"Wounded"

Chapter One --

Gibbs entered MTAC, and walked quickly down the aisle towards the front of the room.

"SitRep." he said, as he approached his team.

"Nothing yet Boss." Tony said, pulling his headset down slightly.

"McGee!?" He said, looking over at the younger agent.

"He's smart." McGee replied, not looking away from his computer terminal/console.

"How smart McGee?" Gibbs asked.

"He's bouncing the signal all over the world." McGee explained. "It'll take at least another 2 or 3 hours to successfully track the transmission all the way back to its source." he added.

"Abby doesn't have that long, McGee." Gibbs reminded the younger agent.

"I know Boss." McGee replied, turning back to his work.

Director Vance was standing on the other side of the room.

Kate walked up behind Gibbs, and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Gibbs," she said quietly.

"Now's not a good time hon." he replied, somewhat coldly.

"Your blood pressure." she reminded him. "Remember your blood pressure."

"I'll worry about it when I'm dead." he replied coldly.

"Please," she begged him, as she followed him over to where the Director was standing.

"Leon," Gibbs said. "Any word?"

"The SecNav's on his way." Vance told them. "Said he wouldn't discuss anything else until he got here." the Director added.

"We're running out of time Leon." Gibbs reminded his friend.

"I know that Gibbs." Vance replied. "But we have to be-"

Suddenly, from behind them the giant viewing screen crackled to life.

"Time's up Agent Gibbs." the man on the screen said, in a thick Russian accent.

Gibbs walked back to the center of the room.

"I need more time." Gibbs said, quickly. "You've gotta give me more time, please?" Gibbs almost begged the tattooed man.

"No more time." the man said angrily. "I want Colonel Petrov released from your custody, Now, or the girl dies." he said, turning the camera around so that everyone in MTAC could see Abby.

The raven-haired, Goth Forensic Specialist was gagged, and bound to a chair in the center of a room.

Her make-up had begun to run and smear across her face. Her hair, also, was a mess. One of her pigtails was almost completely undone. She was a mess.

The man removed Abby's gag with a quick yank.

The raven-haired Goth coughed a little bit, but then looked up at the camera.

"G-Gibbs," she choked out.

"I'm here Abs." Gibbs replied, his eyes moist with emotion. "I'm here."

"I'm scared." she admitted in a small voice. "I'm so scared."

"I know." Gibbs said, with a nod. "We're gonna bring you home, I promise." he told her.

"You have to trust us." Tony spoke up then, addressing the Russian. "We're doing everything that we can." he added.

"Just give us a little more time." Kate chimed in, from where she stood at Gibbs' side.

Just then the door to MTAC opened up, and the SecNav walked into the room.

"Who is this!?" the man on the viewing screen demanded.

The SecNav finally reached the front of the room where the rest of the team was situated.

"Secretary of the Navy," he told the man on the viewing screen.

Everyone looked at the SecNav expectantly. They all hoped that he was there to help them get their friend back.

"Have you come with good news?" the man asked.

"I hate to disappoint you," the SecNav replied. "But no, I'm not."

Their faces fell as the words rolled out of the man's mouth.

"What!?" Gibbs snapped angrily.

"You heard me." SecNav replied, his expression cold and lifeless.

"Explain yourself?" the man on the screen demanded.

"The United States 'DOES NOT' negotiate with terrorists." the SecNav announced.

"Sir!?" McGee said, looking away from his station.

"Sir, you don't know what you're doing." Tony chimed in, his eyes a little watery.

"I know exactly what I'm doing, Agent DiNozzo." the SecNav told the younger man.

Then he turned back to the giant viewing screen.

"Petrov stays with us." he told the man on the viewing screen. "End of discussion." he added coldly.

"You son-of-a-bitch!" Gibbs snapped at the SecNav. "Did you not hear what he just said!" Gibbs' face turned bright red as he took a step (or two) towards the SecNav.

Gibbs turned to the screen.

"Don't listen to him." Gibbs said quickly. "Listen to me--deal with me!"

"Is that your final answer?" the man asked, and a familiar metallic click could be heard from off camera. "And may I remind you of the stakes."

"Abs, look at me. It's gonna be okay." Gibbs told the young Goth woman.

"I am well aware of the stakes--and yes, It is." the SecNav replied, without moving.

"Very well." the man told them, as he appeared in front of the camera once again.

"A deal's-a-deal." the Russian told them, as he stepped up to Abby's side.

"No!" Gibbs pleaded, anger and fear both evident in his voice. "Let her go! If you really wanna kill someone, kill me." Gibbs pleaded fiercely with the man.

"You had you're chance, Agent Gibbs--time's up." the man said, with a cold edge to his voice.

"Listen to me!" Gibbs continued. "Let me take her place! Tell me where you are, and I'll come to you--think about it--my life for hers." he pleaded.

"No Gibbs don't...it's okay." Abby said with a sniffle. "You did the best you could." she told him, tears staining her cheeks. "You all did." she said between sniffles.

The man leaned forward, first, and kissed the Goth's tear stained cheek-- and as he did so, everyone in MTAC saw a little sneer spread across the man's lips.

The feel of the Russian's lips against her cheek repulsed Abby to her very core, and made her stomach churn.

"Seems a shame to waste such 'talent'." the Russian said in a low voice, as he traced a line with his finger from the top of her cheek to her lips.

A chill ran through Abby's body at his touch.

"We did have our fun though, eh sweetheart." the Russian gave a low, evil sort-of chuckle as he spoke.

"I love you guys." the raven-haired Goth choked out in a small voice, her eyes glued to the camera in front of her.

The man pressed the muzzle of his gun into Abby's temple, and held it there.

Abby's first instinct was too look sideways at the gun pressed against her temple.

"Abs, look at me." Gibbs said, his voice cracking as he spoke. "It's gonna be alright."

Abby's eyes darted back to the camera, and Gibbs, and there she focused on the sound of her silver-haired boss' voice.

"Ciao." the Russian said coldly, with a sneer.

Abby mouthed the words 'I love you', into the camera, one last time.

"It's gonna be-" Gibbs started to repeat his previous statement.

BANG!!

It all happened so quickly. The single gun shot to the head, Abby's lifeless body toppling to the floor (off camera).

Gibbs flinched at the scene.

"Abby." he said, still staring at the screen. "Abs." he tried again.

"ABBY!" Gibbs screamed in pain/agony at the giant viewing screen.

The Russian leaned down so that his face could be seen on the camera once again.

"Farewell, NCIS...until next time." The Russian said calmly, with the same sneer still plastered to his face.

The viewing screen then went black after a few seconds.

Everyone in the room stood, frozen in shock, at the horrifying scene that they had just witnessed.

The SecNav straightened his suit, and then turned to exit the room.

McGee leaped from his chair at that moment and threw himself at the SecNav.

"You Bastard!" McGee cried, as he seized the man by his suit. "You could have saved her!" he cried out, shaking the man. "You could have SAVED HER!"

The SecNav pulled himself free of McGee's grip, and stepped away.

McGee started to lunge at the SecNav again, but this time Tony intervened and restrained the younger Agent.

"Tim," Tony said, struggling to hold the younger man in place. "Tim!" Tony tried again. "He's not worth it." Tony told him.

"He killed her!" McGee sobbed. "I'm gonna kill HIM."

"Tim," Tony tried one more time. "What would Abby want?" he whispered, his own voice cracking a little bit.

McGee finally started to calm down.

On the other side of the room Director Vance turned his ahead away from everyone else as a single tear rolled down his cheek.

The door to MTAC opened, then, and Ziva appeared in the door way--seemingly out of breath.

"Gibbs," she said, as she made her way down the aisle. "I have found something."

"David." Vance said, from his spot in the corner.

"Yes Director?" Ziva replied, stopping midway.

Vance shook his head silently. "Its too late." he said solemnly.

Ziva looked around the room at everyone else.

"N-No," she stammered. "It can not be...I can not be...too late."

Kate approached Ziva's side.

"Z," Kate said softly. "She's gone."

"No...she can not be." Ziva repeated again.

"Here," Kate said, motioning to some nearby seats. "Sit down." she said softly. "Its okay."




--3 Days Later--

A body was discovered just outside Norfolk in a dumpster behind a restaurant. It was Abby's body.

The Goth Woman's body was transported back to NCIS where it waited on a slab down in autopsy for Ducky and Jimmy.

Jimmy reached for the zipper on the body bag, but was unable to go any further than that.

"I-I can't do this Doctor." Jimmy said, shaking his head. "This isn't right--it shouldn't be her...not Abby."

"I know just how you feel Mr. Palmer." Ducky said quietly. "You don't have to stay," he told Jimmy. "I won't hold it against you."

"Thank you Doctor." Jimmy said, as he wiped tears from his red eyes. He headed for the sliding door(s) and exited autopsy.

Ducky waited a moment more before opening up the body bag.

He stared down at the lifeless body that was once the vibrant, fun-loving Goth that he and the rest of the team had come to know and love.

And for the first time since he'd received the news from Gibbs he actually wept. Now, seeing her actually laying on a slab in his autopsy (room) made it real.

"Abigail." Ducky sobbed quietly. "Poor, sweet Abigail."




--3 More Days Later--

The funeral was absolutely beautiful.

Gibbs, Kate, Ziva, Tony, McGee, Ducky, Jimmy, Leon and his family, Mike Franks, Tobias Fornell, and others sat in the first two rows.

The preacher finished his piece, and proceeded to step down from the pulpit as a man in a black suit began to sing a slow, country song that Gibbs had requested.

He knew it wouldn't have been Abby's first choice of song, but in his mind it just seemed to fit.

"You're my angel, you see me through
Believe in me, I'll believe in you
Oh fill my heart from your loving well
You're my angel." the man began to sing.

Each member of the team had reminisced as the song brought to mind some of their most cherished memories of their favorite Goth.

The memory of when he and Abby first met filled Gibbs' thoughts as he sat listening to the song.

He had been going through a tough spell after a hard case that had re-opened old wounds left behind by the deaths of his wife and daughter (Shannon and Kelly).

She had also been going through some stuff--having just gotten out of an abusive relationship that had left plenty of battle scars across her ow heart (and her body).

They were both a complete mess, and somehow in the midst of it all they had bonded.

--FlashBack Sequence #1--

'We'll get better, together.' she had said ever so softly, while they sat down in his basement one night.

Gibbs had only smiled a little bit at the raven-haired, pig-tail sporting Goth, and then gave a nod.

'Together.' he whispered, as he pulled the young woman into his arms.

He held her close for a long time that night.

--End of FlashBack Sequence #1--

A single tear rolled down the silver-haired man's cheek as he sat there amongst his friends and co-workers.

"Pick me up when I'm feeling down
When I stumble on shaky ground
Oh you're my answer when I can't tell
You're my angel." the man sang on.

A tear rolled down Ziva's cheek as a memory came into her mind as well.

--FlashBack Sequence #2--

'I killed my own brother Abby.' Ziva told the raven-haired Goth, her voice a little shaky.

'He was a bad person Ziva. You said that yourself.' Abby offered.

Ziva nodded.

'But, does it not make me just as bad?' Ziva asked.

'No, Ziva. It doesn't.' Abby assured her.

Abby approached her friend and eventual 'sister'. She wrapped her arms around Ziva, and hugged her.

'I just don't know what to believe anymore, Abby.' Ziva sobbed into the Goths' shoulder.

--End of Flashback Sequence #2--

But because Abby Ziva had figured it out. It was because of Abby that Ziva had been able to find her feet again.

"I love you, sis." Ziva whispered quietly.

"Oh you take me up to heaven,
When you spread your loving wings." the man continued to sing.

Both Ducky and Jimmy shed a tear on that note.

McGee couldn't help but think of that day almost three months ago when he had finally proposed to Abby. She had said yes, and he had been the happiest man in the world.

She had stood by his side through even the roughest, and hardest cases that he and the team had worked during his time so far at NCIS.

"When I am weary and way behind,
When I am clearly out of my mind;
Oh when I find I'm in my own hell
You're my angel
Oh you're my angel." the man sang.

Tony couldn't help but think about how Abby had volunteered to help out when he had been recovering from his bout with Pneumonic Plague.

"You were my angel, Abs." Tony whispered softly, in his seat.

"Oh you're my angel." the man sang out the last line of the song.

The man in the black suit finished singing the song, and then after a short bow of his head, he stepped down from the stage area and re-took his seat with everyone else.








Chapter Two --

A week had passed since the funeral, and everybody at NCIS had been a little bit off their game--though they still managed to do their job(s) effectively (somewhat).

Tensions and emotions ran high all around as the weekend approached.

...Friday Night...

Gibbs sat down in his dimly-lit basement working on his latest boat project.

All week long he had kept his feelings bottled up inside--just trying to make it through each day.

And now here it was Friday night, and he could feel his emotions reaching 'critical mass' as it were.

Kate descended the steps down into the basement, slowly, looking for her lover.

