Hello Loyal readers!
welcome new followers and thank you for all your reviews, I really love it to read them! make me smile.
Do you know that feeling like you're stuck in quicksand, trying hard to move forward, but the only thing you're doing it going deeper and deeper, while other people just pass you and move forward, like it's nothing and don't see you're stuck? Yeah/no? Well that's kind of how I feel. I can tell you though, it's not a nice feeling. ;)
Anyway... Enjoy your reading!
Danni opened her eyes and she was met with light. It was bright and white all around her. She closed her eyes for a couple of seconds, then tried again. It was still just as light, but she could see a room forming. It took only a second to see it was her room. Her room at home. Tony's home. The only difference, it didn't have a door.
But why was it so light? Scratch that, why wasn't she in pain? She could remember everything that happened. The bathroom, the girl she attacked, the principal's office. The ride home with Tony. And then... nothing. Wasn't that just seconds ago? Minutes?
Danni sat up on the bed, swung her legs over the edge and looked around. Her room was just as it was supposed to be. until the last detail.
''Hello?'' She called out, though not expecting a respond.
''Hello'' A young voice right next to her, made her jump.
Danni stared down at the girl. She had seen that bright smile before. Those two brown reddish braids. The icy blue eyes. Even the yellow summer dress, the young girl was wearing, she recognized. Still she asked, ''Who are you?''
A giggle. ''I'm Kelly''
''Where am I? I mean, You're... dead'' Danni was expecting a grimaced, from the young girl. But Kelly just kept on smiling. ''Does that mean, I'm too?''
''At this point, that all depends on you'' Kelly told her.
''How do you mean? I can choose?''
Kelly tilted her head. ''Sort of. It depends on if you're ready''
''Ready for what? Death?''
''If you were really ready, you wouldn't be here right now. Being here, means some part of you is still fighting, and your body is still strong enough to fight with you. But there's the tricky part. If you don't decide to fight fully, you give up. If your don't choose in time, your body won't be strong enough anymore and it chooses for you'' Kelly explained. ''So you are here to think and I'm here to talk back, because talking to yourself just seems silly'' She grinned.
''Tony!'' Danni said suddenly. ''How's Tony? Is he alright? Is he hurt bad? I didn't mean it. It's all my fault he's hurt! Please tell me he's going to be fine''
''I don't know'' The grin fell from Kelly's face. ''I know he's having company until he wakes up. He's not alone'' Kelly said. ''But we need to focus on you''
''Can't I hear about your story first?'' Danni asked.
''That would take a lot of time'' Kelly pointed out.
''I don't care at this point'' Danni really didn't. If she didn't want to choose, maybe she would just let fate choose which way she was going.
…
Tony has a sort of similar situation. Though he was looking around a whole other scene in front of him. He remembered this place. It's smaller than he remembered and maybe a little bit lighter, but still he was safe here. He could feel it.
''Anthony''
Tony looked up and couldn't hold the shocked expression off his face.
''Mum'' He stammered, seeing the elegant woman across from him suddenly. Her straight blond hair in a pony tail and wearing clothes that showed just as he remembered her to be.
''I am surprised that you chose your tree house for your safe place. I would've thought you would've found so many safe places in your life, yet you go back to the one place you could go to get away from Senior. If you were quick enough''
''Senior never could climb a tree'' Tony remembered. ''Why are you here? Why am I here?''
''You hit your head pretty hard'' Rose told him.
''I did?'' Tony frowned. ''I can't remember. Just an argument with Danni in my car and then her face... it was so scared. And I think I remember pain. Excruciating and deadly pain, but I... can't remember anything other than that''
''I think it's best for now, that you're not awake. I don't like to see you in pain. I've seen it enough. I'm glad you're passed out for this'' Rose explained.
''Then why are you here?'' Tony asked.
''Nobody should be alone, when he doesn't have to be'' Rose stated, with a sad smile. ''Aren't you happy to see your mother?''
''God, I miss seeing you'' Tony breathed.
''I miss you too, Sweetcheeks'' Rose told him. ''Now tell me about Danni's... situation''
Tony's eyes went wide. ''Danni! Do you know how she is?''
