Notes:

Prose between these ^ ^symbolises where dialogue comes straight from the episode. The rest is me. Though I still don't own squat.

Latham

"Agent DiNozzo is alive Mister Secretary… guess he got lucky…"

Gibbs

"I guess we did."

^Gibbs grabbed the handle and entered the hospital room. He'd taken a minute to compose himself after talking to Fornel, but he was blindsided by the sight of Tony stood by the window, wearing only the gown. He looked as vulnerable as he did ten years ago in Baltimore, when he'd held a shaking gun on Gibbs, having been faced with the truth that his partner was a dirty cop.

Banishing that image of a younger, undisciplined and insecure Tony from his mind Gibbs stood in the doorway, looked his hurting and confused Tony in the eye and took a deep breath.

"I just talked to Fornel about Agent Stratton."

Tony turned hopeful eyes to him. "Know him?"

Disappointed and unimaginably worried for his agent's safety Gibbs shook his head. Trying to put the issue of Stratton aside for the moment Gibbs was faced with yet another difficult situation.

He sighed, feeling completely shitty for what he was about to do. "Doc can you give us a minute?"

After Dr Cranston left, leaving behind the threat that almost got a smile out of him, Gibbs approached Tony ready to live up to that second B he had once told Kate stood for bastard.

He showed Tony the brass Ziva and McGee had collected at the scene. He had McGee send it over with the Agents guarding the door. When Tony looked defeated and started to tell him again that he didn't remember anything, Gibbs channelled into his frustrated anger at the whole stupid mess and unleashed it on an unsuspecting Tony.

"Just shut up and listen DiNozzo-"

Gibbs ignored the hurt his harsh words caused and pressed on, fighting to keep the concern out of his voice. He related the evidence as it had been reported to him from the team and as hoped giving Tony the details of the additional blood Abby had found sparked a reaction.

"Two?"

"Three people all together, DiNozzo," Gibbs softened his voice slightly and stepped into Tony's personal space, "I know this is hard, but I need to know who you were handling…"

Gibbs watched as Tony drifted off into his head to retrieve the memory he was asking for. Hearing how Tony had stood up to the SecNav made his heart swell with pride, but sorrow quickly infiltrated that feeling with the thought that someone who he felt wholly responsible for had been put in that situation to begin with.

Hell, truth was it was more than responsibility he felt, Tony was his. He didn't belong to SecNav or to Vance, not even to his own father… Tony belonged to Gibbs and even though he'd already been given the scenario by the rest of the team, listening to Tony's quietly terrified voice tell him about the moment he got shot was one of the hardest and emotionally painful things Gibbs had ever had to do.

He watched Tony's face closely as he processed the uncovered truths and that spark of pride returned when Tony spoke again. "You said I fired my gun, what about the badge in my pocket?"

Gibbs filled him in on what he had known for a few hours now, "Metro found Cade's body along the Potomac. The badge was his."

He caught the brief look of hurt confusion in Tony's eyes as he realised Gibbs already knew more than him, but hadn't told him. Gibbs just hoped Tony would understand the deception was for a very good reason and forgive him later. The next look was one Gibbs had seen many times on Tony's face.

"Cade…" Tony nodded and Gibbs could see he was trying to connect something, "what about the gun shot wounds?"

"Ducky said the fatal shot was from another weapon, the shots from your gun were all post mortem." Gibbs answered, barely holding himself together.

"So what, they planted the badge to make it look like I killed them." Tony paused, and Gibbs waited for what he knew was coming, "E.J?"

"Still looking" He felt every bit the bastard he claimed to be, and by god did it hurt to do it to Tony right now.

"Tony you never fired." Doctor Cranston, who had re-entered the room without either of them realising, interrupted when Tony fell silent, looking set to lose himself completely and Gibbs along with him. "You didn't kill them."

Tony still didn't speak. Gibbs had hoped to see relief flood his eyes at that news, hell he'd wanted to tell him that back when he chucked the blood stained badge on the bed and walked out, but Gibbs knew that knowing he didn't kill them didn't take away the pain that an agent was dead, or that he came within a hairs breath himself.

"DiNozzo, the photo was always Cade." Gibbs pushed gently. Hoping his hunch was correct.

"I knew EJ didn't do it," Tony's soft reply was nearly Gibbs' undoing. "I needed her help. To bring Cade in. SecNav was positive it was him, I convinced her to reach out… and draw him back to D.C."

As he listened Gibbs wanted to end it, give Tony a hug and tell him how sorry he was for keeping the details from him, for making him relive the hell of the last few months and letting him think he might have killed someone close to him. But he couldn't comfort him yet, they stilled needed something from him, something only Tony could tell them.

"Well it worked," Gibbs managed without his voice breaking on him.

"When EJ took the microchip, the doors opened…" Tony looked set to cry… or punch something, "we were all used." Tony's voice did break on that last word. He looked so lost Gibbs again fought down the urge to grab him and never let go.

"Someone wanted those microchips." Gibbs said in turn trying to concentrate on the words and not the soft sad tone that contrasted so starkly with Tony's usually vibrant and enthusiastic voice.

"You saw the shooter Tony, in that alley." Dr Cranston took her cue from Gibbs. "Who was it?"

Gibbs saw fear flit across Tony's face, before it was replaced with thoughtful determination. He held his gaze, not with his usual 'I want answers' glare, but a promise that he understood and he would be here for him when it was over. Tony looked away and Gibbs waited for him to remember who the bastard was that nearly stole Tony from him.

"Stratton, he killed them."

Tony was looking at him again, clearly needing something to prevent the dam from breaking. Gibbs nodded mutely, his eyes wide and sad in apology, communicating all his pent up concern for Tony with that one simple gesture.^

Tony openly looked at him, allowing Gibbs to see his fear and sorrow at how things turned out. Gibbs took the slight upturn of lips before Tony quickly averted his gaze as forgiveness. Tony turned, sitting down on the side of the hospital bed, gown hitched over his knees, glassy eyes staring out the window into the predawn sky.

Gibbs blinked a few times to stop the stinging sensation. He turned his blurred gaze to the ceiling as if asking it for answers before turning to Dr Cranston and indicating the door with a look. He wasn't surprised by the tears forming in her eyes, and hoped she understood just how grateful he was for her help tonight. There wasn't anyone else, other than Ducky, he could have entrusted with DiNozzo.

Once she left, the soft click of the door signalling her departure, Gibbs sat down next to one of the most important people in his life and could feel his minuet shaking where their shoulders touched. Gibbs lifted his arms and wrapped them around his agent tightly as Tony practically fell against him. When Gibbs placed one hand on the back of Tony's head the token resistance was expected, and duly ignored, as he ruffled the blood matted hair softly. There was no way Gibbs was going to leave him hanging and since he had no words that would even come close to offering support, a hug was the only kind of comfort he could provide Tony right now.

Gibbs knew this could have turned out far worse, like he had told the SecNav… he'd been there himself, far too many times, and being used as collateral damage was definitely not part of the job. Gibbs remained firm in his belief that no matter Vance's opinion Tony was his to protect and he'd be doing a damn sight better job of it from now on. In his arms Tony continued to shake, breaking Gibbs' heart when, with his own emotional dam barely holding up, Tony began to silently cry into his shoulder.