"Gibbs." she said quietly, as she reached the bottom of the stairs. "You shouldn't be down here alone." she said softly.

"I like it down here." he replied plainly. "Its quiet." he added.

Kate shook her head.

"It's not good for you." she told him, shaking her weary head.

Kate was tired from having to be the 'strong one' all week long.

She approached the area where Gibbs was busily working with the sanding block.

He stopped what he was doing and stood very still.

Kate laid her hand gently on top of his.

"Gibbs," she started to say.

He pulled away, avoiding eye contact with the beautiful brunette.

"Don't do this." she pleaded, her voice thick with emotion. "Don't shut me out."

"I just need to be alone right now." he told her. "I just need-"

"You need! You need!" she snapped in a mocking tone, as tears began welling up in her own eyes.

"What about me, Gibbs!?" Kate snapped, furiously. "What about what I need!?"

Gibbs stared at the emotional brunette as she ranted and raved angrily.

"You're not the only who misses her!" she spat angrily. "She was my friend too...I miss her too." Her eyes were red and moist with tears and emotion.

"But no one seems to care about how I FEEL!" she fumed. "Especially not you." she said, jabbing her finger in his face. "YOU...You are the most selfish, self-centered BASTARD, I have ever known!" she cried, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I hate you!" she cried.

Gibbs stood, astonished, at the beautiful brunette standing before him. She was right...about everything.

Gibbs swallowed a hard lump that had formed in his throat.

"Kate I-" he started to apologize, reaching out for her.

She swatted his hand aside angrily, as she wiped tear stains from her cheeks.

"No," she said with a sniffle. "No...just-just leave me alone." she sobbed, as she turned and headed up the stairs.

"Katie, wait." Gibbs started after her.

"Just leave me alone!" she yelled back, as she disappeared up the stairs.

After she was gone Gibbs looked around the dimly-lit basement, and then collapsed onto his bar stool. He let his head fall into his hands as he sat there.

A few brief moments passed.

"You really upset her." a familiar voice said.

"I know." Gibbs replied, quietly. "I don't mean to."

"Then why?" the familiar voice pressed him. "If you'd just let her in-"

"Its not that simple." Gibbs said, cutting her off.

"Why not?" she asked.

"Because." he simply replied, rubbing his face with his hands.

"Because why?" she pressed on.

"Because I let YOU in, and look where that got me!" he finally snapped, as he turned to face the pig-tail sporting Goth sitting on the bar stool next to his.

Big tears began welling up in the young woman's fierce green eyes.

Gibbs immediately regretted losing his temper the way he did.

"Abs," he said softly, as he reached a hand up and wiped the tears away from her eyes. "I didn't mean it." he told her softly.

"But you did it anyway." she replied, with a soft sniffle.

Gibbs gently wiped away the tears from her eyes.

"Why do you hate me?" she asked, with a sniffle.

That question burned straight through Gibbs' heart.

"I don't." he told her, his own eyes welling up with tears as he spoke. "I hate myself." he added.

"Why?" she asked, innocently.

"Because I couldn't save you, Abs...I fucked up." he sobbed silently, his voice cracking-up as he spoke.

Abby sat staring at the muscular, silver-haired man--her heart breaking as she listened to him.

Finally she stood up, and wrapped her arms around him as far as they would go.

"I don't hate you, 'Papa-Gibbs'." She told him softly, as she rested her head against his shoulder. "I love you."

'Papa-Gibbs' was the secret nickname that she had lovingly bestowed upon Gibbs at about the same time that he had given her the nickname 'Abby-girl'. The two names were meant to symbolize their 'Father-Daughter' like relationship.

"I love you too, Abby-girl." he whispered quietly, as a single tear rolled down his cheek.

Then she was gone, and once again he sat alone in the dimly-lit basement.

He looked up toward(s) the stairs, and after a moment or so he finally decided to go up and talk to Kate.



--Master Bedroom/Gibbs' House--

Gibbs opened the door to the master bedroom, carefully and quietly, and slipped inside with little resistance from Kate--who laid curled up in a ball on the bed.

Gibbs slipped up onto the bed beside her, and gently laid a hand against her shoulder.

"Katie," he whispered softly.

"Go away." she sniffled.

"Not until we talk." he replied, as he gently stroked her arm.

There was only silence for a few minutes or so, before Kate spoke up again.

"I miss her so much, Gibbs." Kate sobbed.

"I know sweetie." Gibbs said softly. I know."

"You know, when I told her I was pregnant...she asked when we were going to get married." Kate sort of half-chuckled through her tears, as she remembered that day, nearly two-months ago, that she shared the good news with the Goth Forensic Specialist.

--FlashBack Sequence--

Abby and Kate were sitting in Abby's office down in the lab.

A big smile spread across the young Goth's face, as Kate told her the good news.

"Really!?" Abby asked excitedly. "You're pregnant!?" Excitement bubbling out of the young Goth.

Kate nodded, with a smile of her own.

"Congratulations. I'm so happy for you." she said, wrapping Kate in a big hug.

"Thanks sweetie." Kate replied, with a chuckle.

"So, does this mean you guys are going to get married too?" she asked, with a curious excitement.

"Well, I don't-" Kate had started to say.

"Cause how cool would that be!?" Abby exclaimed. "I mean, if you two got married, then I would have a 'Papa-Gibbs' and a 'Mama-Kate'." she said, clapping her hands together excitedly.

--End of FlashBack Sequence--

Gibbs now held Kate in his arms, and the two of them were laying on their sides (on the bed).

"Abby was so excited about the baby." Kate said, as she rubbed a hand against her two-months pregnant tummy.

Gibbs couldn't help but give a half-chuckle as he thought about it.

"She would've been a 'big sister'." Gibbs pointed out.

Kate gave a half-chuckle, as she looked up at her lover's face.

"She would have." Kate said, finally, with a sniffle. "She would've been a good 'big sister' too."

Gibbs nodded, as he leaned in to kiss the beautiful brunette on the lips.

Kate looked into Gibbs' steely-blue eyes for a moment.

"Can you ever forgive me?" she asked quietly.

"For what?" he asked.

"For...for all the mean things I said earlier." she explained, her eyes moist with emotion again.

Gibbs wiped a fresh tear from the brunette's eyes, and then lifted her chin with one finger.

"Already done." he told her, as he stole another kiss.






Chapter Three --

Tony sat in Abby's office down in the lab back at NCIS Headquarters. The rest of the lab was dark, except for the little lamp that Tony had turned on inside the office area.

He sat in silence, in the chair that Abby used to use, staring at a photograph of him and Abby that the young Goth had taken right after he'd recovered from the 'plague'.

"Its not fair." he said to himself, as he stared at the picture.

"I miss you sis." he whispered softly, eyes closed.

"I miss her too." a quiet voice said from the shadows.

Tony looked up, and watched as Ziva stepped into the light of the office.

Her eyes were red and moist from crying. She had taken the whole thing really hard.

"I did not mean to interrupt." she apologized quietly.

"It's fine." he replied softly. "You alright?"

"I looked for you at your apartment." she told him. "When I did not find you--I came here."

"What's the matter?" Tony asked quietly.

"I could not sleep." she said, as she sat down gently in Tony's lap.

"It feels weird doesn't it?" Tony mused, looking around the room.

Ziva followed his gaze around the room.

"It feels empty without her in it." Tony pointed out.

Ziva leaned back, and rested her head against Tony's chest.

She nodded in agreement with Tony's statement.

They sat silently for a few minutes.

"It's funny." Tony said finally, with a half-chuckle.

"What is that?" Ziva asked.

"Abby used to say that you and I should be a couple." Tony mused aloud.

Ziva lifted her head up to look at Tony's face.

"What do you think?" she asked, searching his eyes expectantly.

"Hell, I dunno." he replied, shaking his head. "I mean your--your smart, funny...beautiful." he said, as he found himself becoming lost in the dark-haired woman's eyes.

"But," Ziva said, lowering her head. "I am...not your type."

Tony didn't move or speak for a brief moment.

Tony lifted Ziva's face with a finger, and looked into her eyes.

Without warning Ziva seized the Italian's lips with her own.

Tony found himself unable to resist what the dark-haired woman was offering, and began to pull her deeper into the kiss.

...A Little While Later...

Tony and Ziva were completely nude in the office chair at this point, and both were covered in sweat and tears.

Ziva straddled Tony's mid-section on her knees--wiggling and bucking against the Italian man's erection.

"Ah, ah...shit." Tony groaned as he reached his climax.

"Ugh, oh." Ziva gasped as her entire body shuddered with her release.

The dark-haired woman collapsed against the Italian's chest, gasping for air as she waited for her body to return to normal.

"Ziva," Tony whispered softly.

Suddenly, all of Ziva's pent-up emotions were finally released. She found herself unable to hold back the flood of tears that she had been fighting for quite some time.

Tony lifted her up off of his mid-section, and gathered her up close in his arms--gently cradling her against his own body as she sobbed silently.

He gently stroked her back, and waited patiently for her to finish.

"It's okay." he whispered softly in her ear.

"I...I am sorry." she sniffled after a bit.

"Never say you're sorry," Tony whispered, as he planted a gentle kiss against the top of her head. "It's a sign of weakness."

She tried to wipe away the tears with the back of her hand.

"And you...are not weak." he added softly.

"You sound like Gibbs." she hiccuped.

"Is that a bad thing?" he remarked quietly, with a small, lopsided grin.

"No." she replied with a sniffle, and she couldn't help the tiny smile that played at the edges of her mouth.




--McGee's Apartment--

At McGee's apartment things were not going well.

McGee's sister, Sarah, had come to stay at his apartment with him for awhile--since Abby's death (murder) had been really hard on him. Abby, after all, had been his fiance.

McGee sat at his computer desk staring at a picture of his beloved Abby. His heart was heavy with sorrow and longing.

He had actually been sitting there for quite some time contemplating different methods for easing the nagging pain that ate away at his broken heart.

"Tim!" Sarah called from the living room area.

"In here." Tim called back, in a low voice.

Sarah walked up behind her older brother a few seconds later.

"Tim, you need to get some sleep. Take a break from staring at that photo." she told him quietly.

"I can't." he said plainly.

Sarah gave a sigh as she leaned down over her brother.

"I'm serious, Tim." she said sternly. "Sitting at your desk, and staring at her photo for three and a half hours isn't healthy."

"What's your point?" McGee asked, with a certain coldness to his voice.

"Trust me," she told her brother. "Spending your nights like this is only going to make things worse."

McGee shook his head.

"Doubt it." McGee said, with the same coldness as before.

"Look, I'm gonna go and throw on a load of laundry, and when I get back--its bedtime." she said sternly, pointing a finger in his face.

She turned to leave, but out of the corner of her eye she noticed that the right-hand, middle drawer of the computer desk was ajar.

She knew that that was where Tim kept his side-arm locked up.

"Tim," she said, as she approached the open drawer. "This is your gun drawer." she pointed out.

"Yeah. So?" he replied.

"You usually keep it locked, don't you?"

"Usually." he replied.

"Why is it-" she started to ask. "Wait...you weren't actually...you're not considering--suicide?"

"So what if I am?" he snapped. "Its my house. My gun. My life--I can do whatever I want with them."

"But not this, Tim. You can't."

She closed the drawer, sharply, and then turned to face her older brother.

"Why would you even consider it?" she asked, her worries evident in her voice.

"Because," he said, as a tear rolled down his cheek. "I want the pain to go away. I want it to stop." he croaked.

"Tim, there are other ways." she told him.

McGee shook his head.

Sarah stood up.

"Let me go turn on a load of laundry. We'll talk when I get back, okay?"

"Whatever." he replied quietly.

Sarah turned and headed for the laundry room area. She stopped and picked up her cell phone off of the breakfast table on the way. She flipped it open, then, and dialed Tony's cell number.

When she finally returned to her brother's work area, a few minutes or so later, he was gone.

"Tim!" she called out through the apartment. "Tim, where'd you go!?"

Then she noticed that the gun drawer was opened all the way now, and upon further inspection his Sig was missing.

She became instantly frantic.

"Tim!" she called, as she darted down the small, nearby hallway. "Tim, don't do it!"

She flipped her cellphone open, once again, and dialed Tony's number once more.

The she heard a clicking sound. It sounded like the bathroom door locking.

"Sarah?" came Tony's voice a second or so later. "Didn't you just-"

"Tony!" there was panic in her voice.

"I'm on my way to-" Tony started to say.

"No, Tony--Its Tim...I think he's locked himself in the bathroom, with his gun." she said, quickly, as she finally reached the bathroom door.

"Be there in a minute." he told her.

"Please hurry," she cried, on the verge of tears.

Tony hung up, and then so did she.

She knocked.

"Go away!" McGee yelled through the locked door.

"Tim, please...please don't do this." she begged her brother. "Please."

"Its no use." he told her, his voice cracking. "I just can't do it anymore."

She could hear sounds, through the door, that sounded like he was playing with the gun's inner-workings.

