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Tony was driving faster than usual and he knew that that was probably not a good idea, considering that there was a blizzard going on outside and visibility had been reduced to a maximum of 10 yards. But Tony didn't care just then because he was angry, very angry. He'd done an excellent job of covering up his feelings at the office, laughing and joking in front of Ziva and McGee. But Gibbs shouldn't have spoken to him like that, especially not in front of the rest of the team. After all he was Gibbs' senior field agent!
How am I ever going to gain the team's respect if Gibbs keeps reprimanding me like that in front of them!
-----------------------------------------------
Tony was so pre-occupied with his own thoughts that he didn't notice the dark SUV tailing him. The handsome, medium built man in the SUV was glad that Agent DiNozzo was finally on his own and out in the open. He had thought that Tony would be heading home as it was already after 9pm. But no! Agent DiNozzo was heading to the outskirts of town.
This is even better than anything I could have planned. Thank you DiNozzo, for making this so much easier for me, the man grinned as he overtook Tony and sped up, so that he would be a few miles ahead of Tony.
-------------------------------------------------
Damn it, did this crime scene have to be so far out of town and did I have to do this on the coldest night of this year?! Tony groaned in frustration as he headed for the crime scene. As he sped along the winding, slippery roads he thought back to the events of that afternoon.
-------------------------------------------------
ìDiNozzo! Stop messing around and start sketching!î Gibbs growled as he pulled the collar of his NCIS Jacket up, to ward of the cold.
ìBut Boss!î Tony moaned.
ìBut nothing! Either focus on the case or get the hell off my crime scene.î Gibbs shouted and than he glared at Samantha Crowley, a local LEO who had called the crime in. She was standing next to Tony, practically throwing herself at him.
Tony gave her an apologetic smile and said, ìThank you for the information. I'll aah, call you if I need anything else.î
ìCall any time, even if what you need has nothing to do with this caseÖî Samantha replied in a husky voice, before walking away.
Tony watched the sway of her hips and grinned ëOh babe, I will definitely be calling you!'
ìDiNozzo!î Gibbs growled again, totally loosing his patience.
ìOn it Boss!î Tony replied as he focused on the crime scene. He removed his gloves despite the cold and started sketching the scene.
A Lt. Ethan Johnson was lying face down in the snow, in a ditch next to Freeway 74. This was a treacherous stretch of road, all curvy and windy, made worse by the steady snow fall over the last couple of days. His car was lying on its side a few feet away. Initial indications were that he had misjudged a curve in the road and lost control of the car. As the car capsized, he was flung out and landed in an awkward position, which snapped his neck.
ìDone yet, DiNozzo!î Gibbs growled as he came up behind Tony.
Tony jerked and spun around, ìDone, Boss.î He replied as he closed the sketch pad.
ìSo what you waiting for? Help McGee to bag and tag! Do I have to tell you everything?î Gibbs growled as he walked away from Tony.
McGee looked up at him and Tony just grinned, even though he was starting to find it hard to just shrug off Gibbs' comments. He placed the sketch pad on a rock at the side of the crime scene intending to collect it when they cleared the scene.
And that was the biggest mistake that he could have made, because he all but forgot to grab that stupid sketch pad as they left the scene. So back in the office, Gibbs' mood deteriorated moving from mild annoyance to down right fury.
ìYou what?î Gibbs growled.
ìI may have left the sketch pad at the scene.î Tony cringed, waiting for Gibbs to smack the back of his head. But Gibbs didn't even lift his hand and that scared DiNozzo more then anything else.
ìGreat! If only all agents operated like you. Why, then we would be leaving evidence behind at every crime scene. And what the hell, we could even leave the God damn body's behind! What do you say DiNozzo? Should we start operating like that from now onwards.î Gibbs asked as he threw his hands up in the air.
ìBoss, I'm sor..î Tony tried to apologize stunned and hurt by Gibbs' tirade.
ìShut up DiNozzo! This is a first strike against you. You mess up again and you're off my team!î Gibbs threatened as he brushed past Tony, mumbling something about needing coffee. Ziva and McGee, who had initially been enjoying Tony's discomfort were suddenly taken aback by Gibbs' threat.
ìTony, Gibbs is just in a bad mood. He didn't mean that.î McGee quickly said as he glimpsed the stricken look on Tony's face.
ìYes. You know how Gibbs becomes if he has not had his regular dose of caffeine.î Ziva chirped.
ìOf course I know. Boss will forget all about this by morning.î Tony grinned back, trying to minimize how hurt and embarrassed he really was.
Tony focused back on the road as he upped the heat in the car. It's so damn cold! I should have just kept my jacket on! Tony growled as he accelerated in the hopes of getting to the crime scene quicker and then getting back to his warm apartment before midnight.
--------------------------------------------------------
Back at the NCIS head quarters in the autopsy lab, Ducky informed Gibbs, ìLt Johnson died of a broken neck. He was dead the minute he hit the ground. I have sent blood samples and his stomach contents up to Abby. Once the results of the toxic screen are in, we'll know whether there was any foul play involved.î
ìOkay!' Gibbs replied as he made to leave autopsy.
ìOh! Jethro, I was meaning to ask you something.î Ducky hesitantly said.
ìYes, Doctor?î Gibbs asked as he looked his friend in the eye.
ìYes, well. Regarding Anthony, don't you think that you were rather harsh with him today, both at the crime scene and again in the office, in front of everyone?î Ducky asked as he started stitching Lt Johnson's chest cavity closed.
ìI'm trying to toughen him up. He is my senior field agent and the best agent I have. I need him to grow up and stop goofing around.î Gibbs replied as he took a sip of his coffee.
ìAnd you think that this is the best way to do this?î Ducky questioned.
ìWell, it worked for me!î Gibbs replied as he walked out of autopsy.
ìJethro, what may have worked for you may not necessarily work for Anthony! I just hope that your tactic doesn't make him doubt himself as that will probably lead to him making more mistakes. And then you will become angrier with him.î Ducky voiced his concerns to Ethan as he continued stitching his chest closed.
-----------------------------------------------------
On Freeway 74, the man in the SUV parked his car in a secluded spot along the freeway. He sat patiently waiting for Tony to get closer, his rifle poised in his hands.
Yes, keep speeding like that! You're almost there. Just a bit further, DiNozzo. Yes, that's it! The man grinned as he took aim at Tony's front, left tyre.
Tonight you die, you bastard! The man growled as all traces of humour left his face. Then he squeezed the trigger.
He watched in perverse pleasure as Tony lost control of the car. The car skidded and rolled twice, before careening across the freeway. It hit into the barrier at the edge of the road, breaking through it, before rolling over again and plunging into a ditch.
Than the car exploded into flames!
-----------------------------------------------------
The man in the SUV watched the flames for a few minutes, imagining how Tony's battered and broken body was being roasted and charred to a crisp. Through his musings he noted that the snow had stopped falling and he decided that he'd better get out of the there now. He grinned as he quickly packed his rifle away.
That was so easy, so very easy! He grinned as he took a u-turn and drove back the way he had come.
-----------------------------------------------
At the same time, Dr Bianca Shore was heading back to her clinic in a little suburb just off Freeway 74. She had just delivered Mrs. Carter's first baby, a 2.9kg beautiful, healthy little girl. She had stayed at the Carter's place for an extra hour, making sure that the mother and daughter were doing well before leaving. All she wanted to do now was get out of her wet boots and take a long, hot shower. Then she wanted to get into bed and sleep for at least 8 hours.
As she rounded a bend in the road, she noticed the flames at the side of the road.
Oh No! She moaned, as she pulled up alongside the broken barrier line. There go my plans of calling it an early night!
She got out of her car and almost lost her footing on the cold snow. She wrapped her jacket more securely around herself and then headed for the trunk of her car.
This road is usually deserted this late, so you're very lucky that I just happened to be coming along. She murmured against the wind while she quickly grabbed the torch from her trunk.
As she shone the touch into the ditch, she gasped in horror. The car was badly burnt and there was debris lying all around it.
Could anyone have survived this? She pondered as she made her way towards the ditch, knowing that she wouldn't be able to walk away unless she was sure that there was nothing she could do.
--------------------------------------------------------
At around the same time, Gibbs was busy working on his boat, in his basement. As he took a break, he poured a generous amount of bourbon into his mug. He sipped it slowly, enjoying the burning sensation trickling down his throat.
He thought back to that day's events and his reaction to Tony. He also remembered his conversation with Ducky and the shocked looks on McGee and Ziva's faces as he had threatened to throw Tony off his team.
Then he remembered Tony's expression, one of surprised hurt.
Maybe I was too hard on you, DiNozzo! We'll sort it out tomorrow! Gibbs decided as he put his mug down and went back to sandpapering one of the rigging in the skeleton of his boat.
--------------------------------------------------------
Back on the deserted freeway, Bianca cursed as her foot slipped into the melted snow surrounding the steaming car. It had started snowing again and the cold air was seeping into her bones. She shone her torch inside the vehicle, being careful not to get too close to it as there were still a few flames licking around it.
The windows were all blown out and the seats and dashboard appeared to be melted. But there was no body in the car.
He must have been thrown. I have to find him!
Bianca took a deep breath before she started shouting, ìHello! Is anyone out there? Can you hear me? I'm here to help you! Hello!î
She continued calling out and walking around the vehicle for a further 5 minutes, before thinking that maybe someone else had come by and taken the injured person to the hospital.
Yeah, that's probably what happened.
She trudged her way back towards the road. As she reached her car, she shone her touch one more time around the vehicle. She didn't see anything new and decided to leave the area.
As she turned around, the light from her touch reflected of something lying a few yards away of the charred car.
What is that? Probably a beer can or something! She complained as she none the less made her way towards it.
As she neared the shiny reflection, a snow covered shape started to form around it. That was when Bianca took off at a run.
It's a body! Oh God, I wasted so much time looking at that damn car and all this time he was lying here! Bianca reprimanded herself.
As she raced towards the still form, her medical mind started assessing the situation.
You are non responsive and rather underdressed for this time of year. I've been out here for about 12 minutes which means you've probably been out for close to 30.
As she fell to her knees next to the injured man, Bianca continued her assessment.
You're cold to the touch, obviously and probably hypothermic by now. Okay, let's check your vitals. Bianca murmured as she placed her fingers against the man's neck.
She frowned as her numb fingers couldn't seem to detect a pulse.
--------------------------------------------------------
ìCome on Mister, you can't be dead! Fingers work Damn it!î Bianca shouted in frustration as she rubbed her hands together to warm them.
Then she grabbed her cell phone from her pocket and tried to see if she had a signal to call for help.
Damn it! This blizzard's knocked the lines out again. Bianca growled in frustration as she slipped her phone back into her pocket. In her haste, the phone slipped along side her and settled under the falling snow.
She rubbed her hands together and then placed her fingers against Tony's neck again, pressing more firmly against his carotid artery.
ìYes! Finally. It is a bit weak, but that's better than no pulse at all, right? Right!î Bianca sighed in relieve.
ìOkay now listen to me. You just hang in there and I'm going to look you over and get you out of this situation as quickly as I can.î Bianca promised. She started moving her hands deliberately down Tony's arms, shoulders, back, butt, thighs and feet, noting his injuries as she went along.
ìYou have a dislocated left shoulder, and a twisted or broken left ankle. Mister, I've got to go and get my collapsible stretcher from the car. But I promise I'll be back in a moment, so please don't go and do something stupid, like dying, okay?î Bianca whispered as she stood up on almost frozen legs and made her way back towards her car. Talking to her patients, whether conscious or not always helped her to focus on what she needed to do. She didn't think about the cold. She didn't think about how late and dark it was. She didn't think about how tired she was or how badly injured her latest patient was. She only focused on the best way to get him to safety without injuring him further.
She removed the collapsible stretcher from the trunk of her car and opened it up. Then she grabbed a rope from the trunk and tied one end of it to the stretcher and the other end to the tow bar at the back of her car. She grabbed a blanket and dragged the stretcher behind her as she rushed back to Tony's side. Placing the stretcher next to him, she brushed snowflakes off his back and rolled him over, into the stretcher.
ìDarn it, that head wound looks pretty bad and it's definitely going to need stitches. Right let's see what else I'm dealing with.î Bianca murmured as she started running her hands down the front of Tony's body, noting that his shirt was soaking wet and icy cold. Starting at his neck, Bianca gently but firmly caressed his shoulders, chest, diaphragm, pelvis, thighs and feet. Then she checked his arms.
ìI think you have a few very badly bruised and possibly fractured ribs as well as a sprained left wrist. On top of that you're definitely hypothermic and have a severe concussion. Now you're going to have to trust me okay.î Bianca whispered as she draped the blanket securely around Tony and then tied the straps of the stretcher across Tony's chest and knees.
ìI'm going to have to drive and pull you out of this ditch, so work with me and please don't fall out of this stretcher.î Bianca prayed as she made her way back up to her car.
She started the car switching the heat on. Then she pulled off very slowly. She felt the tug on the stretcher and prayed that she would be able to pull it out, without it becoming struck somewhere. As she drove she kept an eye on her rear view mirror, to track the movement of the stretcher. As soon as she had pulled forward about 25 yards, she sighed in relieve as the stretcher finally settled on the road. Keeping her eye on the stretcher she reversed back towards Tony, stopping alongside him.
ìGreat!î Bianca exclaimed as she got out of the car and proceeded to unbuckle the straps on the stretcher.
ìI'm sorry, Mister.î Bianca apologized as she used her medical training to lift Tony's heavy body up from the stretcher and to drag him onto the back seat of the car. Strangely enough, Bianca was now perspiring from the effort of moving Tony. She wrapped the blanket around him again and then hurriedly packed the stretcher away before taking off at top speed in the direction of her clinic.
As she drove, Bianca could hear her patient starting to shiver. His teeth were chattering and he was moaning softly.
Darn it, don't wake up now! The pains going to be so bad if you do.
She got to her clinic within 15 minutes and rushed inside to get a gurney. Getting Tony onto the Gurney was a major challenge. Eventually Bianca just lowered the gurney and dragged him out of the car, allowing his back to rest on the gurney as she gently got the rest of him out.
He was murmuring and mumbling incoherently as his shivers became more violent. Bianca spoke to him continuously explaining what she was going to do and how she was going to take care of him.
Once she had him inside the clinic and on an examination bed, she turned up the heat in the room and grabbed a few blankets from the cupboard. Then she started undressing him. His shirt was the first to go. Removing it revealed angry bruises across his torso. Next to go were his shoes, socks and pants. Tony had numerous bruises and cuts along his left leg, but none of them required immediate attention. The last thing to go were his boxers. Tony had a large purplish bruise on his left hip. As Bianca examined his hip, she silently acknowledged that he was an exceptionally attractive man and very well endowed. His hip just seemed bruised but she would take an x-ray of it to rule out any fractures, she decided as she draped the blankets across his shivering body.
Tony was propelled to consciousness by intense pain. He felt like he had been drawn and quartered. Every inch of him ached and acute pain pulsated through his left shoulder and torso. The pain in his ankle radiated up his leg and his head felt like it was split in two. And he was freezing! The cold was torturous, making his muscles spasm and cramp.
"Aaahhh, ... Oh God!" Tony moaned out in agony as the shivers intensified. He was ensnared in a vicious cycle of pain. The more awake he became, the more he shivered and the more pain he felt.
ìSsshhh, I'm going to make the pain go away. Just hang in there.î Bianca spoke soothingly to Tony as she hooked him up to an IV line and a nasal canula. Then she checked his vital signs, noting that his BP, pulse and temperature were low. At least the oxygen being supplied via the nasal canula seemed to have stabilized his breathing to some degree.
As Tony cried out again, Bianca quickly prepared two hypodermics, one with 20cc of Morphine for the pain and the other with 10cc of Zanaflex for the cramping. She lifted the blanket at his side and said, "This may sting a bit, but it will help take the pain away." Then she administered the shots one after the other into the fleshy part of Tony's butt.
How can giving me more pain make the pain less. What the hell's wrong with you! Tony wanted to scream but only a soft cry left his lips.
As the drugs started taking effect, Tony passed out again. Bianca pulled the X-ray machine over him and x-rayed his skull, shoulder, chest, diaphragm, wrist, hip and ankle. As the x-rays were being processed, Bianca undressed, removing all her clothes, her stocking and boots. She suddenly realized just how cold she was and she hoped that her time out in the snow with Tony would not lead to her becoming ill. She quickly grabbed her track pants and a sweater from her office and pulled those on. On her feet she wore dry, warm furry boots. She tied her damp, aurburn hair into an untidy ponytail before returning to her patient's side.
As she looked at the x-rays, she was relieved that nothing was broken. 3 ribs were bruised and his ankle and wrist were sprained. His shoulder was dislocated and his hip was just bruised. The x-ray did not reveal any cranial fractures, but Bianca knew that head injuries could be very tricky. With so many things to take care of, Bianca decided to set his shoulder back into position first and then to wrap and stitch his other injuries.
Sally I wish you were here tonight and not off somewhere on a 3 week vacation, Bianca complained as she missed her assistant's help.
She worked on Tony for close onto 2 hours. After resetting his shoulder, she took more x-rays to rule out any further damage to his shoulder. She also watched it for discolouration that would indicate internal bleeding. Then she stitched the angry gash on his forehead before wrapping his wrist, ankle and torso. She rubbed a soothing gel over all the cuts and bruises along Tony's left leg and his left hip. Then she placed his arm into a cast to stabilize his shoulder joint.
Thank God you're not awake for all of this. But when you do wake up it's not going to be pretty, Bianca yawned as she wheeled Tony into one of the rooms reserved for over night patients. She replaced his IV bag and hooked up a course of antibiotics with an anti-inflammatory component. She also prepared another morphine shot, keeping it ready for when he would start to come too again. Then she pulled a blanket from the cupboard and crawled into the bed next to Tony. Within a few moments she was fast asleep.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Bianca wasn't quiet sure what woke her.
It could have been the moaning or murmuring? Or it could have been the loud crash as a glass vase was knocked to the floor.

Whatever it was, it propelled Bianca to her feet at top speed. She rushed towards her patient's side noting that he had kicked his blankets off. He was covered in sweat and he was trashing about as he moaned and mumbled incoherently.

ìSshhhh.. Mister. I'm right here. I'm going to make the pain go away. Just calm down!î Bianca quickly said as she wrapped the blood pressure monitor around his bicep. She noting that his blood pressure was high and he was hot to the touch. She spoke to him continuously, promising to take care of him, as she placed the stethoscope to his chest. His chest seemed congested, which was to be expected as he'd been hypothermic.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Tony heard a soft voice breaking through the harsh darkness that surrounded him. This darkness was filled with heat and pain. It was a very scary place, where everything was spinning, out of control. And the noise, it was horrific. It was like metal being crunched and smashed. And Tony felt trapped right in the middle of all of this. And then, there was that voice again.

ìSshhhh, Mister. I'm not going to hurt you. Calm down. You're safe now.î
This voice was melodious and sweet and the hands that were touching him were Ö cool Ö oh so coolÖ

Don't leave me! Tony wanted to call out as he tried to latch onto the voice.

ìShut up!î A loud unforgiving voice broke through, drowning the sweet voice out.

ìI'm going to take you out!î The voice growled. Then Tony found himself staring into ice blue eyes.
Eyes that hated him. Eyes that could tear him apart. Eyes devoid of any human emotion.
As he looked beyond these eyes, a face started to take shape. Those cold eyes belonged to an older man, with silver hair. Standing behind him was a dark haired woman.

She grinned evilly as she stared at Tony.
ìI'm going to enjoy demonstrating my skills of how to kill a man without leaving a mark on his body.î She spoke with a foreign accent. Then she looked at the silvered hair man and impatiently asked, ìWhen can I start, Boss?î

Suddenly a young man, slightly heavier of build, came into view. He sneered at Tony and said, ìI hope it's going to be soon. I want to watch him suffer!î

Tony's mind started spinning out of control as the silvered haired man growled, ìGrab him!î

The dark haired woman and the young man advanced on him.
And then Ö. He was spinning again, totally disorientated and out of control. They were crowding him. He had to get awayÖ He had to escapeÖ

--------------------------------------------------------------

Tony jerked away from Bianca's touch and pushed her violently away, knocking her off her feet. Bianca landed on the ground with a soft thud. She immediately felt a sharp prick at the side of her right leg, between her knee and ankle, and realized that her leg must have landed on the broken glass. She ignored the pain and forced herself back up to her feet. Her patient's blood pressure was spiking and he looked like he was about to have a seizure.

Grabbing the morphine syringe from the pedestal, Bianca plunged the needle none too gently into Tony's exposed right thigh. Tony continued to trash around for another few seconds before the morphine took effect. As soon as he was calm, Bianca checked his vital signs again. Then she wiped him down and covered him with cleans sheets and blankets. She replaced his saline bottle and hooked up a stead flow of antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and pain killers.

ìThis should keep you comfy for the next few hours. You gave me quiet a scare just now. I wonder what was going through your mind because it looked like monsters were after you.î Bianca murmured as she caressed his brow.

When she felt the stickiness on her leg, she remembered that she had been cut. As she looked down, she was surprised at the amount of blood on the floor.

Great! Now I have to clean up the floor in addition to stitching this cut, she complained.
She grabbed the disinfectant, a few cotton balls and a suturing kit. Then she sat down on the floor and started removing the stray pieces of glass still embedded in her leg. It hurt like hell when she poured the disinfectant over the cuts. Bianca gasped and took a few moments to recover her breathe, before she started suturing one of the deep, angry gashes on her leg. As soon as she was done she sat back and took a moment to relax. Then she dressed the wound before getting up and cleaning the floor.

She checked on Tony once more and was glad that he was peaceful for the moment. Then she noted that it was almost 4:30am. Bianca debated staying awake and getting started for the day or catching a few more hours of sleep. In the end it was no debate at all. She yawned and got back into the bed next to Tony before promptly felling asleep.

----------------------------------------------------------

At around 7am Gibbs got off the elevator and walked towards his desk, his coffee in hand. He looked at Tony's desk expecting to find him there since his Mustang was in the parking lot. But Tony wasn't there and for some reason that annoyed Gibbs because he had planned to speak to Tony about the previous day's argument.

At around 7:30am the elevator dinged and Gibbs looked up, hoping that it was for Tony. When Ziva and McGee walked out, Gibbs felt his annoyance grow.
Where the hell are you, DiNozzo?

By 8:00am, Ziva and McGee could see the anger radiating off Gibbs.
Gibbs glared at them as he grabbed his jacket and growled, ìI'm going for more coffee!î

As soon as the elevator door closed behind Gibbs, McGee said, ìHow can Tony do this, today of all days?î
ìYes, he knows that Gibbs is really mad at him and it is so unlike him to deliberately make the situation worse.î Ziva said.
ìLet's call him.î McGee suggested just as Abby walked into the bullpen.

ìCall who?î She asked, catching the tail end of your conversation.
ìTony. His late and Gibbs is already out getting his 3rd cup of coffee.î McGee replied.
ìBut Tony's car is in the parking lot. He must be somewhere in the building. Let me call and find out which pretty lady he's chatting up this time.î Abby grinned as she grabbed the phone from McGee's hand.

A few seconds later, Abby frowned and said, ìHis phone's switched off.î
Just then a security guard came up to the bullpen. He looked at McGee, Ziva and Abby.
ìHi Greg.î Abby greeted.
ìHello Ms Scuito. Mm I'm looking for Agent DiNozzo. Has he come in this morning?î Greg nervously asked.
ìNo, not yet. Is there anything we can help you with?î Ziva asked.
ìAamm, he took one of the sedans out late last night. I just found out that it was due to go in for a standard maintenance check today. Do you know when he will be coming in or is there any way to contact him?î Greg asked, looking more nervous.

McGee and Ziva looked at each other, surprised that Tony had taken an official vehicle. Both of them were thinking, Why would Tony do that? Why not take his car? Unless he was doing something case related.

Both of them realized at the same instant what Tony must have planned to do.
ìHe went back to the crime scene to Öî McGee started to say.
ìGet that stupid sketch padÖî Ziva continued.
ìIn the middle of a blizzard!î Abby exclaimed.

ìOh no!î Greg moaned.
Everyone looked at Greg and noted that he looked extremely distressed now.
ìGreg, what is it?î Abby asked.
ìThat carÖ It had bad Ö. tyres.î Greg eventually said. ìPlease we have to find Agent DiNozzo and make sure that he is okay.î Greg continued.
Ziva, McGee and Abby looked at Greg and then at each other in concern.

Could something have happened to Tony!

ìI'll call his cell phone again.î Abby said.
ìI'll call his apartment.î Ziva confirmed.
ìI'll locate the GSP tracker in his phone and car.î McGee advised.

After a few moments, all of them confirmed that they had nothing. What scared them was that McGee couldn't get a trace on Tony's phone or the tracker in the car.

Gibbs walked out of the elevator to find the team looking worriedly at each other.
ìWhat!î He growled noting that Tony still wasn't there. That's it Tony! You've pushed me too far now.

ìAammÖî McGee stuttered.
ìGibbs we Öî Ziva started to say.
ìI'm sorryÖî Greg whined.
ìTony took a hinky car out last night and now we can't find him!î Abby rattled off quickly.

ìA hinky car?î Gibbs asked, wondering if they were making excuses for Tony.
As Gibbs' eye bore into McGee, he quickly said, ìThe car was due to go in for maintenance to have the tyres replaced. But Tony took it out last night and..î

Gibbs turned and looked at Ziva. She immediately continued, ìAnd we think that he went back to the crime scene to get the sketch pad that he had forgotten yesterdayÖî

ìHe went in the middle of a blizzard, because he didn't want you acting like an ogre and shouting at him again! And now something could have happened to him!î Abby finished as she hit Gibbs on the arm.

Gibbs glared at all of them and then looked away, not wanting to reveal the worry that suddenly washed through him. As he rounded his desk, his mask of indifference was back in place.

ìFind him now! Track the vehicle and his phone.î Gibbs ordered.
ìAlready done.î McGee replied.
Gibbs looked up and threw his hands up in the air, ìSo go get him!î
ìWe can'tî Ziva replied.

Gibbs was loosing all patience now. ìWhy not?î He growled.
ìThe traces have come back empty. His phone is off and the vehicle is no where on the radar.î McGee replied.

ìWhat?! That's why I hate technology. It's never available when you need it!î Gibbs growls as his phone suddenly rang.

ìGibbs!î
ìYes, that is one of our vehicles.î Gibbs said as the rest of the team watched him.
ìAnd my agent?î Gibbs asked.
ìDon't touch anythingÖ. JustÖ Just secure the perimeter. We're on our way.î Gibbs said in gruff voice.

ìWhat is it, Gibbs? It's about Tony, isn't it! Oh noÖî Abby moaned as Gibbs came around his desk.

ìGrab your gear. The local Leo's have found our vehicle off Freeway 74.î Gibbs barked as he ignored the shocked looks on their faces.
As he headed for the elevator he said, ìMake sure that Ducky comes with and Greg I will deal with you later!î

McGee and Ziva took a second to get their bearing and then rushed to grab their gear.
ìHe has to be okay, Right! Please find him and bring him back safely.î Abby asked McGee and Ziva.
ìDon't worry Abby. I'm sure his okay.î Ziva said.
ìI'll call you as soon as we get there.î McGee said.

As the elevator doors closed behind Gibbs before the rest of the team could get in, Gibbs leaned against the wall for support, as he gasped for breathe. His mind was reeling from the news he had just received.

Officer Morgan had said, the vehicle is badly scorched and we haven't been able to confirm if there are any bodies in it. But it's unlikely anyone could have survived a crash like this.î

Oh God Tony! Did I drive you to your death! Gibbs lamented.
No! No, never assume anything. Check and double check. You are not dead DiNozzo! You are not deadÖ. You are not deadÖ.Gibbs repeated to himself as he got his emotions under control and started focusing on how he was going to find Tony and make sure that he was okay.

-----------------------------------------------
The tension in the car was palpable. Everyone remained silent, each trying to prepare themselves for what they were about to find. All Gibbs had said was that they had found the car. He had not mentioned anything about Tony but his body language clearly indicated that something was very wrong.
Ziva hoped that when they got to the scene of the accident, they would find some evidence that Tony had escaped the accident with no or minor injuries. And if he was injured she hoped that someone had come along and helped him to get the medical care he may have needed.
Tony, why do you always end up in these situations? I'll have to get Abby to inject you with a few GPS trackers or something so that we can start tracking your every move, Ziva thought.
Sitting in the passenger seat next to Gibbs, McGee held on for dear life. As usual, Gibbs was driving very fast and he seemed to be oblivious of the fact that the roads were covered in snow and sleet. The car had slipped under Gibbs control twice already and McGee hoped that their luck was not about to run out, as Gibbs swerved once again. McGee squeezed his eyes shut as the rear of the vehicle started to swing forward. But then the car righted it's self before jerking to an abrupt halt.
Gibbs got out of the car quickly and started to approach the police vehicles lining the side of the freeway. As he walked he thought, damn it Tony, you're worse than a two year old! I've got to keep an eye on you 24/7 else you end up in some or other mess. Oh God, I hope that this isn't the last mess I'll have to help you clean up. It can't be, because you can't be dead! You just can't be Ö dead.
Gibbs took a deep breathe as he forced down the riot of emotions churning through his body. Focus Jethro, focus!
Back at the clinic, Bianca awoke to find her patient sleeping peacefully. She examined him again and adjusted his meds, before making her way to the back of the clinic, which served as her home.
She had a hot shower, shampooing her hair and soaping her body quickly. Then she rinsed all of soap suds out and lazed under the steaming water for a few minutes. Feeling refreshed after the shower, she dressed in jeans and a sweater. Then she went to the kitchen and put on a pot of coffee. She made a sandwich for herself and had a quick breakfast. As she was walking out of the kitchen she decided to open a can of chicken soup and keep it ready.
ìI'm sure you'll enjoy a bit of this when you wake up.î She said to herself as she thought about her patient. She made her way to the front of the clinic, to the room that served as her ER. There she found her patient's clothes lying in a heap on the floor. Picking each item up in turn she proceeded to fold them. As she picked up his pants, something fell out of one of the pockets. It was a watch, the face of it smashed and missing the glass. The back had an engraving.
ëAntonio, 23/07/1993'
ìAntonio. It suits you.î Bianca said, assuming that since he had the watch, her patient's name must be Antonio.
She folded the rest of his things and took them to his room, where she packed them into a cupboard, intending to wash them later in the week. Other then the watch, she didn't find anything else that might have served as a clue to her patient's identity. Bianca returned to the ER and cleaned it before restocking the medicine cabinet. Then she grabbed a second cup of coffee and a medical journal before making her way back to her patient's room and settling into a comfortable chair.
She planned to stay there until he woke up, or until another patient arrived for treatment.
Back on Freeway 74, a tall, thin police man noticed Gibbs and his team approaching. He saw the NCIS logos on their jackets so he broke away from his team of officers and walked towards Gibbs. Gibbs noted that there were 3 officers at the scene.
ìAgent Gibbs I assume. I'm Officer Morgan.î He said as he extended a hand towards Gibbs.
ìWhat you got for me?î Gibbs asked ignoring the extended hand. Morgan frowned at Gibbs' behaviour. Then he shrugged and turned leading Gibbs and his team to the far side of the road.
ìSo your Agent was driving that car. That was a fool thing to do in the middle of a blizzard, especially on this road.î Morgan said as he chewed on a bit of gum. His tone and manner irritated Gibbs.
ìJust show me what you've got!î Gibbs growled as Ziva and McGee walked in step behind him.
Morgan stopped and stared at Gibbs for a second before pointing to the area hidden by the police cars. Gibbs brushed past him practically pushing him out of the way. McGee and Ziva followed Gibbs, both ignoring the way the officer scowled as he glared at Gibbs' back.
As they looked into the ditch, McGee's face whitened to match the colour of snow. Ziva actually turned red as anger and fear raced up her spine. A few Hebrew expletives flew unheeded from her lips as she took note of the debris and destruction caused by the fire.
Gibbs Ö He just stared impassively at the scene. Then he made his way down into the ditch and approached the driver's door, which was slightly ajar. His hands were clenched into fists so tight that they ached. His eyes roamed over the black carcass of the vehicle, looking for anything that would indicate that Tony had escaped. Then he forced himself to look into the front of the vehicle.
ìTony's not in there. The vehicle's empty.î Ziva stated with a touch of emotion in her voice. McGee felt so relieved, he almost dropped his gear. Gibbs was wound up so tightly that he could not even rejoice at this news.
ìZiva shoot photos. McGee, start sketching. Then search the perimeter. I want everything bagged and tagged, no matter how insignificant.î Gibbs ordered as he questioned where are you, DiNozzo? And how badly are you hurt? It would be unbearable if Tony had survived the accident, only to die as a result of exposure to the elements. As it was the temperature that morning was a mere 2 degrees Celsius.
The two younger agents were amazed by Gibbs' firm control over his emotions and his ability to think and operate rationally under the current circumstance. They decided to follow his lead, reasoning that the sooner they figured out what had happened, the sooner they would be able to find Tony.
Gibbs turned and headed back to the road. At the same time, Ducky and Palmer arrived. Gibbs stared intently at Officer Morgan making him uncomfortable.
ìThe car's empty. Get a search party together and start scouting the area. My Agent escaped the crash but he could be hurt and lost somewhere out there.î Gibbs stated.
Thank God for small miracles! At least I won't be taking you home in a body bag Anthony, Ducky sighed in relief as he approached Gibbs.
Officer Morgan did not take kindly to having federal agents coming into his jurisdiction and ordering him around like he was an idiot. So he just stood and stared at Gibbs. The lack of response from Morgan was the last straw for Gibbs.
ìAre you deaf? Get a bloody team together and start looking for my agent!î Gibbs shouted loud enough to distract Ziva and McGee as well as the other two officers standing on the road.
ìJethro.î Ducky said as he tried to defuse the situation, understanding the anxiety Gibbs must be feeling. Gibbs totally ignored Ducky as he glared at Officer Morgan.
ìI guess it's beyond your capabilities to organise a search party!î Gibbs spat out the words as he turned around and pulled his cell phone from his pocket. Morgan turned bright red with anger and grabbed Gibbs' arm with the intention of stopping him from making the call. Gibbs reacted by jerking and trying to throw Morgan's arm off.
Unfortunately he was on the edge of the road and his sudden movement caused his foot slip. To the horror of everyone, Gibbs started falling backwards over and into the ditch.
Gibbs couldn't believe that this was happening. And he had no way of breaking the fall. So he let gravity do its thing. He fell and then rolled over the sleek snow and ice until he reached the bottom of the ditch, a few yards away from the burnt car.
He was dazed and had a sharp pain racing up and down his left arm. His head and lower back felt bruised and raw. He took a deep breathe and regretted it as nausea and dizziness overwhelmed him. He could make out voices shouting all around him but they seemed gabbled. He swallowed once, twice as he tried not to pass out.
ìJethro!î Ducky called out as he sank to his knees next to Gibbs. McGee, Ziva and Palmer were also there, staring down at Gibbs with fear and worry in their eyes. Ducky placed a gentle hand on Gibbs' shoulder and looked into his friend's eyes. Gibbs swallowed again and murmured, ìI'm okay.î
ìDon't move. You could have broken Ö Jethro!î Ducky reprimanded, as Gibbs ignored him and forced himself up into a sitting position. He took a few shallow breathes and closed his eyes for a second waiting for the world around him to stop spinning. McGee supported him by placing a steadying arm on his back while Ziva used a handkerchief to wipe away the blood that was trickling down the side of his face. As Ducky took his wrist into his hand, intending to take his pulse, Gibbs grunted out in pain. That was when Ducky noticed the blood soaking through the sleeve of Gibbs' NCIS issue jacket.
ìJethro, where else are you hurt?î Ducky asked, worried that Gibbs may have internal injuries. At the same time, Ziva handed her scarf over to Ducky so that he could wrap it around Gibbs' bleeding forearm.
ìDamn it. I didn't mean for you to go careening off the side of the road. I just wanted to stop you making that call because I've already got a team of my guys out there searching for your agent.î Morgan said, unable to believe how out of control this situation had become.
The cold was starting to seep into Gibbs' bones and he was angry with himself for letting his emotions get the better of him and for making a spectacle of himself. He took a deep breath and then forced himself up to his feet. He swayed slightly and would have fallen over if McGee and Ziva had not grabbed a hold of his arms and shoulders.
ìWe've got to get you to a hospital.î Ducky stated the obvious.
ìNo.î Gibbs protested as he tried to shake their hands off. But McGee and Ziva wouldn't let go of his arms and Ducky was busy applying pressure to his left forearm.
ìYou'd better get him over to Dr B. She's about 20 minutes up the freeway, just 3 miles from the Tallow Road off ramp. She got a fully equipped clinic up there. She'll be able to check Agent Gibbs out and give him any medical care he may need.î Morgan said.
ìNo. Stop wasting time on me and get me something that will help me find Tony!î Gibbs growled as he tried to ignore the pulsating pain in his arm.
ìMr Palmer let's get him into the van. Timothy, you and Ziva do whatever you need to here. And you Officer Morgan keep us informed about whatever your search party finds. If our Agent dies because of your deplorable attitude, not even God will be able to save you for Jethro's wrath!î Ducky warns.
Then he looked at Gibbs' arm and noticed that the blood had soaked through Ziva's scarf. He looked pointedly at Gibbs and said, ìYou will be of no use to Anthony or anyone else if you don't take care of this.î
Gibbs glared at him as he acknowledged the truth of his words.
ìMcGee,î Gibbs said.
ìI'll call the minute we have any leads on what could have happened to Tony.î McGee said anticipating what Gibbs was going to ask him.
ìZivaÖî Gibbs said.
ìI'll call in a few other agents to help with the search and I'll inform the Director of what's going on. Once we're done here, we'll get Palmer to take everything back to Abby and we'll join the search party.î Ziva finished.
Gibbs looked at McGee and Ziva and realized how well they knew him and just how capable they were at doing their jobs. And this case involved one of their own. So he knew that he could trust them to be meticulous and to follow up on every lead. He nodded at them as he shook their hands off. Then he, Ducky and Palmer made their way out of the ditch. Gibbs winced slightly with each step as his muscles protested the movement.
Ducky continued to apply pressure to Gibbs' arm as Palmer drove them towards the clinic. Gibbs leaned back against the headrest of the seat and tried not to grimace as the van bounced along the road. He thought about Tony and about how this detour to Dr B. was delaying his investigation.
Unbeknownst to them, the attractive, medium built man in the dark SUV drove past the accident scene a total of 4 times.
Why the hell is that ME leaving without retrieving the body? DiNozzo you better be dead. It you're not, I'll hunt you down and I'll kill whoever gets in my way! He vowed as he drove by once more.
At the same time, at Dr B's clinic, Tony started stirring. Bianca dropped her book and approached him the minute she heard his breathing change. Tony felt lethargic and stiff. His body was aching but he couldn't seem to pinpoint exactly where the pain originated from. His head felt clogged and he was confused and disorientated.
He felt soft, warm hands caressing his brow. Words were spoken in a smooth, melodious voice but Tony could not understand what was being said. Bianca caressed Tony's forehead lightly, before reaching for the blood pressure cuff.
Tony felt a fabric being wrapped around his arm and pressure building in it. He also felt his wrist being held as the voice stopped. A few seconds later the fabric was removed and his arm was gently tucked back onto the Ö bed.
Then the voice broke through to him again as the warm hand went back to caressing his brow.
ìSo as I was saying your pressure is a bit low and you are running a slight fever. I've got you on meds to counter any infection and to control the pain and inflammation. As you were not wearing a medic alert bracelet, I assumed that you were not allergic to anythingÖ.î Bianca spoke continuously, trying to draw him fully into a conscious state so that she could assess his responses and rule out any complications with regards to his head injury.
The voice became louder and clearer as Tony progressed through the various stages of consciousness. Finally he opened his eyes. He found the face of an auburn haired, green/gold eyed angel smiling down at him.
ìHey there. How are you feeling?î Bianca asked as she continued to smile down at Tony. You have beautiful eyes, Bianca thought as she looked into Tony's eyes.
ìWhere Ö am Ö. I? What Ö happened?î Tony murmured in a voice he didn't recognise as his own.
ìYou were involved in an accident and you are at my clinic. Can you tell me your name and whether there is anyone you would like me to call for you?î Bianca asked as she examined Tony's eyes by shining a touch into them and noting the slightly delayed dilation and contraction of his pupils.
ìMy Öname Ö is Ö.î Tony thought for a second. Then he frowned and blinked his eyes rapidly. Bianca noticed that he was starting to become distressed.
ìTake your time. It's okay.î Bianca tried to reassure him.
ìMy Ö name Ö is Ö.î Tony tried again and then he looked up at Bianca with something akin to panic in his eyes.
------------------------------------------

ìIt's okay Mister. You've suffered a severe concussion so short term memory loss is quiet normal. Can you tell me what year it is or which state we're in?î Bianca asked as she realized that her patient was probably suffering from amnesia.

