Sitting alone in the silence I reach for my gun. The door knob is rattling as they try to pick the lock. Finally, they decide that force might be a more appropriate and quicker way to get into my apartment. I have been deprived of sleep for at least three days now. I am on edge, angry, tired, and armed. The sound of a gun shot below my apartment window reaches my ears. This is getting out of control. My life is in danger and I am putting all the other tenents in my building in danger as well. I hear my door crack as they kick it a first time, and then a second. With the fourth kick my door comes crashing down into my living room, splinters of wood flying everywhere. A few hitting me in my hiding place under the kitchen table. The six men that enter my apartment make no effort to be quiet. Knowing they will search everywhere for me, I climb up and lay across three of my chairs, my gun close to my head and my face toward the table cloth. Just as I begin to think they are not going to look, light from the table cloth being lifted hits me. I hold my breath, hopping they don't take the time to get down on there hands and knees to check for me.
'She's not here boss. We have looked everywhere. Her keys and her purse aren't even here.' Says one of the guys. I hear the sound of high heels clacking as the woman walks onto the tiled floor of my kitchen.
'Is her gun here?' She asks in an irritated voice.
'We didn't see it anywhere, boss.'
'She still hasn't been home. She is probably at that other agents house. Well, I guess it's time we paid that overbearing marine a visti.' She throws one of my coffee mugs against the refrigerator before storming out of the apartment.
'I think she's mad guys. We better streer clear till she needs us again.' One of the guys says as they all head out of my apartment. I slowly, quietly roll off the chairs watching there feet as they leave. As soon as I see the sixth pair of feet leave, I go to crawl out when I hear a sound coming from my bedroom. I freeze as I hear glass shatter against one of the walls and then a man walks out. Combat boots and fatigues are the last thing I see before a sickening feeling lurches through my body and then everything goes black.
I open my eyes to find that I am still under my table I go to move and the pain that hits me is overwhelming.
'Boss, she's not here. Do you think they...' A familiar voice filters into my thoughts.
'Tony, she is a good agent and a smart woman. I'm sure she got out of here before they got here. Her keys, purse, and gun are gone.' My boss, thank god. I can see his feet. He is only inches from me. I puch my gun out from under the table with as much force as I can muster up and it hits it's target. He moves suddenly when the gun hits his shoe but is on his knees and pulling me out from under the table in what seemed like a millisecond.
'Call for an ambulance, tell them it's critticle. She's lost a lot of blood. Grace, listen to me. It's going to be okay, you got that.' Gibbs says, his eyes a little glossy with tears.
'I'm fine boss,' I say weakly, 'I just need to change my clothes and I can help you get them.'
'Yeah, right probie. Like he is going to let you come with us.'
'Tony, come here for a second.' Tony kneels down next to me. 'Closer Tony, I can't lean up to kiss you ya know.' Tony gets a big smile on his face as he leans down closer to me. As soon as he is within range of my hand I smack him on the back of the head.
'Hey, that's not fare. You lied to me.' He says as he jumps up, rubbing the back of his head. I can hear sirens in the street below approaching quickly.
'Tony, go down and meet the paramedics. Get them up here quick. And send McGee up would you.'
'Sure, boss.' Tony says as he slowly walks to the door, or what is left of it at least.
'TODAY, TONY!' Yells Gibbs. Tony takes of running. 'So, did you shoot yourself or what?'
A tear runs down my cheek as I try not to laugh. 'Yeah boss, you know me. I'll do anything to get out of work.'
'Yeah, and what are the odds that you would get shot in the chest twice?' Gibbs says as he leans over and kisses my forhead. Tears now visibly clear on his face. Just then, McGee comes running through the door panting.
"Grace, oh god, are you...' He stops mid sentence as he see's all the blood. ' No.' He whispers as he sits down next to me and grabs my hand. His eyes are burning with saddness and anger. 'I'm gonna kill them. I swear on our marriage that I will.'
'Tim, killing them is not going to solve a single thing. You have to catch them and throw them in prison. I want justice, not revenge.' I squeeze his hand as he closes his eyes. When he opens them again, there is a look I have never seen before. 'Timothy?'
'Grace, this isn't just about you. If they had killed you...'
'But they didn't...'
'But they could have, Gracie. This affects all of us on a personal level and on a professional level as well. You are one of the best damn agents, next to your dad that is, that I have ever seen. If I lost you, Gracie, my life would be over as well.' I reach up and pu my hand on his face just as Tony comes through the door way with the paramedics in tow. They push Gibbs and McGee out of the way as they start checking my vital signs.
