NCIS
Ziva sat down at her desk, her thoughts on the events of the past few hours, she could not shake the thought that Tony's life was now hanging in the balance. She attempted to reason that if her and McGee had arrived just a few minutes earlier Tony would be fine, or what if Gibbs had allowed them to be in on the case, instead of going all rogue, that Tony would be fine. She was having thoughts of how this could 've been avoided. But her main thought was that Tony could 've been spared from risking his own life for his boss's life, their boss. It just wasn't fair.
The office was void of people, the hour late, she was alone. She stood and walked over to his desk, Tony's desk, her hand automatically went to the letter opener, the one she had taken the last time they thought Tony had died in the explosion, the mighty mouse stapler sat alone now on the desk, separated from the opener, she could relate. She too felt alone,her friend lying in a hospital fighting for his life.
Her hand glided over the smooth piece of metal, feeling it's cool touch, it's strength and it's endurance, she noted them all mentally. She related the strong piece of metal to Tony, no matter how much he was used, no matter how much he was abused, he continued to do his job, he was the letter opener, unbendable and strong.
"Ziva." a voice raised her from her thoughts as she looked up to see Palmer.
"Did you hear something from Ducky?" she questioned,wondering if Ducky had called him with an update.
"No. No, I'm sorry, I just came up to get a requisition form for Abby, she thought it would be wise to get Gibbs a new cell, his is in evidence, water logged." he smiled and watched Ziva place the letter opener back on Tony's desk.
"I think he will be fine, he took one of the officer's phones." she could not shake the image of Gibbs being so angry at himself for Tony's injuries,even to the point of refusing care but finally relenting upon Maddie's pleadings..
"You know , I remember Tony getting really mad at us for giving up on him last time. He really bit my ear off for taking his American Pie mug, but I took it all to heart, I think he was scared too. Maybe he finally realized he wasn't indestructible or maybe it was just his way of saying thanks for caring. You know Tony, he hides his feelings so well." Palmer smiled at the Israeli agent, a hint of a smile on her face.
"He really got mad, he did, I thought he would never forgive me for taking his letter opener. " her hand still unconsciously stroking the the firm piece of metal.
"He could never stay mad at you, because you are his best friend, you, McGee and let's not forget Abby." He reached down on Gibbs desk and grabbed the form, then looked back up at the beautiful woman, "He's Tony, he will fight. When he had the plague we all counted him out, except Gibbs, he never gave up on Tony."
"I worry about Tony, he really does not take care of himself." Ziva gently sat the opener down on Tony's desk, then walked back over to hers,taking a seat.
Jimmy nodded, "Gibbs is the only one who can make Tony listen. I swear, I thought he was about to fall over the first day he came back from having the plague, he wasn't ready physically. He surprised us all though and actually saved Tim's and Kate's life that day,taking the risk, being a hero. It's what Tony does." Palmer wanted Ziva to know that Tony was stronger than she gave him credit for being.
"He saved their lives? How?" she was curious now, a story about Tony that she had never heard.
"We were called to a double homicide, what the team didn't know was that Ari had strapped a bomb on the car after killing them. The trunk was wired to explode. Tim had the keys in his hand,turning the lock on the trunk when Tony noticed the bomb. He told Tim to let him have the key, took his place and told them to run. Tony almost didn't make it,his body wasn't up to running as fast as he normally could, his lungs weren't completely healed, he collapsed at the top of the road, we all thought he was dead, but when we turned him over, he was just smiling up at us. I thought Ducky would smack him, he is his worse medical nightmare." he turned to leave, to allow Ziva her alone time but he stopped and turned."We are use to Tony being a hero, it takes a while but you will too." his last words as he entered the elevator.
She just starred at the tech as he walked away, his last words before he entered the elevator had an effect on her,but she couldn't allow herself to believe that he would be able to walk away from this one. Even cats have only nine lives she thought to herself.
"Ziva, you still here?" McGee startled his partner as he hurriedly grabbed his things,ready to go to the hospital to see Gibbs and Tony.
"Why would I not be here, we have a report to finish." she looked at him with confusion in her eyes.
"Abby and I thought you were to going to the hospital with us. Guess... we were wrong?", he shrugged, a little baffled at the Mossad agent's reaction.
"I have a report to finish first. I will meet you there." her hands had began to type,her focus now on her computer .
"Okay." he raised an eyebrow at her actions but he had to leave,he needed to see his boss and Tony, make sure they were going to be fine. He was a bit concerned that Ducky hadn't called to inform them of their conditions, though he had received a phone call earlier from Gibbs he had no information regarding Tony and that concerned him a lot.
"See you at the hospital." he waved as he entered the stairway to go to the lab to pick up Abby.
She cupped her face with both hands,not allowing the emotion that was bottling up inside of her,he would fine,she just had to believe that he would be just fine.
Bethesda Hospital
Gibbs had been relegated to his own bed in the ICU isolation courtesy of Ducky,knowing he would not leave his agent's six, the way Tony had not left his and had dived into the cold ocean water to save his ass, regardless of the risk to his own health.
Gibbs closed his eyes, listening to the sound of the hissing machine giving his agent every breath was his own punishment for allowing his own selfish act to harm Tony.
The nurse hadn't left his side,suctioning his tube when his throat started to gurgle, and even in a drug induced sleep watching him as he fought the tube,grabbing it with his restrained hands, holding onto to it, so she could not place it into his endotracheal tube but his weakened state had caused him to lose the battle every time but it didn't stop him from trying,attempting to stop the discomfort. Tony was still fighting.
Gibbs took a breath, realizing how easy that action was, his thoughts going back to the day Tony had been infected with the plague, he had told his team that he had never had a cold, never had allergies, never had the flu, only to hours later watch his senior agent fight for his life, having to order him to fight and to live. This is why he had to stay nearby, Tony sometimes had to be told that he needed to fight, sometimes he forgot that he was loved, his only real family was the team.
His thoughts were interrupted by the nurse,who was now fighting again with Tony as she attempted to suction his tube. He stood and walked over to Tony's bed,dragging his own IV with him as he made his way to Tony's side.
He looked down at closed eyes, Tony's face red with exertion, his hands,though restrained ,were attempting to grab the suction catheter. He bent down close,the nurse had adjusted to the man's appearance when Tony was having a problem. "Tony, you need to allow the nurse to suction your tube. Do you hear me? That is an order." his voice low and close to Tony's ear.
Tony's actions stopped, the nurse proceeded as they both watched Tony's face redden and the cough, initiated by the suctioning, shake his whole body, his airway was quickly cleared, the machine reattached and Tony settled back down into his drugged sleep.
"You have a real positive effect on Mr DiNozzo, I really do appreciate your help." the nurse commented as she continued to hang antibiotics and steroids for her patient's inflamed lungs. A central line had been placed into his chest to assist in getting in the many drugs ordered.
Gibbs just watched as Tony calmed down, watched as the machine lulled him into believing that Tony would be just fine. You have to keep fighting Tony, you have to.... please, he thought to himself, he knew he would be unable to forgive himself if he died, this was his fault.
TBC
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