When Tony finally did arrive, a couple of minutes later, Sarah had been banging and kicking at the door for a little bit.

"Tim," Tony called through the door. "Open up, its me."

"Go away Tony!" McGee called back.

"What're those sounds?" Sarah asked.

Tony put his ear to the door.

"Sounds like he's messing with the ammo magazine." Tony replied.

"The what?" she asked.

"The thing that holds the bullets." he explained.

"Why?" she asked, worriedly.

Tony looked at her.

"Cause ya only need one to do the job." Tony replied.

Sarah gasped in horror.

"McGee!" Tony barked. "Open the damn door, now!" Tony demanded.

"Sorry Tony, can't do that." McGee replied solemnly.

Then they heard a really bad sound.

"What was that?" Sarah asked at once. She had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"He's priming it." Tony said, as he immediately took a step backwards.

"Stand back." he told her, as he quickly steadied himself.

"Tony," McGee called through the door. "Look after my sister will ya." he said, his voice cracking as he spoke.

"Timmy!" Sarah cried for her brother.

"Three!" Tony said aloud, all of a sudden.

The Italian lunged forward, without warning, and kicked the bathroom door nearly off of its hinges.

McGee looked up--startled by what Tony had done.

Tony dove towards the younger man--tackling him to the floor.

The gun flew to the side, and skidded across the tile floor a little ways.

"Get off me Tony!" McGee wailed.

"Sarah, get the gun!" Tony barked over McGee's screaming.

The two men struggled for a bit until Tony finally managed to pin McGee against the floor--holding him there until he stopped fighting.

Sarah grabbed the gun, and moved out of the bathroom.

...An Hour Later...

There came a knock at the front door, and Sarah answered it.

"Mr. Gibbs." she greeted the silver-haired man.

Tony had asked Sarah to call Gibbs, and see if he would/could come over and talk to McGee a little bit. Neither he or Sarah had had any luck thus far.

Gibbs hugged the young woman.

"Good to see you again." he said quietly.

"Please, come in." she said, stepping aside to let him inside.

She closed the door behind him.

Gibbs saw Tony sitting on the sofa holding an icepack to his right temple.

Tony saw Gibbs looking at him, and immediately cracked a lopsided grin.

"Kid can fight." Tony half-chuckled.

Gibbs nodded.

"Where is he?" Gibbs asked.

"Tim's in the bedroom. That way." Sarah told him, as she pointed towards the bedroom area.

Gibbs headed for the bedroom area after saying thanks to Sarah.

He entered the bedroom, and closed the door behind him(self).

...In The Bedroom...

"I don't wanna talk." McGee said somberly.

"I know." Gibbs replied quietly, as he approached the bed where McGee sat.

"So, what then?" McGee asked, without looking up.

"Why don't we start with what you DO want." Gibbs suggested, as he sat down next to the younger man.

McGee sat quietly for a few moments before speaking.

"I-I want Abby, Boss. I want her back." McGee said at last, his voice cracking as he spoke.

Gibbs nodded.

"Wish that were possible." Gibbs replied, quietly. "If I could bring her back..."

"You would...I know." McGee said, with a sigh.

"I just feel like, without Abby, I've got nothing left to live for." McGee admitted.

"What about your sister?" Gibbs offered. "What about your friends?"

McGee remained silent, and unmoving.

"McGee!" Gibbs snapped, as he popped the younger man on the back of the head.

McGee looked up at his silver-haired boss.

"What about Abby?" Gibbs asked quietly, staring into the younger man's eyes.

"What would she want?" Gibbs asked.

"I-I-" McGee started to speak, but the words wouldn't come.

"Live for her McGee." Gibbs told him. "If you really loved her-"

"I would have died for her." McGee snapped, cutting Gibbs' sentence short.

Gibbs nodded. "I know." he replied plainly. "Just think about it for awhile." Gibbs said, as he stood up.

Gibbs left the room, closing the door back as he left, and McGee now sat all alone with his thoughts.

"Tim." a familiar voice cut through the silence.

"Tim, why are you doing this?" the voice asked again.

McGee looked up.

"For you." he replied, quietly.

"No." the Goth said, shaking her head. "Not for me."

"For us." he insisted, leaning forward--his eyes glistening. "So we could be together."

"Isn't that what you wanted?" he asked.

"Not like that, no." she replied quietly, looking away from the man she loved.

"I can't live without you, Abs." McGee said softly, taking her hands into his own. "I love you."

"No you don't." she countered, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"What are you saying, Abs?" McGee stammered. "I-I love you...more than anything--you know that."

"If that were true...you wouldn't be trying to kill yourself." she sobbed. "Please Timmy." she begged. "I promise you...it'll get better." she said softly, as she planted a gentle kiss against his forehead.

And then like a shadow disappearing into the night--she was gone.

A single tear rolled down his cheek.






Chapter Four --

Gibbs finally made it back to his own house a few hours later. It was really late, and he should have been thinking about bed and sleep; but there was just so much on his mind.

He walked into the bedroom, and found Kate sitting awake, with a book, reading.

"How is he?" Kate asked, as she watched Gibbs strip out of his coat and jeans.

"He'll be fine. It'll take time, but he'll get there." Gibbs said quietly.

"I just don't believe it." Kate said, shaking her head, as she set her book aside on the nightstand. "How did we not see it?"

"He didn't want us too," Gibbs said, as he crawled into the bed. "He shut us out. Kept us blind."

Gibbs turned to his lover, and looked her in the eyes. "And he's not the only one who's been shutting people out." Gibbs said, his steely-blue eyes burning into Kate's.

"Gibbs," she started to say, reading his mind as only she could.

"Shh." he whispered, as he pressed his lips to hers.

The kiss was deep and passionate. Kate found herself unable to fight it. This was the man that she had fallen in love with.

He lowered her onto her back, gently, and then held himself above her looking down at her beauty.

He pulled his shirt up over his head, with one hand, and tossed it to the floor.

Kate marveled, as she always did when they were being intimate, at his well-chiseled upper body.

She pulled him down, and stole another long kiss from the silver-haired man.

When they parted, once again, he pulled at her silk night gown gently.

"This things' gotta go--Now." Gibbs said, with a low, playful growl.

Kate laughed.

"You don't mess around, do you Gunny?"

"No ma'am I do not." Gibbs whispered sternly, as he traced a line of kisses along the side of her neck.

...Awhile Later...

"U-Ugh...aah...G-Gibbs." Kate moaned aloud. She could feel the coil in her body tightening more and more with each thrust she took. She was quickly nearing her endpoint.

"Oh." Gibbs gave a low growl.

"B-baby please...F-faster, faster." she moaned, as she dug her nails into the flesh on his muscular back.

His lovers' nails tearing into the flesh of his back did hurt, but the pain only fueled the fire burning within him.

Gibbs increased their tempo pushing them further and further until at last they were perched on the very edge.

"G-Gibbs...ugh...sh-shit." she moaned, arching her back slightly as her entire body shuddered with her release.

"Ah, Kate." Gibbs groaned in a low voice. One more thrust, and his own release sent his body into mini-convulsions.

He rolled over onto his back, pulling Kate with him so that she rested against his chest.

Breathing heavily against one another sleep finally took hold of them, and soon they were lost in dreamland.



...Seven Months Later...

At NCIS HQ the team was just finishing a case that they had spent the last two days working on.

Everyone was starting to find it easier to get out of bed in the morning--though they still thought about their missing friend/family member, especially now with her birthday being three days away.

Kate sat at her desk (which was now on the other side of Gibbs' desk) across from McGee's desk (Ziva used the one across from Tony).

She was finishing up some case-related paperwork when the rest of the team came strolling back into the bullpen.

They had just been down in the interrogation room with Gibbs.

"Did he confess?" Kate asked, when she saw McGee coming in first.

McGee moved towards his desk, and sat down in his chair.

"Yep." McGee replied. "He put up a fight...until Gibbs stepped in that is."

"Then he cracked like an egg." Tony chimed in, cheerfully, as he entered the bullpen with Ziva following right behind him.

"It was quite amusing." Ziva agreed.

"Whoa, Kate," Tony said with a chuckle, as he stepped up to the Brunette's desk. "Is it just me...or did you get 'bigger' while we were gone." he joked, with a wink.

He was referring, of course, to Kate's swollen, nine month's pregnant belly.

Then he headed off for his own desk.

Kate glared after the Italian as he waltzed across the floor to his own desk. Her face was bright red, and her cheeks were starting to feel warm.

Ziva had already reached her desk, and was sitting down when Tony finally reached his.

Tony was telling Ziva a joke, but then, a few seconds into it, she suddenly cut him off mid-sentence.

"Tony." she said quickly, her eyes looking off slightly to the side.

"Wha-" Tony started to say, his own eyes darting to the same side. "Whoa!" he exclaimed, as he quickly ducked out of the way.

A book sailed by, with pinpoint accuracy, just inches above his head. He just narrowly missed being struck square in the head by the flying object.

Tony sat up right, a few seconds later, and glanced back towards Kate's desk.

"Geez, Kate." Tony said, blowing out a relieved sigh (and clutching at his chest momentarily). "What was that for!?"

She didn't say anything. She just glared across the bullpen at the Italian man.

"Oh, that." Tony said, chuckling nervously, as it clicked in his brain why she had thrown the book at him. "Come on Kate, I was just joking--ya know, HaHaHa."

"I'm not laughing." Gibbs said plainly, as he rounded the corner into the bullpen.

"Boss, I-err...we-we were just-" Tony stammered, trying to find the words to explain himself.

"Can-it DiNozzo." Gibbs said, as he stepped up to Kate's desk.

"Something wrong?" Gibbs asked quietly, as he stepped around the side of Kate's desk.

Kate stood up, and accepted a small kiss on the lips from her silver-haired lover.

"Its nothing...its just, I went to pick up the paperwork from the lab-tech downstairs," she paused a moment, before continuing. She knew, at this point, how silly it sounded as she explained what had happened to Gibbs.

"He-he called me...He said I was--'Fat'." she said nervously, looking down at her feet (well, trying to at least).

Gibbs shook his head, and then pulled the beautiful brunette as close to his own body as he could.

"I think you look beautiful," Gibbs whispered in her ear.

Kate blushed at her lover's words.

"Sexy as hell, actually," he added, amending his original statement, as he gently kissed the back of her neck.

That made her blush even more.

"You're only saying that because I'm carrying your child." she whispered, playfully.

Gibbs shrugged.

"So what if I am? That a problem?"

Kate shook her head, with a little smile, as she looked up at Gibbs.

"Nope. Not at all." she replied with a smile.

"Good."

Suddenly a phone rang somewhere in the bullpen.

Kate reached down and picked up her desk phone.

"Agent Todd's desk." she said into the phone. "Director Vance...yeah he's here. Okay, will do."

A few seconds later she hung up the phone.

"Director wants to see you." she told Gibbs. "Now, apparently."

"I'm sure he does." Gibbs replied, as he turned and headed towards Vance's office.



--Director Vance's Office--

Gibbs entered the Director's office a few minutes later.

"You never knock first do you?" Vance remarked.

"Nope." Gibbs replied.

Vance shook his head.

"You'd think I'd be used to it by now." he said, more to himself than to Gibbs.

"Whatcha need Leon?" Gibbs asked, as he approached the Director's desk.

"We need to talk about getting a new Forensic Specialist." Vance explained.

"Yeah, about that Leon," Gibbs started. "This last 'tech-guy' that you hired...insulted a member of my team." Gibbs explained, with a rather unpleasant look on his face.

"Kate?" Vance said, arching an eyebrow.

Gibbs nodded.

"Right, Right." Vance said quietly.

"Anyway, I was thinking about hiring someone...a little more permanent," Vance said. "Not just another 'temp'." he added.

"Sounds good." Gibbs replied, plainly. "I'll just leave it you then Leon."

Gibbs started to leave.

"Leaving Gibbs?" Vance called from behind his desk. "I figured you'd at least like to meet her...since you're already here and all."

Gibbs looked back at Vance.

"Her?" he asked. "Here?"

Vance nodded.

"Who?" Gibbs asked, as he took a step back towards the Director's desk.

"Me, Sir." came a soft, sweet voice.

Gibbs froze in place. He knew that voice--he just knew that he'd heard it before.

He turned, and sitting on the sofa at the center of Vance's office was a beautiful, young blonde woman.

"Agent Gibbs," the Director said, standing up behind his own desk. "This is Miss-"

"Maddie Tyler." Gibbs finished, staring at the young woman.

Vance nodded, a small grin playing at the edges of his lips.

"I-I thought you were studying to be-" he started to say.

"I was," Maddie said softly. "But, I changed my major, ya know after..." she trailed off, as her memory drifted off to that day several years before when she had showed up at NCIS looking for Gibbs' help.

"I-I just felt like there was more I could do to help others this way." she explained quietly.

Gibbs nodded.

Then he stepped forward, a few seconds later, and extended his hand/arm to her.

She accepted it, and the two of them shook hands right there in Vance's office.