As they transfer me from the floor to the stabilizing board, one of them loses his grip. I cry out in pain as they push him out of they way and get me onto the board and then the gurny.
Through my tears, I see McGee lunge at the young paramedic who dropped me. Gibbs and Tony grab him and tell the young man to go. Gibbs is in McGee's face. I can not hear what he is saying but the red in his face tells me enough.
As they put me into the back of the ambulance, one of the older gentlemen pulls the young man aside. 'Apologize to her, and make sure you don't screw up again.' Says the older man, his finger in the young ones face. The older man wals around the ambulance and climbs into the drivers seat as the young one climbs in back and shuts the doors. The other paramedic looks at him with digust on her face as she gets an IV with pain killers ready for me.
'I don't need the pain killers.' I tell her stubbornly.
'You will need them. The ride may get bumby.' She says as she reaches for my hand. I pull it away from her.
'No pain killers. This isn't the first time I have been shot. I know what it feels like.'
'Fine, whatever.' She leans forward through the opening to the front seat. 'She is refusing pain killers.'
'I thought she might. Just put it in the paperwork. You did the same thing last time Special Agent McGee.'
'Yeah, I know I did. Just hurry up okay. You know I hate being strapped to this thing.'
'Do I ever. We will be there in five.' The female paramedic climbs up and sits in the front seat with the older man.
The younger paramedic and I are left alone in the back ad he tries to avoid eye contact. 'Your first call like this isn't it.' I ask him. The weakness and pain clearly visible in my voice startles him.
'Yeah, it is. How did you know?' He says, surprised at my knowledge.
'I can see it in your face. It is okay you know. You learn from every mistake. Just be thankful I was the one your hands slipped with. Most other people would be talking about sueing you right about now.' I say, a small grin on my face. I grimmace as we hit a pot hole.
'Are you sure you don't want pain killers? I can administer them.' He says, trying to redeam himself.
'No, I am fine. Just do me a favor. Learn from this. If you can do that then you are going to be one hell of a paramedic.' I smile at him and the ambulance screeches to a stop and the doors fly open. The ER doctors are pulling the gurny out. As he stands to help his facial expression changes and he looks determined to do right. Faces blur past me as they rush me into an operating room. They throw question after question at me trying to see how much damage has been done. They place a breathing mask on my face and I slip slowly into darkness.
There is a heavy weight on my legs as I slowly wake up. My chest is tight and I can feel a breathing tube in my throat. I am sitting up just enough to see that the weight on my legs is McGee, asleep. Gibbs is sitting in a chair on the other side of the room, starring out the only window.
I gently lift my hand and place it on McGee's, squeezing gently. He wakes with a start. 'God, Gracie. You scarred the crap out of us.' Gibbs is up and out of the room, getting a nurse. She comes in with a doctor following just behind her.
'Well, Agent McGee. You gave us all quite a scare.' He says as he picks up my chart and checks my vital signs. 'Now, we are going to get this tube out of your throat but if you have difficulty breathing, we are going to have to put it back in. Do you understand?' I nod my head yes. 'Take a deep breath for me okay.'
As I inhale, the doctor pulls the tube out and I gag. I choke once the tube is out of my throat from the dryness. 'Nurse, can you bring the young woman a cup of ice chips please?"
'Yes doctor.' The nurse leave the room and the doctor pulls up a chair. 'It is gong to be a while before you can talk but you can write what ever you need to on this pad of paper. Is there anything you want to know or that you need?'
I take the note pad and pen he offers me and I start writting. I hand him the pad of paper with three questions on it.
'Okay,' he says, 'to answer your first question. We put you under to repair the torn blood vessels that the bullet hit. You stopped breathing twice during the operation and coud not breath on your own afterwards. Secondly, you have been in a state of coma for seventeen days. And finally, I don't put you back at work for at least six to eight months, and that is if everything goes perfectly.'
I reach for the pad and write a short sentence on it. I hand it back to him and he laughs. 'Yes, you did recover in a much shorter period of time last time we went through this, but there were no complicatios the last time, remember?'
'Do not f with me, McGee. It is not in your best interest right now.' Gibbs yells at him.
'Boys!' I say as loud as possible, which is still little more than a whisper. They both stop and look at me, McGee's hand in a fist getting ready to hit Gibbs. 'Seperate, both of you, now.' I say angrily, annoyed at how they are acting.
'He started it.' McGee says, glarring at Gibbs.
