Title: Choices

Author: PunkyRabbit

A/N, Warnings, Disclaimer: See Part 1

Part 4

Kate woke up suddenly to find herself wearing a hospital gown and lying in bed in a white room. Her head hurt a lot, and she touched her forehead with her fingertips, and felt the coarse sutures and a cut that hurt like crazy when she touched it. "Well, I'm in a hospital" She thought. "What happened, and how did I get this cut?" She tried to remember what had happened. "That truck. It hit us… I think. Oh, we were in a car accident, although it didn't seem very accidental. Well, where are the others. Are they… NO", she cut herself off, "I won't even think that they're dead…at least not until I'm told otherwise. But I still need to know where they are."

"Well, it's good to see you awake. Hi, I'm Dr. Randall." A Doctor said as he entered the room, interrupting Kate's thoughts. "How are you feeling?"

"Okay, I guess. What happened?"

"That's a pretty nasty cut you got on your forehead, there." He said, gently, "Can you tell me your name?"

"Yeah," She knew medical personnel had a list of questions to ask patients with head injuries, so she responded, "I'm Special Agent Kate Todd, NCIS. What happened?"

"You don't remember?"

"Well, I remember being on a bridge out in the middle of nowhere, and a truck hit us. That's all I remember."

"You were run off into the river. A man in another car happened to be passing by, and saw the broken railing. He called the ambulance when he saw someone lying on the bank where another man from your car had already pulled him out."

"Who, from our car?"

"Who pulled the other man out? I think his name is… Anthony DiNozzo."

"Tony. Is he okay?"

"He will be."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, his lungs were already damaged…"

"From the plague."

"And he pushed himself past the point when he ran out of air. We've got him on oxygen. He's still unconscious currently, but, I think he'll be fine, given time to heal."

"What about Gibbs, McGee, and Ducky?"

"Agents Gibbs and McGee will both be fine. They each have minor head wounds. Gibbs has a few cracked ribs, and agent McGee has a broken arm. All three of you were unconscious and unresponsive at the scene and you and Gibbs required CPR, so we'll be keeping you here for a little while, for observation, probably just overnight. But, I think all three of you will be fine."

"And Ducky?"

"Dr. Mallard was trapped in the car."

She tilted her head, afraid she knew what he was going to say, but she wanted to know, "Doc…"

"He's alive. He was relatively lucky…"

Kate let out a sigh of relief.

"The ambulance wasn't far away, they were able to get him free, and get him breathing again, before too long. He's got a broken leg, and he's very weak, but the lack of oxygen seems to have caused damage to his brain. He's still unconscious, and currently on a respirator. Even if he wakes up, there is a good chance that he will be severely impaired. He might not remember much…about anything: about who he is, who you are, or much of anything else. He may or may not remember how to talk, or walk. We really won't know how extensive the damage is until he wakes up…if he wakes up."

"Oh, my God." She said in almost a whisper.

"That is…" the doctor continued, "If he even makes it at all."

"How is that lucky?" she wondered aloud, as she blinked back tears.

"As long as he's alive, there is always hope," the doctor answered.

Kate couldn't deny that, but she was still worried about her friends, "Can I go see them?"

"Not right now. You're still pretty weak, yourself. Get some rest and you can go see them later."

"But…" she started to protest, but stopped, when the doctor put his hand up to stop her.

"Well, I've gotta go take care of my other patients. I'll be back later to check on you." He turned to leave.

"Oh, wait!" When he turned back around, she continued, "Do you have a pen and some paper I could borrow?"

"Sure" The doctor reached in his pocket and handed her a pad of paper and a pen.

She started writing something on the paper, "Abby will be worried about us. Could you call…" She finished writing and handed the doctor the paper. "…this number, for me, and tell Abby Scuito where we are?"

"Sure." He headed for the door, then, stopping, he turned back around and said, "Get some rest."