NCIS: The New Recruit

Chapter 39

Gibbs, Tony, Ziva, McGee and the others were there within ten minutes of me coughing up the blood droplets. They were all wearing hazmat suits.

"Have... H]have you... caught whoever did this?" I rasped.

"Yes, but we will tell you about it when you get better," Tony said softly.

I gave a short laugh.

"Give them hell from me," I said and Gibbs placed his hand in mine.

"You'll get better," he said.

"Tony survived the thirty-six hours it took... to be inactive... but only just," I breathed, "I'm younger... weaker... I don't have much chance of surviving as long."

"Molly, you've survived everything else," Ziva said.

"You'll make it through this," Tim agreed.

"If you die, I'll kill you," Tony joked, but his eyes were sad and his voice was heavy.

"Just... apologise to Matt for me..." I said, "Tell..."

I paused, feeling a wave of sadness wash over me.

"What would you like us to say, Molly?" Tony asked softly.

"Tell him I love him," I said and I saw Tony lose his composure before regaining it again.

"You can tell him that yourself," Tony said, "He's here."

They all stepped back and Matt walked over to me. He gripped my hand tightly, sitting on the edge of my bed.

"Oh Molly," he was close to tears.

"I'm so sorry, Matt," I said quietly.

"You don't have anything to apologise for," he told me, trying to give me a weak smile, "The person who needs to apologise is whoever did this to you."

"I don't... Want this to be your last memory of me," I sighed, "I want you to remember how it was before."

"Of course I will. But it doesn't matter, because you will make it through this," tears were falling from his eyes, "I love you, Molly."

"Matt... I love you too..."

Suddenly, I couldn't move anymore. If I used every ounce of strength left in my body, I could perhaps lift a finger, but that was it. My vision was hazy and I could only hear the beeping of my heart monitor.

"Molly?" I heard Matt say from what seemed like a mile away, "Agent Gibbs!"

I could hear faint footsteps coming over and the silhouette of someone standing over me. I felt a hand on my face and could hear somebody sigh.

"She'll make it. I know she will," I could hear Tim say.

"Maybe, McGee. Maybe," Gibbs sighed.

"You can't be giving up on her?" I heard Tony raising his voice.

"DiNozzo, you of all people should understand," Gibbs had raised his voice slightly, "I'm not giving up on her. I'm just not saying that she will definitely make it through. She's right, you were almost dead when you were in this room, and she's weaker. She has less chance. Do you think I want to admit it?"

I could hear Tony storm off and another set of footsteps approaching.

"You should probably wait outside. You don't want to be here when..." Dr Ryan trailed off and I heard other footsteps retreating.

"I'm sorry, Molly. I truly am. We still have ten hours to wait... If you were to hold on long enough... Come on, you can make it ten hours." he pleaded with me.

I wanted to reply. I wanted to say I would try, that this isn't what I wanted. But I couldn't. Grief overwhelmed me as I thought of how good my life had been recently. All the bad stuff had been made up for in the past few weeks, I was finally happy. But it wasn't meant to be. I wasn't meant to be.

I could feel myself fading along with any hope I had felt before. I tried to fight it, but it was too much. Pain covered every inch of my body and I suppose I decided it was finally time to give in. Time to accept it. I mustered up enough strength to speak, though my voice was barely a whisper, just about audible.

"I'm sorry," I breathed before my whole world went black.

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Sorry for the shortness! Enjoy!