'I don't care who started it. It is ending right now.' My face is turning red with anger and both of them back down at the sight of this. 'I have to get out of this bed, out of this room.'
'I'll go get the doctor and see if it is okay for you to walk around.' McGee says as he hurries out of the room.
'So, what were the two of you fighting about? And don't even say nothing. It was obviously something because he wanted to hit you.' I say matter of factly.
'You, as it so happens to be.' Gibbs says smuggly. 'Jen called him last night and told him what was going on with you. He got mad at me because I didn't think to tell him and neither did you.'
McGee comes through the door with the doctor and a male nurse. 'Okay, Grace, so you want to get up and walk around. Are you sure you feel up to it? Especially after last nights...'
'I am positive, doctor. I need to move around.' I interupt the doctor to keep Gibbs from finding out about last night.
'What about last night?' Gibbs asks suspiciously.
'Nothing, don't worry about it. I just had a restless night that's all. Right doctor?'
'Yeah, I just don't want her to walk around if she feels tired or weak.' The nurse helps me pull the covers back and sit up. I slowly put my feet over the side of the bed and lower them to the floor. The nurse supports me as I stand, making sure I do not stretch my back out and pull more stitches.
'Oh boy does that feel good.' I say as I stand there. The nurse hangs my I.V.'s on a portable stand and has me hold on to it while he walks on the other side of me. I take a couple of steps cautiously. Then start to walk as though nothing was wrong with me at all.
'Just walk around this floor a little. I don't want you going outside or to far right now. Plus if anything happens I am close by.' The doctor says matter of factly.
'Yes doctor.' The nurse says as he walks with me down the hall. I walk around for about fifteen minutes before I start to feel weak. My knees suddenly give out. The nurse catches me as I fall and picks me up in his arms. Another nurse walks with us, pushing my I.V.'s. 'Maybe you are still a little weak. What do you think?' The nurse says, smiling at me.
'Maybe just a little. But it felt good to move around a bit you know.' I smile back at him weakly.
'Yeah, but lets keep the walks a little shorter for now. What do you think about that?'
'I think that is a good idea.' We walk into my room and McGee jumps up.
'What happened? Are you okay? Is she okay?' He says annoyingly.
'I just got a little weak. I am fine though. We are going to make the walks a little shorter for a while.' I say as the nurse puts me back into my bed. 'Thank you Matt.' I smile at him as he pulls my blankets up over me and hangs my I.V.'s back up. McGee is glarring at him as he leaves the room. 'Oh stop it, Timothy.'
'What? I wasn't doing anything.' He says walking over and sitting next to my bed once again.
'I saw that glare, Tim. Are you afraid that the nurse is going to take me away from you?' I say, teasing him.
'Yes, as a matter of fact I am.' He says smuggly.
'Oh, googliebear. I would never leave you.' I tease, reaching for his hand.
'Yeah, right. Don't think I didn't notice his looks.'
'Timothy McGee! Are you sreiously jealous right now?'
'No.' He pouts looking down at his feet.
'Timothy, I love you. You know that and I will never leave you.' I kiss the palm of his hand as he places it on my cheek.
'I love you too, Gracie.'
'Gracie!' Abby comes into the room with an armful of black roses. 'I am so glad you're okay. I have been worried sick.' She puts the flowers next to my bed and leans over and hugs me. I grimmace as she squeezes but I don't say anything. 'Your dad said you didn't have any flowers so I brought you some. Mind you, I asked why he didn't buy you any and why Tony and Timothy didn't buy any either.' I chuckle as she pushes McGee playfully.
'Hey, I didn't know she wanted flowers.' He says in his defense.
'She is your wife. She shouldn't have to tell you that. Oh, Ducky is on his way up.' She beems at me.
'Thanks for the roses, Abbs. They are gorgeous.'
'Did you notice the red on in the middle of them all?' She asks happily.
'I see it now. Why is it in there with all the black ones?'
'Because, it is you. You stand out among your peers, and you are one of my best friends.' She smiles.
'Abbs, that is so sweet. Thank you, so much.' I squuze her hand and smile at her brightly. Ducky comes walking into the room with a vase of yellow roses and a wrapped package. 'Ducky, you shouldn't have.'
'Ahh, that may be the case, but I did it anyways.' His smile is big as he hands me the package. I open it slowly.
'Oh, Ducky.' I pull out the glass horse so everyone else can see it. 'It is absolutely gorgeous.'
'Gibbs said it got smashed when the men broke into your apartment so I figured I would replace it. It isn't the...'
