandages that the doctors had wrapped around the wound where she had hit her head.

"What, no Caf-Pow?" she said half-heartedly joking.

"What are you doing here?" Gibbs asked coldly, now standing just mere feet away from Abby.

"Gibbs--don't-don't look at me like that." she insisted quietly, wanting to turn her head away from him, but unable to do so.

"Answer me." he said, his voice still just as hard as it had been the first time. "What the hell are you doing here!?" he shouted as he stepped forward--closer to her.

"I-I-I couldn't stay there." she started to explain in a weak voice.

"I gave you a DIRECT order!" he growled.

"I know--but you need me here." she insisted, trying to make herself louder.

"I need you back at the hospital resting--you hit your head, and you were shot." he said, pointing out her injuries.

He opened his mouth to speak again, still seething with anger, and then he realized that she had closed her eyes--she was shaking all over. His demeanor changed almost instantly, and his 'fatherly' side came out.

"Abs," he said softly, as he put his arms around her and pulled her close. "I'm sorry." he whispered in her ear.

"Don't be," she whispered back, basking in the warmth that she found--as she always did--in the arms of her silver-haired boss. "You're just scared like everyone else--its normal."

"Kate, Pacci, Jenny, Palmer--" Gibbs named each member of NCIS that they'd lost in the past few years.

"You did everything you could--in every case--nothing you could do differently would change the outcome." Abby said, trying to comfort her boss.

"It has to end Abby...it has to end somewhere." Gibbs said quietly.

"Look Gibbs...there's a ton of stuff to go through here," Abby started, as she pulled away from Gibbs and headed, walking with a slight hobble, towards her work table. "And I doubt that you'll be able to find someone else who can do what I can--faster, and might I add, as accurately as I can."

Gibbs nodded. "You're right."

"Now, if you'll please, I-I have work that needs to be done." she insisted as she started picking through the massive amount of evidence strode out across her work table.

"If you start feeling anything--other than good--you go straight back to the hospital...Promise?"

"Promise." Abby replied, without looking up.

Gibbs stood silently for a few moments just watching Abby separating the evidence bags into smaller, more organized piles; but then suddenly one bag in particular caught his attention. The label on it read: 'Congressman Carter Harrison'.

Gibbs swooped in and plucked the bag out of the pile just before Abby's hands could reach it. "This bag," Gibbs said holding it up for her to see. "Top priority."

"Right." Abby replied, as she took the bag from Gibbs. She did recognize the name on the bag, and she also remembered her conversation with Gibbs before the whole shootout at the party began.





The 4 or 5 hours practically drug on forever for the members of Gibbs' NCIS team as they sifted through every bit of evidence at their fingertips. Vance popped in to check on their progress at about the 5:30-6:00 time margin. He and Gibbs now stood inside a stalled elevator car talking, in the dim light, in private.

"Where are you so far?" Vance asked, seriously.

"How far do you want us to be?" Gibbs asked, folding his arms across his chest.

Vance shook his head.

"Terrorist act or not, Gibbs?" Vance asked, now being more specific about what he was looking for.

Gibbs shook his head. "Nope. Don't think so." Gibbs replied.

"So, this is homegrown then?"

"Yeah. Possibly, but this wasn't planned by a bunch of rednecks Leon." Gibbs explained.

There was a brief silence during which Vance considered Gibbs' words carefully.

"Let me get this straight, Gibbs. You're saying you think this came from the 'Inside'."

Gibbs gave a small grin. "Yep. Bout the size of it."

"Great. I'm sure you also have a suspect in mind as well." Vance said, not liking where this conversation was going.

"Hmm." Vance huffed, a little agitated at this point. "Don't tell me--its probably better if I don't know."

"Plausible Deniability. Good thinking Leon." Gibbs remarked, with a slight grin.

"Just know this Gibbs." Vance said, putting his hands on his hips, seriously. "If you're wrong about this, or break one rule too many--I won't be able to help you."

"Understood." Gibbs replied, as he reached a hand over and pushed the Start-Up button to get the elevator moving once again.





A few minutes later Gibbs rounded the corner back into the bullpen. Tony and Ziva had just returned from a round of questioning witnesses and the like; and Tony was so ready to sit down in his comfy desk chair for a little while.

"Did I say you could sit DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked, as he entered the bullpen.

Tony quickly jumped to attention at his boss' words.

"Fill me in." Gibbs commanded.

Everyone gathered around the plasma screen as McGee transferred the data from his computer to the screen.

"Carter Harrison, age-"

"No one cares how old the guy is McGee." Tony said, snatching the remote from McGee, and clicking ahead to the good stuff.

Ziva rolled her eyes at Tony.

"It turns out that you were right boss--we had to dig deeper than usual," Tony explained, with a smirk.

"And by 'We', I'm assuming you mean 'Me' right Tony." McGee pointed out, interrupting Tony mid-sentence.

"Yeah, whatever Mcflower Power."

"Anyway, like I was saying, we were able to find one link between the gunmen from last night and Congressman Harrison."

"Yeah. Just one DiNozzo?"

"B-but its a good one Boss--trust me." Tony remarked, with a playful grin.

He clicked the button on the remote and documents that resembled bank statements and what not.

"It seems our gunman were hired by someone on the inside." Tony added.

"But one thing still bothers me though," Ziva interjected. "If Congressman Harrison is the one who hired those men, then why did he, himself, get shot?"

"Good question." Gibbs agreed.

"You two just got back from questioning people right?" Gibbs asked.

"Yeah."

"Did you question HIM?" Gibbs asked.

"Yep, sure did--he was rather cool about the whole thing." Tony explained.

"Except, remember, when you mentioned that Gibbs was heading up the investigation." Ziva pointed out. "He seemed, I don't know, a little tense."

"I'll bet he did." Gibbs remarked. "Anything else?"

"Uh--yeah," McGee said, thinking for a moment, and then taking the remote back from Tony and clicking forward a little bit more. "The eight Congressman that were killed last night all have something in common--This." McGee said pointing to the document that was now displayed on the plasma screen.

"They were all major opposition to a bill that is currently under a lot of discussion right now." McGee explained. "See, if the bill goes through it will allow vast amounts of government funds to be appropriated for a new Defense Contract."

"And it just so happens that our friend the Congressman was pushing very heavily for this bill to pass." Tony added.

"Why?" Gibbs asked, looking from Tony to McGee.

"Well, he and, get this, his business partner--Admiral Joseph Rucker--owned a company together that specializes in Military-Grade Weaponry production--if the bill goes through, and they get the contract they could stand to make millions of dollars in profit alone." McGee explained.

"But then why did he kill Rucker?" Ziva pondered aloud.

"Don't know." Gibbs answered quietly.

"But," Tony chimed in, with an unusual grin spread across his face. "I know where we might look for clues." Tony added.

"Where?" McGee asked, somewhat surprised.

"Well, apparently there have been some 'mishaps' over at Zena-Corp, that's the name of Harrison and Rucker's company, and because one of the unfortunate casualties just happened to be the son of another prominent Congressman--the FBI was ordered to open an investigation there." Tony explained.

"Nice work DiNozzo." Gibbs said, turning away from the plasma screen. "Ziva, whatever happened to that sailor that was supposed to come see us?" Gibbs asked.

"Never showed." Ziva replied, as she headed back towards her desk.

"Well, find him." Gibbs commanded her.

"McGee, can you get me the financial records for 'Zena-Corp'?" Gibbs asked.

"Not sure, but I can try." McGee replied.

"Good. Get on it."

"DiNozzo, put a security watch on Harrison--he should still be at the hospital." Gibbs instructed Tony.

"On it Boss."

"What about you?" Tony asked, as he plopped down into his desk chair. "What are you gonna do?"

"Gonna have a chat with an old friend--thanks to you." Gibbs replied, as he turned and headed for the elevator.




"Yes sir. I understand that sir but-" Vance was saying into his desk phone.

Vance had been taking a lot of flack since news of the incident at the Congressman's Birthday party had gotten out. He'd been dealing with it for the last handful of hours, and it did not seem as though handling it was going to get any easier.

He scratched his head as he listened to the voice on the other end of the line drag on and on with a list of demands a mile long.

"Yes sir. I'll have a talk with Agent Gibbs right away." Vance assured the man on the other end of the line.

"Yes sir, you too. HmmHmm. Bye."

He finally hung up the phone, and let out a deep, and long held in sigh as he thought about what he had just discussed with the Secretary of the Navy, and also about what he was going to have to do next.




The day was slowly beginning to wind down by now, and the sky outdoors was beginning to look a little bit overcast--especially here in the park. There two or three couples out in the park as well, one of the couples even had a little girl with them and a family dog as well.

Gibbs smiled as he watched the little family play and have fun together, as he sat there waiting on the park bench.

"I hear we're supposed to expect a little rain." a voice said from behind Gibbs.

"Yep. Heard the same thing too." Gibbs replied, without looking back or moving.

The man walked around and took a seat next to Gibbs on the park bench. The sharply dressed, and slightly balding man was none other than FBI Agent Tobias Fornell.

"Jethro." Fornell said, as he noticed the family that Gibbs was watching.

"Tobias."

"So. How are things down at the office?" Tobias asked.

"Horrible." Gibbs said plainly.

"Figured as much." Tobias replied, shaking his head. "So what say we cut the chase."

"Sure, Tobias, why not."

"Okay," Tobias replied. "Why am I here Gibbs?" he asked, seriously.

"I need a favor." Gibbs said plainly.

"Sure. You always need a favor."

"Why do you have to say it like that, Tobias." Gibbs replied, looking over at his 'friend'.

"Because, Gibbs, everytime YOU need a favor--I always end up with the short end of the stick." Tobias explained.





Tony was gathering up his things, and getting ready to head back over to the hospital to check on Congressman Harrison--and at the same time chatting on the telephone.

"Well are you sure?" he asked the person on the other end.

"Okay, I know. But could you go check again. Please. Thank you."

Beep. Beep.

"Damn." Tony swore under his breath. The last thing he needed was to have to take another call while he was already in the middle of one phone call.

He pressed the button to switch the phone lines over--even though it was rather reluctantly. "Hello. NCIS, this is Special Agent Anthony--"

"I know who you are Special Agent DiNozzo." the voice on the other end said, cutting him off mid-sentence.

"Who is-?"

"Congressman Harrison of course my boy." the man said, re-introducing himself. "I hear you people are looking for me. Well I should warn you--I checked myself out of that God-Forsaken hospital hours ago."

"Really." Tony remarked sarcastically.

"Listen, I have a, uh, well a-a proposition that I think you ought to consider."

Tony listened closely to what the man had to say; but after a few minutes he was starting to not like where this guy was going with his so-called
'proposition'. "Never." Tony growled, in a hushed voice.

"Look son, either you stop Agent Gibbs, and shut down the investigation--or kiss mis David goodbye." the man threatened him.

Tony's jaw tightened as he mulled things over in his mind. On one hand he would never betray Gibbs, but on the other he was in love Ziva David and did not want to have to see her deported back to Tel Aviv--especially after she had worked so hard to become an official American citizen.

"I'll tell you what son, I'll let you think it over for 'a little while', but then after that--Times up. I'll be staying at the King's Cross Motel--I'm sure you know where that's at--so when you're ready to talk-"

"Yeah I got it." Tony replied, gritting his teeth for every word.

And then with that the man hung up, and then so did Tony.

"Something wrong?" Ziva asked, noticing the look on Tony's face from behind her desk.

"No-no everything's fine." he replied, standing back up and grabbing his coat, badge, and gun.

He walked around his desk, and then stopped right in front of Ziva's desk on his way to the elevator. "I promise--Everything will be fine." And then with that he took his leave.


.........To Be Continued in Part Four.........

"What Had To Be Done"

-Chapter Ten-

Gibbs had just returned from his meeting with Fornell in the park, and now all he could do was wait for his friend to call him back with either a 'yay' or a 'nay'.

"Where's DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked as he entered the bullpen.

"We were actually wondering the same thing." McGee admitted from his desk.

"He took off a couple of hours ago, and hasn't been back since--he hasn't even checked in which is unusual for Tony." Ziva added.

"Try his cell phone again--if he doesn't answer--then try the hospital." Gibbs instructed Ziva.

Just then his own desk phone rang, and he answered it on the second ring, before he even had a chance to sit down in his chair.

"Gibbs-" he said, asnwering the phone. "What--Abby slow down. On my way." he said, as he hung up the phone and the spun on his heel and made a bee line for the elevator.




Gibbs strolled into Abby's lab a few minutes later where she was waiting anxiously for him.

"Gibbs! Gibbs finally, you made it." she said, rushing up to him, and then quickly spinning around and heading back to her workstation.

"Whatcha got?" he asked.

"I found something--but I don't think you're gonna like it." she informed him. "I just finished the 'shootout re-creation' like you asked and-"

"Put it up on the plasma." he said at once, as he headed around to where he could see the screen.

Abby did as she was told, and quickly punched a few keys on her console; and within just a few seconds the images flashed up onto the plasma screen. "With this CGI model I can accurately tell you where every bullet fired started from and where it ended up." she explained. "But one scenario in particular...bothers me."

She pushed the key on the console and the CGI re-creation film began to play. After a little bit she paused it.

Just then Ducky entered the lab. No one had really spoken to the older man since the events of the night before because he had specifically requested that he be left alone for a while to think and do his job without hindrance.

"Oh D-Ducky, I uh-" Abby stammered, not knowing whether it was a good idea that he be present for what she was doing just yet.

"Abs, whatcha waitin' for?" Gibbs asked.

"Yes, please. Don't mind me." Ducky said, quietly. "I'll just stand back here and wait."

Abby swallowed a lump in her throat, but then continued with her explanation.

This figure here--is Jimmy--but this figure here, I don't know, but from the reports there wasn't a gunman anywhere near this area--but this figure is clearly the one who shot Jimmy." Abby explained.

"Well it wasn't one of us." Gibbs replied. "Thinking over what he was seeing on the screen in front of him.

Behind them though, Ducky was deep in thought. His mind was racing a million miles per hour, and the memories of the night before vividly danced around in his head, until he saw what he was looking for--and suddenly his sadness was nearly over run by a suddens urge of anger and hatred.

"I-I know who it was." Ducky spoke quietly and slowly.

"Duck?"

Suddenly without another word Ducky spun on his heel and left the lab.

"Duck!?" Gibbs called after his old friend.

"Sorry Jethro--I have 'Business' to attend to." he said as he rushed off.

Gibbs and Abby looked at each other quickly, and then Gibbs darted off after the older man.

Gibbs caught up with Ducky, and cut him off before he could go any further.

"Who was it Duck?" Gibbs asked quietly.

The two of them stood in silence for a few, long moments before Ducky spoke up. "H-Harrison." he finally admitted.

Suddenly Gibbs' cell phone rang, and he answered on the first ring, without taking his eyes away from Ducky.

"Gibbs."

"Boss. We found Tony." McGee said over the phone.

"On my way." Gibbs replied. He then snapped his cell phone shut, and stowed it away back in his pocket. "Come with me." he said, putting his arm around Ducky and leading him back towards Abby's lab.




Gibbs stepped off of the elevator and quickly rounded the corner into the bullpen. "Where is he?" Gibbs asked.

McGee looked from Gibbs to Ziva, and then back again. He swallowed a lump in his throat, thought briefly about the words that he was about to say--and then finally spoke.

"He's on his way to the hospital." McGee informed Gibbs and Ziva.

--End of McGee's FLASHBACK #1--




Everyone, by now, had filed back into the courtroom, settled back into their seats once again, and the judge had called everything back into order with a few taps of his gavel against the bench.

Tony was back on the stand, once again, continuing his story from where he had previously left off.

"I got the call from Congressman Harrison, and left as soon as the conversation ended." Tony explained.

"And where did you go, Agent DiNozzo, after you left NCIS HQ?" Prosecutor Franklin asked, plainly.

"I went to the King's Cross motel, which by the way is one of those nice, two-story motels," Tony explained, answering the prosecutor's question.

"And why, pray tell, did you go to the 'King's Cross Motel'?"

Tony inhaled a deep breath, and then let it out. "To confront the bastard." he mumbled, hoping that no one would hear what he was saying.

"I'm sorry, Agent DiNozzo, could you repeat that last part, please?" the prosecutor asked, with a slight smirk.

"I said...I went there to confront the man..."

--Tony's FLASHBACK #2--

By the time Tony pulled up into the parking lot at the 'King's Cross Motel' it had, in fact, started to rain. He put the car in park, and then turned it off. He reached across the empty passenger seat and opened up the glove compartment.

Inside he fetched out his Badge, his Gun, and the slip of paper on which he had written down the room number for the room that the Congressman was staying at.

He exited the car, and quickly made his way over to a nearby overhang--though he did get a little wet along the way--he still remained relatively dry.

He stowed his side-arm into its holster at his hip, along with his shield, and then made his way towards a nearby staircase. The room that the Congressman had rented was room number '28' which was up on the second level.

He walked up the stairs and followed the numbers on the doors until he reached number '28', and then he knocked. On the other side of the door there were sounds of locks being unlocked and bolts being unbolted. Then finally the door opened.

"Special Agent DiNozzo," Harrison said greeting the man with a handshake at the door. "Knew you'd see things my way...though I am a little surprised that you came around so quickly."

"What can I say? I Guess I just know when I'm beat." Tony replied. "May I?" he asked, gesturing towards the inside of the motel room.

"Oh sure, sure." Harrison said, moving out of the way so that Tony could come inside.

Harrison then closed the door behind them, and then turned and walked over towards the room's single Chest-of-Drawers.

"Drink?" he asked, picking up a bottle of what appeared to be Scotch off of the dresser.

"No thanks. Never drink on the job." Tony replied, waving the offer.

"Suit yourself." Harrison said, pouring himself a drink anyway.

"So lets talk shop. Shall we?" Tony said, cutting to the chase.

"Yes, Yes. Lets." Harrison said in agreement.

"You'll be paid hansomely for your part, of course." Harrison explained, between sips of Scotch. "And your 'sweetheart' gets to stay in this country."

Tony gritted his teeth, but kept it hidden as best as he could manage. "Good."

"Just--tell me what I have to do." Tony insisted quietly.

"We need the investigation shut down--immediately." Harrison explained. "We had a 'similar' situation with the FBI recently, and we were able to handle that one a little more 'gracefully'." Harrison continued to explain. "This 'thing' with NCIS has been anything BUT 'graceful'; however, though it is regrettable that we even conceived
of that horrible shootout at the party--we feel that just a few minor steps in the 'Right' direction will soon rectify all that."

"Wouldn't you agree Agent DiNozzo?"

"Sure." Tony replied. "And can I assume that the 'situation' concerning the FBI had something to do with 'Zena-Corp'--Right?"

"Very good, Agent DiNozzo. I see you've done your homework."

"Well, I learned from the best." Tony replied, referring of course to his long-time mentor Jethro Gibbs.

"I see." Harrison replied, taking another sip of Scotch from the glass that he held in his hand. "Well, suffice it to say, our greatest hurdle may be your Boss--Special Agent Jethro Gibbs--but if worse comes to worse we'll have a bullet ready for him."

Tony only nodded.

"Now, Tony--Can I call you Tony?--Let me tell you something about 'Zena-Corp'. With funding/backing from, shall we say 'Higher Powers', my company has been developing what amounts to the most powerful new asset to, well, any country's arsenal." Harrison explained.

"And what's that--I mean ICBMs are already all the rage." Tony replied jokingly.

"Well, lets just say NO ONE has EVER seen anything like MY MISSILES." Harrison replied, with a chuckle and a cruel smirk.

Tony nodded. It was all becoming much, much clearer by the minute.

"But," Harrison said, clearing his throat. "My missiles are equipped with the latest in guidance technology--as well as a newly-designed 'Smart-Tech' program."





A few moments later the door opened and Tony stepped back outside, after having shaken the Congressman's hand once again. Tony turned and headed back towards the stairs.

He pulled out his cellphone, flipped it open, and then dialed a number as he walked. A voice answered, it was female, and then Tony began speaking into the phone. "Timothy McGee's desk, please." he said into the phone.

"Okay. One moment please sir." the voice replied.

Harrison's door opened up, at that moment, and Harrison stepped out carrying a 9mm pistol w/ silencer attached.

"Close the phone." Harrison said slowly.

Tony stopped in his tracks at the edge of the deck, right next to the stairs. He thought for a second, and then did as he was told.

"Now throw it aside," Harrison instructed him.

Tony did as he was told.

"Now put your hands up--in the air."

Tony complied with Harrison's instructions.

