NCIS –Run Down

Part Nine


Tony DiNozzo heard that annoying beeping before anything else registered in his body. That beeping of a heart monitor meant two things to him. 1. He was alive so he thought of that as a pro. 2. He was in the hospital and after his time with the plague and other injuries he saw this as con. He tried to open his eyes, but his eyelids felt heavy as lead, actually now that he thought about it his whole body did, minus his shoulder. That felt numb as hell, he was clearly on some heavy-duty drugs and he was thankful for it as the events replayed themselves in his mind. He heard voices nearby so he tried to focus in on them to keep his mind from replaying Jenny pulling the trigger on him.

"We are his partners, let us see him." That sounded a lot like Ziva Tony mused, but why would she be here?

"He's NCIS, not FBI we should be guarding his door. Let us see him." Okay that was McGee, flaunting his status of being an NCIS agent once again.

"I'm not letting you inside so just leave." That sounded a lot like Fornell and from that tone it was Tobias getting into his 'overprotective father' mode. Tony tried to lift his eyelids again, a low moan escaping his chapped lips. He felt a pressure on his right hand and the bed dip under new weight.

"Hey, Tony, come on open your eyes." That sounded like a worried Gibbs, but that didn't make sense. Gibbs was never worried; hell he didn't even show concern. Tony somehow managed to slit his eyes open and saw the blurry outline of his boss. Even that sapped his energy. "Come on Tony, that's it, a little bit more." Gibbs was trying to motivate him but it was a loosing battle as Tony's eyelids slid closed once more, head lolling to the side as he slipped back into the darkness.


"Damn." Jethro Gibbs muttered as he sank back into his chair. He had saw a sliver of green when Tony opened his eyes before they disappeared as Tony passed out once more.

He listened silently to Tobias telling McGee and Ziva to leave but they were digging their heels in and their voices were grating Gibbs' final nerve. He gave Tony's hand one final squeeze before standing up and heading over to the door. He squared his shoulders and blew out a puff of air before opening the door.

"Boss! Tell Agent Fornell to let us in." McGee sighed with relief when he saw his silver haired boss walked out of Tony's hospital room.

"No, Fornell is doing what he should be." Gibbs shook his head, making sure to block McGee's and Ziva's view of Tony.

"Gibbs I demand to see Tony, my partner!" Ziva said with her accent heavy.

"The answer is no Agent David." Gibbs said reverting to her last name; it shook her as she blinked confused, her stance weakening. "Go home, both of you." Gibbs barked out and stared them down with his strongest glare he could muster before they finally slinked off.

"I would normally say that was overkill, but I liked it." Tobias smiled. "Has sleeping beauty woken up yet?"

"He tried, managed to crack open his eyes before he passed out again." Gibbs sighed relaying what had happened moments ago to the FBI agent.

"He is in rough shape." Tobias winced in sympathy.

"He survived the plague and a hell of a lot more, he can survive a bullet to the shoulder." Gibbs said with confident.

"I didn't mean physically Jethro and you know it. His mind must be one messed up place, he started to lose faith in NCIS and having his own director kidnap and shoot him really isn't doing anything for bring that faith back." Tobias explained looking over at the sleeping agent.

"Tobias, I need you to tell me everything that I've missed." Gibbs said seriously. "I want to fix this rift between Tony and myself, but I can't do that if I don't have all the information."

"It really isn't my place Jethro…" Tobias cleared his throat awkwardly.

"It is alright Tobias, Tony would want you to tell Agent Gibbs what is really going on." Jimmy Palmer's voice came from behind them. The two agents turned to see the young man walking down the hall carrying a tray of coffee cups and a bag filled with food.

"You sure he would be alright with me spilling everything Jimmy?" Tobias asked reaching for one of the coffee cups, Gibbs took the other one and they moved to let Jimmy in. Jimmy swallowed at the sight of his friend in the hospital bed as he set down the bag of food on the table.