''No'' Rose shook her head. ''But tell me, Anthony. What are you thinking? It cannot be anything good with that expression''
''I failed her'' Tony said quietly. ''I didn't see it coming. I missed so much of what I should've seen. How could I have missed that she... that...'' He trailed off.
''You're blaming yourself'' Rose stated matter of factly. ''Don't do that, because there is no way you could've known''
''I should've!''
''No. Because, she didn't want you to know. And when someone really don't want someone else to know, they will do everything to hide it. Even though, they want someone to help them'' She paused at Tony's frown of confusion. ''It's not black or white, Tony. it's not that simple. Everyone wants help, but if they don't want other people to know how they feel, or want to protect or prevent them from feeling the same because of them, they feel like they can't''
''Danni wanted me to leave her''
''You don't really believe that, do you?'' Rose asked. Tony shook his head. ''She thinks that you leaving her will make things easier. in a way it does, with no one around there is no one left to hurt with her actions. You've seen the scars. if she really wanted to kill herself she would have done it already. Those scars are from someone who desperately wants help, but at the same time thinks for certain she cannot tell anybody. it's a duel, a conflict. one that bottles up over time. one that is poked and pushed everyday, until one day something happens to overload those bottled up feelings''
Tony took in that information. ''I have to wake up'' He said softly. ''How do I wake up?
…
It wasn't the first time that Ziva picked up the girls from school. Or girl in this case, as it was only Mia who she went to pick up. But it was the first time she had to pull the girl out of class and tell her that her sister and father had been in a car accident.
Ziva followed the petite brown haired woman, that led her to Mia's class. The woman knocked on the door and turned back to Ziva. ''You can go in'' She said clipped.
Ziva smiled kindly, but the stare she got in return looked more like a glare. Why was the woman glaring, in the first place? She had said why she was here. It was nothing to glare about. She wasn't the one that made the accident happen. And she couldn't possibly be angry that she pulled a child out of class. Then Ziva followed the woman's gaze, that averted for a second and glanced down at the baby that was now peacefully sleeping against her chest in it's baby carrier. ''Thank you''
The woman huffed, put her nose into the air and walked off. Her heels clicking loudly on the tiled floor. Ziva rolled her eyes and opened the door.
The class went silent, all kids around the age of 10, stared at the woman that was Ziva and the baby with her. She wore a skinny jeans, a gray short sleeved T-shirt. Ziva had gotten most of her previous figure back very quickly after getting Jeth. (expect for some permanent changes that Chris wasn't complaining about one bit) Her hair though, was loose and falling over one shoulder in light curls.
''Can I help you Ms...'' The other woman that stood by the school board asked.
''Mrs. Waite'' Ziva internally grinned proudly. At work and on the job she wasn't able to use the same name. For safety and because the Director didn't allow it. It was rare to have a married couple on the same agency, let alone on the same team. Normally they would be pulled apart, but having Gibbs and Tony as her superior had their benefits.
''I'm here for, Mia'' Ziva said. ''I've a note signed by the principal for you, explaining her absence for the rest of the day and until further notice'' She walked further into class and handed the note to the woman.
The teacher read the note, momentarily widening her eyes as she did so. She glanced at Ziva, who gave a brief little nod. The teachers eyes glanced a split second towards Mia, who was already fidgeting in her seat, unsure what was going on.
''Mia, pack in your stuff. Mrs Waite is here to take you'' The teacher said.
Murmurs went around the classroom now. Kids whispering to each other. Ziva noted that the two girls in front of Mia turned to the Italian girl, as did the girl next to her. Mia seemed to have a whispered conversation with them, but was hastily packing in her books.
She jogged over to Ziva, as she ran her fingers through Jeth's light brown mope of hair. ''What's going on?''
''I'll tell you outside'' Ziva responded with a sad smile, that did nothing to ease Mia's nerves and gut feeling. She placed a hand Mia's back and pushed her towards the door. She turned to the teacher and said. ''Thank you'' Before closing the door behind her.
''Ziva, what's going on? Why are you here? What did you give to Ms. Novak?'' Mia asked without pausing.
