Keep Your Friends Close - What If

Chapter 5

Gibbs was working on his boat when Abby called him.

'Hey Abbs'. 'Hey Gibbs, were you sleeping?'

'No.'

'Well, 'cause I continued to work because Hicks has to pay, and I found something'.

'Ok, call the others. See you there'.

'Must I call Bishop too?'

'No, let her sleep. She needs it'.

Torres woke up hearing his phone, worried to not wake Bishop. 'Yes,' he said whispering.

'Nick, I have some news. It's about Hicks'.

'Ok, see you there'.

'Why are you whispering?'

'Bishop is sleeping'.

But she wasn't.

She heard Nick talking and she woke up after he exited.

She went into the kitchen, she wanted a glass of milk. Then she took her phone, went to the contacts, selected Nick's number, but eventually, she didn't call. She knew that all the team has been called and she didn't want to bother them.

'Abby, what do you have?' Reeves asked entering the lab.

'Well, there aren't cameras near the warehouse, so I checked the closest cameras I could found. Meanwhile, I started to look for Hicks' car. I couldn't find it, but I found this car on the videos. The time matches with Bishop's kidnapping'.

'Hicks' Gibbs stated, looking at the footage.

'Exactly' Abby said. 'And did you follow it?' Torres asked. 'Of course Nick. And I have an address. It's a motel, and when he arrived a certain George Hunt took a room. Check your phones, and catch that bastard!'

'Copy that, boss!' McGee replied to Abby.

They got the address sent by Abby. They entered and showed their ID at the reception asking for Hicks' room.

'Torres, McGee, go!'

They nodded, as one of them took the stairs and the other one took the elevator.

They met each other on the 4th floor and they went silently to Hicks' room.

Torres showed Tim his fingers: '3, 2, 1...'. 'NCIS!' they shouted simultaneously.

Hicks was trying to exit through the window, but when he was out he couldn't find somewhere to put his feet and he grabbed a tubing.

'It's over, Hicks' Torres said. 'Maybe for me, but not for your colleague. Where's Gibbs? I want to see his face'.

'Well, you're seeing mine'. 'I'm here. - Gibbs said from the ground, next to Reeves - I'm sorry that you can't look at me in the eyes'. 'Oh, I'd die for that!'.

'We won't miss it' Torres stated.

'Aren't you going to save me?' Hicks asked.

'Uhm, no. - Torres answered - McGee, what do you say?'

'I agree with you'. 'You can't leave me here, you HAVE to save me'.

'We can wait, I'd die for that!' Torres said.

But McGee was looking at Hicks. 'Hey, you. - Hicks said to McGee - You wanna save me'.

'What?!' Torres asked his partner. 'Nick, we can't leave him there'.

'Of course, we can'.

'Let me save him' McGee said.

Torres shook his head, while his teammate was getting closer to the window.

'Grab my hand' Tim said.

'What? Are you crazy? If I leave this tubing I'll fall' Hicks said.

'Trust me, you can do it'. They look at each other for a few seconds.

Tim handed his hand, but when Hicks handed his one, McGee stepped back letting him fall.

Torres stared at him. 'W-wait, didn't you want to help him?' he asked surprised.

'After what he did to Bishop? Not even for a second'.

They got Reeves and Gibbs.

'McGee' Gibbs said. 'Boss, I did what I had to do.' 'I know'. McGee nodded.

'Let's go home, man' Clayton said.

Ellie was sobbing, sat on the floor of the bullpen with her legs crossed when the team came back. 'Bishop' Torres said seeing her.

'I didn't sleep and I didn't know where to go, so I came here'.

'It's ok' Gibbs said.

He got close to her, handing his hand; she grabbed it and she got up.

'We did it, Bishop'. She seemed confused and happy at the same time.

'Thanks' she replied, hugging Gibbs.

'You mustn't thank me; McGee is the hero'.

'Yeah, he was amazing' Torres added, putting an arm behind him. She smiled towards McGee and he smiled back at her.

'Thanks Tim' she said hugging him and putting her head onto his chest.