Chapter 8

                                    

                                          

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.