Author's Note: Hey guys! The remainder of the fanfic will be in Alice's POV. And by remainder, I mean most likely two more chapters, because this fanfic is almost done! I'm not sure yet if I'll continue the series after this, write the Blood Ran Cold sequel, or if I'll even continue with fanfiction. Actually o was thinking about rewriting Blood Ran Cold. Would be improved, extended, and include more background. If you guys would prefer one of those, please let me know. I'd love your feedback! Anywho, enjoy the remainder of this fanfic! Thank you.:-)

-Alice's POV, Hospital-

I got to the hospital just as the doctors wheeled Tony over to surgery. He looked so pale. I reassuringly squeezed his limp hand before the doctors made me let go of him. I weakly did.

I don't have any strength anymore. I feel that weakness you feel after you have a burst of fake energy. The fake energy, the hatred that I felt, it has subsided. One of the last things I said to him was that I couldn't forgive him. I kicked him out of my house and out of my life quite fast. Truth is that I'll never forget about what he did to me. How could I? That pain he made me feel will never go away. But never forgive him? Never let him back in my life? Never even try to move on with my life? How could I do that? That thought is sickening, but what's even more sickening is that it took a bullet and the possible loss of a life to figure this out. I have every right to be angry at him, and to never look at him the same. But after all he's done for me, what right do I have to kick him out so quickly?

This makes me realize that you can't kick people out so quickly. You need to forgive, and give people the chance to redeem themselves. I nod to myself, knowing that that is the right thing to do. I'm gonna be the one to call Tony's dad and tell him what's going on. Maybe I can convince him to come...

Maybe...

Probably not...

But I take out Tony's phone anyway.

I stare at the box in my hand. Call his dad and tell him what's wrong. That's all I've gotta do. I mean, Tony has done so much to help me, so why am I making such a big deal out of this? Do I hate Tony's dad? Absolutely. But I lov-

I care about Tony. So much. Sometimes a little too much. I shake my head at the fact that I almost thought "love". I can't love him, can I?

I shake my head no. Not possible. I turn on Tony's phone and open his contacts. I stop at Tony's dad's information and open his info. I sigh and press call.

It rings for a while, and all of the sudden, I remember something that I stuffed in the back of my mind for so many years.

I was just a child. A sophomore in high school. I felt so old and powerful, but when I think back to it, I realize how young and innocent I really was. My father had left and my mother was dead, but I was still happy and felt loved because of Olive. I didn't know what neglect or abuse was, no matter how much I claimed to. To me it was punching children into comas and locking them in rooms for days on end. And even though that too is abuse and neglect, I didn't realize just how diverse those two can be. Tony was slapped until he got bruises, not comas. He was not cared for. He fended for himself and his dad didn't care if he roamed around. His dad just didn't care. It's not always as extreme as comas and empty rooms. But what he had was just as painful. Tony got hurt too.

I breathe in and out as I wait for the voice that I really truly hate to answer.

But when i hear what's on the other line, I get even angrier.

"Hello this is Anthony DiNozzo's phone. He's away at his office in Virginia right now and can't get back to you. Can I leave him a message?" a woman on the other side answers.

Busy as always.

"Please just tell him to call this number when he can. Thank you," I tell the lady, then I violently hand up the phone.

I shake my head. Some things will never change.

I wait for a while, and just when I started giving up on telling him, a nurse comes out.

"He's not looking too good. We're doing all we can, but he lost a lot of blood. It'll be a while, so you should probably go home and rest," the nurse tells me.

I nod.

Tears stream down my eyes as I walk out the door. I ignore the sympathetic eyes that follow me as I go to my car.

I start full on sobbing, thinking about the last things I said to Tony.

"You left her to die."

"I can't forgive you."

And worst of all,

"Get out of my house, now!"

I'll never get over the fact that the last thing I did was kick him out of my house and out of my life like trash. Just for trying to protect me. I threw him out and he walked right into he trap that Lynn set for me.

He was there because I was such a jerk to him.

He took a bullet for me.

He shot Lynn so that she wouldn't kill me.

He was put in that situation because he saved my life. Then he saved my life again. He saved my life twice in such a short period of time and I resented him and put him in danger in return.

I killed him.

I'm the reason that he's going to die.

The sturdy dam that has kept my tears and emotions bottled up for so long finally bursts. It finally explodes. Tears pour down my face and I start screaming and crying and pounding on the wheel of my car. I do that for several minutes until I finally start to just shake and moan in agony. My hands bleed from the abuse. But that physical pain can't even come close to the emotional pain. I don't think anything can.

When I finally, finally calm down, I realize what I need to do for Tony. I realize that if he does die, he would want his father there. He'd need the support of his father. It's up to his father now, and I'm not taking no for an answer. I will go over to Tony's dad's office and drag him to the hospital if I have to. I figure out where his office is, and then I start the journey over.

