Thank you again for all the lovely reviews; here's the next chapter…
All mechanical facts come from Wikipedia; if they're not right… well, never mind.
/\/\/\
Ziva David slammed her desk phone down in frustration, muttering an Israeli expletive under her breath.
"Hospital still won't give you any information, huh," said McGee, more calmly.
"No. When after thirty minutes, the receptionist takes me off hold she just tells me she can't tell me anything and hangs up. I can't even get the morons to take a message for Tony's doctor to call me!" She slammed her palms down on the wood with a thud. "That is it. I'm going down there." She rose and began to gather her things.
"What makes you think going in person will make them tell you how Tony is?"
"Because, McGee, I will tell them I am his girlfriend, pretend to cry and manipulate my way in to see him. It is a very effective technique."
"Wouldn't if I were you, Ziva," said Gibbs, breezing in, coffee in hand, to sit at his desk. "DiNozzo'll never let you forget it."
"Boss!" Said McGee. "I didn't think you'd be in today. Are you OK?"
"Four years and you didn't think I'd come in, McGee? I'm fine; doctors want to keep Tony for observation."
"How is Tony?" Asked Ziva, concern leaking out around her carefully blank expression.
"Feverish; he picked up some kind of bug in the water. Doctors won't let him out until it's cleared up."
"Is he in danger?" She asked, her hold on her emotions starting to slip.
"Only from me, if he tries to sign himself out again," said Gibbs darkly.
"Again?" Ziva's fear had been replaced with confusion.
"When he had the plague, Tony kept trying to escape from the hospital," McGee explained. "He really hated it in there."
"Still does, McGee. Ziva, Maddy's in conference room one; go take her statement."
"But Gibbs; I was just going to see Tony…" He gave her the patented Gibbs glare. "And now I am going to take Maddy's statement," she finished for herself, dropping her coat and bag and grabbing a notebook.
"McGee; any developments I should know about?"
"Abby said she had something, boss; and the Director wants to see you ASAP."
/\/\/\
For once, Gibbs knocked on Jenny's door instead of just striding in.
"Special Agent Gibbs," she said sternly, as he closed it behind him.
"Director Shepard," he replied, more respectfully than normal. Gibbs knew he was going to get a dressing down; and he knew that he deserved it.
"Your behaviour on this case has been reckless, irresponsible and completely in breach of protocol, Gibbs," she said firmly. "Agents have been dismissed for less."
"I know," he replied heavily. "I fired some of 'em."
"However, considering your long and exemplary service history with the agency and your emotional attachment to the victim, I have decided you may keep your job. But don't think I'm letting you off."
"Never did, Director. I screwed up; should've told you what I was doing and taken backup."
"Yes, Gibbs, you should. Try anything like this again, and you're out the door." Her voice became calmer, more businesslike, as she continued. "As soon as the facts are established and your report finalised, I will write a severe reprimand for your file; and as of when you hand in that report, you are on suspension. I will expect your badge and gun on my desk by the end of the day."
"You'll have it," Gibbs said resignedly. "How long?"
"Three weeks. Be grateful it isn't more."
"I am. I would also like to take this opportunity to recommend Agent DiNozzo for a commendation for bravery."
"Noted. As soon as I'm done with your reprimand, I'll write him up for his exceptional actions. Is Agent DiNozzo here?"
"The doctors wanted to keep him in; he's caught some bug and they're worried about his lungs."
"I hope he gets better soon; I was counting on him to fill in for you while you're away. Something else he excels at, as you'll recall," she added acerbically.
"I remember. He's good at his job, Jen; you should give him that damn award you're always trying to pass off to me."
"Well, you're certainly off the shortlist after this, Jethro. Go write that report and then get some sleep. You look like you need it."
Gibbs stood and saluted smartly enough to make the most psychotic drill sergeant proud. "Yes, Ma'am."
