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All hands on deck

(What is it that people say? ‘You make it through the war and come home and get killed crossing the street.’)

Chapter 7            The rescue and aftercare

With the information provided by Mr. Abramson the team discover the whereabouts of their friends and rescue them.  What they find at the rescue site will stay with them for a long time to come.  The man responsible for all of this was Simon Proctor.  Simon Proctor was a renowned chemist and had patents on several different drugs that have been quite usual in daily living.  He worked for Armistead Pharmaceuticals for over thirty years.  He was fifty years old.  His wife left him when he became consumed with revenge after his firing a year ago.  We say ‘was’ because Simon Proctor is now dead.

When the FBI and NCIS converge on the South Carolina property where Mr. Proctor and his cohorts hold the Armisteads and the Gibbses they capture all of the persons involved in the abductions.  The CIA is excluded from involvement on national soil. 

Unfortunately things had taken a turn for the worse for Jethro and Margie as Simon Proctor changed his mind about releasing them and instead decided to starve them.  By the time the rescue occurred they had not had food for a week and he had drugged them with something to hasten their demise.  They were rushed to the hospital and the staff administered something to counteract the drug.  They stabilized them and the authorities then airlifted them to Bethesda.

When FBI apprehends Simon Proctor they allow Daniel Armistead the opportunity to confront him.  It was the least that they could do because by the time of their arrival it was too late for Mrs. Armistead.  She died soon after their arrival.  Daniel Armistead was so distraught that he grabbed a gun from a nearby FBI agent and shot Simon Proctor and did not stop shooting until the gun clip was empty.  Of course they had to arrest Mr. Armistead but they knew that no jury in its right mind would convict him.  It was a sad ending all around.  The men who assisted Proctor were arrested and transported to the designated facility to await trial for accessory to murder and kidnapping.  The NCIS team leaves the FBI to handle the rest and return to DC to check on their friends.

/

Things are not looking good for Jethro and Margie.  Upon word of the rescue Director Vance contacts SecNav and the McGregors.  They all express relief at the rescue but concern for the physical health of the Gibbses.  Leon then notifies the remaining NCIS staff of the rescue.  The staff persons express their joy of the news of the rescue and prayed for their quick return to good health.

Leon then goes to the hospital to await their arrival.  Drs. Mallard, Palmer and Confalone, Abby, Fornell and DiNozzo join him in the waiting room.  The McGregors and Lydia Neumann arrive shortly after Jethro and Margie are brought into the hospital.  Although stable the doctors put them in ICU under constant observation.  They continue the anecdote to the drug used and have them on intravenous feeding lines.  They are in adjacent rooms.

Their family and friends gather in the waiting room.  The McGregors leave the twins in the care of Nancy Cavanaugh.  She volunteers to watch them.  She wants to be there to comfort them. She is studying to be a pediatrician and she loves children but Richard and Nicole hold a special place in her heart just as Mrs. Gibbs holds a special place in her grandmother’s heart.  Mrs. Gibbs is her grandmother’s best friend and more than that she’s like a sister to her grandmother.  Nancy has known Mrs. Gibbs forever so she’s family to her so the twins are family to her too.

/

McGee and the team return to DC and to straight to the hospital. They meet up in the ICU waiting room and get the latest on the Gibbses.  The doctors come in to let them know that it will be a while before they regain consciousness so everyone should go home.  Not wanting to leave without seeing their loved ones the doctor does allow the McGregors to see their daughter and son-in-law.  The McGregors bring Lydia with them to see Alexis.  Thomas holds Amanda’s hand as they enter the room where Alexis lies immobile but breathing.  They touch her hand and kiss her forehead and leave.  Lydia just stands near the door looking on at her best friend feeling sad that her friend is in pain and all the while praying that Margie will get better.  Upon entering Jethro’s room they notice the bruise on his chin.  They too touch his hand and kiss his forehead and leave all the time whispering prayers for both of them to recover.  Lydia stands at his door too and looks on. Knowing that Jethro’s friends need to see him to reassure each of them that he yet lives, Thomas convinces the doctors to allow them a moment with him.  They all squeeze into his room to see with their own eyes that he is indeed still with them.  They don’t touch him but just seeing him gives them a sense of peace and they know that he will survive and return to them.  

