Disclaimer: I don't own ‘I Never Promised You a Rose garden' Artist/Band: Martina McBride Lyrics for Song: Rose Garden Lyrics for Album: Timeless. I do not know who the composers couldn't find it. But not mine.
A/N: This is the last chapter I'm sad to say! Well the sequel that will combine NCIS/Numb3ers/and Criminal Minds. Coming soon to a fanfic form near you!
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Chapter 9: We'll meet again…I have no doubt.
Kristy was going to kill Timothy McGee slowly and painfully glaring at the man who was now scuffing the two of his shoe against the curb and refusing to meet her gaze. Finally Ziva took pity on her and took the gage out of her mouth.
"McGee, you son-of-a-bitch I'm going to kill you!" she hissed. Gibbs fought the urge to roll his eyes. Ziva on the other hand just laughed. Ziva was in a much better mood now that her flu was pretty much gone. She grumbled when Kristy fought her as she tried to drag her to the waiting car, but the stubborn woman was busy trying to attack McGee. Ziva had just gotten the stubborn Agent under control when a loud crack echoed through the area along with a cry of pain. Ziva lost her balance when Kristy collapsed and fell with her.
Gibbs automatically crouched down behind the car and returned fire at the masked assailant. He grunted when a bullet struck him in the shoulder. Pain seared down his arm but continued to return fire. He watched as the man jerked when a bullet connected with his chest. When the gun fell from the man's hand Gibbs was already out from behind the car and half way across the street. Kicking the gun away he crouched down using his uninjured hand to check for a pulse. He found none. Pulling off the ski mask he sighed it was definitely the man from the picture. The only differnce was the lifeless blue eyes.
"GIBBS!" McGee yelled from his position next to Ziva his hands were pressed against Kristy. The older man's blue eyes widened as he noticed the thick crimson blood that was flowing from the Agent's side. Numbly he reached for the radio clipped to his belt.
"Agent down; Agent down!" he heard his own voice yell and the static reply from the dispatcher. His feet moved of their own accord as he crouched down next to McGee. Kristy gazed at him with pain laced eyes.
"Why couldn't you just trust me?" she hissed in pain before she passed out. The gentle rise and fall of her chest showed she was alive. She would be fine and now she hated him.
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Tick tock tick tock. The sound was really beginning to drive him crazy. Tony sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face.
"How did this happen?" Kate demanded as she paced the length of the carpeted waiting room floor.
"I happened." McGee muttered bitterly from his place staring out the window.
Abby sighed "Timmy it wasn't your fault." Tim snorted shocking Abby for a moment.
"Who in this room actually believes that?" Tim hissed. Tony's eyebrows shot up. He had never heard the Probie so self-loathing before. Its not like he put the gun up to her side and pulled the trigger.
"Tim." Abby began again but Tony laid a hand on her arm and shook his head.
"Leave him be Abbs."
Abby relented for the time being and took to gnawing on her nails. Tony sighed as Kate continued her pacing. Kate didn't get nervous easily but when she was she never sat still. As if constantly doing something would make the clock tick any faster. Both Gibbs and Kristy were in surgery had been for almost an hour. Ziva was twisting a magazine as a way to relive her frustration.
"Someone should call Kristy's uncle." Kate said suddenly and stopped pacing.
"Colby already called him." Tony interjected.
Kate frowned "Why would Colby call him?"
"He and David took over the scene." Ziva shrugged and continued to mutilate her magazine. Kate nodded seemingly excepting the answer and started pacing again. "What if something happens to them?" Abby questioned thickly. The room was silent as if everyone was pondering how disastrous this could turn out. Ducky was the one to come to his sense first. "Gibbs is strong Abigail. I'm sure he'll be fine and Kristy she's too stubborn to go out like this. They'll be fine dear." He smiled softly and patted her shoulder. Once again silence engulfed the room.
Tick tock tick tock tick.
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"Where is my niece?" Larry Fleinhardt demanded as he Megan, Don, Charlie, and Alan entered the small waiting area.
Tony was the first to respond. "She's still in surgery." Larry shook his head as his eyes once again filled with tears.
"I knew this was going to happen. Why the hell couldn't she just listen and become a psychology professor, or stuck with dancing? Why did she have to be an agent?" he demanded of no one in particular as he paced the room along side Kate.
