NEXT MORNING
The doctor informed the team that Gibbs/Henry is stable now and he will regain consciousness in few hours. And he also said that he's under a heavy dose of painkillers to reduce his pain. The doctor informed that they almost lost him during the surgery. But he was now breathing on his own and he's recovering from his injuries faster than they expected.
"He's responding positively even after we lost him during the surgery, but we brought him back. Now he is doing good and will regain consciousness in the next few hours.
You can see him but don't disturb him. He's on a high dose of sedatives to reduce his pain. Now you can see him. But don't take too long." The doctor informed the team.
"Doctor, like you, can see the situation... there's a possibility that he MIGHT BE GIBBS BUT YOU HAVE SEEN HENRY, Gibbs's clone. And we are not sure that he is Gibbs or Henry." Sloane trying to put her point in front of him.
"What's your point Agent Sloane?" Doctor asked.
"My point is Doctor, if he is Henry then we have to arrest him. So I would appreciate it if you restrain him. Because cuffing him to the bed will be not good." Sloane takes few steps toward him and makes it clear.
"I can't do that, agent Sloane. Those restraints are not for normal patients. Those are for mentally ill patients or violent patients. Who can hurt themselves or others.
So, I am not going to restrain him. Sorry, I can't do that. If you have to arrest him then you're allowed to cuff him. But I'm not going to restrain him. Now, will you please, excuse me I've to visit some patients?" The doctor was shocked by Sloane's request.
He got angry because Henry is incapacitated from escaping the hospital. But still, she went inside of the room and stands there for a while and she was looking at Henry. She saw his injuries on his face. Some of them were cleaned up and some of them were bandaged.
She walked toward the bed and take his right hand and pulled out a pair of handcuffs! And she cuffs his right hand to the railing of the bed. She looked at him and then left.
Nick wasn't there because he was with Bishop the whole night. He's taking good care of her. He was got scared but, now he's happy because Bishop is fine. But he was still worried about Gibbs. Because they are still clueless, they don't know that Gibbs is alive or not.
"Yo! Bishop. You're awake that's good. How are you feeling? You scared the hell out of us. Me especially. " Nick noticed that she's awake. He was sitting right next to her bed. But when he saw that she's awake, he sits on the bed with her.
"Guilty... because I don't know that I saved Gibbs or I killed him. And this thing is eating from inside. I... I.... don't know. Will you forgive me if it was Gibbs, whom I killed, Nick?" Bishop said.
"I DON'T KNOW, ELLIE. BECAUSE I KNOW YOU DIDN'T KILLED GIBBS. BUT TO THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS YES, I WILL FORGIVE YOU, I KNOW, I WILL BE BROKEN LIKE HELL. IF IT WAS GIBBS.
BECAUSE GIBBS IS LIKE FATHER TO ME. I SEE HIM AS MY FATHER PERSONALLY. BUT IT WAS AN ACCIDENT. YOU DIDN'T KILLED HIM INTENSELY. SO YES, I WILL FORGIVE YOU. " Nick answered her question.
Bishop hugged him tightly and started crying like hell. She was overwhelmed by his answer and Nick hugged her back and gently ran his hand on her back.
"Thank you, Nick..." she said and hugged him again.
Jack and McGee were watching them, they were standing at the door. Sloane knows that Nick was right. If Bishop killed Gibbs, then it was an accident. She didn't intend to do it. She realizes that she was behaving so negatively after they came back to the Gibbs house.
She realized her mistake, how could she easily convince herself about Gibbs death. She was feeling so stupid. She turned around and looked at McGee. And told him that she wanted to talk with him. So, they went outside of the room.
"Hey, McGee. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for being rude. I'm so stupid that I convince myself that, it was Gibbs who died. I should have to stand with you and gave you and your team strength. I... I'm sorry." Her voice choked and she hugged McGee.
"I was scared. I'm scared, McGee. I don't want to lose him."
"It's... it's okay, Jack. You don't have to be sorry. It's okay... we will get the truth. I have a gut feeling that it's Gibbs. He's alive. Now, c'mon... wipe your tears. C'mon..." McGee comfort Jack.
McGee's cellphone started ringing. It was Vance. He received the call and put that on speaker.
"Yeah..."
"Agent McGee, I think we found the answer."
"About what, Director?" McGee was surprised, for a moment he thought Vance find out the truth.
"About why Gibbs, I mean Henry was keeping the basement door locked."
"Are you still there, Leon!" Sloane asked.
