Summary: It was supposed to be a simple drug bust…but then everything had gone wrong. Terribly, terribly wrong.

Disclaimer: NCIS is the property of CBS. I do not own any of the characters. Any likeness or resemblance to people, real or factious is unintentional. Fair warning. I am a poor college student. If you sue me you'll put more into your lawyer than you'll ever get out of me.

It was supposed to have been a simple drug bust. Quick and easy. Nothing they hadn't done before. But then things never really turn out how you plan them. Things are rarely what they seem. Especially in her profession.

There was an almighty bang as Gibbs kicked in the door.

Adrenaline pounding through her system, she followed the rest of her team into the dark warehouse, gun sweeping shadowy recesses, just as she had done countless times before.

The large warehouse had seemed empty, the only evidence that they were in the right place, was the thousands of kilos of methamphetamine's, neatly packed, and stacked in wooden crates.

Then the shooting started. The enemy swept into the room from the other side of the building, while still others materialized out of the shadows and small offices that lined a sky walk.

They had walked right into an ambush. Of course they would have. The marine Special Forces man, that they were looking for, would have figured out they were coming. He would have laid the trap.

Bullets whizzed through the air taking two agents from another team, before the rest had time to find cover and return fire. They were surrounded and taking fire from all sides. Things did not look good.

She looked over making eye contact with Gibbs. He nodded towards her making sharp, military gestures with his hands, he indicated that she and Tony were to make their way to the sky walk and clear it while he and McGee cleared the other. If they didn't the enemy would keep them pinned here and pick them off one by one.

Nodding she motioned to her partner, who was crouched behind two crates, and started moving. Knowing instinctively he would be right behind her. He was always right behind her. Always watching her back.

They ran, under Gibbs, and McGee's covering fire, to the north stairwell, taking the steps two at a time. Bullets ricocheted off the metal banister as the enemy from across the way and from above tried to pick them off.

Then just as suddenly they were clear of the stairwell. Bullets roared from her gun as she shot first one man then another. Across the way a man fell from the adjacent walkway, picked off by Tony who was now providing cover fire for Gibbs and McGee while she covered him.

Her heart pounded, adrenaline surging she pressed against the wall, so that she was partially covered by a support beam, and fired down the walkway, covering Tony. Then suddenly he was next to her shouting in her ear, "Boss and McGee are up. Let's go."

Nodding they moved together one covering the other as they cleared the first two rooms.

Down below the agents from two other teams were engaged in a brutal firefight against the drug ring.

She could hear shouting from down below and across the way but couldn't hear what they were saying.

Then suddenly there was a huge boom that shook the walkway and the whole building, sending the two agents to their knees.

Ziva was the first to scramble back up, to see what had happened. Below several agents lay unmoving on the floor, having been thrown back, and possibly killed by the blast. She could see the tell tail signs of a fragmentation grenade that had been thrown.

Swearing she trained her gun down on the enemy and fired. She had to give those agents time to recover.

Just behind her Tony was on his knees, one ear bleeding, looking dazed.

"Are you okay!" she shouted over the noise, cringing as a bullet hit the railing right in front of her.

She got no reply.

His eyes moved past her and slowly, like as if he was in water he raised his gun and fired two shots killing the man that had been coming up behind her.

She whirled, taking her eyes off the fight below, before turning back to him. He had just saved her life. As he had done numerous times. He just smiled a little at her, and struggled to get to his feet.

She was moving to help him, when she saw four men running up the stairs from below.

For half a second everything seemed to slow down. She could see the men's faces; see the intent in their eyes. She could hear Tony's breathing, strangely loud, and harsh in her ears. She knew instantly what she must do.

Time unfroze and she moved. Pushing Tony out of the way, protecting her partner, protecting her friend.

The first two men dropped. Her bullets claimed them.

Then the most dreadful sound. *click* she was out of ammo.

"Tony! Gun!" she yelled holding a hand behind her as the last two men surged past their fallen comrades. He blinked and held it out to her.

Her fingers had just closed over it when the first bullet passed through her.

The breath exploded from her and she stumbled.

For a moment their eyes met, and she tried to convey all that she felt in those brief milliseconds.

Then she was twisting, a cry erupting from her as she lifted his gun, firing.

A second bullet tore through her shoulder knocking her backwards.

She was falling. But she couldn't let them come. She couldn't let them win.

Falling backwards now, she switched the gun to her other hand, shooting as she fell. She had no idea if she hit them or not, all's she knew was that she had to keep squeezing the trigger.

She couldn't let them get to him.

Then a third impact. She knew she was done. She hit the cold steel of the sky-walk, the impact knocking what little wind she had out of her.

In an act of finality she fired three last shots between her knees, at the stairs, killing the man who had shot her. Numb she let her arm fall to the side. Let the gun slip from her fingers. Her eyes found his and she reached out for him. She felt his fingers close around hers and knew nothing more.