"She's a good Agent." Jenny Sheppard piped in. Larry paid her no heed and continued to pace and rant to himself. Megan propped her feet up on a near by chair her face contouring. Oh no not now Megan thought as the cramping intensified. Like they didn't have enough going on. Settling back in the chair she prayed it was only the four burritos she had for lunch.
Abby frowned and raised an eyebrow and gaped "You're not in labor are you?" Abby asked and that stopped Larry dead in his tracks.
"No." Megan denied although nature had other ideas as a wet spot began to form on her maternity pants. "Well that answers that question." Abby mumbled.
"Oh God we need to get you to a hospital!" Larry cried trying to pull his wife from his seat. Charlie shook his head "You're already in a hospital." He reminded the older man.
"Right." Larry nodded and ran in search of a nurse. When he returned he had a nurse in light pink scrubs following behind him pushing a wheelchair.
After Larry had Megan situated he let the young nurse steer her toward the bank of elevators. "I want a report as so as she gets out of surgery." Larry stated softly and Charlie nodded then the older man turned slowly and followed his wife.
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"Suction." Dr. Ginger said to the nurse next to him. The nurse did as she was asked and the surgeon continued his search for the wayward bullet. The man on his table was giving him more problems than he ever dreamed possible. His blood pressure kept see-sawing his heart rate seemed to do the same.
The man before him had lost a significant amount of blood by refusing to be treated by the paramedics and insisted on driving himself to the hospital. Where he tried to enter the waiting area only to be drug into a curtained off area by a very determined nurse. Although by then he had left a trail of blood from the parking lot all through the ER. He had lost at least two pints of blood.
As it was he was going to need a transfusion. Thankfully one of his agents had been a match and had donated blood to her stubborn boss.
"BP's falling."
"Heart rates declining we're losing him!" another nurse called just before a loud wail sounded through the room.
"He's in V-Fib!"
"Start compressions; Brenda bring in the crash cart." He ordered. Brenda wordlessly handed over the paddles and squirted jell on the surface.
"Charging one hundred jewels!" he said as he lowered the paddles "Clear." He ordered and shocked his heart.
"Nothing!" Millicent yelled from her position.
"Charging two hundred jewels. Clear!" again Gibbs' body convulsed and the monitors kept sounding.
"Charging three hundred jewels! Clear!" his body convulsed once more and a small blip sounded through the room.
"Sinus rhythm's back. Heart rates climbing." Millicent smiled.
Dr. Ginger sighed "Welcome back Mr. Gibbs."
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When Derrick Ginger stepped out of the OR he was just glad his patient hadn't died on the table. Granted Mr. Gibbs was not out of the woods yet, but it was a start. Walking toward the waiting area he sighed when he saw the looks of worry on the occupants faces.
"Good afternoon, I'm Derrick Ginger I'm looking for the family of…" he paused and glanced down at the metal chart in his hand, "L.J. Gibbs."
"Me! Abby Sciuto, is he alright?!" she demanded seizing the doctor by his lab coat.
"Well Miss. Sciuto, this chart lists a Jennifer Sheppard as the emergency contact." Derrick paused, "Is she present?" he questioned.
"I'm Jenny." The red head nodded.
"Miss. Sheppard if I may have a moment." He asked gesturing out into the hall. Jenny shook her head and held up her hand. "No we're all family here."
"Alright, Mr. Gibbs made it through surgery, but there were some complications. He crashed on the table, but we were able to stabilize him. We have him on an IV that is running more blood into his system. He is by no means out of the woods. The next few hours are crucial." He sighed. Abby let out a wail and buried her head on Tony's shoulder and Kate did the same with the other.
Jenny paled and sat back in her chair. Her eyes clouded with tears. "What are his chances?" she asked softly.
"As long as everything goes well tonight. Then I'm completely confident he'll make a full recovery." Derrick answered and stood from his seat.
"Can we see him?" Abby questioned softy. Dr. Ginger shook his head sadly.
"He's listed in critical condition only family is allowed."
"But we are family!" Abby shrieked and Derrick sighed.
"Only immediate family is permitted." He smiled sadly.
"What about Kristy?" Don questioned from his seat in between Charlie and his father. Derrick paused. "I believe Dr. Selby is performing her surgery." He answered before his pager started beeping. "Excuse me." He murmured and quickly left in search of a phone. Abby sighed and swiped at the tears that rolled steadily down her face. When the hell did everything become so complicated?
