The scene at Bethesda's trauma unit can only be described as organized chaos. Ducky stands in the middle of the trauma unit and watches as 3 teams of doctors and nurses work on the 3 unconscious patients that have just been brought in. He makes his way over to Kate's cubicle, as he sees how vulnerable and afraid she is.
"Ducky!!" Kate whimpers as he hugs her.
"Calm down Caitlin. We're here now and the doctors will do everything they can to help them." Ducky says as they see the nurses rushing between the other 3 beds with saline bags and all types of tube and IV lines.
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"He's BP is low at 90 over 40 and he is in hypovolemic shock." a nurse in Gibbs's cubicle shouts.
"At this rate, he could arrest at any moment." Another nurse says causing Ducky and Kate to tense up even more.
"Clear his airway and intubate him." Another nurse says as she hands the airway management and respiratory equipment across to a nurse who is standing next to Gibb's head. Once the respiratory tube is in place, Dr Walters shouts, "Hook up 1600ml blood and 800ml crystalloids and let's get him into the OR now."
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In Tony's cubicle they hear a nurse shout, "I'll get a full blood workup stat. We have to stop this infection in its tracks if we want to avoid any further tissue damage."
"His fever is 103. He's dehydrated and could convulse if we don't replace his fluids soon." another nurse says.
"Start him on fluids with a course of minoxidil. Hurry people, we need to drain that blister. I need an OR prepped now." a Dr Cooper orders.
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"Dr Shore, she has a swelling on her left temple. Her pupils are dilated and her pressures low." A nurse states in Sash's cubicle.
"Stabilize the bleeding and hook up a pint of blood and crystalloids. Then get me a CT scan stat. We won't be able to operate on her if she has cranial swelling." Dr Shore states as she comes out to check on Kate.
"Agent Todd, how are you doing?" Dr Shore asks as she starts examining Kate.
"Are they going to be okay?" Kate asks ignoring the doctor's question.
Dr Shore looks back at the 3 cubicles and says, "They have the best teams in the hospital working on them. Now let's see how you're doing."
"My shoulder's worse then my thigh. I also have a migraine." Kate replies as she and Ducky see Gibbs and Tony being rushed out of the trauma unit and taken toward the OR's.
"We'll need to have x-rays taken of your shoulder. The stitches on your thigh are very neat and you probably won't even have a scar. Who ever did it did a really good job. We'll just redress this. The headache is due to the strain in your shoulder." Dr Shore states as she instructs a nurse to take Kate to the radiology department. As Kate takes a seat on a wheelchair, she and Ducky see Sasha being wheeled to radiology ahead of them.
Ducky stays with Kate and as Dr Shore waits for the CT scan results she looks over Kate's x-rays.
"Kate, you have a hairline fracture in your scapula bone here." Dr Shore says as she points to the x-ray. "We're not going to put it in a cast but we will immobilize it. I want to keep you over night and give you a course of anti inflammatory. It will help with the pain and the discomfort.
"Okay." Kate replies too exhausted and worried to protest.
"CT scan doctor." A nurse says as she hands it to Dr Shore.
After looking it over, Dr Shore sighs in relief. "Prep OR 4. We can go ahead with the surgery. There's no hemorrhaging or hair line fractures. It looks like the swelling's more superficial them life threatening." Dr Shore states for the benefit of Kate and Ducky.
"Doctor, please ask someone to keep us informed about Agent Gibbs, Agent DiNozzo and Lt Martin's conditions." Ducky insists, as they wait for a nurse to get Kate admitted and taken to a ward.
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The drive back to Washington seems never ending to Abby.
"McGee, drive faster. I need to be with them!" Abby shouts for the tenth time. McGee does not respond and that leads to Abby hitting him on his arm again.
"Abby, stop it. I'm driving as fast as I can and I'm just as worried about them. We'll be there within the next hour. So please just calm down." McGee says.
"They have to be okay, McGee. They just have to." Abby says as tears stream down her face. The phone call to Ducky a few minutes early revealed that Gibbs, Tony and Sasha were in surgery and Kate would be spending the night at the hospital due to the inflammation in her shoulder.
Stacey observes the two people in front of her as she holds Jason close and caresses his head. They are so close, these people. Almost like family. It must have been so difficult for you to deceive them and then to watch as they were injured. And what about Agent Gibbs? What is your relationship with him? Stacey wonders as she remembers how Sasha insisted that Gibbs needed to be treated first and how she stared at Gibbs as he lay unconscious on the ground. Sasha have you developed feeling for Agent Gibbs? Stacey wonders as she sighs and closes her eyes praying that all of them will come out of this okay.
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A few minutes later Kate is wheeled into a large ward with 4 beds. She opts to take the bed closest to the window. As the nurse helps her out of her shorts and t-shirt and into a hospital gown, Kate thinks about Tony. DiNozzo you better be okay! She thinks with tears in her eyes as she remembers how he carried her out of the hole that she had fallen into. The nurse places Kate's arm into a sling to limit movement and then hooks her up to a saline bag and a course of anti-inflammatories. On Ducky's insistence the nurse also gives Kate a painkiller with a mild sedative.
Once Kate is settled into bed, Ducky convinces her to have something to eat. She protests that she is not hungry and only manages to eat half a chicken mayo sandwich. Then she and Ducky sit in silence waiting for news. As the sedative starts to take effect, Kate falls into an exhausted sleep. Just then an OR nurse approaches Ducky and asks him to join her outside.
"Do you have news about Agent Gibbs and DiNozzo? And how is Lt Martin doing?" Ducky asks anxiously.
"Dr Mallard, Agent DiNozzo's in recovery and will be moved to the ICU shortly. The blister was drained and we have him on a broad spectrum antibiotic. He should be up shortly if you would like to see him." The nurse says as she leads Ducky towards the ICU.
"And Agent Gibbs?" Ducky asks.
"He is still in surgery. I'm afraid there have been some complications." The nurse says as she leads Ducky to a seat in the ICU waiting room.
"Oh dear! What kind of complications?" Ducky asks in a shaky voice as all types of scenarios play through his mind.
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