A/N: Over on the NFA, we held an auction to raise money for Haiti. I wrote (and will be writing) a number of short fics as part of the auction. That means I didn't pick the subject matter. I'll be doing oneshots dealing with characters I don't usually write...like this story. It's a short tag of sorts to Grace Period, featuring Paula thinking about Tony.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of NCIS, real or fictional. I am not making money off these stories. Any recognizable dialogue belongs to DPB.

All in a Moment
by Enthusiastic Fish

"It's not so simple."

"You know, Tony, it's a cliche but it's true. Life's too short not to tell someone you love them, if you do. ...and you do."

Paula stood still, wishing that she didn't have to be here, wishing that there was something she could do. Tony walked in front of her and gratefully, she seized on the thoughts of his confession of love. ...but not her, not now. She almost could smile as she remembered what had gone down between them over the years. They had started awkwardly and ended awkwardly. ...and now, she was urging him to do the thing she'd never had the courage to do herself. Life was too short. It was never long enough.

The chaos erupted around them and then...

"Behind you!"

Paula spun around at Tony's voice and stared at Malik. The world slowed down, came to a halt, and Paula was conscious of every person in the room, everyone who would die if the bomb Malik had strapped to his chest went off.

All of them...and yet, it was Tony her mind went to again. Jim and Rick were gone, separated from those they loved, those who had loved them. What did she have? Nothing now. ...but she could save Tony, save him for the one he loved, perhaps give him the chance to express his love as she never had. Tony had changed, for the better. He had matured and the attraction she had felt before could easily have become love for the man he'd become.

How melodramatic, I'm going to die for love, Paula thought.

But it wouldn't even be for her own love, not really. What it was really going to be was for Tony's love. ...but that was enough. Real love didn't even ask to be requited. It didn't ask for anything. It was about giving, not about taking away. She hoped that Tony would see what she did for what it was: a gift. Because that's what it was. She knew that if she waited another second, Tony would try and do what she was going to do...or Gibbs would do what she was about to do. She couldn't let that happen. She couldn't let someone else make the sacrifice she needed to make, the only way she could do penance for letting her team die, be separated from their families. Her penance was to keep all these people from suffering the same fate. She would let Tony tell Jeanne that he loved her.

The moment that had lasted so long suddenly ended and Paula ran at top speed, not thinking of anything other than getting to Malik before he triggered the explosives. She jumped, knocked him to the floor...through the secret door. She'd forced him back far enough. As the door swung closed behind her, she thought she could hear Tony.

"Paula!"

If only there was more time, but there wasn't. Time was swiftly running out, running to a final close. She would die alone. ...but no.

As she reached out in vain for the detonator, Paula looked up and saw Rick and Jim standing over her...waiting, waiting for her to join them. Malik's voice shouting faded to nothing as she stared.

If she had to die...dying for love wasn't so bad.

"Life's too short not to tell someone you love them."

She closed her eyes and thought of Tony one last time.

I love you, Tony.

She didn't feel a thing.

FINIS!