Tony opened his eyes. At first he felt disorientated. Where was he? What had happened? Then it all came flooding back to him. The shootout on the street and the trouble at Vance's house was the first thing that he thought about. A dead agent and a wounded agent came next. Again, Tony cursed at himself… They weren't just agents they had names.

Tony wasn't sure about how much sleep he had… But after the shower at Abby's he felt much better. Fortunately there were some of his clothes there and he was able to sneak out before disturbing Abby. Oh his head was still running with thoughts. First thing on his to do list was get to the hospital and see how Gibbs was doing… Then update everybody on the condition… Interrogate the suspects…

"I need a coffee," Tony thought out loud. "No wonder, Gibbs drinks so much coffee," he chuckled slightly. That sounded about right.

BETHESDA HOSPITAL

Tony wasn't surprised to see Ducky already at the hospital. "Duck. Please tell me you went home last night," Tony told the ME.

"Yes Anthony," Ducky answered. "I assume that you're here for the update on Jethro's condition… He's still in a serious but stable condition. The doctors are having problems bringing his vitals back to normal," he explained.

"Can I see him?" Tony asked.

Ducky pointed him into the right direction and Tony slowly walked into the hospital room and saw that his boss looked like he was hooked up to everything. It was impossible to fathom what it was like being on the other side of the glass so to speak. It was easy to see now why everyone had worried about him after he'd gotten sick. They just didn't want to Tony like that again.

"Anthony," Ducky got the young man's attention.

"I've got to get going," Tony responded eventually. "There's just some things that I need to do," he said quietly. "I'll come back later," he only just managed to get out of there without making a spectacle of himself.

Gibbs couldn't wipe the smile off his face. He entered the house with his first family. As soon as he walked through door, the aroma of a Sunday roast tickled his nostrils. Was it Sunday? That thought quickly dissipated. It really didn't matter now. One day or the next… Gibbs was sure it was the same. "Smells great honey," Gibbs commented.

"I helped," Kelly shouted loudly.

"Of course you did," Gibbs ruffled her hair. "What part of it did you do?" He was even surprised at how young his voice sounded. Being with them had taken years off his life. He felt young again.

"I stuffed the chicken," Kelly answered triumphantly.

"That's wonderful," Gibbs spoke loudly.

"She did a fantastic job," Shannon smiled at the interaction. That was something they had all missed.

NCIS HQ

Tony filled in Abby, McGee and Ziva with what Ducky had told him. He knew Gibbs and knew that he would pull through for the team. They needed him and selfishly he knew he needed Gibbs to. They were about to bring Joshua in when it seemed that Fornell appeared out of nowhere.

"We're here to take that man into our custody," Fornell said coldly.

"The hell you are," Tony answered back.

"I know that you're in charge again and are desperate to prove yourself in a pissing contest DiNotso," Fornell challenged.

"With me," Tony said as he walked towards the elevator. "Fornell! Heel!" He ordered.

Tony cut off the elevator power in between floors. "How's Jethro doing?" Fornell asked Tony. His jaw dropped at the question. "It's just a charade that me and Jethro play out there… In here we talk things out," Fornell explained.

"I should've known," Tony said. "Gibbs is in serious condition. He hasn't regained consciousness yet. The doctors are positive though about the recovery though," Tony shrugged.

"That's good. As I say I'm here to take Joshua into our custody. He impersonated an FBI agent," Fornell explained.

"In the NCIS building," Tony told him. "And he's in our custody… So we got the upper hand," Tony explained.

"I really know that you feel it's important to get one over on me DiNozzo," Fornell turned to face him seriously. "But Johua is rightfully ours."

Tony rubbed his neck. "Alright… But I swear, if you find anything that needs to be followed up… I want my team involved or you're getting nothing," Tony wanted to make sure his point was coming across.

"Right," Fornell responded affirmatively. "Damn, you and Jethro are so much alike it's almost funny," he commented on it as they left the elevator.

"I'm surprised you didn't want both," Tony shrugged his shoulders.

"Because I knew that hell would freeze over before you gave up both," Fornell laughed. "But I expect you to afford me the same courtesy," Fornell was serious.

