---BOOM! Part Three---
Chapter Five--
(Several Hours Later)
The team stood around the grave site in Richmond Virginia, as what was supposed to be Arthur Kraczinsky's coffin was raised from below the ground.
"I'll never get used to digging up dead people." McGee commented as he looked on at the sight before him.
"If Gibbs is right," Tony started to say.
"And he usually is." Ziva added in.
"Our guy won't be in there." Tony finished. "And no one will have been disturbed." he added.
Gibbs cell phone rang from within his coat pocket. He fished it out, as he turned away from the noise, and answered it.
"Gibbs." he said into the receiver.
"Jethro," came Ducky's voice over the line, calm and even. "She's out of surgery."
"How is she?" Gibbs asked, as he stuck a finger into his open ear so that he could hear Ducky better.
"She's stable--for now." Ducky replied, clearing his throat a little bit.
"They moved her into ICU just a short while ago." he added. "Dr. Kelly said they wanted to keep a close eye on her, there, until she can at least breathe on her own again."
"Thanks Duck. Keep me posted." Gibbs said quietly.
"I will Jethro." Ducky replied.
"And Duck--try and get some rest too." Gibbs added.
"Easier said...than done I'm afraid."
Gibbs just gave a small chuckle before saying bye and then hanging up on the aging M.E.
"Alright. There she is!" called a voice, as the noise subsided.
Gibbs returned to the group a few seconds later.
"That's it!" Ziva said, with a frustrated tone, as she shifted uncomfortably in the Kevlar vest once again. "I'm taking this thing off." she said, as she opened up her over coat and began playing at the straps.
"Leave it be, Ziva." Gibbs said, as he pushed through the team.
"But Gibbs-" Ziva started to protest.
"Leave it...Be." he repeated, his voice rising only slightly.
"Come on. Let's open it up." Gibbs said, stepping past his team.
Within a few moments they had the casket open, and stood looking down into it at a decomposing corpse.
They could tell, even though the body was considerably decomposed, that it was not Kraczinsky.
"Well, at least its not our guy." McGee commented, pinching his nose shut between two fingers.
"Nope." Gibbs agreed, plainly.
"Then, who is it?" Ziva wondered aloud.
"Who knows?" Tony started to say.
Just then the cemetery worker who had been standing nearby looking over their shoulders into the casket gasped, and staggered backwards until he fell onto his butt in the grass.
"Must be his first time seeing something like this." McGee remarked.
"Not unless it was a delayed reaction." Tony said, as he moved towards the man.
"You alright?" Tony asked, kneeling down by the man.
"It-its him." the man stammered, finally.
"Him who?" Tony asked, quietly.
The man was silent for a moment as he stared off into the distance--his eyes beginning to mist up.
"R-Ray Larsen...my brother." he said, at last--tears welling up in his eyes.
"How do you know?" Ziva asked. She had moved over to the two men, to offer her assistance.
The man looked up at Ziva.
"On h-his left arm...my brother wore a gold watch." the man said, referring to the watch that the corpse was wearing. "On the back...its engraved 'Time is as precious as gold'." he told them.
"McGee!" Tony called over his shoulder. "Our...err...'friend' over there is wearing a watch."
"Yeah." McGee said, leaning slightly closer to verify Tony's statement.
"Look on the back--does it say anything?"
"Aw man." McGee whined as he slid on a pair of latex gloves, and began to maneuver the watch/wrist into a position where he could see the back. "Oh, this is so gross." he mumbled to himself.
"Okay--it says 'Time is as precious as Gold'." McGee said, reading the inscription on the back of the watch.
Tony and Ziva looked at each other, for a brief moment, and then Tony shouted over his shoulder to his silver-haired boss.
"Hey Boss!" Tony called over his shoulder. "We know who our 'friend' in the coffin is." Tony informed Gibbs.
--Back At The Hospital A Few Hours Later--
Ducky had finally drifted off to sleep--the last several hours of excitement had finally taken its toll on the aging M.E.--but peaceful sleep did not come easily.
Scenes from the past played through Ducky's subconscious as he lay slumbering in his hospital bed. Most of them were of a pretty, blonde-haired lady (who was only slightly younger than Ducky at the time).
The woman's name was Sharon Wright. She and Ducky had been dating for some time when the original Kraczinsky case had found its way into NCIS' lap.
Sharon had retired from the Navy, and had been recruited by NCIS shortly thereafter. She also had begun taking extra night school classes as a way of 'expanding her horizons'--as she had once said to Ducky--in her spare time. She and Ducky became instant friends, and soon fell in love shortly after. Sharon had been so full of energy when they'd met, and so full of life--even in her later years--and Ducky had never been so taken with anyone else like her before in his entire life. Ducky had been planning to propose to her, but sadly she became one of Kraczinsky's victims before he got the chance to do so.
Ducky had been heartbroken by her death, and had felt anger and rage towards the man who had taken her from him. He had never forgiven Kraczinsky--after all how could he?
