A/N: Written for Anna's challenge!
After writing Grandpa comes through, I had a lot of positive feedback, so to continued the series and fill in some gaps
Agent Afloat the accident USS Regan (Explosion)
Tony's hospital room Remstein Germany
Tony's resignation
Family (Jethro, Jack and Sal meet only to gang up on poor Tony)
The team strikes back
Coming home
Summary: Tony has been injured in an accident as Agent Afloat on board the USS Regan. After having his legs amputated, he hands in his resignation to NCIS thinking the team will never welcome him back. How will family help his cope and how will his teammates get him back.
Family
A/N – Summary Jethro, Jack, Sal and Sofia meet only to gang up on poor Tony in Germany and help him start his road to recovery.
Later that day Jethro and Jack meet at Dulles airport to board a military transport to Germany. Both men are silent as the plane takes off. Jack opens the conversation "Leroy, did you talk to him again?"
"Yeah dad, he is in pretty bad shape. He's not handling this well at all" he sighed.
"Wouldn't expect him to" said the older man "give him time he'll come around."
"I hope so, you know Tony he is stubborn."
"Just like his old man" Jack says with a smirk.
"Yeah" answered Jethro, "he is" smiling back, settling in for the long flight.
NCIS
Autopsy
"I can't believe he just up a quit Dr. Mallard"
"I know Mr. Palmer, but it was his decision and I am sure he did not make it lightly"
"But still, can't we do anything to keep him? I mean there has to be something he can do here, isn't there."
"Yes I am sure there is Jimmy, but we must give him time" he said practically. "Let's hope Jethro can talk him around. Now back to work Mr. Palmer.
"Yes sir."
"But, there has to be something we can do?" he repeated to Ducky
"Let me think on it Jimmy, maybe if we put our heads together."
"Now back to work" he said sternly, turning to the body on the table. "We have work to do and Jethro can handle Anthony."
NCIS
Abby's Lab
"Timmy! WE have to do something! We can't just let Tony leave! He's family." Shouted Abby
"Abby calm down, I don't know if there is anything we can do, especially since he made up his mind."
"He made up his mind! How could he make up his MIND?"GRRRRR how could he do this?, HOW! Why?" she shouted at Tim "I'll give him made up his mind." As she is about to call Germany to speak to him
"Abby no!" said Tim taking the phone from her. "Let Gibbs handle it, if anyone can talk him around its Gibbs" putting the phone down. "OK."
"NO, it's not Ok. This is Tony we are talking about Timmy" she said.
"What we need" she continued "we need a plan. He is family and I will not break up my family."
"Ok what do you have in mind," they are soon discussing ideas on how to get Tony back to NCIS. Tim places a call to Ziva to have her come down to the lab to get the plans in motion.
Ziva is willing to help given the e-mail she just received and how angry she is at him. She hopes Gibbs can make him see reason.
Arrival Germany – next day 6am German Time.
Jethro and Jack arrive in Germany tired from their long flight but before they check into their hotel they decide to stop in and see Tony. Salvador is waiting for them at the air strip as they de-plane.
"Jethro, good to see you again"
"You too Sal, let me introduce you to my father Jackson Gibbs"
"Good to meet you Jackson"
"Please call me Jack."
"How is Anthony doing?"
"Last I checked with the doctor's well enough. They said he finally slept through the night without any sleeping aids."
"That is good" said Jack
"But emotionally and physically?" ask Jethro
"He is taking things day to day, Jethro that is the best I can do. I can't see past the accident yet and useless he feels. But," holding up a hand to Gibbs "that is not usual according to Doctor Barnes."
"Who is Dr Barnes?"
"His therapist, it is mandatory that injured soldiers see one, and that is how they are treating him. According to her he is actually opening up."
"Really" said Gibbs surprised, Tony rarely opened up to anyone.
"Yes, this has hit him hard, and he will need us all" said Sal "come you must be tired and hungry. Why don't I get you two settled in at my home, get some sleep and then you can see him. Visiting hours isn't until 10."
Tony's hospital room
10 am Tony is sitting in his wheel chair he is staring out the windows of his room not really looking at anything he is feeling very sorry for himself at the moment. First he quits the job he loved for 8 years because he can't even take care of himself, he knows he will never be a field agent again and is not sure he wants a desk job. Despite what the doctors say about these new prosthetics and walking again one day. He just didn't think he would ever get beyond being in this chair helpless. Angry ears start running down his face again, he just couldn't stop them, his frustration mounting with every moment. He hated be idle, he hated feeling helpless he hated himself for getting injured and ending up like this. Dr. Barnes says its' only natural to feel this way given the traumas he has been through. He knows this is true but at the moment is his so pissed at everyone and everything all he wants to do is punch something even the wall, but he doesn't want to break his hand, he found out the hard way one day that these hospital wall were quite solid, when he watched another patient do what he was thinking, he was so in his own thoughts that he doesn't notice that someone has entered the room until a hand touches his shoulder. Turning he sees his father standing behind him. "Dad you came"
Jethro took in the site of his injured son seeing him without his legs was almost too much to bear and it took all his strength not to cry right then.
