Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

Episode Tag to Jet Lag
by Ahn-Li Steffraini

Summary: What didn't we see at the end?

A/N: Just because I was thoroughly disappointed with the end of this episode.

Disclaimer: Don't own NCIS or any of the characters, nor do I work for anyone having to do with this show. I wish... then I'd be actually getting paid instead of doing this for free. In other words, not making any money from this either. I also do not own the rights to "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" by the Beatles either.

"Boss, I'm going to call an ambulance," McGee opened the car door to pull out the fiancee of Nora Williams, who was also the one paying to have her killed. "Boss?"

There was no answer from the other side of the car. McGee felt the first cold slice of fear slide into his gut. "Boss?!" he called again, a bit more frantically.

Finally, ever so slowly, Gibbs stood up, clutching his right shoulder. "Did you hit your right shoulder again?" asked McGee as he cuffed the fiancee.

"No, McGee, the car did," in frustration Gibbs treated the car fender to a savage kick, as hard as he could manage.

He gritted his teeth against the sudden lance of pain as he started walking in the other direction, letting the anger at the whole situation melt away. He was only to the end of the line of parked cars, which, in retrospect wasn't all that far, before his anger and the adrenaline slid away. He sat down in the middle of the parking lot laneway, hard, his butt connecting with the cold cement as the pain became a bit more than even he could handle. He heard a frantic, "Boss!" but he lay his down on the pavement to try to quell the sudden rising nausea from the pain.

There was running feet and a gentle hand on his side, "Boss, you okay?"

"Yeah, fine," he answered weakly. "McGee... the suspect."

"Not going anywhere, boss," answered McGee. "Back up team arrived with the ambulance. We thought, when you walked away, that you weren't as injured but then you kinda just sat down and stayed down. They're calling another ambulance."

"I'm fine."

"Boss..."

"McGee..." Gibbs tried to sit up to prove his point, but pain lanced through his shoulder and there was a rushing noise in his ear... and he felt so lightheaded... Things looked and sounded so far away.

He was half aware of being pushed back down, a jacket used to cushion his head and then things seemed to wash out in a blur of white... and then all there was to be aware of was darkness as the pain faded.

* * * * *

Gibbs woke next in the ambulance, and McGee sitting beside him. He didn't feel any pain, but could feel the straps holding him from falling out of the gurney. "Hey, welcome back, boss," said McGee. "Don't try moving your arm, they immobilized it so it wouldn't hurt as much."

"I don't feel anything," pointed out Gibbs.

McGee smiled, "Yeah, I didn't mention the IV full of painkillers."

Gibbs followed where McGee was pointed and saw his other hand had an IV running into the back of it. That would explain the head feeling like it had been packed full of cottonballs and the vague feeling of disconnection from everything. He swallowed, his mouth dry. His entire body felt like lead. "That wasn't necessary."

"Yeah, well, evidently it was because you went to move, and jarred your arm, and then passed out after screaming in pain," supplied McGee.

That he didn't remember all that well. Passing out from pain, yes, screaming no. "I didn't."

McGee nodded, and then patted his uninjured shoulder. "Don't worry, they tell me you won't feel it until they wear off sometime tonight, and then they are sure you'll have something prescribed to help the worst of it."

"What did they put me on, anyway?" asked Gibbs, although he was feeling woozy again. He felt like he was floating, almost too pleasantly, even when he seen things sway due to the bumps on the road, or when they went around corners.

"Demerol, with a Gravol chaser," answered McGee. "Why, are you in pain?"

"Far from it," answered Gibbs. "Can't feel my toes... or my fingers... I know they're there but everything just feels really far away."

He didn't catch the concerned look cross McGee's face before the younger man forced a grin, "Yeah, I think you should rest, boss."

Gibbs didn't need to be told twice as he let himself drift away into sleep again.

McGee looked up to the paramedic riding in the back who was checking Gibbs's vitals, "Was that normal?"

"Demerol has a... sedating effect along with some other interesting side effects. He's feeling exactly as he should feel - nothing. The feeling of euphoria is perfectly normal. Gravol has to be used because Demerol also has the effect of causing severe nausea, however, it also has a sedating and euphoric effect," the paramedic smiled. "So, yes, to use a less clinical term, he will feel very, very high if he wakes up before either one wears off."

Oh great, mused McGee. He didn't know if he could handle a high Gibbs, but he supposed it was better than letting the poor man suffer.

* * * * *

Abby came running into the waiting room in her high heels. "McGee!" she waved her arms and ran over to him.

McGee nodded and he said, "Great, now that you're here, you can sit with him. I have to get back to NCIS and take over the investigation from this end while he's sidelined."

"Wait, wait, wait!" she called but McGee had already left, but she wasn't alone for long when Ducky came in. "Duck!"