''Mia'' She started, leading her to a bench that was in the hallway. Mia sat down and followed at Ziva as she carefully did the same. ''What do you know about your sister getting into a fight during lunch?''
''I know she got suspended... she attacked someone? That's what they were telling the hallways anyway. Dad would've had to pick her up''
''And he did. Apparently Tony decided to take a longer way home. But on their way...'' Ziva trailed off. As she gathered her thoughts on how to bring this as carefully as she could. But then reminded herself that the news would hit her just as hard, no matter how you told it. ''They were in a car accident, Mia. And things didn't look very good when we came to the scene''
Mia's eyes widened as she felt her heart stop. ''What?''
''Tony and Danni are both in the hospital. Both badly injured. Tony's injuries aren't life threatening, but Danni's... She... well... she has to fight really hard''
Ziva was waiting for tears to fall, for something that was another emotion then shock. But Mia shocked the Israeli herself, when she swallowed, nodded and stood up, calmly. ''Come on. We gotta go to the hospital''
''Right'' Ziva stood up too, took Mia's hand and led her out of the school and towards her car.
…
Jenny walked down the stairs as she saw McGee and Waite marching out of the elevator, without the two men she assigned to them.
''Where is your help?'' She demanded.
''I left them downstairs. Told them to get back to the hole they came from'' Waite paused a second and then added. ''Ma'am'' as he started up his computer.
''And why, Special Agent Waite, did you do something that is required your Directors permission for?'' Jenny crossed her arms over her chest. It was so a Gibbs action.
''Because I refuse to get the help of two imbeciles who can't even snap a shot of the crime scene right'' He growled. ''Why the hell did you agree to them going to help us? I had to get them take notes on how we do things around the crime scene, because those stuttering idiots were only in the way, like it was their first time!''
McGee silently agreed. Chris was sounding like Gibbs now. Maybe it was a Marine things to growl, be grumpy and hate everything for a moment, while being creepily calm, all at the same time when things didn't go their way.
''Those were top of their class!'' Jenny argued.
''And obviously you pulled them right out of it'' Chris snapped back. ''And I guess they only had theory classes, because they didn't know what to do with themselves on the fucking scene! Why didn't you give me experienced agents?'' He demanded to know.
Jenny crossed her arms over each other and glared at the Marine, ''It's not an official NCIS investigation''
''What?'' This time is was McGee who spoke up. ''You're the one that keeps telling Gibbs, that we— his agents are your agents. And then one or your agents gets badly injured, the person or persons responsible flees and you say it's not our right to have put our best men on it, because it's not an official case?!''
He was exactly saying what Chris was thinking.
''Agent McGee, I would keep your voice down if I were you'' Jenny warned.
''Or what?'' Both men dared.
''Or I will be forced to bench you. Both of you''
''Yeah? And how do you figure SecNav is going to react that suddenly the whole MCRT of D.C. Head Quarters is gone?'' Waite barked. ''You don't really think that benching me and McGee is going to get Gibbs or Ziva to the office, are you? I think you're forgetting that two of the team members are Marines and the rest share the same thoughts on the fact that we don't leave our people behind. But most importantly, We don't leave our family behind. And that's exactly what this MCRT is. One big family'' Waite shouted at her. Not caring that the rest on the floor had gone completely quiet. ''So you want to take my badge? Go ahead'' He grabbed it out of his inside pocket and held it out for her. ''But it's not going to stop me from getting the bastard that caused this''
Jenny just glared at the thing, than at McGee, who was returning it, and finally her eyes settled to glare at Waite. ''We're not done talking about this, Special Agents Waite and McGee'' With that she spun around and went back to her office, giving a death glare to everyone who she passed on the way.
''I'm sure we are not'' Waite mumbled.
''I can't see what Gibbs saw in her?'' McGee spoke up, sitting down in his chair.
''What are you talking about, Tim?'' Chris asked, while dropping into his own chair and letting his badge fall into his desk.
''You don't know?'' McGee looked scandalized. ''The whole office practically knows that Gibbs and the Director... well, you know, had a thing in the passed''
Waite grimaced, wishing he had been kept unknowing. ''Okay... let's get back to work'' He said, wanting to forget the director. ''At least now we can choose who helps us. Can you call down and see if Abby has an update?''
