A/N - thanks to all those who took the time to review and alert. And, of course, thanks to my fab BETA, Diane, for all her hard work.
Chapter 2
Anthony DiNozzo Senior made it to Washington in a couple of hours. He was met at the train station by a car and driver, which had been sent by the NCIS director. From there he was taken straight to Bethesda Naval Hospital.
In the waiting area outside the ICU, he was greeted by the worried expressions of his son's colleagues. |They looked shell-shocked. He had met them for the first time only months previously and when he arrived, they greeted him with affection and support. He was surprised not to see the great Leroy Jethro Gibbs with them. He didn't exactly see eye-to-eye with the elder agent, especially when it came to his son. He knew that Tony had a close bond with the senior agent and that he respected Gibbs more than he did his own father. Then again, why wouldn't he? You have to earn respect and DiNozzo Senior had failed miserably. He realised that Gibbs was more than likely at his son's bedside. It annoyed him slightly at the thought of Gibbs taking on his paternal role, but he recognized that now wasn't the time for petty jealousies.
Senior received a warm hug from Ziva David, the beautiful, sultry agent he had made no secret of admiring on their first meeting. Ziva then linked Anthony Senior by the arm and led him into the ICU room where his son remained unconscious. Tony lay beneath a tangle of leads and tubes. He looked so ill. The sight shook him to his very core.
"I thought Agent Gibbs would be here," he said, surprised that his son's boss was not there as he had assumed.
With that, Ziva turned her head away and unsuccessfully attempted to stifle tears that seemed to come from nowhere. Despite her best efforts, her emotions poured out. DiNozzo Senior wasn't sure what he had said, but he had somehow managed to upset her.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I say something wrong?" he asked as he placed his hand gently on her shoulder. She shook her head.
"No, I'm sorry," Ziva said embarrassed by her vulnerability. "I didn't mean to get upset again."
"Don't be," DiNozzo said kindly. "Tell me what's wrong?"
Ziva turned around and, with eyes laden with hurt and sorrow, explained.
"Gibbs was also shot this morning. The doctors…..they don't expect him to survive the night," she said as huge tears traced down her face.
"Oh….., I don't know what to say," Senior said, stunned by the news. "I'm so sorry. I had no idea."
As they stood there in awkward silence, a doctor entered the room and introduced himself. Ziva thought it appropriate to leave, so excused herself and left the doctor talking to Tony's father.
"Your son is a very lucky man, Mr. DiNozzo. He was shot in the chest, but thanks to the quick actions of Dr. Mallard at the scene and the paramedics, he's alive. It was touch and go for a while, but the surgeons managed to repair the damage. It may be slow, but I expect him to make a full recovery," the doctor explained.
DiNozzo Senior was very relieved to hear this. He thanked him enthusiastically and once the doctor left, he approached his son's bed. He stood and looked down at him. He appeared comfortable, as though he was just sleeping. He gently tousled his son's hair, wishing he would wake up. Where had the time gone? It seemed like only yesterday his boy was just that – a boy. He had matured into a fine man, a man he could be proud of. Ever since he and Tony had reconnected this last year, he had come to realise how wrong he had been about his son. He had always resented his choice of career. Blue collar was not how he had been raised. He had expected much better from him, but Junior had walked away from the cushion of the family fortune to carve out his own way in life. Anthony Senior now realised what a brave and bold move it had been.
It had taken a few choice words from Gibbs the day they first met to open his eyes. His son was twice the man he had ever been, Gibbs was quick to point out. Now, as he looked at his son's tranquil features, he was relieved that he was going to be given a second chance to know his son. He realised that he could so easily have lost him today, but instead he had been gifted the opportunity to be there when his son really needed him. It might be a bit late, but he would be the father his son deserved.
He took a chair and pulled it close to his son's bedside. He thought of all the wasted years that he could never get back. Those regrets pained him. He decided to look to the future and committed to being there while his son recovered. Of course, that was all dependent on whether Junior would want him there. It's not as if he could blame Tony if he told him to sling his hook. Being there wasn't one of Senior's fortes, but he was desperate to put that right. He had come so close to losing his son today, it had really been a wake up call. It was time to put things right and he was determined to do just that.
A couple of hours passed when, much to DiNozzo Senior's delight, Tony began to wake from the anaesthesia. He was groggy and confused, unsure of where he was. His father spoke gently to him, trying to reassure him. Tony didn't even recognise him.
"Boss?" Tony said blearily, trying to keep his eyes open and failing miserably.
"No, son, it's me, your father," DiNozzo Senior told him as he leaned in close.
Tony licked his parched lips.
"Where's Gibbs?" Tony asked breathlessly.
Anthony Senior didn't know what to say. He didn't want to upset his son with such morbid news, so he decided to shield him from the truth until he was stronger.
"He had to go back to the office for a while. He said he'll be back in a bit," he told him convincingly.
Tony was too out of it to question his answer. It seemed like something Gibbs would do. Tony forced his eyes open and looked at this dad.
"Am I dying?" Tony asked cryptically.
"You're going to be fine," his dad told him.
"Really? I just thought…if you're here…..must be serious," Tony mumbled.
"Not at all; I was in the neighbourhood," his dad said with a wink.
Tony smiled weakly. Knowing his dad was there was strangely comforting. He closed his eyes and drifted back to the pain-free relief of slumber. His dad took his hand and stayed with him, determined he wasn't going to fail his son this time.
TBC