I hand the wrapping paper to McGee as I open the soft box. I open it slowly and a glitter catches my eye as the light hits its contents. There, inside the box, is a simple, yet beautiful diamond bracelet. 'Ziva, it is beautiful. I can't accept this.' I say as O try to hand her back the box.
'Grace, I don't care if you can't. You have too. I have one exactly like it, and so does Abby and Jenn. Think of it as our little club, kind of like the pink ladies in that one movie with all the singing.' Ziva smiles as she takes it out of the box and helps me put it on.
'Grease, Ziva, the movie was Grease. It starred...'
'We know, Tony.' We all interrupt him before he can finish his sentence. We all laugh at the look on his face. His jaw is dropped mid-word and he has the look of a punished puppy in his eyes.
'Oh, come on, Tony. You know that was funny.' Ziva says trying to make him laugh about it.
'Anyone up for a game of cards?' McGee asks as he walks over the the armoir in my room to retrieve the two decks he brought with him the day I was admitted.
'Only if it is going to be strip poker.' Tony says, his face lighting up at the thought of it.
'Sure, Tony, we can play that. And everytime one of us loses you take something off and everytime you lose you put something back on.' I say, thinking that Tony will never go for it.
'Okay, deal the cards, probie.' Tony says as he sits on my bed. We all look at him and laugh as McGee shuffles and then deals the decks. We sit in my room until at least twenty two hundred until a nurse comes in and tells us that my guests need to leave because it is late and we are getting to noisy. We all laugh and hug good-bye, McGee and Tony going home to get some rest. My dad and Ziva sit on either side of me and talk as I drift to sleep.
I AM WALKING DOWN A BRIGHT HALLWAY WITH TILE FLOORS. I CAN HEAR YELLING AND SCREAMS COMING FROM A ROOM AT THE END OF THE HALL. I HOLD MY GUN UP IN FRONT OF ME AS I MAKE MY WAY FARTHER DOWN THE HALL. I HESITATE BEFORE PUSHING THE DOOR OPEN WITH CAUTION. THERE, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROOM ON A AUTOPSEY TABLE IS KATE'S BODY, A POOL OF BLOOD UNDER HER HEAD. I FEEL SOMETHING BRUSH PAST ME AND I SPIN AROUND ONLY TO BE HIT IN THE SIDE OF THE HEAD. I OPEN MY EYES WHEN I FEEL A SHARP PAIN IN MY CHEST. ARI IS STANDING OVER ME, A SCALPLE IN ONE HAND, A GUN IN THE OTHER.
'THIS WILL ALL BE OVER SOON, MY DEAR. YOU ARE A BRAVE WOMAN. KATELYN WOULD HAVE BEEN PROUD OF YOU.' ARI SAYS AS HE TURNS MY HEAD TO LOOK AT KATE'S BODY.
JUST THEN, KATE TURNS TO LOOK AT ME, HER EYES SAD AND FULL OF PAIN. 'LOOK WHAT HE DID TO ME, GRACE. YOU COULD HAVE STOPPED THIS FROM HAPPENING, MOMMMY.' KATE'S FACE FADES AND BECOMES THE FACE OF MY DAUGHTER. SHE IS CRYING AND REACHING OUT TO ME, HER FACE BLODDY AND PART OF HER SKULL IS MISSING. 'MOMMY, IT HURTS. PLEASE MOMMMY, I DON'T WANT IT TO HURT ANYMORE.' I TRY TO REACH FOR MY LITTEL GIRL BUT SHE IS JUST OUT OF MY RANGE. I CAN HEAR SOMEONE CALLING ME IN THE DISTANCE. I TRY TO OPEN MY EYES TO GET AWAY FROM THE SIGHT IN FRONT OF ME BUT I CAN'T.
'Grace, it's dad! Wake up, Grace! Grace!'
I open my eyes with a start and my whole body jerks. I can feel that my face is wet from tears and my entire body is shaking. My dad is sitting on the edge of my bed next to me, holding me in his arms as I cry. 'It's okay, baby girl. I'm here, it's all going to be okay. I promise you that it is going to be okay.' Gibbs rocks me gently in his arms as I cry into his chest, brushing my hair back away from my face as he does.
Ziva jumps up and is standing next to my bed with a frightened look on her face. 'What!?' Gibbs yells at her as I lean in to his chest, my tears calming, my body no longer shaking.
'Didn't you hear what she said? She was talking to Ari. She...'
Gibbs jumps in before she can finish her sentence. 'She was having a nightmare, Ziva, and I think it just may have had something to do with your brother.'
Ziva's face calms a little as she looks down at her feet. 'I'm sorry, Gibbs. It just made me a little edgy to think about all of that.'
'I know, Ziva. I understand completely, trust me.' Gibbs says as he reaches for her hand. She sits back down in her chair, squeezes Gibbs' hand and then crosses her arms as she leans back.
'Baby, do you want to tell me what happened in your dream? It might help you feel better and fall back to sleep.' Gibbs asks softly.
I prop myself so that I can look at him while I tell him about my dream. It takes forever to get through it but I eventually do. 'And I tried so hard to get away from it all.' I am crying again at this point.
'There is nothing you could have done to stop Ari and you know that. He would have stopped at nothing to succeed at what he had planned. He would have killed you if you had gotten in his way and you know that.' Ziva tries to reassure me.
'I konw that, Ziva, but I should have been the one who was killed, not Kate. I was supposed to be with Tony and Gibbs. It was last minute that Kate went because Jenn needed me at headquarters to work on another case with some newbie agents. I should have died that day, not Katelyn.' I say as a tear runs down my face.
