a/n I know i'm horrible for leaving off for so long but my keyboard broke. and i had a final. New keyboard is hooked up and the final is passed so here is the next chapter. Enjoy ;)

"How's Tony?" Abby asked from where she had been waiting in his chair at his desk with the air of someone who had been there a while.

"Abby how long have you been sitting there waiting?" McGee asked looking around at the otherwise deserted bull pen.

"It doesn't matter." she answered bouncing up and coming to stand in front of McGee looking serious and in command. "How was he?""Breathing…. On his own." McGee said setting his bag behind his desk with a glance to where Tony's bag still rested lonely behind his desk.

"really." A bright smile immediately lit up Abby's face.

"Sort of. Every ten breath they let him get his own in." McGee gave her a half smile.

"How is it going?" She asked.

"Scary to watch but it's improvement. Once the lungs are doing alright with this they are going to slowly decrease the number of breathes the machine does for Tony."

Abby squealed as she through her arms around McGee.

"What is she excited about?" Ziva asked, walking in carrying a file of papers with her head bent over them.

"Tony's going to be ok. He's breathing again." Abby said jumping back from McGee. "Timmy go tell Ducky. He'd want to know." Abby ordered.

McGee saluted and walked to the elevator. Once inside he pushed the button to get to the morgue and waited.

Ducky was tying up the final incision on the body he was examining for another NCIS case when McGee walked into the lab.

At the exact instant McGee stepped out of the elevator walked into Autopsy from another door carrying half a dozen thick books while reading a case file.

"I got that book you wanted Doc…" Without looking up he walked directly into McGee. The books flew into the air before arcing to the floor and spilling random bits of paper that had been tucked into the books. Palmer himself landed in the middle of the chaos his glasses askew.

"Yes so I see." Ducky said looking up from the careful stitches he had been tying. "If you would be so kind as to pick them all up again." Ducky looked to McGee who was leaning against the wall.

"Aw. Timothy."

"I came to give you an update." McGee said kneeling down next to palmer who mouthed a silent thanks.

"How is Anthony?" Ducky asked setting the tools down carefully and stripping off the gloves then carefully removing the mask and placing them in the trash. He carefully washed his hands.

"Mr. Palmer if you wouldn't mind finishing up." Ducky said to the young man as he stood the books in hand again. He motioned for McGee to follow him to his desk.

"Sure Doctor." Palmer nodded.

"He's breathing on his own again. Every tenth breath. They aren't deep or strong but they are getting better." McGee said.

"Good. And how is Jethro?""He only leaves to rest when one of us is there to keep an eye for him. We worked out a schedule so that someone goes once a day."

"Good. I believe I'll stop in to talk to the good doctor after we are through here.." Ducky said. As he sat at his desk and began taking notes on a file.

"Let me know if you hear anything else Timothy." he called as McGee waved and walked back out of the lab.

"Will do, Ducky." McGee called as the elevator pinged closed.

Vance was waiting in the bullpen when he returned to the top.

"Any idea when I'm going to get my team back McGee?" Vance asked from where he leaned against Gibbs desk.

"Soon hopefully sir." McGee said sitting at his own desk and pulling up more case files, wondering how they had gotten so behind in the first place. "Tony is breathing again. They are hopeful."

Vance stood and looked at his watch. "It's Thursday already. Why don't you and David take tomorrow off. All your working on is case files and you all have been putting in a lot of extra hours. Be back bright and early Monday."

"Alright sir." McGee said.

"If Gibbs isn't back Monday I'm going to assign temporary agents. I need my team again." Vance said walking out of the bullpen. "Ready for leadership McGee?" without waiting for an answer he started up the stairs. It might have been a good thing.

"No." McGee said startled. Ziva laughed and picked up her bag.

"Want some lunch McGee?" she asked. "Coming." McGee took a few seconds to shut off his computer and lock his drawers.

"Where are we headed?" McGee asked as the elevator doors binged closed.

(---------------------------------------------------------)

Gibbs sat patiently the breathes Tony were taking seemed stronger and deeper and each one made Gibbs half smiled before he began holding his breathe for the next one. All the silent time in the hospital had given time for Gibbs to think about things he would rather have not thought about.

Tony's brain had been without oxygen for a while. Gibbs knew that the brain began to die immediately after oxygen was denied to it. He had been too focused on getting Tony breathing again to notice the exact amount of time that Tony had gone without it. He almost feared Tony waking up. Who knew exactly who was going to open his eyes to the world. But the waiting was just as bad. He hated the idea of Tony not knowing who he was but he also hated not knowing. A two faced problem.

He had been over and over how to tell the team. He decided that not telling them was best. If there was a problem he would tell them but for the moment it wasn't worth them all fretting and worrying.

His stomach had been complaining for a while but he didn't want to leave Tony alone to go get food. Checking his watch he knew someone would be here to relieve him in an hour or so. Probably Ziva. It was her turn. Gibbs turned his eyes away from his watch and back to his youngest agents rise and fall as if by concentrating hard enough he could will his agent to be alright. The smell of food brought him out of his concentration.

"Jethro. I thought you could use some fuel." Ducky said holding a bag with takeout in it.

"Thanks Ducks." he accepted a box as the doctor settled into another chair and pulled a box to himself.

"I'm sure Doctor Pitt has warned you of the possible outcome." Ducky said. Gibbs looked up quickly and nodded.

"he told you?" Gibbs asked after swallowing.

"I am a doctor as well Jethro. It's always a risk when oxygen is cut off from the brain. I asked him on the way in. the scans they have done show no damage but the mind is a tricky area. The signs could be invisible until the boy wakes up." Ducky said staring at the pale agent on the bed.

Brad walked in at that moment a thick folder in his hands.

"Here are the scans." he held them out to Ducky. "You know that they are breaking about ten rules at the moment for this team." he grinned.

"Thanks." Ducky said as Gibbs nodded.

"Doctor?" Another thought had been nagging Gibbs.

Both Brad and Ducky looked up at Gibbs as he looked over his agent.

"Is this going to keep him from working with NCIS as an active agent?"