(DREAM SEQUENCE ONE)
Ducky and Sharon were sitting on the sofa at her house one evening--after having enjoyed a lovely meal that Ducky, himself, had prepared just for the two of them. They were, now, laughing at a joke/story that Ducky had just finished telling.
"That is the silliest thing I have ever heard." she said, still laughing somewhat. Her laughter was sweet and melodic like the sweetest music you could imagine.
"And true." Ducky added. "All true."
Ducky could not keep his eyes off of the lovely woman who sat next to him.
Her hazel-colored eyes glistening in the dim-light of the living room.
"Ah, Sharon--you make this old man feel absolutely young again." Ducky said, lovingly.
"Oh Donald," she chuckled. "You're making me blush again." she said, slightly turning away (somewhat jokingly).
"It looks...lovely on you." he said, softly.
(DREAM SEQUENCE TWO)
Gibbs and Ducky stood in the squad room late one evening talking, while Gibbs gathered up his things to head home for the night.
Ducky was showing Gibbs a shiny, new engagement ring that he had just bought recently.
"Think she'll like it?" Ducky asked his friend.
"I dunno," Gibbs replied, with a half-way grin, as he stood and picked up his coat. "Why don't ya ask her, Duck." he added.
"Jethro...I know the whole age difference between the two of us is well--considerable, but I'd like you to be my 'best man'...at the wedding I mean." Ducky rambled, nervously.
"Duck," Gibbs chuckled, as he reached over and turned out his desk light. "She hasn't even said 'yes' yet." he told his friend, as the two of them walked towards the elevator.
"Yes...I know, but--will you do it. Jethro?"
"Sure Duck. I'll do it." Gibbs said, as he slapped the button on the wall next to the elevator.
(DREAM SEQUENCE THREE)
It was night time when Ducky's car pulled up into Sharon Wright's driveway. The still night was shaken by the flashing lights and blaring sirens of squad cars and paramedics blocking the entrance to the house.
Ducky was confused by the sight, but as he exited his car a sudden, sickening feeling settled over him.
He walked, quickly, towards the commotion.
An officer stopped him, before he could actually make his way past a string of yellow crime scene tape stretched out across the doorway.
"Sir. You can't be here right now." the officer said, holding Ducky back.
"Why not? What's happened?" he asked, the questions spilling out of his mouth faster than he'd thought they would. "Sharon!" he called out past the officer--in the direction of the house/door.
"Sir--this is a crime scene." The officer said, ignoring Ducky's questions. "The bomb-squad is still sweeping the area for-"
"Bomb-Squad!" Ducky repeated aloud, panic sweeping over him. "Wh-where's Sharon!?" "I need to see her!" Ducky demanded, stammering over his words. "Sharon!" he called out again.
"Sir...Please!" the officer said, struggling against Ducky--who was fighting to get past the officer in his way.
Just then a pair of EMT's came walking their way with a stretcher with a black body bag on it between them.
Ducky gasped, as the officer moved him aside as the two EMT's pushed past them headed for the ambulance waiting for them out in the yard.
Ducky struggled against the officer's hold, and then finally broke free. He bounded towards the two EMT's in a hurry--calling after them.
"Wait!" he called as he ran up to them.
They stopped, and looked at Ducky.
Ducky grabbed the zipper on the body bag and pulled it down a little ways so that he could just see inside.
"Oh God...No." Ducky shuddered at the sight. "Sharon, No." his voice was shaky as he spoke now.
"Sorry." the second EMT offered, as they resumed their course towards the waiting ambulance.
The officer reappeared at Ducky's side.
"We're going to do everything we can to find-" the officer started to say.
"NO!" Ducky said at last, rather harshly. "She's--she's Navy." Ducky told them, as the officer helped him back up to his feet.
"Sir-" the officer began to say.
"Let me be!" Ducky snapped, pulling away from the officer. "I need to find a phone."
(DREAM SEQUENCE FOUR)
The automatic doors to autopsy slid open, and Jethro Gibbs stepped through them. He stopped short when he saw his older friend.
Ducky was sitting at his desk staring blankly at the slightly opened black, body bag still setting on the steel slab.
"Duck." he said finally, speaking softly, as he walked towards the older man.
"She's gone...Jethro." Ducky said, without looking at his silver-haired friend. "Sharon's-" Ducky said, choking up, as he looked down at the opened ring-box that he held in one hand.
Gibbs knew, all-to-well, about Ducky's plan to propose to Sharon.
"Duck." Gibbs said, soothingly, as he crossed the floor to comfort his aging friend. "I can get someone else to do the autopsy." Gibbs offered quietly, as he pulled up a nearby stool for himself to sit on.
"No," Ducky said, with a sniffle. "I 'want' to be the one." Ducky added, with another sniffle.