"You didn't actually think I was going to just let you leave--did you?" Harrison said, quietly.

"You knew?" Tony asked, quietly and not really surprised.

"From the moment you stepped through my door; but I couldn't very well do anything while you were still in my room, now could I?"

Tony shook his head. "Guess not."

"I mean you said it yourself, right, you learned from the best." Harrison pointed out. "And I'm assuming you were referring to Agent Gibbs--am I right?"

"Gibbs IS the best." Tony said, gritting his teeth.

"Well, I will try to reason with him--every man has his price you see, except you of course--and perhaps replacing you won't be a problem." Harrison explained. "However, if I should fail, he'll need replacing as well." Harrison gave a small chuckle at that.

"Gibbs can't be bought." Tony informed Harrison through gritted teeth.

"Can I just ask one thing?" Tony asked. His hand(s) were beginning to twitch a little, ready to go for his gun as soon as the right opportunity presented itself. "When you said 'Higher Powers'--were you referring to the Pres. of The United States of America?" Tony asked, hesitantly.

"Oh no dear boy," Harrison chuckled. "That 'JOKE'...he doesn't have the damndest clue what's about to happen." Harrison smiled an evil, crooked little smile as he said the words.

Just then a nearby motel room door opened up, and a young woman stepped outside with her dog. "What the-" she started to say, upon seeing Harrison pointing a gun at Tony's back.

Harrison turned the gun on the young woman and squeezed the trigger twice, dropping her dead right where she stood. "Sorry my dear."

Tony tried to seize the opportunity, he drew his Sig out, and started to spin around towards Harrison; but Harrison was faster and managed to pull off one shot, which hit Tony before he could do anything else.

The force of the impact from the shot knocked Tony off balance, and caused him to stagger backwards--and right before Harrison's eyes Tony tumbled over the side of the railing and fell downwards--smashing into the windshield of a car setting just below them. This set off the car's 'car alarm' which jolted Harrison into a frenzy.

--End of Tony's FLASHBACK #2--

Tony now was in tears on the stand. "He killed that poor girl...just-just shot her, point blank, and--he killed her and...and I couldn't stop him."





--McGee's FLASHBACK #2--

The team rushed to the hospital where Tony had been transported to as quickly as they could. They arrived in a frenzy, and were met by a doctor in the hallway just outside of the E.R.

"Where is he?" Gibbs asked first, looking around past the doctor standing in front of him--hoping to catch a glimpse of his Senior Field Agent.

"He's--he's--calm down--everyone calm down first." The doctor instructed everyone.

"Okay, that's better." he said, once everyone finally stopped jumping around in a frenzy--well for the most part anyway.

"Where is he?" Gibbs asked again.

"Well his injuries aren't good, and its miracle that he's still alive at this point, but we are doing everything that we can." the doctor explained.

"When can we see him?" Ziva asked, beating Abby to the punch.

"Right now he's being prepped for emergency surgery--and until he comes out of that--we won't know much else." the doctor explained, with a sigh.

Abby turned, quickly, and buried herself in McGee's shoulder as the tears came out in a rush. McGee patted her on the back, whispering to her, and doing his best to console her.

"We did find this on him when he came in." the doctor added, as he held up a plastic bag that contained a mini-tape recorder with a couple of wires sprouting from it.

Gibbs took the bag from the doctor, and examined it for a brief moment. "Thanks."

--End of McGee's FLASHBACK #2--





--Ziva's FLASHBACK #1--

Several hours had passed since they'd originally arrived at the hospital, and now Tony was 'stable for the moment'--as the doctors had called it--and had been moved to ICU recently.

Ziva sat at his bedside, one of his hands held in her own, tear stains still hung against her cheeks as she sat there staring at the man she loved--hooked up to a bunch of machines almost as if he himself WERE a machine.

"Tony, if-if you can hear me," she whispered over the sounds of the machines that he was hooked up to. "I know I've never, actually, said this before now, but--I--I--I love you." she whispered, as she kissed the back of his hand. "You told me that you would not say it, until I said it--so there I said it," she whispered, looking up at his expressionless face. "N-Now its your turn. Its your turn Tony."




Gibbs stood in a stall in the hospital bathroom. He was listening to the tape that was inside the mini-tape recorder. He had decided to listen to it now, rather than waiting until they returned to the office. He was curious as to what had happened that caused Tony to end up in critical condition in a hospital ICU.

"...and perhaps replacing you won't be a problem." the voice on the tape-recorder said.

Gibbs listened intently to every word that was said, and every noise/sound that was made--big or small in did not matter--he took in everything that the recording offered up to him.

"...Gibbs can't be bought..." he heard Tony's voice say. And then came the gun shots, the car-alarm, and then finally--silence.

A tear rolled down Gibbs' cheek as he stood there in that stall clutching that mini-tape recorder in his hands. He sank backwards, down, onto the toilet seat where he sat, and just stared at the floor--a million thoughts running through his mind all at once.




Abby, Ducky, and McGee were waiting out in the hall for their turn to go in and see Tony. The doctors had not been willing to bend their 'one visitor at a time' rule for anyone--not even for a group of Federal Agents.

Gibbs came around the corner and immediately motioned for Ducky to follow him to the side for a moment. Ducky followed.

"What was on the tape?" Ducky asked, solemnly.

"Not important." Gibbs said quietly.

"Not important!?" Ducky gasped. After that is was all just ranting and raving like a mad-man for the aging M.E.

"Duck." Gibbs said finally.

Ducky finally calmed back down, and was able to let Gibbs finish.

"I just got off the phone with Fornell." Gibbs explained. "He can't get through either. The Director of the FBI is suppressing us there too."

"Why?" Ducky asked, now genuinely curious.

"This whole scandal starts higher up than we originally thought." Gibbs explained. "I also spoke to Vance. He says he's being pushed to shut down OUR investigation as well--someone's hiding something."

Ducky sighed.

"What are we going to do about it?" Ducky asked, somewhat reluctantly.

"Nothing. This is something I need to do alone Duck." Gibbs said, quietly.

"The rest of the team need alibis." he explained. "You have connections--connections that no one else knows about," Gibbs pointed out. "I need you to protect THEM." Gibbs said, referring to the rest of his team.

Gibbs and Ducky hugged, for what they felt might be the very last time, and Gibbs turned to leave.

"Jethro," Ducky called after Gibbs quietly. "I won't fail again--I promise."

Gibbs just gave a lop-sided, knowing grin.




He walked back out to where everyone else was sitting in the hallway. "McGee, Abby. Come with me."

"But Boss, what about-" McGee started to say, but then he stopped because he knew that there was no use in arguing with Jethro Gibbs.

Abby followed her silver-haired boss obediently as he walked down the hallway.





In the car on the way back to NCIS HQ Gibbs outlined the tasks that he had in mind for McGee and Abby. He did not dare tell them any of his other thoughts about what he was about to do, or what the ramifications might be--just for him alone.

"McGee." Gibbs had said. "You're gonna do something for me--no for Tony--and if you refuse...neither he nor I will hold it against you."

"Just tell me what it is Boss." McGee replied quietly, thinking of his friend lying in a hospital bed in a coma that he might never recover from.

"I need you to hack the FBI--I need access to all of the files that are linked to our investigation...they've been suppressed from everyone else." Gibbs explained.

"You got it Boss."

"Abby," Gibbs said, turning his attention to the young Goth Forensic Specialist riding in the front, passenger seat of his car right now.

"Yes."

"I need something from evidence storage." He explained. "From Kate's last case..." he added, his voice trailing off as he remembered Kate Todd's last case with NCIS all those years ago.

Abby knew, almost instantly, what her boss was referring to, and she made it clear--without making it clear to McGee--that she understood completely.

.........To Be Continued in Part Five.........

"What Had To Be Done"

-Chapter Eleven-

The doors to Director Vance's office opened, and Gibbs stepped inside--closing the doors behind him--and then walked over to Vance's desk.

"There." Gibbs said, laying the file folder down on the desk top.

"What's this?" Vance asked, looking down at the file folder, but somewhat reluctant to touch it--much less open it up and look inside it.

"Everything. Its all there." Gibbs explained. "Enough for a warrant and-"

"No." Vance said, rather suddenly.

Gibbs was caught off guard by Vance's outburst. He narrowed his eyes at his boss, unsure--sort of--what Vance meant.

"No?" Gibbs repeated.

"Yes." Vance replied, staring up at Gibbs, and trying to intimidate Gibbs.

"What the hell does that mean--Leon?" Gibbs asked, calmly, but with a slight edge to his voice.

Vance realized, now, that his original tactics would not work--not that they ever did--and he would have to spell everything out for Gibbs.

"No warrant--not this time Gibbs." Vance explained. "Our investigation has been terminated--they shut us down."

"So you're just gonna let these dirt bags go." Gibbs said in protest.

"If I had my way--they'd all be in chains headed for a federal prison--but as it is my hands are tied." Vance explained, looking away from Gibbs. "I got the call a couple of hours ago--I've been ordered to burn any and all evidence linked to either case."

Gibbs studied Vance's eyes and his body language intently as the two men sat through a silence that seemed to last forever.

"I see." Gibbs said at last, quietly, with a slight nod. "Guess that's that then. I'll take care of this ASAP." he said, picking up the file folder off of the desk top.

Gibbs nodded once more, and then turned and headed for the doors. He opened them, and started to step out when Vance called his name--quietly.

"What?" Gibbs responded to Vance's call.

"Good luck." Vance said quietly.

With that Gibbs exited the room.




Gibbs rounded the corner into the bullpen a few moments later. "McGee?" he said, as he cleared his throat.

"Boss." McGee said, jumping up out of Gibbs' desk chair. "I dug further/deeper into the 'files' that you asked me to look into."

"And?"

By now Gibbs was standing right in front of his (own) desk.

"You were right." McGee pointed out. "I looked into the specs for the 'Missiles' developed by Zena-Corp--and they're-" he stopped short, his voice faltering as he tried to continue.

McGee cleared his throat, and tried once more to finish what he was saying. He pointed towards the computer screen.

"These...Missiles...can carry enough plutonium to equal that of seven Hiroshima bombs, yet they are very light weight, and capable of long-distance, stealth travel." He explained to Gibbs. "The new guidance systems are capable of carrying the missiles' payload to its pre-determined target/destination with pinpoint accuracy. In other words...if they were to launch just one of these things at D.C.-"

"D.C. wouldn't exist." Gibbs finished McGee's sentence for him.

"B-Boss," McGee stammered, his voice beginning to waver again. "My sister's in town, for the week, with her boyfriend...If your gut's right, then-"

Gibbs stared long and hard at McGee, and then finally a small, knowing expression crossed his lips. "I need one last favor, McGee," Gibbs said, quietly. "Then I want you and your sister on the first plane out of here, okay."

McGee nodded, a wave of relief passing visibly over him. "What do you need Boss?"

"I need you to find out where those missiles are right now." Gibbs said calmly.




Elsewhere...

Agent Fornell walked into the Director of the FBI's office, closed the door behind him--as prompted--and then sat down in the chair in front of the Director's desk.

"You wanted to see me." Fornell said, as he sat down.

"Yes. I did." the Director replied.

"I have just been informed that there's been a breach in our security." the Director explained. "Someone hacked our computer systems and downloaded several files labeled 'off-limits'."

"And this matter concerns me because?" Fornell asked.

"It concerns you, Agent Fornell, because the identity of the hacker has also been revealed to me--it was a friend of yours from NCIS--Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs." the Director continued to explain.

"The FBI has now labeled this man as a 'dangerous criminal'--and he must be apprehended as such."

"What?" Fornell said, somewhat shocked at what he was hearing. "You're not serious."

"THIS is a VERY SERIOUS matter--Agent Fornell." the Director explained, his voice rising a little bit. "Jethro Gibbs is to be considered 'armed and dangerous'--and deadly force is authorized."





"You sure?" Gibbs asked the person he was talking on his cell phone with. "Alright--for what its worth--I'm sorry." he apologized, and then he hung up.

Gibbs dropped the file folder he'd been holding into a manilla envelope, while standing behind his desk.

"McGee. Go get the car started, but don't leave--wait for Abby--she'll be right behind you." Gibbs instructed McGee from across the bullpen.

"Sure, okay. Um--why?" McGee asked.

"Trust me Tim--its better if you don't know the 'WHY'." Gibbs answered as he threw the younger agent the car keys.

Then Gibbs walked out from behind his desk, and headed for the stairway--instead of the elevator.





Gibbs strolled into Abby's lab a few minutes later. He had almost turned around and skipped this part more than once on his way down the stairs. This would probably be one of the hardest things he'd ever had to do in his entire life. But he'd walked away without a single word once before, and this time he owed Abby a little more than that.

As he strolled into the lab everything seemed to be moving in slow motion, at first, as he looked around the room for what he figured would be the last time--his eyes even fell upon that Sweet Goth Forensic Specialist he'd come to think of as sort of an unofficial adopted daughter. He knew that SHE would be one thing he would miss most of all.

"Abs," Gibbs said quietly.

Abby turned around from her workstation to face Gibbs. "Gibbs." she replied quietly, detecting a hint of something she knew she probably was not going to like.

"Abs--" suddenly his mouth, lips, and throat ceased to be able to perform the tasks which they were designed for.

Abby what was in the silver-haired man's eyes, and stepped forward--throwing her arms around him and pulling him into a tight hug. "You're leaving again--aren't you?"

"Don't have a choice." he replied hoarsely.

"I know. I just wish that you did." she said quietly.

"Me too." Gibbs agreed, quietly.

"I need a favor Abs," Gibbs said.

"I got the 'thing' that you wanted." she replied, hastily.

"Good." he replied. "But that's not what I was talking about."

"I've never said this before, but YOU are the HEART of my team--I need you to continue to be that HEART for whoever takes over the team--should we succeed of course. Can you do that?"

Abby nodded her head, as she wiped a few tears from her cheeks.

"I wish you'd go with McGee and his sister," Gibbs started to say.

Abby shook her head, as more tears fell to her cheeks. "If you go--I go." she whispered, through the tears. Her make-up was running all over like crazy at this point. "I wouldn't be able to live without-"

Gibbs wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her into a strong, warm hug as they stood there. Her sentence was cut short as she clung tightly to the silver-haired man.

"Abs," Gibbs whispered quietly. "You've always been--" he struggled, temporarily for the words. "Like a daughter to me." he finally whispered the words into her ears.

Abby's heart broke even more as she listened to the words rolling off of his lips right then. She felt like someone was stabbing her in the chest hundreds of thousands of times repeatedly.

"And I-" he started to say.

"I know." she choked out, silencing him mid-sentence. Abby pushed away from Gibbs finally, and looked up into his piercing, blue eyes. "Gibbs-" she started to say, but then she corrected what she was going to say.

Then before either one of them could say anything else, Gibbs' cell phone began to ring in his coat pocket. He pulled it out, answered it, listened to McGee on the other end, and then finally he hung up.

"That was McGee. He's waiting." Gibbs said.

Abby nodded, and then started to turn away. Gibbs reached out, and cupped his hand around her cheek gently. He stared into her fierce green eyes for a beat, and then he turned and walked out of the lab, looking like someone who was carrying the fate of the world on his shoulders.

"I love you too--dad." Abby whispered silently, through tears, as she watched Gibbs walk away, for what she felt would be the last time ever.




-Chapter Twelve-



.........To Be Continued.........

"What Had To Be Done, Part Six"

-Chapter Twelve-

Gibbs sat in a seat at the Defense table in the courtroom. He sat, unmoving, staring straight ahead as voices echoed in his ears. Memories of the events that had transpired only days before played and re-played themselves over and over in his mind.

--Gibbs' FLASHBACK--

Gibbs hadn't bothered to even return to his house after leaving the hospital for the second time since Tony had been admitted. He knew, thanks to a tip from Fornell that the FBI was on the move looking for him.

It had been at least a full 24 hours since Gibbs' worst fears had been realized. Now he knew that time was running very short for him and the remaining members of his team, and the fate of hundreds (maybe thousands) of lives was draped over their shoulders alone.

Now he stood in the center of the motel room that he had spent the last night in, dressed in a pair of jeans, one of his long-sleeve shirts, and a jacket. He had left his shield back at NCIS HQ with his service weapon, and his resignation papers/notice filed alongside the evidence for this 'case' that he was currently working.

A horn honked outside, and Gibbs knew that his ride had finally arrived to pick him up. He quickly shut off the lights, grabbed his bag that he'd brought with him, and headed out the door.

Fornell was waiting in the driver's seat of the silver Prius as Gibbs walked up, opened the passenger side door, and slid inside.

"Where's Mike?" Gibbs asked, as he closed the door.

"He's-" Fornell started to say.

"Back here." came a familiar voice from the backseat.

Fornell threw the car into revers, and began to back the car up so that they could exit the parking lot.

As the car pulled out of the motel parking lot, and onto the highway Mike Franks sat up in the backseat where he had been laying down.

"You don't look so good Mike." Gibbs commented on his former boss' appearance.

"Its called a 'Red-Eye' for a reason Probie." Mike retorted.

Gibbs stifled a chuckle, and so did Fornell.

"Now," Mike said, as he rubbed his eyes. "Would someone please explain to me just what the hell's going on?"

"Someone in the White House is trying to wipe D.C. off of the map." Fornell replied, keeping his eyes on the road.

"What!?" Mike nearly yelled.

"The Vice President wants to re-shape the country to HIS liking," Gibbs began.

"He's just gonna blow up all of Washington D.C., and hope that he's the only survivor that way he can take over the presidency?" Mike said, trying to put the pieces together in his own mind.

"He's using the Russians." Fornell inserted. "They don't know it yet--but they've been setup."

Gibbs and Fornell spent the next ten minutes or so as they drove down the highway to explain the whole situation to Mike.

Mike shook his head, as he rubbed his hand down the length of his face in disbelief. "Damn." he muttered to himself, finally.

"I know the feeling." Fornell assured him.

"So what's the plan?" Mike asked finally, looking as serious now as he had probably ever looked in his life. "You do have one--right?"

"I mean its not like we can just call the Russians, explain the whole situation, and expect THEM to believe US."

"Nope." Gibbs replied.

"Then what?" Mike asked.

"I had an 'old' friend call in a favor, and we should hear from the Captain as soon as he reaches Siberia--which should be fairly soon." Gibbs explained. "He's supposed to check in once he lands."

"Alright--And?" Mike pressed.

"We know our guy has to have someway to survive the blast," Fornell interjected. "So he's probably either already left the country, or he's getting ready to leave."

"Only thing we don't know--is what landmark in D.C. he's got the missiles aimed at, or when 'exactly' they'll be launched." Gibbs added.

Mike thought for a moment, silently, pondering something to himself. Suddenly, he looked as though he'd just had an idea, and he reached back into the back seat--looking for something in a bag that was sitting next to him.

"What?" Fornell asked, glancing quickly into the rear-view mirror.

"This." Mike said, as he pulled out a rolled up newspaper, and passed it forward to Gibbs. "Picked it up at the airport this morning--before you picked me up."

The front page of the newspaper carried a story about how the President was hosting some kind of huge banquet at the White House directly after he delivered an equally important speech on the 'South Lawn'. The event, according to the newspaper, was supposed to take place on that day at 12:00 for the speech, and 12:30 for the 'After Banquet'.

"You gotta be kidding me." Fornell said, after Gibbs had relayed to him what the paper said.

"The Vice Pres. has to be there, at least for the speech--its required." Mike pointed out.

"Jesus." Fornell muttered under his breath, as he spun the car around a turn, and down another street.

"My sources in the CIA told me their intel indicated a group of 'Radical' Russian militants were planning to test a 'new' weapon sometime TODAY." Fornell told Mike. "They'll only test fire one missile--how does he expect his 'plan' to succeed if-"

"May-maybe he's not planning to leave the country," Mike suggested. "There are alternatives--right?"

"There's no time to waste thinking about it," Gibbs said at once. "We've got less than an hour and a half to find the Vice Pres. before he makes his move."

"So the White House then." Mike said.

"The White House." Fornell agreed. "Guess we're making a U-turn then."

Fornell quickly, and expertly, spun the silver Prius around in a sharp turn, weaving across several lanes of traffic with horns honking on all sides, as he weaved out the way of oncoming cars into the lane he needed to be in. Once the tiny car was settled Fornell pressed the accelerator to the floor.

Suddenly Gibbs' cell phone rang. He fished it out of his pocket and read the Caller ID, before flipping it open. "Captain Rabb, I trust your-" he started to say into the receiver.

"Its a no-go Gibbs," Rabb said, cutting Gibbs off mid-sentence. "I've been detained at the airport in Moscow."

