A/N): I wrote this about midway through last season. I was sad to see "our" Tony go, but I can understand Michael wanting to try something new. Let me know what you think of my sendoff (Kind of) Enjoy D.
"Last Call"
An NCIS Fan Fiction
By Dethwalker
Tony woke up feeling like he had come off a weekend bender and during that time someone had used him for batting practice. He struggled to get up but when he moved he felt a hot electric pain jolt through his brain. His eye fluttered open and he tried to remember exactly where he was, His brain began to register clues to his whereabouts, He could smell smoke and brick dust. It was very dark perhaps he was in a cave somewhere. Without having to move he could feel the weight of his gun and its holster, so he was dressed. He tasted the copper tang of blood in his mouth.
"Way to go DiNozzo." He said to himself" You must have gotten into a hell of a fight."
He moved his tongue over his teeth but did not find any missing. He grimaced but did not feel any cuts on his lips. A quick tongue cheek check revealed no splits there either. Keeping the rest of his body as still as possible he moved his hand to his pocket where his phone usually resided, as his hand wrapped around his phone his mind finally got into gear and remembered where he was….
Fort Jackson, Gray Rock, Virginia. Federal Terrorist Response Training Center (Three Hours Ago)
"So what is it that you do here, Captain?" Gibbs asked.
"At the moment very little, but when the facility is complete was will house the nation's most advanced Anti—terrorism training facility. We will train first responders, Secret Service and other security forces to assess and respond to possible terrorist activity. We will also house and train an antiterrorist military response team."
"Have you seen this man around?" Tony produced a photo of a middle-aged man with black close cut hair.
"Yeah, that Oscar Kaplin, he is one of the construction foremen helping build the facility." The Captain responded.
"Well He has killed a Naval Petty officer and we believe that he has put a bomb in one of the occupied buildings here on base. According to out intel we have three hours to clear the buildings and find the bomb"
Two and a half hours later Tony was checking the Fort Administration building after he swore he had heard a cry for help coming from inside…
That was a good sign. From what he could see above him, it looked like he was now in the basement. Steeling himself he shone the light from his cell phone on his body. His right leg was under a large slab of concrete and by the angle of his foot visible from below the slab, his leg was broken. His left leg seemed to be free and intact, thank heaven for small favors. Tony's heart sank when he saw a foot long length of steel rebar protruding from just under his rib cage and slightly right of center. Tony reflexively took a deep breath and had a coughing fit. His body was wracked with pain. Tony's grim medical assessment was interrupted by his phone ringing. He hit the answer button and put the phone up to his ear.
"DiNozzo" Tony answered as the coughing jag subsided.
"Tony! Where the Hell are you?" Gibbs asked.
"Oh, hey, Boss. Looks like our intel was wrong. We only had two and a half hours." Tony quipped
"DiNozzo where are you? You are the only one unaccounted for."
"Funny story Boss, a terrorist dropped a building on me. I appear to be in the basement of the Administration building."
"Aare you hurt? Can you move?"
"You know boss, I used to collect butterflies as a kid. Now I know what it feels like and I don't recommend it."
"Talk to me. Tell me what's wrong."
"Well I now have a matched set of busted legs, but the worst is I am pretty sure I'm an Italian Tony Kabob I've got a piece pf rebar sticking out of my chest. I've probably got a couple of broken ribs for good measure."
"Tony, I've got to co-ordinate the rescue. You stay with me and we will have you out in no time."
"No worries Boss I'm not going anywhere."
Tony ended the call and shut off the flashlight light app, which was a huge energy drain. He looked at the power meter appalled he had less than one-quarter of his battery life left. He had forgotten to charge the phone last night. He had been so tired of chasing after Kaplin that he didn't even undress. He had kicked off his shoes and flopped onto the bed and had slept the sleep of the dead until his alarm had woken him up, Tony closed his eyes and tried to conserve his own energy. He felt eerily calm, just like when he and had gone after Saleem to avenge Ziva. Maybe it was a natural reaction to life and death situations. Tim, he needed to call Tim. He needed to make things right. He opened his eyes and opened his contacts list and punched up McGee's number.
"DiNozzo?!"
"Hey Tim, what's up?"
"Tony. Bishop and I are heading your way…"
"That's nice. Look, Tim, I am… Well, let's just say that today I'm a Red shirt on Captain Kirks away team. Things are looking a little grim for Security Officer number two…."
"Tony… No, you have been in worse scrapes than this…"
"Look, Tim, it's okay. I've had a good run…" Tony was interrupted by another coughing fit. He tasted copper again and spit some bloody phlegm." Tim if I go to the big cinema in the sky there is something I need you do In my bedroom closet there are three boxes The first I want you to keep. They hold some of my most prized possessions. That one holds my mint collection of comic books. I have "A death in the Family" where Jason Todd dies and "A Killing Joke". I have a platinum edition of the "Death for Supermen" They're all classics. The second has thirty years' worth of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit editions. The third box is my porn stash and you need to get rid of it, Keep it, dump it, I don't care. The fourth box is for Ziva so you have to promise that you will find and give it to her. Promise me."
"Tony it's a moot point you are going to get out alive…"
"Tim, you are the closest thing I ever had to a brother, if I check out you gotta get that stuff to Ziva."
"Tony…."
"Promise me…" tony had a wracking cough and swore he felt something tear in his chest.
