NCIS Short Stories

I Can't Remember (Part 2)

                 

"I will have a statement on your desk by tomorrow morning," I say.

"No need," he says. His phone rings, "Let me take this." He walks away.

---------McGee's POV---------

Gibbs is hurt. The occasion is rare. So rare I've only seen it happen a time or two. And that was when he was forced to go. People want to think when they see this older guy working for NCIS that he is just there. Not Gibbs. Gibbs has always and will always continue to be the load-bearing link. He won't accept anything else. That's what he expects of us, to be the same thing, the strong ones who will take his place when he is gone. And honestly, what could kill Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs?

I arrive at the hospital.

Apparently this is trying to. Only Abby, Vance, and Ducky have been allowed in the back, but they can't see Gibbs. Tony and Bishop sit silently next to me. We all stare at the floor, wondering what's going on back there. Bishop pulls out her computer and starts typing.

"Whacha looking at, Ellie," DiNozzo questions her. He never calls her Ellie.

She shakes her head, "Nothing. Just trying to keep my mind occupied."

I then realize how tired Tony looks, "You should go home and get some rest." I say to him.

"Not a chance, Timmy," he says back in a quick manor. He never calls me Timmy either.

"Is something wrong," I ask him.

"Gibbs isn't weak," he says shakes his head.

"We know," Bishop says, "He's not going to die Tony."

"I know," he says, "But you didn't see him. He looked...hurt in that ambulance. I've only seen Gibbs like that once."

"When was that," Bishop asks.

"He was caught in an explosion on a ship," Tony starts, "He was in a coma he didn't want to get out of. When he woke up he had lost fifteen years of his life."

"I remember that," I say, "He didn't think his wife and kid were dead. He kept hopping they would come and see him. It nearly killed him when he was told they had both died in a car crash murder years ago."

Bishop falls silent and looks down at the floor. Abby walks out of the back with Ducky and Vance.

"They cleared him for visitation starting tomorrow at 9AM," Vance says, "You have enough time to go home and clean up."

"With all due respect, Director, I'll stay here," Bishop says.

"That wasn't a suggestion," he says as he walks out he door.

We all stand up and start walking out the door and walk to our cars.

I see the NCIS Medical Van drive away. I go home and crash on the couch and fall asleep.

---------DiNozzo's POV---------

I left, on accord of Vance's will. I'm exhausted, but I can't sleep. I take a shower, and put a new set of clothes on. It was about 5AM when I left, and now it is 7. I have about and hour and a half to wait. I sit on the couch and turn the TV on. News, news, and more news. All of it is blurry really, all I can think of is Gibbs.

---------Bishop's POV---------

I don't go home, I sit in the parking lot and catch a few zs. When I wake up it is 8:30. I get out of my car and walk to the doors. I sit until Tony walks in about 15 minutes later. He takes seat next to me.

"You look like crap," I say to him.

"So do you," he says wearily. I pat my hair down. McGee walks in. He doesn't look to hot either.

"Probie," Tony says.

"I'm not a probie anymore," he says.

"You are in my eyes," he replies back with a smile. You can tell he, as always, is trying to make us cheer up, when he isn't cheerful himself.

---------Third Person POV--------

Once DiNozzo has left the doctors with Gibbs, they rush him to the ER. He is quickly given multiple IV's filled with multiple medications, including morphine. He is then put in surgery, to remove the shrapnel from his head. It takes about an hour, and he is losing massive amounts of blood. They order six more pints of o-neg. The room is spastic. The surgery continues, until it is about 4AM. Gibbs is expected to make a recovery, but he might still have minor brain damage. One of the doctors takes Gibbs to the recovery room to be monitored for at least 4 to 5 hours. Then he will be released for short visitation, to see if he will wake up from voices of family and friends. Time passes slowly for the doctors, who constantly check on Gibbs. At approximately 0847 he is released to a normal room, and his co-workers can see him. But before they can, the doctor, Dr. Patel, preps them for what they will see.

"He suffered slight brain bleed," she starts, "It was minor, not enough to do much damage. He will most likely not remember the trauma, or it will be a little blurry to him. You are only allowed to go in a few at a time. Any questions?" No one says anything. "Ok, maximum number is three at a time so I suggest you start choosing."

When he walks away Vance's phone beeps.

"Emergency in MTAC," he sighs, "I need Bishop and McGee to come with me."

"But Director-," McGee and Bishop start.

"No questions, you can come and see Gibbs later. You three," he gestures to Ducky, Abby, and DiNozzo, "Stay here." McGee and Bishop give a grunt of protest, and follow Vance.

The others walk into Gibbs room.