PART 3.



"Anytime man. Now go, hurry up." Tony told him causing McGee to scurry away. He still smiled at the power he had over the former ‘probie.' Tony went back into Abby's room to join the remainder of his team. As he entered the room he saw Kate sitting in the chair by Abby's bed. As soon as he entered the room Kate got up and started to pace the room. She wanted to know what was happening but couldn't ask him in the room in front of Abby. Tony noticed this so he decided to come up with a way to get her out of the room.

"Kate, why don't you go get yourself something to eat at the cafeteria?" Tony said hinting at something else that Kate got instantly. Kate mouthed her thank you to Tony as she left the room and made a dash to the elevator. A she reached the ICU she asked where she could find Gwen. As she entered the room her heart broke, not only at the sight of the little girl they all adored but also at the always intimidating ex-marine grasping her hand, himself looking so vulnerable. She stood there silently yet he still knew that she was there.

"Kate, how is Abby doing?" Gibbs asked keeping a tight grip on Gwen's hand.

"Perfect. She had a nap and now she's back to her usual, effervescent, cheerful Abby." Kate said quietly as not to disturb Gwen despite the loud machines surrounding her.

"How could she be acting normal? Unless…she doesn't know about Gwen." Gibbs said putting all the pieces together in his mind.

"No, she doesn't. McGee wanted to tell her and will when he gets back from getting her something to eat." Kate explained as she approached the bed. Tears started to well up in her eyes again as she looked at the bed at the little girl. Gibbs stood letting go of Gwen's hand that had looked especially tiny in his large calloused hand. He caught Kate as she was collapsing to the ground overwhelmed with grief at once. Gibbs stood and held Kate as she went through a range of emotions from heartbreak from Gwen and anger at Ari, then relief that her best friend was alright, then strength at thinking about how she would have to help her friend would deal with Gwen being in ICU.

"Are you the patients parents." The doctor looking casually at the file missing the flash of anger that registered in Gibbs' face.

"Her name is Gwen and no! What do you have to say?!" Gibbs blurted trying to keep his anger from pouring out of him and injuring this doctor that had desensitized himself to his work.

"Well I can't give out information to anyone other than family." The doctor stated angering Gibbs even more not aware of the importance of every word contributing to his own safety.

"Gwen's mother is in recovery upstairs and her father is attending to her. Now tell me what is going on or you're gonna need a doctor!" Gibbs said getting closer to the doctor finally registering an emotion on his face. Fear.

"Very well…Gwen is stable enough to be taken off the life support machines but we need a signature on these papers from a parent before we can do that. Procedure." The doctor said maintaining his composure once again.

"Okay, you'll have to wait until Gwen's father gets back." Gibbs sounding more like he was talking to one of team than a doctor he shouldn't have authority over.

"What's Gwen's mother‘s name?" The doctor asked flipping through the file not finding the information he needed.

"Abigail Sciuto, but why do you want to know that?" Gibbs asked with absolutely no patience with this man.

"I'll need to organize papers to go to her room so she can sign them." The doc replied making a note on his file and turning to exit the room.

"NO!" Gibbs yelled freezing the doctor in his spot.

"She can't find about Gwen by a guy like you. Her husband is going to tell her when he feels it the right moment." Gibbs said ending with a lowering of his tone as Gwen made a slight movement.

"Excuse me?" The inquired looking rather confused considering his educated background.

"She doesn't know that Gwen has been shot yet. God help you when she does if you keep this up. Abby was shot and Gwen was kidnapped. We found her but she had been shot too." Gibbs calmly explained. The doctor became flustered at this point.

"We have to call the police if there is a kidnapping involved. That's procedure too." The doctor once again trying to exit the room to no avail as Gibbs grabbed his arm and pulled him back into the center of the room.

"We are quite aware of procedure." Gibbs stated as he pulled his badge out of his pocket and motioned to Kate to do the same.

"We've got this covered." Kate told him so calm it was almost hard to hear her.

"I'll come back when…Mr. McGee is back." The doctor read off the file then quickly scurried out of the room.

"Kate, go update Tony on the progress and find out if McGee is back yet and if he isn't call his cell. Something, just get his ass back here." Gibbs ordered as Kate left Gwen's side to follow up on the tasks Gibbs wanted done and keep him reasonably calm.