"Welcome to the team, Miss Tyler." Gibbs said, with a half-way grin.

"Th-thank you, sir." Maddie stammered, with a half-way smile of her own. "I won't let you down...promise."

"You better not." he replied.

Gibbs nodded his approval to Director Vance, and then led Maddie out of the room and back towards the squad room.

"Come on," Gibbs said, after they were out of the Director's office. "I'll give you the tour."

"That would be lovely." Maddie replied sweetly.



...That Night...

At his apartment late that evening Tony sat on the sofa with a glass of scotch (from a bottle that he had gotten from Ducky on his last birthday).

There was so much on his mind that he just wanted to forget all of it for a little while.

Ziva appeared from down the hallway wearing nothing but one of Tony's old college T-Shirts.

"Are you coming back to bed?" she asked quietly, stopping at the end of the hall.

"Maybe in awhile." Tony replied, between sips of his scotch.

Ziva had learned many of Tony's 'secret' mannerisms in the last several months that they had bee together. She could tell when something was bothering him.

"What's the matter?" she asked, as she moved to the sofa.

"Nothing, Z." Tony replied, after another sip of scotch.

Tony could feel Ziva's eyes burning into him intensely, and it bothered him.

"What!?" he demanded, turning to face her. "Alright. Fine."

He set his glass down on the coffee table.

"What are we?" he asked, seriously.

Ziva thought for a second.

"A couple." she replied, unsure if it was the answer he was looking for.

Tony shook his head.

"Really? Is that what we are?"

"We are...dating--are we not?" she asked.

"No, not really." Tony replied, shaking his head again with a sigh. "All we do is have sex, we never...we never talk--or do anything else that 'normal' couples do." he pointed out.

Ziva could no longer look at Tony, and had to avert her eyes.

With her past history with family, friends, and relationships--normal was not something that she was really good at.

"You mean like all the other girls you've been with." she pointed out.

Tony reached for Ziva's hand(s), but she pulled away.

"Z." he started to say.

"It's okay, I understand." she said, trying to conceal her hurt as she stood up and headed for the bedroom.

'What the hell am I doing?' Tony wondered to himself. 'Damn you DiNozzo.' he chided himself. 'She's doing the best she can.'

Tony knew that opening up and talking was not something that Ziva did well, partly because it made her feel vulnerable.

True enough she had not been 'herself' since they lost Abby; and strangely though, it had been because of the Goth's departing that he had finally confronted his true feelings for the tanned beauty.

And it was her need to be rescued from the 'prison' that she had locked herself in after Abby's death that fueled the desire Tony felt that made him want to be her 'Knight in Shining Armor'.

A light bulb switched on inside of Tony as he sat there on the sofa. It all became so clear in that moment what he needed to do.

Ziva needed him to 'understand' where she was, and that coming out meant facing the full intensity of the pain that she was trying to shield herself from. He only wished that he had seen all of this sooner.

'Now,' Tony thought to himself. 'I need to let her know that I understand--that she's not alone in this.'

"Ziva," Tony called, as he stood and walked towards the bedroom.

Ziva came out of the bedroom carrying a small bag. She was now dressed in the clothes that she had worn to Tony's place from work.

The small bag was all that she usually brought with her. It usually held her toothbrush, a few feminine hygiene supplies, a small 'personal use' side-arm, and a few condoms--because she always made Tony wear one whenever they had sex.

"Going somewhere?" Tony asked, upon seeing her. He was a little confused at seeing her all packed up to go.

"Home." she replied quietly, as she pushed past the Italian. "As soon as I get my shoes."

Tony turned around and followed her back to the front area of the apartment.

He watched as she sat down in one of the chairs in the dining area, and began pulling her shoes on.

"I never said I wanted you to leave." Tony said, as he walked towards the dark-haired woman.

"What is the point in staying?" Her voice cracked a little bit, though she tried to mask it behind a slight cough.

Tony stood just a few feet away from her as she stood up once again.

"Well, I-I thought we were having fun." he replied, with a lopsided grin, trying to be funny in an attempt to lighten the mood.

Ziva shook her head. The hurt that she was feeling was starting to win the battle for control over her body.

"We both know...that I am just not right for you, Tony." she said, as she picked up her bag and headed for the door.

"Why?" he asked, as he watched her reaching for the door.

"Because...you deserve so much more than I have to give right now." she explained, and it took all that she had in her not to break down crying right there where she stood.

Ziva undid the deadbolt and the lower lock, and started to open the door; but Tony was too fast.

He was at her side before she even knew he was coming, and with a firm hand he forced the door closed, and then pulled her away from it.

"Tony," she tried to protest.

"No, Ziva," Tony countered, as he pulled the tan beauty into his arms. "What you have is more than enough--Ziva David, you're the only girl for me." he told her softly, as he stared deep into her chocolate brown eyes.

In his eyes Ziva saw understanding and compassion. These were the things that she had been searching for--and it made her feel even closer to the goofy Italian man.

Her bag fell to the floor, and she suddenly found herself seizing Tony's lips with her own.

When they finally parted Tony could see in her eyes that she was waiting for him to indicate what their next move would be.

A loving smile spread across the Italian's face.

"We take it slow." he whispered, as he planted another gentle kiss against her luscious lips.

And with that he swept her up into his arms, with a small grunt, and then a chuckle.

Ziva wrapped her arms around Tony's neck as she found herself lifted into the air.

Once he had his balance back he gave a nod towards the hallway.

"I believe the bedroom's that way." he said with a grin, and then he carried her off down the hallway towards the bedroom.








Chapter Five --

The next day, Kate and Ducky were out riding around town--running some errands and taking care of a few things that Kate needed done before she finally took off from work on 'maternity leave'.

Their next stop was the post office. She was expecting a package from her sister, and had received a call earlier in the morning that it was waiting for her there.

"I really appreciate you doing all of this Ducky." Kate thanked the aging M.E. once again. "I hope I'm not being too much trouble."

"Its no trouble at all, dear Caitlin." Ducky insisted with a chuckle and a smile.

"I have a feeling its going to be a rather 'slow' day at the office, today, anyhow." he told her, with a wink.

"Ah, here we are." he said, as he pulled his car into a parking spot in front of the post office a couple of minutes later.

"It'll just take me a minute," Kate told Ducky as she unbuckled herself.

"Take your time my dear." he replied.

Kate smiled back at Ducky, as she carefully pushed herself up out of the car seat.

Kate had been right, Ducky saw, as he watched her waddle down the steps of the post office just a little while later. In her arms she carried a medium-sized package.

The car door opened, a minute or so later, and she lowered herself back down into the car seat.

"Back already?" Ducky joked.

Kate laughed.

"Where to ne-" he started to ask.

Just then the rear, passenger-side door opened up and a masked man slipped into the car, closing the door behind him.

"What the-?" Ducky started to say.

The man quickly produced a small pistol, and pointed it at Kate.

"Drive." he said plainly.

Ducky looked at Kate who returned the gesture with a worried look of her own.

"Ducky." Kate whispered, worry in her voice.

"It'll be alright." Ducky whispered back, as he started the car up.

"Where are we driving to?" Ducky asked, carefully.

"You'll know when we get there." the man replied, sternly, pressing the gun closer to Kate's temple.

Ducky swallowed his anger, and pulled the car out into the flow of traffic.

...An Hour and a Half Later...

Ducky and Kate were quickly ushered into a small, dimly-lit room in a building somewhere--where they did not know for sure.

Kate nearly tripped as the masked man pushed them into the room. Ducky was quick though, and caught her and kept her from falling on her face.

"Are you alright?" Ducky asked her, as he helped her find her balance.

"I'm fine." she replied.

Ducky then turned back to the masked man.

"You can't keep us here like this." he fumed.

"Actually I can." came a low voice from behind Kate and Ducky.

It was a husky, Russian voice. A voice that they recognized.

They turned around to face the voice.

"You." Kate gasped, when she saw the man.

The man was sitting in a chair at the center of the room.

"I wasn't lying," the man said, with a sneer. "When I said we'd see each other again." he gave a small chuckle in his thick Russian accent.

The man gave a nod with his head over their shoulders, and the man that had kidnapped them left the room--closing the door behind him(self).

"You murdering bastard." Ducky fumed, as he glared at the Russian sitting in the chair before them. "I finally have a chance to repay you for the pain you've caused, and I haven't a thing to kill you with." There was an icy edge to the older man's voice as he spoke.

The Russian stood up, and moved towards the couple.

"Well said Doctor." the Russian said, bowing slightly.

"Agent Todd," the man said, turning his attention to Kate. "If you weren't 'preoccupied'," he said quietly, laying a hand against Kate's stomach. "I would have fun with you...like I did with your friend."

Anger burned through Kate's veins as she stared into the Russian's eyes/face. The things that this bastard had done to Abby before he killed her still lingered fresh in her mind--as if she had only read Ducky's autopsy report just yesterday.

Fire burned in Kate's eyes as she stood there staring back at the Russian.

Without warning Kate spat in the Russian's eyes/face angrily.

"You don't deserve to live-" she fumed, angrily. "-after what you did...after the way you 'violated' her. You Bastard!"

Suddenly the Russian's hand flew forward, and landed hard against Kate's face--right along side of her nose.

There was an audible crunching sound as the Russian's hand made contact with Kate's face.

Kate staggered backwards, and fell to the hard, concrete floor.

"Kaitlyn," Ducky gasped in horror, as he dropped to the pregnant brunette's side. "Kate...are you alright?"

"My nose." she cried. She held a hand up to her nose, blood lining the area just outside of the appendage, as she tried to sit up.

"Here, let me see." Ducky insisted, as he helped her up into a sitting position.

The aging M.E. examined her nose carefully and gently.

"Its broken." he said finally.

"C-can you fix it?" she hiccuped.

"Not properly, no...not here." he told her, apologetically.

"But I can't breathe." she said with a sniffle, which made her wince from the pain that the action caused her.

"Its going to be alright," Ducky assured her. "I need you to hold still for me." he told her.

She gave a small nod to the older Scotsman.

"O-Okay." she hiccuped.

Ducky gave a reassuring smile as he positioned his hands/fingers along certain points around her nose.

While all of this was taking place, the Russian just looked on with amusement as the scene played out before him.

"This is going to hurt," Ducky told the brunette softly. "But only for a second...I promise."

Kate nodded that she understood, and that she was ready.

Ducky made a quick jerking motion to one side with his fingers, and an audible pop could be heard as he shifted the appendage back.

Kate gave a startled cry as a sharp pain shot through her body.

"Shhh, Shhh." Ducky said softly, holding his hands slightly back from Kate's face. "It's alright, it's alright." his soft voice very reassuring to the pregnant brunette.

"Any better?" Ducky asked her.

After a few seconds Kate nodded at Ducky.

"A little bit, yes." she replied, with a sniffle.

"Good." Ducky said with a smile. "We still need to get you to a hospital though." he added.

"That's not going to happen, Doctor." The Russian told the older man. "At least, not until I get what I want first." he explained.

"Y-You won't get away with this." Kate warned the Russian, as she tried to mask her sniffles. "When Gibbs finds out-"

"When Agent Gibbs discovers that the fate of his unborn child rests in my hands...he will have no choice but to become my willing puppet." the Russian explained, cutting Kate's sentence short.

"Be warned," Ducky said seriously, as he glared up into the Russian's eyes from where he sat at Kate's side. "You are playing with fire, and as people so often do when they choose to 'play' with it--you WILL get burned."

The Russian gave a defiant laugh as he stood looking down at Ducky and Kate.

"We shall see soon enough." the Russian told them, with an evil sort-of chuckle/laugh.

...2 Hours Later/NCIS HQ...

Gibbs rounded the corner into the bullpen back at NCIS HQ.

He was just returning from another coffee run, and as he approached his desk he fished his cell phone out of his pocket with his free hand, and flipped it open.

No calls.

He had been expecting Kate to call, and check in with him. So far, though, nothing--not even one single text message from either Kate or Ducky.

He was trying not to worry. He kept telling himself that they were just really busy, and hadn't really had a chance to use their cell phones yet.

He still felt a churning in his stomach though.

"Still no word from Kate?" Tony asked from across the bullpen.

"Nope." Gibbs replied plainly, as he sat down in his own chair behind his desk. "Not yet."

Then his desk phone started to ring.

He answered it on the second ring.

"Gibbs." he said into the receiver. "Maddie-"

He listened intently to what his new forensic scientist was saying.

"When?" he asked over the phone. "I'll be right there."

He hung up the phone, and quickly got up and headed towards the elevator.

"Everyone," Gibbs said quickly as he rounded the corner. "On my six."

"Right behind ya boss." Tony said, jumping up and hurrying after Gibbs.

Ziva was close behind the Italian with McGee playing catch up with her.

"Coming Boss." McGee said, as he reached the elevator.

...The Lab/A Few Minutes Later...