"Dear heavens, Abby, Timothy said Jethro had been hit by a car," he said. "Is it true?"

"I don't know, Tim ran off before I could confirm it," she answered. "He's gone all Gibbs on me now that bossman is down for the count."

Ducky only smiled at the mental image, "Yes, our dear boy is growing up, but he is right about that. He is leading, at least temporarily, while Gibbs is here and Tony and Ziva are on that plane. Now, let's get some information, shall we?" he walked up to the nurses' station. "Excuse me, my name is Dr. Donald Mallard and this is Abigail Scuito... we're friends of Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, who was admitted about a half hour agao... could we be updated of his condition?"

The nurse looked at them and said simply, "I'll need to see some ID."

Ducky was far faster that Abby, but once he had shown his identification, the nurse looked it up on the computer. "Gibbs... Gibbs... the NCIS agent?"

"Yes, my dear, that would be Jethro."

"He's stable, and is currently in trauma three, overnight for observation unless they find him a room. He was, according to this, struck by a car?"

"So he was hit by a car?" said Abby, then at the nurse's questioning look. "We didn't know. All we knew was that he was brought here, and we heard a rumour that he had been hit by a car."

"I'll get the doctor to fill you in," said the nurse as she picked up the phone.

The two stood and waited, and then from the ER a petite woman came out and said, "Dr. Mallard and Ms. Scuito?"

The two of them turned and Ducky said, "Yes, that would be us."

She motioned them to follow her into a private area off the side of the waiting room and she closed the door, "Let's see, Gibbs... he was hit by a car earlier. I can't give you the eyewitness report, but I can tell you that Agent Gibbs was hit hard enough to send him up onto the hood of the car, into the windsheild where he slid off towards the passenger side, possibly landing on the same shoulder that had been hit. He felt some of the pain, but was too angry to admit it until about five minutes later when the pain was bad enough 'he passed out', according to the paramedics."

Abby winced, as did Ducky, and Ducky asked, "How is he now?"

"He is sleeping comfortably," answered the doctor. "But he suffered a hairline fracture to his upper arm as well as a cracked clavicle. He's going to be in a lot of pain for awhile, and need some physical therapy. We have him on Demerol and Gravol for pain right now, and I can tell you he isn't feeling anything right now." She smiled. "He alarmed that younger agent. The two drugs are causing a bit of euphoria and sleepiness off and on. When he's awake he's very, very euphoric and relaxed."

Abby and Ducky looked at each other, and Abby asked, "Euphoric how?"

"Ever hear of that song by the Beatles? Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds?"

Ducky sucked in a breath, presumably to stop himself from laughing, while Abby took another moment before she too realized what the doctor meant. "Oh my God," Abby began to giggle. "He's higher than a kite, isn't he?"

"Well, he alarmed, but impressed Agent McGee with a rather quiet but skillful rendition of that song. Evidently, much to Agent McGee's surprise, Agent Gibbs knows the song quite well. It also may be the last time he ever makes a half-assed comment to Agent Gibbs... especially if Gibbs is on pills..." the doctor sighed.

"When can he be released?" asked Ducky.

"Anytime, really. There isn't anything we can do for him here, and he's been here for the requisite observation time, but we were not under the impression that he could go home. From what we understand, he lives alone. And, for the first night until our Demerol and Gravol wears off, he shouldn't really go home alone," answered the Doctor. "Which is why we are keeping for observation."

"What if we said we'd sit with him at home?" asked Abby.

"Well, that would be all right. I'd certainly feel better about releasing him if that is the case."

Ducky nodded, "Well then, my dear, I am a medical doctor as well as the medical examiner at NCIS and Jethro is a dear friend of mine, and Abigail's, we would be more than happy to make sure he gets home all right and that he's taken care of."

The doctor nodded, "I'll get his release forms and prescription set for him, follow me and I'll show you where he is. With any luck, he'll be sleeping and not trying to entertain our personal support work staff."

* * * * *

"Hey bossman," greeted Abby as Gibbs was sat up in the hospital after all the release papers were signed.

"Hi Abby," answered Gibbs as a nurse removed his intervenous and bandaged it up. "What are you doing here?"

"Duck and I are taking you home," answered Abby as she slid his shoes back on his feet and tied the laces.

"But I am at home... at least I think I was. Where else would I sleep... oh wait... no, that's a nurse... not another hospital," he rambled, while Abby watched him with an disbelieving look on her face. "What?"

"Nothing, Gibbs, but you are really high aren't you?"

"Am I?"

"How are you feeling?"

"Real funny. I have a broken arm and shoulder again, but I can't feel a damn thing," she helped him to stand up. "Whoa... floor isn't stable. Legs feel strange. Like I have legs... but they aren't quite there."

