Just want to say a quick thank you to absolutely everyone who reviewed. It really made me smile and made my day too. I love to write but haven't in such a long time. Anyways, so many of you told me to hurry up so here's chapter 2. Hope you enjoy it as much as the first.
Gibbs could feel how tense his two field agents were in the back of the SUV and he knew it wasn't just down to the speed he was driving at either. Ziva had started to bite her nails and McGee had started frantically playing with his PDA, both sure signs that these two were anxious. Neither had asked what was going on. Neither had dared. They could see how worried Gibbs was even though Gibbs had tried desperately to hide it. His marine experience had taught him two extremely valuable people skills. The first was to gauge people's emotions quickly and effectively and think ahead to combat them. The second was to hide his own emotions and feelings in case of capture. Well this wasn't being captured but Gibbs knew he had to be strong and hold everyone together. Abby would need him most when they arrived. She'd sounded distraught on the phone. But who wouldn't be?
Tony had been on edge for the past few weeks and Gibbs knew it was something major. Tony DiNozzo the practical joker and ladies man himself had been seriously distracted. Gibbs had tried to approach him on the matter but Tony just shrugged it off and said Gibbs must be getting old. That had earned him a slap to the back of the head. Gibbs being Gibbs also knew that Tony wasn't willing to give out information and, as wrong as it may seem, he'd tried to delve into matters and find out what was bugging him. Gibbs felt like he was creeping around behind Tony's back but Tony, Ziva, McGee, Ducky, Abby and even the director (despite her constant digs) were like his family……….. The only family he had left and he had to protect them, the way he hadn't been able to protect Kate.
Kate being murdered right in front of him had made a huge impact on Gibbs. He knew he couldn't stand to lose anyone that close to him again, but he also knew that he'd made the biggest mistake, something he swore he'd never do, and he'd got involved. Everyone in that tight knit team was like a family and Gibbs was the father figure, the figure of authority and strength. He needed to be there for everyone, especially Tony right now.
Gibbs hadn't liked what he'd discovered when trying to find out what was bugging Tony. His infamous gut had led him in a specific direction and Gibbs had been horrified at what he found, shocked at the cruelty of Tony's past. Pulling up outside Tony's apartment block, Gibbs could only hope that for once, his notoriously correct gut was wrong.
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Abby couldn't see Tony breathing and as she reached down for a pulse, she heaved a sigh of relief as she felt a slight beating against her forefingers. Tony was alive. It didn't stop her crying though. She tried to wake Tony gently but as that got no response she started to shake him a little harder until finally Tony stirred. Tony grimaced in pain as he moved his head and felt sharp shooting pains all over his body. He knew this wasn't good.
"Tony I'm so glad you're alive!" Abby cried out as she pulled her cloak off to put under his head.
"Abby, what are you doing here?" Tony looked genuinely puzzled as to why Abby was in his flat.
"Tony you called me, I didn't pick up the phone in time so I rang you back, 15 times in fact. You didn't answer so I drove like a bat out of hell to get here and found you like this … what happened to you?"
"I don't know…."
"Tony you have to try and remember….Tony please come on stay with me…" She pleaded in vain as Tony lost consciousness again. It was then she noticed where Tony's cell phone was. It was nowhere near him. Why would you run away from the one thing you would use to call help?
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Gibbs had told Ziva and McGee specifically to cordon off the area. No-one else had arrived yet and Tony's neighbours were starting to get extremely confused about the commotion. If Ziva and McGee stayed outside and took statements it meant that Gibbs could assess the damage first and try and console Abby away from prying eyes. It also meant that Ziva and McGee were focused on a task enough not to be able to worry just yet. Gibbs just hoped there wasn't too much to worry about. Unfortunately, his gut told him he was wrong.
Gibbs vaguely registered the trashed apartment, Abby had told him where she was and Gibbs followed his instinct to find the bedroom. He stopped still in his tracks when he saw Abby, bent over Tony's body, her body shaking with a mixture of sobs and shock.
