When Tony did not show up at their normal meeting place, Ari immediately as he knew Tony would never just miss their meeting without alerting him. As he never had before and Ari knew that despite Tony's act he was reliable. Tony had never once disappointed him and Ari knew that this was not the first time. Everything was screaming inside Ari that something was wrong with Tony and so he made some calls and then felt his entire life shatter around him once he received the answers he had very stupidly gone looking for.
Air broke all driving laws in existence to get to Tony but when he arrived at the hospital that he was at, Ari could not bring himself to go in for quite some time. Terrified of seeing Tony...Terrified of seeing...Of seeing...Him that way. The plague. How could Tony have the plague. Ari would kill the woman responsible for this, make her pay for hurting Tony over some stupid false rape. She had hurt what was most dear to Air and...If Tony did not come back from this, Air would not survive it so why should anyone else.
After a while Ari finally pushed himself to go in and find Tony. Once Ari managed to get to him and get through Gibbs, which was not an easy feat by any stretch of the imagination, Ari finally saw Tony. And wished he hadn't.
"Tony" It was barely above a whisper as for the first time in his life Ari wanted to flee. For at this moment,, staring at Tony he knew exactly what the chances truly were for his survival. Ari cursed the fact that he went to med school at this moment as he was well aware of what all the machines connected to his lover meant and he knew what Y pestis did to the human body.
"Don't look at me...like that."
"Like.. What?"
"Like your seeing a ghost." Tony's smile was grotesque and sickening to see, unlike all the other smiles that Ari had seen him make. It made him want to cry. Ari knelled before the cot and gripped Tony's hand and raised it to his lips. Kissed it lightly then pressed Tony's hand to his forehead as tears began to flow. Ari was uncaring of the fact that Gibbs and the others were watching outside through the glass walls.
"If I told you not to go, would you obey."
"You.. know I don't obey you..."The smile that Tony gave was weak and wobbly but Ari returned it as best he could. As Tony was the love of his life and Ari knew that no matter what he said to him, tony would never walk from this room.
"Obey me in this, my soul. Without you I am nothing." Ari stroked Tony's hair, caressing his with a gentleness Ari had only ever shown Tony. For Tony was the only person he had ever truly loved. Not his father or his sisters. Only Tony truly had ever mattered to him and now he was dying before him and there was nothing Ari could do to stop it. Never before had he felt so hopeless.
"You...are everything...Don't do...anything.. stupid...Promise...me,." Tony gripped Ari's hand as tightly as he was able to.11. For he would not die till he had that promise. He knew Ari and knew who he truly was but loved him anyway.
Ari could see the struggle Tony was and knew he would give him peace even knowing that a promise to Tony would have to be honored. that nothing would ever prevent him from breaking it. his word to Tony was his bond and that would not change with his death. "I promise, Tony. I will not do anything that you would not approve of."
Tony managed one last breath taking smile before the smile faded as his eyes dimmed. Ari watched as the life drained out of Tony and tears began to fall as he rested his forehead against Tony's. Now he was truly alone. Tony was dead.
The love of his life was dead and Ari would be forever alone.