"Okay, ok, I promise."
"You've been a good friend Tim. Look I gotta go my battery power is low." And Tony hung up.
Tony closed his eyes again and tried to willed himself not to cough. He settled for short shallow breaths. He would miss Tim and Bishop. He thought about calling Abby to say goodbye to her but knew that it would just tear her up. He drifted for a while. He could hear the muffled sound of shouts and machinery, working to free him.
"Hey, Tony…." A Soft familiar feminine voice broke his reverie.
Tony opened one eye and saw Kate sitting prettily on a chunk of concrete. "Am I dead?" Tony asked with regret.
"Not yet." She replied with a smile.
"Thai's good because being stuck to a piece of concrete for eternity would suck."
"So you are saying your goodbyes?"
"I figured that I should cover my bases, but I've already said goodbye to you, Kate."
"I know. I've missed you and Tim and Gibbs."
"Jimmy's a dad now."
"Who?"
"Jimmy Palmer. He is Ducky's assistant now. I guess you never met him."
"No, I didn't… And Abby?"
"Well Abby is still Abby, she just has a few more tats/"
"What about 'HER'?"
"Who?" Tony was confused.
"My replacement…"
"Oh. Ziva? I don't know she left awhile back."
"You loved her. Didn't you?"
"Truthfully I still do."
"Does she know that?"
"Yes, she does. You would have been proud of me Kate. I actually told her how I felt."
"Does she still know?" Kate pressed…..
Tony woke up choking on phlegm. He coughed, turned his head and spat blood and mucus. 'never a good sign' tony thought. He looked at his phone with unfocused eyes and open his contacts again and scrolled down to the very bottom and pressed send. He waited through the rings and until the voice mail started. He hoped that she still kept this number.
"Hey Ziva, it's Tony." He mentally head slapped himself, like she wouldn't know." Look I know that it has been a long time, but… Well. I guess you can say I'm kinda being introspective. I just wanted you to know that I still think of you all the time. I guess I always hoped that one stormy night you would come knocking on my door, like Lauren Bacall in the Big Sleep. Maybe looking for your own Phillip Marlow. I always left my heart's door open for you. My Dad always said that you only get one great love in your life and when you find her you have to hold on tight and never let go. I am sorry that I couldn't hold on tight enough to keep ahold of you. I want you to know that I never let go…." Tony coughed and cleared his throat.
"Look, Ziva I still love you and wish I could see you one last time, so I could try to explain how much I care for you…. Ziva, if you get this, I want you to get in touch with Tim unless I'm still around then you can see me. I've got some stuff of yours, memories really. There's a night shirt that you left at my house from the summer that Gibbs spent in Mexico. The night after we found out the Damocles went down, Jack Daniels and I held a wake over it and I cried my eyes out. There are other things in the box as well, mostly gifts I bought you that I never had the courage to give you. I want you to know…." Tony had another coughing spasm." I want you to know that I have loved you since I laid eyes on you and I always will. I guess that quote from Blade Runner was correct. 'The light that burns twice as bright only burns half as long. I am not trying to guilt trip you here. I just want you to know that you are in my heart. I love you Z….." the phone fell from numb fingers and darkness swallowed him whole.
Sometime later….
Tony woke up feeling like he had come off a weekend bender and during that time someone had used him for batting practice. All around were bright walls. His eyes ached at the brightness. 'Am I dead he thought, Is this heaven? His ears seemed to wake up and he heard the sounds of hospital equipment.
"Oh no. I'm in Hell" he moaned
"Well, good morning Mr. Dinozzo." An annoyingly chipper voice interrupted.
Tony observed the white-clad middle-aged nurse adjusting his IV. He noticed the ring on her left hand and stopped himself from looking any further.
"I take it I am going to live."
"It certainly seems that way now. For the first few days, it was touch and go. They had to revive you three times in the OR."
"How bad was I?"
"You were pretty banged up. Your right Tibia and Fibula were broken a compound fracture. You had five broken ribs one of you lungs collapsed. Your right knee was smashed but now that you are awake they will schedule knee replacement surgery. The rebar missed most of your important organs…"
"Most?!" Tony asked alarmed.
"They removed about three feet of your GI tract and had to repair your stomach. You responded well to the antibiotics so infection was kept to a minimum. Both of your Kidneys were bruised but they cleared up after a week or so."
"Week? How long have I been here?"
"You had been here three weeks yesterday."
Tony was stunned.
"I must say you have had quite the parade of visitors… The Director of NCYS ,all your team members, the SecNav and police from Baltimore." The nurse prattled while she adjusted the bed's incline so he was half sitting up. She also began to check his vitals and adjust his IV.
"How much longer will I be in here?"
"With you injuries, and the additional surgery plus physical therapy, probably another month."
"A month! I can't be here that long!"
"If you keep shouting I'll increase you pain meds until you go back to sleep, besides that cute young woman that has been by your side almost the entire time, will make that time move faster."
"Woman?" Tony asked.
"Yes, beautiful, petite, dark hair, wonderful complexion. She'll be back soon I'm sure.
Tony was at a loss and unconsciously balled his fingers into fists. He felt a pinch in his left hand and opened it to examine the cause. Cradled in his palm was a very familiar necklace. The six-pointed symbol made him smile and tears pooled in his eyes, He had been staring at that necklace for many years. He picked up the necklace and brought it to his lips and kissed the Star of David.