Title: Crush (8)

Author: GataChica

Rating: FR15 for language and sex

Spoilers: None.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to NCIS. The characters are not meant to resemble anyone living or dead. No copyright infringement is intended.

McGee watched the lines of code flow by, trying to keep his mind focused on the task before him. The longer he worked the better he felt, as he began to forget about Tony and Abby for the moment. He knew he had an important part to play in the race against the terrorists.

It was nice seeing Dr. Prescott – Vanessa – again, he thought. In college he had quite a 'thing' for her; thank goodness she knew how to let him down easily, or his senior year would have been one long heartbreak.

'Wait,' he suddenly told himself. 'What was that?' He scrolled up a few lines, and that was where he found it. How could it look so innocuous and be so damaging? For a moment he doubted himself, then became more resolute. He quickly copied the piece of code to his flash drive; at the same time, the emergency signal began to whine. The intercom told everyone to evacuate, and he reacted instantly, moving faster than he ever had before. He moved so quickly he almost missed Dr. Prescott standing in an alcove, talking quietly but urgently into her cell phone.

But he backtracked and caught her gaze, immediately understanding what she was doing. Her eyes were so full of guilt, there was no way he could have failed to notice. She tried to get away, but she wasn't quick enough. The power failed but by then he already had the handcuffs on her. He dragged and pushed her to the nearest exit, allowing them to escape just before the trouble started.

He looked at her, disgusted, when the explosions began. "Stop this!" he ordered, his hands tightening on her wrists. "I know you can do it. Call them and tell them to stop!"

Defiantly, she said, "Make me, Tim."

He grabbed the cell phone and hit redial, at the same time grasping her neck in a choke hold with his other arm. "Say it!" he practically screamed. "Say it, Vanessa! Say it or die!"

Her face grew red from the pressure on her throat, and finally she nodded, looking at him in revulsion. She spoke rapidly into the phone, in that strange language. Almost instantly the explosions stopped.

"If it starts again," he warned her, "I won't hesitate to kill you."

She knew he was telling the truth.

**NCIS**

McGee, Gibbs and Fornell carried out the interrogation of Vanessa Prescott. Using her cell phone as a starting point, they were able to determine where the terrorists were when she called them. Unfortunately they had cleared out but she was quite willing to tell where their secondary base was. Within four hours the entire cell had been arrested.

Later, Jenny sat on a bench near the crumbled NCIS headquarters, staring at the rubble but not really seeing it. This was why they had people to gather intel, this was the reason for tight security. It was meant to prevent serious destruction and death. How had they gotten around it? Had she somehow failed in her duties as Director, allowing the terrorists to get the upper hand?

She felt a hand on her shoulder, and looked up to see Ducky standing behind her, his eyes understanding. "There was nothing you could have done," he said quietly. "It is not your fault, Jenny."

"Twenty-four people are dead, Ducky," she told him, keeping her voice even in spite of the tears rolling down her cheeks. "I was their boss. How can you tell me I should not feel guilty?"

He sat down beside her and gathered her into his arms, comforting her as she cried. He didn't envy her position.

**NCIS**

A week and a half later, NCIS had set up a temporary HQ in another building on the Navy Yard, one that was only partially used. They didn't have the technology they were accustomed to, and would not for some time. But they had a place to work. Gibbs, McGee and Ziva sat at makeshift desks near each other. Gibbs had been uncommonly gentle with Tim since the attack; Tim assumed that it was due to his part in stopping the terrorists. But Gibbs was more gentle than usual with Ziva, too. The attack had shaken him to the very core, making him realize that he'd better appreciate his team while they were still around, because there was no guarantee they would be tomorrow.

The three agents didn't know that Tony and Abby had been released from the hospital; therefore they looked up in surprise when the two entered the new squad room, holding hands. Gibbs looked at them pointedly, but they ignored him.

"Hi, Tony, hi, Abby," Ziva said, standing to give each a hug. She almost stepped on the boot in which Tony's foot and ankle were encased. "Oops, sorry Tony."

Tony smiled. "'S okay. It's so strong I wouldn't feel it anyway."

McGee had not stood up. Without looking at them, he said, "Welcome back, guys."

"Thanks, Tim," said Abby.

Gibbs stood, and without a word he motioned them to the elevator, in which he had established his new "office." Once they were inside, he pulled the emergency switch.

"I'm glad you two are still alive," he said slowly, "but give me one good reason I shouldn't have both of you transferred for breaking rule 12."

Abby glanced at Tony, then smiled at Gibbs. "There were extenuating circumstances, Gibbs," she replied. "I'm sure you know about those."

Tony merely tried not to grin too widely and waited for his Boss's response.

Gibbs flipped the switch to turn the elevator back on. "No hanky panky at work," he said gruffly, just before the elevator doors opened.

Tony squeezed Abby's hand, then let it drop. "Let's get back to work," he whispered to Abby.

the end