"Aah.. Jack. That means I'm on speaker." Vance said.
"Yes, you are Leon. What did you find in there?" Sloane asked desperately.
"Some kind of artificial or cosmetic skin cover. I'll send it to Kaise to find more information on this thing." Leon said and bagged that thing in the evidence bag.
"Why he was using it?" McGee asked
"Maybe I can answer that question."
"Ducky, how did you know?" McGee asked him.
"Well, Doctor asked me if Gibbs had any kind of laser surgery..."
"But we all know that Gibbs hadn't had any type of laser surgery, then why did he ask! Wait ..... it was Henry he was talking about. That means..." Sloane said and suddenly stopped in the middle of her sentence and looked at Ducky with a worried face.
"You're thinking right, jack. That Henry fellow uses that type of artificial skin, that is normally used by our young kids, who didn't want to let their parents know that they have tattoos. Or they're involved in a fight.
So, Henry used them to hide his facial surgery's scars. That is how I find out that it was Henry and not Gibbs. Because his Doctor noticed those scars. So, I connected dots and called security. But he still got Bishop. Please... forgive me, Jack." Ducky explained and apologized to Jack.
"You don't have to Ducky. You don't have to be sorry. You did a good job there." Sloane said
"Yeah, Ducky. You don't have to feel sorry. That bastard is gone. And yes, I can say that, because I know Gibbs is alive." McGee said
"We will decide it later, agent McGee. We have to arrest him, just in case... you know what I mean, Jack." Vance said.
"I got you, Leon. And don't worry I already take care of it." Sloane replied.
"Good. Where's agent Torres?"
"Well, he's with Bishop," McGee replied this time.
"Okay. Call me if you get something." Vance said and hung up.
IN HENRY'S ROOM
It was like he was having a bad dream. Dream about what happened in Gibbs's basement. He started kicking and groaning in sleep. He was having flashbacks of what the hell happened in these few days. He was sweating and now started crying! He was feeling trapped in his dream.
He was kicking violently and trying to free himself from whatever he was seeing in his nightmare. He started yelling. One nurse ran into his room and called Doctor. The doctor was trying to wake him up. Keep calling his name and keep telling him to open his eyes.
Suddenly he was violently awake and started fighting against them. He tried to raised his right hand but nothing happened. He realized that his hand was cuffed to the bed.
"NO.... GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME! LEAVE ME ALONE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME? WHY AM I CUFFED TO THE BED! WHO ARE YOU?" He started struggling to free his hand. But Doctor and that nurse pinned him down to the bed.
"What happened? Is he awake? Did he say anything? What he said?" Sloane saw Doctor and nurse were ran into Henry's room.
"Agent Sloane! What are you doing here? GO OUTSIDE! Can't you see his condition! You can't just walk in and start your interrogation. Get out! NOW!" The doctor gets angry at her action.
"HE'S THE ONLY WITNESS, DOCTOR. WE NEED HIS STATEMENT. WE NEED TO KNOW, WHAT HAPPENED WITH AGENT BISHOP AND GIBBS! CAN'T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT! UNH..." Sloane snapped back.
"I'm not stopping you to get his statement, agent Sloane. But he's not in the condition right now. I will give him something to calm him down. Then you can ask your questions about your case.
But right now, please wait outside. He is having a nightmare... he doesn't know what is real. So please, let me handle him first. Okay," the Doctor request her.
"Okay." Sloane simply replied
"Thank you, now please wait outside and let us work." Doctor said
"NO... JACK! DON'T LEAVE ME PLEASE! I'M GIBBS... PLEASE TRUST ME. JACK... HEY! JACK..." He started calling Sloane and pleading with her.
For a moment her heart skipped beating... she turned around and looked at him. But she controlled her emotions. And she just nodded at Doctor and went outside.
She saw Ducky was standing outside. She takes a deep breath and then they both sit down on the chairs.
"You should give a rest to yourself, Jack," Ducky said.
"I CAN'T, DUCKY. UNTIL I FIND THE TRUTH. HE IS CLAIMING THAT HE IS GIBBS. MY HEART SKIPPED A BEAT WHEN HE CALLED MY NAME.
I STARTED BELIEVING THAT HE IS OUR GIBBS. BUT WE NEED EVIDENCE." Sloane said. And put her hands on her knees and rubbed her face.
"How? I mean Doctor Palmer volunteered himself, but autopsy take time and DNA tests results, that also takes time. How will you get your answers?" Ducky asked her
"I and McGee have a solution for your question. Once Doctor allows us we will get our answers." Sloane said as she tapped on Ducky's knee.