"Mr. Gibbs," Maddie said, upon seeing Gibbs enter the lab (followed by the rest of the team. "You need to see this." she said quickly, as she pointed to the plasma screen on the far wall.

Gibbs (and the team) turned and when he saw Ducky's face peering back at him from the plasma screen he just knew that something was wrong.

Gibbs walked towards the plasma screen.

"Duck." he said aloud.

"Hi...Jethro." Ducky spoke slowly, his eyes constantly darting to the side nervously.

"You're probably wondering why Kaitlyn and I haven't checked in until now," Ducky stated.

"Yeah, kinda." Gibbs replied. "So, where are you?"

A hand pushed Ducky out of the way, and a new (yet familiar) face took Ducky's place.

"They are with me, Agent Gibbs." the Russian said, with a sneer.

Gibbs immediately felt his blood pressure begin to rise very rapidly.

In the back behind Gibbs the rest of the team was/were already moving their game pieces as it were.

McGee moved to Maddie's side.

"Help me." he told her quietly.

"What do you need?" she asked.

"How good are you with computers?" McGee asked.

"Pretty good...not as good as Abby was, but-"

"That's good enough." he told her. "We need to setup a trace."

Maddie's fingers danced across the keyboard. "Something like this?" she asked, a few seconds later.

"Excellent." McGee replied, a thin smile playing across his lips. "Do it."

She pressed a few more keys, and the program was automatically attached to the live feed that they were watching.

"I wanna see Kate first." Gibbs demanded, angrily. "Then we'll see about negotiating."

The Russian shook his head at Gibbs.

"No, Agent Gibbs, first you bring me the Colonel...and maybe I'll let them live."

"You listen to me you son-of-a-bitch," Gibbs snapped angrily. "I let you get away once...and I'll be damned if you get away a second time."

The Russian gave a chuckle at Gibbs' determination.

"We'll see." the Russian replied.

Then in the background, behind the Russian, Kate could suddenly be heard screaming at someone.

"Get your heads off me!" she snapped angrily, as a second man tried to man-handle the beautiful Brunette. "Stop it!"

Then there came the sound of someone being hit, fairly hard, and a startled cry.

"Get away from her!" Ducky snapped angrily at the second man.

"Kate!" Gibbs nearly yelled at the plasma screen.

"You've got 48 hours," the Russian told them. "I'll check in to see how things are going in a few hours. Ciao."

The screen went black after that.

"McGee!"

Gibbs turned and walked back towards his team.

"Maddie and I embedded a trace within the feed," McGee informed his boss. "It'll follow the signal back to its point of origin, and then hopefully let us know where he's at."

Gibbs nodded.

"I'm sorry sir," Maddie said softly, looking at Gibbs. "I don't know how he got into my system--or why?"

"He wanted more privacy this time," Gibbs said plainly. "He doesn't want anyone higher on the chain-of-command, than us, involved."

Then Gibbs' expression softened momentarily as he stared at Maddie. "Its not your fault." he said softly.

Maddie gave a small nod.

Then Gibbs noticed Tony and Ziva leaving the lab.

"Just where do you think you two are going?" he demanded.

"To put a BOLO out on Ducky's car." Tony replied, looking back at his boss. "Maybe someone saw something."

"We know where they were supposed to be going," Ziva chimed in. "I thought I would ask around at these places and see if anyone saw anything that might be helpful."

Gibbs was speechless. For once his team didn't need him to dole out tasks for them. They knew what they needed to do.

"Do it." was all he could say.

They all nodded, and then turned to leave.

"McGee, how many traffic cams can you get access to at once?" Gibbs asked, turning back to McGee.

"If I use MTAC...all of'em." he said confidently.

"We need to establish a time-line," Gibbs told him. "Go!"

"On it boss." McGee said, with a nod. "And Boss, we may have lost Abby, but we won't let'em take Kate from us." McGee assured his silver-haired boss.

Gibbs nodded.








Chapter Six --

...Several Hours Later/The Russian's Hideout...

It was getting late, and Kate and Ducky had been locked up together in an even smaller room located within the building that they had been taken to by their kidnappers.

Kate had been napping quietly for some time at this point--as per Ducky's orders (he'd said that she needed to rest as much as possible to keep her stress level(s) down).

Ducky sat in the corner opposite where Kate was lying on the only small, cot that they kidnappers had placed in the room.

Suddenly, the door to the small room opened up, and the Russian stepped inside.

Kate roused up, and rubbing her eyes gently she sat up to look at the man.

Ducky pulled himself up off of the floor.

"I just spoke with Agent Gibbs," he told them. "His update was not so much to my liking."

"What did you expect," Ducky shot back. "You haven't really given them enough time."

"I've given them more than enough time, Doctor." the Russian spat. "And now I think they need a little more encouragement." he added.

The Russian moved forward, and reached for Kate.

"No, stay away from me." she choked out, as she tried to move out of reach of his grasp.

Ducky moved to stop the Russian, but the large man only pushed the aging Scotsman aside with one hand.

With the other hand he grabbed Kate, pulled her up off of the bed, and drug her out of the room.

She fought against him the entire way.

...Back in The Main Room...

The Russian pulled Kate into the camera's line of sight so that Gibbs could see her from where he was in the lab back at NCIS.

He held her still as he began to speak with Gibbs.

"Kate." Her name escaped Gibbs' lips when he saw them drag his lover into view.

"I don't think you're taking this seriously enough, Agent Gibbs." the Russian said.

The Russian, with his free hand, motioned for his partner to come forward.

The second man moved into view of the camera carrying a small metal box in his hands.

"So I'm going to provide a slightly more 'enticing' incentive." the Russian continued.

"Leave her out of this." Gibbs demanded, but the Russian wasn't listening to him.

When the box was opened Gibbs could see two objects tucked inside--A vial of clear liquid and a syringe.

The Russian picked up the vial, and held it up for Gibbs to see.

"This, is an 'experimental' drug--just came out for testing in my country." the Russian explained. "Quite deadly...unless the antidote is administered within 18 hours

Kate tried to pull away from the Russian--after realizing what he was planning to do--fearing for the life of her unborn child.

"No, please. Don't." she pleaded, as she tried to pull away.

The Russian motioned for his partner to hold Kate still while he readied the injection.

"Stop! Don't do it!" Gibbs snapped angrily.

Kate struggled fiercely against the second man who was now holding her in place for the injection.

From the small room where he was still locked up, Ducky could hear everything that was going on.

The Russian held the syringe up to his face, and tapped it on the side, gently, a couple of times before moving towards Kate.

"This will only hurt for a second." the Russian said with an evil sneer.

Kate tried one last time to pull away, but to no avail.

"No," she pleaded, her eyes moist and red with tears. "Gibbs!" she screamed her lover's name.

"Stop!" Gibbs tried again.

The Russian grabbed Kate's arm, and held it up in a level position. He then pulled the sleeve of her blouse up just enough to reveal the spot in the crook of her arm (just parallel to the elbow).

He took his time selecting a good vein, and then quickly administered the injection.

Afterwards he turned back to face the camera (and Gibbs).

"Time is not on your side, Agent Gibbs. I would hurry if I were you."

Then the second man lead Kate back to the small room where Ducky was waiting.

He opened the door, and pushed her inside--immediately closing the door behind her.

Ducky caught Kate, once again, and kept her from falling face first to the floor. He then led her over to the small cot that set against the nearby wall.

"Its going to be alright." he said quietly, trying to reassure her, as he helped lower her down to the cot.

"The Baby," she cried softly. "What's going to happen to my baby?" she hiccuped.

"Hard to say really." Ducky said somberly.


...Back At NCIS HQ...

The plasma screen in the lab went black once again.

Gibbs was in a state of shock, but quickly shook it off.

Gibbs turned around to face Maddie, who stood behind her workstation working feverishly at her computer.

"Anything on the trace?" he asked, stepping up to her side.

"Not yet." she replied. "But it should be soon-"

BEEP! BEEP!

At the sound of the beep coming from her computer, Maddie's fingers danced across the keyboard and an information popped up soon after.

"What is it?" Gibbs asked.

Maddie's face fell, and Gibbs knew that meant bad news.

"The trace was blocked." she said finally. "They're good." she added.

"Damn." Gibbs swore under his breath. "Keep trying." he told Maddie. "I'm gonna check in with the others."

And with that Gibbs turned and left the lab.


...A Few Hours Later/Kidnapper's Hideout...

It was early the next morning, still dark out though, and Kate slumbered on the one small cot in the room.

Ducky had convinced Kate that the best thing she could do, at this point, was to get as much rest as possible--and to pray that the drug the Russian injected her with wouldn't cause any permanent damage.

Suddenly, she awoke with a start from her sleep. It felt like someone had jabbed a sharp pin into her side.

She sat up, her heart pounding in her chest, and beads of sweat dotting her forehead.

She waited. It happened again--another sharp, jabbing pain.

"D-Ducky," she whispered in the small, dimly-lit room. "Ducky."

Ducky stirred in his spot in the far corner. He looked around the room, and then realized that it was Kate who was calling him.

He made his was over to the small cot where she was now sitting up.

"What's the matter my dear?" the aging M.E. asked, as he rubbed sleep from his eyes.

"D-Ducky...I think I'm having contractions." she whispered, a tone of panic in her voice.

Ducky was wide awake, and vastly alert at this point.

"Oh dear." he breathed.

Kate grimaced as she felt another sharp sensation shoot through her body.

"Its too soon Ducky." she told the older man.

"Yes, and neither is this the appropriate location for the delivery of a child." he added.

"What are we gonna do?" she asked, a worried look on her face.

"The only thing we can do," he told her quietly. "Wait."

"Wait?"

"Yes, Wait...and pray." he added.








Chapter Seven --

Several hours later the team was gathered in the squad room. Gibbs rounded the corner, coffee cup in hand, and met up with his team in the bullpen.

"Time's almost up Boss." Tony pointed out from his desk.

"I know." Gibbs said, quietly.

"We need a plan." Ziva added, leaning against the front of Tony's desk.

"Or the Colonel." McGee chimed in from the other side.

Gibbs sat quietly behind his own desk, eyes closed, and thought to himself.

Suddenly voices could be heard coming down the stairs from MTAC. Everyone looked up, and saw Director Vance walking towards the elevator with the SecNav and the SecNav's personal assistant.

"Hold up Leon," the SecNav said, as they reached the bullpen area. "I need to speak with Agent Gibbs before I go."

Vance nodded, and watched as the SecNav headed towards Gibbs' desk.

Gibbs stood up, and walked around to the outside of his desk.

"Agent Gibbs," the SecNav said, with a smile. "Things are going well I hope?"

Gibbs nodded.

"As well as can be expected." Gibbs said plainly.

"Good." the SecNav nodded.

"I understand that today is the late Ms. Scuito's birthday," the SecNav pointed out.

Gibbs nodded.

"I never got the chance to, personally, convey my condolences to you and your team...for your 'tragic' loss." the SecNav said, extending his hand to Gibbs.

"But, she died for the greater good and many lives-" but the SecNav was unable to finish his sentence, but Gibbs had heard enough.

Gibbs stepped right up to the SecNav so that their faces were almost touching.

"With all do respect, 'sir', she's dead because you don't trust 'me'...you don't trust my judgment." Gibbs said, narrowing his eyes at the SecNav.

"I had no choice, Agent Gibbs, and you of all people should know-"

"Bullshit!" Gibbs snapped. "You could have saved her, but you chose not to. My team can handle anything, and that's what bugs you." Gibbs hissed.

"Agent Gibbs, I'd watch that mouth of yours if I were you," the SecNav countered. "You never know when a member of your team might-"

In a flash, Gibbs had his side-arm pressed against the SecNav's throat.

"You stay away from my team?" Gibbs growled, as he pressed the muzzle of the gun into the flesh of the SecNav's throat.

The SecNav's personal assistant, who was standing nearby, started to reach for his own concealed side-arm; but Ziva appeared behind him without warning, and pressed her Sig Sauer (which she kept hidden from view) into his side.

"Unless you wish to die," she whispered quietly in the younger man's ear. "I would leave it alone."

The younger man swallowed a lump that had formed in his throat, and carefully moved his hand away from his side-arm.

"Good boy." Ziva whispered, approvingly.

"You think you know what I'm capable of," Gibbs told the SecNav, in a very serious tone. "But you have no idea...push me, though, and you'll see first hand just what a 'monster' I can be." Gibbs warned him, in a low voice.

Gibbs let go of the SecNav, and returned his Sig Sauer to it's holster at his side.

"Now leave." Gibbs said, pointing towards the elevator.

"You'll be hearing from me Gibbs." the SecNav said calmly, as he walked back towards the elevator.

After another minute or so Vance, the SecNav, and the SecNav's personal assistant were gone.

"Boss-" Tony started to say.

Gibbs looked at Tony.

"I know how to get Kate and Ducky back." Gibbs said, as soon as his blood pressure had returned to semi-normal.

"How?" they all asked.