"You can see him," Sr.'s assistant finally tells me after waiting in the waiting room.

I hesitantly walk in, knowing that I must look crazy with the blood and the smeared makeup.

I walk up and I see Senior, with his back towards me.

I glare at the man who I have wanted to choke for thirty years. I vowed that no matter what state Tony is in, I will never physically hurt this man. I could never hurt him like that. However, I WILL stare him down every single second until one of us dies or HE gives up and owns up to his mistake. Though, I have no clue how he could possibly make up for a lifetime of neglect.

"Mr. DiNozzo," I greet.

He turns around and looks at me, shocked.

"Young lady, what may I do for you?"

He doesn't know who I am.

"Do you remember me?"

He shakes his head no.

Told you so.

"I'm Alice. Tony and I were friends," I tell him, trying to keep my cool.

He looks at me with a confused expression, until finally his eyes widen.

"Alice! Of course! But what's wrong? You look horrible."

Charming.

"It's Tony. He got shot in the stomach, sir. They don't know if he'll make it. He needs you."

He looks down for a few seconds, then he looks up at me and nods.

"Well, my deepest condolences, Miss Foster. I'm afraid that I can't do much else than to offer that."

I sigh and roll my eyes.

"Or you could be a dad for two seconds and go visit your son before he DIES!" I nearly yell, my emotions rising up again.

He shakes his head.

"I'm sorry, Alice. But I'm working right now."

I shake my head, frustrated.

"I knew it. I knew you were going to do this."

"And what exactly is 'this?'"

"'This' is selfishly holding back. I can hear it in your voice. You haven't changed, but you regret what you are, and you want him to know that. And you expect him to move on, because he will always be that little boy that you could push around and hurt with no resistance. Well guess what. I'm back, and I don't care how hard he fights, or how much he grows to resent me. I WILL protect him from you, because you will never change. It's you, as both you and I are sick to admit. You're sick, and you want to acknowldge it and try to come to some kind of closure, but you're procrastinating, because you're scared. He's right there, Anthony! He's there, and he needs his father to be his father. He doesn't need you to go over there and hold al the nurses and doctors at gunnpoint until they find some miracle way to save him, but he needs you to be a dad. That's all that he needs, and he can live, or die, peacefully. You don't need to shower him with gifts, you just need to come here and apologize, and really, truly mean it. You need a deep and sincere apology to be layd out right in front of him," I tell Anthony Sr., enraged, yet keeping the rage verbal, again for Tony's sake.

Sr. looks at me with some doubt and anger. "they never understand," he mutters, then turns on his heel to face away from me again.

Refusing to accept that, I step forward and grab his arm, making him turn around. When he turns, I see tears just pouring out of the old mans face.

"I just need some time," he whispers.

I look at him with not anger, but sheer dissapointment.

"You just don't understand. You don't have time," I explain, quickly raising my voice.

Sr. just shakes his head, and I do the same. He does it in sadness, I do it in anger.

"Your time is quickly running out. You've had his entire life to coward around, but I'm done waiting. He's in there, dying. You think that you have eternity to wait, but you're wrong. You think that Tony is immortal, but you're dead wrong. He is strong, but he is very much mortal, and he can't take this much longer. He may not be alive much longer TO take it," I tell him, desperatly clinging to the hope of changing his mind.

"Are you a father or are you not? If not, say your goodbyes, stop tormenting him, and leave. I can clean up the mess you leave behind. But if you're a father, then go up to that room and say what needs to be said. It's your choice. Don't expect a miracle out of either of us either way, espcially from me," I finish.

He shakes his head.

I grumble and put a piece of paper on his desk.

"This is the hospital he's staying at, the room number, and the phone number you can reach him at. There's also my phone number. If there's an update on his condition and you're not there, I'll call you. And if you don't pick up, I'll leave you message after message until you either answer back or come and see him. This is not the last you'll be hearing if me, Mr. DiNozzo," I tell him, and then I walk out, heading back over to the hospital.

It's been several, several hours since I've last made human contact. It's nice. I got the chance to clear my head. But now that my head is pretty much empty and I'm just numb, I want answers. Fuel, even.

Social isolation is not good for calming my nerves.

I look up and feel my face turn a pasty white. One of the nurses comes out of Tony's room. The nurse is covered in so much blood.

How much blood does a person's body hold? How much can they lose?

"Ma'am, are you here for Anthony DiNozzo?" he asks.

I nod, still petrified from the blood on the nurse's scrubs.

He looks at the blood when he sees where my eyes are focused.

"It's not as bad as it looks. He lost a lot of blood, but you came just in time. You saved him. He'll need six weeks of physical therapy, but he should be okay after that."

I nod.

"Can I see him?"

"Yes. He's going into the ICU soon, but first we're taking him to the PACU. You should get cleaned up when he's in the PACU. Don't want him to see the blood."