ìYear? State? I don't remember anything!î Tony exclaimed with horror. He was starting to get really agitated now as he shifted restlessly on the bed. Pain rocketed through his body, making him panic even more as he wondered just how badly he was injured.

ìMister, calm down. If you get upset, you won't remember anything and if you keep moving around the pain is going to become unbearable and then I'll have to sedate you. You've been through a lot and you need to give your body and mind a chance to recovery.î Bianca stated in a stern yet soothing voice as she placed her hand on his uninjured shoulder.

Tony stared at her for a moment as he stopped moving.
ìWho are you and where are we?î Tony suspiciously asked as he realized that this was no regular hospital.

ìI'm Dr Bianca Shore and this is my clinic. We're on Tallow Rd, just off Freeway 74. That is approximately an hour out of Washington.î Bianca stated.

Tony suddenly remembered something about an auburn haired, green eyed angel. He remembered her voice and her touch as her hand once again caressed his brow. He felt Ö safe and for some reason he trusted her.

ìHow long have I been here and how badly am I hurt?î Tony gasped as he settled back against the pillow and waited for the pain to subside a bit.

ìYou've been here for just over 12 hours. You had a dislocated shoulder which I reset. You have a sprained wrist and ankle and a few bruised ribs. You also have a concussion and a rather large bruise on your left hip.î Bianca listed his injuries.

ìWas I run over by a bus or something?î Tony asked, with a lopsided grin which turned into a grimace, as he felt each of the listed injuries protesting either in pain or stiffness.

ìYour car was lying in a ditch off the freeway and you were lying a few feet away in the snow when I found you.î Bianca stated. She didn't mention that the car was in flames. Nor did she mention how challenging it had been to get him out of the ditch.

Tony squeezed his eyes shut as he tried to hold back a moan as pain pulsated through his body. Bianca noted the scowl on his face and tension in his posture. She prepared a shot of morphine and placed it on the pedestal next to his bed. As she started to lift the blanket on his right side, Tony's eyes flew open.

ìWhat are you doing?î He asked as he halted her movement with his uninjured hand.
ìI'm going to give you something for the pain.î Bianca said as she gently removed his hand and proceeded to expose his right hip. That was when Tony realized that he was naked under the blankets. He blushed as Bianca used a cotton ball to swab an area on his butt. He looked away as she turned back to the pedestal to retrieve the syringe.

ìI'm sorry, but this is going to sting.î Bianca warned as she gently pinched his flesh and jabbed the needle into his butt. Tony cringed as the morphine was forced into his system. I hate needles!

ìThere we go. You should start feeling better in a few minutes. Now would you like to have someÖî Bianca started to say as Tony interrupted her, ìCoffee, with creamer and 3 sugars.î
Bianca smiled as Tony realised what he had just said, what he had just remembered.
ìYou see, it will come back to you if you don't try so hard. I'll go and get you a mug of coffee and some chicken soup.î Bianca grinned as she put his blankets in order before leaving the room.

Tony stared off into the distance as he tried to piece together the missing pieces of his life.

Who am I? What happened to me? Why was I on the freeway on my way out of Washington? His emotions alternated between fear of the unknown and a kind of certainty that he would be alright. He looked around the room and noticed that it was more homely than a usual hospital ward.

I've been in hospital before and I think that I probably didn't like it. Tony realized.

Then a sudden sense of urgency overtook him.
I need to do something! Get something? It's important. Someone's waiting for it. God damn it, what the hell could it be? And who's waiting for it?
These questions swirled through Tony's mind making him agitated all over again.

ìMister you're at it again, aren't you?î Bianca's voice broke through to Tony. He looked at her and noted the concern in her eyes. She seemed so gentle and caring. She placed the mug of coffee and a bowl of chicken soup on the pedestal next to Tony's bed. Then she lifted the head of the bed to a 45 degree angle. She tucked pillow behind Tony's back and adjusted the blanket's securely around him before picking up the bowl of soup.

ìYou need to give yourself a bit of time. You've only just awakened and it takes a bit of time to reboot your memories so to speak.î Bianca chirped as she lifted a spoonful of chicken soup to Tony's lips.

Reboot this damn thing! Tony remembered someone shouting that as he slammed a cell phone onto a desk. All his memory revealed was the person's hand and a phone. Tony blinked as the memory or vision started to fade.

ìMister?î Bianca said as she saw her patient's focus shift. Tony looked at her and opened his mouth. The soup was tasteless to Tony. He forced another 3 spoonfuls down before refusing to eat more. Bianca did not push him. Instead she held the mug of coffee to his lips. He sipped it slowly enjoying its warm, rich flavour. He managed to drink about half the cup, before becoming drowsy.

Just then the bell at the entrance of the clinic rang, indicating that someone had entered.

ìGet some rest now and I'll check in on you in a few minutes.î Bianca said as she lowered his bed and prepared to leave the room.

ìWhere the hell is this Doctor? I need to get out of here. There's so much to doÖ.î Someone growled.
ìJethro, Calm down. I'm sure that she'll be here in a moment. Mr Palmer, please go and find the Doctor.î Another man with an English accent instructed.

Tony practically shot up in the bed and grabbed Bianca's arm as memories started to assault his senses.
ëI'm going to take you out' an angry silver haired man shouted.
ëKill a man without leaving a mark on his body' a dark haired woman promised.
ëI want to watch him suffer!' a young man sneered.

Bianca looked down at Tony with concern. He was shaking and his grip on her arm was stronger than she'd have expected.

ìWhat is it?î She asked as she forced him back down onto the bed. She held his face in her hands and forced him to look at her.

ìIÖ. thatÖ. man Ö. the angry oneÖ. I think Ö. he Ö is trying to Ö. Kill me!î Tony exclaimed as perspiration broke out across his brow.

ìWhat?!î Bianca gasped.

ìDr B. Hello. We need your help.î Mr Palmer called out as Ducky continued to try and calm Gibbs down.

ìMister, I have to go and check on them. I will close the door behind me and I promise they will not find you. Just calm down, okay. I will not let them find you.î Bianca vowed as she wiped Tony's brow and then left his room, closing the door behind her.

Darn it, what did I get myself into! I should have just reported your accident to the police, and then taken you to Washington General Hospital. But no, not me! Bianca Shore the foolish romantic, always wanting to save the day! Bianca reprimanded herself as she thought that she would now have to treat a possible murderer.

--------------------------------------------

At the same time a dark SUV drove slowly past the clinic. The occupant of the vehicle decided to wait in the shadows of a few trees and to watch for the NCIS van to leave. He was angry, because he had just found out that his quarry had by some miracle survived the car accident.

DiNozzo, you may have been lucky once! But next time I will finish the job, even if I need to use my bare hands to do it! He promised.
---------------------------------------------------
Bianca closed the door to Tony's room securely and took a deep breath before making her way to the room that served as a reception area. Palmer practically walked into her as she stepped into the room.
He blushed profusely as his hands went to her arms to prevent her from falling. Bianca, shrugs his hands off as she said, ìThank you, but I'm okay. How can I help you?î
ìWe're looking for Dr B. Agent Gibbs fall down into a ditch and has hurt his arm and it's bleeding profusely and he could be going into shock and so we need Dr B Öî Palmer rattled of nervously.
ìI'm Dr B.î Bianca said as she processed what Palmer had said. Agent Gibbs! Agent of what? And if he is an agent, can he also be a murderer?
She looked past Palmer at Ducky who was holding Gibbs down in a chair. Then she saw the blood dripping from Gibbs' arm and the scowl of pain and anger on his face.
ìBring Agent Gibbs in here.î Bianca ordered as she made her way into the ER. She was glad that the ER was down the hall from her other patient's room. She prayed that he would remain calm while she treated this new patient.
---------------------------------------
Tony was straining to hear what was going on outside his room. He was convinced that the man with the angry voice was trying to kill him. But then the voice of an English man broke through and he had a vision of sitting on a steel table, under bright lights, as this man lectured him about taking better care of himself.
What should I believe and what shouldn't I? I can't take this. I need to find a way to see these people without them seeing me. Tony decided as he threw his blankets off.
Clothes, Where can I find something to where? Tony pondered as he sat up slowly on the bed. The morphine Bianca had given him was taking effect so the pain was bearable. He took a deep breath as he gingerly placed his feet on the cool floor. As he stood up, he remembered not to put pressure on his sprained ankle. He held onto the bed and the wall as he made his way towards the cupboard. In the cupboard he found a gown. He put it on as he slowly made his way back to the bed. He was weak and tired and needed to take a breather before attempting to go out of the room.
-----------------------------------------
As the attractive man in the dark SUV watched the house with binoculars, he spotted movement in one of the rooms. He growled as he saw his quarry hobbling around looking none the worse for wear.
DiNozzo, you had to go and mess up my perfect plan, didn't you? Well now I know where you are. I'll just wait for your Boss to get out of the way and then you and I are going to have some fun! He promised.
-----------------------------------------
Back at the scene of the accident, Ziva and McGee extended the perimeter around the scorched car.
Abby had called twice already and McGee was dreading her next call because then he would have to tell her about Gibbs getting hurt and he thought that that might just be too much for her to handle.
ìMcGee, I've got something!î Ziva called out as she crouched a few feet away from the car. She took photos of what she had found.
ìLooks like blood frozen in the snow. I'll collect a sample for Abby to match against Tony's blood.î McGee swallowed as he collected the evidence. Ziva continued to search the area by displacing some of the snow.
ìMcGee, this doesn't look like Tony's phone.î Ziva said as she photographed the phone and then bagged it.
At that moment the other NCIS agents arrived. McGee and Ziva filled them in on everything they had so far and arranged with one of them to have the car and all the evidence taken back to NCIS head quarters for Abby to process.
Then they contacted Officer Morgan and decided to join the search party. Both of them were wondering how Gibbs was doing but neither was ready to call him as he would want answers and they didn't have any as yet.
------------------------------------------------
Back in the clinic, Gibbs allowed Ducky to help him up. Then he shook his hands off as he followed Dr B out of the reception area. He was starting to feel nauseous and light headed and that was making him angrier.
As soon as they entered the room and Gibbs was seated on the examination bed, Bianca ordered, ìPlease remove his jacket and shirt.î Her manner of not addressing him directly was grating on Gibbs' nerves.
ìHey, I'm right here. I can hear you and I can remove my clothes myself.î Gibbs growled as he pulled the scarf off his arm. It was soaked with blood and fell heavily to the floor. Bianca grabbed a surgical dressing and handed it to Palmer.
ìApply pressure to that wound.î She ordered. ìI'm sorry, Agent Gibbs. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable.î Bianca continued and Gibbs picked up on the slight tremor in her voice.
Ducky in the mean time started to unzip Gibbs' jacket, only to have Gibbs slap his hand away as he started undressing himself. Gibbs tried to control his expression as pain sliced through his arm and back with his movements.
ìDr B, you must excuse Jethro. His grouchy on any given day but on a bad day he transforms into an insufferable ogre and today is as bad a day as they come. You see we've justÖî Ducky started to say when he was rudely cut off.
ìDr Mallard, why don't you and Palmer wait outside?î Gibbs growled. He was really starting to feel rather weak and he didn't want to faint in front of Palmer or Ducky for that matter.
Ducky looked at Mr. Palmer, who in turn looked nervously at Agent Gibbs.
ìMr. Palmer, why don't you return to the scene and sent Timothy and Ziva to fetch us?î Ducky asked as he took over applying pressure to Gibbs' wound. Palmer sighed in relief as he nodded his head and left the room without a second glance.
ìCould I help you, my dear? I am a Doctor after all. Dr. Donald Mallard, at your service.î Ducky said as he got Gibbs to lie down on the bed.
ìOh. What is your specialty?î Bianca asked as she pulled a trolley containing surgical swabs, suturing kits, antiseptic solution and a whole array of other products and instruments that she may need, towards the bed.
ìAutopsy.î Ducky said, as he continued to apply pressure to Gibbs' arm. Gibbs closed his eyes and he tried to relax. He thought about the scene of the accident and the fact that Tony had escaped the fire. He tried to ignore the throbbing pain in his arm and the bile that was threatening to enter his throat.
ìAutopsy? So you're a Medical Examiner. Which agency do you work for?î Bianca asked as she noted the alphabets on Gibbs' discarded jacket while handing a thermometer to Ducky. Gibbs opened his eyes, getting irritated with their banter.
ìNCIS. It stands for Naval Criminal Investigative Services.î Ducky said as Gibbs opened his mouth to interrupt them. He never got a chance to say one word as Ducky placed the thermometer into his mouth and lifted his chin, effectively closing his mouth. Gibbs glared at Ducky, who just ignored him. At the same time Bianca was wrapping a blood pressure cuff on Gibbs' uninjured arm. She noted that he was in excellent condition for a man his age and he was in fact very attractive.
Stop it you silly goose and focus on what needs to be done so that you can get him out of here ASAP! And for God's sake don't forget that he could be a murderer, no matter how handsome he may be. She reprimanded herself as she took his pressure, noting that it was low. Ducky handed the thermometer to her and she noted that Gibbs' temperature was also a low. Shock! She realized as she turned up the heat in the room.
She got an IV bag and proceeded to hook it up to Gibbs' wrist. Then she covered him with a blanket, leaving his bleeding arm exposed and resting on top of a pillow.
Bianca was conflicted about what her other patient had said and about the vibe she was picking up from her new patient and Dr Mallard. She decided to reserve her opinion on these men and to try to get more information from them.
ìCould you hurry up already? I don't intend spending the rest of the day here so I don't know why you're wasting time tucking me in.î Gibbs stated, but the usual gruffness seemed to have left his voice. He was staring at Bianca with his ice blue eyes, but instead of looking intimidating, he seemed really tired. And his pupils were dilated despite the bright light in the room. Bianca looked at Ducky who nodded his head imperceptibly, communicating that he was aware of the fact that Gibbs was going into shock.
ìSo what is NCIS doing this far out of the city?î Bianca asked as she removed the soaked cotton swab from Gibbs' arm. Then she picked up a clean cotton swab from the trolley and she took Gibbs' hand into hers surprising him with her warm, gentle touch.
ìWe are investigating the death of a Navy Lieutenant.î Ducky said as Bianca started to clean the jaggered cut on Gibbs' forearm. Gibbs held still as she worked noting that she was efficient, yet light handed and she didn't hurt him too much. He also noted that she had striking eyes and generous lips.
ìOh, but didn't that happen a day or two ago?î Bianca asked as she remembered something about this. She removed the cotton swab and picked up another one. This one she coated with antiseptic fluid.
ìYes, but this case has led to complicationsÖî Ducky started to say, as he placed his hand on Gibb's upper arm and shoulder. At the same time Bianca held Gibbs' hand a bit more firmly. Gibbs looked at both of them wondering what they were doing. That was until he felt the wet swab touch his open wound and pain ricochet up and down his arm.
He flinched and gasped as the antiseptic fluid burnt a trail into and around the wound. His grip on Bianca's hand tightened and he cursed as bile rose to his throat once more.
ìI'm sorry, Agent Gibbs but I have to clean and disinfect this cut before I can stitch it?î Bianca stated as she continued to clean the wound.
Gibbs glared at Ducky for the lack of warning as he tried to get some kind of control over his reaction. Ducky just squeezed his shoulder in apology.
ìThis is a pretty deep cut. I'm going to need to give you a local anesthetic in order to stitch it. I also noticed that you have a darkening bruise on your side and back. That could indicate bruised or fractured ribs. I'll need to take x-rays of your arm and your side to rule out any fractures.î Bianca said with concern. Ducky nodded his head at her assessment.
Gibbs looked at them and realized that protesting would be a waste of time. He was feeling really weak right now, so maybe he should just take the next few minutes to recover his strength. Besides, he reasoned, if the pain and weakness subside, I won't be distracted once I join the search party looking for Tony.
---------------------------------------------
Tony sat on the bed pondering how he was going to make his way down the collidor to the room where the angry man was. He was unsure of exactly what was going on and why this man had come here.
Maybe he and Bianca are in this together. Maybe she is just pretending to help me. Damn it, I've got to find out what's going on here! Tony was compelled to take action.
He stood up and held onto the wall as he hobbled to the door. As he got to the door, he tried to balance on one leg. While holding his IV bag in his uninjured hand, he tried to open the door. This was rather difficult to do so he moved the IV bag to his injured hand but it slipped through his weak fingers and fell to the floor. Losing patience with the whole mess, Tony took a deep breath and proceeded to pull the IV needle out of his arm. He grimaced as the sticky tape ripped the hair off his arm.
Moving around and removing the IV line was not the most astute thing to do as that stopped any further antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, pain and fever meds from being pumped into his body. But Tony was so focused on getting out of the room that he didn't even think about this.
Awkwardly and painfully he inched closer to the room the voices emanated from. As he got to the door he cautiously peeked in. He noted the silver haired man lying on the bed, an expression of pain marring his features as Bianca worked on him. There was a blood soaked cloth lying on the floor next to the bed and bloody gauze on the trolley next to Bianca.
His hurt! How did he get hurt? Did it happen when he tried to kill me?
These and may other questions swirled through Tony's mind, confusing and angering him. Then his gaze fell on the other man in the room. He was older and wore spectacles. He had a supporting hand on the silver haired man's shoulder. Tony could sense the friendship between them and it tugged at the recesses of his mind. He listened to the banter coming from the room and he couldn't pick up on any of the initial fear he had felt.
He looked around the room and saw a jacket lying on the floor.
NCIS! Why does that seem so familiar? He wondered as the older man and Bianca moved to one side of the room and hooked x-rays up to a bright board. Now Tony had an unobstructed view of the silver haired man.
As soon as Gibbs was left alone, his face contorted with pain and he swallowed convulsively trying to fight the nausea. He knew that he was unusually cold, probably because he was going into shock. He was also having a hard time staying lucid.
Damn it, I should be out looking for Tony! I can't lose him, I just Ö can't! Tony, just hang in thereÖ I'm going to find you. Son, I'll find you! And then I'll tell youÖ I'll tell you just how much you mean to me, Gibbs vowed as he fought the moisture gathering in his eyes.
Tony was stunned by the emotions he saw flirting across this man's face. Somehow he was sure that he had never seen these emotions on this man's face in the past and he was convinced that they must have shared something in the past.
But what could it be? Why do I think that you're trying to kill me? And why are you laying your emotion bare like this? Why do I feel like these emotions have something to do with me! Tony wondered as he leaned against the wall and continued to peek into the room.
---------------------------------------
ìOkay, let's see what we're dealing with.î Bianca said as she hooked up one set of x-rays.
ìNo broken ribs.î Bianca stated as Ducky sighed in relief.
ìThank goodness, because a man like Jethro will not have the patience to sit around quietly and allow broken ribs to heal.î Ducky murmured.
ìLet's see how bad that arm is?î Bianca chirped as she removed the one set of x-rays and hooked up the next set.
ìIt looks like a simple, oblique fracture of the ulna compounded by an open lesion on the arm.î Ducky quietly observed as he pointed to a feint line on the x-ray.
ìYes, so a local anesthetic would be in order. We need to stabilize this fracture with a cast once we close the open wound. Then we'll have to monitor him closely to rule out any infection. He's going to need antibiotics and pain meds for the next 24 hours to 48 hours at least. I guess that means that he'll have to stay overnight.î Bianca replied in a low voice, wondering how she was going to be able to keep him here and still keep her other patient calm.
I'll just sedate him! Or both of them! She decided. No, that wouldn't be ethical. I'll find a way. I'll have to, won't I?
ìOh Jethro's not going to like that. He will want to get out of here the minute the anesthetic wares off.î Ducky whispered as he leaned closer to Bianca.
ìWhyÖî Bianca started whispering only to be interrupted by Gibbs.
ìIf you two need some privacy I could leave the room!î Gibbs stated sarcastically. For some reason them standing so close together irritated him.
ìI'm getting out of here! I have work to do!î Gibbs growled as he tried to sit up, despite the pain and nausea.
Tony tensed as he doubted that he would be able to get back to his room without being seen by Gibbs. He was also starting to feel the lack of pain meds at the moment and balancing on one leg was taking its toll on him.
Then a memory or vision assaulted him, Boss don't get up. Boss! It's a through and through. The EMT's are on the way. You got him, Boss. You got him.
Bianca and Ducky turned as one towards Gibbs.
ìJethro, lie down before you fall off that bed.î Ducky admonished.
Bianca rushed towards Gibbs and placed her hands on his shoulders intending to force him back again the pillows. Gibbs tried to protest, but he was hit by a sickening wave of dizziness and this time he couldn't hold back the bile. He turned towards the side of the bed as everything rushed up from his stomach to his lips. Luckily Bianca was prepared for him and she held a steel bowl to his mouth. As he heaved she rubbed his back in a gentle, circular motion.
Ducky continued to mumble admonishments about Gibbs' behaviour as he searched through a few cupboards until he found a clean face cloth. He wet the cloth and then handed it to Bianca.
Tony observed everything silently from the doorway. It felt like he had witnessed numerous scenes similar to this. But every time he thought he may have latched onto a memory, the vision or sensation disappeared, leaving him confused and frustrated.
Once Gibbs was done throwing up, Bianca wiped his mouth with a damp cloth before pushing him back against the pillows. Then she placed her hand on his forehead as he took a few deep breathes. Her fingers started caressing his brow of their own accord. Bianca silently admitted that she liked the feel of his hair. Who would have thought that your hair could be so soft?
Once she was sure that he wasn't going to throw up again, she said, ìAgent Gibbs, we're going to have to give you a local anesthetic so that we can work on your arm.î
Gibbs swallowed before asking, ìHowÖ how bad is it?î
ìJethro, in addition to the open wound on your arm, you have a hairline fracture in one of the bones of that arm and your ribs are rather badly bruised.î Ducky said as he once again placed his hand on Gibbs' shoulder.
Gibbs closed his eyes, thinking about how he didn't need this complication right now. Bianca continued to caress his brow as she said, ìI'm going to take care of everything. So don't worry, okay.î
Gibbs wasn't used to being touched or caressed for that matter. No one other than Ducky ever tried to offer him comfort when he was injured. So having this woman invading his personal space and touching him, caressing him, whispering soothingly to him should have made him uneasy.
Instead, her touch put him at ease. Her compassionate eyes reassured him. She made him feel ÖÖ
Gibbs! Stop it! What the hell is wrong with you? Gibbs exclaimed as he catch himself falling under her bewitching spell. Bianca sensed as much as felt the change in him. He moved his uninjured hand to grasp hers and he removed her hand from his brow. Then he tried to glare at her. This failed miserably as he was having a terrible time focusing on her features.
ìAre you going to stand there all day? Or are you going to get on with it?î Gibbs growled as he looked from Bianca to his injured arm.
ìYes of course. Dr Mallard, would you be kind enough to assist me.î Bianca asked as she straightened up and started switching on various monitors and hooking them to Gibbs' chest and index finger..
ìMy dear, it would be my pleasure to assist you. And please call me Ducky. All my friends do.î Ducky said as he tried to relieve the tension in the room.
After that Bianca told Gibbs that she was going to administer the anesthetic. She prepared a syringe with a cocktail of medication. Then she apologized to Gibbs as she administered the shot to 5 strategic locations on his injured arm. Each shot hurt like the dickens, but Gibbs didn't say a word. Soon he started to feel drowsy.
A local anesthetic should not make me drowsy. What did she give me? Gibbs asked as a sense of weightlessness overwhelmed him. He turned his head slightly and his eyes collided with a pair of green eyes, standing in the doorway.
Tony panicked as he thought that he had been made. Gibbs' eyes widened in disbelieve and relief. Then he said, loud enough for everyone to hear, ìI'm sorry Tony, my Son!î Ducky looked at Gibbs in stunned silence, pausing as he placed the nasal canula in place.
A grin broke across Gibbs face as his eyes fluttered shut. Noticing the direction of his gaze and the odd expression on his face, Bianca turned around and saw Tony standing in the doorway. Her eyes widened as she realized that Gibbs was staring at Tony and that he had referred to him as Tony, MyÖ Son!
Tony was staring at Gibbs in a similar state of shock. Tony Ö my Ö son! Am I his son? And then a wave of weakness flooded Tony's limbs and he realized that he was not going to be able to stand for a moment longer. Ducky noticed Bianca's distraction and looked at the door in time to see a young man collapsing in the doorway.
ìAnthony!î Ducky exclaimed in alarm, relief and dismay.
----------------------------------------------------------
What the hell's going on in there? The man in the SUV wondered as he ran his hand through his hair.
First Gibbs gets taken in and then that ME's sidekick leaves with the van. Does that mean that Gibbs is staying over with DiNozzo? Could it also mean that more agents are on their way to this clinic?
He was getting angrier as he thought that he would have to postpone getting his revenge. This was not how he had planned it. Everything was supposed to be simple. DiNozzo's death was supposed to look like an accident or a break in. And DiNozzo was supposed to die now beforeÖ. beforeÖ.
No, I will not think about that now. I need to focus on this hiccup in my plans and devise a new plan. DiNozzo must die and if I have to take out half his NCIS team to get to him then that's what I'll do. The man snarled as all traces of attractiveness left his face.
--------------------------------------------------------
McGee and Ziva were becoming more restless with each step as their search for Tony yielded nothing new. The temperature had also dropped a further 2 degrees over the last hour and it had started snowing again. Both of them were anxious about Gibbs and how badly he had been injured.
As McGee's phone rang he hoped that it was Ducky calling with an update on Gibbs' condition.
ìMcGee.î He answered.
ìTimothy if you ever want to get an invitation to share my coffin again, you will tell me that you have found Tony and that you are on your way back to me!î Abby growled.
McGee blushed as he remembered what they had managed to do in that coffin the last time he'd spent the night at Abby's place. Ziva elbowed him with raised eyebrows wondering what was going on.
McGee cleared his throat and said, ìAbby, we haven't found Tony yet. But we have sent the car, a cellphone and a sample of blood to you. You need to get back to me as soon as you've processed them.î
ìMcGee you need to hurry and find him. It's approaching 4 below zero and Tony's been out there all night.î Abby said in a chocked voice.
ìWe'll find him Abby. I promise.î McGee replied just as Palmer called out to him.
ìWhere's Gibbs?î Ziva asked as she noticed that Palmer was alone.
ìHe asked me to leave. His pretty mad and I think that Dr B, she's getting on his nerves.î Jimmy said as he reached them.
On the phone Abby heard bits and pieces of what was said, ìleave, mad, Dr B. nerves.î
ìTim, where's Gibbs and who's Dr B?î Abby asked.
At the same time Ziva asked Jimmy, ìHow bad is Gibbs hurt?î
On the phone Abby screeched, ìGibbs is HURT!!!! Oh McGee you are so dead! How could you keep this from me? Oh my God! First Tony's out there somewhere becoming an icycle and now I find out that Gibbs, my silvered haired fox, is also hurt. How badly is he hurt?î Abby shouted as tension hummed through her body.
ìAbby, calm down.î McGee tried to interrupt.
ìWhere is Gibbs? Who's taking care of him? Oh God, is he on his way back to Washington? Which hospital is he being taken to?î Abby continued.
Ziva took the phone from McGee and whistled shrilling, bring Abby's monologue to an abrupt halt.
ìGood, now let's listen to what Jimmy has to say.î Ziva chirped as she put the phone on speaker.
ìAgent Gibbs was bleeding pretty badly and he was going into shock. When he asked me to leave he looked like he was about to pass out. Dr Mallard stayed with him and I decided to see if I could help you with the search.î Jimmy said.
ìOh, ohÖî Abby started to exclaim.
ìCorn it Abby. Process the evidence we've sent to you and I promise that I will call you as soon as possible with an update on Gibbs' condition.î Ziva said and then she hung up.
ìI think you meant to say, ëcan it' and not corn it.î Jimmy corrected.
ìShe's going to hate you, you know for hanging up on her.î McGee replied.
ìNo, she'll hate you for letting me hang up on her. Now Jimmy, take us to this Dr B's clinic.î Ziva said.
ìBut Gibbs wanted us to stay with the search party.î McGee protests.
ìYes, But we need to make sure that he's okay. We can pretend that we are there to give him an update on the case.î Ziva countered.
ìBut we don't have anything new.î McGee stated the obvious.
ìI know that and you know that but Gibbs doesn't. So we'll just make something up as we go.î Ziva replied as she started to make her way back to the road, towards the van.
Damn it, Damn it, Damn it! Ziva exclaimed as she thought about how much she had come to care about these men in her team. Gibbs the patriarch. He was the glue that kept them all together and focused. He was extra special to her because he understood her and trusted her just like she trusted him.
And Tony, the oldest fratboy in the world. He was the one in their family that needed the most protection. The present case was proof of that. But he was also the one that could bring a smile to your face when you thought that you wouldn't be able to go on.
And McGee, he was like the middle child, always being pushed around and having to prove himself to the other two. But he too was special, when he exuded that calm strength and understanding which put you at ease even when you were ready to pull your hair out in frustration.
Yes, these 3 men, they are my family and God help any one who tries to mess with them, Ziva warned.
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Back at the Clinic, Ducky and Bianca stared at Tony as he used his uninjured hand to brace himself as he fell to the floor.
ìOh no! I told you to stay put. I promised that I would keep you safe and now.î Bianca complained as she rushed to Tony's side. Tony was breathing heavily, from exertion or from shock, he wasn't sure.
Ducky mentally shook himself as he rounded Gibbs' bed.
ìOh Anthony, we were so worried about you. We thought that you were trapped out in the cold overnight. Oh Jethro's is going to be so relieved when he gets up. And I need to call Timothy and Ziva and yes, Abigail too. She's going to be beside herself with joy.î Ducky mumbled as he approached Tony.
Bianca rolled Tony onto his back and started taking his pulse and examining his pupils. He was flushed and perspiring. She could feel that his temperature was up again. Then she saw Ducky's shadow looming over them
ìNo, stay back Dr Mallard and don't call anyone just yet. Please, justÖjust keep an eye on Agent Gibbs while I take care of this patient.î Bianca said as she tried to figure out how she was going to take care of this situation. On the one hand, she had Gibbs anesthetised and awaiting surgery. And now her other patient was on floor, running a fever and in pain.
Ducky ignored her as he crouched next to Tony. He could see the pain in his eyes, but what surprised Ducky was the lack of recognition and the Ö fear in Tony's eyes.
ìWho Ö are Ö you? Is he ... myÖ Father? Tony gasped before squeezing his eyes shut against the pain.
ìDon't you know who I am, who Jethro is?î Ducky asked with concern as he placed a comforting hand on Tony's shoulder. Tony flinched and Ducky removed his hand immediately.
ìPlease Dr Mallard. Go and check on Agent Gibbs. I'll take care of this patient and be right back.î Bianca said as she helped Tony up. Ducky ignored her and Tony, as he helped to support Tony's weight. Tony was too weak to protest and he would have likely fallen over if Ducky was not there to support him.
ìAnthony, I'm Ducky, Dr Mallard and he is Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs. We work together at NCIS in Washington.î Ducky stated noting the stitches on Tony's forehead. Anthony, could you be suffering from amnesia? Ducky wondered.
Tony tried to process what this old man had said. Everything was muddled and right now the pain was taking precedence. Bianca hurriedly steered Tony toward a bed at the far side of the ER. She listened to the conversation between Ducky and Tony as she thought, yeah, how convenient that you should know ëTony' and isn't it just amazing that all of you work together at NCIS. This is just too far fetched even for me! I'll just have to keep my eye on you and Special Agent Gibbs and make sure that ëTony' is safe.
As they got Tony on to the bed, Ducky proceeded to cover him with blankets as Bianca retrieved a new IV line and saline solution. She also collected the antibiotics and prepared a shot of morphine. Then she pulled Tony's uninjured arm towards her and cleaned the trail of blood running down it to his palm. Don't you know how dangerous it is to remove an IV line like that. You could have ripped your vein open and then bled to death! Bianca wanted to shout. Instead she turned Tony's wrist over and proceeded to hook up the IV line and meds to the back of his hand. Finally she lifted the blanket and administered the morphine into Tony's right hip.
As Tony recovered his breath he looked over at Gibbs.
ìIs Ö he Ö my Ö Father?î Tony asked in a whisper.
ìHe's not your father, but Jethro loves you like a son.î Ducky said as he placed his hand on Tony's uninjured shoulder.
ìThenÖ why is he Ö trying to Ö kill me?î Tony asked as the meds started to take effect.
ìWhat?!î Ducky exclaimed, but Tony had already passed out by then.
--------------------------------------------------------
Just outside the clinic, the attractive man debated whether to leave for the day or stay and watch for another hour or two. As he prepared to start the SUV his cellphone rang. He glanced at the called ID and grimaced.
ìYeah!î he answered abruptly.
ìFred, where are you?î a young lady asked on the other side of the line.
ìI'm busy. What do you want Angie?î He asked with impatience in his voice.
ìFred, I don't want to alarm you but I'm not feeling too good.î she said in a small voice.
Fred's breath caught as he finally heard the strain in her voice.
ìAngie, is it time?î Fred anxiously asked.
ìI don't know. I've been cramping for the last hour and a half and the pain is getting worse.î Angie said as the next cramp started.
ìGet over to the hospital. I'll meet you there.î Fred said as he put the car into gear.
ìFred, wait. I'm not at home. I... I needed to get away for a while and Sarina's place, just of Freeway 74, was available. But Sarina's not here and I don't have a car. And aaahhhhhhh...î Angie gasped in pain.
ìDamn it. I told you not to leave the city.î Fred growled into the phone as he heard Angie's cry.
"I'm ... aaahhhh ... Sorry, Fred. Please help ... aaaahhhh... me!" Angie moaned.
ìOkay, okay calm down. I'm coming to get you.î Fred said as he hung up and pulled off.
He glared at the clinic in his rear view mirror and his face contorted into a mask of anger.
Anthony DiNozzo, you raped my baby sister and got her with child. Now she's is pain, about to give birth to your bastard. Well you will pay for all the pain you have put her through. You will die as your bastard is being born!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ìHow could he think that Jethro is trying to kill him?î Ducky asked Bianca as she neatened Tony's blankets and then closed the curtain around his bed.
ìWell, that's what he told me when he heard Agent Gibbs' voice.î Bianca said.
ìWhere did you find Anthony and why didn't you report it to the police?î Ducky asked as he accepted the surgical mask and gloves Bianca handed to him.
ìI'll tell you as we start working on Agent Gibbs' arm. I'm probably going to have to up his sedation or he'll wake up while I'm still stitching or casting that arm.î Bianca replied as she prepared and administered another injection.
They worked on Gibbs for close on 30 minutes and Bianca explained how she had found Tony and how she had managed to get him to the clinic all alone. Ducky's respect for her increased as she spoke and then upon seeing her work on Gibbs' arm he was even more impressed. Once the arm was sutured and wrapped, Ducky helped Bianca to wrap Gibbs' bruised ribs.
ìDr Mallard, I can handle placing the cast on his arm. Could I ask you to do me a huge favour?î Bianca asked.
ìSure my dear.î Ducky said as he removed the gloves and the surgical mask.
ìIf you go down that collidor on the right, you'll come out at my kitchen. On the fridge you will find a number for Daniella. Could you please call her and ask her to prepare 12 meal packs for me and to deliver them within the next hour.î Bianca asked as she worked on Gibbs' arm.
ìThat's a good idea. I am feeling a bit peckish myself.î Ducky replied as he made his way out of the room.
Bianca concentrated on setting the cast in place. She moved her hands rhythmically and gently. When she was done, she placed Gibbs' arm on a pillow and waited for the cast to set. After washing her hands, Bianca moved back to Gibbs' side.
She ran her hand lightly over his head, as she once again observed that he was a very attractive man.
------------------------------------------------
As Ducky made his way back to the ER, the door to the entrance of the clinic opened.
ìZiva, Gibbs is not going to like this.î McGee insisted.
ìI think McGee's right.î Jimmy said as he hung back.
ìMen argh! And they call us the weaker sex. You can blame me. You can tell Gibbs that I forced you to bring me here at gunpoint. Okay? But you have to admit that you are just as worried about him as I am and it is killing you not knowing how badly his been hurt.î Ziva growled.
ìNo one is disputing that we are worried about himÖ.î McGee started to say, surprised by Ziva's show of emotion.
ìTimothy, Ziva, Mr Palmer.î Ducky said as he looked at each of them. They were covered in snowflakes and they looked a bit embarrassed at having Ducky overhear their conversation.
ìDr Mallard, how is Agent Gibbs?î Jimmy asked.
ìWhere is he?î McGee asked.
ìCan we see him?î Ziva asked.
Ducky smiled at the concern on their faces and thought, Jethro, you've got a really good team here. A team that's loyal and committed and a team that cares deeply for you and each other.
ìDr B. is just finishing up with Jethro at the moment. They are in that room on the far right and yes, you can see Jethro as soon as she's done with him. Oh and I have some wonderful news. Anthony is here and he is okay.î Ducky concluded.
ìWhat?î ìHow?î ìWhen?î Everybody started talking at once as relieve washed over them.
ìLet us make our way to the kitchen and I'll tell you everything I know.î Ducky smiled.
When he got to the kitchen he put on a fresh pot of coffee and brewed a strong cup of tea for himself before informing the agents of what had happened to Tony.
------------------------------------------------
Back in the ER, Bianca continued to caress Gibbs brow.
Oh Bianca, get a grip before you start drooling all over this gorgeous man! She warned herself.
ìIt's time to wake up, Agent Gibbs.î Bianca said as she let her hand linger in his hair for a moment longer.
Then she moved her hand to his cheek and tapped it lightly as she said, ìAgent Gibbs, Jethro, can you hear me? It's time to wake up.î
Gibbs felt the warm hand on his cheek and the irritating whisper insisting that it was time to wake up. But all he wanted to do was continue to float in the dark void, free from pain and obstacles and decisions. As the voice became louder the tapping on his cheek became harder. Gibbs wanted to push that irritating hand away, but his limbs refused to obey him. In addition his arm felt like it was caught in a vice and pain radiated up and down it.
ìJethro, you need to wake up!î Bianca said as she started to become concerned about his lack of response.
Could the anaesthetic have had an adverse effect on you? But your vitals were stable throughout the procedure. Damn it, wake up! Bianca moaned as she slapped his cheek harder.
Gibbs awoke with a start and groaned as the pain in his arm multiplied exponentially. His torso also felt tight and restricted. Then he noticed that he was shivering, from pain or cold or a combination of the two, he was not sure.
ìAgent Gibbs, are you with me?î Bianca asked as she shone a touch in his eyes. His pupils although a bit sluggish, were responsive.
ìHow many fingers am I holding up?î Bianca asked.
ìSsshhh, threeÖ.î Gibbs shivered as his eyes started to roll shut.
ìNo, no, no Ö stay with me. Do you know who I am?î Bianca asked as her hand was on his cheek again. Gibbs' eyes flew open again. He looked at her with what he hoped was his usual glare.
ìCome on, who am I?î Bianca prompted noting the puzzled look on Gibbs' face.
ì Dr B. ssshhh. What ssshhhh Ö ?î Gibbs whispered as he instinctively reached for his injured arm while squeezing his eyes shut.
ìWe've stitched your arm and I'm waiting for the cast to set. I'm going to give you something for the pain right now.î Bianca replied as she picked up a syringe from the surgical trolley next to her.
ìIt's going to sting a bit.î She said as she lifted the blanket at his side. She unfastened his pants and gingerly pulled it down. Then she administered the shot into his hip causing Gibbs to cringe and try to pull away as the dark, fiery liquid invaded his body.
Gibbs closed his eyes as Bianca removed the needle. Then he felt his blanket's being lifted and her hands were on the waist of his pants.
ìI'm flattered but ... ssshhh ... I don't think that I'll be ... ssshhh ... much fun right now.î Gibbs whispered with a lopsided grin on his face. Bianca looked at Gibbs and decided that he looked adorable with his hair in disarray and that silly grin on his face.
ìOh, that's such a pity because I was sure that I could make you feel better.î Bianca smiled sweetly as Gibbs looked at her and swallowed. The pain meds were starting to work and Bianca's warm hands on his bare hips were starting to send interesting sensations through his body.
ìOkay sweetie, lift your hips for me so I can get these restrictive pants off. Usually I keep my patients naked in bed, but for you I'll go and get a nice, warm gown." Bianca smiled as she pulled his pants off. Bianca knew that his body was still reacting to the anaesthetic and sedatives and she decided that she better hurry this along before she embarrassed him and herself.
Gibbs closed his eyes as he felt Bianca's warm hands run down his legs. When her hands were no longer touching him, he opened his eyes looking for her. He saw her rummaging through a cupboard and as soon as she turned back to him, he closed his eyes again. She helped him into the gown and then placed his arm in a sling.
As she was about to turn away, Gibbs suddenly remembered something. Despite the intense pain it caused him, he pulled himself up and grabbed her upper arm with his uninjured hand. He forcefully pulled her towards himself, making her cry out in pain.
"Ouch! Gibbs what is it?" Bianca asked, shocked by the strength in his hand. As she tried to pull away his grip tightened, bruising her flesh and making her cry out again.
"Where is Tony? What have you done to him?" Gibbs growled at Bianca, all traces of humour gone from his eyes.
------------------------------------------------------------------
In the kitchen Ducky finished his story forgetting to mention Tony's amnesia. Just then McGee's phone started ringing.
ìMcGee.î He answered.
ìHow is Gibbs and don't you dare let Ziva hang up on me again.î Abby growled.
ìGibbs is fine, he had a hairline fracture in his left arm and a few bruised ribs. And AbbyÖî McGee tried to say.
ìGood!î Abby sighed. ìMcGee the cell phone you sent me belongs to ..î Abby continued.
ì Dr Bianca Shore.î McGee finished.
ìBut.. But how did you know?î Abby asked, hating having her thunder stolen like that.
ìBecause she's the Doctor who found Tony and saved his life. She's also the doctor who took care of Gibbs' arm.î McGee finished.
ìTony, you've found Tony. When and why didn't you call me immediately? How is he? Oh Gibbs must be so thrilled.î Abby gushed with relief.
McGee filled Abby in on everything that he knew. Abby promised to process the car and to get back to him with a report ASAP. But she also made him promise to call her as soon as Gibbs and Tony were awake. McGee smiled at the joy in her voice as he hung up.
-------------------------------------------------------------
ìGibbs, LET ME GO!î Bianca shouted out as she was sure that he was about to snap her arm.
At the same time Ducky and the rest of the team were making their way back to the reception area of the clinic. Upon hearing Bianca's cry of pain, everyone rushed into the ER.
ìJethro let Dr B go. What's the matter with you? You usually come out of anesthesia in a disorientated but humorous mood. But I've never known you to become violent!î Ducky admonished as he rushed towards the bed.
McGee and Ziva approached Gibbs from the other side of the bed. Ziva reached over and placed her hand on top of Gibbs'. Then she applied a measured amount pressure, causing Gibbs' fingers to unfurl involuntarily. Unfortunately, Bianca was trying so hard to pull away from Gibbs that as soon as his hold loosened, she went flying across the room. Her momentum caused her to ram into the counter behind her, opening up the cut on her leg. As Bianca sank to the floor she didn't know whether to cradle her badly bruised arm or hold onto her now bleeding leg.
Gibbs on the other hand, sank back onto the bed, exhausted and confused.
ìBoss, you okay?î McGee asked, worry marring his features. Ziva also frowned at the expression on Gibbs' face.
Gibbs tried to focus on McGee and then on Ziva. He wanted to ask them what was going on, but for some reason he couldn't seem to form the words.
Where's Tony and why's Palmer here? He wondered as he looked around the room feeling dazed.
He was surprised to see Bianca on the floor.
Why is she frowning like she's in pain? He wondered.
He couldn't understand what had just happened. One minute he was flirting with Dr B and in the next she was on the floor, in pain.
Why? He pondered as darkness closed around him.
ìArghh!!!î Bianca moaned as she took stock of her injuries. Her arm was numb with pain and her leg was pulsating in time with her erratic heart beat. In addition to that her she was sure that her backside was bruised.
ìAre you okay, dear?î Ducky asked as he approached Bianca.
Ziva neatened Gibbs' blankets before following McGee and Palmer to Bianca's side.
ìWhat happened? Why did Gibbs attack you like that?î Ziva asked as Ducky kneeled next to Bianca.
"I don't..." Bianca tried to say as she worked on getting her emotions under control.
ìDucky, her leg's bleeding.î McGee swallowed as a wave of nausea rushed through his system at the sight of the blood on the floor. Bianca looked at her leg and then at everyone standing around her and staring at her. That shook her out of her shock and she pushed herself up to her feet as quickly as she could. Ziva supported her on one side as she limped towards a chair.
As she sat down, Ducky instructed Palmer to get a few surgical dressings and a suturing kit from the cupboard on the far side of the room. McGee paled as he saw the suturing kit with its various needles and blades.
ìZiva, apply pressure to that cut while I get these gloves on.î Ducky ordered.
ìDr Mallard, I can handle this Ö.î Bianca tried to say. But Ziva's hand clamping on her injury sent shooting pain up and down her leg, which made any further protest impossible.
ìI have no doubt that you can handle this. But seeing as I am here, let me take care of it for you.î Ducky said as he approached Bianca.
Bianca was tense and shaken up, though she would never admit it out loud. Gibbs' hold on her had terrified her, bringing up a few memories from her past which she was sure had been dealt with and were long buried.
As Ducky took a hold of her leg, she flinched startling him, Ziva and herself.
ìAre you okay, Bianca?î Ducky asked with concern. Ziva could feel the tension in the Dr B's body and she was sure that the expression Bianca was trying to cover up was one of fear.
Bianca looked from Ducky to Ziva wondering how much of her emotions they had picked up on. Then she smiled and said in as normal a voice as possible, ìIt's just a bit tender, and I'm Ö I'm used to treating myself.î
She noted the questioning looks on Ducky and Ziva's faces before she closed her eyes and forced herself to relax by taking a deep breath.
Ducky and Ziva could sense that there was more to this than Bianca was letting on, but neither of them wanted to push her for answers.
ìZiva, Timothy, move Jethro and Tony to one of the rooms further down the hall and Mr. Palmer, would you mind cleaning the ER, while I attend to Dr B's injuries.î Ducky said instead.
Everyone moved to do as ordered. McGee and Ziva made their way to Tony's bed both anxious to see that he was indeed okay. The sight of the cast on his arm was a shock to Ziva even though she suspected that he must have been hurt. McGee was relieved to see that Tony had some colour in his cheeks. That was until he realized that the redness on his cheeks was as a result of the fever raging in his body. Ziva realized the same thing at the same time. They looked at each other sharply and silently communicated that Tony would be okay. He had to be. Then they wheeled him out of the room.
When they returned for Gibbs, Ducky was busy cleaning the wound on Bianca's leg. McGee swallowed at the sight of the bloody swabs on the trolley next to her and Ziva elbowed him with a warning in her eyes.
Don't you even think about fainting!
McGee looked away as he tried to compose himself. Bianca in the mean time tried her best not to cringe and moan out, because it hurt like hell. McGee looked at her apologetically as he wheeled Gibbs out of the room.
Then the reception door opened and a woman called out.
ìHey Bianca, I'm going to leave your order in the kitchen. It looks like we're in for another blizzard and I want to get home before that.î Daniella called out.
ìThanks Daniella.î Bianca called back and then she gasped as Ducky proceeded to suture the open wound on her leg. Once he was done with her leg, he moved to her side and lifted the sleeve of her top out of the way.
ìGood grieve!î Ducky exclaimed causing Mr. Palmer to look up and stare at Bianca's arm.
ìOh, it's not that bad Dr Mallard.î Bianca lied as she looked at her arm. The bruise reminded her of other bruises from another time in her life and she shivered as she tries to push those memories away.
ìMr. Palmer, get me some ice. Hurry, her arm's already starting to swell.î Ducky ordered.
ìDr Mallard, you're making a big deeeeÖ. Ow!î Bianca growled in pain as Ducky prodded and poked her arm.
ìSorry about that. The ice should sooth it though I'm sure you know that it's going to hurt quiet a bit before you feel any relief.î Ducky said.
Bianca was ordered to relax for the next hour as Ducky monitored the swelling and bruising on her arm. It was already an ugly purplish blue with red streaks and every time Bianca looked at it she was transported back in time to a place filled with hate and pain.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Later that day as the team ate lunch in the kitchen, Gibbs started to come awake. At first he was baffled about where he was and what had happened. Then everything came back to him with crystal clarity.
ìTony!î Gibbs gasped in anguish as he failed to hold back the tears running down his cheeks. Then he became aware of a second presence in the room. He turned his head slowly to his right and gasped again.
But this time it was in disbelief because lying in the bed next to him was none other then his ... his Ö
Tony chose that moment to turn his head in his sleep. Gibbs smiled as the tears of relief continued to roll down his cheeks. Then he pushed himself up from the bed and sat on the edge of it as he stared at Tony.
ìThank God, you're okay, DiNozzo. God, you don't have any idea what I've been through thinking that I had lost you! And if you ever do this to me again I'll kill you!î Gibbs said with a grin on his face as he slowly got to his feet.
The pain in his body could not deter Gibbs from reaching out to Tony. Luckily their beds were really close to each other and Gibbs didn't have too far to go. As he reached Tony's side he smiled and laid a hand on his forehead, moving his hair off his brow. Gibbs stared at this young man, who in 5 short years had become such an integral part of his life. Emotions long denied and well hidden flowed freely through Gibbs body and there was not way he could hold back any longer.
ìTony Ö youÖ you mean so much to me. Damn it Tony, I couldn't bear it if I had to lose you. Don't you know how important you are to me?î Gibbs questioned. Tony heard a voice speaking to him and drawing him out of his sleep.
ìYou're the Ö. kid Ö the Ö.son Ö. I've always dreamed of having. You give me purpose Ö a reason to keep going. I know that I push you too hard, Ö. but damn it, Ö. It's because I want you to be the best and I need to know Ö that you are strong enough Ö and fast enough to survive Ö whatever this world throws at you.î Gibbs growled as he held onto Tony's hand.
He willed Tony to hear him and to understand him and yet he was terrified of how Tony would react. Would Tony accept him or reject him. Tony came more awake and felt the pressure on his hand and then his forehead. He heard the emotion in the voice whispering to him. But he couldn't make out the word being said as they were being said so quickly and so softly.
ìTony,î Gibbs whispered as his eyes filled with tears again.
ìTony, I careÖ no, I Ö I love you, son!î Gibbs sobbed as he pulled Tony's hand towards his lips. Tony came fully awake at this. He looked at the man standing over him, puzzled and intrigued.
ìI love you, my boy!î Gibbs whispered again, before placing a light fatherly kiss on Tony's knuckles.
ìDad?!î Tony hesitantly whispered, as he squeezed Gibbs' hand.
-----------------------------------------------------------