McGee groaned. Abby had been an disaster to call the first time and telling her what happened. Luckily Ducky was there to calm her down. But he just knew that she was still in her 'Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God' mind and had at least all ready drank down two Caf-Pow!'s. Her seeing Tony's car didn't help matters one bit and when they had left, she was running herself racked in the garage.
Reluctantly, but doing as he was told by his SFA, he picked up the phone and dialed the speed dial for the Garage, hoping by God that it was Palmer who picked it up.
...
Gibbs and Olivia both sat the waiting room. An uncertain Mason looking around. He had been in the hospital a few times before, his mom always taking him when Grampa or Tee-tee had a 'Owie'. But there was a difference. Mommy was always cheerful towards him, trying to assure him everything was going to be okay. But now she didn't even try.
''Mommy?'' Mason tugged on her shirt.
Olivia sighed and looked down. ''Yes, Honey?''
''Why are we here? Is Tee-Tee- hurt again?'' He asked innocently.
Olivia's eyes flickered up to me Gibbs' for a moment, before looking down again. ''Yes he is. But Danni too''
''Were they in the car that was breaked real bad?'' Mason's eyes went wide. That looked really bad. Nobody would be okay if they were in there.
''Yes, they were'' Olivia said.
''What's gonna happen to them?''
''Well the doctors are still busy with them. Trying to get help as many booboo's as they can. Everything else they have to do for themselves'' Olivia explained.
Mason nodded understandingly. ''What happens when they're hurt too bad?''
Olivia didn't like to have a conversation like that right now. But Mason was 4, he was going to ask a lot of things like that. And she was already preparing for the more embarrassing conversations, due of the innocent mind of a small kid.
She looked around only to see Gibbs looking at them from the corner of her eyes. ''When they're too badly hurt, they will go to sleep, but never wake up. We can't wake them up, either. And their spirit or soul, as some people call it, go to Heaven, like your friends. Kelly, Shannon and Rose''
''Will I still be able to see them?'' Mason asked.
''I don't know, Mason. You see, what Kelly, Shannon and Rose do and are is very special and very rare. Most people's spirits just stay in heaven and never come back, but they can look from up there down to us. Do you understand?''
Mason nodded. ''I don't think I will like it if they are going to sleep and never wake up and then go to heaven, but I can't see them. I will miss them''
''Oh, baby boy. Tony and Danni are both fighting hard to wake up soon again'' Olivia hugged the blond boy. ''And you better do, both of you'' She added in her mind.
''Grandpa?'' Mia's voice rang through the hall and both Olivia and Gibbs looked up to see Mia letting go of Ziva's hand and ran over. Seeing that Olivia had Mason on her lap, she ran into Gibbs arms and jumped into his lap. ''Please, tell me, they're going to be alright'' She whispered into his shoulder.
Ziva sacked into the chair next to Olivia. ''Any news?''
''No'' Olivia shook her head. ''Both are still in surgery. They lost Danni for a moment in the Ambulance'' She said in a lower voice and leaning towards Ziva, so that Mia couldn't overhear. ''But they were able to bring her back. I've never seen Gibbs look that way when he came out of the ambulance''
Ziva sighed. ''This is a mess'' Olivia agreed with the same sigh and a nod.
''Have you heard from your husband?'' Gibbs asked Ziva.
''He texted me an update when I parked my car here. He and McGee and some probies, that had been assigned to them by the Director, are back at the office. Christopher wasn't impressed by the probies'' Ziva told him. ''Even with two extra men, he and McGee did everything themselves because they were going too slow and it wasn't up to standards. He is really pissed off that Jenny let them work with them in such situation''
''Abby's busy getting evidence off Tony's car in the garage, with Palmer's help'' She continued. ''Chris is calling around hospitals, if anyone of them has men coming in with injuries caused by car accidents and McGee's trying every public camera close and around the area of the accident. Maybe locating the likely damaged car. With the damage of Tony's car it shouldn't be hard to locate the other car''
''He's pissed at the Director, that means he's doing a good job'' Gibbs stated, approvingly. Mia was curled against his chest, her ear against his heart. She maybe ten, but she did this often with the people she trusted the most. Gibbs held his hand against her other ear. Just holding her head. He could feel her suppressed shaking. She was trying to keep herself calm.