'It is beautiful. I love it.' I hand it to Gibbs. 'Can you put it on the night stand for me?'
'Sure.' He says, setting it down gently.
'I know it can never replace the one your mom gave you before she died, but I hope it can still remind you of how much she loved you.'
'She is always with me, Ducky, and it didn't take the horse to remind me of how much she cared. But thank you for the thought. It will have a wonderful home.' I beem up at him from my bed.
'You are an amazing young woman, do you know that?'
'So I have been told.' I joke with him reaching for his hand.
'You know Jethro. I always knew she would turn out like you. You know what they say. Like father, like daughter.' Ducky smiles.
Gibbs as he rolls his eyes in response. 'The saying is acutally like father like son.'
'Dad, be nice.' I say smacking his arm playfully. 'I am your only child don't you forget.'
'You do realize that is the first time you have called me dad in months, right?' He says dryly.
'Yes, yes I do.' I smile at him. I close my eyes, drifting off to the sound of everyone talking.
'Gracie? Grace wake up.' I open my eyes to find Jen standing next to me.
'Jen, I didn't think you were ever going to come by.' I smile weakly at her, still tired.
'Why on earth would you think that? You couldn't keep me away even if you had an armed guard. But, I wanted to be the first one to tell you...'
'They are retireing me aren't they.' I jump in, anger aparent in my voice.
'That is what I came to talk to you about. Jethro came to the meeting this morning and argued your case. They aren't going to. You will be on medical leave until you are better then you will be a full field agent again.' She smiles wide, happy to be the one to deliver the good news.
'Well, I figured they would if they had one of there top agents fighting for me. Even if he is my dad.'
'You know your dad isn't always going to be there when you need him, right?' Jen says as she sits next to me in the chair McGee has been occupying.
'What is that supposed to imply? He is one of the agencies most respected agents. He won't be going anywhere anytime in the near future.' I feel disheartened at what my friend is telling me. Tears come to my eyes at the thought of my dad not being there to help me. 'Can you leave, please?'
'Grace, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. I just think that you need to face the facts and you can not keep relying on your dad to take care of you. You are a grown woman, who is married and starting a life of your own.'
'Jen, get out. I can not take this anymore.' My heart is racing and it is getting hard for me to breathe.
'Gracie please, I'm sorry. I just worry about you. You have always been like a daughter to me. I just don't want to see you get hurt.' Jen is pleading with me. I reach over and press the nurse call button.
Matt comes into the room smiling. 'Did you need something, Agent McGee?'
'Can you please get here out of here.' I say as tears start rolling down my cheeks.
'Ma'am, I'm going to have to ask you to leave. If you refuse then I will call security.' The muscular nurse walks over to were Jen is sitting and waits for her to stand up. He ushers her out of the room, her face pale. The look in her eyes tells me she is extremely upset at the situation. I turn my head towards the window as I begin to cry. I fall asleep crying and thinking of just how right Jen had been.
I open my eyes to darkness. The lights from the monitors and machines in my room illuminating just enough to be able to see that I am alone in my room. A shiver goes up my spine at the thought of spending the night alone. I look over at the clock next to my bed. '0427, just my luck.' I reach for the television remote and turn it on. It is the first time I have watched the news, let alone television in over two weeks now.
There, I know him. 'Dad?' I whipser to myself. The breaking news story reporting the capture of a known hitman. I read the bottom of the screen out loud to my empty room. 'Man arrested suspected to be the same who shot NCIS Special Agent Grace McGee just over two weeks ago.' The man is limping as they put him in the back of a federal car. 'Damn it, Timothy. I told you not to shoot him.'
Just as I turn the television off there is a quiet knock on the door. A nurse I have never seen before comes walking in. 'I saw a light on in here and I just wanted to make sure that you were alright.'
That voice, I have heard it before. 'Yes, I'm fine. I thought I knew all the nurses, but I have never met you before.' I press the nurse call button several times, fearing that my gut is right.
'Oh, well I am new here. I was just making my rounds.' She says smiling. Her eyes show anger and I can see that one hand is still behind her back.
'Did you bring me something?' I ask sweetly, beaming up at her, trying to stay calm and keep my voice even.
'Well, actually I did, Grace.' The gun is being pointed in my face quicker that I can react to it. As she walks towards me, the door to my room opens quickly. Matt lunges at her as she turns and pulls the trigger. He flinches as the bullett makes contact with his arm. He pul,ls her down with him and pries the gun out of her hands, aiming it at her head as he stands up. Security comes running into the room with there guns drawn. They grab the woman and handcuff her.