"Okay, agent Sloane. We gave him a shot of sedative. So, Henry will be awake in one hour. Then you can ask him your questions. But don't go harsh on him." The doctor informed them and give Sloane a warning.
"Thank you, Doctor," Sloane said.
"Just one hour. And then we will get our answers, Ducky. I'm going to inform McGee." Sloane was happy because after one more hour she will get all answers.
At NCIS HEADQUARTER
Jimmy was trying his best to complete the autopsy on the dead body. But it took half hour to get himself ready for the autopsy. Because that dead body's face was bothering him. He was having trouble starting his work.
Because that dead body has Gibbs's face. And that thing was bothering him. Somewhere he knows that there are still possibilities that this person might be Gibbs himself. That thought scared the hell of him.
But he started working on the body and then he got something. So he went to the Kaiser's lab. In the lab, Kaise was working on that skin cover, that Vance found in the basement.
"Hey, Kaise! I got one good news and one bad news. Which one would you like to hear first?" Jimmy asked her.
"Wow... finally! What you got Jimmy, boy? Hmm..." Kaise turned around to Jimmy and folded her hands and asked him.
After Jimmy told her what he got ... she freaked out like hell. For a few moments, she didn't say anything. But then she started running in and out in her lab.
"Holy sh*t, we have to inform Jack, before it's too late. We have to tell them, Jimmy... C'mon! You just can't stand like that go and call McGee, Nick, Jack, Ducky and everyone. Call Hospital reception or announce if it's possible!" She started yelling.
Suddenly she bumped with Vance.
"Is there something you both would like to share with me, Miss Hines?" Vance asked in his usual tone.
Jimmy and Kaise looked at each other and smiles with funny faces.
At Hospital
Sloane, McGee and Ducky are sitting outside of Henry's room. One nurse came out and informed them that Henry regains consciousness.
"Agent Sloane, he's awake but he keeps asking for agent Bishop. And he is really angry about those handcuffs." That nurse informed them. Sloane stands up and put her hand on her shoulder.
"Don't tell anything to agent Bishop right now. Because we have to ask him few questions. And Thank you." McGee replied.
"Ducky, would you please, go to the Bishop's room and send Nick? He deserves to know what happened. Don't worry we will not going to hurt him. We'll try our best to be gentle." Sloane said.
"Okay. I will send him. And I will appreciate it if you keep your words, Jack. And I suggest you don't go harsh on him. Doesn't matter who he is." Ducky said.
"We will Ducky. I cross my heart." Sloane replied before he left.
They both wait for Nick and then they enter the room. And Sloane shut the door behind her. And Nick dropped the window curtains. When Henry heard that noise he snapped opened his eyes and tried to sit up straight.
"THANK GOD, JACK! YOU ARE HERE, WILL YOU PLEASE REMOVE THESE CUFFS? I'm NOT THAT BASTARD McGee! PLEASE... TRUST ME!" He tried to raise his hand but, because of those cuffs, he can't move his hand.
"GOD... I AM FADE UP WITH THIS. C'MON... REMOVE THIS THING! WHAT! YOU ARE STILL THINKING THAT I'M NOT GIBBS AND I AM THAT BASTARD! C'MON... JACK I THOUGHT YOU WILL UNDERSTAND MY SITUATION.
HELL... AFTER THREE WEEKS I FINALLY SEE YOU AGAIN! ALL OF YOU... WHERE'S BISHOP? IS SHE OKAY? C'MON... GET ME OUT OF HERE! I WANT TO SEE HER, DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT I'M SAYING!" He tried to get free from that cuffs... but nothing happened.
"Are you done? You know you're still able to talk just, because we promise Ducky that, we won't hurt you. Otherwise, Doctors are working on your dislocated jaw right now." Nick said.
"We don't believe you right now. And we can't arrest you for interrogation, because of your condition. So just cooperate with us and answer the questions." McGee said as he sits down on the chair.
"YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME! THAT I'M GIBBS! ARE YOU SERIOUS? I'M HAPPY TO SEE YOU GUYS AFTER A VERY LONG TIME. BUT YOU ARE THINKING THAT I'M.... I'M THAT BASTARD!
ASKED BISHOP, SHE WAS THERE. SHE WAS... OH NO! THAT BASTARD HURT HER! SHE WAS BADLY BEATEN JACK! I WANT TO SEE HER. I WANT TO SEE HER, NOW!" He was yelling at them and struggling against those cuffs.
