"Gibbs?" A hand gently touched his arm. "Gibbs, it's Abby. Can you hear me?"

Gibbs opened his eyes to see Abby smiling at him over the right hand rail of the hospital bed. He looked quickly at his left shoulder and groaned at the sight of gauze and sling that encased it. "We have got to stop meeting like this," he moaned.

"Both shoulders injured in a two month period," a familiar voice said form his left. "I'd say that's an NCIS record."

Gibbs jerked his head around, and felt himself start shaking. This wasn't—couldn't be happening.

"Ducky?" The coroner nodded, smiling. "What…how…You're dead!"

"Easy, Jethro," Ducky put a light hand on Gibbs' wrist. "Get the doctor, Abby."

Gibbs frowned. "Doctor…"

"Dear boy, you've been unconscious the past two days. We weren't sure you were going to make it."

"What?'

"The bullet struck an artery," Ducky's voice was gentle. "We almost lost you."

"Agent Gibbs?" Dr. Kulikowski came in, smiling with relief. "Good to have you back among the living."

"I'm afraid he's got a bit of amnesia, Doctor," Ducky said.

"That's to be expected with the trauma," Dr. Kulikowski assured. "What exactly can't you remember?"

"Well, to start with, what exactly happened after that bastard shot me?"

"Well, as I said, the bullet hit an artery. The doctors had to perform emergency surgery. The good news is that's the only vital damage it did," Ducky told him.

"So I'll be able to go back to work?" Gibbs questioned.

"You'll be pulling desk duty for a little while, but yes, you will," Dr. Kulikowski confirmed.

Gibbs turned to Ducky. "What happened to you?" he whispered.

"The terrorist had Kate and I in the body cooler," Ducky said gently.

"Then Kate's—" Gibbs couldn't finish the sentence.

"Just fine," Ducky said reassuringly. "She's visiting Gerald at the moment." Ducky's face sobered. "I'm afraid he wasn't as lucky. The lad's got a long road of rehab ahead of him." The coroner smiled again. "You got the terrorist, though. I weighed the bastard's liver last night."

"What about Tony?" Gibbs said softly. "Is he alive?"

"Alive? Of course, Jethro. Why do you ask?" Ducky looked in concern at Gibbs' blue eyes, which had suddenly started to glisten. "Son, are you all right?"

Gibbs bit his lip, then reached out and gripped the older man's hand – much to his and Ducky's surprise. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." Gibbs managed a smile. "Just a little Bete Noire."

Ducky reached down and smoothed part of Gibbs' hair back from his forehead in a fatherly gesture. "The nightmare's over now, Jethro," Ducky said softly. "The nightmare's over."

THE END

Author's Note: 'Couchemar' is also French for nightmare.