What is worse than a scream of pain? The sound that a nurse makes that looses a patient. The sound that will wake you from the soundest of sleep. There is nothing worse than loosing a patient.
Tim almost fell out of his chair when the nurse spoke in a loud tone, "Where is Mr DiNozzo?"
With eyes that were still heavy with sleep he attempted to focus on the shorter woman before him, the one with the almighty voice. "He was in bed." he stammered, wanting to know where his partner had slipped off to, but knowing deep inside that Tony was long gone.
" Your friend is too ill to leave the hospital. If I have to get the doctor to commit him I will and I will also personally tie him down with the best restraints I have in stock. Mr DiNozzo is endangering his life by leaving!" Her angry voice was punctuating certain words, like Commit and Endangering, she was definitely upset.
The angry woman left to call the physician. Tim knew that Tony was going to be in big trouble, and not just from the medical staff, but also their boss. Gibbs would kill Tony if the nurse didn't get to him first.
Tim reached for his cellphone and started to dial Gibb' s number but hesitated, he had to find Tony first and he knew where to start, Tony' s apartment. He knew he had to call Abby, he might need her assistance to get a stubborn DiNozzo back to the hospital.
Tony' s Apartment/ Condo
Tony felt as though he could barely breathe as his fire fighter friend Frank Cappizzio dropped him off at his apartment door. With shaky hands he found the hidden key underneath the ceramic frog that had been given to him by his neighbor. The best thing about his apartment was it was more like a condo, but yet all the privacy he needed.
His weakened body stumbled through the doors and towards the bathroom, he needed to get the smell of hospital off his body. He hated the smell of antiseptic soap and alcohol swabs, it reminded him too much of his days under the blue lights.
He turned on the shower and waited for the steam to pour out of the cracks of the doors, discarded his pajamas and entered. It felt good to breathe in the steam, it seemed to make his labored breathing improve.
When the steam had been exhausted he exited, grabbed a large towel and dried off, his breathing momentarily improved. He then walked to his bedroom, the towel draped around his waist and pulled open his dresser drawer to hunt for another pair of pajamas, but instead he opted for sweatpants and a thick sweatshirt. He felt chilled and his head hurt.
He then walked back to the kitchen to retrieve a bottle of water and a couple of aspirin, he felt his head would soon explode. He knew that when Gibbs showed up he needed to be feeling his best. He knew that the argument that would ensue would have to be one he could win, he was not going back to that place.
He found himself holding onto furniture as he attempted to make his way back to the bedroom but opted for the couch, it was closer, fortunately, it had a pillow and a blanket already there where he has slept last. It seemed THAT he slept on his couch way more than his bed recently given their heavy work load with being undercover.
He sat the water on the coffee table and slid underneath the warm blanket and closed his eyes, he needed to rest, he felt exhausted and his body ached .
Outside of Tony's apartment
Tim and Abby arrived at the same time, it was almost like fate or at least Abby would see it that way.
"Are you sure that Tony came home?" Abby asked as they made their way toward the door.
"Where else would he go Abby? If I know Tony he came home because this is where he feels the safest, he's said it too many times." Tim answered, hoping that he was correct.
As they approached the door, they noted that it was ajar. Tony must have not closed the door behind him, and that, to both of them, was a sign that Tony was not doing well.
Abby pushed open the door to see her friend lying on the couch, asleep. "He looks so pale." she commented as she made her way over to Tony' s supine form. Her hands automatically going to his forehead to check for a fever, and was surprised when he felt so hot underneath her hand. " He has a fever Timmy." Her eyes looking up towards the man standing at the door with great concern.
Tim reached behind him and closed the door, his phone was now buzzing. He knew who it was before he answered, "Yes boss. He's here." he spoke in a low whisper but the thunderous sound of Gibbs' s angry voice on the other end of the line was enough to wake up Tony from a dead sleep.
Tim listened for several minutes, and gave the only response he could, "I will make sure he gets back to the hospital boss,." He paused and listened again, then responded, "Right away boss." he hung up the phone and visibly relaxed before Abby's eyes.
" You can tell Gibbs I'm not going back Probie." Tony's weak voice spoke up, he had to let them know he was not going back to hospital Hell.
"Oh Tony, you're awake." Abby reached down and placed a kiss on his too warm forehead, "Tony you're clothes are soaked with sweat, I'll go find you another pair of pajamas." Abby said worriedly, knowing that her friend needed the hospital, and as she stood to go and find him something to wear, she heard him let out a deep, congested cough, the sound almost took her breath away. With tears in her eyes she left the room, hoping that Tim would be successful in convincing him to to return back to the hospital for desperately needed medical care.
Tim knew he had his hands full, still guilt ridden for being responsible for Tony's dilemma, he was finding it difficult to do what had to be done, and that was to take his friend back to the hospital against his willl.
He walked over where Tony could see him better and took a seat across from the couch. He found it difficult to deliver the words needed but knew he had a job to do, and Tony' s health depended upon him getting his friend and partner to realize that he needed to be in a the capable hands of the medical staff, excluding the nurse who was definitely going to tie him down when he returned.
After several minutes of working up the courage to say what had to be said, the words finally came out. "This is all my fault."
Tony's fevered mind caught the words but he was having trouble comprehending what his friend meant, "Tim, what the hell are you talking about?" he sat up a little to see the man sitting across from him better.
"I'm the reason you were hurt . I was stupid. I shouldn't have left my computer in the first place and then on top of that I didn't listen to you, my partner, my experienced partner, who told me to leave it. I was stubborn, I wanted my computer and I got you shot for being selfish and stupid." Tim continued, the guilt that he had held inside over the past few weeks poured out of him, oozing like an open sore.
"Stop it McGee!" Tony's angry voice surprised the man who was spewing out his apology, his confession.
Tim's eyebrows shot up, confused as to what Tony was saying, "What?"
"We are a team Timmy. We are responsible for each other and the way I see it, you risked your own life to save me. You didn't have to do that but you did and I appreciate it. And need I remind you, the computer is still there, with the terrorists." he slid down deeper under the blanket, visible shivers starting to take over his body, the fever was still rising but he had to finish."You saved my life, you're my best friend Probie." he then closed his eyes, needing to rest for a minute, exhausted from his tirade.
Tony's last words caused Tim to stop for a moment, he had never been referred to as best friend by anybody before and he felt he didn't deserve that title from a man whom he almost got killed, it felt wrong "I got you shot Tony. I did something stupid and I am the reason you're in the shape you're in. Don't let me get off so easy. I screwed up!" Tim raised his voice, angry that Tony was being so forgiving.
"Probie, I can't help it that you feel guilty but you have nothing to feel guilty for, like I said, we are a team. I should've grabbed the damned computer, I'm just as much to blame, maybe even more, because I have more experience." he stopped to let out another gut wrenching cough then continued, " This was actually your first time to experience deep undercover. It was my fault Timmy, my fault that we screwed up." his voice lowered at the end, more gravelly than before, sleep threatening to take him under.
Tim couldn't believe what his friend was saying and he was about to argue more when Abby reentered the room with fresh clothes for Tony.
"Okay Tony, I need to get you out of those wet clothes." she blushed after realizing how that had sounded, then corrected herself, "I meant Tim will help you get out of those wet clothes." she smiled as she reached down to pull back the blanket, then noticing immediately that Tony' s eyes were rolled up in his head and his body was shaking uncontrollably, "Tim, I think Tony is having a seizure.!" She screamed.