Gibbs bent down beside her, sliding a hand onto Tony's neck to feel for a pulse at the same time. Relieved to find that his senior field agent was still alive, he reached for his cell called for an ambulance and then put his jacket around Abby's cold shoulders. Abby's beautiful eyes were streaming with tears and Gibbs let her fall into his arms.
"Abby," he whispered, "What happened?"
"I asked him…. He doesn't know… he… he,"
"Ok ok shhhh Abby it's ok," Gibbs held her closer trying to comfort her. He could feel her breathing become slightly more regular and he knew she had calmed slightly. "Abby, do you know why Tony called you?"
"He called me, I couldn't get out of my coffin in time to answer it but then when I did call him back he didn't answer so I rang a few more times and he still didn't answer. Something just didn't feel right Gibbs. I made my way over here had a fight with Barbie on the reception desk and then got up here and found him like…. Like this. But Gibbs, his cells over there…. Why would he leave his cell if he was in danger…. And I haven't checked but I bet his gun's still in his top drawer where he always keeps it. It doesn't make sense to me Gibbs – why would he call me and not you?"
"Abby I want you to go outside and help Ziva and McGee cordon off the area and then when the ambulance gets here I want you to show them in here ok?" Abby nodded and slowly got up and made her way out of the room.
Knowing he was alone, Gibbs tried the only tactic he could think of to try and wake Tony. Lifting his head slightly, Gibbs tapped him gently on the back of it.
"Boss?" Tony whispered.
"Hey DiNozzo, now what have I told you about being late for work?" Gibbs tried to make Tony smile or at least feel at ease but Tony's face crumpled into a frown and Gibbs noticed a tear coming out the corner of his eye. "Tony why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"You know?" Tony managed to mutter.
"Yes I know Tony. I know I shouldn't have done it but I had to find out what was affecting you so badly. Why didn't you come to me? You know I would help you, don't you?"
"Yes Boss but I didn't know how to tell you about… well you know…."
Gibbs took hold of Tony's hand and gave it a little squeeze. Gibbs knew Tony would feel exactly what Gibbs was thinking and that it would reassure his field agent. Slowly, Gibbs let his eyes scan Tony's body. His top half was completely naked and Tony had cut upon cut on his back. The bruising was horrific, Gibbs had only had bruising like that once in his life and that's when someone had beaten the crap out of him. Gibbs also noticed that Tony's jeans buttons weren't done up to the top. It probably meant that Tony had gone to bed, the doorbell had gone and Tony had put his jeans on to go to the door. At least that was a plausible explanation for that at the moment. Gibbs mind was racing. Why the hell hadn't he acted on his gut feelings earlier when he'd found out about Tony's past?
Abby ushered the paramedics in to the room and interrupted Gibbs train of thought. She didn't look her normal strong self. She looked heart broken and frail, but worst of all she looked guilty. As the paramedics put Tony onto a stretcher, Abby bent down and kissed Tony on the cheek. "Come on DiNozzo, you have to live for me – who else can I make fun of?"
Putting a hand on the small of her back, Gibbs urged her to go with the paramedics. "You go to the hospital. The director and Ducky will meet you there. You call me as soon as you know anything ok?" Abby gave a half smile and she led the way out of the apartment. The paramedics stopped the stretcher as Tony reached out for Gibbs, "Please don't tell them what you know," he pleaded.
Gibbs looked at him, knowing he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. He didn't want to betray Tony and tell the team about his past but it was crucially important in finding out what had happened tonight. Gibbs knew what he had to do.
"I won't tell them Tony," He paused and saw Tony relax on his stretcher. "But Ziva or McGee are going to look into the past and they're going to find it themselves."
"I know Boss but just… please don't tell them yet. I trust you." And with that the paramedics pushed Tony out of the room and Gibbs was left to look at the remnants of Tony's apartment.
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I hope that's ok. I know it's not really moved along a great deal but have to build it up a bit first! Lol. Hope all you lovely people can review and let me know what you think. Until next time )
