Sorry guys, another short one, but like I said, big weekend. The last chapter should be up soon. Keep the reviews coming and thanks for the support.
Ducky took in the scene laid out in front of him with a fond smile; Tony sprawled out on the couch, his mouth open and Gibbs resting peacefully in the desk chair watching over his injured agent. DiNozzo probably didn't know it, but this scene was nearly identical to the ones that had played out every other time Tony had been hurt in the last two years; work related or not. Jethro cared for and worried about all his people, but Ducky had no doubt that Tony was special. As rarely as he ever showed it, DiNozzo had a vulnerable side, a need to be loved and cared for, something that was exactly like honey to a bear for Gibbs.
"Don't even say it, Duck." A brilliantly blue eye was cracked in the ME's direction, "I'm not his father."
"And thank heaven for that." Ducky made a sour face, letting Gibbs know exactly what he thought of DiNozzo Sr. Considering what he knew of Tony's childhood, he'd rather spend the weekend at a serial killer's convention than spend two minutes in a room with that man. On the other hand, Gibbs wasn't the only one trained in hand to hand…
"No Jethro, I think you fit much better into the frame of over-protective big brother, perhaps with a just a hint of reluctant mentor thrown in for good measure."
Gibbs cocked his head, briefly considering Ducky's interpretation of he and Tony's relationship as he stared at the man in question. In truth, he'd spent a good deal of time trying to interpret the feelings he had towards the younger man. He knew he loved Tony, but not in the romantic sense nor was it the way a father should love his son- he'd always felt that had implied an inequality between people. Older brother seemed to fit the bill perfectly; Tony could drive him to distraction without even trying, but there was absolutely nothing Gibbs wouldn't do for him and there was definitely a need to protect involved. However, as with any sibling relationship, to tell Tony how he felt would be 'un-cool'; big brothers were supposed to be gruff, picking on the young sibling without mercy, but they'd beat the ever loving shit out of anyone else that even thought of trying the same thing.
He raised an eyebrow at the ME, "over-protective?"
Ducky let out a quiet chuckle, careful not to rouse DiNozzo; although the fact that the agent had yet to wake was truly a testament to his previous level of fatigue. "Tell me Jethro, have you ever slept while young Anthony was undercover?"
Gibbs ducked his head with a guilty grin, "I worry about all my people Ducky."
"Ah, then answer me this," the ME allowed the corners of his mouth to curl up in a positively evil grin, "did you ever sleep while Stanley was on an undercover assignment?"
Gibbs knew it was time to concede defeat; he'd never worried nearly this much about Stan Burley in the field and Tony was twice the undercover agent Stan had ever been. "Point taken, Duck. So what's the verdict?" He nodded to the radiographs in the doctor's hand.
Ducky let out a small sigh as he held the images up to the light, "well, I'm afraid the lad has fractured the distal end of his fibula." Without looking, he simply knew that Gibbs was giving him the 'what's that mean in English' stare. "He's broken his ankle, Jethro. No displacement though, so he should do fine with a walking boot for several weeks; no crutches needed- thank heaven for small favors."
Both men cringed simultaneously, remembering the last time Tony had been forced to use the infernal things. Apparently, every single- and even some of the married women at NCIS thought that DiNozzo looked incredibly dashing and rather helpless while on crutches. No one had been able to get any work done, the flowers and baked goods had overflowed all their desks; even Tony had begun to complain about it. And DiNozzo in a sling- hell, they might as well shut down the entire building.
After a minute of both men's furtile imaginations running rampant, Ducky continued his report. "He had hairline fractures in two of his ribs and several strained muscles surrounding his left shoulder. I have to admit, I'm not quite sure how he incurred that last injury," he added with a furrowed brow.
"Probably by grabbing that tree to keep myself from taking what would have been a very cold swim," floated quietly from the couch.
Ducky walked quickly over to the afghan-covered lump for a better look at his patient; "Anthony, my dear boy, how are you feeling?"
"I'm fi-" green eyes quickly shifted to Gibbs on the other side of the small room, a silent communication passing between the two. "Kinda fuzzy, pretty sore, but I'll live."
The ME gave a gentle smile, "glad to hear it, my boy. I'll get you fitted for a walking boot, then send you on home and you're to take the rest of the week off." He fixed both Gibbs and Tony with a hard stare.
Gibbs knew better that to defy that look, but apparently DiNozzo still felt the need to object, "Ducky, I don't need any time-"
"The Director gave us all the rest of the week," or he will, Gibbs mentally corrected. "No one is coming in until Monday." Jethro had seen that flash of fear in Tony's eyes once again; the fear of replacement because he couldn't do his job, the fear that taking a couple days off would be seen as a weakness. Everytime he saw that look cross his agent's face it made him want to hunt down any and every single person that had helped to put it there.