'You are under arrest. You...' The office begins to read her rights when she interupts.
'I know what my rights are. This isn't the first time I have been arrested.' She says smuggly, struggling against the grip of the officers. 'This isn't over yet. I will be back to finish this.'
I turn my head away from all of the commotion as a tear falls from my eye and I start to shake. 'Ma'am.' I jump at the sound of Matt's voice. I look up at him, blood running down his arm. 'Are you alright? Did she hurt you?' He asks, concerned.
'I'm fine, just a little shaken up. I am so sorry about this. You should really go and get that taken care of. I mean, you never should have gotten in the first place.'
'I was just doing my job. I'll be fine. They are calling Special Agent Gibbs right now. I'll wait with you till he gets here.'
'No, please go get that looked at. I will be fine. Don't worry about me.' As I say this, two doctors come running into the room. The first one checking me to make sure that I am alright and the other taking care of Matt, calling for a nurse to help him extract the bullett. I close my eyes, quietly crying to myself.
'Grace, are you okay?' Asks the doctor as he reaches for my hand. I jump when he touches me. 'It's okay, it's just me.'
I open my eyes, blood shot and scared. 'It's all my fault. I put everyone in danger.'
'Don't blame yourself, Grace. She is the one who decided to attempt to kill you in a hospital.' He says sympathetically. Matt stands up and walks over to me, his arm bandaged.
'I'm fine you know. This isn't the first time I have been shot.' He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his wallett. He opens it to reveal his badge and agency identification card.
My eyes get wide and my saddness turns to anger. 'You are with the FBI? What the hell is going here? Why are you here?' I yell ar him, trying to push myself up in the bed with no success.
'Your boss, Director Shephard, contacted the agency. She said that one of her agents needed to be looked after. That was the day ofter you were shot. She basically put you into our witness protection program without you knowing it.' He says, trying to calm my anger.
'This is a load of crap. They had no right to do that. My dad, husband, and best friend are all special agents, and on the same team none the less. I can't believe this.'
'When I met with Director Shephard, Special Agent Gibbs was with her. He said that you were high profile and that I had better go above and beyond to keep you safe because if anything happened to you he was going to come after me. I think he meant it too.'
'Special Agent Gibbs! Special Agent Gibbs is my father!' I yell at him, my anger at a boiling point. 'Out, just get out. Everyone please just leave me alone.' I yell as I break down sobbing. Everyone in the room looks up and scurries out. Everyone except for Matt that is.
'I'm not going to leave you here by yourself, Agent McGee. I have strict orders.' He stubbornly stands there saying.
'I don't care. GET OUT!' I yell at him. 'If your higher ups have a problem, they can talk to me. Now get out. NOW!'
'I think we should leave her be and let het calm down. It really isn't in her best interest to get worked up like this.' The doctor says, taking Matt by the shoulder in an attempt to steer him out of the room.
'No, I'm not going anywhere.' He looks at me, his eyes stubborn and angry.
'Doctor, could you leave us alone for a moment please?' I ask, trying to be nice, but the anger still clear in my voice. 'We need to talk.' The doctor turns and leaves the room, closing the door behind him, leaving Matt and I alone. 'You know something, Matt. I think you and I could help eachother here.'
'Oh yeah. And just how do you propose we do that?' He asks me, sitting down in the chair near my bad.
'Well, you see, my husband has a tendency to over react to things that involve me. Like my getting shot. I am afraid that he is going to get hurt. I mean, I have been with the agency a lot longer than he has and I think he is still learning the ropes, kinda. I don't want him getting hurt.'
'So, what does this have to...'
'You haev to do your job and I have to do mine. They want me safe and I want him safe.' I interupt him, trying to peek his interest.
'So, what do you have in mind?' He asks, obviously intrigued.
'Okay, here's the plan...' We sit and discuss everything until Gibbs shows up. 'Well, Matt, it was nice talking to you. Thank you for staying with me until Gibbs got here. And I'm sorry for the way I was acting.'
'Oh don't worry about it. It was my pleasure. I'll see you later.' He stands and walks out of my room. 'Agent Gibbs.' He nods to him as he leaves.
'Well, Jethro, it took you long enough to get here.' I say smuggly.
'Yes, well, I was talking with Jen. It seems she is extremely upset with how you were treating her. What were you thinking, Grace?' He says, starring at me in disbeliefe.