Both Ziva and Gibbs look at me with sorrowful eyes. 'Grace, how well did you know Ari?' Gibbs asks bluntly.
'He was a friend. I didn't know who he was until McGee came home on day with some of the case stuff asking me to help him go through it to find stuff that you were looking for. I saw this picture and I knew rightaway why he had made the attempt at my friendship. I was Special Agent Gibbs' daughter and he could play up to that. I think he figured that he could get pertinent information out of me about you and where you guys were in the case, but I never told him a thing, or who you were, dad.' I say, explaining while trying to reassure both Ziva and Gibbs.
'Did you honestly think this information was not pertinent to the case or any thing arrounding it?' Gibbs yells at me as he stands up and walks over to the window.
'Dad, I wanted to help and I knew that if I told you, I wouldn't be able to do anything with the case.' I try to reason with him.
'Special Agent McGee, I almost got kiilled due to the fact that we didn't know where he would go. How is that okay? I should have your badge for this.' Gibbs yells at me.
'Gibbs, she is right you know. Without some of the information she gave you, you most definately would have been dead. Jenn said that one of the agents had a feeling that Ari was coming after you. That's how I knew to go to your place. That was you, wasn't it Grace?' Ziva says hopefully.
'Yeah, it was. Ari had called me and told me that I should call you, dad. He said that I should tell you I love you and that I was proud of everything you had done for me and for Kate. I knew at that moment that you were his next target.' I explain to him earnestly.
'I still don't understand why...'
'For the same reason you would have.' I interrupt him. 'I love you and I would do anything to protect you.'
'Gibbs, she is definately your daughter.' Ziva says as he turns and our eyes lock.
I spend four more days in the hospital playing cards and watching movies that Tony brings in for me.
'I am so glad you are coming home today.' McGee says as I finish getting dressed.
'So am I sweet heart. I think that my doctor is once again impressed with the recovery I have made thus far. I am even happier that I can go back to work tomorrow.' I smile as I finish tieing my shoe.
'About that. You know that you are going to be on desk duty until you are fully recovered, right?' He asks cautiously.
I look at him in shock and then laugh. 'Well, actually, I already talked to Jenn about that. I am not getting stuck at a desk. I am going to be in the lab with Abby as her partner in crime.' I smile widely at him.
'Oh, well then, I guess she wont need my help any more.' He picks up my suitcase as he mumbles, walking out of the room I have been in for a month.
We walk down the hall in silence. Machines beeping and patients talking with nurses and visitors. I press the down arrow on the elevator and wait patiently for one of the three doors to open. The door on the right opens after what seems like forever and a few nurses file out before we make our way into it. I quietly press the level one button and we ride the elevator all the way down with no stops in complete silence.
As the doors open, I walk blindly out, running into Agent Fornell. I stumble back slightly before I realize who it is. 'Agent Fornell, I am so sorry. I didn't see you.' I apologize hastilly.
'No it's my fault. I wasn't paying attention. Actually, I was just on my way up to see you. I just found out you were here. I didn't know what had happened.' He smirks. 'It's good to see you are recovering though.'
'Well, what can I say. I get better quickly. I am invincible.' I laugh.
'Would you and Special Agent McGee care to join me for coffee tomorrow morning. I have some things I would like to talk to you about.' He asks politely.
'I think can be arranged.' I smile as we finalize our plans and walk out of the hospital and across the street to the parking garage. Both Agent Fornell and McGee have there guns at the ready. 'It's kind of fun having my own set of body guards.' I laugh as we put my things in the trunk.
'Don't get use to it, Grace.' Fornell laughs as he opens my door for me.
'I already have.' I smile at him as I get into the car and he closes the door.
'Well, I will see you in the morning then, McGee. Drive safely and call me if you need anything.' Fornell says as McGee gets into the car and puts the key into the ignition to start the car. I pull my seat belt across my shoulder and lap, leaning my seat back as McGee backs out of the parking spot. After about ten minutes of driving in silence I fall asleep to the sound of the road with Kenny Chesney playing quietly on the stereo.
I feel my head hit something but it is to dark for me to see where I am. I have blankets over me and all I am wearing is my bra and panties. I see a dark shape move near me and my heart starts pounding in my chest. 'Honey, are you okay?' McGee asks in a groggy voice.
'Yeah, I'm fine. Go back to sleep.' I puch the covers off of me as McGee lays back down and drifts back off to sleep. I plant my feet on the ground in the soft carpet of our master bedroom. I sit on the edge of the bed for a moment allowing my eyes to adjust to the darkness. The alarm clock next to our bed says two twenty six. I stand and walk over to the arm chair in the corner of the room, picking up the chenille blanket that is drapped over it and wrapping it around myself. I walk out of the room, closing the door quietly behind me. The kitchen is silent except for the ticking of the clock above the sink. I cross over the cold tile and onto the hardwood of our living room floor.
The TV remote is sitting on the coffee tale next to an empty mug and plate with crumbs on it. I pick it up and turn on the TV as I curl my legs up under me on the couch. I flip through the channels looking for something to watch but there is nothing on but a show about sharks. I fall asleep with the remote in one hand and my head resting on the other.
I jump when I hear my cell phone ring and blink my eyes from the shck of sunlight filtering through the living room windows. I scurry over the couch and trip as I fumble for my phone on the kitchen table. 'Hello, I mean, McGee.' I stutter as I open the phone and put it to my ear
