It took a couple more hours until Jimmy got out of the cellar. First, the metal window frame had to be dismantled from the outside so a bomb squad member would be able to slip through the opening and disarm the bomb. In the meantime, the team provided Jimmy with a blanket, water, and food.

Once the window frame was gone, Jimmy was carefully extracted through the newly-made opening, trying to avoid any more harm to his ribs. He was then placed in an ambulance and rushed to the hospital to be treated for his broken ribs, cut hands, and his prolonged exposure to the cold. The latter was most likely a superfluous concern, but the doctor figured it was better to be safe than sorry; pneumonia could sneak up on a guy, and no one wanted that during the holiday season.

"Jimmy!" Ducky exclaimed. "How are you doing, lad?"

"Oh, uh, fine, Dr. Mallard," Jimmy said, somewhat shocked to see his mentor there before him. It was late at night and Jimmy figured Ducky had long since retreated him. "What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here? Where else would I be? I can't leave you here in a hospital bed all alone. I need to make sure the doctors looking after you are competent. Nothing worse than a doctor who doesn't know what they're doing."

Jimmy smiled in spite of his weariness. "He's competent," Jimmy assured him.

"Yes, everything looks to be in order. Do they have you on painkillers?"

"Yeah…feels good…"

Ducky laughed. "I'm sure it does, my boy."

"Jimmy!"

A ball of excitement bound into the room at high speed. She would have tackled Jimmy with an air tight hug had Ducky not intervened with a gentle hand on her arm.

"Abby, I'm sure Mr. Palmer appreciates your enthusiasm, but with two broken ribs, perhaps this isn't the time for a hug."

"Sorry," she apologized sheepishly. "But I owe you a hug. Wait, no, two hugs!"

"You don't have to give me any hugs."

"Don't be silly, Jimmy! Of course I do! It's not every day a friend gets kidnapped and almost blown to smithereens by a bomb. Those are some bad guys," she concluded with a shiver.

"Uh, speaking of which, where are they?" he hadn't even thought about the fate of his captors until that moment. He hated to think about them getting away.

"Last I checked, they were still being held in the interrogation rooms," Ducky said.

"So they were caught," Jimmy said, visibly relieved.

"Duh! You think Gibbs would let those guys get away with it? I'll bet he's there right now, tearing them new ones."

"Guess again, Abbs," Tony said as he and the team filed in. "Gibbs decided to give Agent Granger the pleasure."

Abby raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Wow! None of the 'Gibbs Breaking' this time around?"

"No need to break them," Gibbs said.

"We've got enough evidence for them to drown in," Tim said in agreement. "Between the fingerprints found on the bomb and amount of information tying Hensen to Coleman and Stroman, they'll need a hell of a legal team to dig themselves out."

"I am sure I could find the time to break one or more bones in their bodies," Ziva offered with a sweet smile. "I doubt anyone would notice."

"Ah, no," Jimmy said, "but, uh, thank you for the offer, Ziva." He didn't know much about the legal system, but he knew enough to know that hurting your suspects—even if they really, really deserved—usually didn't go over well in court.

The team stayed for a short visit, talking with Jimmy about the ordeal, making certain he was okay, and thanking him for his quick thinking, which had probably saved most—if not all—of their lives. More likely than not, they would have barged right into the cellar without a second thought, detonating the bomb. It was eerie to think how close they'd been to death, especially for Jimmy, as he didn't consider that to be part of the job the way the team did.

Soon, the nurse appeared in the doorway to shoo them out, insisting that Jimmy be left alone to get his rest. "You all can come back tomorrow and visit," she told them as they said their good-byes.

"Bye, Jimmy," Abby said, giving her the gentlest hug she could.

Ducky gave him a soft pat on the shoulder. "I've asked that Director Vance give you paid vacation time while you recover, so don't worry about any of that."

"Thank you, Dr. Mallard," Jimmy said wearily. He was beginning to feel the effects of his medicine. "I'm sure I'll see you before then, but if I don't, Merry Christmas."

"Yes, and a Merry Christmas to you as well, lad."

Soon, they had all exited. Well, almost all; only Gibbs lingered. Despite his mind growing cloudy, Jimmy still felt himself tremble with nerves.

But Gibbs merely gave him a nod, a small smile playing on his face. "Not bad, Palmer. Not bad at all."

"Oh…" Jimmy replied, visibly flattered by the well-earned compliment. "Thanks."

"Anything I can do for you, dear?" the nurse asked once the room was empty.

Jimmy turned his head to the side and caught sight of a small radio. He lifted a hand a pointed. "Radio. Christmas carols, please" It was all he was able to get out.

The nurse smiled pleasantly. "Of course, sweetheart." She clicked it on, turning it to one of the stations playing Holiday songs. "Sleep well. The doctor will check on you in the morning."

With a relaxed grin, Jimmy settled down into the hospital bed as the smooth tune encapsulated him, wrapping him in a warm, comforting cocoon of holiday cheer:

I'll be home for Christmas
You can plan on me
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents on the tree

Christmas Eve will find me
Where the lovelight gleams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams

AN: And that's the end of this story! Thank you all for reading!