"What did you thing I wouldn't?" answered Jethro his voice rough with emotion. "You're my son and I care about you."
"Well I figured after you saw the resignation you would be angry, and…" he broke off as fresh tears started running down his face. Jethro gave him a warm hug and answered. "Yes I am. What were you thinking son? Why did you think you need to resign for? There is plenty you can do at the agency."
"I, dad, I just will never be a field agent again, I loved being a field agent. And now, and now I can't even talk care of myself. Hell I can't even go to the bathroom without assistance" he said heatedly. Looking again at his father's glare, he just says "I'm scared dad, what if I am stuck in this chair forever." Breaking off again, he started to cry again. "Shhh its ok, Anthony, it will be ok, and you won't be stuck I that chair and if you are you will adjust, you're a smart guy. You'll manage." "But" "No buts" he gave him another warm hug and kiss on his head. This time when he cried it was more healing then self pity. They spent the next hour after he stopped crying talking about the accident and his recovery time.
During their talk Jethro is getting a better picture of his son's condition, he is starting to understand why his son thought resignation was his best choice. Jethro however held out hope that between Jack, Sal and himself they would be able to talk him around. "You know I hope you will reconsider" when he noticed Tony had stopped talking. "I can stop Vance from processed the papers, I can ask him to hold off you know."
"I'll think about it."
"You do that." Turning when there was a knock at the door, "hey dad, Sal."
"Grandpa Jack! What are you doing here? I didn't think you would come all this way" Tony said surprised to see Gibbs father at the door. He started to smile the first genuine smile he had in weeks since the accident.
"What you think I wouldn't come when my grandson is injured did you?" he said with a smile entering the room to give him a hug.
"Well, I guess. I don't know. Hi Grandpa Sal" seeing his other grandfather enter the room behind Jackson Gibbs.
"How are you today?"
"Better now" was all he could say looking the three men in the room.
"Good because we are going to have a long talk about you quitting your job young man and now I have some serious back up."
"I guess I am in trouble."
"Yes!" both Jack and Sal say together.
"Now all I need is Grandma to make it a full house."
"I'll call her you know, and she will not brook any of this nonsense from you Antonio, and this time I'll tell her to bring her rolling pin to knock some sense into you."
"You wouldn't" he said startled.
"You want to bet?" He said straight faced thought there was a bit of laughter in his eyes.
"No"
"Good" they were interrupted by another knock on the door, "Sorry to break this up, but it's time for your physical therapy Mr. DiNozzo" said the nurse.
"Yes, sir" he turned to leave the room. "You don't want to mess with the lieutenant" looking at the burly nurse who was built like a linebacker.
"I'll have him back in an hour gentlemen." And they left.
"I don't know about you gentlemen, but I use some coffee" said Sal "before I go back to the office, care to join me.
"Sounds good to me, I could use a little coffee around now, and maybe a bite to eat." Said Jack "Leroy were you able to talk him around yet?"
"No dad, but I am working on. Right now I don't think he sees much of a future anywhere. Hopefully we can change that, even if you have to get your wife Sal with her rolling pin"
They all laughed as they left Tony's room for the cafeteria.
Germany Remstein hospital coffee shop.
The three men take a booth in the coffee shop and the Gibbs boys and Sal order food since it is near lunch by the time they have finished visiting with Tony. After ordering their food, Jackson starts the conversation.
"So Sal, Leroy, what are we going to do with that boy?" said Jack, "Did he give you any reason why he all of the sudden up and quit the job he loves?"
"Yes, he did dad" Jethro answering first. "He thinks he will be useless without legs and will never be able to get out of that chair to do anything else." Turning to Sal, "is that what the doctors say? We haven't had a chance to speak to them yet."
Sal answers "No, once the remainder of his legs heal, they will be able to fit him with special prosthetics. They have these new fangled ones that have some sort of sensors that allows you to feel you legs and steps. They will give him more mobility they say, he will be able to eventually walk, run, hike, do about everything he used to, but they just won't be the original set of legs he had"
"Really" said Jack "that is good to know, so all we have to do is convince him that he will be able to at least do most of the things he has done before."
"I agree" said Jethro, "but he is stubborn and we are going to have a time talking him around. Hopefully with the help of his doctors and the three of us we can." He finished as their food arrived.
They continued to talk about how to talk Anthony around and they came up with some ideas. The first was talking to his doctors, finding out all the information about Tony's options and treatments, armed with this information they hoped to show him the potential he still had.
