Title: Failure's Not An Option

Author: Meg

Classification: Drama, Angst, A/U, H/C.

Rating: PG

Spoilers: Bete Noire, quotations from The Curse, Eye Spy, Missing, High Seas, Yankee White.

Summary: Sequel to 'Pyrrhic Defeat. Kate and Tony race to find a smallpox antidote as Gibbs fights for his life.

Disclaimer: If I owned them, Ari would be pushing up daisies right now:)

This story has been modified slightly, but the content is identical. I've just broken it into separate chapters and given each chapter a title.

The elevator opened on the top floor and Kate and Tony stepped out, grimfaced. In an almost eerie unison they walked briskly down the hall, scanned their eyes into the retina scanner, and stepped into the MTAC room.

"Agent Todd, Agent DiNozzo," the Director greeted them.

"Mr. Director," they replied in unison.

"How's Agent Gibbs?"

Kate and Tony exchanged looks. "About as well as can be expected, sir, " Kate replied.

"I spoke with Jethro a few moments ago and he seemed okay, but with him you never can tell." Morrow's voice softened for an instant, then turned brisk again. "We're about to connect with a representative from CDC. Hopefully they will be able to provide us with an antigen."

"What if they can't?" Kate asked. Morrow didn't answer.

The screen clicked on, showing a blond-haired man at his desk. "Hello again, Andy," Morrow said.

"Tom. Is this about Booth again?"

"Yes and no. We found Booth - unfortunately we had no choice but to use lethal force on him. However during the altercation he injected Special Agent Gibbs with smallpox. A blood test confirmed it. We need an antigen, Andy, and we need it fast."

There was a moment of silence before Andy replied, "Tom I'm sorry to tell you this, but smallpox is considered an officially dead disease. I'm not sure we even have any antigen anymore."

"We'll give you Gibbs' blood sample and you can make some," Tony said quickly.

"It's not that simple. It takes time to make an antigen - and that's something we don't have." Andy hesitated. "How sick is he?"

"Right now he's fine," the Director replied.

"The curable form of smallpox isn't always fatal. If your agent has a strong immune system he may recover without the antigen."

"So we just wait and hope Gibbs is one of the lucky ones?" Tony snapped.

"Agent DiNozzo," came the Director's quiet rebuke. "Is there anything you can do?"

"I'll check in our labs and see if we have some of the antigen on hand, but I have to warn you, it isn't likely. I'm sorry, I wish I had better news for you."

"That's okay, Andy, we understand."

"I'll call as soon as I find out." The screen clicked off and the Director turned to Tony.

"The answer to your question is no, you are not going to just sit there until you have talked to each and every organization that has worked with even a molecule of smallpox antigen in the last hundred years." Smiles broke over Kate and Tony's faces. "No agent is dying on my watch, not as lock as there's something we can do to prevent it!"

0

When Kate and Tony got back to their desks they found Abby waiting for them. "When is the antigen arriving?" she asked.

"Um, the CDC needs to call us back," Tony replied. "In the meantime, test everything we bagged and tagged at Booth's. I want to know if he lied about having the antigen."

"Got it." Abby headed in the direction of the lab.

"Guess we should give Gibbs and Ducky a call - let them know what's up," Tony said quietly.

Kate bit her lip. "How much do we say?"

Tony sighed. "You know Gibbs and honesty." Kate nodded. Tony took a deep breath and punched the phone keys to dial Gibbs' hospital room, making sure to conference Kate in.

0

Gibbs was pacing in his room when the phone rang. Immediately he was across the room. "Gibbs."

"Boss, it's us. We just video-conferenced with CDC, but they're going to have to call us back. I also asked Abby to double-check the stuff we bagged and tagged in Booth's apartment, just in case he lied."

"Okay, sounds good."

Tony swallowed hard. "Boss, we're going to beat this."

"DiNozzo, do I sound worried to you?"

"No."

"I'll talk to you later." Gibbs hung up the phone, then dialed the hall phone Ducky was sitting beside. "DiNozzo just called."

"What did he say?"

"They're waiting to hear back from CDC and Abby's testing the stuff from Booth's place in the meantime."

"What didn't he say?"

"That's what I'd like to know.

0

"You didn't tell him what all the CDC guy said," Kate said softly.

Tony smiled slightly. "Neither did you."

Kate bit her lip. "Couldn't."

Tony nodded in understanding. "Me either."

0

It was a half hour later when the sound of footsteps by their desks caused both Kate and Tony to look up. It was Director Morrow, and he looked serious. "CDC just called to confirm. They have no antigen."