"He would rather have you tell him Tobias, it will make talking with Agent Gibbs easier when he wakes up." Jimmy nodded sure of himself as he took up Gibbs' old place by Tony's side. "Hey Tone, sorry I'm late. Dr. Mallard was keeping me busy with one of his stories and you know how he can get. So today it was a story about…" Jimmy started to talk to Tony like he was awake and listening. Tobias led Gibbs down the hall a bit, still within range of Tony's door but far enough away to keep their voices from carrying.

"Jimmy has a habit of talking to Tony when he's unconscious, Jimmy says it helps Tony keep grounded." Tobias said smiling fondly.

"This has happened before?" Gibbs frowned deeply.

"MmmHmm." Tobias took a sip of coffee. "It was a one month after you left, I got a call from Jimmy who was in panic mode because during a case Tony was without backup and got stabbed in the stomach by a suspect, his backup rounded the corner and shot the guy who stabbed him. It wasn't life threating but Tony was laid up in the hospital for a few days and Jimmy told me that when he got back McGee and Ziva blamed him for the fact they couldn't be out in the field. It's all truly messed up Jethro."

"I'm Tony's next of kin, why wasn't I called?" Gibbs tried to keep his anger in check. They would be plenty of time to shout at McGee and Ziva later on.

"Not like anyone could reach you." Tobias snapped out before taking a deep calming breath. "Tony told me that after you left for Mexico he went and changed his next of kin to Jimmy and after that incident he added my name to the list."

Gibbs felt guilt and sadness pool up in his stomach as Tobias told him Tony's change of next of kin. He had been Tony's next of kin, by having Tony change it meant that he no longer trusted him, that he knew that Gibbs wouldn't have his sixth anymore.

"Tell me everything, even the things I don't want to hear." Gibbs said his voice thick with unexpressed emotions.

"Trust me, you won't want to hear this." Tobias muttered before taking another swig of coffee and he launched into his story of what Tony has been through, how everyone undermined him at every turn, how hard Tony tried to make the team work but he wasn't the great Gibbs, how the director was using him and how everything had come around.

Gibbs' knees gave way and he sank heavily into a nearby chair, staring blankly at the wall in front of him. How could have been so blind? How could he have not seen it? He knew his memory was still spotty from the explosion but he still knew things.

"Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs!" Abby cried rushing down the hall as fast as she could in her platform boots.

"Abs." Gibbs said bracing himself as Abby pulled him into her standard bone-crushing hug.

"I just heard, how is our boy? What happened? Why is the FBI involved?" Abby questioned, words running together as she gave Fornell a suspicious look.

"Don't Abs, if it wasn't for Fornell I don't think I would have been able to get to DiNozzo in time." Gibbs defended the FBI agent from the wrath of the Goth.

"Well then… I thank you." Abby sniffed. "Can I see Tony? I bet he could use a hug right about now."

"I don't think that's a good idea Abs." Gibbs swallowed hard.

"Why not Gibbs? He's part of Team Gibbs after all!" Abby was feeling very confused and worried by the look on Gibbs' face.

"I don't think he is anymore Abby, he has every reason to hate me and yet he doesn't. I need to think about this alone." Gibbs detangled himself from the Goth and walked over to Tony's room to see Jimmy still talking away cheerfully to Tony about something new he learnt from Ducky. Jimmy finished his story as he noticed Gibbs leaning against the doorframe.

"Ah Agent Gibbs… Don't worry Tone I'll come back soon and maybe you will be awake so you can make some movie quotes for me. I finally watched Goodfellas so you should have something to say about that. Feel better soon Tone." Jimmy said softly to the unconscious form of Tony, nodding at Gibbs as he backed out of the room.

Gibbs took Palmer's old seat and moved it closer to Tony's bedside.

"God DiNozzo, how could I have been so blind? I'm surprised you stuck around so long with everything that has been happening. I really am a bastard." Gibbs grumbled closing his eyes, trying to process everything that Fornell told him.


He stayed like this thinking for a few hours, well until Tobias came and forced the older man to go and get some food.

"You nearly gave me a heart attack when that bullet went into you kid." Fornell admitted to Tony's sleeping form. "When Gibbs called in his panic mode that you had been kidnapped, I literally thought my heart was going to stop right then and there."