He placed an arm around his friend and patted him gently on the back. "We'll get the bastard that did this." Gibbs said quietly into the old man's ear (as Ducky sobbed quietly against his shoulder). "I promise." he added, remembering the same promise he'd made to himself after the death of his own wife and daughter.
Gibbs knew exactly how the older man felt. He too had had someone he loved snatched away from him several years before. His wife, Shannon, and their daughter, Kelly.
(END OF DREAM SEQUENCE)
Chapter Six--
Back at NCIS headquarters the team was busy processing the new information that they had uncovered in Richmond, Virginia a few hours before-hand.
"Tell me something I don't know." Gibbs said, as he rounded the corner into the bullpen with a fresh cup of coffee in hand.
"Well our guys' story checks out." Tony said, looking up from a file folder he held in his hand.
He was standing over Ziva's desk.
"He's really shaken up by all of this." Ziva added.
"Well yeah." Tony remarked. "His only brother survives a bout with cancer only to go missing 6 months later, and then magically reappears in a 'dead guys' coffin at the cemetery where he works--I'd be pretty shaken up too." Tony remarked.
Ziva rolled her eyes at Tony.
"Anything else?" Gibbs asked, as he set his coffee cup down on his desktop.
"I did some checking, Boss-" McGee spoke up from the other side of the room. "-Figured if Kraczinsky did fake his own death while in prison...he'd need help."
"Does seem 'logical' Mr. Spock." Tony said mockingly, doing his best Shatner impersonation. "Please continue."
McGee rolled his eyes at Tony from across the room. "Ha ha." he said, halfheartedly.
Gibbs shot Tony a look.
"Sorry Boss--shutting up now."
"Don't stop McGee-" Gibbs said, looking up from his desk. "Keep going."
"Yes...anyway, so yeah I checked prison employee records, and found this guy--Dillon Williams."
An image flashed up onto the plasma screen at the center of the bullpen.
Everyone got up and moved in for a closer look.
"What about him?" Gibbs asked.
"Well, it says here that Williams traded shifts with one Harry Nelson, the guy originally scheduled to work the night that Kraczinsky supposedly died, which is weird because according to these work logs he never worked Friday nights--just the one." McGee informed the rest of the team.
"Does sound a bit suspicious." Ziva commented.
"Want us to go have a chat with Mr. Williams, Boss?" Tony asked.
"As long as Ziva doesn't take off her vest." Gibbs said, turning back towards his own desk.
"What!? But Gibbs-" Ziva started to protest.
"You heard me." Gibbs said plainly. "Keep it on."
"McGee, go with them." Gibbs said, pointing towards Tony and Ziva who were already gathering up their gear.
"Right." McGee said, as he jumped up and grabbed his things.
"What about you?" Tony asked Gibbs.
"I'm going to the hospital." Gibbs replied. "Check in if you find anything...useful."
"You got it Boss." Tony replied.
After that the team headed out of the squad room.
--Later At The Hospital--
Gibbs walked down the hospital hallway slowly. He soon found himself standing in the doorway to Abby's room. When he looked inside there was a man sitting in a chair beside Abby's bed. A man he did not recognize.
Gibbs cleared his throat loud enough for the man to hear.
The man looked back over his shoulder at Gibbs.
"Can I help you?" the man asked.
"Depends." Gibbs replied quietly and plainly.
"On what?" the man asked.
"Depends on who you are." Gibbs said.
"Me. I am Anton Dubois." the man replied, as he stood up.
Gibbs didn't move...didn't even blink.
"How do you know Abby?" Gibbs asked, cautiously.
"How do I know Abby!?" the man started to say, a little shocked and a little confused. "Do you not know? She is my fiancee." the man told Gibbs.
"She never told me." Gibbs said, plainly.
The man stared at Gibbs for a beat, and then a look of realization crossed his face.
"You must be him--the one she told me about." the man said, pointing in Gibbs' direction. "You are Leroy Gibbs--are you not?"
"Yeah." Gibbs replied. "The one and only." he added, very plainly and quietly.
The man turned back to look at his beloved fiancee.
"She said you were the only one she had not spoken to." Anton told Gibbs. "Said she was...afraid."
"Afraid." Gibbs repeated quietly, really more to himself than anything else.
"How...why did this happen to her?" Anton suddenly asked, holding one of Abby's hands between his own two hands.
Gibbs wasn't sure what to say. Hell, the truth was he wasn't really sure of a lot of things right then in that particular moment.
Gibbs shrugged, a pained expression on his face.
"I wish I knew." Gibbs said quietly.
"Please, Agent Gibbs," Anton said, without looking up. "Find whoever did this to my...our Abby." he pleaded, quietly.
"I intend to." Gibbs assured him.
Just then Gibbs' cell phone began to ring, and he quickly fished it out of his pocket.
"Gibbs." he said into the receiver, as he turned away from Anton.
"What!?" he nearly screamed, as he stepped back out into the hallway.
"Ziva's been shot." Tony repeated.
------To Be Continued in Part Four------
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