"What?" Why?" Gibbs asked.

"Well, from what little Russian I do speak," Harm explained. "It would seem they knew I was coming."

"Damn." Gibbs muttered.

"I know." Harm agreed.

"Well, thanks for trying Captain." Gibbs said quietly. "Just sit tight. When things are settled here, we'll get you out of there." Gibbs promised.

"Alright Gibbs." Harm replied. "I'll be waiting."

Gibbs opened his mouth to speak, but then he heard shouting on the other end, and then the line went dead.

Gibbs took a few minutes to relay what Captain Rabb had told him.

"If they knew about him," Mike pointed out. "You know this ain't gonna be easy for us either."

"No kidding." Fornell agreed.




-Chapter Thirteen-

Nearly 45 minutes or so later Gibbs, Fornell, and Mike stepped out of the Silver Prius, which they parked a few blocks away from the White House, and began to make their way towards the White House.

"Fornell," Gibbs said as they began to walk away from the car. "Sorry about your job."

"Ah," Fornell replied. "I hated that job anyway." he said with a tiny grin.

Gibbs chuckled.

"You three," a voice boomed from somewhere behind them. "Stop where you are--put your hands where I can see them."

The trio froze in place, but didn't lift their hands up right away.

"I knew it." Mike swore under his breath.

"The bastard knew we would try to stop him." Fornell added. "You gotta admit--he covered all the bases pretty damn well."

"Think so." Gibbs mused, as he and Fornell began to raise their hands up into the air.

Next they heard what sounded like several footsteps approaching them from behind. Mike, who was standing between the two other men, was slowly reaching down towards his side.

The men got right up on top of the trio, but then Mike suddenly doubled over slamming hard into the pavement below. The men were startled, and struggled momentarily to react in the proper fashion. The distraction worked just long enough for Mike to roll over onto his back, a gun now firmly grasped in his hand, and fire several shots at the group of 5 guys who were dressed like Secret Service Agents.

Gibbs and Fornell spun around to face the men as well at the same time. Gibbs slammed his fist hard into one guys face knocking him backwards onto his butt on the pavement. Fornell grabbed another of the disoriented men and slammed him hard into a nearby lamp post.

"Run!" Gibbs barked.

Gibbs hauled Mike to his feet and the trio ran off in the opposite direction. They managed to make it to cover behind a group of parked cars just a few yards away before the Secret Service guys began firing off shots at them.

For a few moments the two groups exchanged gun fire with one another. Gibbs and Fornell also wielded hand guns that they had managed to swipe from the two secret service goons that they had knocked out just moments earlier.

"Damn you Probie!" Mike shouted over the gun fire. "I got a grandson and a daughter-in-law to take care of," Mike fumed angrily. "And you just had to drag me up here to die!"

"Relax," Gibbs replied. "You're not dead yet."

"Were you carrying that Gun the whole time?" Fornell asked Mike.

"Never go anywhere without it." Mike replied.

Just then Gibbs' cell phone rang again. He read the Caller ID, and was baffled by it because it was his desk phone back at NCIS HQ.

"Hello?" Gibbs said, holding the phone up to his ear.

"Boss."

"McGee!" Gibbs shouted into the phone. "You're supposed to be on a plane to-"

"I couldn't do it Boss," McGee said cutting him off. "You need me."

"How's that?" Gibbs asked.

"The Vice Pres. not at the White House." McGee informed him.

"What? How do you know that?" Gibbs asked.

"I've been monitoring his movement by tracking his cell phone," McGee explained.

"Where the hell is he then!?" Gibbs shouted into the phone.

"We need a ride!" Gibbs shouted at Mike and Fornell as McGee continued to talk over the phone.

"You got it." Mike said. He stood up, and struck the passenger side window of the nearest car with the butt of his gun. He then ducked down behind it once again, as several shots flew over his head.

Mike reached in through the shattered window and unlocked the car. He slid in, on his belly, and began playing with the underside of the driver's side. Seconds later the car rumbled to life. Mike scrambled upright in the driver's seat as Fornell jumped into the back of the car, and Gibbs slid into the passenger's seat.




-Chapter Fourteen-

As the trio sped away, out of the range of the secret service agents, Gibbs continued to talk to McGee.

"Why did you stay?" Gibbs asked.

"I was thinking," McGee started to explain. "The Russians will set their own coordinates into the missiles' directional targeting vectors, so how would the missile be able to hit D.C.?"

"McGee." Gibbs said sternly.

"Okay. Fine." McGee replied, clearing his throat. "Remotely. The Vice Pres. has to have someway of resetting the targeting vectors remotely."

"From where?" Gibbs asked.

"Maybe from the President's secret underground bunker." McGee suggested.

Fornell overheard McGee's suggestion. "No, it would never work that way. No one, not even that crazy bastard, is allowed down there without a good reason." Fornell explained. "He'd have to give himself up to do that."

"Then where?" Mike asked.

"Damn." Fornell suddenly swore out loud.

Everyone else in the car turned to look at the former FBI agent sitting in the back seat.

"What?" Mike asked.

"Greenbrier." Fornell said.

"Greenbrier. THE 'Greenbrier'" Mike choked out. "As in THE 'Greenbrier Bunker'?"

"Yeah. Afraid so." Fornell replied.

"I thought that place was just a tourist attraction in the basement of a ritzy hotel now--" Mike said. "You're telling me that place is actually still operational?"

"Well, last time I checked it was still fully stocked, and still had power running to it." Fornell replied.

"Damn!" Mike swore out loud. "This just keeps getting better and better." he added, shaking his head.

"McGee," Gibbs said into the phone. "If he does reset the missile's guidance system before we reach him--can you knock it down--the same way I mean?"

"Sure, I guess I could." McGee replied. "I just need the radio frequency that the Vice Pres. is going to be using to reset it."

"How can we get it?" Fornell asked. "Its not like he's just gonna give it to us because we put a gun to his head."

"Not too worry Boss," McGee reassured Gibbs and the others. "I've got Ziva taking care of that as we speak."

--------To Be Continued--------

"What Had To Be Done, Part Seven"

-Chapter Fifteen-

Ziva walked through the airport terminal on the other side of D.C., keeping her eyes on the man that she was currently following--Congressman Harrison.

Harrison had purchased a one way plane ticket to the West Coast, that's how McGee had been able to track him down.

As Ziva watched Harrison move around through the crowd, socialize, and other such things a fire inside her had begun to burn brighter and hotter the longer she followed him. This man had shot Tony. This man had tried to kill Tony--tried to kill the man that she loved. Big mistake number one in her book.

Yes. She would get the information that McGee needed from Harrison, but then once that deed was done--she would have her revenge. And she would enjoy it--maybe even too much she thought.

She watched as he stopped by a service desk, and picked up his plane ticket. After that he stopped twice to 'shoot-the-breeze' with random people before heading on, and eventually coming to what would soon be his final destination--the Men's Restroom.



Harrison placed the bag he was carrying down on the floor by the wall. He stepped up to the wall urinal opening his zipper as he did so.

The door opened once again, but this time it was Ziva who stepped through.

Another man was stepping out of a stall, and spotted Ziva standing by the door. He opened his mouth to speak, but Ziva flashed her piece and shot him a menacing look. The man got the hint, and quickly hurried out of the bathroom, dodging past Ziva as he ran.

Standing there, staring at Harrison's back, so close to the man that had put Tony in a coma--it was almost too tempting to just end him right then and there, but she knew she had a job to do first.

She took a few steps towards Harrison, brandishing the Sig Sauer that she had brought with her. "If I were you," she said in a low voice. "I would not move."

Harrison froze where he stood, looking straight ahead at the wall. "Who-"

"Who--is not important," Ziva said cutting him off. "You have something I want, and you are going to give it to me whether you want to or not."

Harrison swallowed hard, as he zipped up his trousers slowly.

"What is it you want?" he asked.

"The tracking frequency for the missiles you sold to the Russians." Ziva replied calmly.

A wave of calm seemed to settle over Harrison. "Ah," he said. "I see. NCIS. Ms. David--is it?"

Ziva shifted her weight from one side to the other as she kept the Sig aimed at the back of Harrison's head.

"I'm must say, first, that I'm terribly sorry about your...boyfriend."

"Although I did offer him a deal."

"What deal?"

"Hmm. His cooperation in return for keeping you and Agent Gibbs--alive." Harrison replied.

Ziva stepped forward, quickly, grabbed Harrison, spun him around, and slammed back against the wall urinal. She pressed the muzzle of the Sig she was holding ito the folds of the flesh around his neck.

Her eyes were red and moist, and it was obvious that she was fighting back tears.

"Pathetic really," Harrison choked out through Ziva's grip. "That someone of Agent DiNozzo's caliber would rather die than betray his mentor, and the...'woman he loved'." He added with a crooked grin.

"Shut Up!" she hissed in his face. "You have no right!"

Harrison just gave an evil chuckle.

"Now," he said finally. "The 'Tracking Frequency'--if you want it you'll have to let me go." he informed her calmly.

"Congressman," Ziva whispered, pressing the muzzle of the Sig more firmly into his neck/throat. "I have no intention of letting you go."

Harrison was definitely freaked out by Ziva's words, but he tried his best not to show it.

"Now, you have two choices--give me the 'Tracking Frequency' and I'll end you quickly." she informed him, still speaking in a low, menacing whisper. "Refuse...and it will be long and excruciatingly painful." she continued. "Choose that route, and I will make sure that by the end you'll be begging for me to end you--you will even be willing to give up the 'Frequency'. Either way...you will die." Her voice trailed off as she spoke the last few words right in his ear.




Elsewhere...
Abby sat at her desk down in the lab at NCIS HQ. Normally she would be pacing back in forth in front of her workstation in the outer section of the lab, but today she was being watched by a couple of goons hired by the Vice President to make sure that she did not interfere with 'the plan'.

The Vice President had done very well indeed to cover every base that needed to be covered in order for his 'plan' to move forward without a hitch of any kind.

A million thoughts and emotions ran through Abby's head as she stared through the glass door at the two thugs standing guard over her. She felt scared, angry, frustrated, and sad all at the same time.

She stood up, with an exasperated sigh, and took a few steps towards the glass door until she was nearly right up against it.

"Why are you guys doing this?" she asked through the glass door.

No answer.

"How much money makes what you're doing right?" she asked again. Her voice rose an octave or two as she spoke.

"I mean, you gotta know this isn't right." she pressed. "You can't just stand there and let some PSYCHO cause the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people." she fumed.

Although her words sounded unselfish, as if she cared for each and every one of those people whose lives hung in the balance, but the truth was she felt selfish--very, very selfish. There was only a handful of people that she truly cared about at this very moment whom she could possibly lose if something wasn't done--soon.

"We don't have a choice," one of the men said finally. "We have our orders, and like'em or not we have to obey those orders." he said, turning to face Abby. "So just, please, sit down, shut up, and don't make this any harder than it has to be." he said very firmly.





In the Cyber-Crimes unit of NCIS, McGee sat alone, in the dim-light, staring at a computer screen his fingers dancing wildly across its keyboard. With every keystroke he hoped he was getting closer to breaking the code, but so far he hadn't had much luck. There were beads of sweat already collecting against his forehead.

His cell phone rang, and nearly startled him out of his chair. He fished out the tiny phone, flipped it open, and held it up to his ear. "Ziva?"

"Yes, its me." Ziva replied, over the phone.

"Thank God." McGee said with a sigh of relief. "Did you get it?"

"I did," she replied. "I'm sending it to you now. I think I have finally figured out this new cell phone you gave me."

"Good." McGee replied. "What about Harrison?" he asked next.

"It is probably best that you not know." she replied evenly.

"I see." Was all he said. "You coming back here, or are you going to be with Tony?"

"How are things there?" she asked.

"Well, I had to break into Cyber Crimes to be able to work undetected. Abby, Ducky, and Vance are all being held 'hostage'--I guess is the word you'd use--other than that this place is like a ghost town."

"Then I will see you as soon as I can." she informed him, before hanging up.





Back At The Airport...
"Please," Congressman Harrison was sobbing and moaning as he sat propped against the wall covered in his own blood--nearly from head to toe. He choked on blood as he spoke. He looked pretty bad to say the least.

Ziva shoved her cell phone back into her pocket, and then turned to face the congressman.

Ziva stepped forward, and leaned over him.

"Hey in there!" Came a voice from outside the bathroom. "Open Up! Police!"

Ziva had thought ahead, and blocked the door of the bathroom from the inside so that no one would be able to get in from the outside to disturb her.

"Please..." Harrison moaned again.

Ziva stooped over, and whispered menacingly in his ear. "I was right...wasn't I?" she whispered cruelly in his ear.

Harrison whimpered uncontrollably as he felt the muzzle of the Sig Sauer being pressed against his temple once again.

Then there was a loud bang that echoed throughout the bathroom, filling it with a terrible, gut-wrenching sound.

Now the banging and yelling coming from the outside of the bathroom was even louder than before as those on the outside tried desperately to get inside to see what had happened.

Ziva stowed the Sig inside the waist band of her trousers, and then entered once of the stall-areas. She stood on the toilet seat, and reached her hands upwards, pushing aside the ceiling tiles above her.

After she had managed to pull herself up and out of the bathroom to safety, she replaced the tiles back in their rightful positions before continuing onward.





Vance's Office...
Director Vance sat in his office, guarded by two thuggish goons as well, staring at the plasma screen mounted on the wall on the other side of the room.

The biggest concern on his mind, at the moment, was of his family. His wife and kids had been taken hostage by the Vice Pres. hired men as a way of coercing him into doing as he wanted him to.

It was as he had told Gibbs days earlier 'his hands were tied'. But oh what he would do right now if they weren't. If only he could hear Jackie's voice--hear the voice's of his kids...

His desk phone rang, and he answered it--even if he wasn't supposed to, he did it anyway. "Vance." he said into the receiver.

"We've got the 'Tracking Frequency', but I need Abby's help to unscramble the jammer that the Vice Pres. is using to keep us out." McGee informed his boss over the phone.

"I can't help you. I'm sorry." Vance apologized. "You're on your own."

"But sir-" McGee started to protest.

"Not another word," Vance said sternly. "End of discussion!"

He hung up the phone, and then noticed that the two goons were staring at him.

"Crime Scene Junkie," he told them, pointing at the phone. "Been dogging me about a job here in our lab for weeks now."

Suddenly the phone rang again. He let it ring once, twice, and then finally answered it with an exasperated groan. "What!?" he growled into the phone.

"Leon." The voice on the other end of the line was female. She sounded frightened and shaken up.

Vance turned his chair around, away from the two goons, to face the window. "Jackie?" he said in a low voice. "How-"

"We're okay, Leon. We're okay." Her voice sounded shaky even though she was trying to sound strong and confident.

"But how?" Vance asked.

"Gibbs...came to the house yesterday morning. He helped us. He told us not to call you until we were somewhere safe." she informed him, sniffling as she did so.

There were tears in Vance's eyes as he listened to his wife's voice. He could hardly believe it--his family was alive, they were okay. Thanks to Jethro Gibbs his family was safe and sound, and out of harm's way--well sort of.

"Jackie I-" he started to say.

"Leon," she said, cutting him off. "You have to stop them. You can't let these people win. We're okay--we'll be fine. But you--you need to do your job." she told him, trying to sound firm.

There were a few more words between the couple, and then Vance finally hung up the phone.

Vance turned his chair back around, set the phone back down on its base, and then reached down, and pulled open the bottom drawer of his desk.

When they'd taken over his office, they had searched his 'person', but not his desk. And this was a good thing because he had a spare side-arm hidden in his bottom desk drawer.

"Who was it?" One of the goons asked.

Vance did not answer.

"Hey," the other goon said in a husky voice. "He's talking to you. Who was it!?"

"Hey!"

Vance pulled the side-arm out of the desk drawer, and primed it (without showing it to the two goons).

"Hey, whatcha got there!?" the goon with the husky voice asked, holding his own weapon up at the ready now.

Vance suddenly stood and fired a single round into the chest of the husky-voiced goon. The thug fell backwards to the floor, and the other thug, startled by what he had just seen, struggled to react. But before he could Vance put a round in his chest as well.

Now, having dispatched of the immediate threat (there in his own office) he had some other business to take care of.





Meanwhile...
Gibbs, Mike, and Tobias stepped through the doors of the Greenbrier Hotel, and found themselves in a rather luxurious-looking lobby.

"You two warn the management," Gibbs said quietly. "I'll find the bunker."

"Sure. We come all this way, just to let you have all the fun." Mike snorted.

"That's Gibbs for ya." Tobias replied with a grin.

"Three of us moving together will spook these people," Gibbs pointed out quietly. "Don't wanna cause a panic do we?"

"No, I guess not."

The three men split up, and went their separate ways.





Vance stepped into the lab at NCIS HQ, and before the two goons guarding Abby could react properly he planted a single round in each of them.

Abby stood in stunned silence at what she had just witnessed.

Vance crossed the room, and unlocked the glass door. Abby did not move at first she was so shocked at what had just happened in her lab.

"Abby," Vance said.

The sound of his voice jolted her back to reality almost immediately.

"Director-"

"No time," Vance said quickly. "McGee needs your help."

Abby nodded, and sprinted to her workstation. She switched everything on, and then turned to Vance. "Do you have your cell phone with you?" she asked quickly.

He pulled his own cell phone out of his pocket, and handed it to the Goth Forensic Specialist. He did not even bother to ask what had happened to her own cell phone.

Abby quickly dialed McGee's number, and within two rings he answered.

"Director-"

"No, its me McGee." Abby said quickly.

"What do I need to do?" she asked, as she hurriedly switched the cell phone to its speaker-phone mode. She set the phone down on the table top beside her.

McGee didn't waste anytime. "My computer, here, should be linking up to yours--now."

Abby stared at her computer screen for a moment until a tiny window popped up in the center of the screen. "Got it." she said aloud.

"Good." McGee replied, over the speaker-phone. I need you to do some heavy-lifting for me okay?"

"Okay." Abby replied. "What do I do?"

"When I plug in the frequency, wait for it to ping, when it does I need you to track the jamming signal back to its source and block it. Think you can do that for me?"

"Just give me a sec."

Abby's fingers danced across the keyboard of her computer console as she punched up a program, developed my McGee himself, that had been installed on Abby's computer several years before hand.

"Okay," she said finally, looking over at the cell phone laying on the table/desk top. "Go for it."





Across Town Somewhere...
Gibbs walked slowly towards the entrance to the bunker located in the first level of the 'basement' of the Greenbrier Hotel. It was an elevator.

He pressed the button, and it opened up. He stepped inside, and pushed the 'down' switch on the wall.

When the elevator doors opened up he found himself standing in front of a massive door. The massive door had not yet been sealed shut yet. If the Vice Pres. was here, he was probably in a hurry to prep his 'missile'.

He walked past the massive door, and entered into the main compound area. he swept his eyes and side-arm from side to side searching the dimly-lit area(s) for any immediate threats--nothing.

As he continued to move forward past several of the devices, for dealing with radioactive contamination, that had been installed when the shelter was first built way back in the 50s-60s, he soon found himself in the first open space area that was actually well-lit compared to where he'd just come from.

"I know you're down here Agent Gibbs," boomed a voice over a set of loudspeakers. "I heard the elevator as you were coming down."

Gibbs rolled his eyes at the Vice Pres. 'theatrics'.

"But you're too late," the voice over the loudspeakers continued. "The missiles' already been launched--and I've already reset its targeting coordinates."

Gibbs began moving through the endless maze of giant rooms searching for the source of the voice.

"There's nothing you can do now." the voice continued. "Soon, this will be my world, and I will re-establish this country as it was meant to be--without corruption and bias."

"I agree with you," Gibbs said loudly. "The corruption on the 'hill' is staggering, but...this isn't the way to fix it."

"OOOOH, that's where you're wrong Agent Gibbs," the voice on the loudspeakers replied. "Its the 'perfect' way."

"You really think that sacrificing thousands of innocent lives is the right thing to do?" Gibbs asked loudly, as he continued his search--room by room.

"The end does not justify the means this time!" Gibbs yelled. "It only makes you a murderer!"

"Think what you like, Gibbs," the Vice Pres. said clicking his tongue against his teeth. "You can't see the 'bigger' picture like I can. You don't see the full extent of what our 'commander-in-chief' (said in a mocking tone) has done!"

"Think so hunh?"

"No. I know so." the Vice Pres. replied, harshly.

Gibbs finally found himself staring in through a large opening/doorway that led into what somewhat resembled the 'War Room' at the Pentagon. At first glance around the room there was no one around, but this seemed like the most likely place for the Vice Pres. to be.