After finishing their lunch Sal had to get back to work and Jack and Jethro were going back to visiting with Tony.
Tony with the physical therapist – he has been in the hospital for three weeks now and is healed enough to start moving around and gaining his strength back.
Lt. Joe Bergen was teaching him out to use the facilities and take a shower this was the first steps to his independence. He could already maneuver himself somewhat from the bed to his chair and back.
"Ok, Tony, the first step is for you to balance yourself with the arms of the chair."
Struggling he kept slipping down in the seat of his wheelchair. "Use that arm strength man, I know you got it. Come on." He said encouragingly. So he tried again but he couldn't quite get out of the chair himself. "Ok one more time, come on you can do it man…:"
Once he started to master this they continued is session with arm strengthening exercises and lifted some light free weights.
After three hours of work, he was exhausted Lt. Bergen had really put him through his paces to start working being more mobile. He really needed a shower and he was so happy that he did not need to call a nurse to help him. After so many weeks of feeling helpless and dependent on others he was finally gaining some independence.
Later that evening the Castles and the Gibbs boys got together to talk about Anthony.
Sofia: "So gentlemen, now that we have eaten. Shall we get down to the business at hand? What are we going to do about Antonio? That boy is as stubborn as they come" All the men look at her surprised by her frankness. Gibbs is the only one that smirks "that he is"
Sal: "Well first off, we need to get that boy out of the hospital he is due to be discharged next week once he finishes his first steps in physical therapy."
Sofia: "Good, then I will have a talk with him. He will listen to me or I hit him with my rolling pin again" this brings laughter from the entire group as this silver haired lady picks up a nearby rolling pin from her counter.
Jethro: "I'll talk to him as well and try to make him see reason. Though I think knowing Tony, that rolling pin of yours Sofia will get a workout. Now all we have to do his get that boys head on straight and make him see the possibilities."
Jack: "I agree. We need to remind him that he is useful and has more skills then just being a field agent. I am sure there are other positions at NCIS that a man of his talents can fill" looking at his son for confirmation. When Jethro nods he continues. "So once we get him home I think that will help him see things our way."
They continue their conversations along these lines for the rest of the evening before settling into bed and for the next day they will put their attack plan in motion to turn Tony around.
Next day:
Jethro enters Tony's with his laptop, after their talk the day before he thought he would like to be able to communicate with the team. But, as he enters the room at the start of visiting hours he finds out that he is in physical therapy for the net two hours. When Jethro ask if he can watch the nurse takes him down to the training room. There he sees Tony kind of crawling on the ground but supporting himself with this arms his hands are encased in leather gloves, as he watches his therapist says "Good going, now turn around. That's it. You got it. Ok enough of this." Obvious this has been going on for quite some time as Gibbs notices the sheen of sweat on this forehead.
Looking up briefly Tony sees gives and waves hello before lifting himself back into the wheel chair. "mind if I watch" ask Gibbs "Sure go ahead as long as the lieu doesn't mind"
"No not at all…Ok lets go over to the weight machine and start the same exercises I showed you yesterday." As they approach the apparatus Tony slides off the chair again on to the bench and Joe sets the weights. "Now let's start with 10 reps at 5lbs then I'll up it to 10lbs."
"Yeah" and Tony starts moving the weights up and down as Joe explains that this will build his arm strength and allow him to be more mobile and not get as tired moving around with the chair.
As Gibbs watches him go through his exercises for the next hour he can see some of the old Tony coming back, at least some of his determination. When the session ends he broaches the subject of work when they reach his room. "So have you thought any about your resignation son?"
"Sort of, I am not sure I am ready to go back yet, I am still feeling… well kind of overwhelmed I guess, this is really scary" he finally says to his father. "Knowing I may be stuck like this."
"I understand. But, from what the doctors say, you are a good candidate for that new leg replacement thing."
"Yes but what if they are wrong?"
"Then you will have to deal with it and adjust," changing the topic "you were doing great with Joe today. I was amazed at what you can do."
"Yeah, amazed myself." Finally getting a smile out of his son was worth dropping the work issue for now. "There is a lot to learn though, especially getting around. Did you know he said I can even drive if I wanted too?"
"Really" Gibbs answered surprised.
"Yeah they make special equipped cars with hand peddles. I'd have to take special driving classes to learn how to drive again. He said even when I get my legs I should still use the hand peddles for better control." He is smiling as he goes into the detail "He said I can take the classes at the Bethesda facility all I would have to do is sign up, but I would have to get my car retrofitted or buy a new one. Joe recommended getting an SUV because it would be easier to get in and out of. Of course I would have to apply for a special license as well."
Smiling he said "Ok, one thing at a time ok. First you need to get into the program at Bethesda and make sure your doctors approve."
"Ok, I'll talk to them later."