Fred drove as fast as he dared. The weather had deteriorated and the blizzard that was threatening all morning had finally arrived. As soon as Fred got to Sarina's cabin he pulled the SUV to an abrupt halt and jumped out of the car. He turned his collar up in an effort to ward off the snow and chill as he raced to the front door of the cabin.
ìAngie!î Fred shouted as he banged on the front door. When he received no answer he slammed his shoulder into the door and forced it open.
ìAngie, where are you?î Fred called out with a trace of fear in his voice.
ìFred, argh!î Angie's weak voice filtered through the cabin. Fred raced towards the bedroom at the back of the cabin and stopped dead in his tracks as his eyes settled on his little sister.
ìAngie, how far along are you?î He asked in a shaky voice. Angie was lying on her side, her skin covered in perspiration and her face contorted in pain.
ìI don't know. The contractions are about 8 minutes apart and Ö and I think my water just broke.î She said as she looked at down at the crotch of her pants which was wet.
Fred closed his eyes as he felt anger and hatred for one Anthony DiNozzo rising within him. As Angie whimpered, Fred opened his eyes and admitted that he needed to focus on helping his sister now.
I'll take care of DiNozzo once I know that Angie and the baby are okay, he decided.
He approached his sister and said as calmly as he could, ìIts okay, honey. Everything is going to be okay. Let me get you some dry clothes. Once you've changed I'm going to drive you to Washington Gen. I'll try to call ahead so that Doc Bennett will know that we're on our way.î
ìThanks Fred. I don't know how I'd be able to get through this is you weren't here.î Angie sobbed as she slowly sat up on the bed and hugged her brother. Fred hugged her back tightly, trying to reassure her. Then he pushed her back and tapped her lightly on her chin, just the way he used to when they were kids. Angie smiled at him and kissed him on his cheek.
ìOkay we need to get moving before that storm out there gets worse.î Fred said as he made his way to Angie's suitcase which was lying on the floor next to the bed. He rummaged through it until he found another pants, a sweater as well as clean underwear. He handed these to Angie and then helped her to the bathroom.
Angie changed her clothes as quickly as she could. Then she washed her face and combed her hair. Before leaving the bathroom, she looked at herself in the mirror. She ran her hand over her stomach as she thought I will make your father acknowledge you and give you what's due to you. I promise! And then I will tell Fred and the rest of the family who he is.
Tears started clouding her vision again as the next contraction started ripping through her body.
Anthony, how could you do this to me when I need you so badly? God, it hurts so much!
ìAngie honey, are you okay? Do you need help?î Fred asked as he heard her gasp of pain.
ìFredÖaaammmm.î Angie moaned as she opened the door squeezed her eyes shut while panting in pain.
ìShhh, just breathe, that's it. It will pass in a second. That's a good girl.î Fred guided and praised her as he placed his arms around her and supported her through the worst of the contraction.
As soon as the contraction had passed and Angie was able to stand up straight again, Fred grabbed her jacket and helped her into it. Then he grabbed her bag and wrapped an arm around her as he led her out to the SUV.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Back at the clinic, Gibbs' eyes flew to Tony's face as he heard the softly whispered word, ìDad!î
Tony stared up at Gibbs waiting for a response, their hands still clasped together. Tony looked as vulnerable as Gibbs felt. When a frown started marring Tony's brow, Gibbs suddenly felt self conscious and he started withdrawing, reigning in what he considered were his wayward emotions.
Damn it, those meds must have messed with my brain! DiNozzo's never going to let me forget that I stood over him, holding his hand while sobbing like a baby.
Gibbs released Tony's hand abruptly and moved back to his bed just as Ducky walked into the room. Ducky could clearly see that something significant had just happened between these two men. Tony looked confused and apprehensive. Gibbs' eyes were bloodshot as a bit of moisture clung to his eyelashes. Gibbs got into his bed and cradled his aching arm, totally ignoring Ducky and Tony.
ìJethro, Anthony, are you two okay?î Ducky asked as he looked from one to the other. Gibbs cleared his throat as he looked away and replied in a thick voice, ìFine!î
ìIs my name Jethro or Anthony? And is he my Father?î Tony asked as he sat up slowly on the bed. Gibbs turned around and looked at him sharply.
ìWhat are you trying to pull, DiNozzo? You know exactly who I am and who you are!î Gibbs growled, wondering what the hell Tony was up to.
ìYou are Anthony and he is Jethro. He isÖî Ducky stated to say just as Ziva and McGee walked into the room.
Upon seeing them, Tony's face paled and his breathing became harsh.
ìI'm going to enjoy demonstrating my skills of how to kill a man without leaving a mark on his bodyî
ìWhen can I start, Boss?î
ìI want to watch him suffer!î
Tony looked from Ziva and McGee to Gibbs and back. Gibbs and Ducky noticed his distress and Gibbs was starting to loose patience with him.
ìDiNozzo, what the hell do you think you're doing?î Gibbs growled as he glared at Tony, who was in the process of getting off his bed. Tony ignored him as he continued to stare at Ziva and McGee.
ìTony, you really shouldn't be out of bed. You need to rest and you know it's not good to upset an already upset Gibbs.î Ziva chirped, earning a glare from Gibbs and a smirk from Ducky. McGee also grinned until Gibbs glared at him.
Tony looked terrified as he backed away to the window, ignoring the pain and the pull on his IV line. The old English Doctor was talking to him, but the words were muffled. All Tony could think about was I need to run! In need to get away. They're going to kill me! But how am I going to get out of here?
Ziva and McGee were puzzled by the fear on Tony's face. As Ziva started to approach Tony, he looked frantically around himself and started opening drawers behind him.
ìTony, what's wrong?î McGee asked as he also started approaching Tony.
Tony grabbed a scalpel from the drawer behind him and pointed it at Ziva.
ìSTAY AWAY FROM ME!î Tony warned as he waved the knife between McGee and Ziva. Gibbs sat up on his bed and stared in disbelief at Tony.
ìDiNozzo put the knife down!î Gibbs ordered as he stood up what the hell's wrong with you Tony?
ìAnthony calm down.î Ducky said as he walked around McGee and Ziva and started approaching Tony. Tony was starting to tire as he was standing on his uninjured leg. He had also stretched his IV line to the limit and as he jerked to face Ducky, the IV needle was ripped out of the back of his hand.
Bianca walked into the room and upon seeing a terrified, bleeding and armed Tony, she immediately took action.
ìYou three, out of here NOW!î she ordered as she pointed at Ziva, McGee and Ducky.
They just stared at her as if she had lost her mind.
ìAre you deaf? I said MOVE!î She shouted as she pushed McGee and then Ziva away. Ducky followed the two younger agents towards the door but all of them waited in the doorway.
Gibbs just stared at Bianca noting that she was favouring her right leg. She also seemed to be supporting her left arm. She approached Tony slowly as she ignored the rest of the people in the room.
ìMister, put the knife down. You now you can trust me. Come on.î Bianca said in a calm but commanding voice.
ìThey're going to kill me!î Tony said as he waved the knife dangerously close to Bianca's chest. Gibbs was stunned by what Tony had just said. Ziva swore in Hebrew and McGee's jaw just dropped open.
ìDiNozzo what the hell Ö.î Gibbs growled.
ìOh, I should have toldÖî Ducky started to say.
ìEveryone, SHUT UP!î Bianca shouted as she glared at Gibbs and the other three NCIS members standing at the door.
Then she drew a sharp breath as she said again, ìNo one's going to hurt you. I won't let them. You know you can trust me. I found you and I brought you here. I saved your life! Now please Ö please just give me the knife.î
Tony looked from Bianca to the rest of the people in the room. He noted the concern and confusion in their eyes and then he looked at Gibbs. Gibbs looked back, holding his gaze steady.
ìListen to her Tony. No one's going to hurt you.î Gibbs said in a calm yet commanding voice.
Tony was starting to feel weak and he knew that he would not be able to stand for much longer. Also his hand was now coated in his blood and it wasn't so easy to hold onto the scalpel. He looked at Bianca and she nodded her head as she extended her hand to receive the scalpel.
As Tony handed it to her, he collapsed to the ground.
------------------------------------------------------------------
ìTony! God Damn it.î Gibbs shouted as Tony's eyes rolled shut and he started to fall.

Bianca reached out for Tony and despite the pain in her arm she was able grab a hold of him and eased him down to the ground.

At least you didn't knock your head or jar any of your other injuries. What the hell could you have been thinking, getting out of bed like that? Bianca thought as pain pulsated up her arm.

Ziva, McGee and Ducky rushed forward, around Gibbs' bed as Gibbs leaned over Tony's bed to get a better look at his senior field agent.

ìHelp me get him back onto the bed and apply pressure to his hand, before he loses more blood.î Bianca ordered as she stood up.
McGee and Ziva did as instructed while Bianca placed the bloody scalpel on the counter behind her. Once Tony was on the bed, Bianca took his pulse and checked his vital signs. At the same time Ducky cleaned and dressed the wound on Tony's hand. Bianca then got another IV line, this time hooking it up to the back of Tony's injured hand. She reasoned that since this hand was in a cast, it was unlikely that he would move it around too much.

ìIs he going to be okay?î McGee asked the question that was on everyone's lips.
ìYes. He collapsed as a result of weakness and possibly a drop in blood pressure.î Ducky said as he looked at the blood pressure monitor.

ìYep, his BP's 85 over 55. If it doesn't increase in the next 10 minutes, I'm going to have to give him 10cc of Effortil to push it up. And then I'm going to strap him down to this bed to stop him from getting up and injuring himself again.î Bianca stated as she squeezed her eyes shut and held onto her aching arm.

ìWhat the hell is wrong with your arm and what's going on with DiNozzo? Why doesn't he know who he is and why does he think that we're trying to kill him?î Gibbs growled noting the expression of pain flashing across Bianca's face.

ìDon't tell us that all those smacks to the back of his head, has finally led to some kind of brain problem.î Ziva grumbled as she pulled Tony's blankets up to his chin.

ìI hurt my arm when I was standing too close to you and you decided to become violent. And what smacks to the head is she talking about? Has someone been abusing him?î Bianca asked as she pulled herself together and tried to ignore the pain in her arm and leg. She decided to occupy herself by grabbing a hand towel from a cupboard and cleaning Tony's blood from the floor. Ziva helped her do this as McGee looked away swallowing down the bile that was lodged in his throat.

ìMe? Becoming violent? WhatÖî Gibbs growled, totally confused.
ìGibbs usually smacks Tony Ö.î McGee started to say at the same time.

ìGibbs, you hit him!î Bianca gasped as she stood up and stared at Gibbs. Gibbs stared back not at all comfortable with her looking at him like that.
Just who the hell do you think you are looking at me like that and judging my methods? And how dare you accuse me of becoming violent. Gibbs wanted to shout but he said nothing and just glared at Bianca while the rest of the NCIS team remained quiet.

Bianca just shook her head and then her eyes widened in realization.
ìNo wonder he thinks you're trying to kill. I mean you almost snapped my arm so you definitely have violent tendencies. In his current confused state, Tony's mind is pulling together jumbled bit of information. You probably shouted or hit him just before the accident and as a result of the amnesia, he now sees you as the enemy.î Bianca stated. Gibbs looked at Ducky who met his gaze with a stern expression on his face.

AMNESIA! Could what I said, have affected Tony so much! Bloody hell did he get into the accident because of what I said. Gibbs cursed as he looked away from Ducky.

ìAmnesia?!î McGee and Ziva exclaimed together.
ìOnly Tony would be so stubborn to go out in a blizzard to retrieve a forgotten sketch pad and in the process loose his mind.î Jimmy chuckled. Everyone turned and stared at him and that was when he realized what he had just said.
ìI'm Ö I mean Ö I Ö Sorry.î He stuttered as he rushed out of the room.

Bianca checked on Tony's vital signs one more time before cradling her arm and ordering, ìI want all of you out of here. You can take Agent Gibbs into the room two doors down. And don't you, any of you, dare try to see Tony or Anthony or whatever his name is, without my permission.î

ìHe is my senior field agent! I don't need your permission to see him. Hell, I don't even need his permission to see him! I'll stay with him if I want to and you'll see what happens to you if you try to stop me.î Gibbs warned.

Bianca physically backed away as her mind regressed to a different time and a different place.

Bitch, you will do as I say and if you don't you just wait and see what I'll do to you! And this time I won't be gentle and I promise it will hurt I hell. Now get over here and remove your clothes!

ìBianca?î Ducky asked as he noted that all colour had draining from her face.

ìNo!î Bianca whispered as she squeezed her eyes shut. Then she took a deep, shaky breathe as she snapped out of it. She opened her eyes and stared at Gibbs like as if she had never seen him before.

What the hell's wrong with you lady? Gibbs wondered.

Bianca continued to stare at Gibbs and then she said in no more than a whisper, ìHe is my patient and I will protect him from you and anyone else if I have to. Don't push me because you have no idea who you're dealing with.î
Then she walked out of the room without a second glance.

McGee and Ziva stared at the door in shock because no one ever talked to Gibbs like that and got away with it. Then they stole a glance at Gibbs.

He glared at them and shouted, ìMcGee, Ziva check in with Abby.î
ìOn it Boss.î McGee replied as he and Ziva left the room.

ìDucky, we need to talk.î Gibbs said as he grabbed a hold of his IV stand and started to walk out of the room. Ducky followed him out without saying a word.

Bianca rushed to her bedroom as her breathing became more erratic.
I stood up to him. He can't hurt me or Tony, Anthony. I'm stronger now. No one will ever be able to hurt me. I won't let them. I won't.

She repeated these words to herself as tears rolled down her cheeks. She went into her bathroom and lifted her sweat shirt. Below her right breast was an ugly jagged scar. It was a remainder of what she had been through and as she looked at it she vowed No one will ever hurt me again. No one!

Then she took out a few pills, painkillers and anti inflammatories, from the bathroom cabinet. She downed them with a glass of water before going and lying down on her bed.

-------------------------------------

Gibbs and Ducky entered the room next to Tony's and Gibbs demanded, ìWhat the hell did I do to her?î

ìYou attacked her when you came out of anaesthesia. You held onto her arm so tightly that you could have literally broken it. Ziva applied pressure to your hand to get you to release her. When you did her momentum drove her into the cupboard behind her and she opened up a wound on her leg that required stitches.î Ducky said in a calm, controlled voice.

Gibbs stared at him and said, ìCome again, Ducky. Did you just say that I attacked Öî

Gibbs' question was brought to an abrupt halt as McGee rushed into the room and said, ìBoss, Abby needs to speak to you.î
Gibbs glared at him for the interruption even as he grabbed the phone from his hand.

ìYeh Abs. What is it?î He growled.
ìAre you okay? Does it hurt much? Oh Gibbs I was so worried! First Tony and then you, my silver haired fox andÖî Abby rambled.
ìAbby! What have you got for me?î Gibbs growled loosing all patience.

ìOkay. You don't have to be so grumpy with me. What I have, you are not going to like. But I have to tell you, else you'llÖî Abby was saying.

ìAbby, get to the point!î Gibbs demanded as he sat down on the bed. His arm and ribs were aching and he could feel a head ache building behind his eyes.

ìI found a 220 Howell, 0.224 calibre bullet lodged in the left rear wheel rim. This is a popular bullet used in a Safari 550 hunting rifle. I have managed to lift a partial print from the base of the bullet and I'm running it through AFIS as we speak.î Abby stated and then she moved the phone away from her ear.

ìSon of a bitch! Some one is trying to kill Tony.î Gibbs shouted in fury.

------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------

In the kitchen as Ducky finished his story forgetting to mention Tony's amnesia. Just then McGee's phone started ringing.

"McGee." He answered.

"How is Gibbs and don't you dare let Ziva hang up on me again." Abby growled.

"Gibbs is fine, he had a hairline fracture in his left arm and a few bruised ribs. And AbbyÖ" McGee tried to say.

"Good!" Abby sighed. "McGee the cell phone you sent me belongs to .." Abby continued.

" Dr Bianca Shore." McGee finished.

"But.. But how did you know?" Abby asked, hating having her thunder stolen like that.

"Because she's the Doctor who found Tony and saved his life. She's also the doctor who took care of Gibbs' arm." McGee finished.

"Tony, you've found Tony. When and why didn't you call me immediately? How is he? Oh Gibbs must be so thrilled." Abby gushed with relief.

McGee filled Abby in on everything that he knew. Abby promised to process the car and to get back to him with a report ASAP. But she also made him promise to call her as soon as Gibbs and Tony were awake. McGee smiled at the joy in her voice as he hung up.

-------------------------------------------------------------

"Gibbs, LET ME GO!" Bianca shouted out as she was sure that he was about to snap her arm.

At the same time Ducky and the rest of the team were making their way back to the reception area of the clinic. Upon hearing Bianca's cry of pain, everyone rushed into the ER.

"Jethro let Dr B go. What's the matter with you? You usually come out of anesthesia in a disorientated but humorous mood. But I've never known you to be become violent!" Ducky admonished as he rushed towards the bed.

McGee and Ziva approached Gibbs from the other side of the bed. Ziva reached over and placed her hand on top of Gibbs'. Then she applied a measured amount pressure, causing Gibbs' fingers to unfurl involuntarily. Unfortunately, Bianca was trying so hard to pull away from Gibbs that as soon as his hold loosened, she went flying across the room. Her momentum caused her to ram into the counter behind her, opening up the cut on her leg. As Bianca sank to the floor she didn't know whether to cradle her badly bruised arm or hold onto her now bleeding leg.

Gibbs on the other hand, sank back onto the bed, exhausted and confused.

"Boss, you okay?" McGee asked, worry marring his features. Ziva also frowned at the expression on Gibbs' face.

Gibbs tried to focus on McGee and then on Ziva. He wanted to ask them what was going on, but for some reason he couldn't seem to form the words.

Where's Tony and why's Palmer here? He wondered as he looked around the room feeling dazed.

He was surprised to see Bianca on the floor.

Why is she frowning like she's in pain? He wondered.

He couldn't understand what had just happened. One minute he was flirting with Dr B and in the next she was on the floor, in pain.

Why? He pondered as darkness closed around him.

"Arghh!!!" Bianca moaned as she took stock of her injuries. Her arm was numb with pain and her leg was pulsating in time with her erratic heart beat. In addition to that her she was sure that her backside was bruised.

"Are you okay, dear?" Ducky asked as he approached Bianca.

Ziva neatened Gibbs' blankets before following McGee and Palmer to Bianca's side.

"What happened? Why did Gibbs attack you like that?" Ziva asked as Ducky kneeled next to Bianca.

"I don't..." Bianca tried to say as she worked on getting her emotions under control.

"Ducky, her leg's bleeding." McGee swallowed as a wave of nausea rushed through his system at the sight of the blood on the floor. Bianca looked at her leg and then at everyone standing around her and staring at her. That shook her out of her shock and she pushed herself up to her feet as quickly as she could. Ziva supported her on one side as she limped towards a chair.

As she sat down, Ducky instructed Palmer to get a few surgical dressings and a suturing kit from the cupboard on the far side of the room. McGee paled as he saw the suturing kit with its various needles and blades.

"Ziva, apply pressure to that cut while I get these gloves on." Ducky ordered.

"Dr Mallard, I can handle this Ö." Bianca tried to say. But Ziva's hand clamping on her injury sent shoot pain up and down her leg, which made any further protest impossible.

"I have no doubt that you can handle this. But seeing as I am here, let me take care of it for you." Ducky said as he approached Bianca.

Bianca was tense and shaken up, though she would never admit it out loud. Gibbs' hold on her had terrified her, bringing up a few memories from her past which she was sure had been dealt with and were long buried.

As Ducky took a hold of her leg, she flinched startling him, Ziva and herself.

"Are you okay, Bianca?" Ducky asked with concern. Ziva could feel the tension in the Dr B's body and she was sure that the expression Bianca was trying to cover up was one of fear.

Bianca looked from Ducky to Ziva wondering how much of her emotions they had picked up on. Then she smiled and said in as normal a voice as possible, "It's just a bit tender, and I'm Ö I'm used to treating myself."

She noted the questioning looks on Ducky and Ziva's faces before she closed her eyes and forced herself to relax by taking a deep breath.

Ducky and Ziva could sense that there was more to this than Bianca was letting on, but neither of them wanted to push her for answers.

"Ziva, Timothy, move Jethro and Tony to one of the rooms further down the hall and Mr. Palmer, would you mind cleaning the ER, while I attend to Dr B's injuries." Ducky said instead.

Everyone moved to do as ordered. McGee and Ziva made their way to Tony's bed both anxious to see that he was indeed okay. The sight of the cast on his arm was a shock to Ziva even though she suspected that he must have been hurt. McGee was relieved to see that Tony had some colour in his cheeks. That was until he realized that the redness on his cheeks was as a result of the fever raging in his body. Ziva realized the same thing at the same time. They looked at each other sharply and silently communicated that Tony would be okay. He had to be. Then they wheeled him out of the room.

When they returned for Gibbs, Ducky was busy cleaning the wound on Bianca's leg. McGee swallowed at the sight of the bloody swabs on the trolley next to her and Ziva elbowed him with a warning in her eyes.

Don't you even think about fainting!

McGee looked away as he tried to compose himself. Bianca in the mean time tried her best not to cringe and moan out, because it hurt like hell. McGee looked at her apologetically as he wheeled Gibbs out of the room.

Then the reception door opened and a woman called out.

"Hey Bianca, I'm going to leave your order in the kitchen. It looks like we're in for another blizzard and I want to get home before that." Daniella called out.

"Thanks Daniella." Bianca called back and then she gasped as Ducky proceeded to suture the open wound on her leg. Once he was done with her leg, he moved to her side and lifted the sleeve of her top out of the way.

"Good grieve!" Ducky exclaimed causing Mr. Palmer to look up and stare at Bianca's arm.

"Oh, it's not that bad Dr Mallard." Bianca lied as she looked at her arm. The bruise reminded her of other bruises from another time in her life and she shivered as she tries to push those memories away.

"Mr. Palmer, get me some ice. Hurry, her arm's already starting to swell." Ducky ordered.

"Dr Mallard, you're making a big deeeeÖ. Ow!" Bianca growled in pain as Ducky prodded and poked her arm.

"Sorry about that. The ice should sooth it though I'm sure you know that it's going to hurt quiet a bit before you feel any relief." Ducky said.

Bianca was ordered to relax for the next hour as Ducky monitored the swelling and bruising on her arm. It was already an ugly purplish blue with red streaks and every time Bianca looked at it she was transported back in time to a place filled with hate and pain.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Later that day as the team ate lunch in the kitchen, Gibbs started to come awake. At first he was baffled about where he was and what had happened. Then everything came back to him with crystal clarity.

"Tony!" Gibbs gasped in anguish as he failed to hold back the tears running down his cheeks. Then he became aware of a second presence in the room. He turned his head slowly to his right and gasped again.

But this time it was in disbelief because lying in the bed next to him was none other then his ... his Ö

Tony chose that moment to turn his head in his sleep. Gibbs smiled as the tears of relief continued to roll down his cheeks. Then he pushed himself up from the bed and sat on the edge of it as he stared at Tony.

"Thank God, you're okay, DiNozzo. God, you don't have any idea what I've been through thinking that I had lost you! And if you ever do this to me again I'll kill you!" Gibbs said with a grin on his face as he slowly got to his feet.

The pain in his body could not deter Gibbs from reaching out to Tony. Luckily their beds were really close to each other and Gibbs didn't have too far to go. As he reached Tony's side he smiled and laid a hand on his forehead, moving his hair off his brow. Gibbs stared at this young man, who in 5 short years had become such an integral part of his life. Emotions long denied and well hidden flowed freely through Gibbs body and there was not way he could hold back any longer.

"Tony Ö youÖ you mean so much to me. Damn it Tony, I couldn't bear it if I had to lose you. Don't you know how important you are to me?" Gibbs questioned. Tony heard a voice speaking to him and drawing him out of his sleep.

"You're the Ö. kid Ö the Ö.son Ö. I've always dreamed of having. You give me purpose Ö a reason to keep going. I know that I push you too hard, Ö. but damn it, Ö. It's because I want you to be the best and I need to know Ö that you are strong enough Ö and fast enough to survive Ö whatever this world throws at you." Gibbs growled as he held onto Tony's hand.

He willed Tony to hear him and to understand him and yet he was terrified of how Tony would react. Would Tony accept him or reject him. Tony came more awake and felt the pressure on his hand and then his forehead. He heard the emotion in the voice whispering to him. But he couldn't make out the word being said as they were being said so quickly and so softly.

