“Margie, Margie!” I yelled into the phone but she had ended the call.  She said, kroykah, a bomb, thirty minutes, don’t know if I can defuse it, I love you. Just then the CIA Director grabbed my arm and said that he knows where she is and they are doing everything that they can to handle the situation but right now we need to vacate the building. I didn’t want to leave.  I wanted to find Margie but I knew that we had to exit the building.  The news spread fast and everyone exited the building in an orderly fashion.  It was a good thing that those in attendance were used to dangerous situations and knew how to keep their wits about them and did not panic.

We made it outside and I tried again to call Margie’s phone but she did not answer.  I tried hard to stay calm.  I knew that she could handle herself and I prayed for her wellbeing. Ten minutes had passed since I spoke with her.

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In the hallway I started toward the room with the bomb when I heard someone trying to pull open the exit door.  Thinking that the bomber was returning I grabbed my gun from my thigh holster and pressed myself into the niche in the wall to conceal myself. The door opened and in stepped someone I recognized as FBI agent Finn and behind him came a bomb squad. I identified myself and he informed me that my Director apprised his Director of what was happening. My Director gave them my location based upon my cell phone signal.  The bomb squad went immediately to defuse the bomb. They had fifteen minutes. They were able to defuse the bomb in time.  

Agent Finn filled me in on what happened after I reported finding the bomb. The proper authorities did apprehend the man on whose jacket I had put the transmitter.  He was not part of any terrorist group.  He was a disgruntled employee of the ballroom facility. He used the Internet to learn how to make his bomb.  Fortunately for us, although he had enough explosive to demolish the entire building it wasn’t too sophisticated and the bomb squad was able to defuse it in time.  

Agent Finn added, “But you made all of the difference.  Your quick response gave us the time we needed.  The bomb squad had swept the building earlier because of all the ‘big wigs’ in attendance.  They had not left the premises. They were parked on the other side of the building. The bomber evidently set the bomb after the bomb squad left after their initial sweep.  You must have met him as he was making a final check on his bomb before leaving the building.  He probably set it for thirty minutes to allow himself enough time to get far away from the building.  Tonight’s gathering was all about agencies working together and sharing information.  This is a splendid example of that.  Thank you.”

“Just doing my job.  Thank you all. I think I will leave now. It has been some night,” I said as Agent Finn called in to notify everyone of the “all clear” and I left to find my husband.

Understandably the event was postponed for a later date.  I made my way to the parking lot looking for Jethro when CIA Director Burns stopped me and commended me on my quick response and gave me tomorrow off.  Jethro saw me and came up to me and grabbed me.  He held me so tight I thought that I would lose my breath. “Are you alright?” he asked looking me all over to make certain that my answer verified what he saw.  “Yes, I am alright.  Can we go home now?” I responded.  Just then Director Vance said to Jethro, “I don’t expect to see you tomorrow Gibbs.” Jethro nodded and said ‘thanks’ to him.  We left to go home.

We arrived home totally exhausted as the adrenalin rush had dissipated.  As we made our way up the stairs Jethro said to me, “You do know that you I won’t let you out of my sight all tomorrow.  And tonight we might be tired now but we won’t get much sleep tonight.  I need to hold you.  I need to reassure myself that you are here with me.”

As we entered our bedroom I took his hand and with as much love as I could convey responded to his passionate declaration, “The thought of you kept me sane in that hallway. I knew that I had to do whatever I could to get back to you.  I need to hold you.  I need to feel you.  I need to reassure myself that you are here with me.  You are my safe place.  You are my home.”

With that said we took a nice hot shower and made our way to our bed. We made love with such intensity and clung to each other through the night.  Morning found us freshly showered and in the kitchen cooking breakfast together, something we had not done in weeks.  

“What shall we do today Jethro?” I asked as I sat the dining room table for breakfast.

“The same thing we did last night,” he said as he came up behind me.

“I like how you think.  Now that sounds like a plan.  Let’s eat and then work off this meal,” I responded with a smile on my face.

He turned me around and kissed me and the kiss grew intense and we forgot all about breakfast.  We did eat breakfast but later, much later.