"Just don't come into my yard and start barking like some big dog," Tony half smiled. It felt great to be able to relieve some of his tension. "I'll call you when there's any change in Gibbs," Tony told Fornell.

McGee and Ziva brought in the man that was captured doing the shootout on the street. After they put him into custody they talked with each other in the hallway before entering observation.

"Do you think he is handling it well?" Ziva asked, indicating she was talking about Tony. His co-operation with Fornell was a bit of a concern and hoped he'd be able to do his job even if Tony's mind was on Gibbs.

"I'm sure he's handling it good. He wouldn't have given up that Joshua guy or whoever he was without a good fight. Tony's going to get what he needs out of this guy," McGee said with a little bit of confidence.

Ziva thought for a moment. "I am not questioning his ability… I just want to make sure he has his mind on the job at hand," she told McGee.

"I understand… But I think Tony is just fine. But I guess time will tell at the moment," he had the same doubts.

"Perhaps you are right McGee," Ziva replied but not sounding too convinced.

Tony watched the man sit down in front of him. So far he hadn't been given a name. "Care to tell me your name?" Tony asked. "I can't go through calling you the man or just John Doe now can I?" He asked while he maintained eye contact.

The man shrugged.

"Oh will it kill you to give me your name?" Tony asked. Why did suspects always seem to intent on playing games with him? He kept his face expressionless. "You know it's just a matter of time before fingerprints gets a match," he said.

"Then why ask me… What are you doing?" The man asked as he saw Tony writing down some notes on a notepad.

"I'm make a note of how uncooperative you're being," Tony smirked. "You're really in deep now. Considering you were shooting at federal agents, taking people hostage, espionage… Guess what?! They're just the things I can rattle off the top of my head," Tony's voice began getting louder. "Now you won't even cooperate with me just a little bit?"

"That's right," The man responded.

"You know that all but one of your friends were killed in the confrontation. So not a lot of chances for you to pass the buck," Tony said triumphantly.

The man shrugged his shoulders. "You're trying to get a confession out of me?" He still played it coldly and the irritation was clearly beginning to show on Tony's face.

"Just tell me the reason!" Tony smacked the table as he stood up. "What was so important that you were willing to kill for?! Are you working alone or for someone?!" Tony shouted into the man's ear.

"You think shouting is going to intimidate me?" The man asked.

Without thinking he grabbed the man and had him against the wall. His mind was filled with rage and he really just wanted to hurt somebody. "You think this is a game?" Tony asked. "An agent is dead another agent is in the hospital. You want to tell me how you think that this is a game?"

"Tony," Ziva said. Tony didn't even hear the door open. "I think you should leave," she said and waited for Tony to step into the hallway.

"Abby got a match on the fingerprints. The man's identified as Corporal Bradley Stevens. Served in the marines in the mid nineties," McGee explained to him. "Also we got the ID of the other people that were involved," he said.

"Let me guess," Tony said. "They all served together," He took the information and read over it. His assumption was right. "Gee, they're just like the A-Team… Kinda," Tony said and he noted the blank look on Ziva's face. "You know… They're a unit of ex marines who stay together and do jobs for people in need. Actually there was this one episode where there was another team that was suppose to be like a mirror image of them doing bad things and making the A-Team look bad," he said.

"I think I remember that episode," McGee said. "But barely," he thought for a moment.

"Hey, McGee remember that team we ran into a few years back. That was so much like that," Tony said.

Ziva slapped Tony up the back of the head. "Would you keep your mind on the job?" Ziva told him.

"Oh right," Tony said. "McGee… I want you to check out the financial records of all the people," he ordered. "Ziva… I'm probably going to regret this but I want a confession out of this guy," he said to her. Part of him thought it was better to have someone else pull the confession. He really felt on the edge.

"Yes," Ziva said. She knew the slap would get him to focus more.

"DiNozzo!" Tony answered the phone as soon as it rung. It was Ducky on the other end saying that he needed to get down to Bethesda urgently. He didn't need to be asked twice. "Ziva… Get it done. I'll call you as soon as I can," Tony closed the cell and left.