"Tony," Gibbs whispered as his eyes filled with tears again.

"Tony, I careÖ no, I Ö I love you, son!" Gibbs sobbed as he pulled Tony's hand towards his lips. Tony came fully awake at this. He looked at the man standing over him, puzzled and intrigued.

"I love you, my boy!" Gibbs whispered again, before placing a light fatherly kiss on Tony's knuckles.

"Dad?!" Tony hesitantly whispered, as he squeezed Gibbs' hand.

-----------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------

Fred drove as fast as he dared. The weather had deteriorated and the blizzard that was threatening all morning had finally arrived. As soon as Fred got to Sarina's cabin he pulled the SUV to an abrupt halt and jumped out of the car. He turned his collar up in an effort to ward off the snow and chill as he raced to the front door of the cabin.

"Angie!" Fred shouted as he banged on the front door. When he received no answer he slammed his shoulder into the door and forced it open.

"Angie, where are you?" Fred called out with a trace of fear in his voice.

"Fred, argh!" Angie's weak voice filtered through the cabin. Fred raced towards the bedroom at the back of the cabin and stopped dead in his tracks as his eyes settled on his little sister.

"Angie, how far along are you?" He asked in a shaky voice. Angie was lying on her side, her skin covered in perspiration and her face contorted in pain.

"I don't know. The contractions are about 8 minutes apart and Ö and I think my water just broke." She said as she looked at down at the crotch of her pants which was wet.

Fred closed his eyes as he felt anger and hatred for one Anthony DiNozzo rising within him. As Angie whimpered, Fred opened his eyes and admitted that he needed to focus on helping his sister now.

I'll take care of DiNozzo once I know that Angie and the baby are okay, he decided.

He approached his sister and said as calmly as he could, "Its okay, honey. Everything is going to be okay. Let me get you some dry clothes. Once you've changed I'm going to drive you to Washington Gen. I'll try to call ahead so that Doc Bennett will know that we're on our way."

"Thanks Fred. I don't know how I'd be able to get through this is you weren't here." Angie sobbed as she slowly sat up on the bed and hugged her brother. Fred hugged her back tightly, trying to reassure her. Then he pushed her back and tapped her lightly on her chin, just the way he used to when they were kids. Angie smiled at him and kissed him on his cheek.

"Okay we need to get moving before that storm out there gets worse." Fred said as he made his way to Angie's suitcase which was lying on the floor next to the bed. He rummaged through it until he found another pants, a sweater as well as clean underwear. He handed these to Angie and then helped her to the bathroom.

Angie changed her clothes as quickly as she could. Then she washed her face and combed her hair. Before leaving the bathroom, she looked at herself in the mirror. She ran her hand over her stomach as she thought I will make your father acknowledge you and give you what's due to you. I promise! And then I will tell Fred and the rest of the family who he is.

Tears started clouding her vision again as the next contraction started ripping through her body.

Anthony, how could you do this to me when I need you so badly? God, it hurts so much!

"Angie honey, are you okay? Do you need help?" Fred asked as he heard her gasp of pain.

"FredÖaaammmm." Angie moaned as she opened the door squeezed her eyes shut while panting in pain.

"Shhh, just breathe, that's it. It will pass in a second. That's a good girl." Fred guided and praised her as he placed his arms around her and supported her through the worst of the contraction.

As soon as the contraction had passed and Angie was able to stand up straight again, Fred grabbed her jacket and helped her into it. Then he grabbed her bag and wrapped an arm around her as he led her out to the SUV.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Back at the clinic, Gibbs' eyes flew to Tony's face as he heard the softly whispered word, "Dad!"

Tony stared up at Gibbs waiting for a response, their hands still clasped together. Tony looked as vulnerable as Gibbs felt. When a frown started marring Tony's brow, Gibbs suddenly felt self conscious and he started withdrawing, reigning in what he considered were his wayward emotions.

Damn it, those meds must have messed with my brain! DiNozzo's never going to let me forget that I stood over him, holding his hand while sobbing like a baby.

Gibbs released Tony's hand abruptly and moved back to his bed just as Ducky walked into the room. Ducky could clearly see that something significant had just happened between these two men. Tony looked confused and apprehensive. Gibbs' eyes were bloodshot as a bit of moisture clung to his eyelashes. Gibbs got into his bed and cradled his aching arm, totally ignoring Ducky and Tony.

"Jethro, Anthony, are you two okay?" Ducky asked as he looked from one to the other. Gibbs cleared his throat as he looked away and replied in a thick voice, "Fine!"

"Is my name Jethro or Anthony? And is he my Father?" Tony asked as he sat up slowly on the bed. Gibbs turned around and looked at him sharply.

"What are you trying to pull, DiNozzo? You know exactly who I am and who you are!" Gibbs growled, wondering what the hell Tony was up to.

"You are Anthony and he is Jethro. He isÖ" Ducky stated to say just as Ziva and McGee walked into the room.

Upon seeing them, Tony's face paled and his breathing became harsh.

"I'm going to enjoy demonstrating my skills of how to kill a man without leaving a mark on his body"

"When can I start, Boss?"

"I want to watch him suffer!"

Tony looked from Ziva and McGee to Gibbs and back. Gibbs and Ducky noticed his distress and Gibbs was starting to loose patience with him.

"DiNozzo, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Gibbs growled as he glared at Tony, who was in the process of getting off his bed. Tony ignored him as he continued to stare at Ziva and McGee.

"Tony, you really shouldn't be out of bed. You need to rest and you know it's not good to upset an already upset Gibbs." Ziva chirped, earning a glare from Gibbs and a smirk from Ducky. McGee also grinned until Gibbs glared at him.

Tony looked terrified as he backed away to the window, ignoring the pain and the pull on his IV line. The old English Doctor was talking to him, but the words were muffled. All Tony could think about was I need to run! In need to get away. They're going to kill me! But how am I going to get out of here?

Ziva and McGee were puzzled by the fear on Tony's face. As Ziva started to approach Tony, he looked frantically around himself and started opening drawers behind him.

"Tony, what's wrong?" McGee asked as he also started approaching Tony.

Tony grabbed a scalpel from the drawer behind him and pointed it at Ziva.

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!" Tony warned as he waved the knife between McGee and Ziva. Gibbs sat up on his bed and stared in disbelief at Tony.

"DiNozzo put the knife down!" Gibbs ordered as he stood up what the hell's wrong with you Tony?

"Anthony calm down." Ducky said as he walked around McGee and Ziva and started approaching Tony. Tony was starting to tire as he was standing on his uninjured leg. He had also stretched his IV line to the limit and as he jerked to face Ducky, the IV needle was ripped out of the back of his hand.

Bianca walked into the room and upon seeing a terrified, bleeding and armed Tony, she immediately took action.

"You three, out of here NOW!" she ordered as she pointed at Ziva, McGee and Ducky.

They just stared at her as if she had lost her mind.

"Are you deaf? I said MOVE!" She shouted as she pushed McGee and then Ziva away. Ducky followed the two younger agents towards the door but all of them waited in the doorway.

Gibbs just stared at Bianca noting that she was favouring her right leg. She also seemed to be supporting her left arm. She approached Tony slowly as she ignored the rest of the people in the room.

"Mister, put the knife down. You now you can trust me. Come on." Bianca said in a calm but commanding voice.

"They're going to kill me!" Tony said as he waved the knife dangerously close to Bianca's chest. Gibbs was stunned by what Tony had just said. Ziva swore in Hebrew and McGee's jaw just dropped open.

"DiNozzo what the hell Ö." Gibbs growled.

"Oh, I should have toldÖ" Ducky started to say.

"Everyone, SHUT UP!" Bianca shouted as she glared at Gibbs and the other three NCIS members standing at the door.

Then she drew a sharp breath as she said again, "No one's going to hurt you. I won't let them. You know you can trust me. I found you and I brought you here. I saved your life! Now please Ö please just give me the knife."

Tony looked from Bianca to the rest of the people in the room. He noted the concern and confusion in their eyes and then he looked at Gibbs. Gibbs looked back, holding his gaze steady.

"Listen to her Tony. No one's going to hurt you." Gibbs said in a calm yet commanding voice.

Tony was starting to feel weak and he knew that he would not be able to stand for much longer. Also his hand was now coated in his blood and it wasn't so easy to hold onto the scalpel. He looked at Bianca and she nodded her head as she extended her hand to receive the scalpel.

As Tony handed it to her, he collapsed to the ground.

------------------------------------------------------------------
"Tony! God Damn it." Gibbs shouted as Tony's eyes rolled shut and he started to fall.

Bianca reached out for Tony and despite the pain in her arm she was able to grab a hold of him and eased him down to the ground.

At least you didn't knock your head or jar any of your other injuries. What the hell could you have been thinking, getting out of bed like that? Bianca thought as pain pulsated up her arm.

Ziva, McGee and Ducky rushed forward, around Gibbs' bed as Gibbs leaned over Tony's bed to get a better look at his senior field agent.

"Help me get him back onto the bed and apply pressure to his hand, before he loses more blood." Bianca ordered as she stood up.

McGee and Ziva did as instructed while Bianca placed the bloody scalpel on the counter behind her. Once Tony was on the bed, Bianca took his pulse and checked his vital signs. At the same time Ducky cleaned and dressed the wound on Tony's hand. Bianca then got another IV line, this time hooking it up to the back of Tony's injured hand. She reasoned that since this hand was in a cast, it was unlikely that he would move it around too much.

"Is he going to be okay?" McGee asked the question that was on everyone's lips.

"Yes. He collapsed as a result of weakness and possibly a drop in blood pressure." Ducky said as he looked at the blood pressure monitor.

"Yep, his BP's 85 over 55. If it doesn't increase in the next 10 minutes, I'm going to have to give him 10cc of Effortil to push it up. And then I'm going to strap him down to this bed to stop him from getting up and injuring himself again." Bianca stated as she squeezed her eyes shut and held onto her aching arm.

"What the hell's wrong with your arm and what's going on with DiNozzo? Why doesn't he know who he is and why does he think that we're trying to kill him?" Gibbs growled noting the expression of pain flashing across Bianca's face.

"Don't tell us that all those smacks to the back of his head, has finally led to some kind of brain problem." Ziva grumbled as she pulled Tony's blankets up to his chin.

"I hurt my arm when I was standing too close to you and you decided to become violent. And what smacks to the head is she talking about? Has someone been abusing him?" Bianca asked as she pulled herself together and tried to ignore the pain in her arm and leg. She decided to occupy herself by grabbing a hand towel from a cupboard and cleaning Tony's blood from the floor. Ziva helped her do this as McGee looked away swallowing down the bile that was lodged in his throat.

"Me? Becoming violent? WhatÖ" Gibbs growled, totally confused.

"Gibbs usually smacks Tony Ö." McGee started to say at the same time.

"Gibbs, you hit him!" Bianca gasped as she stood up and stared at Gibbs. Gibbs stared back not at all comfortable with her looking at him like that.

Just who the hell do you think you are looking at me like that and judging my methods? And how dare you accuse me of becoming violent. Gibbs wanted to shout but he said nothing and just glared at Bianca while the rest of the NCIS team remained quiet.

Bianca just shook her head as she placed the blood soaked towel in the basin. She frowned for a second and then her eyes widened in realization.

"No wonder he thinks you're trying to kill. I mean you almost snapped my arm so you definitely have violent tendencies. In his current confused state, Tony's mind is pulling together jumbled bit of information. You probably shouted or hit him just before the accident and as a result of the amnesia, he now sees you as the enemy." Bianca stated. Gibbs looked at Ducky who met his gaze with a stern expression on his face.


AMNESIA! Could what I said, have affected Tony so much! Bloody hell did he get into the accident because of what I said. Gibbs cursed as he looked away from Ducky.

"Amnesia?!" McGee and Ziva exclaimed together.

"Only Tony would be so stubborn to go out in a blizzard to retrieve a forgotten sketch pad and in the process loose his mind." Jimmy chuckled.

Everyone turned and stared at him and that was when he realized what he had just said.

"I'm Ö I mean Ö I Ö Sorry." He stuttered as he rushed out of the room.

Bianca checked on Tony's vital signs one more time before cradling her arm and moving to stand in front of Gibbs. Then she ordered, "I want all of you out of here. You can take Agent Gibbs into the next room. And don't you, any of you, dare try to see Tony or Anthony or whatever his name is, without my permission."

"He is my senior field agent! I don't need your permission to see him. Hell, I don't even need his permission to see him! I'll stay with him if I want to and you'll see what happens to you if you try to stop me." Gibbs warned as he leaned into her personal space.

Bianca physically backed away as her mind regressed to a different time and a different place.

Bitch, you will do as I say and if you don't you just wait and see what I'll do to you! And this time I won't be gentle and I promise it will hurt I hell. Now remove your clothes and get onto the bed!


"Bianca?" Ducky asked as he noted that all colour had draining from her face.

"No!" Bianca whispered as she squeezed her eyes shut. Then she took a deep, shaky breathe as she snapped out of it. She opened her eyes and stared at Gibbs like as if she had never seen him before.

What the hell's wrong with you lady? Gibbs wondered.

Bianca continued to stare at Gibbs, her eyes sparkling as she said in no more than a whisper, "He is my patient and I will protect him from you and anyone else if I have to. Don't push me! You have no idea who you're dealing with."

Then she walked out of the room without a second glance.

McGee and Ziva stared at the door in shock because no one ever talked to Gibbs like that and got away with it. Then they stole a glance at Gibbs.

He glared at them and shouted, "McGee, Ziva check in with Abby."

"On it Boss." McGee replied as he and Ziva left the room.

"Ducky, we need to talk." Gibbs said as he grabbed a hold of his IV stand and started to walk out of the room. Ducky followed him out without saying a word.

Bianca rushed to her bedroom on wobbly legs as her breathing became more erratic.

I stood up to him. He can't hurt me or Tony, Anthony. I'm stronger now. No one will ever be able to hurt me. I won't let them. I won't.

She repeated these words to herself as tears rolled down her cheeks. She went into her bathroom and lifted her sweat shirt. Below her right breast was an ugly jagged scar. It was a remainder of what she had been through and as she looked at it she vowed No one will ever hurt me again. No one!

Then she took out a few painkillers from the bathroom cabinet and downed them with a glass of water before going and lying down on her bed.

-------------------------------------

Gibbs and Ducky entered the room next to Tony's and Gibbs demanded, "What the hell did I do to her?"

"You attacked her when you came out of anaesthesia. You held onto her arm so tightly that you could have literally broken it. Ziva applied pressure to your hand to get you to release her. When you did her momentum drove her into the cupboard behind her and she opened up a wound on her leg that required stitches." Ducky said in a calm, controlled voice.

Gibbs stared at him and said, "Come again, Ducky. Did you just say that I attacked Ö"

Gibbs' question was brought to an abrupt halt as McGee rushed into the room and said, "Boss, Abby needs to speak to you."

Gibbs glared at him for the interruption even as he grabbed the phone from his hand.

"Yeh Abs." He growled as he tried to ignore the pain in his arm that was steadily getting worse.

"Are you okay? Does it hurt much? Oh Gibbs I was so worried! First Tony and then you, my silver haired fox andÖ" Abby rambled.

"Abby! What you got?" Gibbs growled loosing all patience.

"Okay. You don't have to be so grumpy with me. Oh but then again you could be. I mean the surgery and meds must be taking a toll on you and I know how much you hate beingÖ" Abby continued.

"Abby!" Gibbs shouted.

"Oh yes, Sorry. What I have to tell you, you're not going to like. But I have to tell you, else you'llÖ" Abby was saying.

"Abby, get to the point!" Gibbs demanded as he sat down on the bed. In addition to the pain in his arm, his ribs were also starting to protest and he could feel a head ache building behind his eyes.

"Tony didn't go off the road, on his own. He was helped." Abby said.

"Helped?" Gibbs questioned as he put the phone on loudspeaker so that Ducky, McGee and Ziva, who had just entered his room, could listen to what Abby had to say.

"Yes, helped. I found a 220 Howell, 0.224 calibre bullet lodged in the left rear wheel rim. This is a popular bullet used in a Safari 550 hunting rifle." Abby said as she put the call on loudspeaker and moved a way from it.

"Oh dear." Ducky exclaimed as he looked at Gibbs.

"Son of a bitch! Some one IS trying to kill Tony." Gibbs shouted in fury as he stood up again.

------------------------------
Out on Freeway 74, Angie was in agony again. The contractions were at least 6 minutes apart, but the intensity of the pain was increasing.

"Fred, I don't Ö. think I can Ö. handle this Ö." Angie groaned out in pain as she held onto her extended belly.

"Angie, we'll be in the city within the next 90 minutes. Just hang in there, Sis." Fred said as he kept his eyes on the road. The storm was getting worse and with snow and wind batting the SUV, Fred was forced to reduce his speed.

"Fred!!! Argh." Angie cried out as her stomach twisted at the height of the contraction. Fred pulled over immediately and turned to look as his little sister lying prone on the back seat. He grabbed her hand as he noted that her face was covered in perspiration and her body was trembling in pain.

This was not supposed to happen. You were supposed to be happy, excited and supported by a loving man as you gave birth to your first child. DiNozzo you're going to pay for this. You're going to pay for every bit of pain and humiliation you have put Angie through. Fred vowed.

"Mmmm" Angie moaned as the contraction started to ease.

"Angie, it's going to be okay. There's a doctor about a half an hour up the road. Dr Shore. I'll take you to her. She'll take care of you. You just have to be strong for a few more minutes. Come on Sis, I know you can do it." Fred said.

Angie took a deep breath and looked at her brother.

"I'll be okay. Fred. Just hurry." She said in a weak voice as she lay back down on the seat. Fred nodded as Angie closed her eyes. Then he put the car into gear and drove towards Dr Bianca Shore's clinic.

DiNozzo, its show time! Fred thought with a sinister expression on his face.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Back at the clinic, a moment of stunned silence passed as everyone processed the fact that Tony had been forced off the road.

Then Ziva asked, as she held her anger in check "What else do you have for us Abby?"

"The tyre was too damaged for me to find the point of entry. But I used a program to simulate the drive on that windy stretch of the freeway. I've identified one point from which the bullet could have been fired. It's approximately 50 yards in front and to the left of where Tony's car was." Abby continued.

"Is there any video surveillance? Whoever fired the shot must have followed Tony out of the city." McGee stated out loud.

"There's no video surveillance covering 6 miles of that Freeway and where Tony went off happens to be right smack in the middle of it. But I'm still looking at the videos from the time Tony got on to the freeway as well as further along the freeway. There wasn't a lot of traffic on that road last night so I should have something soon." Abby replied.

"Did you get anything off the bullet?" Gibbs asked as his mind processed everything Abby was saying.

"I'm scanning the base of the bullet to see if I can pick up any viable prints or residue or anything. But it's going to take about 90 minutes."

"You have 60." Gibbs stated.

"Oh Gibbs, you can't rush science. Anyway why don't you just ask Tony if he knows or remembers seeing anything?" Abby asked.

"Tony is asleep at the moment." McGee said.

"And even if he was awake, he wouldn't be of much help." Ziva stated.

"Why not?" Abby asked totally puzzled by Ziva's words.

"Abigail, young Anthony is suffering from amnesia." Ducky replied.

"And he thinks we are trying to kill him." Gibbs completed.

"What? What?! WHAT!!" Abby shouted out as she realized that they had kept this from her.

"Abby calm down." McGee said.

"Don't tell me to calm down McGee!" Abby shouted, leaving none of them in any doubt about how angry she was that they had not told her about Tony's condition sooner.

"Oh poor Tony! He must be so scared and confused. You Ö" Abby continued as her mother hen insticts kicked in and she wished that she could be there to help and comfort Tony.

"Abby, Tony will be fine. Just get back to me as soon as you have something more." Gibbs said and hung up.

"Ducky when Tony's up find out if he remembers anything about the accident." Gibbs said.

"Jethro, he is suffering from amnesia as we just informed Abigail. I doubtÖ" Ducky started to say.

"Just ask him." Gibbs insisted. Ducky nodded his head and then Gibbs looked at McGee.

"Speak to the local Leo's about any suspicious looking vehicles in the area and then start scanning the videos on your laptop." Gibbs ordered.

"I'll also run a search to see if anyone from Tony's past has been released from prison or returned to the city during the last few weeks." McGee confirmed as Gibbs nodded and then looked at Ziva.

"Ziva, we need to get back out to the scene and pin point the spot from where the bullet was fired from. Get Abby to upload the simulation to McGee's computer so we'll know what we're looking for when we get out there." Gibbs continued as he lifted the sleeve on his gown and prepared to remove his IV line.

"Jethro, you're not going anywhere. You've just had minor surgery and you're on medication. You'll be courting an infection or worse if you go out there now." Ducky warned.

"Ziva, I'll be out as soon as I've questioned Bianca. Apart from Tony, she's our only other lead." Gibbs stated as he ignored Ducky. Ziva nodded her head as she left the room.

"I have a spare set of clothes in the van." McGee said as he followed Ziva out of the room. Gibbs returned his hand to the sticky tape holding his IV line in place.

"Let me remove it before you do yourself more harm." Ducky grumbled as he stepped forward.

Within 5 minutes Gibbs was dressed in his own pants, McGee's t-shirt, shirt and NCIS jacket and his own boots. Ducky had forced him to keep his arm in the sling.

Gibbs' arm was throbbing and his head ache was worse but he didn't say anything about it. He was totally focused on the case and he wanted answers.

Ducky continued to voice his disapproval as he placed a hand full of pills into Gibbs' hand and said, "Take one of each colour now and then every 3 hours. They are pain killers, antibiotics and an anti inflammatory and no they will not impair your judgement or make you drowsy."

Gibbs looked at the pills. He downed the three as ordered by Ducky and placed the rest into his pants pocket before heading out of the room.

He made his way to the back of the clinic and looked into each room until he heard the sound of someone mumbling. He pushed the door to the last room open and found Bianca curled onto her side, a deep frown marring her feature.

"NoooÖ Stop!" Bianca murmured as she rolled onto her back and tossed her head to one side. Her hair was loose and fanned out on the pillow. She looked pale and yet ethereal, beautiful. Her sweat shirt was hiked up to just below her breasts and Gibbs found the sight of her flat stomach and trim waist extremely erotic.

---------------------------------------------------------

Bianca was caught up in a nightmare that had plagued her on a regular basis in the past. It was always the same. Jason would grab her from behind and hold a knife to her throat. Then he would remove her clothes, and force her to get onto the bed, naked and face down. Then he would be on top of her, about to penetrate her. The knife would be pressed into her side and his teeth would bite down into her shoulder forcing her to cringe away.

But on that night he seemed wilder. He pressed the knife more sharply into her side, just below her left breast, as he said, "Tonight's going to be different. Tonight I have someone very special who's going to use you first and then it'll be my turn and then his again and then maybe we'll take you at the same time. Oh, it makes me so hot just to thinking about it. Maybe I'll take you first while we wait for his arrival. Hey, Hey!! Don't resist or I'll stick this knife into you and we'll take you as you bleed to death!"

---------------------------------------------------------------

"JasÖ, get off me!!!" Bianca cried out, real tears streaking down her face. Gibbs approached her, as she tossed and turned, her hands hitting out at an imaginary enemy.

"Bianca, it's just a dream. Get up!" Gibbs said in a commanding voice as he sat down on the bed next to her and reached for her uninjured arm. As she tossed again, the scar at the base of her left breast, just below her black bra, was revealed.

What happened to you? Gibbs wondered as he reached out to pull her sweatshirt down.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Bianca was too caught up in her nightmare and all she could feel was the knife slicing into her side as Jason violated her body.

"NO!!!!!" she cried out as she used all of her strength and forced Jason off her body.

-----------------------------------------------------

"Bianca, snap out of it, before you hurt yourself!" Gibbs said in a firmer voice as he used his good hand to catch her flailing arm, before it knocked into his injured arm.

-----------------------------------------------------

The knife was forced deeper into her side as Jason wasn't prepared for the fall. Bianca cried out in pain as she tried to get away from her attacker. As he reached out to break his fall, the knife twisted in her side. Then as he went over the bed, he pulled the knife out and dragged the candles and wine off the pedestal at the side of the bed.

Then he was screaming. The wine had caught alight and everything started to burn. Bianca gasped for breathe as she fought the pain under her left breast. The smell of burning flesh nauseated her. Through her pain and tears she stumbled out of the bed and grabbed her clothes. She looked at Jason who was screaming in agony as the flames surrounded his naked body and licked his flesh. As she turned to leave he grabbed her. And then the flames were everywhere searing her skin as Jason laughed, "I've got you! You'll never escape! Hahahaha."

--------------------------------------------------------------

"NO!!!!!" Bianca shouted as she came abruptly awake. She was shaking and disorientated. Gibbs was talking to her, trying to calm her down, but she couldn't see him or hear his words. He placed a hand on the nape of her neck and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Bianca, you okay?" He asked in a calm and soothing voice. Bianca's vision finally cleared. Jason was left back in the flame engulfed dream and the smell of burning flesh dissipated. Bianca's eyes focused on Gibbs' face and she registered his fingers on her neck. She suddenly felt self conscious and scooted away from him causing his hand to slide down her shoulder and arm and settle on the bed next to her thigh.

"Want to talk about it?" Gibbs offered, sensing that she was still terrified.

"I'm Ö I'm okay. I just need Ö. a moment to Ö to freshen up." Bianca replied as she wiped the tears away and took a deep breath.

What I really need is a hug but I'm unlikely to get that. Bianca thought as she shook the last bits of the dream away. Gibbs watched her, noting how she struggled to pull herself together. He was tempted to pull her close and comfort her. Before he could react the moment had passed.

As Bianca prepared to stand up she noticed that Gibbs was dressed and his IV line had been removed.

"Why are you dressed instead of in bed resting?" Bianca asked as she reached out and lifted his right eyelid to examine his eye.

"I'm on my way outÖ" Gibbs started to say, wondering why he was even bothering telling her and why he was sitting so still and letting her touch him. Because you like the way she touches you! He admitted.

"No way, Gibbs! You need to take it easy for the next 48 hours. Besides it's almost 5 pm and it gets really dark out here. And if that sound out there is the storm that's been brewing all day, there's no way I'm letting you out of here." Bianca stated as she placed her hand on his forehead and then took his wrist into her hand to take his pulse.

You're adorable. I hurt you and invaded your privacy and yet you're concerned about my health and feisty enough to order me to rest. Yeh, you're adorableÖ and beautiful. Gibbs thought as he enjoyed the feel of her hands on his brow and wrist.

"I have to goÖ" Gibbs said as he reluctantly pulled away from her.

"Jethro, you can'tÖ." Bianca started to say, as she grabbed Gibbs' uninjured hand and pulled him towards her. As she did this, Gibbs landed partial on top of her, face to face, chest to chest. Gibbs stared at her for a moment, noting how her eyes widened.

Then he leaned in closer, unable to stop himself. Bianca lifted her head and met his decent admitting that this was what she wanted, what she needed. As their lips touched, Bianca pushed forward until she was kneeling in front of him. Gibbs wrapped his uninjured arm around her and Bianca wrapped both her arms around his head sinking her fingers into his hair.

"MmmmÖ." Bianca moaned as she parted her lips and allowed Gibbs' probing tongue to enter. It felt so good to be held, kissed and comforted after the terror of her dream. Gibbs was taken by surprise as the kiss became more intense. He allowed Bianca to caress and stroke his tongue, sensing that she needed to be in control and acknowledging that she was a really good kisser. His hand slipped under her sweat shirt of its own accord and he started caressing her back causing her to arch into him and deepen the kiss. As his fingers spread to the small of her back her breathing became more erratic and she moved her lips to his jaw and neck, biting and sucking as she went along.

"Dr B?" someone called out further down the collidor, forcing Gibbs and Bianca to bring their passionate embrace to an abrupt halt. Both took deep breathes and Gibbs pulled away from Bianca, opting to stand at the far end of the room as Ducky entered the room.

"Dr Mallard, what is it?" Bianca asked in a slightly husky voice as she got off the bed.

Ducky looked from Gibbs to Bianca, noting their flushed cheeks and puckered lips. He stared at Gibbs with disapproval in his eyes before turning to Bianca.

"A young lady in labour has just been bought in. Would you like me to see to her if you're too tired to?" Ducky asked.

"No! I'll be there in a moment. Could you get her settled into the room 2 doors away from Tony's. Thank you Dr Mallard." Bianca said as she passed Gibbs on her way to her bathroom. Gibbs watched her intently, communicating that they were no where near finished. Bianca blushed as she closed the bathroom door, her lips still tingling from Gibbs' kiss.

----------------------------------------------------------
Fred was relieved to have made it to the clinic. The storm outside was worsening and so were Angie's contractions. The NCIS ME asked him and Angie to wait in the reception area as he went to find Dr B.

Fred took note of everything as he helped Angie into a seat. The dark haired NCIS Agent was sitting next to the young male agent and they were looking at a laptop that was open on the coffee table in front of them. At the same time they were talking to a woman by the name of Abby about a particular stretch of freeway. As he tried to listen more closely, Angie gasped.

"Another one?" Fred asked as he kneeled in front of Angie. Ziva and McGee looked up as Angie doubled over and moaned out in pain.

"Where the hell's the Doctor?" Fred asked, as he became angry.

"She's on her way. Let's help your sister into a room where we can make her more comfortable." Ducky said as he approached Angie.

At the same time Gibbs entered the reception area. He moved out of the way as Ducky and a well built blonde man, helped a young, heavily pregnant woman through the door.

"Ziva, let's go." Gibbs said as he made his way to the front door.

---------------------------------------------------------

"How far apart are your contractions, dear?" Ducky asked as Fred helped Angie onto the bed. Bianca walked into the room in time to hear Fred's reply.

"5 or 6 minutes, but they're getting worse." Angie moaned out.

"I bet. Okay, I need to take a look at her so I need you to step out for a few minutes." Bianca said to Fred and Ducky.

Fred was reluctant to leave but he was also anxious to find out where DiNozzo was.

So he leaned close to his sister and said, "Angie, I'll be outside if you need me. You're going to be okay. Dr B's going to help you through this."

Then her kissed her forehead and followed Ducky out of the room.

Bianca got Angie to lie on her side, with her knees bend. Then she massaged her lower back and the top of her belly as the contraction continued. The pain in Bianca's arm was bearable for the time being but she made a mental note to take another doze within the next two hours. As she massaged Angie's back, her thoughts returned to the passionate moment she had shared with Gibbs.

Would we have done more if Ducky had not interrupted us? Bianca wondered as she felt a deep longing building within her.

Angie chose that moment to gasp as the contraction peaked, bringing Bianca back to the present

"It will pass in a moment, honey." Bianca chirped as she rubbed Angie's belly rhythmically, while taking Angie's hand into hers.

"Hurts Ö so Ö. Much!" Angie moaned out as she squeezed Bianca's hand.

"I know but you're doing so good Angie. Just hang in there. I want you to pant through the contractions. Yes just like that." Bianca encouraged.

"Hoo.. hoo Öhoo, I feel Ö hoo Ö. like pushing." Angie panted while still holding onto Bianca's hand.

"No Angie! Don't push no matter how much you feel like. Just keep panting. It will be over soon." Bianca warned.

As the contraction started to ease off a few minutes later, Angie felt save for the first time in a long time. Bianca's support and massaging hands soothed and comforted her and made her believe that she would get through this.

"Okay?" Bianca asked as she saw Angie relax.

"Yes, Ö. for now." Angie tiredly replied.

"How far along are you?" Bianca asked as she started taking Angie's vital signs.

"Just over 8 months." Angie replied.

"Have you had any complications that I should be aware of?" Bianca asked as she helped Angie out of her sweat shirt and pants and into a gown.

"No not really." Angie replied. She was really tired and all she wanted to do was sleep.

"Honey, I need you to lie on your back with your knees bent so I can take a look." Bianca said as she pulled a pair of latex gloves on. Then she proceeded to examine Angie and noted that it was going to be a long night.

"Is everything okay?" Angie anxiously asked as Bianca helped her onto her side again.

"Yes, you're doing real well but it's going to be some time before your baby's going to be ready to be born. I'm going to hook up a foetal monitor so that we can monitor the baby." Bianca replied as she clipped a belt around Angie's belly. Instantly the room was alive with the sound of a rapidly beating heart.

Angie's eyes filled with tears at the sound and she caressed her belly trying to communicate to her unborn child just how much she loved her. Bianca's eye's misted over too as she lowered the volume on monitor and covered Angie with a blanket.

------------------------------------------------------------

Once Fred was out of the room, he asked Ducky to show him to the bathroom. After entering the bathroom, Fred unzipped his jacket and pulled out a hunting knife from his belt.

Anthony DiNozzo, it won't be long now! Fred vowed.

He placed the knife back into his belt and zipped up his jacket. He checked the strap on his ankle to make sure that his .38 calibre revolver was loaded and ready for use, if the need arose.

Then he relieved himself and left the bathroom. He could hear voices coming from the reception area of the clinic as he started looking into the rooms lining the collidor. There were 6 rooms, a few closets and a bathroom and toilet. He couldn't believe his luck, when he found a sleeping Anthony DiNozzo lying in the first room he looked into.

An expression of pure hate washed across his features as he continued to stare at Tony.

You're sleeping so contently and peacefully, while my sister's in agony!!!

He was so tempted to sink his blade between Tony's ribs, into his heart and to watch the anguish and shock materialize on Tony's face as he took his last breathe.

Easy Fred. There'll be plenty of time to do that later. Angie and the baby need to be okay first because we will have to leave as soon as I take care of Anthony.

"Mm Fred, are you okay?" Bianca's voice startled him out of his reverie.

"Yes. How's Angie doing?" Fred asked as he schooled his features to look neutral and natural. But Bianca sensed that Fred was hiding something.

What can it be? Why did he look so angry? Bianca wondered.

She moved in front of Fred and pulled the door to Tony's room closed as she replied, "Angie's about 5cm dilated so it's still going to be a few hours. The baby's doing okay, but if she starts to go into distress, we might have to intervene."

Fred closed his eyes as he prayed that there would be no complications.

"Can I stay with her?" Fred asked.

"Of course. It would also help me, as I have other patients that I need to keep an eye on." Bianca replied as she walked Fred back to Angie's room.

Fred took a seat on the bed as Bianca advised him to massage Angie's lower back. She also told him how to help Angie through the contractions with various breathing techniques. Fred nodded at Bianca and then smiled down at his sister.

"Thank you Fred." Bianca heard Angie sigh, as she left the sibling alone. Then she remembered that Gibbs was planning to go out in the cold and she felt a despite need to go and find him.

She rushed into the reception area and upon not finding Gibbs, Ziva or Ducky in the room she confronted McGee.

"Where is Gibbs? He'd better not have gone out there!" She growled as pulled the curtain aside to look for his car.

"Dr B, I'm afraid that he and Ziva have gone back to the crime scene. They're following up on a lead." McGee said as if it should make perfect sense.

"Of all the stupid things to go and do and this after I warned him not to go! What if he hurts himself again and what if he comes back with an infection?" Bianca complained as Ducky walked into the room.

Ducky and McGee looked at each other as Bianca continued to ramble, "He better be okay when he gets back! And if he comes back hurt or worse, I'm going to stick him with so many needles that he'll be pinned to the bed and he won't be able to move a muscle without my permission. Damn it, men. They are the stupidest creatures alive!"

Bianca knew that she was being irrational and she had no right to demand or expect Gibbs to follow her instructions. But she was worried about him and if she was really honest with herself, she didn't want to loose him. No, not now when she'd just found him.

Ducky thought, Oh she's fallen for you Jethro! Fallen hard and fast. I wouldn't want to be you, when you get back.

And McGee thought, why's she so angry with Gibbs? It's not like he needs to clear his plans with her or anyone else for that matter. But she's reacting like she's Öin love with him?!?!

"Calm down, Bianca. Jethro will never sit around idly when one of his team has been threatened and to hold him back would just make him more angry and frustrated. Now why don't you join me in the kitchen, so we can prepare something for supper?" Ducky said as he looped his arm through Bianca's and started to lead her down the collidor.

"One of his team has been threatened?" Bianca asked.

"I'll fill you in on all that we've learnt while you were taking a breather earlier." Ducky promised.

Oh Gibbs, just be safe, and get back to me soon, Bianca prayed as Ducky told her about how Tony has been run off the road.

----------------------------------------------------------

Out on the Freeway, it was already dark and the heavy snow fall and slippery road meant that Ziva had to drive much slower then she was used to. Wind was also another factor to consider as it battered the sides of the car, making driving even more difficult.

Gibbs sat next to Ziva and seemed to be pre-occupied. He thought about all the information Abby had given them and about Tony's amnesia.

How could everything have gotten so messed up? He wondered as he worried about Tony's fear of him and the team.

"Gibbs, we need to find a way to speak to Tony without him panicking." Ziva suddenly said. It was almost like as if she had been reading his mind.

"Don't you think I know that, Ziva?" Gibbs asked.

"Yes. So what should we do?" Ziva prompted.

"First we need to get out to the scene and collect whatever we can. When we will get back, Ducky and Bianca need to speak to Tony before we approach him." Gibbs said.

"Does Bianca have any leads for us? Did she notice anything suspicious when she found Tony out in the snow last night?" Ziva asked.

"I don't know because I didn't get a chance to ask her." Gibbs replied, as he remembered how he had found Bianca in the grip of a nightmare and then how they had kissed. Just thinking about it sent a jolt of desire through his body.

Ziva was puzzled by Gibbs' reply because he had spent a good 15 minutes with Bianca before meeting her in the reception area.

If you didn't question her, then what did you do? She wondered. What Ö Oh! Could you and Bianca have beenÖ..?

At that moment Ziva's phone rang, cutting her musings short.

"Yes." She answered.

"Ziva, Abby thinks she may have something." McGee said as Ziva put the call on the loud speaker.

"What you got Abs?" Gibbs asked.

"I had a look at the traffic surveillance tapes from when Tony got onto the freeway. I'm uploading these to McGee as we speak. It appears that a bl..Ö" Abby's voice stopped abruptly.

"Abby!" Gibbs shouted but Abby was gone.

"McGee, get her back." Gibbs demanded. But there was no response from McGee either.

"Damn it, the line's dead." Gibbs growled in frustration as he handed Ziva's phone back to her.

"The storm must have knocked the lines out." Ziva said as she brought the car to a stop.

"We're here." Ziva said as she got out of the car.

"Scan the area and be back in 5." Gibbs ordered as she also got out and slammed his door shut. Luckily the pain meds Ducky had given him were working and the pain in his arm and side was bearable.