He started coughing harshly. Jack sits down next to him and gave him water. And when he was done drinking water, she gently put that cup down.
"Jack! You know what you're doing, right? Because he played us before." Nick warn Jack. Because he tricked them when they kidnapped him.
"I know, what I am doing Nick. Don't worry." Sloane replied. She was looking directly into Henry's eyes. And he was looking into her.
"Okay, what do I do, to make you believe that I am Gibbs?" He asked.
"Answer our questions," Sloane said
"Okay, who's will ask a question first??" He said.
"I will..." Nick said
"Okay, shoot..." he replied. McGee was observing him very closely.
NCIS Headquarter
"Nobody is answering their phone. Now what?" Jimmy said
"They are in hospital, Doctor Palmer. Their cell phones might be in silent mode. Did you tried Doctor Mallard cellphone?" Vance asked
"No. I thought he would be with Bishop. So...."
"C'mon, Jimmy. Nick is there to take care of her. So, can try Ducky's phone." Kaise said with naughtiness. Jimmy was gesturing by his eyes in tried to remind her that Vance is still here.
"Oh... hey! Director... you are still here! I thought you left. Tell me that you are not going to fire me!"
"Not if you keep your focus on your work. I will be in my office. Call me if you get anything. And keep trying to call Jack and agent McGee." Vance replied and give them orders before he left.
"Thanks for the help, Jimmy."
"What! I tried to warn you." Jimmy tried to defend himself. Ducky finally answered his call.
"Hello, Doctor. I've some information about Henry. When I was doing an autopsy, I noticed his lungs condition. And it was very bad. He was dying, Doctor. His lungs were damaged because of his smoking habits.
As we know that agent Gibbs started smoking after his accident. As we know that agent Gibbs DO NOT DO A SMOKING. And that body has no bullet scars on the left side of his chest and his left knee.
But agent Gibbs do have bullets scars on his chest and his knee. That he got from shooting in Iraq, by Luke Harris.
That means..."
"OUR JETHRO IS ALIVE! THIS IS OUR JETHRO. THANK YOU DOCTOR PALMER. I AM PROUD OF YOU." Ducky was very happy after hearing this good news.
"Thank you, Doctor. But still, we have a little problem. McGee, Torres and agent Sloane are unaware of this truth. Before they start their interrogation, you have to inform them. Because neither of them answering their cellphone." Jimmy share his concern.
"I will, Doctor Palmer. I will. And Thank you very much." Ducky was feeling relaxed. Because now he knows that, Gibbs is alive. And he ran toward his room.
AT THE SAME TIME IN HOSPITAL
Nick asked him why did Gibbs call him last year, after the Halloween case?
"I called you because you were comparing yourself with your friend Kohl. And we talk about that for a while. And I said that...
''There's an ocean between you and Kohl. It's about choices. You've made yours.
You chose the life where you catch the bad guys. He picked the one where you kill 'em. For money."
Then you asked me
"Then why doesn't that make you feel better?"
And I answered your question.
"Because you're a good guy, and this is a dirty business. And if you didn't feel that way, then I'd start to worry about you."
AM I RIGHT, TORRES! unh.." He answered Nick's question. But he was frustrated.
"We will decide it later after you answer all of our questions," Sloane said.
"Fine! Who's next then?" He asked.
"Okay, I want to ask you few questions. If you are okay with that?" McGee replied.
"Since when do you need my permission to ask any questions, MCGEE?" McGee was confused for a moment. But he gets back to his special agent mode.
"My first question is, how many names do I have?"
"You have more than one name, McGee!" Torres was surprised.
"Nick.." Sloane interrupts him.
They stopped when they heard Gibbs's laugh.
"What's so funny?" McGee asked
"Nothing... nothing. I just... I... I missed you, all of you. I lost every single hope this time. Because you all didn't know that I was kidnapped by Max. And Henry took my place." He said with a heavy voice.
Then he cleared his throat and blink his eyes few times. And take a very long deep breath. And was about to rub his face but he stops as he realizes about the cuffs. He signs heavily...
"Answer to your question is you have officially one name... but DiNozzo and I prefer to call you PROBIE, ELF LORD. And that crap you wrote as a book..."
"Hey! It was a novel, not a book, okay! And its name was DEEP SIX. And it was a very popular novel." McGee got angry, but when he saw him smiling, his eyes wide open in shock.
"I was just saying that your fictional name was Thom E. Gemcity," Gibbs replied with a smile.