"Sorry… Toby…" Tony rasped as he peeled his hazy eyes open, Tobias shot to his feet and gripped Tony's hand.

"You gonna stay awake this time Kid?" Fornell asked hopefully.

"I-I'll… Try." Tony gritted out before Tobias moved out of the way of the nurse who came and checked in on him, after she left and the drugs kicked in Tony relaxed easier against the pillows behind him.

"How long have you been awake?" Fornell asked softly sitting back down, handing Tony a cup of ice chips to sooth his sore throat. After a moment of Tony sucking down the ice chips, the young man thought about the question Fornell posed for him.

"Well… I came around to hear you tell Ziva and McGee off." Tony said in a tone closer to his normal voice. "Nice job by the way." Tony sent a weak smirk at Tobias who smirked back. "Then I heard Jimmy leaving, something about Goodfellas and then I heard what Gibbs said…" Tony trailed off remembering his boss's words.

"He blames himself." Fornell said simply. "He's right too."

"Yeah I guess… I just can't hate him ya know?" Tony sighed loudly leaning his head back. "What did you tell him?"

"Everything since he left for Mexico, Jimmy gave me the go ahead." Tobias cleared up.

"Jimmy made the right call. I'm glad you told him because I don't think I would have been able to." Tony admitted.

"Glad to be of service, I did enjoy the look of shock and guilt setting in on his face when I talked." Tobias grinned.

"You had a bit too much fun then." Tony joked, wincing as he tried to adjust how he was sitting. Tobias helped him get into a more comfortable position before patting his head like a father.

"Then Abby showed up, extremely worried about ya." Tobias summed up what happened with Abby and Gibbs for the injured agent.

"I'll be damned, I think the Boss is changing his bastard ways. I don't know if I should be excited or scared." Tony chuckled before it turned into a coughing fit; Fornell quickly helped him drink some water and the coughing receded.

"Sorry, having the plague does horrible things to your lungs." Tony said weakly.

"I still can't believe that you had the plague and survived." Fornell grumbled.

"Well I don't think I would have without the Boss or… Kate…" Tony swallowed hard, trying to fight back the feelings of lost and guilt at the thought of his old partner.

"You really miss her don't you Tonio." Tobias asked softly.

"Yeah I really do… I think I may have been in love with her… I named my fish after her… Kate the fish, I'm sure she would kick my ass for naming my fish after her but it just keeps her close I guess… Ziva doesn't believe that I don't have a thing for her." Tony's voice was thick with emotion and eyes glassy. "Jenny just added Ziva in and she took over Kate's desk without a second thought… God I miss her Toby, I miss her so much."

"Did you ever let it out Tony?"

"Like sobbing over her? Scream how much I love and miss her from a rooftop? No, I never got the chance to and I'm a DiNozzo, we don't cry…"

"Well that's bullshit and you know it. I think it's time you finally let it out and you will feel better. I can bring in Emily if you want? She gives great hug's." Fornell offered.

"And ruin her prefect image of her big brother? I'll pass thanks." Tony shook his head slightly.

"She knows you miss her kid, why do you think she named her princess doll 'Princess Katie'? She knows." Fornell said wisely.

"Alright, I'll see Emily when I get out of here. Sound alright Toby?" Tony gave in and Tobias grunted his approval.

"So… What are you going to do about Gibbs and NCIS?" Tobias asked gently poking the real issue.

"1st tell me what happened after Jenny shot me." Tony pressed. Fornell nodded and regaled Tony with what happened after he passed out.

"Suicide by cop." Tony mumbled.

"Sounds about right. Forcing Gibbs to pull the trigger when she put that bullet in you." Tobias understood what Tony was getting at. "She knew his weakness and used it well. So… Any clue as to what you are going to do now?"

"I have a pretty good idea… I just hope to hell it's the right one." Tony admitted, his eyes fluttering as they closed on their own accord.

"I'm sure it will be kid, get some rest." Toby said softly patting Tony's head again as the young man slipped away.