Gibbs had to laugh at himself… It felt odd being with his family again but as time progressed it was feeling more natural. He stoked the fire to add to the warmth. Life was perfect. Kelly was playing with her doll's hair and Shannon was doing Kelly's hair in return. Nothing in the world could replace being with his real family.

"What's funny Jethro? You have this goofy look on your face," Shannon laughed. Gibbs' marine persona was beginning to fade. That made her happy.

"This is so perfect," Gibbs answered. "Being with my family," he sat on the chair next to them.

"I missed you so much daddy," Kelly gave the doll to Gibbs for inspection.

He laughed. "There wasn't a day that went by when I didn't think about you," Gibbs responded.

"We know Jethro," Shannon commented. "Doesn't she look so pretty?" She asked.

"Yes honey… Just like her mother," Gibbs sighed contently. He wasn't going to leave them or let them leave ever again. Losing them once was hard enough.

"Can we play a game?" Kelly asked innocently.

"Sure… What game would you like to play?" Gibbs asked.

"Pictionary!" Kelly shouted and they all laughed together. Gibbs nodded a 'yes' "Yay!" She screamed loudly.

"Yay!" Gibbs matched her level of excitement. "You get it set up and I'll play," he said. Kelly ran off somewhere and Gibbs leaned over and kissed his wife slowly and with more feeling than he ever felt before.

"Welcome home," she said again.

BETHESDA

Ducky led Tony to where Gibbs' doctor was. "I'm Doctor Steve Borden," Borden extended his hand to for Tony to shake it.

"How's his condition Doc?" Tony asked. He had assumed that Ducky had informed the doctor that they were the nearest thing to Next Of Kin than anything else.

The doctor looked uneasy. "We can't seem to bring him back. His condition has been deteriorating," Borden answered grimly. "It's like he's losing the will to fight," he added.

Tony looked down and bit his tongue.

"We're not saying there's no hope… There's always hope," Borden continued on. "I think it might help if there's someone really close to him to talk to him. To reach out to him. Doctor Mallard has informed me of your closeness to Special Agent Gibbs."

"That's why I called you Anthony," Ducky said. "It is often documented that patients can hear everything that's going on around them. They just can't respond. The most interesting case came from a young woman who…"

"You think that'll work? Perhaps you should've called Abby. She'd be a better choice for it. If anything, she can get anybody to listen," Tony suggested the better option.

"Anthony! You are the choice right now. You can pull him through…." Ducky admonished Tony's negativity towards himself. But knew that the type of relationship the two men had, it could work.

"I'll make sure you're not disturbed Agent DiNozzo and anyone else," Borden responded. "Sure there'll be people doing the usual rounds… I'll make sure that they understand not to interrupt, interfere or interact or comment or react to anything that you say. They're professionals so they'll follow my orders and if they don't… I'll take them out with my bat," he smiled to show he was just joking.

Gibbs' Room

Tony sat on a chair right next to Gibbs. He looked at Ducky and shrugged. How was he suppose to begin? What was he to say? Ducky tapped him on the shoulder before leaving. Ducky knew that Tony would need the privacy if it was to work. He hadn't acknowledged that Ducky even left.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do here Boss," Tony tried to shut out the sound of the machines. "I guess I know nothing without you holding my hand. Guess it's taken me this long to realize it," he sat back in his chair in deep thought for a moment. Was that true? He shook his head. "You can just get people to do what you want with just a few words," Tony sighed heavily. "I wish I could do the same thing you know."

Abby: Yay its getting dramatic... I love dramatic!

Gibbs and Tony: Grunt!

Abby: Come on...

Gibbs and Tony grunt

Abby: Doesn't fictionnaire always put you all back together again.

Tony: I get the feeling we're going to be in for a bad ending soon.

Fictionnaire: Don't any of you have just a little faith in me? Plus... Would it be so bad if I kill Gibbs off...

Tony: Again.

Fictionnaire: Oh yeah again...

Tony: Yes again

Fictionnaire: I was young in NCIS fanfiction back then. I've matured.