'Gibbs, you didn't hear what she wasy saying to me. She kept telling me that I needed to stop relying on you for everything because you weren't always going to be around. Then she went on to say that I was a married woman now and I need to start living my own life without you in it every second of every day.' I say to him, anger and heartache coming to the surface of my emotions.
'Well, she shouldn't have said some of the things she said, but when it comes down to it, she is completely right you know. Now, I know that is why you got mad at her in the first place.' He says, his anger diminishing.
'I know that, and when she was finally gone, I felt terrible. Then, when that woman came in here and pulled the gun on me, I froze. All I could think about was needing to make everything right with everyone. Then I yelled at Matt for wanting to stay with me in case anything else happened. Gibbs, I screwed up big time. I don't know how I am going to make amends for everything that I have said and done today.' My eyes are starting to tear up again at the realization that what I am saying is the truth. 'I know I screwed up, now I need to make it right.'
'Grace, I know that you were just upset, and I am sure that they know it, too. For the love of god though, please try and control your temper.'
'Gibbs, my temper will be controlled they day yours is.' I say jokingly.
'You are definately my daughter.' He smirks and shakes his head, looking up as the door to the room opens.
I look up at the man standing there in the door way, chills going up and down my spine.
FlAsHbAcK
I can hear screams as I approach my front door. I push the door open to find Mascey standing in the living room with a revolver in his hand pointed toward the dinning room.
As I step into the room, the body of my eight-teen month old daughter is laying on the floor near the kitchen table. Mascey turns to me and pulls the trigger, shooting me in the chest. As I fall to the ground my head hits the desk that sits behind the door. Everything goes bright and then black.
As I open my eyes, everything is blurry and there is a tightnees in my chest. I reach to my side for my cell phone and feel the blood that is pooling on the floor under me. I grab my cell and dial 9-1-1. The operator picks up and I sit there in silence, unable to speak.
'Hello? Is there an emergency? Is anyone there? Hello?' She is frantically trying to get someone to answer the phone.
'My baby...she's...dead.' I strain to tell the operator something so that I can get help to me and my daughter before both of us die.
'Ma'am, I see that your cell phone has GPS and I am tracking you right now. Stay on the phone with me okay? Talk to me and tell me what happened?' She says, trying to keep me on the phone. 'Ma'am? Ma'am, hello? Ma'am, the police and paramedics are on there way. Just hang on and we will be right there.' She sounds so far away as she tells me this. I begin closing my eyes again, giving into the pain and the need to fall asleep.
'Ma'am? Ma'am, if you can hear me, squeeze my hand okay.' I gently squeeze the hand that is holding mine. My eyes flutter open and I realize that I am in an ambulance. The sirens are blarring and echoing in my head. I can feel a needle go into my hand with some pain killers and I pass out once again.
The surgery takes nine hours to complete, and everything is looking good for now. I am laying in my bed when I wake up to find my dad sitting next to my bed, his head in his hands, crying. I reach for his hand and startle him. He leans over me and hugs me, his crying becoming sobs. I run my hand over his buzz cut, trying to speak, but the words not leaving my lips. 'Dad, where is Reagan?' He chokes on his tears as he holds me tighter.
'She is dead, baby, he killed her.' He holds me tight as I try to pull away from him and break down myself. We sit there in the hospital room for hours, alone, holding each other and crying. After the initial shock of what he has just told me has sunk in, I push him away gently, wanting to see his face.
'Where is he?' I ask, tears still pouring from my eyes.
'He is in jail. He tried to kill himself but the police stopped him. He shot himself in the leg and is recovering from that. He told them that he was going to kill both of you and then himself and that he thought you were dead. He also told them that is he ever gets out of jail that he will finish the job he has started.'
EnDfLaShBaCk
I jump as I feel someone gently touch my skin. I look up into a smiling and kind face.
I blink my eyes a few times in the attempt to focus on the man beside me. He is the one person I could have gone through my life without ever having seen again.
'What are you doing here?' I say as I start to shake when he touches my hand.
'I head what happened, baby. I just wanted to check on you and see how you are doing.' Mascey says as he goes to sit down next to my bed. Gibbs has his gun drawn and is pointing it at him before he even gets halfway into the chair.
'Get the hell out of here or I swear to god I will kill you.' Gibbs is clearly upset and his finger is on the trigger.
'I think that I have every right to see my wife, Gibbs. You know that.'
'We aren't married anymore remember. After you killed MY daughter, and then tried to kill me you bastard.' I yell at him, tears in my eyes at the thought of how precious my daughter was to me.