"On it."



As Kate returned to Abby's room, Tony was trying to convince Abby to name the baby Tony no matter the sex.

"Wonder what's taking McGee so long." Kate said as a pause finally came in the conversion.

"True, I'm starting to feel nauseous again." Abby added.

"Morning sickness?" Kate asked trying to avoid her friend's eyes.

"More like morning, noon and night sickness." Abby answered as she moved her hand to her still flat stomach. "Is Gwen still with Gibbs? And did they finish checking her for anything wrong?" Abby asked not really worried trusting that her fiends and husband would tell her if something was wrong.

"Yeah...she's still with Gibbs." Tony said avoiding the question he didn't want to and couldn't answer.

"Is she okay?" Abby repeated trying to real answer noticing dead silence in the room and change in Tony's demeanor. At that moment Tony decided to tell her the truth and sat down on the seat next to the bed to do so.

"I'm back." McGee announced as he entered the room with a smile on his face trying to disguise the fact that he'd been crying. He tried to offer the food to Abby but she was fixated on Tony and pushed the bag away without breaking her gaze. McGee was confused yet he had an idea of what was going on.

"Tell me now!" Abby demanded of Tony, anger showing in her green-blue eyes. An emotion no one else had seen, or at least not this bad. Tony just looked up at McGee then looked back down burying his face in his hands.

"She's got to know about Gwen." Tony said from the darkness of his escape, to McGee. He nodded in agreement even though Tony didn't see it. Abby started to cry in response to the flood of worry that washed over her at the thought of her baby girl being injured.

"Someone better tell me now!" Abby yelled hysterically.













PART 4.

"Alright, but don't freak out cos she's fine now. Gwen was shot but is now stable in ICU. She doesn't even need the life support machine anymore." McGee explained trying to smile and make it seem like better news than it was.

"What?!" Abby yelled trying to get up from her bed. "My daughter is in the ICU and was on life support and no one tells me?" She continues to get out of bed removing the IV painfully from her arm.

"Abby, she's fine. You need to get back to bed." McGee tried to no avail. Abby wasn't listening as she pushed past him to get her clothes. She threw them on so fast that no one was able to stop her before she got out the door. She was so pissed at McGee that she every plea he made after her was ignored. Abby entered the elevator and turned back one last time to see her husband trying to catch up before the doors shut, once again failing. After what felt like the longest elevator trip Abby had experienced she had reached ICU. Bolting out to the desk she nearly run down two other people.

"Gwen McGee, what room is she in?" Abby asked as calmly as she could muster.

"Sorry, visiting hours are over." The nurse replied without looking up from her computer.

"I'm her mother and I will find her with or without your help. It might be a lot easier if you just get me the number." Abby yelled louder than intended but called for considering the circumstance. She had begun with such a small amount of patience and this woman had used it up fast. Finally the nurse took her attention off her computer and saw the distraught mother in front of her.

"Sorry, I usually remember the parents of our patients. I'll just get that number for you." The nurse said quickly turning to the computer once again, only this time with a purpose. She stopped when she paused to think. "What was the name again, sorry?"

"Gwen McGee." Abby replied almost as if she were describing the name for a child. She moved her hand to her arm which was starting to throb again this time without painkillers to alleviate the pain.

"Abby!" Came a familiar voice from behind her scaring her as it had done many times in the past.

"Gibbs, where's Gwen? How is she?" Abby forced out as she collapsed into his strong embrace. This very action caused a wave of pain and nausea. Abby quickly forced herself out of his arms and ran to the nearest bin to empty the contents of her stomach in the presence of many disgusted waiting room loiterers. Gibbs approached her and held her hair as she cried into the bin. She slowly began to straighten up and Gibbs held onto her and walked her slowly to Gwen's room.

"Gwen is just fine, unlike her mother right now. She will wake up at any moment. By the way, what are you doing out of bed?" Gibbs asked as they reached the door to Gwen's room.

"McGee just told me now. They have all been lying to me this whole time. Making me think there is nothing wrong and relax." Abby said as angrily as she could without passing out in Gibbs' arms. Tears poured from her eyes as she entered the room and she saw her baby girl lying looking so peaceful, as she did in her bed at home.