Gibbs crossed, slowly, to the center of the room looking carefully from side to side; but the room looked completely empty--except all of the electronic equipment had been turned on.

Suddenly he felt cold steel pressed against the back of his neck.

"Don't move Agent Gibbs." said a calm voice from behind him. "Drop your, uh, weapon--on the floor--if you please."

Gibbs did as he was told, and dropped his gun to the floor by his feet.

"Nice try," the Vice Pres. said. "Now go on and kick it away."

Gibbs obeyed, and kicked his gun across the room.

"Ya know," the Vice Pres. spoke very calmly and very smoothly. "You and I could have been great allies--in another world. Don't ya think?"

"Nope." Gibbs replied evenly. "I'm probably just as much a bastard there too." he added, humorously.

"Too bad."

The Vice Pres. started to wrap his finger around the trigger of the gun that he was holding, but stopped when he heard the voice coming from behind him.

"Yeah. Quite a shame." Tobias said from the doorway of the room.

The Vice Pres. turned to see who was behind him, and before he could correct his mistake Gibbs spun around, grabbed his gun hand, and slammed his elbow down into the crook of his arm. He dropped his weapon immediately for the sharp pain that shot up through his limb. Then Gibbs slammed a fist, hard, into his face.

Gibbs rushed forward then, and grabbed the Vice Pres. He kneed him in the gut, and then maneuvered him into a 'sleeper-hold'. He held him there just until he went limp and unconscious.

Gibbs released the Vice Pres. and let him slump to the floor. "Nice timing, Tobias."

"Don't mention it." Tobias replied with a grin.

"Where's Mike?" Gibbs asked, as he whipped out his cell phone, and quickly dialed McGee's cell number.

"He was right behind me." Tobias said, as he checked behind him.

Tobias walked over and picked up Gibbs' gun, and handed it back to him.

"McGee!" Gibbs barked into the phone once the younger agent answered.

"The missiles' on its way," he explained quickly. "Can you knock it down or what!?"

"We're working on it Boss," McGee replied, the sound of his fingers banging against the computer keyboard as he typed clearly audible. "We're working on it."

--------To Be Continued--------

"What Had To Be Done, Part Eight"

-Chapter Sixteen-

The doors to 'Autopsy' at NCIS HQ slid open.

"Ziva!?" Ducky said, somewhat shocked.

The two thugs standing guard just inside spun around to face the intruder, and found Ziva pointing a gun in their direction.

She squeezed the trigger once, and the first thug collapsed to the ground with a groan. She squeezed the trigger again, but this time--nothing happened. The gun had jammed.

Ziva stood frozen to the spot, just staring coldly at the second thug who had his Uzi aimed right at her chest.

Suddenly the man's eyes went wide, and then he let out a terrifying howl as he began grasping over his shoulder towards his back. His Uzi began firing uncontrollably straight up into the air as a second object pierced the flesh of his back.

Ziva dove past the man, grabbing a pistol from a side holster on his belt as she moved past him, and landed at Ducky's feet behind the burly man.

"Ziva!?" Ducky gasped out of concern.

Ziva rolled over, having already primed the newly acquired weapon, and as the burly, thuggish man spun around to face her and Ducky she planted 4 or 5 slugs in his chest almost without even thinking about it.

The burly man slumped to the floor, dead, in a heap--his gun landing beside him on the floor.

Ducky stared down at the lifeless, limp body of the burly man with eyes as cold as ice. "That was for Jimmy." he spat.

Ducky then turned, and reached out a hand to help Ziva up to her feet.

"Are you alright?" he asked, checking a small cut on her forehead that she had gotten from being hit by a falling, hot shell.

"I am fine Ducky." she insisted, brushing his hand away. "We need to find Abby."

"Right," he agreed, as the two of them made a hasty retreat from 'Autopsy'. "Poor girl must be terrified out of her mind by now."






Meanwhile...
In the lab the 'ping' had occurred, as McGee had said it would, and Abby's fingers shot out like lightning across the keyboard as she initiated the tracer program.

"How long will it take?" Vance asked, pacing back and forth by her side.

"Hopefully not long," she informed him, and at the same time crossing her own fingers. "We don't have much time."





Across Town...
Gibbs and Tobias stood staring up at a huge computer screen in the 'War Room' look-a-like. They watched as a small, red blip illuminated on a computer-generated map of the world moved closer and closer to where they were.

Gibbs now had his cell phone on speaker-mode.

"You might wanna work faster son," Tobias said loud enough for McGee to hear him over the phone. "Its getting closer."

"We're working as fast as we can Fornell." McGee replied, sounding just a little bit irritated.

"Well work faster McGee!" Gibbs added.

"Got it!" McGee exclaimed over the phone. "We found the 'Jammer', Abby's sending the virus to bring it down as we speak." he informed them.





Vance stopped pacing back and forth, and listened intently to something coming from outside the lab. He readied his gun, once again, and move slowly towards the door.

"What?" Abby asked, quietly, as she noticed what he was doing. "What is it?"

"Shh." he commanded her.

He reached the door, and before he could react any further he found himself pointing his gun in the face of Ziva David, who had 'her' gun pointed in his face.

"Jesus Christ David!" Vance swore, as he lowered his gun.

Ziva lowered her gun as well.

"Don't you know that sneaking around like that can get you killed!"

"Sorry." she apologized, as she stowed her weapon away into the waist band of her pants. "I was not aware that you had already handled the situation in here." she added.

"Forgiven." Vance said quietly.





-Chapter Seventeen-
A metallic sound alerted Gibbs and Tobias to movement coming from behind them. Gibbs glanced over his shoulder quickly, and saw the Vice Pres.--who apparently had awoken from his little nap--pointing a gun straight at them.

"I won't let you destroy everything I've worked for." he grunted, as he started to wrap his finger around the trigger.

"Tobias!" Gibbs shouted.

The two men spun around quickly, but there was a gun shot before either of them had their guns ready, and then the Vice Pres. slumped forward to teh ground--dead.

Mike was standing in the doorway his own gun pointed at the Vice Pres. straight at where the Vice Pres. had been standing just mere moments before.

"What'd I miss?" Mike asked, a crooked grin slowly spreading across his face.

Gibbs shook his head, and stifled a chuckle at his former mentor.

"Where the hell have you been!?" Tobias swore, as he holstered his side-arm.

"Got lost." Mike replied, as he strode forward.





McGee's computer screen lit up suddenly with a brand new screen. It was the screen he had been waiting for. It meant that the 'Jammer' had been disabled and now he had access to the missile.

"We're in!" he shouted loudly.

He quickly zeroed in on the missile's radio frequency, and as soon as he did he got a green light, and control of the missile was finally his.

"Knock that son-of-a-bitch down McGee!" Gibbs commanded him over the phone.

"You got it Boss." McGee replied, in military fashion.

A few seconds passed as McGee worked at the computer that he was sitting at.

"Alright everyone," McGee said, looking up from his computer screen. "Cross your fingers."

There was a brief pause, on his part, and then he pressed one final key.





Across Town...
Deep inside the Greenbrier Bunker the three men watched as the small, red blip faded from the huge computer screen that they were staring at. A sigh of relief swept through the room.

Gibbs smiled, as he picked up his cell phone--which had been setting on the computer's console.

"Not bad, McGee." Gibbs said into the cell phone as he held it up close. "Not bad at all."

Tobias heaved a relieved sigh, as he rubbed his face with his hands.

"I'll be damned." he breathed.

Mike laid a hand on Tobias' shoulder. "Actually," he said. "No you won't." he added, with an elated chuckle.

Tobias couldn't help but laugh/chuckle to. After all Mike was right.





Back in Abby's lab...
Abby breathed a sigh of relief, as her shoulders sagged forward, and tears sprang from her eyes. It was over, the whole terrible nightmare was finally over--or so she, and everyone else, thought.

Ziva couldn't hold back her tears either, and soon found herself in Ducky's arms crying.

"Shh," the aging M.E. said calmly and quietly. "I know. But its alright now--its all over." he said, reassuringly, his own eyes red and moist.

Vance slumped backwards against the wall that he had been standing next to. He hung his head, for a moment, but then looked up. There was nothing but relief in his eyes, and on his face.





Gibbs held the cell phone up close to his face back in the Greenbrier bunker.

"McGee," he said into it. "Where's the missile now?" he asked.

McGee cleared his throat before answering Gibbs' question.

"I disarmed it, and dropped it into the ocean about a mile off the coast of Maryland." he informed Gibbs. "Figured a Navy Salvage Team should be able to recover it safely." he added.

"Nice work, McGee." Gibbs said once again. "Tell everyone there...I said--Good Work." Gibbs told him.

----END OF Gibbs' FLASHBACK----






-Chapter Eighteen-
The courtroom was silent now as the jury members filed their way back into their respective seats.

The judge waited until they were all seated and situated before speaking up.

"Mr. Foreman," he said, addressing the jury's 'Foreman'. "Has the jury reached a verdict?" he asked.

"We have your Honor." the Foreman said, as he stood up from his seat. The man handed a slip of paper to the Bailiff who then passed it own to the judge.

The judge glanced at the folded up slip of paper, and read its contents before handing it back to the Bailiff. "So be it." the Judge said.

"Will the defendant please rise." the Judge said, motioning towards Gibbs.

The Jury's Foreman stood, shifted in his spot a little bit, cleared his throat, and then finally spoke.

"Your Honor," The Foreman began. "We, the Jury, find the defendant...Guilty..."

There was a collective gasp that erupted throughout the courtroom.

"Order! Order!" The Judge said, as he rapped his gavel, hard, against the bench.

In the audience the team was hit the hardest by the Foreman's words. Tony swore angrily, as Ziva slumped against him in tears. McGee shook his head in frustration, and Ducky started to rise to his feet to protest. Abby's heart sank in her chest as the realization set in, a little too quickly, that they were going to take Gibbs away from them--away from...her.

"...Of all charges and specifications previously mentioned." the Foreman of the Jury continued (to speak). "And we, hereby, recommend the 'Death Penalty'." he concluded.

As the man sat back down in his seat, he glanced around nervously from side-to-side.

Tony shot up from his seat at hearing the words 'Death Penalty'.

"That's bullshit!" he yelled angrily.

"Sit down young man!" the Judge bellowed, over the other voices in the courtroom.

"Or what?" Tony challenged.

"DiNozzo, sit down." Gibbs said sternly without looking back.

"Hunh? You gonna stick a needle in my arm too!?" Tony growled at the Judge.

"I'm warning you." The judge threatened.

"Everyone in this room would be dead right now if it wasn't for Jethro Gibbs," Tony pointed out loudly, to everyone. "He should be given a medal--not a death sentence!"

"DiNozzo, Sit Down Now!" Gibbs growled loudly, as he rounded on his former senior field agent.

Tony swallowed at the hard look that Gibbs was giving him. There was a brief pause, but then he did comply.

Ducky looked back over one row at Director Vance. Concern in his eyes.

Vance read the look on Ducky's face, and mouthed I'll explain outside.

"Bailiff please take the defendant into custody." the Judge said.

Abby's heart was hurting so much now. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. They were going to kill Gibbs--her Gibbs.

By now Gibbs was being led down the aisle past everyone, and in a moment of mixed emotions she jumped up and threw herself into the aisle. She grabbed a hold of Gibbs' front, and held tight--sobbing into the fabric of his clothing.

"Abs," Gibbs said soothingly.

"No, No I won't let them take you." she sobbed. "They can't."

"Abs," Gibbs repeated the words softly. "Its time to let go."

"NO! I Won't" she nearly screamed.

"Abs," Gibbs said, a little more sternly this time. He cupped her chin and lifted her face to his. "I need you to be strong. I need you to be strong for Tony, McGee, Ducky, Ziva--and for me." he said softly, as he rubbed his hand gently across her cheek.

Standing there looking up into Gibbs' eyes Abby could see that his usually cool, steely blue eyes were now moist and red.

"I promise," he told her quietly, as he nudged her cheek with his own. "I'll explain everything to you--one day."

"Bailiff, get him out here--now!" The judge bellowed.

Two other officers came forward and grabbed Abby around the waist, and tried to pull her away. The calm went away when they did, and she started kicking and screaming. At one point she accidentally scratched one of the officer's face.

"Why you-" the first officer growled, throwing Abby to the floor, as he reached for his night stick.

Tony and the others tried to move out to Abby's aid, but they just could not get anywhere because of the crowd of people in their way.

The officer raised the night stick over his head, and started to bring it down.

Gibbs broke loose from the Bailiff, just as they reached the courtroom door, and charged the officer with the night stick--pushing the other officer out of the way in the process.

Even though his wrists were still cuffed together, he still managed knee the officer--making him drop the night stick--and then sling him to the ground. Gibbs stooped over and wrapped his hands around the officers throat.

He opened his mouth to speak, but then something hard clubbed him over the head. He slumped forward unconscious, and had to be carried away on a stretcher.

The team watched in silence as their boss, their mentor--their friend, was carried away off to face a lethal injection.






-Chapter Nineteen-

Vance gathered everyone in the squad room of NCIS HQ. This would be the last time that he addressed them--together at least.

It had been a week and a half since Gibbs' trial, and he had been scheduled for death by lethal injection just 2 hours ago. His execution had been ordered to move fairly swiftly because his was a special case, and they wanted it taken care of.

He had hated having to tell everyone just a week and a half earlier that Gibbs receiving the death penalty was all because of the C.I.A. It was just their way of doing damage control.

"Everyone," Vance began, looking into the eyes of everyone standing before him now. "I just received word that Jethro Gibbs is..."

Abby began shaking her head, as she covered her ears with her hands. "No, no." she said. "Don't say it. Not those words." she pleaded with Vance.

"Dead." Vance said finally.

The room was silent all around for a brief moment.

Abby's heart had never hurt as much as it did now. She could hardly stand, let alone breathe for all of the pain that she felt right then.

McGee plopped backwards into his desk chair in disbelief. "I-I can't believe it...he's-" he could hardly get the words out.

Tony was shaking his head in disbelief, and then he staggered backwards, fell over a nearby chair and landed on his butt right in front of Ziva's desk.

"No, no, no, no." he was mumbling through sobs.

Ducky was shaking so bad that he had to grasp the edge of Gibbs' old desk to keep from falling over.

"I'm...terribly sorry." Vance said quietly, before walking away to conceal his own grief from everyone else.

"No, no, no." Tony said. "He was--he was supposed to escape--it wasn't supposed to end this way."

Ziva knelt down beside Tony and the two of them cried there together.

--------To Be Continued--------

Stay Tuned For The Very Last Chapter, and A Special Surprise Ending........

"What Had To Be Done, Part Nine"

--Chapter Twenty--

It was a bright, sunny afternoon in Los Angeles, California. Though in the sun was Abby's least favorite place in the world, since her transfer to the NCIS L.A. division, just over a year ago, she had learned to make the best of it.

Right now she was shopping in one of those 'boardwalk' shops near the beach. She hoped that this afternoon she'd be able to find the perfect birthday present for her 'god-daughter' Talia.

Except things had not gone so great at all on this particular day, because of the significance of today--the Anniversary of Gibbs'...

No, better to not dwell on that anymore she often told herself.

She nudged her sunglasses back up her nose, as she picked up a tiny little t-shirt--ya know something that a baby would wear--and examined it closely. The tiny t-shirt was light pink, and had the words 'Lil Surfer Chic' written across its front in big bold, dark pink letters.

"Well, I guess it'll go great with the shoes that I got her yesterday." Abby mused, aloud.

"Its perfect." came a voice from behind her.

Her breath caught in her throat, and it seemed like almost forever before she let it back out.

That voice. She knew that voice; but it couldn't be--could it? She didn't dare turn around, not at first, for fear that it might just be another hallucination. Another daydream.

There was a brief silence, but then the stranger spoke up once again.

"Abs," he said softly. "Its me."

Emotion welled up in Abby's eyes, and threatened to make her mascara run like crazy, and make a mess all over her face. She tried to form words, but it was so difficult to do.

"I-I know." she choked out, quietly. "But you're--you're supposed to me-"

"But I'm not." he replied softly.

Abby set the tiny t-shirt down, and then turned around. There standing directly behind her in a flower shirt, baggy shorts, flip flops, and sporting an unshaven beard and sunglasses was none other than Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

"Gibbs." she choked out at seeing him standing there.

She took a couple of steps towards him. With one had she touched his unshaven face (gently of course), and then she pulled his sunglasses down off of his face so that she could see his eyes. One look into those steely blue eyes, and she knew for sure that it was him.

"Oh Gibbs," she said throwing herself into his arms. "Its been so--we all thought-" she could hardly form the words to speak a single coherent sentence.

"I know." he replied softly, wrapping her in a big, warm hug.

"But how?" she asked, now looking up at his face again.

"Tobias made a few calls--pulled a few strings," Gibbs explained. "It was all planned from the beginning." he assured her. "Everyone thought I was given a lethal injection--but it was just a special, powerful, sedative cooked up by-"

"Ducky." Abby guessed, knowing that there was really only one doctor that Gibbs trusted with his life.

Gibbs nodded.

"But we agreed that he wouldn't say anything to anyone," Gibbs continued. "Best to lay low, and let the heat die down first."

Abby pushed away a little bit, and wiped tears from her eyes. "There's so much to tell you. So much you don't know."

Gibbs chuckled. "You mean like Tony and Ziva being 'Parents'?"

"You know?" Abby was somewhat shocked.

"Yeah I know." Gibbs grinned. "That little Talia of theirs is really something." Gibbs said.

"She sure is," Abby agreed.

"So you saw them first?" she asked.

"Yeah, they were the easiest to find." Gibbs pointed out. "They never left D.C."

"Some of us didn't have a choice Gibbs." Abby said, turning away from him.

Gibbs stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her again. "That's not what I meant Abs." Gibbs said softly.

"I know Vance had to break up the team to please the Brass." Gibbs said. "Sent you out here, McGee's an 'Agent Afloat'--and probably hates it--Tony's got his own team now in D.C. with Ziva as his second in command-"

"Its been...hard." Abby admitted.

"I know." Gibbs agreed. He ran his hand through his hair as he stood there. "When Tony said you were in California...I knew I couldn't leave you 'again' without a proper goodbye."

"What!?" Abby said out of shock. "Wh-Why does it have to be goodbye?" she asked, her heart breaking.

"Abs, its too dangerous for me to do 'this' a lot." Gibbs explained. "You know that."

"I guess so." she replied, fighting back more tears.

"Abs," Gibbs said softly. "I know I've said this before but...You've always been like a daughter to me." he told her. "When I lost Kelly and Shannon--I wasn't sure if I'd ever be able to feel that part of myself ever again."

Abby rubbed her tear stained cheeks, but more tears only took their place.

"Then I met you, and got to know you," he continued. "And you filled that void."

To Abby, in that moment, it sounded like Gibbs' own voice was cracking up a bit. Which was strange, because that kind of stuff was not in Gibbs' nature.

Abby turned around, and was sort of shocked by what she saw. Gibbs' eyes were as moist and red as hers were. It made since now...his words that day in the courtroom. "...be strong for them, and...for me." They echoed in her ears now.

She understood what he'd been asking now. This was as hard for him, as it was for her.

"Gibbs," she said, stepping closer to him. "Its alright. I understand." she told him softly, as she wiped more tears from her face.

Before he knew what was happening Abby had wrapped her arms around Gibbs and was hugging him tightly. "Goodbye." she whispered in his ear.

A single tears dropped from Gibbs' eye, and rolled down his cheek, and then finally disappeared from view.

The pair pulled apart after a few beats. "I need you to send my birthday gift for Talia when you send yours." Gibbs said, wiping his eyes with the palms of his hands.

"Tell me its not a boat." she said, trying to sound humorous.

Gibbs chuckled. "Its only like this big." he replied, indicating its size with his hands.

Abby shook her head at Gibbs.

"Alright." She said finally. "Just tell me where it is."

"At your house." Gibbs said.

Abby looked a little bewildered.

"You mean my apartment." she corrected him.

Gibbs grinned. "No, I mean your 'House'." he said.

Abby was confused at his words. They just did not make sense.

"Oh, speaking of which," he said, as he began fishing around in his pockets. "You'll need these."

Abby was stunned into complete, and utter silence as Gibbs handed her a set of keys.

"What-" she started to say.

"Remember the 'Kelly'?" Gibbs asked.

Abby nodded. She remembered all too well the last boat that Gibbs had built in his basement at his old house. Once he had taken it out of the basement he had put it up in storage for years.