Unfortunately the temperature had dropped dramatically from the time they had left the clinic. Gibbs pulled his jacket more securely around himself as he walked around the car and started looking around. Ziva did the same as she felt the icy cold seep into her feet through her boots.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Back at the clinic, Bianca prepared a lasagne while Ducky spoke about the case. Bianca calmed herself as Ducky reassured her that Gibbs was a really good NCIS Agent and he knew how to take care of himself. As Bianca put the lasagne into the oven, Ducky offered to make coffee and a salad.

"Thank you Dr Mallard. I'll go and check on Tony and Angie." Bianca said as she left the kitchen.

Tony was still asleep. Bianca checked his vital signs noting that he was stable but still running a fever. She replaced his IV bag and hooked up another dose of antibiotics. Then she administered a shot of Ibuprofen into his IV line to combat the fever.

As she walked into Angie's room, Angie was hunched over at the side of the bed as another contraction rippled through her body.

"How is she doing?' Bianca asked Fred as she supported his sister.

"She's exhausted and the contractions seem to be slowing down. They're about 8 minutes apart now." Fred said, fear marring his features.

Slowing down! That's not good!

As the contraction passed, Fred and Bianca helped Angie back onto the bed. Fred moved to the far side of the room as Bianca examined Angie.

She's still only 5 cm dilated and it's been 45 minutes. Bianca thought as she helped Angie to lie on her side again. She listened to the baby's heartbeat monitor and it confirmed that the baby was doing okay.

Then she covered Angie and made her way to the cupboard where she got a syringe and a needle out and started preparing a shot.

"What are you going to give her?" Fred asked as he was once again back at the bed, holding his sister's hand.

"It's a combination of 10cc of Meperidine and 5 cc Promethazine. Meperidine will help to relax Angie and relieve the pain. The Promethazine will counter the side-effects of the Meperidine, namely nausea and dizziness. Angie this is going to burn a bit. Sorry honey." Bianca said as she administered the shot into Angie's hip. Angie cringed as the medication entered her system.

"There we go, all done." Bianca said as she withdrew the needle.

"How long before I feel its effects." Angie asked.

"Within the next 5 minutes. Angie, you should be able to get a bit of rest over the next hour." Bianca said as she disposed of the syringe and turned back to Angie and Fred. Angie could see that she wanted to say more.

"What's wrong?" Angie asked as she tried to sit up.

"Honey, if your contractions don't speed up again, I'm going to have to give you something to help your labour along." Bianca said as she forced Angie to lie down again.

As she looked up, Bianca caught an expression of fury and hatred on Fred's face and it reminded her of when she had seen him in Tony's room earlier.

"Mmm Fred, are you okay?" Bianca asked.

Fred quickly softened his features as he said, "Yeah."

Bianca could see that he wasn't but she decided not to push him for answers.

"I have supper in the oven. As soon as it's ready I'll bring each of you a plate. Would you like to get some coffee in the mean time? The kitchen's straight down the collidor." Bianca offered.

"I can't leave Angie alone." Fred said.

"I'll stay with her until you get back." Bianca said as she sat down next to Angie and started rubbing Angie's back.

"Go. I'll be fine." Angie said as she squeezed Fred's hand.

As he left the room, Angie sighed. The pain meds were starting to take effect and Bianca's hands, moving in a circular motion on her back helped to lull Angie off to sleep.

------------------------------------------------------------------

McGee was frustrated as he tried one more time to get Abby or Gibbs back on the line. And just like the previous 20 times it didn't work. He was also irritated because the files Abby was uploading to him didn't make it through before the lines went dead.

"Timothy, is everything okay?" Ducky asked as he walked back into the reception area of the clinic.

"The lines are down." McGee replied as he stood up and stretched his neck.

"So you're unable to check in with Jethro and Ziva or Abigail." Ducky confirmed the obvious.

"No and Abby was just about to send me a lead." McGee complained.

"Well, there's nothing more to do until Jethro and Ziva return or until the lines are back up. Bianca's got supper in the oven and I've just made a fresh pot of coffee. Come and have a cup and then you can try to reach them again." Ducky suggested as he headed back to the kitchen.

McGee decided that a cup of coffee was exactly what he needed. But as he walked down the collidor he was drawn to Tony's room. He opened the door and made his way to the side of the bed. It was disconcerting to see Tony like this. He still seemed to have a fever because his cheeks were a bright red and he seemed restless and was mumbling incoherently.

"Tony?" McGee whispered as he placed a comforting hand on Tony's uninjured shoulder. Tony was delirious as a result of the fever but he heard the softly spoken word and he moaned out.

"Ah come on Tony. You're going to be fine, buddy. We'll keep you safe." McGee promised as he squeezed Tony's shoulder.

Tony felt the pressure on his shoulder and he turned towards it. Then he coughed and opened his eyes. He saw McGee standing over him, looking worriedly down at him.

"Hey Tony. How're you feeling?" McGee asked as Tony's gazed at him.

"WaterÖ." Tony murmured as his eyes closed and opened a second later.

McGee reacted immediately to the request, holding a cup with a straw in it to Tony's lips. Tony took a few sips as he blinked his eyes a few times. He watched McGee's expression and some how it seem funny to him.

As McGee removed the straw, Tony's lips curled into a weak imitation of his usual grin. Then he murmured, "Why so glum, ProbÖ..?"

Before he could finish his eyes fluttered closed and he was asleep again.

McGee stared at Tony in shocked silence. Tony, you remembered me! Is your memory back or was this just a latent, semi-conscious response?

-------------------------------------------------------------

At the scene on Freeway 74, a half frozen Ziva made her way back to the car. She was disappointed that she had not found anything that could help resolve the case. As she shone her spotlight around the car she realised that Gibbs wasn't back yet. Ziva started looking around frantically, wondering what was keeping him.

"Gibbs!" Ziva shouted but her words were lost in the wind and snow that whipped around her.

"Gibbs, where are you?" Ziva shouted again as she shone her spotlight in the direction he had gone in.

When he didn't answer, Ziva started retracing his steps as quickly as she could, fearing that he may be hurt and that's why he was unable to respond to her or get back to the car.

--------------------------------------------------------------
Fred observed the young NCIS agent as he looked down at Anthony DiNozzo. As the agent prepared to leave the room, Fred moved further down the collidor and hid in the bathroom. As soon as the collidor was clear, Fred made his way to Anthony's room. He walked in quietly and closed the door behind him.

Tony was fast asleep as Fred leaned over the bed to look at him. He took note of the IV line hooked up to the back of Tony's wrist and the cast on Tony's shoulder. He also noticed the head wound and the surgical dressing on Tony's wrist.

Maybe I can start preparing you for what's to come later, Fred thought. Then he grinned as he made his way over to a cupboard and started looking through the medication. He removed a syringe and a vial of medication. He assembled the injection and drew a large dose of medication into it before walking back to Tony's side.

Yeah, you will die as your child is being born he grinned as he inserted the needle into Tony's IV line and pressed the plunger down. But first you will suffer and writhe in pain.

Fred disposed of the syringe and made his way to the kitchen to get a cup of coffee before heading back to his sister's room.

----------------------------------------------------------

"Gibbs?!" Ziva called out again as she started searching around the car in a widening radius. The weather was deteriorating and Ziva knew that she had to find Gibbs fast.

"Gibbs!" She shouts again as she ran around a bend in the road that sloped downwards. That was when she bumped into Gibbs who was coming around the same bend in an effort to get back to the car. Ziva's spotlight unfortunately connected sharply with Gibbs' side and her momentum and his weakened state caused them to fell over and roll along the sloped road.

Gibbs' side was on fire and he couldn't seem to catch his breathe. His arm was also in agony as he had come to a stop by jarring it again a tree. He kept his eyes squeezed tightly shut as he tried to get the pain slicing through his body under control. Next to him he heard Ziva mumbling in Hebrew as she crawled up to his side. She was a bit bruised from the fall and could feel that her clothes were wet from the snow.

"Gibbs I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" She asked as she crouched next to Gibbs and shone her spotlight in his face and down his body looking for blood or anything that might have been sticking out at an odd angle. Gibbs could not reply and just turned his face away from the light as Ziva continued to examine him. He could feel the cold seeping into his back and he knew that they needed to get back to the car as quickly as possible. But the pain was just so intense that he couldn't seem to get his body to co-operate and move.

Ziva knew that she would have to work quickly. She placed her hand on Gibbs uninjured arm as she moved the spotlight away from his face.

"Gibbs I'm going to help you up and get you back to the car." She said as she took his arm and started pulling it up and around her shoulder.

"Argh!!!" Gibbs growled through clenched teeth. He knew he had to help Ziva because she would not be able to support his weight. But any kind of movement just increased his agony.

After 3 attempts, Ziva was finally able to get Gibbs to his feet. He took a few deep breathes as he leaned against the tree and tried not to collapse.

"I'm Ö.okay!" Gibbs lied a minute later, as Ziva pulled his arm more securely around her shoulder. She could feel him trembling from pain and cold as she wrapped an arm around his waist and started guiding him up the slope and back to the car.

Yes, of course you are okay Ziva thought as she supported 70 of Gibbs' weight while forcing him to put one foot in front of another. Gibbs almost collapsed twice but Ziva shifted her weight and helped him to regain his balance.

It took over 5 minutes to get to the car as they had to trudge through the snow and fight against the wind. During all this time Gibbs had to fight against the pain and vertigo that threatened to overwhelm him.

As Gibbs finally slid into his seat he couldn't hold back the grunt of pain as his side felt ready to explode. Ziva knew that Gibbs was in agony so she got into the car and pulled off heading back to the clinic as quickly as she could.

-----------------------------------------------------------

As soon as Fred returned to the room, Bianca said, "Angie's resting now and the contractions should be manageable. I will check in on her in the next 30 minutes, but call me is anything changes."

"Will do, and thanks Dr B." Fred said as she sat down next to his sister's bed and sipped his coffee.

He seems ...happier! Why? His sister still has a long way to go, so why is he looking so happy Bianca pondered as she made her way back to the kitchen.

The lasagne was ready, so she asked McGee to take a plate for Fred and Angie. Then she filled 3 more plates, one for each of them. As they ate, Bianca's mind wondered back to Gibbs and she prayed that he was okay. She caught a look passing between McGee and Ducky and she was sure that they we just as worried about Gibbs and Ziva as she was.

Just then they heard the reception door slam open and Ziva shouting, "McGee, Ducky I need you. Gibbs has been hurt!"

Bianca's fork slipped from her fingers as she rushed to the reception area followed by McGee and Ducky.

At the same time they heard a bloodcurdling cry coming out from Tony's room.

Bianca and Ducky looked at each other and Ducky quickly said, "You see to Gibbs while I check on Tony."

-------------------------------------------------------------
"Fred, what's happening?" Angie asked as she heard the shouting and screaming outside her room.

"It's nothing Angie. Are you feeling okay?" He asked as she had not had a contraction since he got back to the room.

"I'm fine. But the contractions are weakening and slowing down." Angie replied worriedly as she ran her hand over her extended stomach.

"Don't worry honey. Dr B said that you should rest for a while. She'll be back to check on you soon and she'll give you something to speed up the contractions if necessary." Fred replied as he leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"I'm just going to see what's going on out there. I'll be back in a few moments, okay." Fred asked as he was anxious to see how badly Anthony DiNozzo was reacting to the injection he had given him earlier.

"I'll be fine." Angie replied with a sigh as she closed her eyes and relaxed.

Fred smiled as he walked out of the room.

-------------------------------------------------

At the same time, McGee and Ziva were rushing out to the car as Bianca rushed into the ER to get a wheelchair.

Damn it Gibbs. I just knew you were going to get hurt. I should have stopped you. But you distracted me so much with that damn delicious kiss. Now you're hurt again! Bianca scowled as she rushed out into the cold with the wheelchair.

"What happened?" McGee asked as he saw Gibbs sitting rather stiffly in the passenger seat for the car.

"I ran into Gibbs at the scene and then we both took a tumble in the snow." Ziva said as she got into the driver's seat and unbuckled Gibbs' belt.

"Where does it hurt, Gibbs?" Bianca asked as she leaned into the car and started running her hands over his body.

"I'm sshhh fine." Gibbs growled. But he was not fine. He was in excruciating pain and he was freezing.

"Yeah, you're just peachy. Then why the hell do you look like crap!" Bianca snapped, her own fears getting the better of her. Then she shook herself out of it and instructed, "Ziva, help him to roll out towards us. McGee, we need to get him into that wheelchair. Hurry, the cold out here could be aggravating his condition."

Ziva and McGee did as instructed. Gibbs controlled his expression well and didn't reveal how much their pushing and pulling was hurting him. But he couldn't hold back a gasped moan as he got into the wheelchair. To make matters worse the cold was slicing through his damp clothes and now he was shivering uncontrollably.

"McGee, get him into the ER. We need to remove all his clothes and get him warmed up." Bianca was saying. Then she noticed how cold Ziva was and that she had a slight trickle of blood running down the side of her head into her hair line.

"Ziva, get out of these clothes now and get into the shower. You can use a set of my clothes to change into. I'll take a look at your head as soon as I'm done with Gibbs." Bianca said as she moved Ziva's hair out of the way to get a closer look at the cut. It was long but not deep and it was already congealing.

"I'm fine. Just see to Gibbs. I think the fall may have caused serious damage to his ribs." Ziva said as she moved away from Bianca's hands.

"Do all NCIS agents insist that they're fine even when they're about to collapse." Bianca asked as she rushed back into the clinic.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Inside the clinic, in Tony's room, Ducky couldn't understand what was happening to Tony.

He was crying out in agony as he twisted and turned in the bed. He was moving around so much that Ducky was afraid he would fall out of the bed.

"Anthony, Anthony! Tell me what's wrong!" Ducky said as he placed his hands firmly onto Tony's shoulders and tried to calm him down.

At that moment Fred popped his head into the room. The sight that greeted him sent a ripple of pleasure through his system.

Yes, this is exactly what I was hoping for. I guess it was just luck that I choice the right drug to inject you with. Suffer DiNozzo. Just like Angie's suffering in the other room!

"Anthony, you have to tell me what's wrong so that I can help you." Ducky insisted as Tony continued to convulse and cry out in pain.

"Pain!?!?! Make Ö it Ö STOP!!!" Tony shouted in anguish as his muscles felt like they were being torn out of his body, knotted and then placed back.

"Where do you have pain? Anthony, where?" Ducky asked urgently as tears started rolling down the sides of Tony's face.

"Everywhere!!!" Tony shouted as he glared at Ducky for a moment before his eyes misted over with acute pain and more tears.

Fred chose that moment to make his presence known.

"Dr Mallard, what's wrong with him?" Fred asked, pasting a look of concern on his face as he moved to stand next to the bed.

"Fred, I need your help." Ducky said. "Hold him down while I prepare some medication to ease his cramps." Ducky continued.

"Of course." Fred replied as his hands replaced Ducky's on Tony's uninjured shoulder.

Fred's pulse quickened as he felt Tony's body rebel against itself. The ripple of muscles twitching and tensing involuntarily and the accompanying agony it brought to Tony was so gratifying that it was a major effort for Fred to maintain a look of concern on his face.

-------------------------------------------------

Back in the ER, Bianca and McGee removed all of Gibbs's clothes and Bianca cut the bandaged binding his ribs. Upon seeing his naked body, a sub-conscious thought flew through Bianca's mind.

Smooth and soft and yet firm somehow.

Then she got busy wrapping him into a clean gown and piling blankets on and around him. At that stage Bianca ordered McGee to go and check on Ziva. McGee left the room reluctantly, torn between making sure that his Boss was okay and that his colleague was also okay.

The whole process of undressing and redressing was absolutely torturous for Gibbs and he wondered why he had not passed out yet.

When Bianca finally allowed him lie down, he thought that she was done with him and that she would leave him in peace. But no, her hands were on his side and the slight pressure she applied to his side almost had him sitting bolt upright in bed.

"I think you've cracked your previously bruised ribs. Way to go Special Agent Gibbs. Now you have more infections and of course wonderful pain to look forward to!" Bianca commented sarcastically.

"JustÖ leave Ö me Ö ALONE!" Gibbs growled as Bianca continued to trace his ribs, one at a time.

"Not on your life Sweetie. I'm going to take X-rays and then I'm going to wrap your ribs nice and tight so that your bones can heal. Then I'm going to stick you with a needle or two and pump you full of drugs. And then I'm taking you straight to bed." Bianca promised as she continued to work on Gibbs' side.

"Can't we skip everything and just go to bed." Gibbs murmured before crying out as Bianca touched a particularly sensitive spot. His side exploded in pain strong enough and bad enough to make him see black spots as it pushed him over the edge into blessed unconsciousness.

Bianca was just as relieved as Gibbs was that he had passed out. She caressed his cheek for a second, before setting up the x-ray machine.

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In the collidor outside the ER, McGee found Ziva sitting on the floor in her wet clothes, shivering.

"Ziva, get off the floor and get out of those wet clothes." McGee insisted, surprising himself as well as her with the force behind his words.

"How is Gibbs?" Ziva asked a second later, ignoring McGee's order.

"Ziva, you will be of no use to Gibbs or Tony if you catch pneumonia. Now let me help you out of these clothes and get you into the shower." McGee said and then he blushed.

"Okay, McGee. I will get out of these clothes and into the shower, but on my own." Ziva replied, enjoying making McGee feel more uncomfortable.

McGee continued to blush as Ziva entered the bathroom. She grinned at him as she closed the door.

Ziva would never admit it but the fall had shaken her and she had a few rather painful bruises on her body. Luckily the warm shower worked wonders on her and she came out of it feeling warm and less achy.

When she peeked out of the bathroom with only a towel wrapped around her body, she could only grin. Lying on the floor, just outside the bathroom door was a sweat shirt, track pants, pair of socks and a pair of her spare boots.

McGee, you are such a sweet friend. Ziva thought as she scooped up the clothes and closed the bathroom door again.

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In Tony's room, Tony continued to grunt and moan in pain as he fought against Fred's restraining hands. Fred was so tempted to squeeze his shoulders tighter and inflict some more pain. But he didn't want the ME noticing so he refrained from doing anything.

Ducky in the meantime scanned through all the medication in the cupboard until he found what he needed. He quickly prepared a shot of 20cc of Orphenadrine which worked as a skeletal muscle relaxant with a sedative side effect. Then he rushed back to Tony's side, lifted the blanket and jabbed the needle into his hip. Tony's body moved from spasms into twitches and then into slight jerks within the space of 8 minutes. And then he was out, sedated without any further spasms.

"I wonder what brought that on?!" Ducky asked out loud as he disposed of the needle and neatened Tony's bed.

"Mmm, I'd better get back to my sister." Fred said as he removed his hands from Tony's person and moved to the door.

He watched Ducky as he caressed Tony's forehead and moved his hair off his brow and he thought that was fun but it ended way too soon! DiNozzo enjoy the short respite because round two starts soon!

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"Angie honey, how you doing?" asked Fred as he entered the room and found Angie fast asleep.

"Mmmmm, Fred." Angie groggily replied. Then her eyes widened in horror as she continued, "I haven't had a contraction in over 10 or 12 minutes!"

"It's okay honey. Dr B said that she wanted you to rest for a while. You still have another 30minutes before she'll be back to check on you." Fred replied as he sat on the bed and took Angie into his arms. The foetal heart monitor continued to emit sounds confirming a steady and rapid heart beat. So Fred wasn't concerned about the baby's health.

"What was happening out there?" Angie asked as she remembered the commotion from earlier. Fred grinned as he settled his chin on her head and told her what had happened. He never revealed who the patient was or that he had induced the severe convulsions.

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Back in the ER the x-rays revealed that Gibbs had indeed fractured two ribs, the eight and ninth. Luckily with his arm in the caste he didn't manage to cause it any further damage. He was still unconscious as Bianca called Ducky in to help her bind his ribs.

"Jethro's going to have to take it easy for the next few days if he wants to avoid further injury." Ducky observed.

"Oh yes, he will be if I have anything to say about it." Bianca confirmed.

"What happened to Tony?" Bianca asked as she held Gibbs on his side while Ducky wrapped adhesive tape around Gibbs' side.

"He was convulsing and crying out in pain when I got to him. I don't know what brought it on. I gave him a shot of Orphenadrine and he calmed down within a few minutes." Ducky said as he tied Gibbs' gown in place.

Bianca moved to a cupboard and removed an IV bag filled with a dextrose/sodium chloride solution as well as the IV line and IV needle attachments. Then she hooked this up to the back of Gibbs' injured hand. At that point Gibbs began to stir.

"Jethro can you hear me?" Ducky asked while Bianca prepared a shot of 20cc of Nalbuphine, which was an inti-inflammatory and painkiller that would keep Gibbs sedated for the next 8 hours, until the next shot was administered.

"Mmm" Gibbs murmured as he tried to clear the fuzz from his mind. He was tired, so tired and his body felt like it had been through a tumble dryer. Every inch of him ached. As Gibbs tried to pull himself together, Bianca came back to the bed. She caressed his cheek as she leaned over him and whispered, "This is going to hurt a bit, Jethro."

While he tried to understand what she meant, she lifted the blanket at his back and gently pinched one inch of his fleshy butt between her fingers. Mmmm definitely smooth and firm, she confirmed. Then she sterilized the spot with a soaked cotton swab.

"Here we go." She said as she eased the needle deeply into his butt. Gibbs growled at the stinging in his backside and as he involuntarily jerked away, the pain in his side also started speaking to him.

"Are Ö you done Öyet, damn it?" he mumbled trying not to pull away from the offending needle.

"Almost, just relax or it will pain even more." Bianca murmured.

"Relax!" Gibbs growled incredulously.

Is she mad? How can I relax with everything that's going on around here? Instead of keeping an eye on Tony, I seem to be doing a pretty good job of making myself an invalid. Damn it this is ridiculous! I'm bloody Leroy Jethro Gibbs, a hard assed bastard and this kind of crap doesn't happen to me! Gibbs mentally growled as he felt the needle finally being eased out of his flesh.

"You enjoyed that!" He accussed Bianca in a somewhat hurt tone that was totally foreign to him.

What the hell's wrong with me? he questioned confused about his reaction to her.

"Aammm, yes I did." Bianca replied for his ears only, as her fingertips rubbed the tender spot on his butt in an expanding circular and almost hypnotic motion. Gibbs sighed in relief and if he was honest with himself, he felt a kind of drugged, demented pleasure in having her caress him like this.

What would it feel like if we were both naked and I was doing the same thing to you?He wondered as he started to feel lethargic

"You will be sleeping like a baby in no time, Jethro darling." Bianca whispered as she leaned close to him, her breathe whispering across his cheek.

"In your arms, sleeping like a baby would be the furthest thing on my mind. I would want to mmmm..." Gibbs murmured as sleep made his eyelids heavy.

Ducky grinned at Gibbs' words as he saw Bianca blush before moving away from Gibbs. He was sure that she would have kissed Gibbs on the cheek if they had been alone.

Oh Jethro dear boy, she has fallen for you and I believe that you are just as taken by her. Ducky observed as he helped Bianca wheel Gibbs to the last room on the right of the hallway, opposite Tony's room. As Bianca neatened Gibbs' blankets and hooked up a course of antibiotics to his IV line, Ducky went in search of McGee and Ziva.

He found them in the reception area. Ziva was curled up on her side, her head resting on McGee's lap and her breathing indicating that she was fast asleep. It appeared that McGee was also fast asleep. His head rested in the head rest of the couch while his one hand was buried in Ziva's hair and his other was draped across her waist.

Ducky just shook his head as he made his way back to Gibbs' room. There he found Bianca caressing Jethro's head before she leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on his lips.

"See you in a few hours." Bianca sighed as she stood up and made her way to the door. As she passed Ducky, blood rushed up to her cheeks.

"I'll stay with him for a bit while you check on your other patient. Don't hesitate to call me if you need me, Bianca." Ducky said as he pretended that he had not seen anything.

"Thank you Ducky." Bianca whispered as she walked towards Angie's room.

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"Hey Angie, how are you feeling?" Bianca asked as she approached the bed.

"She's had no contractions for the last 45 minutes." Fred said.

"Okay, let's that a look and than we can decide on an action plan." Bianca smiled although smiling was the last thing she felt like doing. She asked Angie to scoot to the edge of the bed and bend her knees. Then she had a look and was distressed to see no further dilation. And internal examination revealed that the baby was not yet descended enough in the birth canal. That was actually a good thing. It meant that the little one was not trapped.

"Fred could you give me a moment alone with Angie?" Bianca asked as she moved to stand next to Angie.

"Why? What's wrong?" Fred asked as he stood up and looked at Bianca with worry and a trace of anger in his voice.

"I need to explain the medication and procedure I'm going to follow from here on out." Bianca replied as she took Angie's hands into hers.

"Whatever you need to say, you can say in front of Fred." Angie replied as she reached out for her brother's hand.

"Okay. Angie it's time to start your contractions again. I'm going to have to insert a drug called Cervidil into your vagina. It will help to soften and ripen your cervix so that it will start dilating. It could also help to get your contractions going again. Then in an hour or so I will hook you up to a Pitocin drip. It contains a hormone called Oxytocin which should help to get your contractions going in a rhythm so that we can time them. Angie these contractions will be stronger and last longer than the ones you've experiences so far." Bianca stated as she squeezed Angie's hand.

"Can't we just wait for nature to take its course? Why should we rush this?" Fred asked, his fear for his sister growing and his anger at one Anthony DiNozzo multiplying.

"Fred, we can't wait any longer. Angie's waters broke hours ago and her baby could go into distress at any moment. We have to do this and the sooner we start the better it will be for the baby and for Angie." Bianca replied.

"Do it." Angie said as she removed her hand from Bianca's and caressed her stomach.

"Angie, I will not be able to give you an epidural during your labour. The best I will be able to do is anaesthetize you from the waist down and that will only be possible when you're in the last stages of giving birth." Bianca apologized.

"I'll be okay. I can handle it!" Angie said with a sense of conviction she didn't feel.

Fred left the room as Bianca moved back to the edge of the bed and inserted the medication deep into Angie's vagina. Within a few moments the first of many cramps began to race through Angie's nether regions. Within 60 minutes, Bianca hooked up the IV line with the Pitocin. She told Fred to keep a close eye on Angie and to time her contractions. Bianca expected Angie to dilate at a rate of 1cm every hour. That meant that the baby would be ready to be born within the next 4 to 5 hours.

As the cramps started in earnest, Angie held back her cries of pain as she lamented, Anthony I need you! How could you turn your back on me like this? How could you have done this to the symbol of our love, our precious baby?

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At around 11:30pm, Bianca made her way to the kitchen to put on a fresh pot of coffee. There she found Dr Mallard and he already had a fresh pot of coffee on the go.

"Thank you Ducky." Bianca said as she sat down at the table and rubbed her leg and arm in turn.

"It's my pleasure. Do you want me to rub some salve into your arm? You've had a rough day and I guess Angie's due to give birth in the next few hours so you won't be getting any sleep anytime soon." Ducky commented as he poured a cup of coffee for Bianca and then moved to stand next to her. She removed her arm from the sleeve of her jersey and Ducky proceeded to rub a soothing, cooling gel over her bruised upper arm.

Outside the storm was raging in full force. Luckily all the windows and doors were securely closed and none of them rattled. Bianca had the heat in all the rooms turned up and she was glad that she had a generator installed a few weeks earlier. The telephone lines were still down and she prayed that Angie wouldn't have any major complications as there would be no way to call for help or to get her back to the city until the weather cleared up.

"So how did you manage to set up such a well stocked and well run clinic?" Ducky's words intruded on her thoughts.

Bianca smiled at Ducky's compliments before replying, "My grandmother past away a few years ago and she left me this huge inheritance. I was tired of the cityÖ" and I needed to escape an abusive relationship, Bianca admitted but didn't say out loud.

"But you still wanted to be a practicing Doctor." Ducky commented prompting her to continue.

"Yes, I wanted a more rural, calm setting where I could still help people. So I bought this place and I bought all the medical equipment I could afford. I opened this clinic about 2 years ago and it's running well enough." Bianca said.

"But how do you cope all alone?" Ducky asked.

Bianca laughed and said, "I usually don't. I have 3 people that work for me, an accountant Steven and two nurses Sally and Amber. It's just Murphy's Law that none of them are here this week. Sally's on a two week vacation and Amber had to attend a family funeral so she'll also only be back in about 2 week's time. Steven only comes in once a month to collect all the invoices and receipts so that he can do my books."

"Well you're an excellent Doctor and I'm glad that you found Anthony when you did." Ducky said as he helped her back into her jersey.

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Fred left Angie's room and scanned the collidor to make sure that no one was around. Angie's contractions were about 3 minutes apart and although she tried to reassure him that she was okay, he could see the strain this birthing process was taking on her.

He made his way to Tony's room and entered the dimly lit room quietly. Pure hatred flashed across Fred's face as he approached the bed.

"It's time for you to feel a bit of what Angie's feeling!" Fred growled in a low voice as he pulled Tony's warm blanket away and placed it in the cupboard, before covering him with a sheet again. Then he turned the heat way down so the room started to cool. He also opened the window a bare millimeter to allow the icy cold air to seep into the room.

And then his eyes narrowed as he looked at Tony's body and planned his next move.

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"Bianca I want you!" He moaned out as her hands caressed down his sides and then closed over his buttocks.

"I want you too, Jethro!" she replied as she lifted her head to meet his. Her teeth grazed his lower lip and then her tongue soothed the spot driving him crazy. He took the lead then, demanding entry into her wet, hot mouth. She opened to him like a blossoming flower and moaned out in pleasure as his tongue stroked hers. Her hands moved rhythmically up and down his naked back.

His hand traveled from her cheek down to her neck, then to her shoulder and finally came to rest on the swell of her breast. He lifted his head as he allowed his eyes to follow his hand. Her sheer white bra revealed her puckered rosy nipple. Their eyes locked as he slowly moved his hand to the top of her left breast. She arched her back to give him better access even as she moaned out in anticipation. He drew his fingers down over her nipple and pulled the sheer white bra away. Then her rosy, taut nipple was exposed and begging for his attention. He couldn't hold back any longer and leaned forward eager to run his tongue over her heated flesh.

"Mmmmm"

"Argh!" Gibbs gasped as he came violently awake. The dream had been so real and now the pain in his side was even more real. Gibbs took a few shallow breathes as he tried to calm his highly aroused and tight body. At the same time he prayed for the pain to let up.

At that moment Bianca walked into the room and all the sensations he had just been feeling washed through his body at lightening speed. To make matters worse her jersey was unbuttoned and her white t-shirt outlined her bra so perfectly. And it must have been the cold or something because Gibbs could have sworn that he could see her puckered nipples through that t-shirt.

"Argh!" Gibbs moaned again as he tried to shift into a more comfortable position that would also help to hide the evidence of his highly aroused state.

Bianca was at his side within a heart beat.

"Jethro, what's wrong?" She asked as she took his wrist into hers and checked his pulse.

"You're pulse is racing!" She said as she grabbed her stethoscope and listened to his heart. His heart beat was off the chart.

"Jethro, tell me what's happening?" Bianca shouted as she checked his pupils and placed a thermometer in his mouth. Then she proceeded to get the pressure cuff on his arm.

Does he have an infection? Is he allergic to the antibiotic? Why is he staring at me like this? So intense! These and many other thoughts raced through Bianca's mind. She removed the thermometer and was relieved to note that his temperature was only one degree higher then it should have been which indicated that there was no infection at the moment. His pressure was a bit high, but that was because of the rapid heart beat.

"Jethro?" Bianca asked as she saw him sitting up slowly and swinging his legs over the side of the bed.

"You shouldn'tÖ." Bianca started to say.

"Come hereÖ" Gibbs whispered ignoring there pain racing up and down his side. Bianca was puzzled, but did as he asked.

"What's wrong? What can I get for you?" Bianca asked, concerned about his weird behaviour.

"ThisÖ." Gibbs whispered, as he used his good arm and pulled her to stand in between his legs.

"JethroÖ" Bianca whispered as Gibbs' fingers slipped into her hair and he started pulling her head down to his.

"ThisÖ" He moaned as his lips closed over her.

Bianca was enthralled. Gibbs kissed her like a starving man. His uninjured hand, only after it had made sure that she would remain in position, started to explore her body, just as it had done in his dream. As that hand came to rest on top of her breast, Bianca gasped in pleasure and arched her body, filling his hand with generous, supple breast.

Gibbs pulled away from her mouth as he whispered, "I need to see you, to taste you!"

"YesÖ Taste me JethroÖ." Bianca moaned as she cupped his hand over her breast and led his fingers to the top of her t-shirt. Then together they moved her t-shirt and bra down, until her creamy breast with its rosy tip was revealed.

Gibbs growled as he leaned forward and touched the tip of his tongue to her beckoning bud. Bianca trembled as Jethro's tongue started worshipping her nipple. He licked and stroked and teased and then she took his jaw into her hand and lifted her swollen breast to his mouth like an offering. Gibbs needed no further invitation to take the offered morsel into the heat of his mouth. Both of them groaned out in pleasure as Gibbs started suckling on her breast.

Gibbs was amazed by Bianca eagerness, by her willingness to experience this with him. He couldn't get enough of her and soon her other breast of exposed and receiving the same attention. But then he wanted more. His hand started a fiery part down the front of her body, brushing the scar below her breast. Then his fingers closed around the waist band of her pants and he tugged at it.

Bianca was enjoying everything that Gibbs was doing until his hand reached her waistband. Then she froze as she was involuntarily transported to another place and another time.

Jason let me go. Please!

Bianca remembered how Jason had grabbed her waistband and pulled her towards him. Then his hand was inside her pants and fingers invaded her violently, painfully. Then he would throw her onto the bed, face down and mount her from behind. Her legs would be trapped by her pants that lay bunched up around her knees and her arms would be held together in his hands as he forced himself on her.

Gibbs felt the change in her a moment before she pushed away from him and whispered,

"Jason let me go, Please!"

Her eyes were glazed over and she seemed terrified.

"Bianca?" Gibbs called out to her but she was moving away from the bed, away from him. She pulled her clothes up and into place before she turned and fled the room.

"Bianca, Damn it! What just happened and who the hell is Jason?" Gibbs asked the four walled as he tried to kill the arousal coursing through his body for a second time that night.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Back in Tony's room, Fred looked back at the bed one more time before making his way back to his sister's room.

He grinned in morbid satisfaction as he thought, "Anthony DiNozzo this might just be the end for you. Soon the Doctors will be too busy with Angie to even think about checking on you. Like I promised, you will die as your bastard is being born!"

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Bianca was practically hyper-ventilating by the time she got to her bedroom. She closed the door behind her and sank to floor gasping for breathe as tears rolled down her face.

It took her a few minutes to get her breathing under control and the only way she was able to do this was by repeating, "Jason's dead… Jason's dead…Jason's dead…I killed him!"

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When Fred got back to Angie's room, he found her in the grips of another powerful contraction.

"Fred…Get the Doctor!" Angie cried out as she couldn't resist the urge to push any longer.

"Angie, just hang in there. I'll get Dr B right away." Fred said as he left her room, panic and fear racing through his body.

As he entered the collidor he found the old ME standing outside Anthony DiNozzo's room.

I have to stop him from going in there! Fred mentally growled.

"Dr Mallard, Angie's contractions are getting worse. Please can you get Dr B? I think it's almost time!" Fred said in a frantic voice.

Ducky moved away from Tony's room and replied, "Go back to your sister. I'll get Bianca and we'll be back in a moment."

"Thank you." Fred said in relief as he went back to his sister's room. He kept an eye on Dr Mallard as he moved down the collidor to the back of the clinic.

That was too close. If he had looked in on DiNozzo, he would have felt the cold and he might have seen the blood. Fred thought .

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Gibbs spent a long time thinking about Bianca and her reaction, hot and passionate the one moment and terrified and fleeing the next. He also analysed his reaction to her and the simple answer was that he liked her, really liked her and he was more then sexually attracted to her.

Then he thought about Tony and how close he had come to losing him. He was frustrated that they were trapped out here in the middle of nowhere and that they couldn't go on with the investigation.

I'm sure Abs will have something for us as soon as the lines are back up. Tony, we'll get the bastard that's behind this and I'll make him pay. No one messes with my family and gets away with it. No one!

Gibbs felt a desperate need to see Tony, to make sure that he was okay. But first he needed to answer nature's call. As an afterthought he realised that he was starving. He had not eaten anything all day and it was already after midnight.

He got out of bed slowly and wrapped his gown more securely around himself. Then he took a hold of his IV stand and made his way to the door. His side was throbbing but Gibbs decided to ignore the pain. He was however realistic enough to realise that he would not be able to move around indefinitely. So he decided to go to the bathroom first, then to the kitchen to get a bite to eat and then he would spend the rest of the night at Tony's side.

Outside his door he heard running feet and the sound of a woman crying out in pain.

Oh yeah, Fred and his sister are here too, Gibbs realized that he had forgotten all about them.

As Gibbs made his way to the back of the clinic, he wondered where McGee and Ziva were. After relieving himself, he went to the kitchen and was surprised to find a lasagne and salad on the table. The smell of coffee was also most welcome. Gibbs poured himself a cup. Then he spooned a generous amount of lasagne into his plate and warmed it in the microwave, before sitting down at the table and eating.

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"Angie, I need you to lie on your back. That's it, honey. I'm going to have a look, okay?" Bianca said as she sat down on a stool at the base of the bed. She had calmed down by the time Ducky came to call her. And now she pushed Jason and Gibbs out of her mind as she focused on Angie.

Ducky moved to Angie's side and patted her hand in a very fatherly gesture. Fred stood on the other side of the bed and caressed Angie's cheek as he moved her hair away from her face.

"Angie, you're almost there honey." Bianca replied noting that Angie was 9 cm's dilated.

"Here's another one. I feel like pushing, aaaahhhh." Angie cried out.

"Hang on Angie. I'm going to give you that anaesthetic we spoke about earlier. And then I'm to have to make a small incision to prevent you from tearing." Bianca said as she rolled towards the cupboard behind her and prepared the syringe. She injected Angie and waited for a few minutes.

"I'm numb!" Angie said in wonder.

"Good." Bianca said as she removed a scalpel from it's packaging and proceeded to make a small incision in Angie's vaginal wall.

"Mmmmm" Angie said as she tensed.

"What is it, honey?" Bianca asked as she saw Angie's stomach muscles contracting.

"Pressure, should I push now?" Angie asked, feeling weird. There was no pain but everything felt tight and heavy.

Bianca took a look and said, "Yes push, but gently okay."

Angie groaned out as she pushed. Fred moved in to sit behind her and supported her back as he placed a hand on her stomach. Ducky in the meantime went to the cupboard and retrieved a towel and two blankets. He also found an infant nasal aspirator.