"You wrote a book, McGee!" Nick asked in surprise.
"It's a Novel, okay." McGee corrects him there.
"Hey, man... you didn't even tell me about that women cell hostage situation. And now you wrote a bo.. Novel! You were a writer!" Nick was shocked.
"It was a long time ago, okay. And now please focus on work. This one was not a tough question. I've still two questions for you." McGee said with a little embarrassment. Because Nick knows about Deep Six.
"Go ahead. Shoot..."
"Gibbs gave me something very valuable gift on my wedding day. What was that gift, and what was the story behind it?" McGee asked his question with full confidence. But Gibbs just simply smile at him.
"Well... this is a good question, McGee," Gibbs said and after a long pause, he replied.
"I gave you a wristwatch. That watch... my mom gave it to my dad. And my dad gave it to me, on my wedding day.
And I gave it to you. Because you're a special person, Tim. And there's a message carved on it. When you flipped it, it says BREATH TIM." Gibbs replied.
McGee clears his throat before asking him the next question.
"Okay, my next question is, in Paraguay Gibbs punched me on my nose. Why did he hit me?" After hearing McGee's question he laughed.
"It was part of our escape plan. And I hit you because YOU BROKE MY WOOD CARVING." Gibbs replied. They both looked at each other and McGee smiled at him. And without breaking eye contact he stood up.
"I'm done here, Jack. Your turn." But when he turned around he saw there's a mischievous smile on Nick's face. He just rolled his eyes and left the room. Nick went after him.
"So, now it's just you and me, Jack," Gibbs said.
"I know it's you, Gibbs. But still want to ask you two questions." Sloane said
"I'm listening. But first will you please, take this thing off."
"After you answer my questions."
"Fine," Gibbs replied. Sloane's now started enjoying it. Because now she knows that this is Gibbs.
"When Gibbs visited me in my office very first time, what I was doing?" Sloane asked.
"Really! Jack, This is your question!" Gibbs said.
"Just answer it."
"You were hanging your paintings on the wall."
"And what happened next?"
"I started guessing that, what exactly was your painting is. Butterfly, ladybug or a big moth. I am glad that, I replaced it with that Elephant painting."
"Then Gibbs picked one lollipop from the lollipop jar. Which colour of lollipop he picked?" Sloane asked
"RED... AM I RIGHT? DID I CLEAR THE EXAM?" Gibbs replied.
"We shared lots of things about our personal life. Just tell me one of them."
"About my life or yours?"
"Both."
"I told you about my wife and daughter's were murdered and I told that I shot that bastard in the head. And you are the only one whom I told you that.
And you share a lot of things about your past. About Faith, Afghanistan and Faith's father." Gibbs answered her question.
And then Sloane hugged him... she hugged him very tightly and she started crying. She was sobbing. Gibbs was happy that finally, he's at home and with his family.
"Jack... Jack. Hey, Jack! I want to hug you. But this stupid thing is stopping me, so will you please, take this off." Gibbs said... Sloane laughed and undo those cuffs. And Gibbs huge her back.
They both kissed each other. Sloane kissed him on his lips and Gibbs kissed her back. They both were crying. But they didn't care about it.
She's passionately kissing him... she ran her hand through his hair and grabbed them and continuously kissed him on his face and under his chin.
Gibbs was also kissing her on her face and her neck. They both forget everything and are lost, in each other. They were interrupted by a knock on the door. It was Ducky and with him, it was McGee and Torres were standing at the door.
"I came here to inform you that, Doctor Palmer just called me to inform that. This is our Jethro. But it looks like you already figured it out. Good." Ducky said
"It's been four weeks, Ducky. Try to understand my feelings." Gibbs replied and winked at him.
Gibbs and Sloane looked at each other and laughed... they both had tears in their eyes. But now Gibbs was happy because he was back to his home. And he was back to his kids and family.
GIBBS IS BACK. AND FINALLY, THE TEAM FIGURED OUT THAT, GIBBS IS ALIVE AND HENRY IS DEAD.
THANKS TO PALMER IT WAS OFFICIALLY CONFIRMED THAT GIBBS IS ALIVE AND HENRY WAS THE ONE WHO DIED.
STILL, BISHOP IS NOT AWARE OF IT. AND WE STILL DON'T KNOW THAT WHAT HAPPENED WITH GIBBS AND THE BISHOP.
WE WILL FIND OUT BECAUSE GIBBS KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED.
AND TO FIND OUT THE TRUTH
STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER.
THANK YOU :)