"And you know, if you are able to drive you can also go to work, it doesn't have to be NCIS if you don't want to but you will need something to keep you out of trouble."
"Ok" he smiled back at this dad. "Ok, so I can't be a lazy bum."
"You got that right"
"You know, I was thinking of going back to school"
"Really, what do you want to study?"
"Well I started taking some courses before all this at Georgetown on Criminal Science I thought I might go for my Doctorate. What do you think? I mean I have most of the credits already with all the work I do, I won't need to take the intro courses, but maybe some of the advanced and write my thesis."
"I think it is an excellent goal, and you know if you come back to work, there are plenty of cases you can base your paper on." All the time encouraging him about changing his mind about his resignation and seeing there is potential in staying."
"You do have a point. Can I think about a bit more?"
"Good but don't think too long, because Vance is probably processing those papers as we speak. Okay"
"Okay, how about a day or two?"
"Good enough." Gibbs smiles he finally hooked him. Now he could report back to the grandparents, he may have just succeeded and all they had to do was reinforce the foundations.
Later that day, Sofia arrives with some fresh baked cookies to cheer Tony up. She had a chat with Jethro before he took for a tour with Jack. Now she has a beginning to work with her stubborn grandson, so much like his grandfather that way.
"So, how are you Antonio" she ask as she enters his hospital room.
"Doing better Nona. What have you got in the bag" he ask after giving her a hug. "Smells good"
'They are for you, your favorite cookies" she answers as his face lights up, he does so love chocolate cookies."
"Chocolate cookies" he says "can I have one now. Please?"
"Yes, but don't eat all of them at once." As he takes just the one from the tin, she holds open for him. Before she could start her conversation she spies his doctor walking in she offers him one.
"Hmm.. thank you Sofia, I haven't eaten since this morning. And how are we doing today Tony?" ask Dr. Parker.
"Good, better than yesterday."
"Good, progress at last, let me take a look at the stubs and change the dressings. Good, good" he mumbles as he checks out the healing wounds. "Looking good I think we can release you earlier than expected."
"Really!" all excited. "When, when"
"Now if you like, both Conner and I agree you can at well enough to go. What do you say Sofia, ready to take him home?"
"Yes, let me call your dad and your grandpas, to come pick us up." Leaving the room for a moment to call her husband.
"Just a few rules before you leave: 1) you cannot travel for another week.
2) You need to have someone drive you to rehab with Joe every morning. Until you are ready to travel and I expect to have your rehab arrangement for stateside made by the time you are ready to travel. Since you will be living with your grandparents near Bethesda will set it up there. I will also have for you the names of your doctors and therapist as well. Sound good so far"
"Yes"
3) You also need to have someone change the bandages twice a day and apply the ointment I am going to prescribe and take the pain pills as needed ok."
"Yes Doc, and thanks."
Sofia reenters the room for the tail end of the instructions. "You granddad will be here in ½ an hour to pick us up. Is there anything we need to know doctor?"
"No, I will have it all printed out for him with his exit paper. And Tony, I don't expect to see you back here. Got me"
"Yes Doctor. And thanks for everything."
When the doctor left, she started to ask him about his future and he repeated some of the conversation with this father. This is good she thinks. "You know Antonia, even if you cannot use your legs, she still have a mind you can use that. I am sure the agency can find something for you to do. You should not give up completely a career that you love."
"But Nona.."
"Don't but Nona, me young man, you are smart talented and bright, you are more than a field agent, now get that through your skull or I will."
"Yes Nona." Realizing it was a losing argument, everything he wanted to say just died on his lips with his grandmothers words. He wondered who was going to lay into him next about his decision when he got home. Maybe it was kind of hasty, he still wasn't sure.
Moving back to his grandparents place on the base was much better than being in the hospital there were all ready starting to make arrangement for his trip back to the states, everything from wheel chair access on the plane to arrangements at his grandparent's home in Maryland. Both Jack and Jethro agree to come with them directly from Germany to Maryland. This cheered Tony who was a bit depressed and overwhelmed by the days' events and facing the future. He was sitting in his grandfathers den checking his e-mail and noticed dozens from his friends and fellow agents from NCIS. He started with the one from Ziva.
Jack and Sal seem to get along well and when Tony was off to sleep they chatted about life in the military and mutual friends it turned out they had. Meanwhile Jethro was in the kitchen chatting with Sofia about his son and notifying Anthony senior no matter how much she disliked the man he had a right to know about his son.
"Do you want me to call?" ask Jethro.
"No I think Tony should if he is up to it. I'll ask him in the morning. Now go check on Tony, dinner is almost ready." Taking a large pan of Ziti out of the oven.
"Oh by the way Jethro, I think I am finally talking the boy around to going back to work."
"Good" and he left to find his son, and to see if he wanted to contact Senior.