"I left that to McGee," Gibbs said. "Good thing to--that girl he's been seeing for the last few years--they just got engaged--she apparently likes to go sailing--so now they can go out whenever he's home." Gibbs said with a chuckle.

Abby smiled at that. Good for McGee she thought to herself. She hadn't spoken to him in such a long time, and she really did miss him.

"I left the old house to Tony and Ziva," he continued. "The apartment that they were living in was just way to small for three people to live comfortably." he told her.

Abby nodded. "It really was." she said. "I was gonna ask them about that when I flew up to see them for Talia's birthday this weekend."

Gibbs nodded.

"Plus, I hear you're gonna need a bigger place before long," he said.

Abby's heart began racing faster and faster in her chest. "Oh, no." she thought to herself, as she placed her hand against her abdomen. "He knows. He knows. But how, I'm barely showing--and I only told Tony and-" The thoughts raced wildly through her head as she stood there.

"Does Eric know?" He asked, calmly.

Okay, now she really really believed that Gibbs was like psychic or something.

Abby shook her head, now more tears forming in her eyes.

"No." she said quietly. "Not yet."

"Why not?" he asked.

"I-I-" she tried to speak but the words wouldn't come.

Gibbs took a step closer, and cupped a hand under her chin--lifting her face up to meet his.

"If he really loves you," Gibbs said. "He'll understand." he said quietly, and reassuringly.

Abby knew that Gibbs was right, there was no reason for her to be afraid of telling Eric the truth. Just having Gibbs say the words made her feel like everything would be alright. No better than alright.

"I worked on getting the place ready for a couple of weeks," Gibbs explained, as he backed away from her. "Today, while you were working, I moved everything from your old apartment into it--along with a few other things as well--I hope you like it." he said.

Abby smiled weakly at Gibbs.

"The nursery's been taken care of as well." he added.

A tear rolled down Abby's cheek.

Gibbs looked around, and then put his sunglasses back on his face.

Abby knew what was coming next. "You should get going," she said quietly, trying not to sound too upset.

Gibbs stepped forward, and planted a gentle kiss on top of her forehead.

"Tell Callen and Sam...Thanks." Gibbs said quietly.

Abby watched as Gibbs walked away from her, out of the shop, and then out of view down the street. A part of her said "Run after him!", but she told herself that doing so would only make things harder for both of them.






--Chapter Twenty-One--

2 Years passed since Gibbs saw Abby there in that shop on the beach in Los Angeles, California. Gibbs often thought about his team while he went about his daily chores on the beach in Mexico where he lived with Tobias Fornell in a shack that the two men had built right next to Mike Franks' place.

At present Gibbs sat outside on a homemade bench that he'd fashioned out of drift wood by himself working on his latest project--A Rocking Chair.

"How about a beer?" Tobias said, walking up beside Gibbs.

Gibbs shook his head at his friend. "Not this time." he said.

"Feelin' old?" Tobias asked, as he plopped down in the sand next to Gibbs.

"Hmm?"

"You're building a rocking chair Gibbs," Tobias pointed out.

Gibbs thought about that for a moment, and gave a little chuckle.

"I suppose your right." Gibbs said.

"I mean it is your 'Birthday' after all," Tobias said, taking a sip of his own beer. "Hell, you should be out, in town, partying--picking up women."

"Little too old for that kind of thing, Don't you think, Tobias?" Gibbs replied, looking over at his friend.

"What are you looking at me for?" Tobias asked, arching an eyebrow at Gibbs.

Gibbs chuckled.

"Look, I tried the whole marriage thing a couple of times--not unlike yourself--and...down the crapper every time." he said, making a downward motion with his hand. "So I've moved on to a different locale in my life."

"Yeah. I'll say you have." Gibbs retorted.

"Look," Tobias said, between sips of his beer. "I'll I'm saying is that Mike and I put a lot of effort into this party of yours, and we think that the least you could do--is enjoy it."

Gibbs looked over at Fornell. "What party?"

"That one." Fornell said, pointing to the right, without looking.

Gibbs, a little confused, looked out to where Fornell had pointed, and saw two SUVs parked on the side of Mike's 'home'. The doors of the SUV's opened up, and several people began to get out.

Immediately a wave of emotion washed over him, as he stood up from where he had been sitting. He watched as Tony and Ziva--and their daughter Talia--stepped out of the first SUV; McGee and his new wife--who had ended up riding in separate vehicles--were also there. Out of the second SUV came Abby Scuito and Eric Beal--who were also a couple. The two groups were led by G. Callen and Sam Hannah.

Then the biggest hit came when he saw what Abby was carrying in her arms--a small boy, probably only like two years old (at least).

Gibbs started walking in their direction, and that's when Abby saw him--first.

"There he is!" she shouted, pointing her finger towards Gibbs so that everyone could see.

"Boss!" Tony called loudly, waving his free arm in the air, because in his other arm he was holding his daughter Talia.

Ziva reached over, and whispered something to Tony, and then Tony turned and handed Talia to her mother.

Tony ran the few yards now left between him and Gibbs, and without thinking threw his arms around the unshaven, steely blue-eyed man. A few seconds after he had done it he realized he probably shouldn't have--so he pulled away quickly, clearing his throat.

"S-sorry sir," Tony said, sticking his hand out to Gibbs. "How are you?" he asked, now trying to sound a little more professional.

Gibbs stared at Tony's outstretched arm/hand, and then stared up at Tony himself. After a beat he smiled, and then grabbed Tony's hand, and pulled him into a hug.

"Damn glad to see you DiNozzo." Gibbs whispered.

The pair pulled a part, and Gibbs slapped Tony on the back playfully.

"Little girls' gettin' bigger isn't she?" Gibbs said, with a grin.

"She sure is," A smiling Ziva said, as she neared the two men. "Happy Birthday Gibbs." she said, with a smile, as she hugged him with her free arm.

"Good to see you too Ziva."

"And you remember 'Tali'," Ziva said, holding the now 3 year old little girl (I think that that would be about the right age for her).

(F.Y.I. 'Tali' is Ziva's nickname for her daughter.)

"Ah, How could I forget little 'Cupcake'." Gibbs said with a smile, as he lifted the little girl out of her mother's arms.

(F.Y.I. 'Cupcake' is Gibbs' nickname for Talia. He gave it to her back when he secretly visited Tony and Ziva after she was born.)

The little girl giggled delightedly as Gibbs lifted her up over his head playfully.

"I have a surprise for you, cupcake, yes I do." Gibbs cooed.

No one on that Beach had ever seen Gibbs in this way, but they had learned to except the fact that the last few years had changed him a little bit. He wasn't the same 'hard-ass' Marine that they had spent so much time with on the job anymore.

McGee and his wife were next in line, and Gibbs had to hand Talia back to her mother so that he could say hello to them.

"McGee," Gibbs said shaking the younger man's hand, and then hugging him. "Good to see you."

"Happy Birthday Boss." McGee said with a smile.

Gibbs didn't even care that everyone was still referring to him as 'Boss', when he hadn't been that for quite some time now.

"And this must be the lovely new Mrs. McGee." Gibbs said, hugging the blushing young woman standing next to McGee.

"Yes." she said with a smile. "Its been a while since the last time I saw you sir. You certainly have changed since then." she said, with a chuckle.

Gibbs laughed.

"Shaving's a crime down here," Gibbs joked, rubbing his scraggly beard.

Everyone laughed.

"Callen. Sam." Gibbs said shaking hands with the two NCIS agents from the Los Angeles division.

"Gibbs." Callen said, with a grin.

"Happy Birthday Marine." Sam said stoutly, but then a big smile broke out across his face, and he couldn't hold back the laugh that followed.

The three men laughed together at Sam's joke.

"Shouldn't you two be, I don't know, driving Hetty crazy?" Gibbs asked playfully.

"What, and miss the party?" Sam said, jokingly.

"Sam's right." Callen agreed. "Besides, Hetty owes us a little R&R anyway." he addded, with a grin, as he looked out at the ocean view.

The next to greet Gibbs was Abby--Abby and Eric.

"Sir." Eric said, somewhat nervously, shaking Gibbs' hand.

"Eric." Gibbs replied, a little more Marine-ish in tone.

"I trust you've been taking care of Abby?" he asked, eyeing Eric up and down like an over-protective father would do when it came to his daughter.

"W-well--well, I, uh, that is-" Eric was having so much trouble speaking at that moment, that Abby knew it was time for her to step in.

"Gibbs," she said stepping past Eric.

The emotion that Gibbs felt at that moment showed in his eyes. "Abs," he said, but it came out weaker than he had intended for it to.

The Goth Forensic Specialist was smiling proudly as she held her baby boy up for Gibbs to see.

"I want you to meet someone," she said holding the baby boy up.

Gibbs took the baby boy into his own arms and held him there gently. The small boy had dirty blonde hair like Eric, and the biggest, bluest eyes you'd ever seen. And his face...his face reminded Gibbs so much of Abby it was unreal.

"Gibbs," Abby said proudly. "Meet your 'adopted' grandson--D.J." she said softly, with a smile.

The little boy was looking off in all directions inquisitively, taking in all of his 'new' surroundings.

"My--" Gibbs tried to say, but the words would not come easily.

"That is," Abby said. "If you're willing to accept those terms."

Gibbs cleared his throat, and nodded at Abby, his eyes moist with emotion.

"His eyes are..." Gibbs whispered.

Abby laughed, as she took her son back into her own arms. "We have an inside joke," she told him. "That he has his 'Grandpa's' eyes." she said with a chuckle.

Gibbs stood frozen for a beat or two, but then shook his head to clear it quickly.

"What does it stand for?" he asked, referring to the little boys' name.

"D.J.?" Abby asked. "It stands for Donald Jethro." she said with a grin, as she placed a gentle peck on the little boys' cheek.

Gibbs winced. "Abs," he groaned. "Why that name?" he asked. "Why 'Jethro'?"

"Because," she said playfully. "Its his Grandpa's name."

"And the Donald--" Gibbs started. "Is that after-"

"Yep." Abby replied. "Good old Ducky."

"Speaking of which," Gibbs said. "Where is Ducky?"

Suddenly everyone got real quiet, and real serious.

"You haven't heard?" Tony asked, quietly.

"Heard what?" Gibbs asked.

Abby handed D.J. to Eric, and then took a step closer to Gibbs. Her eyes were full of a different emotion now.

"Gibbs," she whispered. "Ducky--Ducky," she was finding it hard to say it.

Gibbs' gut churned wildly now, something told him that what she was about to say--he wasn't particularly going to like it.

"Ducky--well, you know he was--he was 'older'." she spoke, and her voice was breaking up with every word. "We spent last Christmas with him," she continued. "It was great. Everything was wonderful--the day after Christmas, I went upstairs to wake him for breakfast, and...and couldn't-"

Abby stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Gibbs in the biggest, warmest hug that she could manage. She was in tears now.

Gibbs stood frozen to the spot. Everyone around him shared the same solemn look(s) on their faces.

His heart sank. They were telling the truth. His oldest, dearest friend was gone. Gone and he hadn't heard a damn thing about it until just now. He felt a painful stinging behind his eyes, as he stood there.

"Duck..." he choked out in a hoarse whisper. He wrapped his arms around Abby and hugged her tight.

Tony stepped forward through the group, now standing just in front of the front porch of Mike's place, once again.

"W-We found this in a book in his room after--" Tony started, quietly, producing a sealed envelope from the back pocket of his shorts. "Its addressed to you, so we figured he'd probably...want you to--to have it."

Gibbs pulled away from Abby, patting her on the head gently, and excepted the envelope from Tony. Scrawled across the front of the envelope, in delicate, cursive handwriting that could only belong to the late great NCIS M.E., were the words 'To Jethro'.

"We figured," McGee chimed in quietly. "That he meant to send it himself, but just never got the chance."

A single tear rolled down the length of Gibbs' face, until it disappeared into nothingness.





--Chapter Twenty-Two--

Later That Evening...
Everyone sat outside along the two conjoined decks that Gibbs and Mike's place shared. They had taken their time to mourn the loss of their dear, dear friend Dr. Donald 'Ducky' Mallard; and now was the time for celebration.

Sam and Callen had brought along a few gifts that they had planned to leave with Gibbs--but that were to be used for the party as well. One such gift was a nice-size charcoal grill for barbecuing and what not--to that end the gang enjoyed hot dogs and hamburgers for lunch (which Tony and Callen actually cooked). They had beers and sodas for the adults, and juice drinks for the kids.

A second gift from Callen and Sam was a special Satellite phone with extra batteries and a charger (it was basically a kit)--he could use this gift to keep in touch with the rest of the world. Sam even told Gibbs that Hetty was the one who had sent that particular gift.

"Give my thanks to Hetty next time you see her." Gibbs said, with a smile.

"Sure we will," Sam said, with a crooked grin. "If G. doesn't get us killed driving back with all his 'shortcuts'."

Everyone laughed--even Gibbs.

The third and final gift from Callen and Sam was a full-fledged 'Do-It-Yourself Barber's Kit'. Gibbs laughed at this gift, and commented that someone was trying to tell him something.

"You said it, not me." Callen said, laughing.

Everyone laughed.

Next came gifts from the rest of the gang. Tony, Ziva, and little Talia were first. Their gift to Gibbs was a real-sturdy weather proof hammock (so that he would not have to sleep on a hard homemade cot anymore), and they also gave him a 'Family Portrait'--which Ziva had talked Tony into against his wishes.

"Its great you guys." he'd said.

"Well, I tried to tell Ziva that an 8x10 family photo was, maybe, a little much. I mean, we're men right--we don't need those kind of sappy wappy sentimental-" Tony was saying.

Gibbs looked at Ziva, and motioned with his head for her to smack Tony on the back of the head.

Ziva read his look, and reached around and 'Gibbs-Smacked' Tony.

"Just wait til I get you home." Tony had threatened.

"I can't wait." Ziva whispered back.

Next came McGee's Birthday Present to Gibbs. His gift was a brand new set of wood-carving tools. McGee said that he figured Gibbs would still be into building and carving stuff so this gift just kind of seemed like it might would make the perfect gift.

"Yeah. Cause Mike's tool are starting to fall apart on me." Gibbs joked playfully.

"Hey," Mike retorted. "Don't start with me Probie--I ain't drunk enough yet." Mike said as he took another swig from his beer bottle.

"We were gonna get you a family portrait too, but we thought it might be better if we waited for the newest addition to arrive." McGee said, with a smile.

"You mean-" Abby stared, mouth agape. "You're-"

McGee's wife smiled a big smile.

"Congratulations you two!" Everyone was saying to the expectant couple.

"Vance has even said he'll let me transfer back to my old job, so that I can be closer to home." McGee added, happily.

Everyone laughed.

"Alright," Tony grinned, clapping his hands together. "The Boys are back in town!" Tony said in a sing-song voice as he rocked on the stool he was sitting on.

Everyone laughed--especially McGee.

Then, finally, came Abby and Eric's gift(s) to Gibbs.

The first thing they gave Gibbs was a 'Family Portrait'. Then Eric lugged their second gift in from outside--A Surf Board.

"Ya know," Eric said pointing to the surf board that had been strapped to the roof of one of the SUVs just a few minutes earlier. "Give ya somethin' 'fun' to do--while you're out here."

Gibbs just laughed, but nodded.

Then Abby handed Gibbs a sealed envelope the size of a greeting card. He opened it,carefully, and then opened and read it silently to himself. Inside the card was a sweet little poem, a mini-family tree designed to indicate that the gang was Gibbs' 'Extended-Family'; and a tiny little business-card sized piece of card-stock.

On the business-sized piece of card-stock were printed in elegant cursive lettering a time stamp, a date stamp, and the words 'You're Invited To The Wedding of Abigail Scuito and Eric Beal!"

Gibbs looked up at Abby. "But, Abs-"

"We're already, legally, married," Abby told him. "As in we went to the courthouse and blah, blah, blah--you know the deal." she said, rolling her eyes.

Gibbs chuckled at Abby's humor.

"But we wanted to have the 'ceremony' here," she continued, and then pointed towards where Mike was standing. "Mike said it would be okay."

Gibbs glanced over at his former mentor and long-time friend.

"You can thank me later." Mike told him, with a wink.

"Abs-" Gibbs started to speak.

Abby stood up, and walked over and knelt down in front of Gibbs. She took both of his hands in hers, and looked up into his eyes.

"I want you to give me away." she said softly, the emotion(s) that she was feeling evident in her eyes.

Gibbs stood and pulled Abby into his arms, and into a big, warm hug. "I'd be honored to give you away." he whispered, but it was loud enough for everyone else to hear.

Abby returned his warm hug with one of her own.

Everyone in the room waited a beat or two, and then gave a quick cheer.

Gibbs turned and looked at everyone, as Abby returned to Eric and D.J.'s
side.

"Ziva's my 'matron-of-honor'." Abby told Gibbs. "And Kensi and Alicia (McGee's wife) are the Bridesmaids." she added.

"Its really exciting." Ziva said, looking over at Alicia.

"I know, right." Alicia said, in agreement. "And an honor too."

Ziva nodded.

"And," Eric added. "McGee's the best man, and Nate and Tony are Groomsmen."

Everyone laughed, and talked about the wedding plans for a few minutes.

"I have some gifts to give out myself," Gibbs said, finally, as he walked over to the far side of the shack. On a shelf set a miniature sail boat carved/built from driftwood, and painted in blue and green colors as if to match the ocean.

Gibbs carefully picked up the miniature sailboat, and carried over to where Abby and Eric were sitting.

"This is for little D.J." he said, showing the item to the tiny tot, who tried to reach out for and touch it. Gibbs then handed the boat to Abby to hold on to.

"You made that," Eric mused. "That's totally wicked."

The tiny tot seemed pleased with his new 'toy' as he tried desperately to get his little hands on it.

Gibbs smiled at the tiny tot, and then patted him on the top of the head.

Then Gibbs walked outside, where he stayed for a few minutes before returning. When he re-entered the shack he was carrying a child's rocking horse that he had built a while back.

"I've been trying to figure out how to get this up to you guys," Gibbs said, as he set the rocking horse down in front of Tony and Ziva. The rocking horse was sanded completely smooth all the way around.

Gibbs hadn't painted the entire rocking horse, but had highlighted certain areas/features such as: he gave it the same shade of hazel-colored eyes like Talia's; he painted the mouth lines a black color; and outlined the 'curls' of its mane that he had chiseled in by hand with a real light pink-ish color. The rest of the horse was stained with a light Golden Oak Wood Stain, and after that he sealed the whole thing with lacquer thinner.

Gibbs patted the seat of the rocking horse, and motioned for Talia to come over.

"Come on cupcake, try her out." Gibbs said softly.

The 3 1/2 year old little girl scooted down out of her mother's lap, and made her way over to the rocking horse. She eyed it for a moment before climbing up onto its seat (with a little help from Gibbs). She began to rock on it slowly, and everyone could tell by the smile on her face that she was really enjoying it. The few delicate curls that she did have in her hair bounced with every rocking motion she made on the wooden horse.

Gibbs chuckled, as he watched her, from a squatting position.

Tony and Ziva laughed at their daughter.

"Tali," Ziva said softly. "What do we say to Mr. Gibbs?"

The little girl stopped the horse, and climbed down off of its seat. She made her way over to where Gibbs was squatting, and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Gib." she said, as she was still learning to say his name correctly.

Gibbs chuckled, and hugged the precious little girl back (gently).

"You're welcome cupcake." he said softly, as he gently kissed her cheek, before letting the little girl go back to her new 'toy'.

Gibbs stood upright again, and this time turned to look at McGee and his wife. "You know that nice rocking chair sitting out on the deck?" he asked.

"Yeah," McGee replied. "We were looking at it earlier. Actually thinking about putting one in the nursery--once we set up a nursery." McGee added.

Gibbs smiled. "I'm actually building a duplicate of it, so that one on the deck is for you guys." he told them.

"Wow," McGee's wife said, blushing a little bit. "Thank you sir--its perfect." she said, thanking him, as she stood and gave him a hug.

"Yeah, thanks Boss." McGee chimed in.

"I'm not your boss McGee." Gibbs said, taking on a serious look, and reverting back to the tone that he used to use in the office.

McGee went rigid, and struggled to find the words to reply.

Everyone else in the room laughed, and soon after so did Gibbs.

"Yeah, McGee," Tony said, from across the room. "That would be me now--remember?"

McGee rolled his eyes at Tony. "Ha ha." he retorted.

"Hey, I thought you said that was my rocking chair, Gibbs." Tobias remarked from over in the corner.

"And I thought you said you were too young for a rocking chair, Tobias." Gibbs countered, shooting a look at his friend.