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Colby Granger was at his wits end. When he and David had arrived at the scene they had immediately been meet by the coroner. Apparently the elder man found the deceased's car keys and was now searching for the car himself. David had been able to calm the older man down and get him to perform the pre-limb on the corpse. He had found the car with very little trouble thanks to the panic button on the key ring. Although what he found in the car had not been encouraging.
No it had angered him. Ever since Kristy had dropped back into his life he had been thrown for a loop. Here was the woman who was now becoming a little sister to him, and no one messed with his little sister. The pictures of the whole Kate and Kristy littered the back seat but the ones on the passenger seats made his hair stand on end.
Pictures of Don, Gibbs, McGee, and Tony had been they were paper clipped together and a small blue note that said ‘targets'. This must have meant Kristy being shot was a mistake. Galloway was going after threats to his ultimate plan. He wanted Kate and Kristy and these four men stood in his way.
Sighing he let David take the pictures from him and slip them into evidence bags. He was glasd this SOB was dead.
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Dr. Robert Selby sighed as he made a few notes on his patients chart. Christina had made through surgery with out complications. Looking though her chart he looked for her emergency contact. Noting the name he deposited the chart in the wall slot outside the patient's room and headed for the waiting area. When he reached the small room he found it filled to capacity.
"I'm Dr. Selby I……" he was able to get out before he was cut off.
"How's Kristy?" McGee demanded shouldering away from the window.
"I'm looking for a Dr. Donald Mallard." He finished ignoring the man's question for the time being.
"I'm he." Ducky raised his hand, "Please young man speak freely were all family here." Robert nodded and claimed a vacant seat.
"Miss. Madison is doing well. She made it through surgery with out complication I expect her to make a full recovery." The young doctor smiled.
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I beg your pardon I never promised you a rose garden
Along with the sunshine there's gotta be a little rain sometime
When you take you gotta give so live and let live and let go
oh oh oh oh I beg your pardon I never promised you a rose garden
"There's no heel leads in Latin dancing." Kristy chided from her seat in the small club. Gibbs was next to her fiddling with his stiff blue sling. After two weeks in the hospital both of them had been released much to the nurses' pleasure. It was no secret neither of the two injured people lied to be coddled. Now everything was seemingly back to normal the NCIS team was scheduled to fly out of LAX the following morning. This was their good-bye dinner of sorts. Kate chuckled from her seat next to Tony as they watched Toby try to teach Charlie how to do the Cha-Cha-cha.
I could promise you things like big diamond rings
But you don't find roses growin' on stalks of clover
So you better think it over
Well, if sweet talking you could make it come true
I would give you the world right now on a silver platter
Kristy Madison took the time to think back over the past few weeks. Relationships such as Tony and Kate's had blossemed while her's flared but ultimetly failed. Somehow in her bones she knew she would be back here again one day, but deep down she knew that her brief 'romance', if it could even be called that, with Don was over. In retrospect she knew it was doomed to fail but that still didn't make it any less painfull. She had fallen in love with the man twice and had ended up with a shartted heart yet again. Yes, tonight her dream of being with Don would fade into the back of her mind. Never to resurface again.
But what would it matter
So smile for a while and let's be jolly love shouldn't be so melancholy
Come along and share the good times while we can
Megan and Larry had opted to stay home and had said their good-byes before hand. Now that little Aurora was born they couldn't leave her with a sitter so soon. Kristy had told her Aurora was named by her father after the aurora borealis not that she found that very far fetched.
I beg your pardon I never promised you a rose garden
Along with the sunshine there's gotta be a little rain sometime
I beg your pardon I never promised you a rose garden
The sounds of laughter coming from her co-workers warmed her heart. Only days before they had been on the edge of their seat with worry over Gibbs' condition, but once again the stubborn bastard in him won. Now it seemed Gibbs and Jenny had rekindled an old romance. Not that she was in any way surprised.
I could sing you a tune and promise you the moon
But if that's what it takes to hold you I'd just as soon let you go
But there's one thing I want you to know
You'd better look before you leap still waters run deep
And there won't always be someone there to pull you out
And you know what I'm talking about
So smile for a while and let's be jolly love shouldn't be so melancholy
Come along and share the good times while we can
In away this seemed like a good-bye, but deep down Caitlin Todd knew this group would be together again. She had absolutely no doubts.
I beg your pardon I never promised you a rose garden
Along with the sunshine there's gotta be a little rain sometime...
I beg your pardon I never promised you a rose garden
Along with the sunshine there's gotta be a little rain sometime.
Sequal called Howling Winds of Change
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.