I nod and look at the blood on my clothes. I was so sure that I lost him. I start crying in relief. I'm going to see him again. He's going to be okay. My last words to him won't be that I can't forgive him.

"Thank you."

I got back to the hospital around an hour and a half after I left. It took me a while to find Tony's room, but finally I did.

Now here I am, staring at his hospital room with my mouth almost gaping open.

I reach out and squeeze his hand. He looks so pale. Where is that happy, bubbly man I've grown to love? I mean care about. Where's the man I've grown to care about? He's there, but he seems so far.

"Please wake up, Tony. I'm so sorry I said all of that to you. I didn't mean it. Yeah I was mad. Yes I still kind of am. But you always have and always will mean the world to me. I'm so sorry for everything. You've been my best friend since we were teenagers, even if we were apart for so long. You made me happy. You made life okay. Thank you so much for that. And please, please get better. I know you can't hear me, but you need to get better. Please," I beg.

Suddenly Tony squeezes my hand tighter.

"I'm not in a coma, Ali. I can hear you," he mutters.

I shriek and jump into his arms, hugging him tight.

"I will slip into a coma though, if you keep cutting off my air supply," he tells me.

There's the Tony I've grown to love.

I've accepted it. I love him. He means the world to me. I was so sure that my world was over, but now it seems as though it's just begun.

I laugh and let him go.

"Hey, stop crying. I'm okay now," he tells me.

I smile at him.

"How are you feeling?" I ask him.

He shrugs.

"I'm alright. Sore, but pretty good, considering the circumstances."

"Good," I whisper.

"The doctor says that I need six weeks of therapy," he tells me.

"I heard. You going to a nursing home or are you staying at home?"

Tony shakes his head.

"Nursing home. No one lives with me to stay with me."

I nod.

"Well, Nick said that he's keeping the house. Plus there are cops there right now anyway. Would you like it if Erin and I stayed over and kept you company?"

He smiles.

"That would be great. But where would you guys sleep?"

"I'll bring a blow up bed for Erin and I'll sleep on the couch."

He nods.

"You're not sleeping on the couch."

"It's fine. I'm used to it."

Tony's eyes fill with anger when he realizes that I'm talking about the times that Nick and one of his many girlfriends would take up our room for the night.

"I have an extra blow up bed. You can use that."

I look him in the eyes. He's so nice to me even though o was such a jerk to him.

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

He stares at me for a second.

"Because I care. And because if I could right now, I'd jump into your arms. Because I love you," he whispers.

I smile and lean over. I kiss him on the lips, never wanting this moment to end.

A few seconds later, I hear a grunt. I look back and see Gibbs.

"Oh. Hi Gibbs," Tony says, embarrassed.

"Hi. Tony," Gibbs starts, then looks at me, "Lovebird."

I smile awkwardly.

"Alice can you wait in the hall? I need a moment alone with Tony and then a moment with you."

Tony and I look at each other with fear.

Gibbs rolls his eyes and smirks.

"No it's not about the kiss. Now get outta here," Gibbs tells me, trying and failing not to smile.

I blush in embarrassment and walk out.

A few minutes later Gibbs comes out.

"McArthy," Gibbs greets me.

"Gibbs," I greet back and then correct, "but it's Foster now. Nick and I are getting divorced."

Gibbs looks at me and almost smiles through the shock.

"Oh. So that's why you were kissing Tony."

I shake my head.

"I was kissing him because we both have strong feeling for each other."

He nods.

"You're right I didn't mean it that way. But I actually came here to talk to you about something else. You saved Tony's life, and you have been a valued member of the FBI for many years. I see that you have resigned."

I nod.

"Too many memories."

He nods.

"Oh I get it, trust me. But what I was getting at is that you would make a great addition to our team," he tells me, handing me a paper.

I look at it. It's an application.

"Our team could use someone like you. Tony could use someone like you."

I smile.

"I'd love to."

Gibbs smiles back.

"But there is a rule on our team. Coworkers are not supposed to date," he tells me.

Oh.

I look down, disappointed. But this is stupid. How can I be disappointed over something I could never have?

"But every rule has an exception," he tells me, with a smile on his usually frowns face.

I look up at him in shock.

"I just talked to Tony about everything and let me tell you, that man loves you. And I can see by the way that you look at him that you love him too. I couldn't be happier for you guys."

I smile so wide and I look into Tony's room. He's looking at me, with the same smile on his face. It's as if we're telling each other the same thing with out little telepathy skills. We're telling each other what we never thought we'd ever be able to say again. But now it's so real and so there.

We're gonna be okay.

Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading! There will be an epilogue, and then it'll be over. Again, please let me know if you'd like to see the next fanfic in the series, the Blood Ran Cold sequel, or the Blood Ran Cold redo next. Thank you. :-)