But why should she have to? Her sister and father were both severely injured and being in surgery. Why would a ten year old want to keep calm? It shouldn't be that way.
Gibbs was getting restless. Many nurses or doctors were passing by, but none of them were there for them, and if they were coming out of the place they rolled Danni and Tony of to, they refused or couldn't say anything. No news, was good news. But did that also count when surgeries were taking longer then they were supposed... or rather, like Gibbs wanted them to be? The longer it took, the more complications there were, and the more risk someone would not survive.
Ziva was the most calm of them all, and so was the one that took care of them. Getting coffee, that no one liked, as it came out of a damned machine, A soda for Mia. Getting them some food. Trying to make a conversation. But what the hell do you talk about when some of the closest members of your family are being cut through?
Gibbs almost growled out of frustration and amusingly for a split second, Mia did the same. Olivia had been way too quiet for anyone's liking, especially Mason's who somehow knew not to ask questions, right now. He damn well knew that somehow this was a more bad thing than any other trip to the hospital. Smart kid, that one.
It was 4 and half hours later, just after dinner time, that two surgeons came out of the doors that they all had been staring at. They had already gotten rid of their blue or green surgery aprons, Gibbs noted and was glad for that. The kids didn't need to see the amount of blood it cost to safe the lives of their family.
Though, the scary part is, Gibbs couldn't read the expressions of either of the two man.
''Family of Antony and Danielle DiNozzo?''
Everyone stood up, Gibbs taking the lead. ''That's us''
The two men looked at their patients family, seeing the kids, and thus deciding that they couldn't talk with that many details as they would with only adults. They looked at one another and the one on the left nodded to the one on the right, giving him permission to go first.
''Right. I'm Doctor Richards, and I worked on Mr. DiNozzo. As you already knew his injuries weren't life threatening, in the first place and as from now that will stay that way'' He began. ''However, the injuries he does have aren't pretty at all. He has 16 stitches in his face. A deep cut on his forehead and one on his jaw. Some super-visual cuts, too. Some of the same deep cuts go on on his left side, shoulder blade, arm and side. In total we had to give him 98 stitches, just for cuts on his left side of his upper body''
''Next to that, his left shoulder was dislocated, we had to set his left arm, as it is broken, almost all ribs are bruised and two broken. His leg is broken on two places and we had set pins in it. This all came again with the necessary stitches. He's lost a lot of blood of course and it's a good thing he came in with he did. Despite he has been incredible lucky, so far, as none of this is going to threaten his life, he will be in a lot of pain. And I mean a lot. It's why I've decided to sedate him for at least the coming 36 hours, as those are the most crucial hours for the wounds to heal. We will do this with regularly sedating him over the hours, as a too deep of a sedative can cause problems to the severe concussion he has. In 36 hours, we will see how calm he will remain''
With this Gibbs and Olivia shared a glance. Once Tony would be awake and he would receive any news or remember what happened, there was no way he will be calm...
''Will he recover from his injuries?'' Olivia asked.
''We have to wait until he wakes up to see the damage more detailed. It will take a long time for him to recover from all this, and I am not sure if everything will recover fully or for an hundred procent, but in a long run he will be alive and for all we know, mentally he would be fine...'' He trailed of, seemingly realizing that maybe he wouldn't be as he learned about the condition of his daughter.
The other man glares at him and turns to the family with a deep breath, that wasn't really reassuring at all.
''Danielle DiNozzo, is the total opposite from her father'' He spoke. ''I am sadly to say, that with all that we could do to safe her life, we weren't able to avoid her going into a coma''
Gibbs felt the small hand that had remained clutched onto his bigger one fall from his, as Mia flung herself onto him instead and started to tremble more then she already did. It felt like his heart sank into his stomach.
Okay, so I have to say, that this ending annoyed me to hell, but I everything else I thought of was even more... just not right. or something I don't know.
don't kill me for this please? O:)
What do you think, about it? good, bad. Thought or hopes of what is to come? Tell me in a review! ^_^
Update soon! x Leonie