'I never signed any divorce papers, Grace. You should know that. Why would I do that? If I had I wouldn't have been able to find you.' He smirks at me.
'You didn't have to, Mascey. The judge granted it without your consent due to the fact that you swore you would kill me when you got out of prison.'
'I never said I was going to kill you. All I said was that I'm going to finish what I started. Where in that statement did it say I was going to kill you?'
'It is implied inthat statement, Mascey.' Gibbs says as he raises his gun and points it at him. 'You said it just after you shot her when they were dragging you out of the house in handcuffs.'
'Oh come on, dad. What are you going to do? Shoot me in the middle of a hospital?'
'No, he isn't but if you don't back away from my wifeand put your hands on your head with your fingers laced, I will.' McGee is standing behind Mascey with his gun a few inches from the mans head.
'So, what is the deal with this, Grace?' Mascey says as he places his hands on the back of his head. 'You were just so sex deprived that you had to find yourself another mand to please you? You couldn't wait for me to get out?'
'Mascey, this is my husband. He treats me better than you ever did and would never do to me what you did.'
Mascey slowly turns around to face McGee and before anyone knows what is happening, Mascey has McGee's gun pointed at his head and his other arm around his neck. 'If you fight me, I'll kill you. If you come after me, Gibbs, I will kill him, and then you and Grace. No, better yet, I'll make you watch while I kill Grace and then I'll kill you.' Mascey starts to back out the door when he suddenly stumbles forward, falling and taking McGee down with him, landing on top of him.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Matt steps over the two men, helping McGee up and removing the gun from Mascey's hand. 'Is everyone alright?' He asks, handing McGee his gun.
'How did you know that something was wrong?' McGee asks, puzzled.
'Grace kept on pushing the nurse call button. The other nurses know that if she presses it a bunch of times to get me because something might be wrong,' He chuckles. 'What is up with this, Grace. This is the second time someone has tried to do you in.'
'Yeah, well, what can I say. I have pissed alot of people off with my job.' McGee comes over and hugs me. I hug back not wanting to let go og him. I feel safer in his arms at that very moment than I have in a long time.
'It's going to be okay, baby. I promise you that.' McGee whispers into my ear, kissing my cheek and then my forehead as he lets me go and stands up.
'McGee, you are giong to have to stay here with Grace. We are going to have to do this in shifts. I will call Tony as soon as I leave here and have him come and sit with you two. I will post two officers at the door as well. Ziva and I will stay over night so that you two can get some sleep and then we will switch back in the morning.'
'Wait, boss, where are you going?' McGee says, sounding like a little boy who's mom wont let him go out to play.
'Back to headquarters, and taking Mascey here with me. Then to find out if anyone else has it out for my daughter. Is that okay with you, Special Agent McGee?' Gibbs says to McGee in an irritatied yet authoritative voice.
'I was just wondering where you were going, boss. I wasn't implying that you weren't...'
'I know, McGee. I'm sorry that I jumped on you like that.' Gibbs interupts McGee as he tries to apologize.
'She's my wife, remember. I love her to you know. Just as much if not more than you.'
'I know, McGee. I'm sorry. Well, Matt, lets get him cuffed and into my car okay.' Matt takes the cuffs Gibbs is offering him and places Mascey's hands behind his back. Mascey is still unconscious so Matt shakes him and pulls him to his feet.
'Are you two going to be okay?' Matt asks, looking at me with sympathetic eyes.
'I'll...we'll be fine. Just get him out of here okay.' McGee is starring from me to Matt and back.
'Love you, baby. I'll be back as soon as I can okay?' Gibbs kisses my forehead.
'Yeah, dad, I'll be here. Don't worry about me. Just take care of Mascey would you?'
'No problem, baby girl.' Gibbs escorts Mascey out of my room, Matt following closely behind.
McGee sits next to me, looking at me as though he has seen a ghost. 'Grace, can I ask you a serious question without you getting upset at me for it.'
'Anything, Timothy . You know that.' I say, as I reach for his hand in reassurance.
'Do you and Matt have something going on between the two of you?' He asks as he pulls his hand away from mine.
I try to stay calm as I open my mouth to answer him but I close it before I say anything. Tears are beginning to form in my eyes as I finally start to answer his question. 'Timothy, I love you with all my heart and I know that you know that. I shouldn't have to tell you how much I care. You never had to question my love for you or my devotion to you. I wouldn't dream of being with anyone else but you.'