"McGee," Gibbs said, looking over at the younger Agent. "Find me a uniform...a Russian Colonel's uniform."

Everyone stared at Gibbs for a moment or two, trying to decide if he had gone crazy or something.


...In MTAC...

It was time for the kidnappers to check in once again with NCIS.

Tony stood in front of the giant viewing screen, and waited as the kidnappers got their video feed in working order.

"Time is almost up." the Russian said.

"I know." Tony replied.

"Where is Agent Gibbs?" the Russian asked.

"He-he had a heart attack." Tony said somberly. "His heart couldn't handle the stress."

The Russian clicked his tongue against his teeth.

"To bad." he said finally.

"But, we do have the Colonel." Tony informed the Russian.

"Really?"

"Yes. He's en-route to NCIS as we speak...it'll take another hour for him to get here." Tony explained.

"Excellent. You may yet see your friends alive." the Russian replied, happily.

Tony nodded.

"Where should we meet?" Tony asked.

"We will contact you in one hour with our location." the Russian told Tony.

"Agreed." Tony said, with a sigh.

The viewing screen went black after that.



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

"She Fell In Love"

Chapter One (The News) --

Gibbs and Kate had been friends almost from the very moment they met. At first that was all it was, but then after a while it developed into 'friends-with-benefits', and they both agreed not to go any further than that. It was for the best they understood.

It was also for the best, that none of their other co-workers ever knew about their secret midnight rendezvous'.

Their arrangement worked for successfully for a while, but then things began to get complicated. It seemed as though what had started out as a great friendship would ultimately end in disaster and heartbreak.

It wasn't meant to happen. She hadn't intended on it happening, but it happened anyway.

Kate fell in love with the silver-haired man that she regularly shared a bed with (among other things). Yet, she elected to keep it to herself, because she did not want to ruin what she and Gibbs had going.

But now, as she sat in the hospital waiting room--biding her time--she began to feel as though that 'silence' would soon have to be broken.

It was early in the morning, and Kate was beginning to feel a little nervous as she waited to be called back to see the doctor. There was also a mild excitement brewing inside of her with just a hint of anxiety in the background.

She had seen the doctor before, two days earlier, and they had told her that she would be called back to the hospital once they got the results of her tests back from their lab.

Today was that day.

"Ms. Todd." the young nurse called from the door just off to the side of where Kate was sitting.

Kate heard her name being called, and immediately snapped out of her daydream.

She stood, gathering up her purse and the book she had been reading, and headed towards the nurse.

"Ms. Todd?" the nurse repeated Kate's name when she saw the brunette walking towards her.

"Yes." Kate replied, with a soft smile. "That's me."

The nurse smiled back sweetly, and gave a nod.

"Right this way Ms. Todd." the nurse said, motioning with her arm towards the nearby hallway.

"Second door on the right," the young nurse said, pointing in the right direction.

"Thank you." Kate replied, as she headed for the little room just a short distance down the hall.

The young nurse followed behind Kate, and closed the door once they were in the room.

Kate sat down on top of the examination table, as per the nurse's directions, and waited patiently.

The young nurse looked over Kate's chart a little bit, and then turned to face the brunette once again.

"Ms. Todd, how are you feeling this morning?" the young nurse asked sweetly.

"Um, well I was a little nauseous earlier this morning--didn't really have much of a breakfast; but otherwise I feel...pretty good." Kate explained.

The young nurse nodded, with a smile, as she jotted down a few notes on Kate's chart.

"So the morning sickness hasn't gone away?" the nurse said, just to clarify.

"Not really." Kate replied, folding her hands in her lap.

The young nurse jotted something else down on Kate's chart, and then she pulled a stethoscope out of the front pocket of her scrubs.

She set Kate's chart down on the counter top behind her, and then approached Kate.

"Just gonna check your blood-pressure again, and your temperature." the young nurse explained.

Kate nodded.

"Okay." the brunette replied.

The young nurse spent a few minutes checking Kate's blood pressure, and then her temperature--after which she jotted down the results and a few notes on Kate's chart.

"Okay," the young nurse said, at last. "The Doctor will be with you shortly." she said with a smile.

Kate nodded.

"Thanks."

The young nurse left the room, closing the door behind her, and left Kate to wait in silence.

Kate sat on the examination table patiently awaiting the visit from the Doctor.

She was feeling a little bit more nervous the longer she waited, though she knew it was silly--but she just couldn't help it.

A few more minutes past, and then finally the door to the room opened up, and a middle-aged, blond woman walked into the room--closing the door behind her.

The Doctor extended a hand to Kate. Kate accepted it, and the two women shook hands.

"Good morning Ms. Todd." Doctor Kelly said sweetly. "We got your test results back from the lab." Doctor Kelly informed her. "But first, are you feeling any better this morning?"

"I'm still having the morning sickness." Kate replied calmly. "Haven't really been able to eat a 'big' breakfast in quite a few days." she explained.

Doctor Kelly nodded, with a smile, and opened up the file/chart that she was holding in her hands.

"Well, that is to be expected at this stage." Doctor Kelly told her, as she scanned over the information in the file/chart.

"This stage of what?" Kate asked, nervously.

Doctor Kelly looked up at Kate with a smile.

"Pregnancy of course." Doctor Kelly informed her.

"Of...pregnancy." Kate repeated the words, slowly. "You mean I'm...I'm pregnant."

Doctor Kelly nodded, excitement evident in the expression on her face.

"Three weeks." Doctor Kelly added, informing Kate of how far along into the pregnancy she was.

"Congratulations!" Doctor Kelly said excitedly. "You're gonna be a mommy." she added.

Kate could hardly believe it. It was both a shock, and a dream come true.

"I-I'm...I'm pregnant." she whispered to herself (once again) as a single tear rolled down her cheek.


...In The Car...

Kate soon found herself in her car driving to work--she hoped that Gibbs had gotten the message she had left him earlier about why she would be late for work.

Thoughts about babies, cribs, nurseries, and other things of that nature swam around inside her head.

She was nervous and excited, all at the same time, about telling Gibbs--but she knew she had too. She could stay silent no more.

Kate beamed with pride the whole drive to NCIS Headquarters. She couldn't help but be happy--even though all of the different possibilities as to how Gibbs would/could react ran through her mind again and again...she couldn't wait to tell her silver-haired fox (and best friend, ya know other than Abby of course).


...NCIS Headquarters...

Kate stepped off of the elevator, and rounded the corner into the bullpen a few seconds later.

"Morning, Kate." Tony greeted his partner. "Nice of you to finally show up."

Kate set her things down behind her desk.

"Morning Tony." Kate smiled back. "Something wrong?" she asked.

Tony shrugged.

"I'd watch out for Gibbs, if I were you." Tony warned her.

"Why?" she asked.

"He's-" Tony began to say.

Gibbs rounded the corner into the bullpen at that very moment, and stopped Tony's sentence short.

"I'm what, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked, as he past his Senior Field Agent's desk.

"Nothing boss." Tony covered quickly. "Just...the best boss in the world is all."

Gibbs grinned to himself (unseen by the others) and gave a nod.

"Gibbs," Kate said, walking over to the silver-haired man's desk. "We need to-"

"Where ya been, Kate." his words cold, as her name rolled off of his lips. Gibbs looked at his wrist watch. "You're three hours late." he told her, his steely blue eyes burning through her.

"I-I left you a message." she told him. "I was at the doctor's office."

"You sick?" Gibbs asked, plainly.

"No, I'm-" she started to say.

"Good." he cut her off mid-sentence. "You can get to work then--McGee, bring her up to speed." Gibbs called across the bullpen.

"Yes sir. O-On it boss." McGee answered.

Kate was in shock, and for a brief moment she just stood there staring back at Gibbs--unmoving.

"Something wrong?" Gibbs asked, when she didn't move.

"N-no." she replied quietly, shaking her head, and then walking over to McGee's desk finally.

Gibbs nodded, and then stood up.

At McGee's desk, Tim was busy explaining to Kate, now, about the phone call that they had gotten earlier about the dead body found in a downtown storage facility. It was the body of a dead petty officer named Michael Kramer.

Gibbs headed away from his team after a few seconds.

"I want answers when I get back." Gibbs told them.

"Where ya going?" Tony asked.

"To get a Caf-Pow." he said plainly, over his shoulder.

For Kate, the morning was going from excellent to not so great in just a matter of minutes.







Chapter Two (Unexpected Reaction) --

The day was finally winding down, and Kate was so glad for that fact. She had been trying to find time to speak with Gibbs all day and had been unsuccessful so far.

At this point she was hungry and tired, and she could feel the excitement and nervousness about telling Gibbs the news starting to fill her insides again.

Tony and McGee had already left, and Gibbs was still sitting behind his own desk finishing up some last minute paper work.

'Its now or never.' Kate thought to herself. She took in a deep breath, and then let it out as she walked towards Gibbs' desk.

"Gibbs," she said his name, and she could tell that her voice was a little shaky.

"Yes." he said, looking up at the beautiful brunette. "Whatcha need?" he asked, a tiny smile playing at the edges of his lips.

"About this morning--you know, my visit to the doctor--I have some news." she paused a moment, to take in another deep breath to steady her nerves.

"And?" Gibbs pressed her, after a brief moment of silence.

"And...here." she said, revealing a black coffee mug that she had been concealing behind her back.

She had picked it up at a service station on her way back from the Doctor's office earlier that morning.

"What's this?" he asked, rolling it over in his hands.

The coffee mug had big, bold lettering around one side that read "World's #1 Dad".

Gibbs stared at it for a long moment. Then he noticed the big smile that had settled over Kate's face.

"I'm pregnant." she said at last, beaming proudly.

To her dismay, though, a dark look suddenly settled over Gibbs' face as they stared into each others eyes.

"I thought you were on birth control." he said at last.

"I-I was," she stammered, somewhat confused by the silver-haired man's reaction to her news. "I guess I could've missed a day somewhere." she reasoned aloud, having not really thought about that part until just then. "I'd have to check to be sure." she added.

"So, what do we do now?" Gibbs asked, plainly.

Kate's head was spinning at this point. This whole thing was not going exactly as she had imagined it would.

"Wha-what do you mean 'what do we do now?'" she asked. "I-I don't understand...Gibbs, we're having a baby." she said, trying to inject a little excitement back into the moment.

Gibbs shook his head at the brunette.

Kate watched as Gibbs pulled open the bottom drawer of his desk, and dropped the coffee mug inside it--closing it up after he was finished.

He then stood, gathered his things, and turned off his desk lamp.

"Where are you going?" Kate asked, still somewhat confused.

But he remained silent for a moment or so.

"Gibbs." she tried again.

"Home." he said finally.

"Right." she said, her thoughts racing at a million miles per second. "Good idea, we can talk more there. Let me just run by my house and change and then-" she started to say.

"No. Not tonight, Kate." he said, as he stepped up to the elevator and pressed the down button.

Kate had gathered up her own things, and soon caught up to Gibbs at the elevator.

She stepped up next to him a few seconds later. "Why not?"

"Because it would be unwise." he said, turning on her before he even realized what he was doing.

The elevator door(s) opened, and Gibbs stepped inside the waiting elevator car.

"I'll see you tomorrow." he told the brunette, quietly, as the elevator door(s) closed.

Kate stood, silently, and watched as Gibbs disappeared behind the elevator door(s). She was in shock. This was not at all how she had expected him to react to her news.

Finally, after a few minutes or so, she shook her head and reassured herself that everything would be alright.

'Its just a lot to process.' she told herself. 'Yeah, that's it--He's just in shock is all.'

She pressed the button on the wall to summon the elevator back up to where she was. And then she waited.

'Everything will be better tomorrow.' she told herself once again. 'Deep down he loves me--I just know he does. After all, I love him...so he must feel the same, right?'

The elevator pinged, the door(s) opened up, and she stepped inside.

She said a silent prayer as the elevator door(s) closed before her.


...The Next Morning...

Kate walked through the front door of the NCIS building, checked in with security, and then headed towards the elevator.

She was feeling a lot better since last night's confusing conversation with Gibbs. She had a smile on her face, and confidence that today would be better; and that Gibbs would be more understanding and hopefully happier about the whole situation.

Gibbs caught up with her as she reached the elevator, and slapped the button to summon the car down to their level.

"Morning." she greeted the silver-haired fox cheerfully, upon seeing him.

"Morning." he said sluggishly.

She tried not to let his less-than-enthusiastic greeting weigh her down, as the two of them stepped onto the elevator, and waited for the door(s) to close.


...On The Elevator...

No sooner had the elevator gotten underway, that Gibbs reached out and slapped the 'stop' switch--bringing the car to a sudden halt.

"Kate," Gibbs said, as he turned to face her. "About last night-" he started to say, but then she cut him off.

"Its okay. I understand." she said at once, with a smile. "I did spring it on you kind of suddenly--you were in shock, and that's why-"

Gibbs raised a finger, and pressed it to the beautiful brunette's lips to quiet her at once.

"Kate, I think you should have an abortion." Gibbs said calmly.