Ducky walked in at this last bit and Gibbs looked at him slowly, as it dawned on him that he was even there. "Hey Duck, I really hurt myself this time, didn't I?"

"I think you did, my dear boy," answered Ducky, smiling.

"Yeah, when legs are numb and you can't feel what you hurt, then they gave you some pretty good drugs. 'cause that's how I feel. Numb... funny numb. Abby says I'm high," he was helped into a wheelchair and he leaned his head back. "Lights look funny..." he trailed off and began to snore again.

Abby and Ducky looked at each other and could only shake their head and laugh. "He's funny when he's drugged out of his gourd," she said. "Like it isn't even him."

"Well, they do say that they can do that. Likely he's verbalizing his very disconnected train of thought without even realizing it," Ducky pushed the chair with the sleeping Gibbs out of the ER and to his waiting car.

Abby and Ducky helped Gibbs, now hitting the sleepy part of his drug induced stupor. Gibbs lay down on the back seat and continued to sleep. Ducky looked at her and said, "I'll meet you back at his house."

* * * * *

The next morning, Gibbs woke and his shoulder and arm were throbbing. "Oh Jesus," he muttered as he rolled over in his bed and tried to piece together the night before.

It was patchy at best, although he clearly remembered being hit by a car and his shoulder killing him. Then it was just bits and pieces of part of an ambulance trip and some of the hospital. He really had no idea how he had gotten home and back into bed, but imagined that it had to have been McGee. "McGee!" he yelled and he heard someone come running up the stairs and into his bedroom.

Only it wasn't McGee, it was Ducky. Ducky came over and sat on the side of the bed, checking Gibbs' eyes as he did so. Gibbs let out a hiss of pain at the motion, and Ducky asked "How are you feeling Jethro?"

"Like I'm been hit by a car... literally," he answered gruffly, and he missed Ducky's grin.

"I take it the Demerol and Gravol wore off, eh?"

"Oh God yes," groaned Gibbs, grinding his teeth, but sitting up.

"You want something for it?"

"Not more Demerol, thanks," answered Gibbs. "Case... murdered marine... assassination..."

"Yes, I know, and McGee is doing a wonderful job without you," Ducky gently pushed Gibbs back down. "Lay down, take these. You're in too much pain. Even I can see that. While they are an oral Demerol with Gravol, it shouldn't knock you flat like it did in the ambulance and hospital."

Gibbs took the pills but only because he knew he'd never make it past Ducky, who only wore that determined look when it warranted. He relaxed back into his pillows and closed his eyes, waiting for the pain to subside. Ducky gently moved to the chair beside the bed. "So, where did you learn to sing Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds?"

"I didn't."

"Oh, my dear boy, you did... and you alarmed young Agent McGee thoroughly when you sought to entertain him with it, as you entertained Abby and I with an accurate description of the unstable floor in the hospital," Ducky saw Gibbs stiffen in horror at the thought of being so... unprofessional... in front of his agents. Any agents. "Now, we know how much they had given you. You were in more pain last night when you were there than you are now, and you were honest with the fact that you felt no pain whatsoever... so... that should tell you how under the influence you were."

"Dear God," was Gibbs only answer as he again tried to get comfortable, but his shoulder and arm wouldn't let him.

Ducky regaled him about another marine or some other that was similar when he had served so many years ago in a unit probably so long since disbanded that it really didn't matter when the pain began to finally fade and Ducky's voice became white noise, and then a distant murmur. Sleep took him shortly afterwards.

Ducky saw Gibbs fall asleep, as the pained lines smoothed out and the younger man relaxed into much needed sleep. "Rest well, my dear boy," whispered Ducky as he stood up quietly and left the room, closing the door most of the way before making his way back downstairs.

* * * * *

The next day McGee sat at his desk, finishing out his report when Tony and Ziva arrived. Ziva took her seat and Tony began to go through his photos, the conversation as usual about their Paris trip.

The elevator dinged, just as Tony said, "So, the boss got hit my a car on your watch. Talk about dropped the ball."

A wearied, but yet still authoritive voice said, "It was an accident."

The three of them watched Gibbs walk by, sling on right arm but yet holding a coffee as he sat down, checked his emails quickly, then got back up, all three still watching him in shock. "McGee, MTAC, now."

With that McGee got up to follow Gibbs, and he heard Tony start the same banter about Paris with Ziva again. "How are you feeling boss?"

"I could be better," admitted Gibbs, before he stopped and looked McGee in the eye. "If you tell anyone what happened in the hospital or that ambulance, I swear the only field work you will see will be photos of scenes, you got me?"

Tim tried not to grin, and mostly succeeded, from the memory of Gibbs actually singing Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. "Crystal boss."

From the bullpen, hysterical laughter could be heard as McGee heard drifting from Tony, "I swear I will never look at the Beatles or that song the same again...."