/\/\/\
Gibbs didn't find Abby in her lab; he went down to the garage and spotted her platforms sticking out from under the car that had so nearly been his tomb. He paused momentarily, remembering that awful moment as the cabin filled with water and then Tony diving in like a guardian angel. The sense of relief as he took Maddy to the surface, only briefly interrupted as he found he couldn't follow. The thought that if he were going to die, at least she was safe. And then waking up on the planking, her green eyes meeting his blue ones… and then he remembered where he was.
Gibbs crouched down beside the boots and rattled the ice in the Caff Pow he'd brought. "Whatcha got, Abbs?" He asked.
"Gibbs!" There was a thud. "Ow!" Abby pushed herself out on her trolley and rubbed at the dirty mark on her forehead. "You're here!" She sat up and hugged him, nearly causing Gibbs to overbalance.
"Abby, I'm going to spill your soda," he managed through her vicelike grip.
"I don't care; if I drink another one I might start twitching from overcaffeination. Oh; I am so glad to see you! How are you? Are you OK?"
"Be better if I could breathe, Abby." She released him immediately.
"Oh. Sorry. But you are OK, right? You're not hurt?"
"I'm fine, Abbs; so's Maddy. And Tony will be in a few days. They're just worried he's caught cold."
"Tony's sick? Why didn't anyone tell me!"
"Because," He said, settling his aching knees so he was sitting cross legged on the concrete, "you're so juiced up on caffeine they don't wanna upset you in case you hit them. Tony will be fine; I promise. Now; you told McGee you had something?"
"A new appreciation for all that muscle Tony's carrying around with him," she replied seriously. "Even with the bulletholes, windshields are designed to take a lot of punishment. The force he needed to pull it out must've been unbelievable; especially underwater. And then I checked out the steering. Something's seriously hinky there; it was damaged from the impact with the barrier, but there's no way that could've caused the rack and pinion linkage to disengage. It's almost like someone took hold of the wheel and yanked it up, pulling the gears clean out of the sockets; but a person would have to be, like, the Incredible Hulk to do that while they were on land, let alone diving."
"I was stuck under the steering wheel, Abbs," said Gibbs, distantly, realising how much strength it would take for someone to perform a feat like that. The kind that only comes with devotion; with love so strong it can overcome all physical barriers. "Tony must've broken it to free me after I passed out."
"You passed out underwater? But that means you drowned, Gibbs! Please, don't tell me Tony had to do CPR on you as well…"
Gibbs only looked at her, his face filled with honest amazement at the lengths Tony would go to for him.
"Oh, Gibbs," Abby said, snuggling up to his side; he automatically dropped an arm around her, pressing a kiss into her hair. "Promise you'll never do this to me again. I can't lose you; I just can't."
"I'll try, Abby," he told her gently. "I'll try."
/\/\/\
Some hours later, a de-badged, gun-free Leroy Jethro Gibbs walked back into Tony's hospital room carrying a well-stocked overnight bag for his young agent. He still didn't know how he could show his appreciation for Tony's near miraculous rescue; but he was damn well going to try.
Or he would have, if the bed wasn't empty.
Gibbs turned back to the nurse's station, anxiety fuelling his steps.
"Anthony DiNozzo," he barked at the young blonde on duty. "He's not in his room."
"Are you a relative, sir?" She asked, with a smile.
"Yes. Now where the hell is he?"
"Let me see…" she consulted her computer slowly. "Was that DiNozzo with two zees?"
"Yes," Gibbs all but yelled at her. She seemed oblivious to his growing blind rage.
"I'm afraid Mr DiNozzo's condition has worsened, sir," the girl said placidly. "He was moved up to ICU twenty minutes ago."
"What? Why didn't anyone call me?"
"Well, sir, it could be that he doctors have been too busy trying to help your son…"
Gibbs interrupted impatiently. "Which room?"
"Um… it says here 212, sir; but I'm afraid visiting hours are over in ICU…" She was talking to empty air. Gibbs was already halfway down the corridor and still accelerating.
/\/\/\
Yes, another cliff. I can't help it. One more chapter to come, I think…