𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐕𝐄 ━━ 𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐳𝐳𝐨

FORTY THREE | kelly

"I have good news."

Director Jenny Shepard stands before us, a small smile gracing her lips.

"Gibbs has regained consciousness."

Abby jumps for joy and wraps her arms around McGee's shoulders. Ziva nods her head, a determined expression on her face. Tony and I share a look, our lips curving up gently as we sigh in relief.

"However, there's also a problem." She continues. "He has some memory loss."

"Retrogressive amnesia is totally normal after severe trauma." Abby keeps her hopes up.

"Happens every time boss smacks me on the back of the head." Tony shrugs his shoulders, to which I gently tap his head. "See? Happened again."

McGee joins in. "Well, you know, I had amnesia after my car crash."

"Your bumper car get T-boned in Legoland, probie?"

"No, Tony. I told you about when I totaled my Camaro when I was sixteen. That day is still a blank to me."

"Well, Gibbs' blank is the last fifteen years." She cuts in. "To him, it's 1991, and he's a Marine gunny sergeant wounded in Desert Storm."

Ziva frowns lightly. "He doesn't know he's an NCIS agent?"

"He didn't recognize Ducky."

"Wait. If he doesn't remember who Ducky is. . .he'll never remember us."

"I'm sure it's a temporary condition." She assures with a firm nod. "But for now, we have an Abu Sayyaf terrorist to apprehend. You're dismissed."

Tears prick my eyes as I shrug my jacket off. Before anyone can say another word, I run off to the women's restroom. A pair of footsteps follow, stopping me from locking the door.

"Eva. . ." Ziva's broken voice speaks from the other side, forcing me to let her in. "You cannot keep shutting the rest of us out."

My hands wrap around my throat as I choke out a few sobs. "It. . .It should have. . .should have been. . .me."

As my legs give up, Ziva is quick to catch me. She holds me against her as I cry out painfully, wanting nothing more than for all of this to end.

Who knows how long has passed before we return to the bullpen with the others. Every so often, Ziva looks in my direction as though to make sure I wouldn't drop to the floor sobbing again.

Tony paces up and down the bullpen, remote to the plasma screen in his hand.

"Abby, I want a reenactment of the explosion, okay?" He stops beside her. "Using crime scene photos, measurements, Ducky's —"

"Ducky's autopsy findings. I know how to do a computer reenactment, Tony." She cuts him off.

He moves onto Ziva next. "Ziva, what'd you get out of the cook, uh. . .what's his name again?"

"Alon Atu. From the same Filipino village in Basilan as Pinpin." She stands up. "He's hardcore Abu Sayyaf. He won't talk unless —"

"No torture. Just try."

"Fine. But you're tying my feet."

"Hands."

Tony looks towards me, and I know exactly what he wants me to do.

"Yeah, yeah." I roll my eyes. "I'll make sure she doesn't resort to torture."

I grab my bag and rush behind the liaison officer before she can leave. Catching on, she slows her pace.