"Ducky the umbilical clamp cutter is in the third draw on the right. Okay Angie, relax for a second. You're doing really great honey. The next contraction will follow within a minute or two and your baby will be born within the next half an hour." Bianca crooned as she patted Angie's knee.

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Down the collidor, one Anthony DiNozzo was shivering uncontrollably. He moaned out softly in his semi-conscious state wondering why he felt like he was floating and then falling. At the same time visions flashed through his mind.

"DiNozzo!" Gibbs growled at him.

Driving too fast, where am I going?

Stupid Probie mistake!

Losing control of the car!

PAIN!!!!!

"Argh…ssshhhhh… Boss … need you!" Tony mumbled in a state of delirium. And then he slipped into a cold, dark world filled with intense pain.

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Angie cried out loudly as she pushed for the third time and the baby's head finally appeared.

Her cries brought McGee and Ziva out of their sleep and Ziva sat up abruptly, surprised that she had been lying on McGee's lap. Her body was stiff and her neck was a bit tender from the angle she had been sleeping in.

McGee didn't seem to notice her surprise as he stood up and stretched. Both of them noticed that the storm was clearing. McGee tried his phone and sighed when he found that the lines were still down.

"I'm going to check on Gibbs." McGee said as he walked to the collidor.

"I'll check on Tony." Ziva yawned as she followed McGee out of the reception area.

As they passed Angie's room, they saw Gibbs walking down the collidor towards them.

And then they heard the gusty cries of a baby float out of Angie's room.

Gibbs shook his head as a soft grin touched his lips. Ziva and McGee were surprised as they had never heard just how loudly a new born could cry.

"Is that baby okay?" McGee asked.

"Yeah, those cries are the best indication that he or she is okay." Gibbs replied.

"Gibbs shouldn't you be resting in bed?" Ziva asked as she noticed how he was favouring his side.

Gibbs just glared at her as he made his way down the collidor. Instead of turning towards his room, he turned towards Tony's.

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Angie couldn't stop the tears of joy rolling down her cheeks as Bianca handed her, her beautiful baby girl. The little girl's dark hair and green eyes were just like her father's and she was healthy at 5 pounds 9 ounces.

Fred was amazed by the sight of this previous, soft and almost transparent being that now lay against his sister's chest. Bianca and Ducky grinned at each other, both of them relieved that Angie and her baby were doing well. Bianca proceeded to stitch Angie and make her comfortable as they waited for the placenta to be expelled.

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"Why is it so cold in here?" Gibbs asked as they entered Tony's room.

Ziva rushed to the bed and touched Tony's hand.

"He's ice cold." Ziva gasped as she realized that he only had a sheet covering him.

"McGee, check the windows!" Gibbs ordered as he turned the heat up in the room.

"This one's slightly opened." McGee confirmed as he pulled the window shut.

"Gibbs, Tony's loosing blood! His IV line is plugged into the side of his bed and there's a second one running from his arm, draining his blood into this basin." Ziva said in shock as she saw the amount of blood in the basin. She quickly removed the IV line and pressed a towel to the puncture wound in Tony's arm hoping to stop the bleeding. McGee stared in horror at Tony's ashen face as Gibbs growled, "The bastard's here."

"But how? No one could have come in during the storm." McGee stated as he grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around Tony.

"He's been here all along. It's Fred!" Gibbs stated fury and adrenaline pumping through his body

How could this have happened right under my nose? Fred's a dead man. I'm going to make him wish that he had never been born! Gibbs vowed.

"Gibbs' his breathing's shallow and his pulse is very weak." Ziva said as she kept two finger's against Tony's neck.

"Get Ducky and Bianca but don't alarm Fred. Then get your Sig's so we can take him down." Gibbs ordered. He stood next to Tony and willed him to hang on as he placed a hand on his cold forehead.

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"Angie, we'll give you and Fred a few minutes to get better acquainted with you beautiful baby." Bianca said as she smiled down at the baby and then left the room. Ducky followed her out.

"Oh Fred, isn't she just beautiful?" Angie said in awe.

"Yes and her colouring's just like her dad, isn't it Angie?" Fred asked as he looked at his sister.

Hell there's no doubt now that she's that bastard DiNozzo's kid. I wonder if his dead yet?

"Fred, how did you know? Her dad's going grey but yes he was dark haired in his younger days." Angie replied realizing that it was time to tell Fred everything.

Going Grey? Younger days? What the hell do you mean? DiNozzo is still young and he doesn't have a single grey hair on his head!

"Angie, tell me about her father right now. I want to know everything!" Fred said in a voice so harsh it sent shivers down Angie's spine.

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As Bianca and Ducky entered the collidor, they were surprised by the burst of cold air they felt. They rushed down the collidor and found Tony's room door ajar. McGee collided with them in his haste to go and find them.

"What happened? Why is this room so cold? And Jethro what are you doing out of bed?" Bianca asked, terrified that Tony may have been right about Gibbs trying to kill him.

"His lost a lot of blood and is unconscious." Gibbs growled.

"Do something, before we loose him!" Ziva ordered.

"How did this happen?" Ducky asked as he and Bianca rushed to the bed.

Bianca and Ducky worked on Tony noting that his pressure was very low and so was his temperature.

"He's in hypovolaemic shock. But the cold, as bad as it is actually reduced the rate at which he was losing blood." Ducky observed as he hooked up new IV line.

"Do you know, what's his blood type? He is going to need a transfusion." Bianca said as she sealed the puncture wound on his hand.

"B positive." Gibbs, Ducky, Ziva and McGee simultaneously replied.

I don't have any B+ blood and even with the storm clearing it may take too long to get some delivered, Bianca thought. What am I going to do? I promised to keep him safe!

"Take care of him Duck while we take care of the bastard that did this to Tony." Gibbs stated as he removed his IV line while keeping the tape securely over the wound to prevent it from bleeding. Then he walked out of the room with McGee and Ziva in tow.

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"Oh God Angie! You should have told me! I may have just killed the wrong man!" Fred moaned as he dropped his head into his hands. Outside the room, Gibbs and Ziva framed the door while McGee was poised to throw the door open. Gibbs indicated for them to wait as they listened to the unfolding conversation.

"Fred what are you talking about? What do you mean, killed the wrong man?!" Angie asked as she started to get a really bad feeling.

"I thought a man by the name of Anthony DiNozzo, raped you and got you pregnant!" Fred growled.

"How do you know his name? I never told you his name?" Angie said.

"I heard you say it in your sleep. You were crying out and saying. Anthony don't please. DiNozzo don't hurt me. So I put the two names together and …."

"And you thought he raped me?" Angie asked incredulously.

"Yes, you were alone and you were distraught. You wouldn't tell me what happened, so what was I suppose to think."

"Fred, I worked for him and I fell in love with him. But he's married and had to go back home to his wife in California. He is in his late 50's and he is a very wealthy man. He never promised me anything and he didn't even know that I was pregnant!" Angie said as Gibbs indicated for McGee to throw the door open.

"NCIS!" McGee shouted his gun aimed at Fred's chest, ready to double tap him.

"You are under arrest for the attempted murder of NCIS Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo." Gibbs growled his arm a bit unsteady as a result of his injuries. At the same time Angie gasped in shock.

"Put your hands on your head and get face down onto the floor, NOW!" Ziva shouted her gun trained on Fred's forehead.

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"Fred you attacked his Son! Oh my God, now he'll never have anything to do with me or Emma" Angie growled in anger. She had secretly harboured the hope that upon seeing his baby, Anthony DiNozzo Senior would accept her and acknowledge his love for her and their child and then he would leave his wife.

Fred couldn't believe that this had happened. Now he was surrounded by NCIS Agents and he still needed to kill the bastard who had taken advantage of his sister, taken her away from him. He ignored his sister's anger and started to plan his escape.

"Fred this is you final warning. Get on the floor or we start shooting!" Gibbs growled, his fury rising as he feared that Tony was slipping away in the other room.

Fred looked at his sister and something akin to regret tinged with anger flashed through his eyes. Then he leaned towards Angie and kissed her intimately on the lips. Angie gasped out in surprise as she pulled away from his incestuous embrace. Ziva and McGee used Fred's pre-occupation to move further into the room while Gibbs looked on in disgust at the scene unfolding in front of his eyes.

"Get away from her Fred. It's over!" McGee stated his gun now trained on Fred's back. Ziva tried to move closer to the bed to get a better look at what Fred was up to. Gibbs, unstable as a result of his injuries, leaned a shoulder against the door as he kept his gun aimed at the back of Fred's head. All three agents knew that they couldn't take a shot until Fred moved away from his sister and the baby.

"Fred, what...? Fred! No!" Angie cried out as Fred took her previous baby out of her arms and simultaneously grabbed his hunting knife from under his jacket. He immediately held the hunting knife against the wailing baby's tiny body.

"Fred you don't want to do this." Gibbs warned his adrenaline pumping and giving him a burst of energy.

"Fred, No!!! Give her back to me! Oh my God! How can you even think about hurting her?" Angie cried out as she tried to sit up in the bed. Fred moved slightly away from her and the bed as he said, "Sorry Angie, but I need to get out of here and this bastard is the only way I can do that!"

His words shocked and hurt her to the core.

"You were so attentive, so concerned about me and now... now you are ... threatening my baby, your niece!" Angie sobbed, confused and terrified as she didn't recognize this man in front of her. Her brother was loving and caring but this man, he was pure evil. He was threatening a new born, innocent live just to get away with murder!

Ziva and McGee looked at each other as they moved closer to Fred. Ziva indicated that she would go for the hand holding the knife and McGee should catch the baby. McGee in return communicated that she should catch the baby as he grabbed the knife. Gibbs watched the two of them and growled with impatience. That was the only wake up call they needed. McGee nodded at Ziva and then they moved closer to Fred.

"That bastard DiNozzo used you and you ... you let him! Angie … I loved you! I loved you so much and you gave yourself to that scum and then you insisted on carrying her. Do you know how that ate me up inside, knowing that you were carrying another man's child. You should have been carrying my baby! You were mine!" Fred growled revealing his most intimate and guarded secret.

"Are you MAD? I was never yours! We are siblings and I would have never had that kind of a relationship with you. Oh my God, now it makes sense why no guys stayed with me for too long. You scared all of them away! But you didn't know about Anthony so you couldn't do anything until now." Angie growled her maternal fear bubbling over.

"We are not siblings Angie. You were adopted when I was seven and I have loved you ever since. I wanted to marry you, make love to you have family with you but you ruined it all!" Fred growled in disgust as his face contorted into that of a monster.

Angie gasped at this revelation but then her baby's cries broke through to her again and she blocked out everything else as she begged, "I don't know who you are but it you ever loved me you will give me back my baby. Please Fred, for the love of God, give her back to me."

"I'm sorry Honey…." Fred sneered as he turned away from her.

Ziva chose that moment to pounce on him, grabbing the hand holding the knife and twisting it up and away from the baby, while she pressed her Sig to his chest. Fred reacted by flinging his other arm out in an effort to hit Ziva and poor Emma was flung up into the air. Ziva fired two shots hitting Fred at point blank range in the chest. Gibbs moved away from the door at lightening speed, his focus centered on the baby. McGee dropped his gun as he too reached out for the baby. As Ziva and Fred collapsed to the ground, Ziva rolled over and leaped up reaching her arms out to catch the infant. Angie cried out in horror as her leaned out of the bed in an attempt to save her daughter.

Emma wailed at the abusive treatment and by some miracle was caught by 2 and a half pairs of interlocked arms, namely that of Ziva, McGee and Gibbs.

At that moment, Ducky rushed into the room and was shock at what he saw.

"Good lord. What happened?" he asked. But his question was ignored by everyone as Emma gave out a hearty yell.

"You got her?" Gibbs asked a second later when everyone was able to take a deep breathe.

"Got her Boss!" McGee replied as he started to straighten up.

"Me too!" Ziva grinned in relief as she too stood up with McGee while still holding the baby.

"Then hand her to her mother already!" Gibbs growled as stood up, his strength starting to desert him. Ducky moved into the room looking at Fred who was lying dead on the floor and then looking at Emma to see that she was okay.

"Thank you!" Angie cried as she took her precious bundle into her arms and hugged her close.

"McGee, Ziva clean up this..this…" Gibbs was saying when his voice betrayed his weakness and he felt himself start to fall.

"Boss!" "Gibbs!" the two younger agents called out as they managed to catch him before he hit the ground.

"I'm … okay!" Gibbs lied as he tried to pull himself together. But with the adrenaline rush gone, the pain was back in full force and then his fear for Tony was also making him weak.

"Let's get him back into his room. Then move Angie to a clean room and start processing this scene." Ducky ordered.

"How's … Tony … doing?" Gibbs asked the question that they all feared asking.

Ducky stared at him solemnly but said nothing.

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"Duck?" Gibbs questioned as he refused to move forward until Ducky answered his question. McGee and Ziva still supported him on either side. And the fact that he let them support him was testimony enough to all of them of just how weak he was.

"Jethro you need to rest and we need to start your antibiotics and pain meds before you end up with an infection. Anthony's…" Ducky said as he moved towards Gibbs' room.

"Take me to Tony's room, Now!" Gibbs ordered McGee and Ziva, knowing that he wouldn't be able to get two steps without falling flat on his face. The two younger agents looked from him to Ducky and then at each other, debating what to do.

"Today!" Gibbs growled as he became impatient and tried to pull out of their hands despite his weakness. Ducky sighed and nodded to McGee and Ziva.

Gibbs took a deep breathe to prepare for what he might find on the other side of the door of Tony's door. As Ducky walked in, and the interior of the room came into view Gibbs stopped in his tracks.

Sitting in a chair next to the bed was Bianca with her eyes closed. Her left arm was extended and to it an IV line was attached. But instead of the usual clear IV fluid, the IV line was filled with blood. Bianca's blood! The blood was being collected in an IV bag which had a second IV line attached. This second line was attached to Tony's arm.

"Anthony's condition is critical. We have given him medication to boost his pressure. But he needed a blood transfusion. Since Bianca didn't have any B+ blood available, she insisted that she would give Anthony her own blood as she just happens to be the same blood group as him." Ducky said. Gibbs, McGee and Ziva were touched by what Bianca had done for Tony so far and by what she was still doing for him.

"What happened? I heard gun shots. Is Angie and the baby okay? And where's Fred? Gibbs are you okay?" Bianca asked sitting up straight in her chair and looking closely at Gibbs for any new injuries.

"Fred's dead and Angie and the baby are fine. Fred thought that Tony had raped Angie and that's why he wanted to kill him." McGee stated.

"Not to mention that he had wanted an incestuous relationship with Angie, who just happens to be he's adopted sister." Ziva supplied.

"DiNozzo Senior is the baby's father." Gibbs weakly stated.

"Oh Dear, I wonder how Anthony's going to deal with all of this?" Ducky worried out loud.

"Mmm I think you'd better get Jethro into a chair and bring a bed from the other room in here for him." Bianca stated as she noticed how heavily Gibbs was leaning on his team members. She wanted to go to him but she would have to wait until the transfusion was done.

"I'm fine." Gibbs lied as Ziva and McGee helped him to the chair.

"Of course you are, Jethro. But I'll just start your meds anyway, okay." Ducky said as McGee and Ziva left the room to get the bed. As soon as Ducky had Gibbs hooked up to a fresh set of meds he turned back to Bianca and Tony.

"Bianca, why did you adjust this IV line in such a way? Now there is no way to know how much of your blood you've actually given. I'd better stop the transfusion, before we take too much." Ducky observed. Gibbs listened and looked sharply from Ducky to Bianca and then to Tony.

I need Tony to live but it can't be at the expense of endangering Bianca's life.

"No, Ducky. Check Tony's vital signs first. I'm sure it hasn't been more than a pint of blood yet." Bianca lied.

I promised to save him and I'm going to keep that promise! She reaffirmed.

Ducky shook his head as he checked on Tony's vital signs. His pressure was stable and moving steadily up and his temperature revealed that he had warmed up considerably in the last 20 minutes. The fact that the blood transfusion was a direct transfusion, meant that the blood he was receiving was already body temperature and that played a roll in warming him up.

Gibbs stared at Bianca and when she looked back at him he simply said, "Thank you." But his eyes communicated more then those two simple words ever could. It revealed his fear and love for the young man lying helplessly in the bed next to her. It also revealed his gratitude to her.

"You're welcome, Jethro." Bianca replied as she smiled back at him reassuringly.

As soon as McGee and Ziva were back with the bed, they helped a very weak and exhausted Gibbs into it. Then they went to take care of the scene.

Ducky checked Gibbs' vital signs and confirmed that he was stable but his pressure was a down. Ducky suggested that he sleep, but Gibbs sat up in the bed until Ducky removed the IV line from Bianca's arm 15 minutes later.

Bianca took a deep breathe and stood up. She felt light headed for a second and hoped that no one noticed. And no one did as their attention was focused on Tony. She then moved over to Gibbs' bedside and placed her hand lightly on his cheek before whispering, "Sleep now Jethro. It's over. Tony's safe and I'm sure that his going to be much better come morning." Then she leaned down and kissed him lightly on his lips. He kissed her back, wanting her to know how much he appreciated what she had down for Tony. As she pulled away, she smiled down at him and whispered, "Good night."

Gibbs watched her leave the room and he thought you are such a very rare creature and I want to get to know you better, much better.

He drifted off to sleep as memories of their time together floated through his the recesses of his mind.

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As tired as she was, Bianca decided to look in on Angie and the baby. Physically both were doing well, but now that she had had some time to process everything Angie was distraught. She loved Fred. He was the only family she had left and she was disgusted with herself for not realizing what he had been up to. And now he was dead. And she was terrified that Tony might die too and it would be her fault. Bianca comforted Angie as best she could and left her as she nursed her baby for the first time.

Then Bianca finally admitted that she was exhausted. She was also light headed and needed to lie down.

Well that's why you're not allowed to donate blood if you're anaemic Ms Smarty Pants. She scolded herself. But I would do it again if I knew that it could save a life.

Bianca got to her bedroom, removed her clothes and grabbed a baggy t-shirt. As she got into bed she replayed the events of the day and acknowledged just how much she wanted Gibbs. Ah Jethro I wish you were here and we were wrapped in each other's arms as we fell off to sleep.

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An hour later McGee and Ziva were done with the scene and Fred's body was placed in a body-bag. At the same time McGee's phone started ringing, startling him.

"Tim, thank God." Abby shouted in relief.

"Hey Abs." McGee replied.

"Okay the guy was driving a…" Abby started to say as McGee interrupted her.

"Black SUV with Washington licence plates, GTR 1523."

Ziva took the phone from him and said, "The car's probably registered to one Fred Wayne Fletcher."

"But how?" Abby asked in a deflated voice as Ziva put her on speaker phone.

"He was here at the clinic and he attacked Tony. But we got him." McGee said.

"And we're sure that Tony's going to okay by morning. And Gibbs is also going to be okay." Ziva said upon hearing Abby's gasp.

"Oh Good! I guess you guys didn't need me after all. I mean you solved the case without any forensic or technical support." Abby said feeling totally dejected after having spent so many hours trying to get through to them.

"Abby, we will always need you. We could have prevented the second attack on Tony if the lines were not down and if we had the information you were about to give us, earlier." McGee said.

"Yeah, I guess." Abby sighed. She was missing them and she had been so worried about Tony and Gibbs. "Is there anything you guys need?" she continued wanting, no needing to do something.

"You can get someone to collect Fred's body and have him waiting in autopsy for Ducky." McGee stated.

"You can also arrange for Tony and Gibbs to be airlifted to Bethesda." Ziva replied.

"I'm on it and I can't wait to see all of you." Abby replied before hanging up.

McGee went back to Tony's room and informed Ducky of what had been arranged. Then he and Ziva went to relax on the reception area couch. They decided that they would drive back to NCIS head quarters the next morning after Tony and Gibbs were airlifted to the hospital.

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In LA one Jason Mattysen spoke to the American Airlines operator at 4:30am that morning.

"I'd like to book one return ticket to Washington DC."

"I can book you on flight AA76 that departs at 8:30am this morning. You'll arrive in Washington by 04:25pm" The operator said.

"That's perfect." Jason replied his excitement growing.

"When would you like to return?" she asked.

"Oh, by Sunday should be fine." He said.

Once the booking was made Jason went to his bedroom and looked at his reflection in the mirror. Half his face looked all twisted and raw. He growled as he turned away and started packing his bag. He sneered as he thought, Bitch, I know exactly where you are now. I'll be there real soon to punish you for what you did to me almost two years ago. Oh yes, it's going to be lesson you'll never forget, bitch and one you won't survive!

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Tony woke up to the sounds of someone groaning and moving around restlessly. As he opened his eyes he found sun light was streaming in through a window. He also noticed the IV stand and three IV lines leading into the back of his hand.

It doesn't smell like a hospital but I guess it must be.

Tony looked at his shoulder that was in a caste and he was surprised by it.

I don't feel any real pain. I actually feel numb. Am I dead! He anxiously questioned. Then he moved and welcome pain pulsed through his body, from his twisted ankle up to his concussed head.

He smiled despite himself because he knew that it he could feel pain that meant he was very much alive.

He heard a noise to his left and when he looked up he was shocked to see Gibbs tossing restlessly, his arm in a caste and an IV line in his arm.

"Boss!" Tony gasped.

Gibbs stilled for a moment not sure that he had heard right. Then he turned and faced Tony and was surprised and relieved to see the younger man's eyes open.

"Boss, you look terrible!" Tony whispered.

"You should see what you look like before commenting on me." Gibbs grinned. For one thing Tony remembered him and for a second, Tony was … well Tony again.

"What did you do Boss. Roll the car or something?" Tony asked as he grimaced while turning to face Gibbs.

"What's the last thing you remember?" Gibbs asked as he sat up on his bed and faced Tony. His ribs were tender and his arm was throbbing but he wanted to look at Tony to observe his reaction.

"Leaving the office and driving in the snow …. to get that damn sketch pad." Tony said as he remembered how angry he was.

"Anything else?" Gibbs asked feeling guilty for having pushed Tony so hard.

Tony stared at him for a moment and then he blinked rapidly as images flashed through his mind.

"DiNozzo, you okay?" Gibbs asked as he got out of bed and reached Tony in two steps.

"Tony." Gibbs gently said as he placed his hand on Tony's shoulder.

Tony looked up at Gibbs and whispered "Pain, I remember pain and fear."

"It's okay Tony. You're safe now. I've got your six and no one's going to get close enough to hurt you again." Gibbs emotionally growled as he forced Tony to look at him.

"What… what happened to me?" Tony questioned.

Gibbs squeezed his shoulder lightly, surprising him by this physical contact and the show of emotion.

"A lot. First you were forced off the road and then here, while recuperating, you were attacked twice."

"What?" Tony asked as he just couldn't make sense of what Gibbs was saying.

Gibbs slowly told him all that had happened and Tony looked at him, dumbfounded.

Amnesia, attempted murder, a baby sister?!?!?

"My Father! Even when I'm miles away from him, he still manages to mess with my life." Tony said with such anger.

Although they had never discussed it, it was no secret to Gibbs that Tony and his father had a very strained relationship. In fact they stopped communicating over the last few years and Tony never mentioned his father or his childhood. Tony's father just never understood what he had in Tony. And he never accepted Tony whereas Gibbs would have given anything to have a son like Tony.

"Tony, calm down. Fred's dead and you're going to be fine. We'll deal with your father later. And I won't ever let anything like this happen to you again!" Gibbs said with conviction as he kept his hand on Tony's shoulder.

"Thanks Boss." Tony said his eyes locking with Gibbs'. Both men stared at each other for a few seconds and Gibbs knew that Tony understood what he had meant, what he had been trying to say without the use of words.

When Tony looked away, Gibbs said, "DiNozzo, you have a half-sister now, and you'll have to decide whether you want to be a part of her life, or not."

Tony took a deep breathe as he wondered what he should do. He looked at Gibbs again and Gibbs said, "You'll make the right decision. I have faith in you and I know that you won't let me or yourself down."

At about the same time, McGee, Ziva and Ducky walked into the room.

"Ah Anthony it is such a relief to see you awake. How are you feeling?" Ducky asked as he moved towards Tony's bed. Gibbs kept his hand on Tony's shoulder as he turned to face the rest of his team.

"I've been better, Ducky." Tony replied as the ME checked his vital signs.

"Your memory's back!" McGee exclaimed with relief.

"At least now you know that we aren't trying to kill you." Ziva said.

"What?" Tony asked totally confused.

"Yeah DiNozzo, you were convinced that we were trying to kill you. I wonder what ever gave you that idea." Gibbs said as he grinned down at Tony. Then his hand moved to the top of Tony's head and he tapped it lightly as he ordered, "Don't ever doubt how important you are to this team and to me. And although we might threaten to kill you on occasion, it's just so that we can push you to do better."

Ducky nodded his head in approval, glad that Gibbs was voicing his feelings. The look on Tony's face spoke volumes and Ziva and McGee also felt Gibbs' commitment to the team.

The room was silent for a moment as everyone reflected on their own thoughts. Suddenly feeling self-conscious, Gibbs asked, "McGee where's my coffee?"

"On it Boss." McGee said as he left the room.

"How's he, Ducky?" Ziva asked as Ducky finished examining Tony.

"Miraculously, all his vitals are stable. Anthony, with a few days rest you will be as good as knew." Ducky replied.

"Good, so when can I go home?" Tony asked hopefully as he tried to stifle a yawn.

"Oh, you'll have to spend at least another 3 days in hospital." Ducky said.

"No Ducky. I …" Tony started to protest.

"DiNozzo you will do as Ducky orders." Gibbs growled and Tony quieted, feeling tired.

"I'm glad you feel that way Jethro, because you will be joining him at Bethesda for at least 2 out of the 3 days." Ducky said eliciting a smile from Ziva.

"No way Ducky!" Gibbs replied.

"Mm Boss if I have to follow Ducky's orders than so do you." Tony said as he tried to hold back a grin. Gibbs glared at him and then at Ducky, before looking away and sighing in defeat.

Maybe spending some time with you isn't such a bad idea, DiNozzo.

When McGee got back with the coffee, he informed Gibbs and Tony that the medic airlift would be delayed for a while as it was attending to other emergencies as a result of the storm.

"Can't we just stay here?" Tony asked, liking this set up better than an actual hospital.

Gibbs looked at him and realized that he liked that idea very much.

"McGee, we're staying. Send Angie and the baby to Bethesda and tell Angie that we will be in touch with her should she need anything. Ziva you get back to the office and start with the report. McGee you can go back to town and bring back a few things for us." Gibbs ordered and McGee and Ziva left to grab their stuff.

"Ducky can you stay a day or two longer?" Gibbs asked as he watched Tony doze off.

"Sure Jethro. I really like this country setup and now I'll be able to enjoy it for a short while. I'll just arrange for McGee to bring back a few things so we can restock Bianca's clinic." Ducky chirped as he left the room.

Bianca, where are you? Gibbs wondered realizing that he hadn't seen her since the previous night when she'd kissed him.

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Bianca was in the shower. She had woken up with a terrible start as she once again dreamt about Jason and how he had attacked her the day he died.

The dream had started out all sensuous and beautiful with Gibbs kissing her and caressing her. He had moved to stand behind her and was kissing the side of her neck. Just as she revelled in the sensations of having his hands all over her, everything changed. She was unexpected flung face down onto the bed. And then Jason was on top of her, threatening her, violating her and hurting her.

Tears streamed down Bianca's face as she doubted that she would ever get over what had happened more then two years ago. The hot water eventually turned cold forcing Bianca to turn the taps off and step out. She wrapped a towel around her body not bothering to dry herself.

Gibbs who had given up waiting for her, decided to check on her. As he opened the door to her bedroom, she walked out of the bathroom. With the sunlight streaming in through the window, the tiny droplets of water glistened on her shoulders. Her hair curled around her face and down her back looking like silk. Her legs looked long and were perfectly shaped.

Bianca was lost is her own thoughts as she rummaged through her closet for a clean set of clothes. She didn't realize that Gibbs was in her room, watching her, until she turned away from the cupboard and removed the towel.

Gibbs sighed as he said one word, "Perfect!"

He didn't bother to look away or to apologise. Bianca stood frozen to the spot, stunned that he was coming towards her and she was letting him look at her like this.

When she reached for the towel on her bed and tried to cover herself Gibbs whispered, "No, let me look at you!"

Now he was standing in front of her, looking into her eyes.

"You are beautiful." He said huskily as his head dipped and he pulled her towards him. His IV bag which he had been holding in his hand fell to the ground as his lips touched hers.

Bianca thought about resisting. She thought about pushing him away. And then she admitted I want this! I need to know that I can do this and enjoy it. Maybe then I'll be able to leave Jason behind.

As Gibbs started kissing her neck and shoulder Bianca's hands moved to the ties holding his gown together. She undid them and then she removed his IV line and made sure that it wouldn't bleed before looking into his eyes and whispering, "Make love to me, Jethro."

Gibbs needed no further invitation. He didn't care if the pain in his ribs got worst. He was going to make love to her, because she was driving him crazy!

He wrapped her in his arms as he pulled her towards the bed. They continued to kiss and caress each other for what seems to be an eternity. And then Gibbs was on his back on the bed and Bianca sat astride him, being mindful of his injuries. They watched each other intently, as she took his engorged flesh into her hands and guided him slowly and gently into her warm body. Gibbs groaned out at the heat and intensity of having her surround him like that.

Bianca moved slowly and gently on him and as she started to feel her body quicken, tears glistened in her eyes. Gibbs caressed her with his uninjured hand as he watched her face. He could see that this meant much more to her then just making love. She was fighting some kind of an internal battle and she was winning.

As her body tightened around his, Gibbs encouraged and praised her. Never had he made love so gently and slowly. It was beautiful and watching the expressions of pleasure flirt across Bianca's face made him want to hold back his release forever. But the way she made love to him it was becoming increasingly impossible to hold back much longer. Then Bianca's body started shuddering, a low moan of pure ecstasy escaped her lips. Knowing that he had brought her to that point was enough to push Gibbs over the edge and he too found his release a moment after her.

Then she slipped to lie on his side as both of them tried to calm their erratic hearts.

"You okay?" Gibbs asked as he noticed the tears rolling down Bianca's cheeks.

"I'm good. No, actually I great!" Bianca laughed before leaning forward and kissing him deeply. After she pulled away from him and made sure that he was okay despite his protests. The she just stared at him.

"What?" Gibbs questioned

"Thank you. I didn't think that I would ever be able to be this way with anyone. Not after everything I've been through." Bianca whispered.

"Wanna tell me about it?" Gibbs asked as he moved to face her while trying to ease the tenderness in his side.

Bianca pulled a blanket up around them as she decided that she wanted to tell him. She needed to let it all out so that she could deal with it. And she knew that Gibbs wouldn't laugh at her. Nor would he belittle her. He would understand and maybe then she would be able to move on.

So she told him about Jason and about the abuse. She told him that Jason was dead and how he had died. And then he held her close and kissed her forehead as he tried to control the rage pulsing through his body.

Jason if you weren't already dead, I would hunt you down and tear you limb for limb!

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Unbeknownst to them, the very man they were speaking about was standing just outside Bianca's window. Upon arriving at the clinic and seeing an SUV and a van in the driveway, Jason decided to park a short distance away. Then he doubled back and looked through the various windows, making sure that he was not seen.

When he looked in through the last window at the back of the clinic, his blood started to boil. Bianca was lying with a silver haired man. They had just made love and the glow of pleasure on Bianca's face made him want to scream.

But he controlled himself, as he planned just how he was going to make Bianca and her knew boyfriend pay for this.

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Ziva and McGee had left for the city 2 hours earlier and Ducky was with Angie and her baby getting them ready to be transported to Bethesda. Both mother and baby were doing well physically but Angie was anxious about Tony's condition. And despite Ducky's reassurance that he was doing better, she felt she needed to see him for herself. But at the same time she was terrified that he would hate her for what Fred had done and he would also hate Emma.

Tony was still reeling from everything that the team had revealed to him. He thought about his father and the empire he had built. He remembered his mother vaguely as well as the 2 step moms he had had. He knew that his father had remarried in the last few years, but he had not met this latest trophy wife. And now there was a young woman in the next room and she had just given birth to his father's bastard.

What should I do? Should I meet them and get to know them. Or should I just let them disappear and not make them my problem. And what if Angie goes to him and he rejects her and the baby. Or worse what if he takes the baby from her and brings her up the way be brought me up! Damn it, what would Gibbs do in a situation like this? What would he do?

I'd do the right thing, DiNozzo. Tony heard Gibbs' voice echo through his head. Just then the medic helicopter was heard outside.

Gibbs and Bianca heard it too and so did Jason. He watched as Bianca and her new lover dressed quickly before leaving her room. Then he moved into the bushes at the back of the clinic and waited to see who was leaving.

Tony realized that Angie and his half sister were about to leave so if he was planning to do anything it would have to be now. At the same time there was a knock on his door. Tony looked at the door, as it opened slowly.

"Anthony may I… I speak to you… for a moment." A young blonde haired, blue eyed lady asked. In her arms was a precious new born baby girl. Tony stared at her for a moment as he controlled his anger towards his father. Then he swallowed hard as he nodded his head indicating that Angie could enter his room. Angie took a few hesitant steps towards the bed and stopped at the side of the bed.

"I'm sorry!" Angie said as tears filled her eyes and spilled over. "I had no idea that Fred would try to hurt Emma's father." She continued as she noted Tony's various injuries.

Tony was silent as he looked from Angie to Emma, who was bundled up so tightly that he couldn't see her at all.

He tried to reconcile who Emma was and whether he wanted her to become apart of his life while he still battled his raging anger against his father. When Angie saw the confusion, indecision and anger in Tony's eyes she hastened to say, "I just want you to know that you don't have to worry about me ever becoming a burden to your family or demanding anything from you or your father for Emma. Your father didn't even know that I was pregnant and I knew that he was married and that he wouldn't leave your step-mom for me. I'm just so sorry that you were hurt because of me."

Then she turned away and started heading for the door.

"Wait!" Tony called out. Angie stopped and turned back to Tony. At the same moment the blanket around Emma's face fell open and she stretched her tiny hands in front of her face as she yawned and then mewed. The sight of her amazed Tony and he thought, We are family. It doesn't matter how this happened. The fact remains that you're my …my …baby sister. I should protect you and be there for you. None of what happened is your fault. Oh Boy, this is huge. I'm a big brother!

"Angie, what Fred did isn't your fault." Tony said surprising Angie. "And … and … if it's okay with you can I look in on Emma and you on occasion?" Tony continued, making Gibbs who was standing just outside his door, very proud.

Angie looked at Tony in shock as she asked, "You want to stay in touch with us?"

Tony hesitated for a second before confirming, "Yes, I would like to get to know my baby sister."

Angie's eyes filled with tears once again and she said, "You will always be welcome in our home, Anthony. And I think Emma will be very lucky to have a brother like you looking out for her."

Bianca saw the glow of pride and happiness on Gibbs' face as he pulled her close and kissed her forehead. That's exactly what I expected of you DiNozzo.

In the meantime, Ducky got the medic team to prepare to transport Angie and the baby. When he made his way back into the clinic he raised an eyebrow at finding Bianca in Gibbs' arms. As he headed for Angie's room, Gibbs said, "Duck, they're in here."

When they entered Tony's room, they found Angie leaning close to Tony and him gently caressing Emma's hand. A second later Emma closed her fingers around Tony's finger and the bond between brother and sister was forged forever. Everyone smiled at seeing this vulnerable side of Tony, but Tony was too engrossed to notice.

Ducky cleared his throat a few seconds later and said, "Angie, it's time to go."

"Thank you, Dr Mallard & Dr Bianca, for everything. Agent Gibbs thank you, for saving Emma." Angie said as Tony placed a light kiss on Emma's forehead.

"Tony, I'll see you soon." Angie smiled and Tony nodded as he leaned back against his pillows.

As Angie, Ducky and Bianca left the room, Tony's eyes collided with Gibbs' and he saw approval and pride in Gibbs' eyes. Then he thought I need more meds or something, because I'm seeing things. Boss never shows his emotions so openly so that expression of satisfaction and delight I'm seeing must be a figment of my imagination or something.

"DiNozzo, believe it." Gibbs said, before turning and leaving the room with a smirk on his face. Tony stared at the closed door for a second before a huge smile spread across his face. Thanks Gibbs.

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As McGee drove back to Bianca's clinic, he noticed a blue sedan parked a short distance away from the clinic. He found it a bit odd as there was nothing out there other then the clinic.

Maybe they've had a breakdown or they're at the clinic getting some kind of help. McGee thought as he turned into the driveway leading to the clinic.

When he entered the clinic, he heard voices coming from the kitchen area. Ducky and Bianca were busy preparing what looked like a curry and Gibbs was sitting in a chair at the table sipping a steaming cup of coffee.

Ducky was relaying a story, "Yes that was when I was in Jaipur, India. All the buildings were built with a pink rock which led to the city being known as the pink city. It was also called the land of the Raja's that is the land of the kings. And they had the most amazing spices, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and of course being India, there would be crushed chili and curry leaves."

"McGee, you got my clothes?" Gibbs asked, stopping Ducky's story.

"Right here boss." McGee said. Gibbs grabbed his track pants and NIS sweat shirt and made his way to Bianca's room to change. Bianca followed him and started undoing his gown as soon as the door behind them was closed.

"Mm, are you planning to take advantage of me Dr B?" Gibbs playfully asked. He was glad. Glad that Tony was going to be okay and that the bastard who had been after Tony was dead. And glad that things between him and Bianca seemed to be progressing very well.

"As tempting as that is, I think that one round per day is the limit for you in your current condition." Bianca replied as she helped him into his track pants.

"That's a pity." Gibbs whispered as he leaned forward and kissed her lips. She smiled as she returned the kiss. But as soon as it became too heated, she pulled away, and they rested their foreheads against each other. Then Bianca helped Gibbs into his sweat shirt and placed his arm back into the sling.

"It's time for your antibiotics and pain meds. And I'd better go and check on Tony and see if he needs anything." Bianca said as she made to turn away. But Gibbs held onto her hand and stopped her.

"First I think I need one more session of mouth to mouth Doctor." And then his lips were on hers and his tongue was passionately caressing hers. Bianca sighed in pleasure as she enjoyed to long forgotten sensations that pulsed through her body.

As the kiss continued for a few more moments, Jason was hard pressed to keep his emotions under control. He wanted to tear into the room and kill Gibbs with his bare hands. And then he wanted to get Bianca naked and take a knife to her back as he violated her body. Just the thought of it brought his arousal to full attention and he realized that he was going to do it that night, whether the other patients in the clinic were still there or not. And once he was done killing them he was going to burn the clinic down.