"We have to get that bastard that did this." Abby almost whispered but still managing to fill her voice with as much pain and hatred as she felt.

"We will. I promise you that." Gibbs said standing next to Abby still worried about her green appearance and almost certainty of getting sick again. He put a hand on her shoulder to both comfort her and support her shaky stance. He wanted to smile when she put her hand on his.

Gwen started to stir but didn't wake up. Abby sat down in one of chairs as she was obviously going to get up soon.

"How are you feeling?" Gibbs asked Abby as he took the seat next to Abby's.

"I'm trying not to think about it. I'm numb waiting for her to wake up but feeling so much pain and nausea right now." Abby replied honestly not able to lie to this man.

"She'll be awake soon. Maybe until then you should lie down." Gibbs suggested knowing what reaction to expect.

"Not going to happen and you know it. I'll be just fine when I have my girl back." Abby answered simply.

"I know. But why don't you lean on my shoulder and try to relax until she waked up. That way you'll be here when she does." Gibbs tried again moving his chair closer to Abby's.

"Okay fine, but I have to sit on the other side of you otherwise I will kill my shoulder." Abby said starting to get up.

"Oh yeah." Gibbs remembered and sat in the chair that Abby previously occupied and waited for her to sit. He removed his jacket and pulled it around her careful not to hurt her. She was asleep before she even noticed. He maneuvered himself so he could remove his cell from his pocket, and dialed DiNozzo's number.

"Yeah, Boss?" Tony asked.

"Where the hell are you all?" Gibbs said still managing to sound completely intimidating even at a near whisper.

"Outside the room, Boss. They wont let us in cos it's not visiting hours. McGee could but he doesn't want to upset Abby again." Tony answered more casually than Gibbs felt was appropriate.

"I'll call you again when I have something." Gibbs informed him and closed the phone.



PART 5.



"Mommy?" Gwen asked not yet able to open her eyes but simply instinctively requesting her mother.

"I'm here, baby." Abby replied instantly snapped out of her slumber by the tender voice of the three year old. Abby got up from the chair and approached the bed to hug her daughter. The girl was so happy to have her mother back. Gibbs wanted them to have this moment so he left the room to find the rest of his team. As he spotted them seated in the waiting area he became aware of the unfamiliarity of the defeated looking group of people.

"McGee, get in there. Gwen's awake. And Abby wants you to leave, you had better." Gibbs ordered and he nearly flew out of his seat and into the room. As he entered the room the image in front of him filled his heart. Abby was sitting on Gwen's bed with Gwen in her arms leaning into her good shoulder.

"Daddy!" Gwen yelled as she opened her eyes and spotted McGee over her mother's shoulder.

"Princess, how you feeling?" McGee asked as he slowly made his way toward the bed.

"Tired." Gwen replied rubbing her eyes with her free hand and leaning back onto Abby's chest.

"Why don't you have another nap then, Sweets." Abby told her lying her back down and fixing her blankets the same as she did at home.

"Okay, but lie down with me Mommy." Gwen pleaded starting to sit up.

"Sure, baby." Abby said going to the side of the bed she could lie on without causing more pain.

McGee left the room so they could fall asleep and was going to go back in when they were both off. He wanted to be there when they woke up.

"What are you doing out here?" Gibbs asked from his position in the waiting area. He certainly didn't expect Abby to kick him out of the room so quickly.

"They are trying to go back to sleep. They are both so unwell. I'll go back in when I'm sure they are both asleep." McGee explained taking a seat between Kate and Tony.





PART 6.



"Abby." McGee said as she entered the waiting area. He approached her apprehensively unsure of whether or not she was still mad at him Abby closed the distance between them as she wrapped her arms around his waist causing him to put his arms around her.

"It's okay. Gwen is fine. The doctor said we'd be able to take her home any day now." McGee tried. Abby pulled herself out of his arms.

"No, she's not fine. She woke up three times during that nap calling for me. Three times." Abby said trying not to get too emotional again.

"Abs, we got him. Ari is dead."



THE END



Sequel: Possibly.