Everyone laughed.

"We'll probably have to ship the rocking horse, and rocking chair back to the states, though." Gibbs pointed out, scratching at his chin.

"Shouldn't be a problem." Callen said. "What do you think, Sam?"

"No, not if we make a few phone calls," he replied, with a playful grin. "Starting with Hetty."

Everyone laughed.





--Chapter Twenty-Three--

It was late, and everyone else had pretty much turned in for the night. There were sleeping bags laying everywhere inside and also some outside on the deck.

Everyone had decided to stay the night, and then leave at some point the next day.

Gibbs had moved his homemade cot outside onto the deck, and set it against the outside wall of the shack--to make room for those who wanted to sleep inside the shack.

Gibbs sat on his cot, propped up against the wall, with little Talia and little D.J. fast asleep in his lap.

Callen and Sam had elected to be two of the group that slept out on the deck in sleeping bags; and at present they were fast asleep. Tony and Ziva had offered to sleep in the SUV that they had arrived in so that there would be room inside the shack for Abby, Eric, McGee, and Alicia to sleep comfortably. While Tobias had taken to his cot on his side of the shack.

Mike and his 'family' had returned to their own shack to go to sleep.

Abby stepped outside onto the deck, holding a medium/small child's sized blanket draped over one arm.

"Hey," she whispered softly, as she knelt by the cot.

Gibbs looked over at Abby. "You should be asleep." he said, quietly, for he did not want to wake the little ones.

"I know." she replied quietly, as she draped the blanket across the two small children. "So should you." she told him. Then she looked at the children. "Sorry," she whispered, nodding towards the two children in Gibbs' lap.

Gibbs smiled. "Its alright." he whispered softly. "I'll sleep eventually."

Abby had to stifle a chuckle so as not to disturb the little ones.

The two of them talked quietly for a few minutes more, until Gibbs insisted that Abby go inside and get some sleep.

Abby agreed, with a yawn.

"Ya know," Abby said, quietly. "Ducky really missed you." she whispered quietly.

Gibbs didn't know what to say to that.

"He talked about retiring from NCIS at the end of this year--said he wanted to do some traveling." she told him, placing her hand on Gibbs' shoulder. "Said 'The first I shall do, upon my retiring from NCIS, is fly to Mexico to check-up on Jethro'. Abby said, quoting Ducky's exact words.

"You know--D.J. was born close to Christmas," Abby was saying. "Eric and I flew to D.C. to see everyone for Christmas--Ducky said we could stay at his place (since he lives alone and there's plenty of room)--that was the first Christmas we spent with Ducky." she said, emotion welling up in her eyes, as she spoke.

"I wasn't, technically, due until after Christmas; but D.J. had other plans," Abby said, half-chuckling to herself. "We couldn't get to the hospital because of all the snow that had fallen, and it was very late," she explained.

Abby reached a hand up, and wiped some tears from her eyes.

"It had happened so quickly," Abby commented, referring to the labor. "Ducky said there wasn't time, so--he delivered D.J. himself. Right there in his own house, in his mother's old bedroom." Abby said, wiping another tear from her face.

"I was so afraid D.J. wouldn't make it through the night outside of a hospital," Abby whispered quietly, her voice wavering a little bit. "But, Ducky said 'everything'll be fine--he's a trooper, he is'.

Abby wiped a few more tears from her face.

"He asked us what we would call him," Abby continued, the memories and emotions flashing brightly in her fierce, green eyes. "I knew instantly," she said proudly. "I said 'Donald Jethro'. Ducky said it was 'fitting'. she added with a weak grin.

"It was Ducky that suggested to Tony that Talia's middle name be 'Caitlin', after-" But Abby didn't finish her sentence. She knew that she didn't have to.

Gibbs and Abby sat in silence for a few more minutes until Abby finally stood up, patted Gibbs on the shoulder, and then headed inside to sleep.

Gibbs sat for a few beats just listening to the wind and the waves, until he remembered the envelope from Ducky sticking out of the back pocket of his shorts. He reached back with his free hand, and carefully tugged it free.

He opened the envelope with his teeth, and then pulled the folded up slip of paper out with his free hand. He unfolded it, and found a full-length letter along with three or four small photographs included.

The photographs were of the gang. The first photograph was taken of everybody at McGee and Alicia's wedding; the second photo was from Tony and Ziva's wedding; the third photograph was of Tony, Ziva, and newborn baby Talia (taken on the day that she was born); and the last photo was of Abby, Eric, and newborn baby D.J. Gibbs immediately recognized the background in the last photograph--it was the bedroom at Ducky's house.

He grinned a little bit as he examined each of the little photographs.

Then he moved onto the letter itself. It read:

"Jethro,
How are you? I hope you are doing well in Mexico. Everyone, myself included, misses you terribly. We are all in agreement that it is just not the same around here without you 'running the show' as it were.

Things are beginning to settle down here at NCIS since your 'departure'. Tony seems to be getting the hang of being team leader, though, I sense that he is somewhat burdened by the fact that he feels he must live up to your 'example'. He confided in me, once, that he's taken to using your 'rules' as a means of accomplishing this goal.

Although, we both know he's broken at least one of those rules--care to guess which one that might be?

Tony and Ziva have found both love and solace in each other since you left. They've grown closer than I've ever seen them, and as I've been told you know, they are now the proud parents of a precious little girl--Talia Caitlin DiNozzo. She's a real daddy's girl that one. She's had our Anthony wrapped around her finger from day one.

Oh, and I should mention that as I am writing this letter I am happy to announce that little Talia has said her first word--Duck. Not quite what the proud parents were going for, but secretly I find it amusing.

I'm also pleased to tell you that our dear Abigail has found her own happiness out in California. The gentleman's name is Eric Beal, and she seems to like him, so I guess I do too. And, on another positive note, the happy couple have just welcomed a little bundle of joy of their own--a bouncing, blue-eyed, baby boy. They're calling him Donald Jethro--fitting don't you think?

Young Timothy recently proposed to his 'lady' Alicia (you do remember her don't you? I believe you two met at least once before you left), and the happy couple are planning their wedding with whatever free time they are lucky to get.

How I wish you could be here Jethro. I am so very proud of each and every one of them, and I know that you would be too. It saddens me greatly when I think of how much you're missing, and have missed already--and of how happy you would surely be if you were here, and could share in the excitement.

I do hope, one day, that I will be able to depart from here, and come down to visit you. I also hope to be able to do a little bit of traveling--see the world you know."

Gibbs looked away from the letter, momentarily, and let a tear roll down the length of his face. His lips quivered slightly as he fought to keep his composure.

Then he continued to read the rest of the letter. It read:

"I know that you are probably busy relaxing, or whatever it is that you are currently doing; but I just wanted to let you know how things were going so that you wouldn't worry--too much anyway."

Then Gibbs noticed after that paragraph that Ducky had drawn a dividing line between it, and the next paragraph of the letter.

"Its been a while since I've picked up my pen, and I thought about this letter today, sitting on the desk in my study, unfinished, and felt that I should make the effort to finish it. I apologize, again, for taking so long to complete this letter, but the last few months have been painstakingly slow, as my health, it seems, has taken a turn for the worse.

I finally paid a visit to a doctor friend of mine a few days ago, and just recently received the results from the tests that he ran on me. It is not good, I'm afraid, and I haven't had the heart to tell the others yet--so I'm telling you first. I've been diagnosed with Medulloblastoma--a type of Brain Cancer/Tumor that's really more common in young children, but has been recorded in adults. I'm told that at its current stage, its inoperable, and that my only options are chemotherapy and radiation. I haven't yet decided which, if either, I prefer.

Please forgive the tear stains on this paper that you are undoubtedly going to notice when you read this...and I urge you not to worry about me. I will inform you of how the treatments progress should I choose to endure them.

I am ending this letter now as I am beginning to run out of space to write. I send you my deepest love, my dearest of friends, and hope that you know that you are always in all of our thoughts and prayers--Always.

Your Dear Friend,
Donald 'Ducky' Mallard"

Tears now stained Gibbs' cheeks as he re-folded the letter and stuffed it gently back into its envelope. "He knew." Gibbs thought to himself. "He knew all along that he was dying."

"Duck..." Gibbs whispered into the breeze, his voice cracking with emotion as he spoke.

He closed his eyes, finally, and let the emotions that had been building up inside of him take over. He ended up sobbing himself to sleep.






--Chapter Twenty-Four--

The next morning rolled around, and was actually a bit overcast.

At some point in the middle of the night D.J. had awoken, and Abby had had to come and get him so that he would calm back down. At that point she told Gibbs it would probably be best if she D.J. with her for the rest of the night.

So that just left Gibbs and little Talia together.

Little Talia was the first one to wake up. She scooted out from under the blanket, and down out of Gibbs' lap. Something had caught her little eye(s), and now she was off to investigate.

A group of seabirds had congregated just a little ways down the beach, and Talia thought that they looked like fun.

Before long the little girl was chasing the sea birds in around in circles on the beach, giggling as she chased after them.

"Birdies!" she squealed as she got close to a pair. The pair took flight just before she could get too close.

"Birdies!?" she pleaded, as she followed the pair towards the edge of the water.

She stepped into the surf, continuing her pursuit of the sea birds, until a small wave crashed against her, and startled the little girl. She turned, and tried to get back onto the beach, but just then another slightly bigger wave crashed against her and knocked her down--she went under.

When she came up, she tried to cry out, but another wave crashed over her and muffled the sound. It was getting harder and harder for her to stand up in the surf, and she was being pulled farther and farther out.

"Jethro, wake up." a voice said in Gibbs' ear(s).

Gibbs stirred a little bit.

"D-Duck..." he mumbled in his sleep.

"Jethro!"

Gibbs' eyes shot open instantly, and he sat up straight--looking around for the source of the voice that he had heard.

"Duck." he whispered.

Suddenly there was a scream--albeit a muffled scream--but a scream nonetheless.

Gibbs realized that Talia was no longer with him.

"Talia." he whispered, a little louder, as he stood up, looking around.

Another scream.

Gibbs spun around in the direction that it had been coming from just in time to see little Talia get dragged under another wave.

"Talia!" he yelled, as he bolted for the water, jumping off the deck and landing in the sand.

People around the shack began to rouse up, at hearing Gibbs shout.

The doors to the SUV where Tony and Ziva had been sleeping opened up, and Tony stepped out, while Ziva was sitting up in the backseat of the car stretching.

"W-What's going on?" Tony said, through a yawn, as he stretched his arms out as far as they would go.

"Talia!" Gibbs was yelling as he raced over the sand towards the water.

"What about Tal-" Tony started to say, before he saw Gibbs running towards the water. Then he saw what appeared to be his daughter fighting a losing battle against the surf.

"Talia!" Tony panicked, and immediately broke into a run headed in Gibbs' direction.

The SUV door flew open, and Ziva jumped out--sensing from her husband's reaction that something was wrong.

Everyone else was getting the same vibe, as the rest of the group was congregating out on/around the deck of the shack. Then it became clear what was going on.

"Sam-" Callen called, as he jumped off of the deck into the sand.

"Already on it!" Sam called, as he darted for the SUV that he had driven.

Callen raced for the water, while Sam snatched open the door to the SUV, reached inside, and pulled out a medium-sized red bag with a big, white cross symbol stretched boldly across its front-side.

Gibbs entered the water, splashing through the waves that crashed against him. He spotted little Talia just as she disappeared beneath the water again.

Instinctively he dove underwater. Tony reached the site, and immediately went under.

Gibbs came back up a moment or so later, as did Tony, empty handed.

"Where!?" Tony panicked, slapping the surface of the water out of desperation.

"There!" shouted a voice in Gibbs' ear(s).

Gibbs spun around to the left, and without thinking dove underwater. A moment later he broke the surface clutching the body of the little girl in his arms.

"Talia!" Tony cried out, when he saw his daughter laying limp in Gibbs' arms.

"Over here!" Sam shouted as he reached the water's edge--waving the first aid kit for them to see.

Gibbs and Tony raced onto the beach, onto dry land, and Sam immediately seized the little girl, and began CPR and Mouth-To-Mouth Resuscitation.

"Come on," Sam panted as he worked feverishly with Callen to revive the little girl.

"Tali," Ziva exclaimed when she reached the spot where everyone else was beginning to gather.

Tony grabbed his wife, and held her back--though she fought against him mercilessly--so that the others could work unhindered.

"Let me go, let me-" Ziva said, slapping at her husband.

"Interfering won't help her Ziva," Tony tried to explain, though his own voice was cracking. "You know that."

"I-I don't care." Ziva insisted. "She's my-"

A few minutes had passed, and nothing had happened. She wasn't responding at all.

"Sam," Callen finally spoke up, after a few beats more had passed by. "Sam!"

"No way G." Sam panted. "I'm not giving up."

"Sam," Called pressed on. "Its no use--she's-" Callen didn't want to say the words, but it didn't seem like he had a choice.

Gibbs sank to his knees, an intense burning building up behind his eyes.

Tony held on to Ziva as she sank down onto her knees, tears beginning to stain her cheeks--while Tony tried to fight back the tears that were threatening to erupt from within him.

"Sam!" Callen tried again.

"She's just a kid G.-" Sam pointed out. "We can't just-"

Just then a thought crossed Gibbs' mind. He remembered that the day before Talia had nearly choked to death on a small piece of the hot dog she had been sharing with her mother. Gibbs had had to act fast, grabbing her up, tilting her forward a little bit, and giving her a good whack on the back. Why this thought crossed his mind, he didn't know, but he suddenly felt the urge to try it.

"Give her to me." Gibbs said suddenly, pushing his way closer to Sam and Callen.

Sam had already, finally, began to give up--though reluctantly--and had sunk backwards onto his backside.

Callen backed away, as Gibbs picked the little girl up and tilted her forward so that she was leaning slightly over his muscular forearm.

He steadied her, and then without warning gave her a solid, but not too hard, whack on the back right in the center of where the lungs would be. Then he tried a second time, and a few seconds later a third time, and then--there was a choking, sputtering sound.

Everyone looked up in shock.

The little girl spat up a considerable amount of liquid, and then she was crying. Gibbs spun her around, and held the now shivering little girl to his chest.

"Tali," Ziva gasped, with relief--tears still streaking down her face.

"Someone get me a blanket!" Gibbs barked. "We need to get her warmed up and dried off now." he added.

"Here. Take this." Callen immediately ripped off the long-sleeve, red, flannel button-down shirt that he had been wearing over a blue muscle shirt. He handed it to Gibbs.

The little girl sobbed and hiccuped, as she clutched at Gibbs' chest--at the same time shivering and shaking uncontrollably. "Shhh," Gibbs said soothingly, as he wrapped Callen's shirt around the water-soaked little girl. "It's alright. You're alright. You're alright." He rocked her gently in his embrace trying to calm her down.

Sam dug down into the first aid kit searching for something inside.

"Eric," Sam called over his shoulder.

"Yeah?" Eric replied.

"Up and down the beach. Find as much 'dry' drift wood as you can--hurry." Sam commanded.

"Right." Eric set off down the beach in a fast-paced trot.

"What can I do?" McGee asked, stepping up closer.

"We need anything that can be used as 'tinder'--to start a fire." Sam told him, as he pulled out a small bottle marked 'Glycerin', and set it down on the sand.

"-And towels and a blanket." Callen added, standing up.

McGee looked at Alicia as he started to walk away. "Honey, go with Callen." McGee said, as he raced for a thicket of tall grasses a little further back up the beach.

Alicia and Callen took off together back towards the shack to search for towels and blankets.

Sam pulled a second vial, marked 'Potassium Permanganate', out of the bag and set it down next to the first small bottle.

Eric returned a second later with an arm full of drift wood. "Got it." he said, panting.

"Okay," Sam said. "Gibbs, we need to move her a little farther back from the water." Sam told him.

"Right," Gibbs replied.

They moved a little farther up, and then McGee returned, and handed Sam the dry grasses and weeds, and what not that he had gathered up.

Sam bundled the 'tinder' up, while Eric and McGee then began to set the drift wood up in a fashion that would allow for a fire to be maintained for a good little while.

Callen and Alicia came bounding back with a couple of towels and two blankets.

Ziva wanted to get closer to Talia, but Tony insisted that their daughter would need to change out of her wet clothes--so Ziva should go to the SUV, and retrieve the spare clothes that they had all brought along with them.

Sam set the 'tinder bundle' down in front of the fire, and opened the 'Potassium Permanganate' vial. He sprinkled some of the tiny crystals into the center of the bundle. Next he opened the small bottle of Glycerin, and poured a small amount over the first substance before re-capping the bottle and putting them both back into the bag.

Within a matter of seconds a small plume of smoke began to rise from the bundle. Sam gathered it up in his hands, and began blowing on it carefully until flames appeared. He then added the bundle to the drift wood 'set-up', and it wasn't long before he had a nice fire going.

Gibbs passed the little girl off to Tony, now, as Ziva returned with the fresh clothes. "You need to dry her off, and get her wrapped up in one of the blankets."

Tony and Ziva immediately set to work doing just that.

"Oh, my baby," Ziva cooed, through tears of relief. "Its okay, its okay--mommy's here."






Little Talia was finally dried off, and in a new change of clothes. Ziva sat, by the fire, with her arms wrapped around her daughter who had just recently slipped off to sleep--drained by the earlier events, and also by the massive amount of shivering that she had done as a result.

"Boss, I-" Tony said finally, looking up at Gibbs. "I don't know how to--you saved her."

Gibbs shook his head, silently.

"Don't thank me," Gibbs said dryly. "I was asleep--something woke me up--I think it was...Ducky."

"Boss," McGee said, a look of confusion on his face. "Boss--Ducky's-" but he stopped short when he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Abby.

Abby approached Gibbs. "I believe you," she whispered, as she hugged him.

Alicia spoke up from beside her husband. "I didn't know Dr. Mallard as well as you guys did, but from what little time I did spend with him before he...he did seem very fond of the children." Alicia pointed out, in a quiet voice.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"I think that it only seems fitting, that he would still wish to protect them." she added.

Abby nodded in agreement.

Gibbs' mouth felt dry. Something was tugging at his insides, and wanted to get out.

"Ducky," Gibbs began. "Ducky had cancer." Gibbs said quietly.

"What?" McGee gasped, a little shocked.

"How do you-" Abby started to say.

"It was in his letter." Gibbs answered, quietly, looking away.

"But Ducky said anything to us." McGee said.

"He didn't wanna worry you." Gibbs replied, swallowing a lump.

"Man," Tony whispered. "Ducky..."

Abby leaned forward, and put her arms around Gibbs. Tears stained her cheeks.

--------To Be Continued in "I Do" (The Special Bonus Ending)--------

"What Had To Be Done, Part Ten -- I Do"

--Chapter Twenty-Four--

It was a beautiful Friday morning down on the beach in front of Mike and Gibbs' place(s). Everyone had traveled down for the momentous event.

There wasn't a huge guest list, but there were quite a few people attending the wedding. Mike and his family, Tobias Fornell, Gibbs (of course), Tony, Ziva, and Talia were there too.

Tony and Ziva had just recently discovered that Ziva was expecting their second child. And the happy couple were even happier now.

McGee and Alicia were also in attendance, and Alicia was now just a little less than two months away from her due date--and showing it proudly.

Even Director Leon Vance and his family had come down for the special occasion.

Also in attendance were the members of the NCIS: L.A. division--and Abby's current work-mates--G. Callen, Sam Hanna, Nate Getz, Kensi Blye, their LAPD Liaison Marty Deeks, and of course--Hetty Lange.

Also Abby's mother, Gloria (who's deaf), and her brother Alex were there too; as well as several members of Eric's family too.

Abby had also invited a 'special friend'--as she often referred to him. Even though Gibbs wasn't exactly jumping-up-and-down thrilled about the idea, Abby had insisted that they invite Jackson Gibbs. Also Abby had asked Gibbs to invite Maddie Tyler--his daughter Kelly's best (childhood) friend--since the two of them had kept in touch over the years since their last encounter, and Gibbs did consider Maddie to be a part of his 'extended family'.

A tent had been set up for the preacher, and the bride and groom to stand under for the ceremony; and seats had also been set up in nice, neat rows for the 'audience'.

In Gibbs' shack/house Abby, Ziva, Kensi, and Alicia were getting ready for the ceremony to begin. Abby and Eric had decided to go 'casual' for the dress code, but Abby still wanted to wear all black.

The Matron-of-Honor and the Bridesmaids would all be wearing black, silk shirts over white Capri-Pants. Alicia had to have special augmentations made to her outfit to accommodate her blossoming belly.