With the plan vividly playing through his mind, he ran unseen back to his car and made his way to a hotel in the city. He would return after dark and act out his scheme ensuring maximum pleasure for himself.

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As soon as Bianca and Gibbs were through with a marathon session of kissing, Bianca led Gibbs back to the kitchen. There she handed him 4 pills, 2 were painkillers and 2 were the antibiotics. Then she left him with Ducky while she went to check in on Tony.

"Ducky, do you know of anyone who specializes in therapy for abuse victims." Gibbs asked before taking a long swallow of coffee.

"Mmm, it depends on the type of abuse Jethro." Ducky replied curious about Gibbs' question.

"Verbal, physical and sexual." Gibbs replied, trying to suppress a growl.

"Oh dear. I have a friend at Bethesda, a Dr Cameron Bailey. She's an expert in this field. I could set up an appointment if you like but I'd need to know who wants to see her." Ducky stated hoping that the patient wasn't who he thought it was.

"Bianca." Gibbs confirmed and Ducky closed his eyes as profound sadness overwhelmed him.

Oh Bianca, why would anyone ever want to hurt you? You're one of the most giving people I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. Oh, I'm so sorry that you've suffered such atrocities.

"Jethro, should we get the local law enforcement involved? I mean, is the abuse current or ongoing?" Ducky hesitantly asked.

"The bastard, one Jason Mattysen's dead. He died in a fire when Bianca retaliated during one of his abuse sessions. The only reason she fought back was because his abuse had escalated to torture. The bastard took a knife to her!" Gibbs stated his voice filled with fury and hatred.

"I'll call Cameron right now to set up an appointment. But will Bianca be willing to go and see her?" Ducky asked.

"She will. I'll take her myself if I have to." Gibbs stated in a voice that broached no argument.

You have strong feeling for this woman, Jethro. Don't you? Ducky pondered as he advised, "Jethro, it's noble of you wanting to help her but Bianca needs to be ready, else the therapy sessions will just be a waste of time."

"She's ready, Duck. Just make the appointment and I trust that you'll treat this matter with the strictest of confidence." Gibbs stated before standing up and making his way out the back door. The midday sun felt wonderful on his face and he spent a good 30 minutes soaking it up.

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When Bianca entered Tony's room, she found McGee sitting in a chair next to his bed.

"So I actually tried to attack Ziva with a scalpel!" Tony was asking astounded by the details McGee had revealed to him.

"Tony, how are you feeling?" Bianca asked as she walked towards his bed.

"I'll just wait outside." McGee said as he stood up and put his hands into his pocket. "Oh I'd better give you this before Abby murders me. She said that you should call her as soon as you were awake, so I guess I'm already a bit late there. And this little furry tamagotchi is for good luck and to keep you safe." McGee continued as he handed Tony the mobile phone and the small stuffed toy.

"Thanks. I'll call her as soon as Dr B's done." Tony grinned, realizing that he really missed the Goth lab-tech.

After checking his vital signs, Bianca hooked up another dose of antibiotics and fluids and she told Tony that he was doing really well.

"So can I join you guys for lunch? I'm starving." Tony said as he slowly sat up.

"I'll bring you something but I really think that you should stay in bed." Bianca replied as she pushed him gently back against the pillows.

"But I'm tired of just lying around in this bed." Tony complained, the expression on his face reminding Bianca of a 5 year old.

When Tony saw that Bianca wasn't going to give in he pouted and said, "And I'm lonely."

Bianca smiled as she shook her head.

"You should have been an actor, Tony. Okay. I'll arrange for everyone to have lunch with you in your room." Bianca grinned. Tony smiled too as he thanked her.

Then he sobered and said, "Thank you, for saving my life, Bianca."

"It's my job Tony." Bianca said as she started to turn away.

"No, McGee told me how you found me and saved me after the accident. He also told me that you gave me your own blood and that was way more that what anyone would have expected you to do. Thank you." Tony said as he looked at her with gratitude.

"You're welcome Tony." Bianca said with a smile, before leaving his room.

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By late afternoon Gibbs instructed McGee to take Ducky home. With Angie and the baby safely in hospital, there was no need for Ducky to remain at the clinic. Besides, Bianca was more than capable of taking care of Gibbs and Tony for another day or two and Ducky confirmed that he would look in on them the next day.

As McGee left the clinic at around 6:30pm, Ducky was regaling him with one of his many stories. McGee listened half-heartedly as he admitted that he was tired. Just then his phone rang.

"McGee" He answered

"Tim, its Ziva. How are Gibbs and Tony?" She asked.

"They're fine. Ducky and I are on our way back to Washington. Did you get anything useful on Fred?" McGee asked as he got onto Freeeway 74.

"Fred worked as a supervisor at a rifle range in Minnissota for 4 years. That explains how he was able to shoot Tony's tyre out during a snow storm at that distance. He was also trained in first aid, up to the level of a paramedic, so that's how he was able to adjust Tony's IV line to cause massive blood loss. His family records revealed that Angie had been adopted when he was 7 years old. Their parents, Patrick and Grace, died in a car crash when Fred was 19 and he became Angie's guardian. He brought her up and according to Angie's school records and 4 police reports he had been an over-protective brother." Ziva stated.

"Brother and more." McGee commented as a blue sedan which looked very familiar drove past. For some odd reason he noted the licence plates and asked Ziva her to trace it.

"What is it Timothy?' Ducky asked after McGee hung up.

"I don't know Ducky, but I think I've see that car before." McGee replied as he debated turning around at the next off ramp.

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Jason was all psyched up as he drove his rented blue sedan a bit faster.

As he arrived at the clinic, he once again parked a short distance away. Then his removed a grey duffel bag and hiked the short distance to the clinic. The lights at the front were still on, but the lights to the various patient's rooms were already off.

"It's only 7:30pm Bianca. Are you and that bastard planning an early night? Good. The sooner you're asleep the sooner I can strike." Jason snarled as he cut the phone lines before moving to peer into Bianca's room.

She was in the process of undressing and her lover was standing in the doorway to her room watching her. His eyes were hungry and Jason could see that his body was tense. Then he moved into the room and closed the door behind him. Bianca paused in what she was doing and looked at his reflection in the mirror as her breathe quickened.

He moved up behind her and slipped his hand under her sweat shirt lifting it up and over her head with her assistance. Her hair cascaded down her back as the sweat shirt fell to the floor. Then he moved her hair to one side as he one handedly unclasped her black bra. His uninjured hand moved slowly around to the front of her body and it closed possessively over her heavy breast. She leaned back into him as her eyes closed in pleasure.

Jason was disgusted with what he saw. As Bianca turned in her lovers arms her bra slipped from her shoulders and Jason saw the scar peeking out under her left breast.

That was nothing compared to what I'm going to do to you in the next few moments.

Then Bianca pulled away from her lover as she made her way to the bathroom. Her lover trailed behind her and closed the bathroom door. Jason growled as he rushed to the side of the clinic and got into the clinic by means of the unlocked kitchen door. As he walked through the kitchen he removed a steak knife and a carving knife from the knife stand on the table. Then he made his way to the back of the clinic, to Bianca's room. Once inside he locked the door and took up a position next to the bathroom door.

The sounds coming from the bathroom left him in no doubt that Bianca and her lover were in the process of having sex. As Bianca's breathe became more laboured and her lover's words more encouraging, Jason felt his arousal rise. Then as Bianca climaxed and cried out, Jason felt his own release stain his pants.

Then his face changed into a mask of demented evil as he stood poised outside the bathroom door, knife clutched in his right hand ready to thrust into his victim's mid-drift.

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Back on Freeway 74, McGee's phone rang and he put it on speaker.

"McGee," Ziva said, "that licence plate you asked me to run belongs to a rental car."

"Who's renting it?" McGee asked.

"A Jason Mattysen. That mean anything to you?" Ziva asked and Ducky immediately tensed.

"McGee, get back to the clinic now. Ziva arrange for the local police to get there too. Hurry!" Ducky ordered.

"What is it Ducky?" McGee asked as he took the next offramp and turned back in the direction of the clinic.

"Jason Mattysen is going to try to kill Bianca. I can't tell you more than that. Just hurry and call Gibbs and let him know." Ducky said, his blood turning cold with dread.

"I'll get the local LEO's and then I'll see if I can get an airlift to the clinic." Ziva said before hanging up.

McGee in the meantime drove as fast as he could as he tried to reach Gibbs and Tony. The clinic's phone gave a disconnected signal and neither Gibbs nor Tony, were answering their phones.

"Damn it, his already there!" McGee stated as he drove even faster.

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In Bianca's room, Jason was becoming more deranged and demented by the moment. He wanted his prey out in the open so he could pounce on them unexpectedly. Just the though or what he was about to do made his scarred face break out into a hideous sneer.

This is going to be so beautifully horrendous! I'm going to hurt him so bad and then I'll make him watch as I pierce her skin with this knife, in rhythm with my thrusts deep inside her core. And her screams… Mmmm, yes it is going to be beautiful!

Inside the bathroom, Gibbs held onto Bianca from behind as they stood under the hot shower. They had made sweet love and Bianca was bowled over by how tender and attentive a lover Gibbs was. He made sure that she enjoyed every moment and by the way he responded to her, she was sure that she had made him feel the same way. She had been a bit apprehensive about his entering her from behind, because that was how Jason always took her. But then he'd said, "Trust me, Bianca. Let me show you that you have nothing to fear."

As they had made love, his uninjured hand had moved soothingly up and down the front of her body, caressing her breasts and belly and further down where they were joined. Her hands alternated from holding his hips and urging him on to caressing his face and neck. He had whispered and reassured her all the time. Within a few seconds of penetration, Bianca could feel the vast difference between what Gibbs was doing to her and what Jason had done to her and then there was no more time for thought. All she could do was hold onto the railing in the shower and moan out in pleasure as her climax rippled through her body.

Gibbs couldn't seem to get enough of her. She was sensual and innocent and so responsive and almost demanding. Holding her close just felt so right and it had been a very long time since he had felt like this. But as amazing as it was, it scared him. It was happening too fast and he didn't seem to be able to stop himself from liking her and wanting her so much.

Bianca slowly turned to face him. She took his face between her hands and said, "That was so… so beautiful and I could really get use to having you like this every day." Then she kissed him deeply trying to convey how much, what they'd just shared, meant to her.

"I'm not going anywhere." Gibbs replied as he started kissing down her neck.

"Oh Gibbs! Oh No. We can't. I mean, not so soon. You're still recovering and I can't risk you pulling a muscle or hurting your ribs." Bianca said as she pulled away from him.

"But you just said…" Gibbs protested, wanting her again.

"I know what I said, but that was me just being greedy. Let's get out of here and into bed." Bianca said, as she grabbed a towel and wrapped it around herself.

"Into bed?" Gibbs questioned with a grin.

"To sleep, nothing else. At least not tonight. But who knows what the morning may bring." Bianca grinned back mischievously, as she handed him a towel. Gibbs tried to dry himself but that was a bit difficult to do one handed. So Bianca took the towel from him and started drying him. This gave her an opportunity to look at his body and soon she was caressing him with her hands the towel forgotten.

"Bianca, you'd better stop." Gibbs whispered in a husky voice, admitting that if she didn't he wouldn't be able to stop himself from making love to her again. Bianca jerked out of her reverie dropping her hand and the towel.

"Oh, of course. I'm sorry." She was flustered as she grabbed a dressing gown from the back of the bathroom door and helped Gibbs into it. Then she placed his arm back into the sling before wrapping her wet hair into a towel and pulling on a dressing gown.

"At least you bandages are water proof so we won't have to change them. I'll just have to get your pain meds and antibiotics before we get to bed." Bianca said as she turned towards the door with Gibbs following behind her.

"Oh I need to grab my hairbrush." Bianca said as she turned and moved away from the door. She passed Gibbs who continued towards the door. As he opened the door his attention was focused on her as she was bending over and removing her hairbrush from the cupboard below the basin. He grinned at the nice view of her butt before turning to take a step out of the bathroom.

That was when he caught a glimpse of silver, as a hand arched through the air and slammed into his left side. Blinding pain twisted through his side as his hand automatically went to grasp his side. The knife was deeply embedded in his flesh and his warm blood bubbled out against his fingers. Within a second he was grabbed by the collar of his gown and flung the 180 degrees from the bathroom door to the closed bedroom door. His back hit violently into the door and his side knocked over a pot plant, shattering it. The impact on his body jarred all his injuries and he gasped out in paralysing agony and shock.

As he sank to the floor he heard Bianca's terrified voice cry out, "JASON! You're dead!"

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Tony wasn't sure what woke him. As he looked around he realized that it was dark outside, which meant he had slept for a good 4 or 5 hours. He shifted slightly in bed and noted that the pain was bearable. Then he heard the sound again and realised that it was his cell phone which was in the drawer next to his bed. He pushed himself up into a sitting position, but by then the phone had stopped ringing. He took a deep breath as he leaned forward and opened the drawer. Inside he found his Sig and his phone.

Upon removing his phone he saw that he had 5 missed calls, all from McGee. He instinctively realised that something was very wrong. As he started dialling McGee's number he heard Bianca cry out, "No. Let me go!"

He got out of bed as quickly as possible, ignoring the pain pulsing through various parts of his body. He grimaced as he pulled his IV line out and sealed the tape over the wound on his hand. Then he grabbed his Sig and made his way to the door.

His phone rang again and he answered it as he leaned against his door.

"McGee, something's wrong. Where are you?" Tony whispered.

"We're on our way. We think that Jason Mattysen's in the house right now and he wants to hurt Bianca." McGee said as he sped down Freeway 74. Bianca cried out again.

"McGee, his already got her. Where's Gibbs?" Tony asked as he scanned the corridor and then moved out into it, his Sig armed and ready to fire.

"He should be there." McGee said.

"He may have been with Bianca, in her room." Ducky added making both younger agents eyebrows raise.

"Okay, I'll see what I can find. Just get here quickly. And call the EMT's just in case." Tony ordered.

"Be careful Tony." Ducky said as the line went dead.

Tony made his way towards the back of the clinic and heard,

"Now I've got you, Bitch. Are you ready for some fun? For 2 years all I could think about, was how I was going to make you pay for what you did. And look, that day as finally come."

"Jason, please…. Don't…" Bianca's words ended with a cry of pain followed by the sound of things falling and breaking. Then Bianca gasped before going silent.

He's knocked her out! Tony angrily thought, as he continued down the corridor.

Jason laughed hysterically for a few moments before growling, "And you Mr Silver Haired Bastard, you think you can just use my bitch without any backlash?! Well you're wrong. Your punishment is that you get to watch how I discipline my bitch, ha. And then you die." Jason growled before laughing hysterically again.

By this time Tony was standing outside Bianca's bedroom door wondering why Gibbs wasn't doing something. His foot landed on something wet and sticky. When he looked down, he saw that his foot was surrounded by a puddle a fresh red blood, which had seeped out under the door.

Gibbs!

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Jason grabbed a hold of Bianca's legs and dragged her across the floor to her bed, ignoring the trail of blood left behind by the oozing gash on her forehead. He lifted her up and threw her face down onto the bed. Then he removed a thick white cord from his pocket and proceeded to tie her spread eagle to the bed posts. Throughout all of this Bianca remained unconscious.

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Tony tried to control his rage and rising panic as the pool of blood around his foot steadily grew. He wrapped his hand around the door knob and turned it slowly. When he pushed forward he realized that the door was locked from the inside.

Damn it! I'll have to circle around back and take this bastard by surprise. Hang on Boss. I'm coming!

Tony turned away and started moving back towards the kitchen, wiping his barefoot on the carpet. He was cold and already tiring but he pushed his weakness to the back of his mind. He was the only one around and he had to save them.

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"McGee, how far are you?" Ziva asked the sound of a helicopter in the background.

"We're about 10 minutes away. Tony just confirmed that Jason's in the house and he couldn't find Bianca or Gibbs." McGee informed her.

Ziva swore in Hebrew for a second before recovering herself, "The local Leo's are also about 15 minutes away. So I guess it's up to Tony to do something."

"We've arranged for a Medic chopper to meet us at the clinic but I'm hoping that they won't be needed." Ducky said.

"That's unlikely Ducky, especially since the file I just pulled on Bianca stated that she had left Jason for dead 26 months ago. Since his very much alive I think it's safe to assume that his out for revenge and his kill whoever gets in his way." Ziva informed them.

At the same time there was another incoming call.

"McGee, where the hell are you?" Tony asked in a strained and breathless voice.

"We're almost there." McGee replied as he looked worriedly towards Ducky, before accelerating at top speed.

"I'll be there in the next 20 minutes and the Local Leos are 15 minutes away." Ziva answered.

"Have you found Gibbs and Bianca?" Ducky asked knowing that he was not going to like the answer.

"That bastard just knocked Bianca out and …. And there's a pool of blood seeping under the door out into the corridor. It could be Bianca's but from the sounds coming from the room I think it's more likely…." Tony paused to take a breath as Ziva, McGee and Ducky simultaneously gasped, "Gibbs'!"

"Yeah." Tony replied. "You guys need to get here fast…. Jason's crazy…. I heard him talking about …. making Gibbs witness how he's going to …. punish Bianca…. And he's laughing …. and growling and …. talking like a maniac."

"He's going to rape her and kill her. But he's going to make sure that she feels every bit of pain so that in the end she'll be begging him to end her life." Ducky stated as he ran a hand over his face.

McGee and Tony took a moment to digest what Ducky had just said.

"Tony, where are you now?" Ziva asked, as always being to first to recover and look at a situation practically.

"Outside. I need to get to Bianca's…." Tony paused to catch his breath. "Bianca's bedroom window. Then I'm going to shoot that bastard."

"Why through the bedroom window?" Ducky asked becoming concerned that Tony might collapse outside in the snow and end up with hypothermia or something worse.

"Because the bedroom …. door's bolted from the inside….. Just hurry and get here." Tony whispered a distinct shiver evident in his voice.

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Agent Gibbs was caught between a conscious and unconscious state. He couldn't move, react or comprehend what had just happened. His vision was hazy and he was nauseous and cold. He could make out someone moving in and out of his hazy vision and speaking, but the images and words were distorted. That was until he heard a familiar name.

"Ah Bianca Darling, or should I call you Bianca my Bitch!" Jason growled as he grabbed a fistful of Bianca's hair and pulled her head up. The sight of blood running down her face thrilled him.

"Yes. Bleed, just the way I like it." Jason said. Then he shook her head violently before dropping it back onto the bed.

That was when Gibbs remembered to breathe. He blinked his eyes once, twice and then the room came into sharp focus. A man was getting onto Bianca's bed and he had a knife in his hand.

I need to move! I have to save her. Why can't I move? Damn it what's wrong with me? Tony, McGee, Ducky … someone … anyone …HELP! Gibbs mentally cried out. His body was alien to him, refusing to obey his command to move. He could feel the sticky, wet liquid seeping through his stiff fingers at his side. But he couldn't look down to see how bad the injury was nor could he do anything to stench the blood flow. Cold started to settle around his heart and radiate to his extremities as his eyes remained focused on Bianca's bed. With growing dread and fury he observed the horribly psychotic scene unfold.

Jason sat astride Bianca's back and hooked the edge of the carving knife into the neckline of her gown. He grinned demonically at the sound of the fabric being ripped. He stopped cutting just above her butt nicking her sensitive skin. Once he'd put the knife aside, he placed his hands under the gown and throw it open revealing her bareback.

"So smooth, just as I remember it." Jason growled as he leaned in and licked from tiny the blood drop at the swell of her butt up her spine all the way to her neck.

"Delicious! Mmm. But this is not fair! You need to be awake so your screams can cheer me on." Jason shrieked as he picked up the knife again. Gibbs watched in utter terror as Jason lifted the knife up into the air, grinned satirically and then brought it down forcefully, burying it deeply into Bianca's upper arm.

Bianca jerked to consciousness as a petrified scream left her throat. Excruciating and agonizing pain radiated up and down her right arm leaving her in a state of shock. Her vision consisted of black and white spots and her head felt like fireworks were going off every nanosecond.

Gibbs berated himself for his inability to move and help her. What made him even more furious was that he was panicking and having difficulties breathing.

"Oh good, Mr. Silvered Haired Bastard how nice of you to join us. And just in time too." Jason growled as he heard Gibbs gasping for breathe. Bianca froze as she recognized Jason's voice. And then she realized that Gibbs was in the room and probably hurt.

"Gibbs!" Bianca whispered as she forcefully lifted her spinning head and looked for him. A few second passed before she saw him sitting against her bedroom door, blood soaking his side.

"Gibbs!" Bianca cried out in anguish, blaming herself for his pain. As she tried to pull herself up to go to him she realized that she was tied to the bed.

"Let me GO!" she growled, steel in her voice as she ignored her pain and mounting fear.

"Ah welcome Darling. I've missed you so much so there's no way I'm letting you go. I mean we have so much to do and there's not a moment to waste!" Jason licked the side of Bianca's face. As she jerked away, he straightened up and reached for the knife still embedded in her upper arm.

"No!" Bianca gasped.

"NO!" Gibbs mentally gasped.

"Yes!" Jason sneered as he withdrew the knife, slowly, ever so slowly from her shoulder.

"Aaaaaarrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhh!!!!!" Bianca's blood curding cry echoed through the clinic.

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The pain of being impelled by the knife was nothing compared to having the knife slowly removed from her upper arm. As he removed the knife Jason ensured that he widened the wound. Then he laughed as Bianca trembled in agony, her blood gushing and splashing out of the angry wound. Bianca almost passed out from the trauma. But Jason would have none of that.

He shouted, "Enough foreplay!"

Then he took the knife and plunged it into Bianca's upper right thigh. She couldn't hold back her cry of pain.

I'm going to die today! He's going to keep stabbing me and then his going to rape me, repeatedly and then if I'm lucky, his going to kill me!

"Oh Sorry about that B. I didn't realize your thigh was back there!" Jason snorted.

At the same time, the rage and panic rushing through Gibbs' veins overwhelmed him causing his throat to close up. His last conscious thought was, she's going to die and I'm going to let her!

Jason laughed hysterically as he heard Gibbs' asphyxiated breathe and watched his eyes flutter close as his head slumped forward.

"Hey B, what a pity! Your new man didn't have the heart to watch so he's gone and died on us." Jason said with mock sympathy.

Tears of grieve and pain, both physical and emotional, coursed down Bianca's face as she thought about Gibbs and how he had been caught in the middle of something that had nothing to do with him.

I'm so sorry Gibbs!

"It's time to get down to business. Oh Baby! I've missed doing you! I hope you're just as tight as you always were. Mmm, I want you so bad right now, I can taste it. And the smell of your blood is driving me crazy." Jason growled in anticipation as he stood on his knees, between Bianca's spread legs. He unbuttoned his shirt and slipped it off his shoulders. Then his hands moved to the belt at his waist. Bianca closed her eyes and tried to steel herself against what was about to happen. She knew that there was not way to escape this and now she wished for death to come and to come quickly.

------------------------------------------------------------

"I have a really bad feeling, Ducky!" McGee said as he took the off ramp from Freeway 74.

"I know what you mean Tim." Ducky said as he rubbed his forehead, where a throbbing ache seemed to have taken up residence.

Both Gibbs and Tony were not in the best of health at the moment and with a maniac like Jason in their midst, Ducky could only imagine how out of hand things could become. And Bianca, she would be terrified. Gibbs had said that she had been having nightmares about Jason and now her nightmare was turning into reality.

Dear Lord, please let us reach them in time. I don't want to have to autopsy another friend. Please!

McGee too was silently praying that they were not too late. At the same time he and Ducky heard the sound of a chopper overhead.

"Ziva will get there before we do. But how?" Ducky wondered out loud.

"Maybe she flies choppers the same way she drives cars, reckless and fast." McGee said as he accelerated up the hill which overlooked the clinic.

McGee dialled Ziva's number and as soon as she answered she said, "We're landing now. Where are you?"

"We're a minute away." McGee replied.

"The Local Leo's are not yet here but we can't wait for them. I'll take the outside and back of the clinic." Ziva said.

"I'll take the inside and Ducky, please wait in the car. We'll call you when it's save." McGee stated as he hung up.

-----------------------------------------------------

Outside Bianca's window, Tony gasped as he tried to catch his ragged breathe. His bare feet were freezing as was the rest of his body. In addition to that all the aches and pains in his body had returned with full force and he was finding it very difficult to remain standing. At the same time Tony heard the sound of a chopper not too far away.

He sighed in relief as he thought, Finally! When this is over I'm going to have to have a chat with those two junior agents! How the hell could they leave us alone at a time like this?

Tony realised that although help was close on hand it was still up to him to ensure that things didn't turn sour. So he ignored his discomfort as he tightened his hold on his Sig and peered through Bianca's window.

His eyes moved to the door first.

Son of a Bitch! Boss! Don't you dare be dead!

Then Tony's eyes shifted to the bed. He gasped at what he saw.

Jason was standing on the bed, between Bianca's bound and spread legs. He was removing his boxers and leering down at Bianca. She was lying so still, she looked dead.

Tony raised his Sig, aimed it at Jason's head as Jason kneeled down between Bianca's hands. Then he fired off 3 rounds before collapsing backwards onto the hard, cold, snow covered ground.

---------------------------------------------------------

As Ziva approached McGee and Ducky, three shots rang out across the open air. McGee and Ziva drew their weapons as they ran towards the clinic, neither one sure of what they were about to find.

Ducky ignored McGee's order to stay at the car and followed Ziva towards the back of the clinic. As they rounded the bend the clinic, Ziva's feet almost faltered as she saw her partner lying motionless on the ground.

Ducky gasped, "Tony!" as he ran faster. Ziva grabbed his hand and pulled him aside, not sure if the threat had been eliminated by Tony or not. As they approached the side of the clinic Ziva indicated that Ducky should crouch down and crawl towards Tony.

Ducky did as instructed. As he reached Tony, he immediately placed two fingers against Tony's neck and sighed in relieve at the steady pulse he found there. He immediately removed his long coat and draped it over the unconcious man as he gave him a quick once over.

At the same time Ziva peered into Bianca's bedroom. Her eyes scanned the interior intently before she straightened up as she said, "Clear! Where are the EMTs?" That said she pushed herself up onto the window pane and pushed herself through the window.

At the same time McGee rushed towards the back of the clinic.

"The insides clear, but I can't get into Bianca's room and there's a lot of blood pooled in the corridor. Oh God! Is Tony going to be okay?" he asked just as the sounds of various sirens were heard.

"McGee, Get in here!" Ziva shouted, her voice bordering on panic.

Ducky and McGee stood up to look into the room.

"Oh God, Jethro!" Ducky exclaimed.

"Boss!" McGee growled as he scrambled into the window.

"He's not breathing!" Ziva shouted as she pulled Gibbs onto his back and started CPR. McGee joined her a second later.

"Come on Gibbs! Don't do this." Ziva shouted before forcing another breathe of air into Gibbs lungs.

"Boss. Damn it!" McGee growled as he continued with the measured chest compressions.

Ducky was torn between staying with Tony and attending to Gibbs. He was also concerned about Bianca as she was trapped under Jason's dead weight on the bed.

Jethro, you've been through worse and survived! Don't give up now man! Oh lord Bianca, are you still alive? And did that Bastard rape you? Oh hell, where are those darn paramedics?!?!

----------------------------------------------------------

"Boss, breathe! Come On!" McGee growled, his own breathing harsh as he continued to compress Gibbs' chest. The floor was covered in blood and McGee knew that they needed to stop the bleeding. But first they needed to get Gibbs breathing again.

"It's not working!" Ziva stated before leaning in and forcing another breath of air into Gibbs' lungs.

"How long has he been unresponsive?" The EMT who was suddenly at their side asked, as he opened his bag and started removing various tubes and equipment.

"We found him like this about 3 minutes ago." McGee huffed.

A second EMT placed a thick dressing against Gibbs' bleeding side, wrapping it around the knife in an effort to prevent it from moving. Ziva and McGee continued giving Gibbs CPR as the EMT hooked up an IV line to Gibbs' arm as well as a heart monitor to his chest.

The first EMT cleared Gibbs' airway and forced a tube down his throat. To the end of the tube he attached what looked like an odd shaped balloon and then he started pumping it, forcing measured amounts of air into Gibbs' lungs. Ziva and McGee were then pushed out of the way. McGee wrapped an arm around Ziva's shoulders as they watched the EMT's work on Gibbs.

"Pupils are dilated, No pulse, BP's low, charging to 200 Jules. Clear!" The second EMT stated as he placed the paddles of the defibrillator against Gibbs' chest. Gibbs' body jerked off the ground as the charge entered his body.

The EMT's waited a second before the first continued to pump air into Gibbs' lungs.

"No rhythm, charging to 250 Jules, Clear!" The second stated. He set the paddles against Gibbs chest again and Gibbs' body jerked off the floor for a second time in as many minutes.

"Nothing!" The EMT shouted.

We're losing him! We were too late! McGee thought as his eyes clouded with unshed tears.

Just then Ziva pulled away from McGee and turned to look at the bed where another EMT was trying to move Jason off Bianca's back. Ziva moved towards the bed and helped the EMT.

Anything's better then watching, helplessly, as Gibbs slips away.

"Mmmmmmmm!" Bianca moaned out as feeling returned to her body. She also gasped shallow breathes as Jason's weight was removed from her back.

"Mam, can you hear me? Can you tell me where you're hurt?" The EMT asked as he noted her blood covered face and neck, her bleeding arm and the knife embedded in her thigh.

"Mmmmm!" Bianca moaned again, her body numb with pain and her thinking processes sluggish and laboured.

"McGee, help me!" Ziva called out, forcing him to look away from Gibbs.

Ziva used her knife to cut through Bianca's bonds at her wrists. McGee cut the bonds at Bianca's ankles and grabbed a blanket to cover her exposed back. Both her wrists and ankles were bruised and bloody.

The minute her hands were free, pins and needles followed by pulsating pain radiated up and down Bianca's arms. Her head felt like it was exploding and she was too lame and weak to move. Then the pain in her thigh and arm increased tenfold as the EMT directed Ziva and McGee apply pressure to the two wounds.

"Bianca, it's okay. You're going to be okay." McGee said praying that his words would hold true.

Bianca looked terrible, blood everywhere and bits and pieces of Jason's brain covering the one side of her face. Ziva knew that Bianca must have some head trauma but it was impossible to see where her wounds started and Jason's shattered organs ended.

The EMT wrapped her thigh, securing the knife in place. Then he wrapped her arm, before asking McGee and Ziva to help him turn Bianca onto her back. The movement caused more pain to zigzag across her body and Bianca started to gasp for breath in earnest. Then blood started trickling out the side of her mouth.

"She must have a broken rib which has punctured her lung." The EMT said as he slipped the stethoscope under her gown and listened to her chest. "Quick, turn her onto her left side. We need to keep pressure on this side to prevent her lung from filling with blood." he continued. McGee and Ziva complied and then the EMT started examined Bianca, noting her weak vitals and numerous injuries.

Bianca took shallow breathes as she tried to get her bearings and assess her injuries by the amount of pain throbbing through her body. When she finally opened her eyes, what she saw brought on more horrendous pain.

"Gibbs?" Bianca whispered as she witnessed the EMT's battle to bring him back.

"Nothing! We may have to call it!" The EMT said with regret.

Ziva's breath caught in her throat as she turned to look at Gibbs. McGee closed his eyes in helpless defeat.

No!!! Jethro! Bianca gasped out in anguish as the reality of the situation overwhelmed her senses. His dying! The man I love is dying!

As Bianca moved, trying to reach out to her love, the sharp, pointed pain shooting through her body robbed her of breath and forced her over the edge into endless darkness.

------------------------------------------------------

Outside, another two EMT's had just moved Tony from the cold ground onto a gurney. They covered his shivering body with blankets before one EMT started taking his vital signs. As the second EMT took a hold of Tony's arm and pierced his flesh with the IV needle, Tony came violently awake and started fighting him.

"Anthony, it's okay. You're safe!" Ducky shouted as he tried to get Tony to focus on him while still holding Tony down on the gurney.

"Ducky?" Tony questioned as his vision cleared for a second.

"Yes, it's me. How are you…." Ducky's words were cut short, as Tony started struggling again.

"Gibbs?... Bianca?... Are … they… okay? I… need to … see them!" Tony insisted pushing up against Ducky's restraining hands as he ignored his own aches and pains.

"Agent DiNozzo, please calm down." The EMT stated as he too tried to hold Tony down on the gurney.

"Let go … of me. I need…to know… they're … okay!" Tony growled as he hit the EMT's hands away and forced himself up into a sitting position.

"Gibbs! Oh… my God! No!!!" Tony gasped in alarm as he saw the EMT's working in Gibbs' still form. Ducky shook his head in pain and regret.

As Tony, Ducky, Ziva and McGee watched, the second EMT grabbed a syringe from his bag. He stabbed it into Gibbs chest and forced a measured dose of adrenaline directly into his heart. Then he picked up the paddles again, charged them to 350 jules and shouted, "Clear!" before administering the shock.

Everyone waited with bated breathe, hoping against hope that Gibbs would respond.

And to the utter amazement of everyone, Gibbs gasped and gagged as his eyes flew open.

Tony grinned in relief before collapsing back onto the gurney and moaning out in pain.

"Welcome back Gibbs." Ziva said, tears running down her cheeks.

"You gave us quiet a scare, Boss." McGee stated as he wiped the lone tear that had rolled down his cheek.

"Get the gurney. We're not out of the woods yet. We have to get him to Bethesda's trauma unit stat!" The first EMT shouted as the second one spoke calmly to Gibbs, "Agent Gibbs, you have a ventilation tube in your throat. Don't fight it okay. We're going to move you to a gurney and then you'll be airlifted to the hospital."

Gibbs couldn't make sense of anything beyond the pain radiating through his body. His chest felt like a ton of bricks had fallen on it and his throat was closed up around a foreign tube making him what to gag. His side was on fire and felt ripped to shreds. He just wanted to close his eyes and get away from all the noise and pain. But they were lifting and moving him now. Then he was being rushed down the corridor of the clinic.

Clinic? Bianca … where are you?

Every time he closed his eyes, he heard someone insist, "Stay with me, Agent Gibbs. Come on you have to keep your eyes open. That's it."

But the tendrils of darkness reaching out to him were just too inviting and Gibbs was too tired to fight its allure. So as they got him into the chopper his eyes slipped closed and no amount of prodding and shouting was able to draw him out of the blackness.

------------------------------------------------------------

As soon as they arrived at Bethesda, Gibbs and Bianca were rushed into surgery, both of them in critical condition. Tony had been examined in the ER and to the immense relief of everyone, he didn't have frostbite. Nor had he aggravated any of his other injuries. That however didn't mean he was fit enough to leave the hospital.

Tony had just been moved from the ER to a ward and the Doctor and nurse were settling him in. The nurse placed a nasal canula in place and then took his vitals, noting that his blood pressure was high and his temperature was increasing.

"Agent DiNozzo, you need to calm down. Your pressure's too high and you're running a fever." Dr Masterson said.

"When will we have any news on Gibbs' condition?" Tony asked ignoring the doctor.

Tony's emotions were in turmoil. Every time he closed his eyes he could see Gibbs lying motionless on the floor and he could hear the EMT say, ‘We may need to call it!'

"Agent DiNozzo, all I know is that Agent Gibbs is still in surgery and he is listed at critical. Nurse Noel will inform you as soon as we hear any more." Dr Masterson replied as he caught Ducky's eye.

Damn it! I need to know now! Oh God Gibbs! You have to survive this! I still need to tell you, no show you how much you mean to me. Oh God, Please don't let me loose him. He's my … Boss … no…his more like my … Father! Yes… he is the only father I've ever had and the only father I've ever wanted. Oh God I can't loose him!

Tony thought back to when he had woken up in the clinic and found Gibbs holding his hand crying. He remembered Gibbs' expression when he had called him Dad.

These memories made Tony more restless and agitated.

"Dr Masterson, as you can see Anthony is highly distressed. Could you give him something to…?" Ducky whispered as he called the doctor aside.

"I'm planning on a shot of Tramal for the pain and fever with 10cc of Droperidol to knock him out." Dr Masterson replied before turning to the nurse and instructing her to get the required meds.

"Ducky, can you go and find out if there's any news on Gibbs? And where's Ziva and McGee?" Tony asked realizing that he hadn't seen them in the last hour since arriving at the hospital.

"Timothy and Ziva are following up on everything at the scene. And I'll go and check on Gibbs once I know that you're okay." Ducky replied.

"I'm OKAY! Now just go and……Hey, what are you giving me?" Tony asked the nurse as she approached him with two syringes.

"Anthony, let the nurse do her job. She's just giving you something for the pain and fever." Ducky admonished.

Tony knew that he should be suspicious. Hell he was suspicious but the pain pulsating through his body, especially his head, was getting worse and he didn't think that he could handle much more of it.

"Okay, but there better not be any sedatives in those shots!" Tony warned as the nurse administered the shots into his IV line. She smiled almost sympathetically as she neatened his blankets before leaving the room.

Within a few minutes, Tony started feeling groggy.

"Ducky, damn it! How could you let …..them knock me out? I need to… see Gibbs…. He has to … be okay! He's … like …a … Dad …" Tony mumbled as he fell into a drug induced sleep.

Ducky's vision blurred with tears that suddenly gathered in his eyes. Tony's words drove home how much he himself loved Gibbs. The only difference was that he saw Gibbs as a son whereas Tony saw him as a father.

Oh Jethro, my boy. You have to pull through this. I need you and so does young Anthony.

----------------------------------------------------------------

"Ziva, are you okay?" McGee asked as Ziva paced the OR waiting room like a caged cat.

"Yes, McGee. I am fine." Ziva snapped as she continued pacing.

"Are you sure?" McGee asked knowing that she was no where near fine. None of them were.

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be? Okay yes, Gibbs in is surgery fighting for his life. And Bianca, Tony saved her but she may have been raped by that maniac. Oh and Tony, his going to be okay. So yes … I… am … fine!" Ziva growled as unwanted tears snaked down her cheeks.

McGee stood up and reached out to her. She collapsed into his arms and he held her tight.

"I am fine!" Ziva insisted as she held onto McGee. He didn't say anything as there was really nothing to say. As she sobbed, her reaction contradicting her words, McGee allowed his own tears of fear and pain to roll down his cheeks.

This was how Ducky found them a few minutes later. As he took in the way they held onto each other and the tears staining their faces, he collapsed into a chair and gasped in anguish.

"Oh God, Jethro …." Ducky cried out, his heart aching with grief.

McGee and Ziva pulled apart instantly and Ziva kneel infront of Ducky and quickly tried to calm his fears, "Ducky, no! We haven't heard anything yet."

