can i just say, thank you so much for the reviews! i'm overwhelmed by how nice everyone is here! talk about inspiring... so heres the next chapter :) Hope you like, please tell me what you think. Thanks for reading!
Chapter Seven
Abby slipped back into the examination room just as the nurse was leaving.
"Just talked to McGee. They're still out at the crime scene, likely to stay there for at least another few hours. Add on the hour to drive home, and we've got the most of the day to ourselves."
"Sweet." Tony hopped off the bed, testing out his newly-fitted crutches. "How do I look?"
"Need a few racing stripes, maybe some skull and crossbone stickers, but apart from that, gorgeous." Abby smiled, holding the door open for him. He followed her out, a little wobbly.
"Been a while since I used crutches. Guess I gotta get used to them again."
"Well, Tony, you've got a month to practice. I'm sure you'll break them in again." Abby grinned, waiting for him to catch up. They stopped outside of the hospital. "Now wait here. I'll bring the car around."
"Nah, don't bother Abs. I'll come with." Tony tilted his head, urging her forward.
"No way." Abby planted her hand on his shoulder, pushing him back onto the bench. Tony sat with a resigned sigh, taking out his cell phone to play a little Tetris while he waited. The phone rang in his hands, just as he was about to beat the high score.
"Damn," he muttered, exiting the game to take the call. "DiNozzo."
"Its Gibbs. You tore a ligament in your knee?"
"Ah…. yes?"
"And you didn't say anything? Why the hell not, DiNozzo? You thought you'd just keep walking around on it?"
Tony didn't have an answer for that one, so he said nothing.
"You still breathing, DiNozzo?" Gibbs sounded annoyed.
"Yes boss."
"Well good. This crime scene's gonna take most of the day, so you might as well go home. Take Abby with you, nothing for her to do until we get back. I expect you at your desk 0700 tomorrow."
"Got it, boss."
"Oh, and Tony? I already spoke to Ducky. If I see you walking on that leg, you're going to be on desk duty for the rest of the year."
Damn. Desk duty for a month alone was going to be torture. "Okay then."
Gibbs didn't reply, choosing instead to hang up. Tony tapped his chin with the phone, wondering how he could get around the mandatory month on crutches. Abby interrupted his thoughts, tooting the horn. Tony glanced up. She was right in front of him, blocking the traffic with her hearse. With a grin, Tony pulled himself up, settling the crutches under his arm.
He got into the front seat of Abby's car, shoving the crutches into the backseat.
"Gibbs says we've got the day off."
"Yes!" Abby pumped her fist, swerving a little on the road. "So… your house or mine?"
"Mine's closer." Tony replied, thinking that if they were going to spend the day watching DVDs, they might as well do it on his plasma screen.
"Your wish is my command." Abby swung the car into a U-turn, blocking all the lanes of traffic in the process.
"Gibbs teach you how to drive?" Tony teased, grabbing the door so he didn't fall into Abby's lap.
She just grinned wickedly, pushing down on the accelerator.
Several hair-raising minutes later, they pulled up in front of Tony's apartment block. Abby steered the car around the back, parking in Tony's spot, since his Mustang was still at the office.
"I take it back," Tony said, leaning on the car and pulling the crutches out. "Ziva must've taught you how to drive."
Abby laughed, flouncing ahead of him, her oversized bag swinging from her shoulder.
"Are you purposely mocking me with your skipping?" Tony called, hopping after her.
"Could be, Tony." She called back, slowing down as she reached the elevator. The she stopped. Tony caught up, saw the frown growing on her face as she read the sign pinned to the elevator.
LIFT CLOSED FOR REPAIRS
"That wasn't there this morning. Guess we'll have to take the stairs," Tony shrugged, turning towards the stairwell.
"Oh no you don't." Abby used her body as a roadblock, standing in front of the stairs. "No way I'm going to let you hobble up eight flights of stairs to your apartment! Ducky would kill me if he found out! Not to mention Gibbs…."
Making up her mind, Abby turned Tony back to the car park. "Guess you're staying with me tonight. You've still got the clothes you left last time anyway."
Thankfully, Abby's lift was fully functional, although she only lived on the second floor of the building. Abby insisted he take the main bedroom, preferring to sleep in her coffin in the middle of the living room.
"Oh! I forgot to pick up your prescription!" Abby pulled the piece of paper out of her bag, Gibbs-slapping herself for her forgetfulness.
"Don't bother, Abs. My knee's fine. Doesn't even hurt. I don't need painkillers." Tony called from the lounge, where he was flicking through the channels.
Abby smirked. "Not now, you don't."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Umm….. well maybe the tetanus shot the nurse gave you wasn't just a tetanus shot?"
"Abby?" Tony twisted his head around to look at her.
"Ummm… we may have spiked it with… a little morphine?" Abby knew how Tony felt about painkillers, but she also knew how stubborn he was when it came to admitting to pain.
"Abs! You know morphine isn't just a painkiller, its also a sedative!" Tony was beginning to feel sleepy already. It wasn't too often he got the day off, and he didn't really want to spend it asleep.
"Yeah, Dr West said it'd take a little longer to kick in because of the tetanus. He didn't want you exerting yourself."
"So he drugged me?" Tony frowned, trying not to yawn. "Doctors…."
Abby darted over, pulling him back on the couch and putting her 'Night Before Christmas' cushion behind his head. She grabbed another cushion, using it to prop his leg up.
"It's for your own good, Tony. Now you stay here and watch TV, I'm going to duck out and get the prescription. You better not have moved when I come back, or I won't give you any ice-cream tonight."
She kissed him on the cheek, heading out the door.