Everyone leaves the hospital and return to their homes or office. The NCIS rescue team return to the office to write up their case.  Director Vance returns with them to make certain that this case is put to rest.  The FBI will handle the prosecution but they will need copies of the NCIS reports, which they are more than happy to provide.  Once completed the NCIS team heads to their individual homes relieved that their friends are safe.  

Upon returning to his hotel room Tony makes the call.  She answers,

“Is he all right?”

“He’s in the hospital but the prognosis is good.  They got there in time.  How are you and Tali?”

“We miss you.”

“I miss you too.  You know that it would probably help his recovery to know about you.”

“I don’t know Tony.  We’ve kept it secret all of this time do you think that he would really forgive us for not telling him?”

“He will understand.  All those players are now eliminated.  There remains no threat neither individually nor generational.”

“Not now. Let him recover.  We don’t want to give him a heart attack after all he has endured.”

“All right I understand.  Once he gets out of the hospital I’ll come home.  It’s late and I know you’ve had a full day.  Kiss Tali for me.  I love you.”

“I love you too Tony, I always have.”

/

Some time during the night Jethro awakes and notices that he’s in a hospital.  He rings for the nurse.  He comes in and checks his vitals.

“How can I help you Mr. Gibbs?”

“Where is my wife?”

“She’s right next door Sir?”

“Can you move her in here with me.  I need her here.”

“This room isn’t built for two beds but let me check with the doctor.  I’m sure that an exception can be made.”

The nurse returns to the duty station and contacts the doctor on duty.  He approves the bed move.  The orderlies move Margie’s bed into the room where Jethro is.  They put her close enough that he can touch her hand.  The nurse checks Margie’s vitals and writes a notation in her chart and then leaves.  Jethro takes Margie’s hand.

“Alexis we’re safe now.  Can you hear me? Alexis we’re safe.  You can wake up now.”

Nothing happens.  No response.  She doesn’t move, she doesn’t squeeze his hand, nothing happens.  Jethro tries again.

“Alexis Gibbs we are safe now.  I love you and I need you.  You can wake up now.”

Still nothing happens.  He whispers a prayer and tries again.

“Margie, baby we’re safe now.  Come back to me.  I need you.”

He waits for a response.  He wonders if she is too drugged to hear him.  She has to come back to him.  He doesn’t know the extent of her damages he just knows that he needs her.  The wait for a response seems interminable and he begins to panic, then he feels it, a slight pressure on his finger.

“Margie do you hear me?  I’m here baby we’re safe.”

He looks at her but sees no change on her face but he feels her squeeze his hand and then it stops.  Her hand goes limp but he’s not discouraged.  She must have used up all of her energy just to squeeze his hand, just to assure him that she hears him.  He watches the monitors and sees that her heart still beats and looks at her chest and see that it still rises and falls.  She’s still alive.  She’s still with him.  He settles his head on his pillow and continues to look at her until the medicine takes over and he falls asleep.

The doctor comes in later in the night to check on them and notices that they are holding hands but she is the one holding his hand and his hand hangs limp in hers.  The doctor smiles at seeing this.  He knows these two will make it through recovery.  They are strong.

A/N: Jethro and Margie once again survive a harrowing and life-threatening situation.  They went away for a mini-vacation and ended up in the fight of their lives.

Thnx to all of you who read any of my stories, all who left comments/reviews, all who added my stories as your favorites list, etc.  Special thnx to DS2010, Blessed Soul, that.d***.pebbles, Tre and Sarah Anonymous.  Your support encouraged me to continue writing and I am most grateful to you for that.