Ducky was too distraught and didn't hear her clearly.

Just then Abby bounded into the room. Taking in the tears and grief stricken faces she gasped.

"What is it? Is it Tony? Oh God no! Gibbs, it can't be Gibbs! Don't tell me that one of them has gone and died.… I won't accept it! Oh no, I'm going …. to make them … suffer so bad if that's … that's what's happened. I mean … how can they? … They know how much I love them! … They know how hurt …. I would be! … They can't be dead!!!!." Abby cried as she backed away from the rest of the team wringing her hands in desperation as her blood turned cold in her veins.

"Abby, listen to me! Abby!" McGee shouted as he grabbed a hold of her arms. "Tony is in a ward down stairs, recovering and we haven't heard anything about Gibbs as yet. He is still in surgery and so is Bianca." McGee continued as he took Abby into his arms.

"Oh McGee!" Abby sobbed as she got her panic under control.

"Jethro's alive?" Ducky asked as he pulled away from Ziva.

"Yes, as far as we know, he is still in surgery." Ziva said, not hiding the tears rolling down her face.

"Oh, that's a relief! I'm sorry, my dear, for breaking down like this in front of you. I just thought the worst when I walked in here and found you two crying." Ducky said as he wiped his face and tried to pull himself together.

"We were just reliving those moments at the clinic when we were doing CPR on Gibbs….." Ziva's words died as a nurse walked into the room.

"Are you here for Agent Gibbs?" She asked.

"Yes, I'm Dr Mallard and this is his team. How…how is he?" Ducky asked as he stood up and placed an arm around Ziva on one side and another around Abby.

"He's still in surgery. The knife's been removed and he was very lucky that it didn't pierce his spleen or kidney. We're checking for internal bleeding now and we've got him on replacement fluids. At this stage he is listed as critical but stable." She said and a heavy sigh of relief filled the room.

"What about any brain trauma? He stopped breathing for over 5 minutes." Ducky anxiously asked.

"We don't know if he has any permanent damage as a result of oxygen deprivation. We'll only know more once he is out of surgery and wakes up." The nurse replied.

"How is Bianca doing?" McGee asked as everyone absorbed the news about Gibbs.

"We've repaired her punctured lung and are working on her thigh right now. We're puzzled however about the low volume of blood in her system. Do any of you …."

"Oh yes, she saved Anthony's life the other day by giving him over a pint of her own blood. Is she going to be okay?" Ducky asked.

"She's in hypovolemic shock so we've got her on blood and fluids to try and boost her blood pressure. We'll just have to wait until she's out of surgery to see if she has any other complications as a result of the lack of fluids in her system. Oh, we also ran the rape kit as per your request Dr Mallard. She did have intercourse sometime in the last 4 hours but the kit came back negative for violent penetration." The nurse informed them.

Everyone realized that Gibbs and Bianca had been together just before Jason's attack. They wondered how close the two of them were and how the events of the last few hours would affect both of them once they were on the road to recovery. But none of them commented said this, all just glad that Tony had prevented Jason from raping Bianca.

The nurse told them that Gibbs and Bianca would be in surgery for another hour at least and she would come and get them as soon as they were moved to the ICU ward.

Although everyone was still worried and afraid, they each pulled themselves together and decided to have something to eat in the hospital cafeteria. As they ate, McGee and Ziva filled Abby in on everything that had happened. Abby tried to be brave but when she heard about Gibbs not breathing and how the EMT's almost gave up, she couldn't stop the tears that rolled down her cheeks.

You'll be fine. After all you're Gibbs and you do everything on your own terms. You'll pull through this surgery, and you'll get up, when you're good and ready. But you will get up. You will! Abby repeated this hoping that she could somehow psychically force Gibbs to listen and do what she needed him to do.

----------------------------------------------------

Bianca had just been moved into the ICU ward after being in surgery for over 2 hours. Ducky waited until the nurses had settled her and taken her vital signs before entering the room.

Bianca was asleep so Ducky looked at her chart and then took a seat next to her bed. He decided to stay with her for a while because he didn't want her to wake up alone. Gibbs was still in surgery and the Nurse indicated that he would be out in the next 30 minutes so Ducky had time. McGee, Ziva and Abby decided to wait in the ICU waiting room until Gibbs was out of surgery and settled in the ICU ward.

Ducky heard Bianca moan and he quickly got up and took her hand into his. She was cold to the touch and now she was tossing her head from side to side.

-------------------------------------------------------

"Hey B, what a pity! Your new man didn't have the heart to watch so he's gone and died on us." Jason sneered.

Gibbs I'm so sorry, Bianca sobbed. She was bound, naked, to the bed her back facing Jason.

"Bianca, you're having a bad dream. You need to wake up." Ducky said as he placed a calming hand on her shoulder.

"Now it's time to get on with the main event of the day Spread your legs a little more and lift your butt up, now!" Jason ordered.

"Bianca, do as I say or I'll go and carve out your dead boyfriend's eyes and place them on the bed next to you!" He growled. Then his hands were on her hips, lifting her off the bed.

Bianca wrapped her hands into the sheets as she clenched her fists and gasped for breathe.

"Come to Daddy, sugar…" Jason huskily gasped as he settled his knees below her thighs, angling her hips higher. She tried to resist and he smacked her hard on her exposed butt. Then he grabbed her again and dug his fingers into her hips, lifting her up again.

"Bianca, wake up!" Ducky said as he noticed the tears running down Bianca's face.

"You want it rough and hard don't you? I'll show you just how much I can make it hurt!" Jason huskily growled. And then Bianca felt his ridged flesh, penetrate her tight and unresponsive body. Her body felt like it was being torn in two!

Bianca gasped out in horror as she violently jerked awake.

"Bianca, calm down. You're safe. Bianca can you hear me?" Ducky asked as he held onto Bianca's hand, relieved that she was finally awake.

"Argh…" Bianca gasped as pain sizzled up and down her body. She unclenched her fists and held onto her side with one hand and her thigh with the other.

"Bianca, you're in the hospital and you're safe." Ducky said as the nurse approached and starting taking Bianca's vitals. Bianca took a few deep breaths as she tried to get rid of the horrible images from her dream. She opened her eyes slowly and looked around the room, her vision hazy.

"How bad …" Bianca whispered as she swallowed against the pain.

"You have a stab wound in your right arm and right thigh. You also have a broken rib that punctured your lung and that's why you have the nasal canula. You also lost a lot of blood so they've given you a transfusion and they are keeping you on fluids." Ducky replied.

"Bianca, I'm going to give you a shot of Morphine for the pain. It will help you to sleep too." The nurse said as she prepared to stick a needle into Bianca's IV line.

"No!! No, I don't … want to sleep." Bianca insisted as she tried to sit up despite the pain.

"Bianca, you've just come out of surgery. You are in a lot of pain. Anyone can see that. So please just lie still and let the nurse give you the medication." Ducky admonished as he gently pushed Bianca back against the pillows.

"Where's …. Jason?" Bianca asked as she rested against the pillows for a second. Ducky could see the fear and rage in her eyes.

"Jason's dead, Bianca. You're safe now. You need to rest…" Ducky explained but Bianca cut him off.

"Where is … his body?"

"It's in the morgue at NCIS head quarters." Ducky said noting how unfocused Bianca's eyes were and how distracted she seemed.

"I want to… see him … NOW!" Bianca gasped in rage.

"No absolutely not! You need to rest and…" The nurse started to say as she prepared to administer the morphine again. Bianca lashed out at her, hitting her hand which in turn caused the syringe to fall to the ground.

"Bianca, calm down." Ducky said as Bianca started sitting up again. She gasped and squeezed her eyes in pain, but she refused to sit down again.

"I'm going to get Dr Taylor." The nurse said as she left the room.

"Ducky… I need to … see his body … Please!" Bianca begged as her breathing became laboured.

"Why? Why do you want to see him again?" Ducky asked, totally puzzled.

"I need … to be … sure that … he's dead … this time!" Bianca gasped, her breath coming in short spurts.

"Bianca, I think you need to calm down. Maybe tomorrow, if you're feeling better, we'll take you to see Jason's body…." Ducky tried to convince her.

Bianca shook her head and regretted it immediately, "No, aarrgghh… I need to …do this now. Please … help me … Ducky… Please!"

Her body trembled and quivered with pain, but Bianca knew that she would not be able to rest until she saw Jason's dead body.

"Please!" She begged as Ducky placed a hand on her shoulder again.

"Okay, I'll have his body brought here so that you can see it. But you will let the nurse give you something for the pain in the meantime." Ducky insisted.

"Okay, Tramadol… 15cc… Nothing … else." Bianca gasped as Ducky forced her to lie down again.

Ducky informed Dr Taylor about Bianca's request and against his better judgment Dr Taylor agreed to administer a Tramadol shot instead of the Morphine. He also arranged for Bianca to be wheeled down to the morgue once Jason's body had arrived.

McGee and Ziva were waiting with the body as Ducky and a nurse wheeled Bianca into the morgue.

Bianca swallowed the lump that was lodged in her throat as she looked at the body covered in a white sheet that lay on the cold autopsy table. Her biggest fear was that she would remove the sheet and the body wouldn't be Jason's.

"Bianca, are you sure you want to do this?" McGee asked.

"Yes, but I need to do this alone." Bianca insisted her eyes glued to the autopsy table.

"That's not a good idea." Ziva stated.

Bianca looked sharply at her and said, "Please, I just… I need to do this…"

"Okay, but you will only have two minutes and then we're taking you back up to the ICU." Ducky warned as he nodded his head at McGee and Ziva, indicating that they should back away. They retreated to the door but didn't leave.

Bianca pulled herself up into a sitting position, gasping and gagging in pain. Once she felt stable enough she reached forward and pulled the sheet away.

Half of Jason's face was missing, but she could see that it was him. She pushed herself off her bed almost collapsing before righting herself and standing next to the autopsy table.

"Bastard!" She swore.

"Why did you … have to come … back? Why did … you have to … to rape me again?" Bianca cried out, tears streaming down her face as she lashed out at the dead body. Ziva and McGee moved forward instantly with the intention of stopping Bianca from hurting herself.

"Why did you … rape me … again? Why?" Bianca sobbed as she continued to lash out at Jason with her fists, ignoring the pain that that movement brought to her whole body.

"Bianca, he didn't rape you. Tony shot him before he had a chance to." Ziva gently informed Bianca as she removed her hands from Jason's cold body.

"What?!" Bianca gasped in doubt as Ziva helped her back onto her bed.

"It's true, Bianca. The Doctor's ran a rape kit and confirmed that Jason didn't rape you." Ducky concurred.

"Aaaarrrrrgggghhhh!" Bianca cried out in heartbreaking anguish.

"Bianca it's okay. You're going to be okay." McGee said.

"No … I'll never be … Okay. He may not… have raped me… but … he killed … Jethro! Oh God, Jethro I am so sorry!" Bianca sobbed the physical pain of her injuries nothing in comparison to the grief she was now feeling for Gibbs.

"No Bianca. He didn't kill Jethro. Jethro's just been moved from recovery to the ICU." Ducky quickly tried to reassure her.

Bianca stared at him in disbelief before gasping for breath and passing out, her physical pain and this latest bit of information too much for her mind to comprehend.

----------------------------------------------------
"Oh Gibbs!" Abby sighed when she was finally allowed into his room.

He looked so pale and still. He was intubated and had 2 IV lines, one in his neck and another in his arm supplying blood and fluids. There was also a cacophony of sounds coming from the numerous monitors that were hooked up to various parts of his body. The Doctor had said that he was stable but they wouldn't know more until he woke up.

Abby touched his cold hand gently and looked at his face. Then she just started speaking.

"It's been a rough few days. I know that I shouldn't complain, but you know how much I miss you and Tony and McGee and even Ziva, when all of you are away. It's just so lonely in the lab all by myself!"

Abby sat down in the chair next to the bed, tucked her legs under her and continued to hold onto Gibbs' hand.

"I missed you walking into the lab with my Caf-Pow and I missed your hugs and kisses and most of all I missed your voice. You know Gibbs you have a very sexy voice. No wonder you end up leaving so many broken hearts in your wake."

"I guess I should tell you how everyone's doing. Ziva and McGee are holding all of us together. They've really grown into excellent Junior Gibbs'. Tony's also doing well and his in a ward just two floor away. He's being sedated, because otherwise the nurses just can't handle him. Ducky's taken all of this a bit hard. I mean he isn't as young as he tries to pretend you know and first Tony and then you and then Tony and then you and then Bianca and then you and Tony and …. Oh I'm confusing myself. Let me just say that you need to give Duckman a break so that he can recover from all of this."

"Gibbs about Bianca, mmm do you really like her? I'm only asking because I've hear about everything that she did to save Tony and you and I was just wondering if what you are feeling is maybe gratitude and not anything more. But if you are feeling something more, that's fine too. I mean you haven't been with anyone for so long so it may be a bit hinky to see you with a woman, but if she makes you happy then I'm all for it. She's in the room next to you and she's doing just fine although she did… Oh never mind." Abby stopped herself from saying how upset Bianca had been upon waking.

"Gibbs, take all the time you need to wake up but just please… please wake up okay. Now I know you can hear me and I know that you will never disappoint me so I'm going out to get coffee for you and a Caf-Pow for me before we continue this conversation any further." Abby said as she stood up and kissed Gibbs lightly on the forehead, her eyes brimming with tears.

"I love you Bossman!" She whispered before leaving the room.

And so for the next 3 days Abby took turns with the rest of the team to visit Gibbs, Tony and Bianca. On day 3 the Doctor removed the ventilation tube and did a CAT scan to measure Gibbs' brain activity. He informed everyone, that there were no signs of damage, but that didn't necessarily mean that there was no damage.

"We have to wait for Agent Gibbs to wake up and then we will be able to better assess his condition." The doctor explained before leaving Ducky and Tony with Gibbs.

"Anthony, I'm going to check on Bianca. Will you be okay here?" Ducky asked.

Bianca had become withdrawn and didn't want to speak about her ordeal. After the outburst in the morgue she was taken back to her room and the high doses of pain meds kept her pretty well sedated. But now 3 days later, she refused to even acknowledge what had happened. She asked about Gibbs' condition and would then slip into a distracted and uncomfortable silence, leaving Ducky rambling on about one or other story.

Once or twice, when Ducky went to check on her while she was asleep, he always found her in the throes of a nightmare. So he took it upon himself to get his friend Dr Randers, a psychologist, to speak to her. Now he had to go and tell her about this and get her to agree to see Dr Randers.

"Ducky, I'll be fine. Tell Bianca I'll come and see her later this afternoon." Tony replied.

Once Ducky had left the room, Tony pulled his chair closer to Gibbs' bed. Hesitantly he took Gibbs' hand into his and held into it.

"Gibbs, how much longer are you planning to drag this out? I know that you've been through a lot and that I'm the cause of half of your misery, but don't you think you've punished me enough?" Tony whispered. This was the first time in 3 days that he was alone with the one man that meant the most to him and he was going to tell this man just how much he meant to him.

Gibbs' muddled senses start to awaken and he was drawn to the soft voice that beckoned from beyond the darkness. But he was too weak to give any outward sign of his state of consciousness.

"I have no idea how this happened or why it happened. Maybe growing up without love and care and commitment in a big, cold mansion made me more vulnerable than I would ever admit. But all I know is that you have become the standard by which I judge myself. I still have so much to learn from you and I still need…. Need you so…. Much! So come on and wake up already!" Tony's voice caught as tears rolled down his face.

The voice became more coherent and Gibbs inwardly sighed as the words finally started making sense. DiNozzo!

"Damn it, Gibb. I…Love you, man. What you've shown me, no one else has come close to showing me. Respect, trust, loyalty, and commitment … all of this I've learnt from you. You've broken through my barriers and …. Cut through my defenses and …. And I just need you wake up so that I can tell you how I feel!" Tony gasped as pain and grief swelled in his heart. He leaned forward and placed a kiss on the back of

Gibbs' hand and his tears spilled over onto Gibbs' hand.

"I … feel the … same…Tony." Gibbs' hoarse whisper reached Tony's ears. Tony's head shot up and joy and delight quickly followed by embarrassment flowed through him.

"Boss, how are you feeling?" Tony asked as he started to remove his hand from Gibbs'.

Gibb didn't hear him and he wouldn't let Tony pull away.

"I love you… like as if you …were my own. Do you understand… Tony?" Gibbs gasped, tears rolling down the side of his face, his eyes locked with Tony's.

Tony's throat closed up as he tried to control the dam of tears threatening to spill from his eyes. He nodded his head and Gibbs sighed closing his eyes as he squeezed Tony's hand lightly. Tony took a second to compose himself, before pressing the buzzer for the nurse's station.

"How are you feeling, Gibbs?" Tony asked when Gibbs' eyes fluttered open again.

"Is that a… trick question, Son?" Gibbs whispered as every injury in his body hummed with pain. All Tony heard was the word ‘Son' and he felt like a kid in a candy store who had just been told that everything in that store belonged to him.

"Wipe that grin … off your face. This doesn't … change anything." Gibbs smirked despite the pain coursing through his body, startling Tony out of his fantasy.

"Aaaammm, won't it affect our work situation Gibbs?" Tony asked wondering how he was going to hide how good he felt from the rest of the team.

"It won't. …I'll still watch you six …and I'll still kick your butt …when necessary!" Gibbs told him, but his eyes shone with an emotion that he had always kept well hidden, love!

"I wouldn't expect anything else and I promise not to call you Dad in front of the rest of the team. I wouldn't want to make them jealous or anything." Tony said in a serious voice as his eyes brimmed with laughter.

Gibbs looked at him for a second, before lifting his hand, which felt as heavy as lead and placing it on the back of Tony's head. Than he caressed the back of Tony's head as he said, "The titles don't …make us who or… what we are. Our actions… do that."

Just then the nurse and Doctor walked in. Tony nodded his head at Gibbs indicating that he knew exactly what Gibbs meant.

"Agent Gibbs, how are you feeling?" Dr Morrison asked as he examined Gibbs' eyes and the nurse checked his vital signs.

"Okay…" Gibbs whispered as he grimaced in pain.

"Sandra, 15 cc of Morphine stat. We don't have to limit the pain meds any longer as Agent Gibbs is awake and responsive." Dr Morrison instructed the nurse and she started preparing the meds.

"Agent Gibbs, do you remember what happened?" The doctor asked.

Memories flashed through Gibbs' mind.

He and Bianca had just made love and they were leaving the bathroom when pain exploded in his side.

"Calm down Agent Gibbs. Your blood pressure's rising." Dr Morrison stated as he noticed Gibbs becoming distressed.

"JASON!" Gibbs grunted, as he remembered how Jason had attacked and dragged Bianca to the bed and the trail of blood on the floor. Jason tied her up and then stabbed her!

"Boss, Jason's dead. Gibbs can you hear me?" Tony asked as he placed a hand on Gibbs' shoulder.

"Agent Gibbs, if you don't calm down I'm going to have to sedate you!" Dr Morrison raised his voice.

"Boss, listen to me. Jason's dead and Bianca's okay. Bianca's in the next room." Tony said as he tried to get through to Gibbs. But Gibbs' mind kept replaying the way Jason had licked Bianca's back before he stabbed her.

Did he rape her? I wasn't able to save her! Oh God... Bianca! Gibbs lamented.

"Gibbs, Bianca's fine. She's in the next room." Tony repeated, trying to get Gibbs to look at him.

"Rape?" Gibbs growled his pressure spiking as his breathing became laboured.

"Sandra, up the Morphine to 20cc. Agent Gibbs please calm down." Dr Morrison ordered as he moved to hold Gibbs' arm straight.

"No, he didn't rape her. I shot him before he could. Calm down Gibbs. She's okay." Tony informed him as he squeezed his shoulder.

Dr Morrison took the syringe Sandra offered and buried the needle into Gibbs' cephalic vein on the inside of his elbow while Sandra helped to hold him still.

Gibbs gasped as Tony's words registered and within a matter of seconds the drug took effect flooding his body with relief. As Dr Morrison withdrew the needle from his arm, Gibbs floated into a deep and pain free sleep.

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It was after 10pm three days later. Bianca had avoided looking in on Gibbs for the last few days, but tonight the urge to see him was just too strong.

As she stood next to his bed, Bianca looked at Gibbs watching as he slept. He was so attractive and his silver hair added a touch of wonder to his overall appeal. Bianca picked up his chart and scanned the contents, relieved that he was progressing well and that he was no longer in any danger. Silent tears of gratitude flowed down her cheeks as she remembered how close he had come to dying.

Thank God you're going to be okay. If you hadn't pulled through I wouldn't have been able to go on. As it is, I don't think I will be able to go on.

You are the only man who has ever shown me the joys of sharing passion, the only man who has made love to me, with me! And for that I will always be grateful to you.

She wanted to reach out and touch his face. She wanted to lean forward and caress his lips with her own. She wanted to hold him close one more time.

You probably think I'm such a weakling, a pitiful excuse of a woman. Oh God I can never face you again. I don't ever want to see hated and loathing in your eyes. Jason … may not have raped me physically but he raped my soul and now I feel contemptible, inconsequential, like nothing and you would never want a worthless, soiled wretch like me in your life.

Bianca stared at him until her tears blinded her. She mourned for all that she had lost and all she was about to loose.

I… I love you … Jethro but I know that you will never feel the same. So I'm … leaving. Good bye Jethro……

Then she took a deep breath and left his room.

Gibbs woke up at that moment, sensing that something had just happened. But his mind was too foggy with the sleeping meds they had given him and he couldn't make sense of the sudden sadness that overwhelmed him. A few seconds later he drifted back to sleep.

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When Bianca got back to her room, she dressed into a clean set of scrubs and then left the hospital without the Doctor's permission. She was still in pain and on antibiotics as she was running a fever as a result of an infection in the wound on her thigh. But she didn't let this stop her. She needed to get away and she needed to do it now.

She couldn't handle seeing Ducky and Tony and the rest of Gibbs' team looking at her with pity in their eyes. And the Psychologist Ducky has asked her speak to was driving her crazy, asking difficult questions and revealing just how pathetic her life was. She couldn't take it any more. She needed to decide whether she had the strength to start over or whether it would just be easier to end it all.

Bianca got to the clinic just after midnight. It was a dark night, the moon and even the stars seemed to have deserted her. As she entered the clinic, she expected the smell of decomposing blood to assault her nostrils. But the clinic smelt clean and fresh. She switched on every light as she walked through the clinic. Everything looked in order and even the kitchen had been cleaned. On the kitchen table was a bouquet of dry flowers with a note attached.

Bianca reached for the note with trembling fingers.

Bianca, words will never be enough to express my gratitude to you. Thank you for saving my life and for taking care of me when I had no idea who I was. And thank you for helping to bring my half sister safely into this world. And thank you for everything you did for the rest of my team, my family and my … Da … Jethro. Love Tony.

Bianca held the note and sank to the floor and cried. She cried for everything that had happened and everything that was going to happen. She just cried and cried until she eventually passed out on the cold floor.

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The next morning, Dr Randers called Ducky and informed him that Bianca had checked herself out of hospital and she wasn't answering her phone.

Ducky immediately called Ziva and McGee and told them to go and look for Bianca starting at her clinic.

As they drove McGee commented, "It's a good thing we got her clinic cleaned out and her bedroom window replaced. Can you imagine how difficult it would have been if she had to walk back into that mess?"

"Why do you think she just walked out of the hospital? I understand that she's been through a lot, but she always gave me the impression of being strong. So why would she run away in the middle of the night?" Ziva questioned.

"Maybe it was just too much for her and she needs some time and space to sort through everything." McGee suggested.

"But we can help her. That Dr Randers was trying to help her." Ziva replied.

"But we and Dr Randers haven't known her long enough. We can't just expect her to turn to us. I mean it took you over 6 months to start trusting us." McGee started as he took the off ramp from Freeway 74.

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Back at the hospital, Tony was visiting Gibbs and they were discussing the events of the last few days. Tony told Gibbs that he had been to see Emma and that he had spent some time with her. As he described how tiny and precious she was, Gibbs reminisced about his own daughter and about how beautiful and delicate she had been.

When Ducky walked in, he found both man grinning as if they had shared a private joke.

"Hey Ducky, so have you talked to the doc about discharging me?" Tony asked the same question he always asked when he saw Ducky.

"Maybe tomorrow, Tony." Ducky replied a bit distractedly.

"What's wrong Duck?" Gibbs asked, sitting up straighter in bed. He was still very tender on his left side what with the stab wound and the broken ribs. But he was feeling more like himself. He had wondered why Bianca hadn't been in to see him yet and Ducky always made some story about how she had been in while he was sleeping or that she was sleeping every time he was awake. But Gibbs knew that something was wrong and he wanted Ducky to tell him… now!

"Oh, nothing's wrong Jethro." Ducky replied with a hesitant grin on his face as he took a seat next to the bed.

"You could never lie well. So spit it out Ducky." Gibbs demanded rather harshly.

"Jethro…." Ducky started to say as he phone suddenly rang.

"Dr Mallard." Ducky answered.

"Ducky, we found Bianca lying on the kitchen floor. She's unconscious." McGee quickly said.

"Oh dear." Ducky sighed.

"Her face is covered in perspiration, but her limbs are cold to the touch." Ziva called out.

"Wrap her in a blanket and get her back to the ER immediately. Try to wake her up and when she's up force her to drink water. Hurry, she must have been laying there for the last 8 hours." Ducky said in a strained voice before hanging up.

"Ducky who was that?" Tony asked.

"Oh I might as well tell you. You'll find out soon anyway." Ducky shook his head in sadness.

"Ducky?" Gibbs asked anxiety making his voice sharper.

"Bianca, she has been having a very difficult time dealing with everything that has happened." Ducky started. Gibbs closed his eyes as the image of her tied to the bed, being molested flashed through his mind.

"Dr Randers, the psychologist, said that she blames herself for everything that has happened and especially about the pain you have suffered." Ducky said as he looked at Gibbs.

"She thinks that you hate her and we all pity her. She has in a sense lost herself, and now she feels that it is too difficult to pull herself together." Ducky said regret in his voice.

"Ducky what are you trying to say?" Gibbs asked fearing that he knew exactly what Ducky was saying.

"You don't mean… I mean you can't think that…" Tony stammered as he stood up, shocked by what Ducky was revealing.

"I mean that she could be suicidal." Ducky said.

"No! Not Bianca. She has taken an oath to save lives. She would never think of taking her own!" Gibbs insisted, fear for Bianca overwhelming him.

"Who was in the phone, Ducky?" Tony asked as he placed a comforting hand on Gibbs' shoulder.

"McGee and Ziva. Bianca walked out of the hospital last night without her Doctor's permission. McGee and Ziva just found her on the floor of her kitchen, unconscious and running a high fever." Ducky informed the two NCIS agents.

"What!" Tony gasped.

"Bloody Hell! I'm going to kill her if she goes and dies on me like this. Damn it, doesn't she know that I love her and I can help her through all of this!" Gibbs growled, his breathing becoming heavier and his face turning red from an increase in his blood pressure.

Tony and Ducky just stared at him, shocked that he had revealed his feeling so clearly.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

"Gibbs, please sit down. You're starting to make me dizzy." Tony said as he watched Gibbs pace up and down his room.

Gibbs stopped for a second to access DiNozzo's condition. He knew that Tony still suffered from bad headaches as a result of his head injury. Sometimes he would loose his equilibrium for a second or two. He usually tried to hide it, but Gibbs knew.

"DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked concern colouring his voice.

"Gibbs, I'm fine." Tony insisted still surprised by Gibbs' open affection towards him.

"How bad is it this time?" Gibbs asked, surprising Tony.

"Not as bad as two days ago, but still pretty bad." Tony replied as he used his fingertips to rub his temples. Tony knew lying to Gibbs was not an option, not now when they had become so close.

"Then what the hell are you doing here? Get back to your room and get the nurse to give you something for the pain." Gibbs's voice was sharp, but the hand he used to cup the back of Tony's neck was warm.

Tony reached up and wrapped his hand around Gibbs' wrist.

"Bianca will be okay, Gibbs." Tony softly said as both man made eye contact.

"She better be!" Gibbs replied in a gruff voice, as fear and uncertainty assailed his senses.

"Okay, I think you need to get into bed and I'll call the nurse for you …" Tony chirped. Then noting Gibbs' glare, he quickly added, "And me. Maybe she'll be cute and she can give both of us something for the pain."

He had noticed how Gibbs' pacing had decreased in speed and how he was cradling his injured side. His face was also flushed, indicating an increase in his blood pressure and his breathing was too rapid for Tony's liking.

"The only thing I need is an update on Bianca's condition. If Ducky's not back in the next 5 minutes, I'm going down to the ER to get the answers myself!" Gibbs growled as he resumed pacing.

Tony rolled his eyes as he stood up and went to press the buzzer for the nurse's station. Then he sat down in the seat next to the window again as a touch of wooziness rippled through his system. His headache was bad and all his other injuries were tender, but there was no way he was going to leave Gibbs until Ducky got back with some news.

"Yes, Agent Gibbs, Agent DiNozzo, what can I do for you?" The nurse asked as she entered the room.

"He has a headache." Gibbs said as he walked past her towards his bed.

"And he is highly agitated and too stubborn to admit that his side is killing him." Tony replied.

Gibbs glared at Tony and he just smiled back before closing his eyes and rubbing his temples again.

The nurse looked from Gibbs to Tony and then responded, "Okay, I'll just check on your vital signs and then organise some painkillers. Agent Gibbs, please get back into bed and Agent DiNozzo let me help you into this bed."

"Thanks." Tony grinned, his boyish charm making the nurse blush as she pulled his arm across her shoulders and helped him into the bed next to Gibbs' bed. Gibbs sat down on the edge of his bed and rolled his eyes at the scene in front of him. Once Tony was settled the nurse took his vital signs and then she forced Gibbs to lie down so that she could check on his vital signs.

Tony's blood pressure was low and his temperature was normal whereas Gibbs' blood pressure was high and his temperature was also slightly elevated. The nurse made a few notes in Gibbs' chart before leaving the room. She returned a few minutes later, to find Tony grimacing in pain and Gibbs, rubbing his forehead.

"Agent DiNozzo, I'm going to give you a Valproate Sodium Injection. You should have some relief in the next hour. I don't want you getting up for at least that long as you could experience severe dizzy spells as a result of this injection. So I recommend sleep for the next hour or two." The nurse said as she helped Tony to roll onto his side so that she could administer the shot.

"Ouch…Mmmmm" Tony moaned as a burning, stinging sensation radiated through his butt.

"Almost done, it does burn a bit, I'm afraid." The nurse apologetically said as she withdrew the needle.

"A bit!" Tony growled as his butt still felt like it was on fire.

"Simmer down DiNozzo." Gibbs said he squeezed Tony's shoulder lightly.

"Agent Gibbs lets get you back into bed. I'm going to give you a Tramadol shot for the pain and to reduce your blood pressure a bit." She said as she got Gibbs into the bed.

"Is it a sedative?" Gibbs asked warring between the pain and his need to know how Bianca was doing.

"No, it will only calm you down and relieve the pain. I promise." She replied as she helped him to roll onto his injured side. This injection stung but it stopped burning the moment the nurse removed the needle.

"I'll be back to check on you in about an hour." The nurse said as she left the room. As Gibbs looked over at Tony he found him fast asleep.

A moment later Ducky walked into the room causing Gibbs to sit up abruptly.

"How is she?"

Ducky looked at Tony and then at Jethro questioningly.

"Headache and dizziness. Now how is she Duck?" Gibbs asked again, the injection already working on his pain.

"She's running a fever as a result of exposure and the infection in her thigh. She's been put onto 2 courses antibiotics and an anti-inflammatory as well as fever meds. She'll be moved into the room next door and she will be closely monitored until her fever is under control." Ducky informed Jethro as he came to stand next to the bed.

"I want to see her now. In fact I'm moving into her room." Gibbs insisted.

Ducky looked at him and realized that Jethro would spend the next 24 hours or longer standing at Bianca's bedside and then he would have to worry about his physical health in addition to that of Tony's and Bianca's.

"Okay, Jethro let me see what I can do." Ducky replied as he left the room.

--------------------------------------------------------

An hour later, Gibbs was settled into the bed next to Bianca's. He lay on his side as he watched her chest rise and fall with every breathe she took. Her complexion was ashen like as if she didn't have enough blood circulating in her body. Her hair was fanned around her face and it was the only touch of colour on her.

When he had held her hand, upon entering the room, he had found it to be cold and clammy. She had been trembling as a result of the fever and she had been murmuring incoherently. Gibbs had leaned in and kissed her forehead.

Then he had moved his lips to the side of her face and whispered, "Bianca, rest easy love. I'll be here to keep an eye on you." Then he had kissed her cheek reverently before moving back to his bed.

Now he spent his time watching her.

God, I have no idea how you did it. But you did. You reached deep inside me and made me realize that I've been fooling myself all this time.

I don't want to be alone any more and I don't want to build these walls around me that keep everything at bay. I want to be free of the pain and the hurt of the past, just like you. And together we'll get through it all and we'll come out closer and stronger.

Bianca… I love you!

I didn't expect to feel this way again. I thought that I was too old and it was too late for me. But you, with your easy going, caring and loving nature have captured my heart, hook line and sinker.

Now just wake up and let me look into your eyes as I tell you how much you mean to me. Baby, just wake up!

------------------------------------------------------------------

Gibbs spent the next 24 hours holding Bianca's hand, or caressing her forehead or running his hand up and down her arm. When she murmured and moaned out in her fever induced delirium, he whispered soothingly to her and she always seemed to calm down.

By the next morning, her fever broke and the nurses bathed her and changed her bedding. Then she was resting peacefully and colour had returned to her face.

Tony and Ducky checked in on Gibbs and Bianca at around 10am. Although Gibbs responded to their conversation, his eyes were glued to Bianca's face.

When Ducky and Tony left the room, Tony commented, "He's in real deep, Ducky."

"Yes, Anthony. I don't remember him being this attentive or taken by any of his previous wives. Bianca's very special, there's no doubt about that. But I think that Jethro's terrified that she'll not return his feelings."

"But she … they made …they were intimate at the clinic. So she must feel something for him." Tony insisted as they entered his room.

"I'm sure she does Anthony. But she is very vulnerable and confused right now and she might push him away." Ducky stated.

"He needs her Ducky. She will have to see that he can help her. She'll have to let him in. Then they can help each other." Tony said as Ducky helped him into bed.

"You're right Anthony. You're right." Ducky confirmed.

-----------------------------------------------------------

In the other room, Bianca started to stir. It was a subtle stretching of her body and deep sigh that drew Gibbs to her side. Then her head moved, like as if she was trying to find a comfortable position. Then she moved her arm, intending to run her hand through her hair. But she used her injured arm and tightness and tenderness made her gasp causing her eyes to flutter open in confusion.

And there in front of her, was her silver haired angel smiling down at her.

"Hello beautiful!" He greeted a second before he leaned forward and placed a delicate kiss on her forehead. Then he pulled back and asked, "How are you feeling?"

Bianca was so lost in his ice blue eyes that she didn't hear him. She was so surprised by his warm attentiveness, that she didn't want to break the spell of safety and security that now surrounded her.

She didn't want this dream to end…

"Bianca, honey, are you okay?" Gibbs asked again as her dazed expression started to worry him.

"If you're …real, will you … hold me, please?" Bianca whispered as tears started filling her eyes.

"Oh God, yes I'll hold you." Gibbs replied as he got onto the bed next to her, and pulled her into his arms, being careful to keep her weight away from his injured side.

As soon as he cocooned her in his embrace, Bianca started speaking.

"I'm so sorry that you were hurt!"

"Shhhh." Gibbs tried to sooth her.

"No, I need to get this out. I need you to know that I would have done anything to save you from…. From Jason." Bianca whispered as a shiver rippled through her body.

"He was ….evil, inhuman …. And because of me and my past with him …you … you almost died. I don't know how you're…. able to lie here with me, like this after all of that..."

"Bianca." Gibbs sighed as he kissed her forehead and rubbed her back.

"But I'm …grateful… and … I need … I shouldn't be asking this …. But I need you, Jethro… I was ready to end it all. But know… being in your arms…. Hoping that you don't hate me…."

"I don't hate you … God Bianca … I….." Gibbs was thrilled that she had admitted that she needed him.

"I just … I can …. I can get through this …. If …." Bianca gasped for breathe.

"If?" Gibbs prompted holding her close.

"If … if I know that … you'll be there to hold me when it gets too tough …. Or to push me when I need to keep going … and to keep me warm in the middle of the night and … most of all … to keep me safe when the … night … nightmares haunt me." Bianca sobbed on the last words.

"I'll be there, Bianca. I'll be there." Gibbs vowed as he tilted her face up so that he could look into her eyes.

"I'll be there! Bianca, I love you!" Gibbs whispered with such sincerity and honestly.

"Jethro…?" Bianca gasped in shock.

"I love you!" Gibbs said it again and he realized just how much he liked saying it. Then he leaned forward and touched his lips to hers.

Bianca melted in his arms, allowing him access to her mouth as she wrapped her good arm around him. She returned his kiss wholeheartedly as she moaned out her pleasure. Where a moment ago she had been sure that there was nothing left to live for, now the possibilities were endless.

Jethro loves me…ME! Oh God, I love him too! I love him!

Her whole body buzzed as Gibbs deepened the kiss. A few moments later when they both drew back to catch their breathe Bianca took Gibbs' face between her palms.

As their gazes locked she whispered, "Jethro, I love you …."

The smile that broke across Gibbs' face, spread to his eyes and he leaned forward to kiss her again.

A second later the door to their room opened and the whole team stood in the doorway and grinned at the display of genuine affection in front of them.

"I love you, Bianca!" Gibbs murmured between kisses.

"Oh Jethro, I love you so much." Bianca sighed as she pulled him close.

"Come on kids. Daddy bear's busy. We better leave before he bares his claws." Tony grinned.

"Damn right, DiNozzo." Gibbs growled, never taking his eyes, hands or lips away from Bianca. She gasped in surprise as she saw his team. But they were grinning and giving her the thumps up sign, which made her grin back.

That was until Gibbs once again demanded her full attention, by claiming her mouth in a devastatingly sensual kiss.

The End!

That's it for this story!

I have enjoyed writing this story so much and I believe that it may be the best I have written so far. Thank you to all that have reviewed throughout the chapters.

And thank you to those of you who suggested that I try writing in the past tense. This has really helped me grow as a writer and I will always be grateful for that.

I am busy with two other stories, "Survival" and "Enemy Within" which will now receive more attention and I hope that you will continue to follow my work and keep giving me feedback so that I can continue to develop my writing skills.

Your final reviews on this chapter and on the story as a whole will be really appreciated.

Warmest regards

Gibbsfan1

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