Life had a way of just getting mundane and people tended to start going through the motions. That is until something happened that knocked your world off it's axis. Each NCIS agent had there world knocked over more times than any cared to remember. Yes they appreciated certain things and people more than most, but they still tended to take things for granted. Even Leroy Jethro Gibbs himself tended to fall into the trap.
Jethro Gibbs switched on his coffee pot. The pot sputtered a bit, he sighed, unplugged the appliance, and monkeyed around with the pot and base until it sat flat again. He then plugged the device back in, switched it back on and walked over to table. He'd had the same pot for over a decade now. McGee had tried buying him one of those Keurig things last Christmas. He had made one pot to satisfy McGee and then gave it to a friend of his. He heard a knock on the door and looked at his watch. It was still early. He didn't even have to be at work for another hour. He walked over to the door and was surprised to see Tony and Tali on the other side. Tony had Tali slung over his shoulder. He was pale and looked beyond exhausted. Tali was her normal happy self, but Tony's face was enough to worry Jethro.
"What's wrong?" Jethro asked, skipping formalities.
"Nothing. I was just wondering if you would be willing to keep Tali for a while this afternoon? I have a doctor's appointment." Tony explained.
"What time?" Jethro asked.
"Six" Tony replied.
"That will be cutting it kind of close. Can Jimmy keep her for a bit just in case I don't get home in time?" Jethro asked.
"Jimmy is actually going with me." Tony replied.
"Palmer's going with you? Why?" Jethro replied.
"In case they give me something and I can't drive." Tony lied.
"Makes sense. Well I will see you later." Jethro replied.
Tony nervously drummed his fingers on the arm of the chair. Jimmy looked over at him with a look of concern on his face. Tony shrugged and went back to his nervous tapping. Jimmy was not buying it. He placed his hand on Tony's shoulder and squeezed it tightly. Tears had formed in Tony's eyes but he quickly wiped them away.
"It's going to be OK." Jimmy assured.
"I don't think it is." Tony argued.
"Tony you have to be positive." Jimmy reminded.
"It's kind of hard to be positive when you might have lung cancer." Tony scoffed.
"Tony there is a whole list of things this could be that are not cancer." Jimmy reminded.
"I just had the X-Ray yesterday and they put me in right away. Whatever it is it isn't good." Tony sighed.
"If it is what they say it is. If it's as bad as they say. Just know that we are going to be by your side every step of the way. Breena and I have talked it over. We have an extra bed in Tori's room and Tali can stay with us anytime." Jimmy explained.
"Thanks" Tony muttered.
"Did you tell Gibbs that you may have to stay overnight or do you need me to cover for you?" Jimmy asked.
"I don't want Gibbs to know anything until I know the results. Just get Tali and lie to Gibbs." Tony explained.
"Of course" Jimmy replied.
Soon after Tony was called back and Jimmy shot a quick text to Breena. Instructing her to collect Tali from Gibbs. Using the excuse that Tori wanted to see her friend and they figured that Jethro should have his evening. The text took just seconds to send and Breena replied back almost instantly. From there all Jimmy could do was wait. He regretted agreeing to bring Tony from the start. He knew why Tony had asked him and why Tony did not want anybody else to know. That made him feel worse. Tony trusted him and here he was falling apart. The wait seemed endless and every noise made him want to jump out his skin. Somebody offered to bring him food but he felt too sick to even think of keeping anything down. After what felt like a life time the doors opened and a doctor approached him.
"How is he?" Jimmy asked.
"He is out of surgery and moved to recovery. He should be moved to the ICU within an hour. As we discussed he will be intensive care at least overnight due to the previous damage to his lungs and his history of bad reactions to anesthesia. You will be able to see him as soon as he is set up in the ICU but it will have to be a short visit. We will have the results of his biopsy in seven to ten days but I am afraid the masses are larger than we thought." Dr. Philips explained.
"What's the prognosis?" Jimmy asked.
"If it is cancer and is the form Dr. Pitt suspects. Just spend as much time as possible with him." Dr. Philips explained.
In the ICU, Tony was hooked up to a ventilator. The tube was shoved deep down his throat and his newly stitched chest was exposed and wrapped in gauze. Jimmy felt sick at the sight. He was praying that the doctors were wrong and Tony did not have this cancer. That if he did have cancer it was not the type they suspected. They type they were talking about was aggressive and killed far stronger men than Tony. Not that Tony was weak, his body was weakened by the plague. Even though he was doing well or had been anyway. The damage had been done and Tony had a hard enough time fighting off simple infections. This cancer, if it was what they said. Tony was simply not strong enough. Tony was a fighter that was good but the numbers did not lie.
A/N: Another depressing story but the team will be written in a more positive light this time. For the most part. New chapter will be up soon. Thanks for reading and please review.