He couldn't believe that he was saying those words. He had always been against the whole idea of 'Abortions. Yet, he said them anyway--he felt as though it was the 'right' thing to do...or at least that was what he had been telling himself all morning.

A horrified look came across Kate's face as she stared up at Gibbs, and realized that he was being serious.

"You're serious." she choked out, her eyes growing moist and red.

Gibbs remained silent as he stood there watching her.

"An 'ABORTION!'" she nearly screamed. "This is OUR baby, Gibbs!" she cried. "OUR BABY!"

"Katie," Gibbs started towards her.

"H-How...Why, why would you-" she stammered, trying to find the words, but none would come. "But Gibbs I-I love you...I love you, and I want us to have a family together, I want-"

"I just think its for the best." Gibbs said at last, quietly. "We've got a good thing going between us...I just don't want to ruin it with-"

She could suddenly feel anger bubbling up inside of her as she stood there listening to the words rolling out of his mouth.

Kate lashed out at the silver-haired man without warning. Her hand landed hard against his cheek, and a loud THWACK! filled the space inside the dimly-lit elevator car.

Suddenly, an intense rage seethed within every inch of Gibbs' body.

He lashed out, grabbed Kate's arms in mid-air, and pinned her back against the wall of the elevator car.

He held her pinned tightly to the wall, as she struggled fiercely to free herself from his grip. "Let me go!" she spat angrily, her eyes full of burning tears.

"It was just 'SEX'!" he snapped in her face. "You want more than that, 'Kate'...then go find some other poor schmuck!" his face was blood red with anger.

"I don't want any part of this 'Thing'!" he snapped.

Then finally, he released her and turned away.

Kate sank to the floor, heartbroken, and drew her knees up to her chest--tears ran down her face as she sat there shaking.

Gibbs finally calmed back down after a few seconds, and instantly regretted the things that he had said to the beautiful brunette only moments before.

He turned around, and saw her curled up into a ball against the elevator wall/floor.

"Kate, I-" he started to say softly, remorse evident in his voice.

"No," she said with a sniffle, pushing him away. "Don-Don't touch me." she spat angrily. "J-Just go away. Leave me alone." she sobbed, as she buried her face in her knees.

Gibbs closed his eyes, and stood silently for a moment thinking to himself.

'Gibbs you jackass.' he chided himself. 'You always manage to fuck everything up.' he told himself angrily.

At last, he reached out and re-started the elevator once again.

When it finally reached their floor, and the door(s) opened up--he took one last look at the heartbroken brunette, wished there was something he could say to fix everything, but then decided against it.

He walked off of the elevator, and reluctantly left her there alone.


...Two Days Later...

It was early in the morning.

It was two days later when they finally spoke to each other again. Gibbs was sitting at his desk checking his e-mail, Tony was off on a coffee run, and McGee was doing whatever it was he did at his own computer.

The elevator pinged, and then Kate rounded the corner into the bullpen a few seconds later.

She stowed her things away behind her desk, and then walked towards Gibbs' desk.

"Morning." Gibbs said, looking up at the brunette.

"Morning." she replied, with a half-smile. "Can we talk?"

"Sure." he said, standing up. "Where?"

She took him by the hand, and led him down to the break room.


...Break Room...

Once there she began the conversation with him in private.

"I've thought a lot about the last couple of days, and I've made a decision." she informed him quietly.

"Kate, listen I-" Gibbs started to say. It was his intention to apologize--something he rarely ever did.

"No, Gibbs please...le-let me finish." she insisted quietly.

Gibbs let out a sigh, but remained otherwise silent.

"I'm keeping the baby." she told him. "I don't expect anything from you, nor do I need anything from you; and what I 'want', obviously I can't have." her voice cracked a little bit as she spoke.

She had practiced this speech a hundred times within the last few hours, but now that she was actually having to deliver it--she found it to be ten times harder than she originally anticipated.

"The only thing I ask from you, is that you respect me and my decision." she continued.

Gibbs wanted to say something to her. He wanted to do something for her--something to make everything okay again, and mend her broken heart.

"I don't regret 'us'." she said at last, a tear rolling down her face. "And maybe, someday we can be friends again--like we used to be."

Gibbs pulled the brunette into his arms, and hugged her close. His heart was breaking into a million little pieces as he stood there with her.

She had made her decision, and now it seemed like all of the thousands of things he could have said in that moment wouldn't make much of a difference anymore.








Chapter Three (Andy) --

Kate was now three months into her pregnancy, and to everyone at NCIS she seemed to be in good spirits.

She was just starting to show through her clothes, and everyone at the office would stop to admire her little 'baby bump' whenever they saw her. She thought that it was fun most days, but still sometimes she wished that everyone would 'not' stare at her.

As far as everyone else knew her pregnancy was the product of an accidental 'one night stand'--although Abby had her own suspicions that Kate was hiding something from them.

It was getting close to time for Gibbs and his team to call it quits for the evening.

Kate handed in her paper work to Gibbs, and then returned to her desk to gather up her things.

Gibbs watched in secret as the brunette gathered her things up from behind her desk.

"So, Kate." Tony said from his desk. "Thought about baby names yet?"

"Nope. Not yet." she replied, looking over at her partner.

"Good, cuz I've got the perfect name--ya know, provided its a boy--and I think you'll just love it." he told her.

"What is it?" she asked, knowing that she would regret asking.

"Anthony." Tony replied, with a big, goofy smile.

Kate shook her head.

"Let me guess," she said, cocking her head to one side. "'Tony' for short, right?"

"You got it!" Tony chuckled at the idea of his partner's baby being named after him.

"I don't think so." Gibbs said plainly, without thinking.

Everyone looked up at Gibbs--even Kate.

Gibbs realized what he had done, and then realized everyone was staring at him. He covered himself quickly though.

"That's just my opinion." he said quickly. "But I guess it's really up to Kate." he added.

Everyone nodded, and then everything returned to normal.

Gibbs let out a quiet sigh of relief as he finished up his own paper work, put it away, and then stood up.

Gibbs gathered up his things, and the walked towards Kate's desk.

In the background the elevator issued an audible ping.

"Hey, Kate," Gibbs said her name quietly as he approached her.

"Yeah." she said happily, as she looked up at the silver-haired man.

They looked into each others eyes, silently, for a long moment.

"I-I was wondering if maybe you and I could-"

His sentence was cut short as a man with short, dirty-blond hair, and brown eyes rounded the corner into the bullpen. The man also sported some facial hair in the form of a 'soul patch'.

"Hey babe," the man said, as he wrapped his arms around Kate's waist (unexpectedly).

Kate chuckled at the feel of the man's lips against her neck.

"Andy, stop." she giggled playfully. "What are you doing here?" she asked, as Andy continued to lay gentle kisses down the side of her neck.

"I came to see you, beautiful," Andy replied. "Thought we'd go out tonight."

"Sounds great." she giggled.

"Oh, hey," the man said, when he noticed Gibbs standing nearby. "Sorry, I'm Andy...Andy Wilson." he said, as he and Gibbs shook hands. "You must be Gibbs--Kate's told me so much about you." he said with a smile.

Gibbs was somewhat shocked at this new development. He had not been aware that Kate was currently seeing someone.

Kate saw the troubled look deep in the silver-haired man's eyes, and she instantly felt bad about not telling him about Andy.

"What were you saying...you were asking me something?" she said quietly, as she pulled away from Andy.

Gibbs was silent for a brief moment, but then he finally spoke up.

"N-nothing." he said quietly. "Just...you two have fun--I'll see you first thing Monday morning."

And with that Gibbs headed off towards the elevator.

Kate felt horrible. She knew that whatever it was he had been planning to say before Andy showed up, was really important to him. She felt like she had really hurt his feelings, and the timing couldn't have been better. They had just started to repair their 'friendship', but now she felt unsure if it would survive what they were putting it through.

"You ready?" Andy asked her at last.

"Y-Yeah. Sure." she said finally. She turned around, forced a smile for Andy, and then grabbed her things.

Then the two of them left.


...Andy's House...

It was late, just a little after 1:00 in the morning, and Kate couldn't sleep. She and Andy had had a wonderful supper, and afterward they had come back to his place for the night.

Kate was wearing nothing more than a t-shirt--a special, faded gray N.I.S. t-shirt.

She tiptoed up to the front of the house, and sat down on the sofa. She reached for her purse (which set on the coffee table in front of her). She knew it was late, but she also knew that he would be awake anyway.

She dialed Gibbs' cell number, and waited.


...Gibbs' Basement...

Gibbs was down in his basement working on the boat he was building.

On the workbench behind him set a glass tumbler and a bottle of bourbon.

He stopped sanding the strip he was working on when he heard his cell phone ringing. He turned to the workbench behind him, and stared at the cell phone.

On the third ring he picked it up, and looked down at the Caller ID--it said 'Kate'.

His eyes were moist and red.

He stared at it until it stopped, and then he laid it back down on the workbench.

He started back to his work, but then the phone started to ring again. He picked it up, and looked at the Caller ID. 'Kate' it read.

He opened the phone, and then closed it back--and then set it back down.


...Andy's Place...

"Gibbs-" the phone line went dead, and Kate closed her cell phone back up.

She laid down on the sofa, and curled up into a ball. She couldn't help but feel miserable about the way things had gone at the office earlier that evening.

She laid there on the sofa and quietly cried herself to sleep.


...Andy's Place/Next Morning...

It was early the next morning when Andy awoke, and found Kate sound asleep on the living room sofa.

Andy laid a hand on Kate's shoulder.

Kate roused up, and saw Andy squatting beside the sofa.

"Why are you out here?" Andy asked softly.

"Couldn't sleep I guess." she said, with a yawn.

Andy laid a hand, gently, against Kate's stomach.

"This little rascal keeping you up?" he asked, jokingly.

Kate chuckled. "I guess so." she said quietly.

"What time is it?" she asked.

Andy checked his watch.

"7:00." he replied.

Kate sat up straight on the sofa. "I'm gonna be late." she said, as she stood up.

"You don't have to go." Andy said, pulling the brunette into his arms. "We could both stay here, and hunker down for the day." he suggested, as he stole a kiss.

She giggled.

"We both have to work," she said. "Besides, Gibbs'll kill me if I call in." she told him, as she pulled away (with a smile).

Andy sighed.

"Fine." he said. "But, I'll see you tonight, right?"

"Maybe." she replied, with a small grin.

Then she headed off towards the bathroom for a shower.


...NCIS Headquarters...

Kate stepped of the elevator and headed for the bullpen. She was a half hour late already.

"Sorry I'm-" she started to say, as she stepped behind her desk.

"Gear up." Gibbs said, as he hung up his desk phone.

Everybody grabbed their packs, and watched Gibbs walk out from behind his desk. "DiNozzo. Get the car." Gibbs said, tossing Tony the keys.

"On it boss." Tony said, catching the keys in mid-air. He then headed off towards the elevator.

"Agent Todd, go get Ducky...you're riding with him." Gibbs said, as he passed by Kate's desk.

Kate was shocked. It had been a while since he'd referred to her by her last name. She also noticed a coldness in his voice.

"But Gibbs, I-" she started to protest.

"And don't be late next time." Gibbs added, over his shoulder.

McGee hurried by Kate, trying to keep up with Gibbs.


...Several Hours Later...

Kate just couldn’t get over how Gibbs had been treating her since she came into work earlier in the morning. She blamed herself--she knew she shouldn’t, but she did.

He had insisted, very arbitrarily, that he was being hard on her because she had been late for work; but she was convinced that it was because of the previous night.

Gibbs entered the squad room, and rounded the corner into the bullpen carrying two coffee cups.

He stopped at Kate’s desk, and set one of the cups down in front of the brunette.

Kate looked up at Gibbs.

“Thanks.” She said sweetly. “But I can’t have coffee.” She reminded him, somewhat confused by his renewed generosity.

“Its not coffee.” He told her. “Its ginger ale.”

Kate had had some ‘tummy trouble’ at the crime scene earlier, and he’d been concerned ever since.

“Thanks.” She said again, as she picked up the cup and took a long sip. It did feel good on her stomach--that much she could tell right away.

“So, about last night,” she started, referring to the conversation that Andy had unintentionally interrupted.

“It was nothing.” Gibbs replied, running a hand through his silvery hair.

“You sure?” she asked, cocking an eyebrow. “Seemed pretty important to me.” She added.

“Nah.” He said, as he shook his head. “Not really.”

In her mind, she could see the words that he had said just before being interrupted (by Andy), and it sounded like he was trying to maybe ask her out.

“I’m free tonight…ya know, if you wanna maybe do something.” She said quietly, looking up at Gibbs with hopeful eyes.

Gibbs thought silently for a moment.

“Well, if you wanna-“ he started to say.

RING! RING! RING!

Kate fished her cell phone out of her purse, and read the Caller ID�"it was Andy.

“Its him.” Gibbs guessed.