Gibbs stood in the doorway as Ziva and Kensi helped Abby, standing in front of a makeshift mirror that Gibbs had rigged up, make a few last minute adjustments to her outfit. Gibbs smiled at the Goth Forensic Specialist staring at herself in the mirror.

"There." Ziva said, giving the material around Abby's legs/knees one last, little tug to make sure that it was tight.

The outfit that Abby was currently wearing consisted of a real frilly, lacy top (Black of course), and a pair of custom-tailored tight Black Capri-Pants (not exactly Abby's style, but hey it would do the trick). There was also a veil, but she had not yet put it on.

"How do I look?" Abby asked, finally turning around to face Gibbs.

Gibbs chuckled. "I think you look great, Abs." Gibbs reassured her.

"You look beautiful, Abby." Ziva agreed, with a big smile.

"Not exactly what I would wear if it were my wedding," Kensi commented, wiggling her hand in the air. "But on you--I guess it works." she added, with a chuckle.

"I think you look fabulous Abby." Alicia said, laying a hand atop her belly, as she shifted her weight from one side to the other.

"Mommy," the now three year old D.J. whined from the corner-spot where he was sitting, playing with a few of the small toys that Abby and Eric had brought along to keep him occupied during the 'boring' parts.

"Yes pumpkin?" Abby replied, sweetly, looking over at her blond-haired son.

"Thirsty." he said, pointing to his sippy-cup, which sat just out of his reach on top of a set of 'thrift-store' Chest-of-Drawers.

"You want your juice?" Abby said, crossing to the Chest-of-Drawers, and picking up the sippy cup.

She looked down at her son, who just nodded a non-verbal yes to his mother.

"What do we say?" she asked, softly, eying the blue-eyed boy, as she stooped down closer to his level.

The little boy sat in silence for a brief moment, with a thoughtful expression on his face, before speaking.

"Pleeaasee?" he said, an unsure tone to his voice, as he held his hands out in front of him.

Abby handed the little boy his sippy cup. D.J. took it, and started to raise it to his lips for a drink.

"And?" Abby prodded the little boy further, arching an eyebrow at him.

Again with the thoughtful expression.

"Thank you." the little boy replied, a little more sure of himself this time, and grinning a little bit (more).

"Good boy." Abby said, sweetly, a big smile spreading across her face, as she playfully ruffled the 3 year old's semi-curly blond hair.

The little boy giggled delightedly as he stuck the spout of the sippy-cup between his lips and drank (from it).

"Ooo," Alicia grunted, then chuckled lightly.

Abby turned to look at Alicia.

"Baby pains?" Abby asked, with a small grin.

"I'll say." Alicia agreed, with a nod. "I swear, sometimes, in the shower, I catch myself searching for bruises." she chuckled.

"I'm telling you this one's a boy--I just know it." Alicia added. (Her and McGee had decided early on that they did not want to know until the day of--they wanted its gender to be a surprise).

"I felt the same way when I was pregnant with Talia," Ziva pointed out. "But, I was wrong." she added, with a chuckle.

"Yeah, its funny." Abby commented. "I mean D.J. kicked, but I don't ever remember it really bothering me all that much."

"Makes sense." Kensi remarked. "I've always felt like girls are way tougher than guys."

"Well I wouldn't want 'my' angel to be anything but sweet and innocent." Abby said lovingly, as she turned and blew a kiss at her son.

Everyone in the room laughed.

"Say, Ziva, where is Talia?" Alicia asked, looking around the room, but not seeing the now 4 year old little girl.

"Oh," Ziva said. "When I came in here...she was outside playing with--oh great, now I can not think of his name-" she said, slightly exasperated, as she tried to remember the man's name.

"What's he look like?" Kensi asked.

"Tall, kind of cute, blond hair--a little messy though--and kind of acts like a kid-" Ziva thought for a moment, describing the man's features.

"Deeks!" Kensi exclaimed, shocked.

"That is him." Ziva replied, snapping her fingers in a 'Eureka' kind of fashion.

"You left her with Deeks!?" Kensi exclaimed again.

Abby laughed.

"Was I wrong?" Ziva asked, her brows knit-together with concern.

Kensi shook her head. "You'd have been better off leaving her with a shark." Kensi stated.

Ziva suddenly looked a little more concerned.

Abby chuckled again. "I'm sure she's fine, Ziva." Abby said, reassuringly. "Kensi's just--over-reacting is all."

Kensi crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I don't think so."

"In any case," Ziva said, as she walked to the door of the shack.

Gibbs stepped out of Ziva's way. Ziva stepped just outside the door, and looked up and down the beach for her daughter.

"Tali!" she called.

Just then Marty Deeks rounded the corner of the shack/house from the right-side. He spun around and started walking backwards slowly. He seemed to be breathing a little heavily than normal. "You're not gonna get me this time." Deeks sneered in a low voice.

"Deeks!" Ziva called his name a little loudly.

"Whoa!" Deeks yelled, startled by Ziva's voice.

Startled, Deeks spun around, a little too quickly perhaps, and ended up falling flat on his back in the sand.

"Mrs. DiNozzo--I-I didn't see you standing-" Deeks started to say.

At that moment little Talia bolted out from around the same corner of the shack. About mid-way she jumped into the air, and then came down square on Deeks' chest.

"-Ooof." Deeks groaned, as Talia landed on his chest.

"I got you!" the little girl squealed delightedly at her victory.

"You sure did squirt--you got me again." Deeks said, with a laugh.

"Tali," Ziva snapped, stamping her foot. "It is not nice to 'jump' on people." Ziva reprimanded her daughter, narrowing her eyes.

"Naw, its okay." Deeks assured Ziva, with a smile. "We were just having some fun is all--right squirt?"

Talia nodded with a smile, her eyes sparkling. "Lots of fun." she added.

After a beat or two, Ziva finally waved her hand at the pair, and dismissed them to continue playing their 'game'. "Very well then." Ziva said, hiding a smile, as she turned and headed back inside--but then stopped and looked back over her shoulder.

"Be Careful." she added, seriously.

Deeks laughed, as he struggled to his feet (having removed Talia from his chest), and tried to dash away before she could regain her feet. Talia giggled delightedly as she pulled herself up and started to chase after him again.





On the other side, in Mike's shack/house the guys were getting ready. Eric had decided that his 'wedding outfit' would be a flowered shirt and real nice khaki shorts--the Best Man and the Groomsmen would follow suit.

"I gotta say Eric," Tony said, looking at himself in the make-shift mirror that Gibbs had put in Mike's shack/house. "I'm lovin' this look man!"

"Tell me McGee," Tony said, whipping out a pair of dark sunglasses from his back pocket. "Who do I look like?"

McGee looked a little confused by Tony's question, at first, but it soon occurred to him just what Tony meant.

"No, Tony--Please?" McGee pleaded. "Not-"

Tony placed the sunglasses over his eyes with a flourish, and then smiled a big 'DiNozzo' smile, as he continued to study himself in the mirror.

"That's right," Tony smirked. "John Magnum." he grinned. "All I'm missing is a bright red Ferrari." he added, with a chuckle.

"Aren't you forgetting something, Tony?" McGee asked, rolling his eyes at Tony. "Magnum P.I. took place in Hawaii--you're in Mexico." McGee pointed out.

"Ah, Don't be such a buzz-kill McParty-Pooper." Tony chided him. "Unless, that is, you want me to put you on 'desk duty' when we get back?"

"For how long?" McGee asked, weighing the options in his head.

Tony thought for a moment. "3 weeks." he said finally.

"Nope." McGee said, shaking his head. "Still worth it."

Tony turned away from the mirror, and walked towards McGee.

"Well, I'm not usually one to brag, but--I do have exceptional taste." Eric remarked, as he looked himself over in the mirror.

Nate was sitting nearby on the homemade Cot (made by Gibbs) that Mike usually slept on.

"Hmm. Subject is a pathological liar, and seems to be consumed by his own 'Delusions of Grandeur'." Nate noted, from where he was sitting.

"I should probably put that in your Psych Profile." Nate added, with a grin.

Eric rolled his eyes at his friend. "Ha Ha." Eric retorted.

Everyone laughed.

"Indeed you should, Mr. Getz." came a familiar voice from the doorway.

Mike Franks had been watching the whole thing for quite some time, but now he decided that he was tired of watching, and so it was time for him to leave the shack.

Mike passed Hetty Lange, who stepped to one side to allow him passage out of the shack, as he approached the door(way).

"I've had enough of these goofballs for one day." Mike grumbled as he walked passed Hetty.

"Why not get a refreshing beverage from the refreshment table, Mr. Franks." Hetty suggested, with a nudge.

"Yeah. I think I'll just do that." Mike replied.

"If I may, Mr. Getz," Hetty said, finally, turning her attention back to the other men in the room/shack/house. "Perhaps we should 'let him slide' on this one--don't you think?"

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt." Nate agreed, though still considering the possibilities.

"I mean, after all, today is about him and Ms. Scuito--is it not?" Hetty added, with a grin.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Nate agreed, with a smile.

"Its settled then," Hetty said, clapping her hands together. "Now, I trust you gentlemen are ready to proceed then?" she asked, smiling.

"Ready as we'll ever be I guess." Eric replied, turning to look at Hetty.

"Yep," Tony said, slapping Eric on the back. "I think its time we get this party started--don't you?"

Eric rolled his eyes, but grinned. "I'm ready--if you guys are ready."

"Good then," Hetty smiled. "Then, if you gentlemen would be so kind as to follow me--we will 'get this party started' as Mr. DiNozzo so kindly put it." she added, motioning towards the door.





Outside, everyone else was moving around, and getting seated and situated--taking their places/positions--as they had been notified that the ceremony was about to commence.

Jackson Gibbs hobbled, with his cane, up to the second row from the front on the right-hand side of the seating area.

The first seat on the second row was empty, but the second seat was taken--by Maddie Tyler--who had just taken her seat where Gibbs had asked her too earlier that morning.

"This seat taken, young lady?" Jackson Gibbs asked, tapping the empty chair with his cane.

Maddie looked up at Jackson Gibbs from her seat.

"Um, yes sir. It is." she told him politely.

"Saving it for someone then?" he asked.

"Yes sir. For Mr. Gibbs." she replied, with a sweet smile.

Jackson Gibbs chuckled.

"For Mr. Gibbs, me, or Mr. Gibbs my son?" he asked, quizzically.

Maddie was confused, at first, but then a knowing smile spread across her face.

"I am so sorry," she apologized, blushing a little bit. "Its been so long--I didn't recognize you." she explained. "You're--Kelly's Grandfather, right?"

"I am." Jackson replied, kindly.

"Again," Maddie said, standing up and making room for Jackson Gibbs to make his way down to take her seat. "I am so sorry." she apologized again.

Jackson Gibbs just laughed, sweetly, at Maddie's embarrassment.

"That's quite alright." he reassured her. "No, no you keep your seat," he told her, moving past her. "I'll just sit here." he said, pointing to the next seat down.

"Maddie isn't it?" Jackson Gibbs asked, as he seated himself in the chair.

"Yes sir." she replied sweetly, with a smile.

"I remember the couple of times that you actually came up to Kelly's to visit for Christmas--she always wanted me to be there." Maddie recalled. "But--it feels like its been so long since then." she commented.

"It does feel that way doesn't it?" Jackson Gibbs mused.

"How did you know who I was?" she asked, honestly.

Jackson Gibbs laughed heartily, and smiled sweetly at Maddie. "You may have grown up since the last time we saw each other," he said. "But I never forget a face." he said, with a wink.

"So you and Leroy still keep in touch eh?" Jackson Gibbs mused.

"Well yes," she replied. "He helped me quite a while back; and then a couple of years later my Father passed away--at the same time as I was going through a nasty break-up with my boyfriend--I was driving around aimlessly for hours-" she explained to Jackson Gibbs.

"I see." he said, quietly, with a nod.

"My mom found my laptop with my things--because I had come home to stay with her for a while (ya know for the Funeral and stuff)--and she found where I had written Mr. Gibbs' numbers down for emergency, and...she called him." Maddie continued to explain. "He's the one who found me, finally--at Kelly's grave."

"Hmm." Jackson Gibbs nodded, with a knowing look on his face. "I sometimes go to my wife's grave, whenever I need to do some heavy-thinking." he told her.

Jackson Gibbs chuckled to himself.

"She always was a good listener," he recalled, fondly. "Guess that's probably where I learned it from." he commented, with a warm smile.

"Its always nice to have a best friend you can talk to--about anything." Jackson Gibbs said, with a knowing smile at Maddie.

Maddie just nodded in agreement.






Near the area where the 'rental cars/SUVs' that most everyone had used to reach the location that they were currently staying at--a dark, hooded figure moved around in between the rows of cars trying to stay hidden--as he made his way in the direction of the shack(s).

No one knew that the 'dark figure' would soon try to destroy the momentous occassion that was taking place on this very day.






Back inside Gibbs' shack/house the ladies were lining up, and getting ready to head outside once the signal was finally given. They had had to call Talia inside just a few moments before to get her ready really quickly--because she was supposed to be the 'Flower Girl', and throw 'Black Rose Petals' all down the aisle.





The guys had already made their way outside, and were standing in their positions at the head of the setup. The preacher stood underneath the tent awaiting the arrival of the bride so that the main portion of the ceremony could finally begin.

"You've got the ring right?" Eric whispered to McGee out of the corner of his mouth.

"Yep." McGee replied, patting his coat pocket gingerly.





The ladies were now beginning their walk out of the shack/house, all lined up, when Abby suddenly noticed something was wrong.

Everyone else had already exited the shack/house before her, but Gibbs was no where to be found--he was supposed to walk Abby down the aisle.

"Where's Gibbs?" Abby thought, aloud, turning around towards her 3 year old son who was still sitting in the corner playing with his toys. "Have YOU seen Gibbs?" she asked her soon sweetly (rhetorically of course).

The little boy just smiled, and shook his head at his mother. Then suddenly he dropped the toy that he was currently holding in his hand to the floor.

"What's a matter sweetie?" Abby asked her son, his behavior unsettling her a little bit.

"Abby," came a familiar voice from behind her.

Abby knew that voice. She knew that voice all too well--even though she had tried to forget it (all together). It made a chill run down her spine, and she tried to swallow a lump that had formed in her throat.

"Y-You." she stammered, trying again to swallow the lump in her throat.

"That's right--its me Abby." the stranger spoke again, a little bit louder this time.

"What are you doing here, Mikel?" she asked, trying to sound as calm as she possibly could. "You know you're not-"

"I-I found out that you were getting married," he told her, the words just spilling out.

"You hacked my computer again didn't you!?" She said angrily.

"I'm really sorry Abby," he apologized. "I promise I won't do it again." he promised her.

"Why?"

"I had to see you again," he told her. "You had to see ME again." he added.

"And why's that Mikel?" Abby demanded.

"Because, I knew that if you saw me, one last time, before you go through with the wedding--you would realized that you do still love me--and that, you and I, we're the ones supposed to be getting married." he rambled on. "Not you and HIM!" he said, pointing out the door(way).

"You're delusional Mikel!" She snapped, angrily. "You know that's never gonna happen!"

"I'm so sorry to hear that Abby," Mikel said, his voice dropping an octave or two. He sounded a little defeated and depressed. "I-I really am." he muttered.

"I didn't want to have to do this," he whined. "But--you don't leave me any other choice."

"Mikel-" Abby started to say, slowly.

"And don't bother calling for that insufferable old man," Mikel said coldly. "I've already taken care of HIM."

Fear crept into Abby's face. "Gibbs." she thought to herself. "What has Mikel done to Gibbs?" she wondered to herself--panic creeping into her thoughts.

Abby turned around, finally, to face Mikel. She saw that he had pulled his hoodie down so that she could see his face, and that he was holding a long knife in one hand.

"Mikel, you don't have to do this." Abby tried.

"No I have too." he insisted. "If I can't have you--then no one can."

The 3 year old little boy, still sitting in the corner of the room silently, apparently sensed his mother's distress because at that moment he started to cry.

Abby spun around towards the child, and quickly made her way over to his side, stooping down in front of him.

"Oohh, its okay," Abby cooed, as she reached the 3 year old's side. "It's okay--Mommy's here, Mommy's here. Sshhh." She patted his head gently.

She knew why he was crying. She had read in one of her baby books that young children often pick up on the emotions and emotional states of their parents at certain times--like how one parent reacts to a certain stimulus--and they replicate that emotion themselves, and react accordingly. She tried her best to appear and sound calm and unafraid, but it was harder than she had expected it to be. But she tried her best to calm her son.

"He's--He's yours!" Mikel stammered angrily, hurt somewhat. "Abby, how could you-"

"M-Mikel-" Abby now tried to calm him down as well, but her voice wavered a little bit.

The little boy was now so scared that he had actually stopped crying, and was pulling himself towards his mother desperately.

"How could you have OUR child, with--with HIM!" Mikel spat angrily at her.

Now Mikel began to take steps towards Abby and D.J.






Outside, people were starting to get a little anxious (and maybe even a little worried) when Abby didn't come out of the shack (with Gibbs). People started asking questions, and looking around and what not.

"What's taking Abby so long?" Tony asked, in a hushed voice, peering around behind the preacher at Ziva (who was standing just across the way on the Bride's side of the Preacher's podium).

"I don't know." Ziva replied, out of the corner of her mouth. "She was right behind us the last time I looked."

"What about Gibbs?" McGee chimed in, quietly.

"He--he wasn't in there when we left." Kensi pointed out.

"Maybe he was just a little late getting in there to get her." Nate suggested.

"Late. Gibbs." McGee repeated.

"McGee's right." Tony admitted, gritting his teeth. "Gibbs is never late--for anything."

Tony had a bad feeling now. He could feel his insides beginning to churn and roll.

"Something's wrong." Tony said finally. "We might need to check this out." he added.





Meanwhile...
Behind Gibbs' shack/house Gibbs was lying face down in the sand wearing the good shirt and good baggy shorts that he had picked out to wear for the wedding. He had been on his way back over, from Mike's shack/house, where he had run over (really quickly) to change into his 'wedding outfit' when he was jumped/attacked by Mikel Mawher, and hidden behind his own home.

Gibbs groaned, and then began to move, little-by-little, until he had completely rolled over onto his back. His knife wound, inflicted by Mawher, was now visible. Mawher had stabbed Gibbs twice in the side, and then beaned over the head with a nice-sized rock to render him unconscious.







--Chapter Twenty-Five--

Mikel was advancing towards Abby and D.J. now, holding his knife up in front of him.

Abby scooped up her son into her arms, and stood up--holding her precious little three year old tight against her chest--both arms wrapped securely around his little body.

"Mikel," she pleaded, her voice cracking a little bit. "Please don't do this--please-"

"Why, Abby--" Mikel croaked angrily.

"He's just a baby Mikel--Don't-" Abby tried again, her voice still cracking and tears forming in her eyes. She was scared, but not for herself--for her child. She would give anything to protect her little angel.

"He's not pure Abby!" Mikel screamed, angrily. He spat, disgustedly, onto the floor. "His blood is tainted! We have to kill him Abby, you know that!"

Now Abby's fear was draining away, as she clutched her son in her arms, only to be replaced with anger and hatred. At this point it seemed that her protective maternal instincts were starting to kick in to overdrive.

"Don't come any closer!" she snarled. "If you TOUCH my son," Abby spat angrily. "I swear to God Mikel--I swear to God I'll kill you!" she threatened loudly and menacingly.

Then suddenly a new shadow appeared in the room, and loomed over Mikel Mawher; but Mikel was too angry and too caught up/focused on what he was doing that he did not take any notice at all. He raised the knife that he was holding over his head, now that he was in striking-range.

"I'm sorry Abby." Mikel whispered.

Just then a pair of arms shot out of nowhere, and seized Mikel without warning. One hand grabbed the hand/wrist containing the knife, and the other arm quickly curled itself around Mikel's throat.

It was everything that he had in him just to do this much.

Mikel struggled against Gibbs' fierce grip.

"Gibbs." Abby exclaimed, surprised.

"Abby," Gibbs grunted. "Run!"

Just then Mikel stomped on Gibbs' foot, and slammed the elbow of his free arm into Gibbs' stomach.

Abby screamed, and quickly ducked out of the way, and headed for the door(way).

Gibbs faltered back, and Mikel was able to regain his own balance and then give chase after Abby.






Outside the shack/house Tony, Sam, and Callen were making their way up the beach back towards Gibbs' place when they all heard Abby scream. They immediately broke from a jog into a full run.

"Abby!" Callen and Tony yelled out, as they ran.

