Prelude to Rules

By: Trivette Lover Heather

AN: By request. Enjoy.

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"Will you get up McGee?" He lifted his friend up who had just tripped over himself.

Gibbs giving them a stare that could kill.

"Sorry Boss." He dusted himself off quickly as Tony shook his head at the Probie.

"Move!" Gibbs pointed in two different directions, and his Agents followed as their leader took point. "DiNozzo cover the left…DiNozzo?!" He turned back to see the man they had been there to apprehend, holding his senior agent in his grasp, a silver pistol clenched into Tony's forehead.

Gibbs turned around quickly and started to take a few steps towards Tony, McGee and Ziva following closely behind.

"Put 'em down Gibbs…you know how this works…"

Gibbs nodded at his team, and they did what the always did, followed his lead.

Tony looked at his friends, with more terror than they'd ever seen him express. Gibbs met his Agents eyes and without a word tried to assure he would do everything he could…

Gibbs patted his hands on his own chest. "Take me damnit."

"Tempting…"

"Me!" Both McGee and Ziva hollered in unison, this causing Gibbs to turn back and stare relentlessly.

"Wow, such loyalty, which is going to make this even more enjoyable!" He pressed the muzzle further into Tony's temple. "On your knees cop." And Tony did just that.

Gibbs put his hand up.

"You don't want to do this Peterson…" He offered as he attempted to take a few steps closer.

"Oh but I do…"

As the shot rang out, it echoed. Each of them dove for their weapons as the assailant ran, the grin on his face permanently etched in Gibb's mind.

"Tony!!"

"No!!"

"DiNozzo!!!" Gibbs stopped for a moment at his Agents side, blood pouring onto the pavement, and now soaking into Gibb's pants. He watched as the shooter ran onto a nearby ship.

Ziva knelt down only for a second, then shot right back up and stormed a few feet away, kicking the tiny rocks on the ground. McGee stood by and said nothing.

"McGee…make the call…give them an exact location on Tony's body, we are going to have to leave it." Gibbs ordered and with only some hesitation, McGee did just that.

"Move!" Gibbs pointed to where he knew the man was. "Let's get the bastard."

And so they did. Each of them. And it was over.

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