McGee looks at me with tears in his eyes and a look of shame on his face. 'I never should have questioned you on this. I know better than to even think you would ever cheat on me.' He stands up and walks towards the window , looking out over the city.
'Timothy, don't beat yourself up over it. It is human nature to be weary of being cheated on by your partner. We can not help being cautious of that. I will love you no matter what. I don't want you to ever forget that.' I sit up trying to swing my feet off the bed. It takes almost all of my energy to get them over the edge. I sit there trying to gather my strength, stairring at McGee's back. I finally feel like I can stand and so I move to put my feet on the floor.
'Oh hell no you don't.' Tony says as he grabs my wrist to keep me from standing up all the way. McGee turns around and gives me a disapproving look, shaking his head. 'I don't think the doctor or Gibbs would approve of you standing, let alone walking.' Tony says as he lifts my legs back onto the bed and pulls my blankets up to cover them.
'Tony, why do you always show up at the most inconvenient times?' I ask, with a smirk on my face.
'Hey, it may be an inconvenient time for you, but it is extremely convenient for me.'
'Oh, really, is that why the first few times you went to get coffee, Gibbs took it from you?' I laugh at him as he sneers at me.
'No, I had gone to get him coffee. It wasn't for me.'
'Yeah, okay Tony. When he took the coffee from you, this look, kinda like a sad puppy, came to your face and you sulked back to your desk.' McGee and I both laugh at the memory.
'Shut up, McGeek. You weren't even there.' Tony says smuggly.
'Yeah, but both Gibbs and Grace have told me the story more than once, and I also heard it from Kate a few times.' McGee laughs.
'Oh, well isn't that just great. McGeek here is ganging up on me with the rest of my teammates. Just wonderful.'
'First of all Tony, we aren't ganging up on you. We are just telling you the truth. And second, it is not McGeek. It is Tim, Timothy, or McGee.' I say in as stubborn a voice as I can, hopping to get everyone to laugh.
Tony chuckles but McGee is not amuzed. 'You left out probie so now he is going to run around calling me that.' McGee says as he crosses his arms and plopps down into the chair next to my bed.
'Oh, stop being such a child, Probie. You'll never make it as an agent if you don't.' Tony is laughing as McGee sits there starring at him.
'Okay kids, enough is enough.' I say as I reach for McGee's hand. 'You guys are on the same team, remember? So, I propose that you,' I look at Tony with a smile, 'be reffered to as DiNozzo and you,' I look at McGee, 'be referred to as McGee.'
'Well, that's all fine and dandy, but then what are we gong to call you?' Tony says with a grin. 'Is it going to be Mrs. McGee?'
'Ha, ha, very funny, Tony. No, I think that Grace, the bosses daughter, will work.' I say, laughing.
'Yeah rub it in why don't you.' We are all laughing at Tony's comment when Gibbs and Ziva walk in. I am the only one who notices.
'Well, I say that if you get special treatment, I should too.' Tony says.
'Just cause I am Gibbs daughter doesn't mean I get special treatment. Okay maybe I do, but so do you.'
'Oh yeah. What kind of special treatment?'
Gibbs smacks Tony on the back of the head as he walks into the room. 'That kind.' Ziva and I are laughing at the look on Tony's face.
'That isn't funny you know.' Tony says with a pouty look on his face.
'Yeah, actually it is pretty funny, DiNozzo.' Gibbs says, chuckling.
'Yeah, Tony, you should have seen the look on your face.' Ziva laughs as she sits on the foot of my bed.
'Why does the joke always have to be at my expense?' Tony says seriously.
'Oh, Tony, stop being such a baby. You know we are just messing around with you. You don't have to take everything we say so seriously.' I say, trying to get him to buck up a little.
Gibbs walks over and smacks McGee on the back of the head. 'There, DiNozzo. Is that fair enough for you now?' He asks.
'Very funny, boss.' McGee says as he rubbs the back of his head.
'Now that, ' Tony laughs, 'was funny.' He has tears rolling down his face from laughing so hard.
'Oh, I almost forgot, Grace.' Ziva says as she reaches into a purse she is carrying. A very rare accessory for her. 'I got you this for your birthday but I think you should have it now.' Ziva hands me the small wrapped box.
'Ziva, you really shouldn't have. I hate surprises and I hate when people spend money on me. It just doesn't feel right to me to accept things from people.' I say timidly.
'Oh would you just open it already.' Ziva says with a smile.
I gently pull away the pale blue wrapping to find a red velvet box. 'Oh, Ziva...'
'Oh just open it.' Ziva says excitedly as she interupts me.