“I don’t have to take it now.” She said quickly. “Wha-What were you saying…again?” she tried to change the subject, but to no avail.

RING! RING! RING!

“Go ahead,” he said nodding to the cell phone with a weak smile. “Its alright.”

Kate watched as Gibbs walked back to his own desk, and she couldn’t help but notice the way his shoulders seemed to sag a little bit--as if in defeat.

She gave a small sigh, and then flipped open the cell phone’s cover.

“Yes,” she said quietly into the phone. “Hey. No, no I’m fine. No, really�"I’m fine.” She insisted.

“You sure?” Andy replied over the line. “After he called, and told me what happened--I went to the drug store and got you some medicine. He said it would help…ya know, without hurting the baby.”

“Who said it would help?” Kate asked, somewhat confused. “Who called you?”

“Oh, uh sorry.” Andy apologized. “Mr. Gibbs.” He told her.

Kate looked across the way at Gibbs sitting behind his own desk--staring at his computer screen.

‘He does care.’ She told herself.

“Hey boss,” McGee suddenly spoke up from the other side of the bullpen.

Gibbs looked up from his computer screen, and turned to face McGee.

“I think I’ve got something on our missing petty officer--Duncan Lane.” McGee informed his boss.

“Spill it.” Gibbs said, as he stood and walked towards the younger man's desk.

“No, I promise--I’m fine.” Kate insisted, in a sweet voice over the phone.

“Look I’ve got to go.” She told Andy over the phone. “Okay, talk to you later. Bye.”

She hung up her phone, stood up, and walked across the bullpen to where Gibbs, McGee, and Tony were now gathered in front of the plasma screen.

“Now, according to this,” McGee was explaining. “Petty Officer Lanes’ mother owns a small cabin…here.” He said pointing to a spot on a map that he had displayed on the plasma screen.

“You feeling better partner?” Tony asked, as Kate reached his side.

“Yeah, much better.” She replied.

Tony chuckled. “You gave us quite a show back at the crime scene.” Tony joked.

Kate blushed with embarrassment at the memory of the whole ordeal.

“I mean, you should have seen yourself.” Tony chuckled. “You were like-“
A hand appeared out of nowhere, and popped the Italian on the back of the head.

“Leave her alone, DiNozzo.” Gibbs said firmly, shooting the Italian a serious look.

“Right boss�"leaving her alone now.” Tony said quickly.

Kate couldn’t help but smile at how protective Gibbs was being.

“Go get the car, McGee.” Gibbs told the younger agent, with a small grin. “DiNozzo, print this out.”

“We goin’ on a trip, Boss?” Tony asked, looking up at his silver-haired boss.

“Yep.” Gibbs replied, as he headed for his desk across the way. “And McGee’s driving.” He added.

McGee looked up with shock and surprise.

“Me. Really?” He sputtered, nervously.

“Yep.” Gibbs replied. “You earned it--nice work by the way.” Gibbs added.

“What, but Boss--I always-“ Tony started to protest.

Gibbs shot Tony a warning look that stopped the younger man in his tracks.

“I’ll uh, I’ll just print out the map.” Tony said, as he back-pedaled towards the computer that McGee had been using.

Gibbs headed towards the elevator�"having retrieved his side-arm and badge from his desk drawer.

“What about me Gibbs?” Kate asked.

Gibbs pointed at the beautiful brunette’s desk across the way. “Park it.” He said firmly.

“What. Hell no�"I’m coming with you.” She protested.

Gibbs stopped in front of Kate, and without thinking gently cupped her cheek as he stared down at her.

“Please.” He begged her quietly. “With Petty Officer Lane’s background--this could be dangerous.” He insisted.

In that brief moment, as the silver-haired Ex-Marine touched her cheek, Kate could feel her heart soar higher than it had in a long while. And, though it only lasted a few seconds�"oh what a glorious few seconds it was.

“Kate,” Gibbs was saying her name. “What would Andy think of me�"if I let you go, and you got hurt. Hmm?” he posed the question, having removed his hand from her cheek.

She could tell by his body language that he was nervous about having
touched her, and that he hadn’t meant to.

“I guess you’re right.” She said at last. “Fine. I’ll stay�"but, I’m

going downstairs to see Abby.” She told him pointedly.

Gibbs shrugged, with a small grin.

“Whatever works.” He replied quietly, as he walked away.


...Abby's Lab/A Few Minutes Later...

Kate wandered into Abby's lab a few minutes later, and found her friend standing in front of the computer workstation--which was where the raven-haired Goth was usually found.

Abby heard footsteps behind her, and quickly spun around to face the intruder.

"Oh, God--Kate!" Abby gasped, clutching at her chest--startled by her friends' sudden appearance in the lab.

"Sorry Abs," Kate apologized, quietly. "Didn't mean to startle you."

Abby giggled.

"Don't be." Abby told her friend, with a grin. "A good fright every now and then is good for the heart." she said proudly.

Kate laughed at Abby.

"So what can I do for ya?" Abby asked.

"Nothing." Kate replied. "Just needed the company." she added.

"Gibbs, and the guys went to pick up Petty Officer Lane. Gibbs thinks it'll be too dangerous for me to go with them." Kate explained.

"Oh, well...glad I can be of assistance." Abby said, with a smile. "So how's the little soldier?" Abby asked, motioning to Kate's tummy.

"Oh, fine I guess." Kate replied, looking down at the tiny baby bump that was just barely visible through her clothes.

"You thinkin' boy...or girl?" Abby asked, as she moved about the lab checking on the different machines that she currently had running at the moment--as she was running some tests as per Gibbs' instructions.

"I dunno." Kate replied honestly, as she walked towards the small office at the back of the lab. "Whatever it is...it'll be mine, and that's all that matters." she added, a very soft, loving tone to her voice as she spoke.

Kate sat herself down in the chair by Abby's desk.

"Have you talked to Gibbs yet?" Abby asked

Abby walked into the office area. She knew that Gibbs was the father of Kate's baby--though she had been sworn to secrecy from the others by Kate.
"I've tried, Abs, I really have." Kate replied.

Abby lowered herself to the floor, and sat Indian-style in front of Kate.

"Talk to me."

"I don't know Abs." Kate said, with a sigh. "Every time we try to talk--there's always some kind of interruption, and I don't know...it kills the mood I guess."

Abby nodded quietly.

"Gibbs cares about you," Abby said, seriously. "You know that, right?"

Kate nodded.

"I know...but is it enough?"

"Kate, listen to me," Abby said, sitting up a little bit. "I believe that its all gonna work out--you'll see."








Chapter Four (Shocking Proposal) --

Kate waddled into the living room at Andy's house. It was early Saturday morning, and she was helping Andy pack his bag.

"Babe, I said I got it." Andy said, as he walked into the living room carrying his suitcase.

"I wanna help." Kate told him, as she grabbed his hygiene pouch off of the coffee table.

"I don't want you to over exert yourself." he told her.

"I think I'll be fine." she replied, shaking her head.

"Not if you keep it up with the 'sassy mouth' you won't be." Andy remarked.

"That a threat?" Kate asked, cocking an eyebrow at Andy, as she handed him his hygiene pouch.

"More like...a promise." he said, pulling her close and kissing her.

"Whatever." she giggled, as she playfully pushed him away.

Andy chuckled.

"You sure you'll be okay while I'm gone?" he asked.

Andy was leaving for a 5 day business trip in less than two hours, and he was kind of worried about leaving Kate alone for the duration of his absence.

"Positive." she replied confidently. "I'll be staying with Gibbs." she added.

"Well, if you insist." Andy said at last.

"Besides, I've got a whole list of things to do while you're away." she told him. "I've got a Doctor's appointment right after lunch time today, and then Gibbs said he would take me shopping, and Abby's planning a baby shower for tomorrow afternoon--plus a whole slew of other things that are just too numerous to mention...I'll be fine." she re-iterated.

"Alright." Andy said, with a sigh. "I guess I have no choice but to take your word for it."

Kate nodded victoriously.

"Want me to drop you off on my way to the airport?" he asked.

"No thanks," she told him, as he planted a gentle peck on the top of his nose. "Gibbs is picking me up in a little bit." she added.

"Okay."

A few minutes later Kate watched as Andy's car pulled out of the driveway, and then disappeared from sight down the street.

Kate looked down at her watch.

"I need to finish rustling up my things before Gibbs gets here." she said to herself.

Suddenly she felt a mild jab within her stomach--it startled her a little bit, but she soon regained her composure.

"Hey," she said, looking down at her six and a half months pregnant belly. "We talked about this, remember, you're not training for the Olympics...not yet anyway." She waited, but the baby seemed to have calmed down. "Thank you...mommy loves you, but playing soccer while you're still inside her is a no-no." she said, with a soft chuckle.

"Better get started." she told herself after a second or so more.

She spent several, several minutes gathering and packing up her things that she would need for the week.

"I think that's...everything." she said, pausing a moment to catch her breath.

"Being pregnant sure takes a lot out of ya." Kate mused to herself.

"Think I'll just sit down for a bit." she said, as she lowered herself down onto the nearby sofa.

...Several Minutes Later...

Gibbs jogged up the front steps of Andy's house, and rang the doorbell. He waited for a few minutes, but got no answer. He tried again.

Still nothing.

He blew out an exasperated sigh, as he moved over towards the nearby window.

He could see Kate sitting on the sofa--obviously lost in her own little world.

He tapped on the glass of the window just hard enough to get her attention.

The rapping sound at the window startled Kate out of the solitude of her inner most thoughts.

Gibbs watched as Kate stood up, and made her way to the front door.

She opened the front door, and found Gibbs waiting just outside.

"What kept ya?" he asked, as he stepped inside.

Kate felt another sharp jab in her abdomen.

"You okay?" Gibbs asked, upon seeing the surprised look on Kate's face.

"The baby kicked." she explained.

Gibbs nodded.

"You packed?" Gibbs asked.

"Yep, packed up and ready to roll." she replied, with a smile as she started to pick up her bags.

"Let me get those for ya." Gibbs offered, moving to her side.

...A Few Minutes Later...

Gibbs closed the trunk of his car, having finished loading up Kate's things, and then made his way around to the driver's side door.

He slid into the driver's seat, and closed the door.

"Ready?"

"I'm waitin' on you old man." Kate replied, with a smirk.

"Old, hunh?" Gibbs replied. "We'll see. Hospital first, right?"

"Yep." Kate replied, happily.

Kate laughed, as Gibbs put the car into drive and peeled out of the driveway--burning rubber as he pulled out onto the road.

This was the Gibbs that no one else knew but her.


...At The Hospital/An Hour Later...

Gibbs and Kate sat in the waiting room at the hospital about an hour later.

Kate was excited about this particular visit. The last time she came they had not been able to make-out the sex of the baby (due to the baby being in the wrong position in the womb).

"You will come back with me, right?" Kate asked anxiously.

"I dunno." Gibbs replied. "I'm not sure that's such a good idea." he added.

Kate looked at the silver-haired man for a moment.

"It'll be fun." she said playfully. "Trust me--it gets better every time."

Gibbs thought for a moment.

"We'll see." he told the brunette sitting in the chair beside him.

Kate looked away from Gibbs--her good mood somewhat dampened.

"Of course...if it really makes you 'that' uncomfortable--you don't have to come." she told him somberly, as she rubbed both hands gently up and down her belly.

Gibbs could hear the hurt in the brunette's voice.

He reached a hand over, and laid it gently against her belly.

"We'll there be popcorn served with this movie?" Gibbs asked, with a small grin.

The baby responded, from within the womb, and Gibbs' couldn't help but give a small chuckle.

'Boy, you sure are excited all of a sudden.' Kate thought silently. Gibbs still had his hand against her tummy, and suddenly she felt the baby kick a second time (it felt, to her, like an excited kind of kick).

A light bulb went off, suddenly, inside Kate's head.

'Wait, you know--don't you baby?' she thought to herself silently. 'You know that's your daddy.' her thoughts ran wild with excitement at the idea that her baby, while still in the womb, could tell who its father 'really' was.

Kate couldn't help but beam proudly.

A second or so later, a nurse stepped into the room holding a chart in her hand(s).

"Ms. Todd." the nurse called out the name on the chart.

Kate stood, with a little help from Gibbs, and together they walked towards the waiting nurse.

The nurse directed them down the hallway towards an open room.


...Examination Room/Hospital...

"Just make yourselves comfortable, and Dr. Kelly will be with you shortly." the nurse informed them.

"Thanks." Kate said, as she pulled herself up onto the examination table.

Gibbs took the chair that set just against the wall between the table and the door.

After a few minutes Kate could tell that Gibbs was a little uncomfortable--maybe even a little nervous.

"You okay over there?" she asked, with a little grin.

Gibbs shrugged. "Just never really been good with these kinds of things." he replied quietly.

"You'll be fine." Kate told him. "I hope we get to find out whether its a 'boy' or a 'girl'." she added, with a smile.

A minute or so later Dr. Kelly came into the room, and closed the door behind her.





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