Just then Abby came bursting through the door(way) of the shack/house, and ran right in their direction with Mikel close on her heels.

"Not this loser again." Tony groaned.

Abby ran past the three guys first, and then Mikel approached them running at full speed. Sam ducked to one side, and threw his arm out in a 'Clothes-Line' maneuver. Mikel was sent sprawling backwards to the ground after he slammed, hard, into Sam's muscular arm.

Tony had hung back when he saw Abby coming--and a good thing he did too--she nearly fell over into the sand when she reached the spot where he was; and he had to catch her and D.J.

"Abby," Tony said, catching her in mid-fall. "Abby, are you alright?"

Abby nodded, still cradling her son in her arms.

Callen and Sam were now locked in a fight with Mikel who had managed to grab his long knife once again, and scramble back up to his feet.

"Easy now," Callen said calmly, just before he dodged another swipe of Mikel's knife.

"Get away from me!" Mikel screamed. "She's mine!"

"I don't think so pal." Callen countered, as he moved in to strike.

MIkel dodged out of the way, and flipped his wrist sideways so that the hard-butt of the knife slammed into the side of Callen's face. Callen went sprawling backwards into the sand. Sam, next, tried to move in, but Mikel managed to slither out of that one too just like the annoying little snake he is/was.

Sam fell forward into the sand, but then quickly began to scramble back up to his feet.

Mikel spun around and darted towards where Tony and Abby were standing. Tony saw Mikel coming, and quickly turned himself in front of Abby, putting himself between them, kind of like a shield.

"Sam!" Callen called out, just beginning to pull himself back up. "Stop him!"

"Already on it!" Sam called back, but just then he stopped short.

Gibbs staggered through the sand as fast as he could past Sam, a cold stare fixed in his steely-blue eyes. Then, just before Mikel could reach Abby and Tony a pair of arms wrapped around him, and lifted him high up into the air.

With a growl Gibbs lifted Mikel into the air, spun him a little ways, and then slammed him back down, hard, into the sand on his back. Then he dropped to his knees, wrapping one hand and then the other around Mikel's throat--and applied great pressure.

"No more! You're not getting away this time you little bastard!" Gibbs barked angrily in Mikel's face.

Mikel struggled, fiercely, against Gibbs' strong grip; but to no avail. He tried to raise his knife against Gibbs, but Gibbs just raised his hand and swatted the weapon away.

"Raising a knife to my family," Gibbs spat angrily. "The last mistake YOU'LL ever make. I promise you that."

Mikel struggled a little bit longer, but then finally he stopped flailing around, and his whole body went limp beneath Gibbs. Gibbs panted heavily, as he tried to pull himself up and away from the lifeless body; but he didn't get too far before he collapsed to his knees again, clutching at his side.

Everyone else down on the beach had been alerted to what was going on by now, and several people were now running towards the commotion.

Abby was looking at the scene now, and she was horrified when Gibbs collapsed to his knees.

"Gibbs!" she screamed. She tried to run to the silver-haired former NCIS agent, but Tony held her back.

"No Abby," Tony said, holding her back. "D.J. doesn't need to see him like this." Tony explained.

"I'm fine Abs," Gibbs reassured her, still breathing heavily. "I'm--I'm fine."

"Gibbs, you alright?" Callen asked, as he and Sam reached Gibbs' side.

"He's bleeding G." Sam pointed out, just noticing the two holes in the side of Gibbs' shirt.

"Ah," Gibbs grunted, wincing from the pain, as Sam pulled his shirt up so that they could get a better look at the wound(s).

"We need to get you patched up, quick." Callen said. "Come on, lets' get'em inside Sam."

Tobias Fornell and Mike Franks came up to Tony's side at about that time, and saw Mikel Mawher's lifeless body laying there in the sand.

"Think you guys can get rid of that somehow?" Tony asked, motioning with his head to the body.

Tobias looked at Mike.

"I think that can be arranged--what do you think Mike?" Tobias remarked.

"Don't see why not." Mike replied, looking the body over. "As long as I get to keep the knife." he added.

"Its all yours." Abby said, looking away from the scene.








--Chapter Twenty-Six--

Gibbs sat on his old homemade cot just inside his shack/house. Sam had brought out the first aid kit, and he and Callen were dressing Gibbs' wounds as best as they could.

"There." Callen said finally, pulling away from Gibbs. "You did lose a good bit of blood--how do you feel?"

Gibbs groaned, as he pulled himself back upright once again. "Like a damn pin-cushion." he remarked, as he looked down at the stitch work the guys had done on him.

Sam chuckled. "Well, at least he hasn't lost his sense of humor."

"Gibbs." Abby said quietly, as she entered the shack/house.

"Abs." Gibbs said, looking up.

Abby ran over to Gibbs, and threw her arms around him and hugged him.

Gibbs hugged her back.

"You okay?" he asked her, quietly.

"Yes sir." she replied, softly. "I-I thought you were--MIkel said--" she could hardly speak for the tears that were choking her up.

"Abs, I'm fine." he reassured her, rubbing a hand gently down her back. "How's D.J.?" he asked, softly.

"He's calmed down," she told Gibbs. "I think that he's still shaken up by everything that happened, but I think he'll be okay."

"Good." Gibbs breathed a sigh of relief.

Gibbs then pushed Abby back a little bit away from him(self).

"Now, where's my shirt?" Gibbs asked, looking around the room. "And why's everyone standing around for--don't we have a wedding to get to?"

"Gibbs, No." Abby said, shaking her head.

She put her hands against his chest, and tried to push against him. "You're hurt." she said. "You're in no condition to do this now." she insisted, pushing him back down onto the cot.

"Abs," Gibbs groaned. "Abs, I'm fine-" he tried to protest.

Abby pulled back a little ways from him, and looked up at his face.

"You're not ready," she insisted. "You need time to rest--to heal." she said.

Abby-" Gibbs tried again.

"She's probably right you know." Sam chimed in, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"It's okay," she told him. "We'll postpone the wedding, until you get better--and then-"

"Like hell you will!?" Gibbs fumed, jumping up to his feet, and then immediately wishing that he hadn't.

Abby flinched at the harshness of his voice, and shrank back a little bit.

Jackson Gibbs walked through the door at that moment.

"There's no need for yelling, Leroy." Jackson said, calmly.

"You know she's right son." he added.

Gibbs narrowed his eyes at his father from where he was standing--shirtless.

"I made a promise, Dad," Gibbs said angrily. "And I damn well intend to keep that promise."

"I don't doubt that son," Jackson Gibbs replied, calmly. "Frankly, I don't care what you do, one way or the other," Jackson Gibbs told his son. "I know I can't damn well stop you--but you don't have to be such a hard-ass!" Jackson Gibbs said, only raising his voice just a little bit.

Gibbs sighed.

"I know you're tough, she knows you're tough--hell, everyone here knows you're tough," Jackson Gibbs pointed out. "You've got nothing to prove to anyone."

Gibbs looked at Abby, who now had tears completely staining her cheeks at this point. He stepped towards her, and pulled her close to him.

"Abs,"

"Y-Yes," she hiccuped, as she wiped tears from her eyes.

"I'm sorry--I didn't mean to-" he tried to say.

"You came here for your wedding," he said, quietly. "Not to sit around and worry about me."

"B-but Gibbs," she protested.

"Abby, I'm fine--I really am." he said, softly.

She knew that she could not argue with him anyway, it was futile to even really try.

"Y-you promise?" she asked, quietly.

Gibbs kissed her, gently, on the top of the head. "I promise." he said softly.

"Now," he said, pulling back a little ways from her. "Lets go get you married, shall we?" he said, with a small grin.






--Chapter Twenty-Seven--

Everyone had returned to their designated positions as they had before everything seemingly fell apart.

Now, a clean-shaven Gibbs (who had also changed his clothes once again) and Abby walked arm-in-arm down the 'aisle' headed towards where the Preacher and the wedding party were waiting.

They finally reached the end of the aisle, and stopped.

Gibbs smiled, giving Abby a small wink.

Abby slipped her arm out of Gibbs', and then moved to take her place next to Eric as Gibbs moved aside to go stand beside Maddie.

Little D.J. squirmed a little bit in his grandmother's (Gloria's) arms in the very front row.

"We are gathered here in the sight of God and these witnesses to unite Eric and Abigail in holy matrimony. As followers of Jesus Christ, they believe that God created marriage. In Genesis it says, "It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." the Preacher spoke loudly and clearly so that everyone could hear him good.

"Eric and Abigail, as you prepare to take these vows, give careful thought and prayer, for as you make them you are making an exclusive commitment one to the other for as long as you both shall live. Your love for each other should never be diminished by difficult circumstances, and it is to endure until death parts you." the Preacher continued his opening statement(s).

Everyone in the audience, and in the wedding party, stood silent, listening intently to every word that the Preacher said.

"As God's children, your marriage is strengthened by your obedience to your Heavenly Father and His Word. As you let God be in control of your marriage, He will cause your home to be a place of joy and a testimony to the world." he said, drawing his opening statement(s), finally, to a close.

Abby frowned at being called 'Abigail', but didn't say anything about it. It just wasn't worth it right now.

"Let us pray." the Preacher said, bowing his head.

Everyone else in attendance followed suit--bowing their heads as well.

The Preacher said a short, but sweet, prayer.

"Our Father, love has been Your richest and greatest gift to the world. Love between a man and woman which matures into marriage is one of Your most beautiful types of loves. Today we celebrate that love. May your blessing be on this wedding service. Protect, guide, and bless Eric and Abigail in their marriage. Surround them and us with Your love now and always. Amen." The Preacher closed his prayer.

"You may now be seated." The Preacher said softly.

Everyone in the audience sat down in their seats.

"Now," the Preacher said with a warm smile. "Who presents this woman and this man to be married to each other?" he asked, gesturing with his hand from Abby to Eric.

Gibbs stood back up to his feet, grimacing as he did so from the pain of his still throbbing wound(s). Abby's mother also stood to her feet as well as Eric's parents too.

Gibbs reached forward, and placed a hand on Gloria's shoulder gently. Gloria smiled. Gibbs would speak on her behalf.

"We do." Everyone present for the wedding said, semi-loudly, in unison.

There was a brief chuckle that rippled through the audience, but then subsided fairly quickly. Everyone was smiling. Gibbs and the others that were standing sat back down into their seats once again.

Abby and Eric both smiled, very pleased, as they turned back to face the Preacher one again.

The Preacher smiled at the smiling couple standing before him. "Let us begin." he said.

The Preacher opened the ceremony. "Let me charge you both to remember, that your future happiness is to be found in mutual consideration, patience, kindness, confidence, and affection. Eric, it is your duty to love Abigail as yourself, provide tender leadership, and protect her from danger. Abigail, it is your duty to treat Eric with respect, support him, and create a healthy, happy home. It is the duty of each of you to find the greatest joy in the company of the other; to remember that in both interest and affection, you are to be one and undivided."

"Eric and Abigail, you have made a very serious and important decision in choosing to marry each other today. You are entering into a sacred covenant as life partners in God. The quality of your marriage will reflect what you put into nurturing this relationship. You have the opportunity to go forward from this day to create a faithful, kind, and tender relationship. We bless you this day. It is up to you to keep the blessings flowing each and every day of your lives together. We wish for you the wisdom, compassion, and constancy to create a peaceful sanctuary in which you can both grow in love." the Preacher continued, looking from Eric to Abby.

"Now, before our witnesses-" the Preacher said, motioning first to the Bridesmaids, then to the Groomsmen, and then finally out towards the audience. He faced, more or less, Eric now. "Eric, do you understand and accept this responsibility, and do you promise to do your very best each day to create a loving, healthy, and happy marriage?"

Eric grinned. "Yes, I do." he said with a nod.

The Preacher next turned to Abby. "Abigail, do you understand and accept this responsibility, and do you promise to do your very best each day to create a loving, healthy, and happy marriage?"

Abby smiled, and nodded. "Yes, I do."

The Preacher smiled at the couple. "Excellent." he said, softly. "Now, if you will face each other."

Abby and Eric turned to face each other, holding hands in front of the Preacher.

"Do you, Eric Beal, take Abigail Scuito to be your wife? Do you promise to love her, comfort and keep her, and forsaking all other remain true to her as long as you both shall live?"

From the second row came a very muffled "He sure as hell better." then there was the cover up cough(ing).

Eric grinned. "You bet I do!--er--I mean..." he cleared his throat, nervously. "I-I do." he said finally.

"Fine," the Preacher said. "Now repeat after me."

"I, Eric,"

"I Eric," he repeated.

"Take you Abigail,".

"Take you Abigail," Eric repeated the Preacher's words while still holding Abby's hand(s).

"To be my wife, and before God and these witnesses," the Preacher continued.

"To be my wife, and before God and these witnesses," Eric repeated, smiling.

"I promise to be a faithful and true husband." the Preacher finished.

Eric repeated the Preacher's words verbatim.

"Good." the Preacher smiled. "And Abigail,"

"Do you, Abigail Scuito, take Eric Beal to be your husband? Do you promise to love him, comfort and keep him, and forsaking all other remain true to him as long as you both shall live?"

"I Do." Abby said, confidently, smiling.

"Good." the Preacher said. "Now repeat after me."

"I, Abigail,".

"I, Abigail," Abby said frowning at referring to herself by her given name.

"Take you Eric,".

"Take you Eric," she repeated the words.

"To be my husband, and before God and these witnesses,". The Preacher spoke softly.

"To be my husband, and before God and these witnesses," Abby said, repeating the Preacher's words, with a warm smile.

"I promise to be a faithful and true wife." the Preacher said closing it out.

Abby repeated the the words of the closing line as spoken previously by the Preacher. "I promise to be a faithful and true wife."

The Preacher nodded to both sides of the wedding party gently. "The rings." he said softly.

McGee pulled Eric's ring out of his coat pocket, and Ziva pulled Abby's ring out of the pocket of her Capri-Pants.

Eric took the ring from his McGee, his Best Man, and held it up.

"Repeat after me." the Preacher said, motioning from Eric to Abby.

Eric took Abby's hand in his hand, and held the ring just in front of her ring finger.

"With this ring I thee wed,".

"With this ring I thee wed," Eric repeated.

"And all my worldly goods I thee endow."

"and all my worldly goods I thee endow." Eric repeated the Preachers words exactly.

"In sickness and in health," the Preacher said.

"In sickness and in health," Eric repeated the words.

"For richer or for poorer," he continued.

"For richer or for poorer," Eric said.

"And 'til death do us part." the Preacher concluded.

"And 'til death do us part." Eric finished.

The Preacher smiled, and nodded towards Abby. "Go ahead," he told Eric.

Eric gently slid the ring onto Abby's ring finger, and then winked at her.

The Preacher nodded at Eric, and then turned and nodded at Abby.

Abby admired her ring, and then motioned for Ziva to hand over the other ring. Ziva did, and Abby then took Eric's hand just as he had taken hers earlier--holding the ring in the exact same spot as Eric had.

"Now repeat after me," the Preacher said, smiling. "With this ring I thee wed," the Preacher spoke softly.

"With this ring I thee wed," Abby repeated his words.

"And all my worldly goods I thee endow." he continued.

"And all my worldly goods I thee endow." Abby repeated the words.

"In sickness and in health," the Preacher said.

"In sickness and in health," she repeated, still smiling.

"For richer or for poorer," he continued.

"For richer or for poorer," she repeated.

"And 'til death do us part." the Preacher concluded.

"And 'til death do us part." Abby finished.

"Go ahead," the Preacher said, with a slight nod.

Abby gently slid the ring onto Eric's ring finger just as Eric had done to/for her earlier.

The Preacher nodded to both Abby and Eric, and then motioned, with his hand, for Tobias and Mike to bring forth the Unity Candle Set-Up (which had been left setting at the back of the seating area.

Mike and Tobias scurried forward, set the candle stand(s) down in front of the couple who had now turned to face the candles, and then stepped off to the side to await further instructions.

"The Unity Candles," The Preacher spoke, motioning to the candles as he did so.

"The two outside candles have been lighted to represent both your lives in this moment. They are two distinct lights, each capable of going their separate ways. As you join now in marriage, there is a merging of these two lights into one light. This is what the Lord meant when He said, "On this account a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall be one flesh." From now on your thoughts shall be for each other rather than your individual selves. Your plans shall be mutual, your joys and sorrows shall be shared alike. As you each take a candle and together light the center one, you will extinguish your own candles, thus letting the center candle represent the union of your lives into one flesh. As this one light cannot be divided, neither shall your lives be divided but a united testimony in a Christian home. May the radiance of this one light be a testimony of your unity in the Lord Jesus Christ." The Preacher concluded his piece on the 'Unity Candles'.

Eric and Abby each picked up a candle, and together lit the center candle just as the Preacher had, earlier, described.

Then, upon a nod from the Preacher, Tobias and Mike removed the candles from the area, and took back to the back of the seating area.

"Now," the Preacher said, smiling warmly at the couple, and then looking up and out at the audience. "Because Eric and Abigail have desired each other in marriage, and have witnessed this before God and our gathering, affirming their acceptance of the responsibilities of such a union, and have pledged their love and faith to each other, sealing their vows in the giving and receiving of rings, I do proclaim that they are husband and wife in the sight of God and man. Let all people here and everywhere recognize and respect this holy union, now and forever."

"Let us pray." the Preacher said next, bowing his head as he did so. "The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you. The Lord lift up the light of his continence upon you, and give you peace. In Christ's Holy name. Amen."

Everyone in attendance opened their eyes, and returned their attention to the Preacher and Eric and Abby.

Abby and Eric turned back to face the Preacher once again.

The Preacher motioned from Eric to Abby as he spoke (next).

"Eric," the Preacher said softly, and with a warm smile. "You may now kiss your Bride." he said.

Eric grinned, and he reached up, and lifted Abby's veil up and away from her face. Then he pulled her close--their eyes twinkling in the moment--and then the couple kissed each other.

Once they finished their kiss, and pulled apart (albeit slowly), the Preacher smiled and turned the smiling couple to face the audience.

"It is now my privilege to introduce to you for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Eric Beal." the Preacher said, smiling, as he placed one hand on Eric's shoulder, and his other hand on Abby's shoulder as he spoke.

The entire audience stood to their feet, in unison, and broke out into loud cheers of applause all around. Gibbs beamed proudly at the couple, as he clapped his own hands approvingly.

Abby turned to where her Mother (Gloria) sat. Gloria signed "I Love You." to her daughter in ASL. Then Abby's brother, Andrew, signed "Congratulations," so that she would not have to speak loudly to be heard over the loud noise around them.

Abby signed "I Love You," back to both her Mother and her Brother.

Abby then reached down, and took little D.J. up into her arms--holding him firmly against her hip with her free hand/arm, while her other arm was laced around Eric's arm.

Once that was settled She and Eric proceeded to walk down the 'aisle' slowly together.

Gibbs smiled, as Abby and Eric passed closely by where they were sitting, and then signed "I'm so proud of you, Abs. I Love You."

A single tear rolled down Abby's cheek at Gibbs' 'words'.

Jackson Gibbs clapped his hands together, as he laughed happily at the newly married couple. "I do love a Happy Ending--don't you son?"

Gibbs nodded.

Maddie Tyler also clapped ecstatically for the happy couple.

Hetty smiled proudly, from her spot on the third row next to Leon Vance and his family, as they all clapped their hands in happy approval--as the happy couple passed by them.

"Bravo, Mr. Beal--Bravo." Hetty said, clapping her hands, congratulating the seasoned NCIS Tech Expert.

Leon Vance nodded at the happy couple, and then mouthed the words "Congratulations," to Abby.

After they got a little ways away--the tricky part took place. Because four members of the wedding party were already married to each other, and because Abby had always felt that it might be a little awkward for the Best Man (McGee) to walk the aisle with the Matron-of-Honor (Ziva)--they decided to do their Recessional(s) a little differently than tradition usually dictated.

McGee stepped forward, holding his arm out, and then pregnant Alicia stepped forward and looped her arm through his, and the couple began to make their way down the aisle.

Next up were Tony and Ziva, and of course little Talia. Tony picked Talia up and held the 'Flower Girl' in his free arm, while inter-looping his other arm with Ziva's. The trio then began to make their way down the aisle.

Last, but certainly, not least--were Nate and Kensi. The duo joined arms in the center of the 'staging area' and then began their walk down the aisle.

Let the 'after-party' begin...

--------To Be Continued--------


P.S. I am toying with a storyline that will set Gibbs up for another grand adventure with both NCIS teams about a year or so later. The story will kick off with a missing team member in L.A., and lead the hunt all the way back to Washington D.C. and beyond.