Sometimes you realize that no matter what stupid mistakes you make in life, someone always has your back.
Tony's Apartment
"Abby get me some tepid water and a pair of scissors!" Tim yelled , he recognized right away that Tony was having a febrile seizure. His sister had experienced many as a child and he remembered watching his parents wash her down with tepid water, careful not to allow her to chill in the process.
Abby didn't hesitate, she quickly found an old wash basin from a previous hospital stay and filled it with tepid water and hurried it over to Tim. She then ran to the bathroom to find a pair of scissors, a wash cloth and several towels, then returned to Tony' s side.
Tim had rolled Tony to his side, protecting his airway but from the looks of it , Tony had bitten his tongue in the throws of the seizure and blood was oozing out of his mouth.
"Start cutting off his sweats Abby." Tim discarded his jacket, rolled up his sleeves and instructed Abby as he started taking the now wet wash cloth and soothing over Tony's skin. The seizure had finally gone dormant but they both knew it would return if they didn't get the fever down.
" Is he okay?" she asked as she cut through the thick material, noting that Tony had no underwear on she quickly covered him with the towels. "Tony, didn't your mother tell you to always wear underwear in case of an emergency?" she murmured quietly to herself.
" He won't be for long. Did you happen to see a thermometer back there anywhere?" he asked as he assisted in cutting off the Ohio State sweatshirt, knowing he was going to get it when Tony was alert again for ruining his shirt, a prized possession.
"I honestly didn't take time to look." Abby answered as she too started sponging off her friend with a wet towel.
Tim took his free hand and whipped out his cellphone, regardless of Tony's wishes he had to get assistance, this was too much for friends to handle. He dialed 911 and gave the operator the information, holding her on the line just in case they needed her for medical aide until the paramedics arrived.
Within minutes the paramedics were knocking at the door, Abby ran to allow them entrance. Tim started giving them information as Tony's body starting shaking again, a result of the fever and another seizure.
Hospital
Days passed as Tony remained in a coma, a result of fever and bilateral lower lobe pneumonia. The team stayed at his side, leaving only long enough for a shower and change of clothing. Palmer and Ducky made sure they ate and slept.
Tim couldn't help but to associate this bout of pneumonia with the last which was the plague, minus Tony being awake through most of it, except when he had to go on a ventilator to allow him rest.
The respiratory toileting the nurses and respiratory therapy did on their friend was hard to watch, they participated after a while though, seeing the benefits for Tony. They too had become almost expert at suctioning when the staff was too busy or when he would choke on his own thick secretions. What they brought out of his lungs was thick, brown, and smelled worse than it actually looked.
They were exhausted, but they knew if they left the hospital all that they would do is worry, so they stayed and waited for their friend to awaken.
Ziva had not seen Tony when he had experienced the plague, never seen him struggle to get in breaths, but now, after this experience, she had an idea of what they had endured before, it was worse than she could' ve ever imagined. Her heart hurt for her friend.
Gibbs seemed to blame himself. He was a never a man of many words but since Tony had been brought back to the hospital he had said even less.
Tim watched his boss with intrigue, noting how he used quiet words to reassure Tony when something uncomfortable was being done to him, and even though Tony never verbally responded, his body relaxing during the most intrusive of procedures was enough to know that Tony was attempting to do what his boss was asking him to do.
The nurses seemed to have forgiven their patient's indiscretion of leaving without being discharged, their main focus now on saving their patient's life and they seemed to be hell bent on keeping him alive, the constant care was amazing. The room was akin to an ICU but with the ability to allow visitors.
It was late and the lights were dim, the monitors now quieted. Night time brought a sense of dread to those watching their friend. It was the time of day that Tony always got worse, his fever would soar or he would get into respiratory distress. Tonight was different though, Tony seemed to be resting, quietly in bed, the monitors had been muted to allow him a peaceful rest.
An exhausted Gibbs sat in his usual chair beside Tony's bed. Abby and Ziva sat on the other side, asleep. Tim had taken the seat at the end of the bed, he wanted to be able to watch Tony, he wanted to make sure if the nurse was needed that he could easily get to the door and call for assistance ,which was never but a few feet away.
Gibbs had commended both him and Abby for knowing what to do at Tony's apartment and their quick thinking. Their actions had saved his senior's life and he had been proud of them.
Tim felt better about Tony's words over time, and he knew that he would never make another stupid mistake like he had done in the warehouse, his lesson had been learned.
Hours passed and the night nurse had just made her rounds, checking vitals and giving him another antibiotic. Gibbs slid forward in the chair to stretch sore muscles when a slight movement from the bed got his attention and he looked over to see heavy eyes starring at him.
" Awake?" he asked, his tone was caring, cpncerned.
" Have been for awhile, was playing possum." he answered, his voice barely above a whisper, the result of being intubated and constantly being suctioned.
Gibbs smiled a crooked smile at his agent then he reached over to raise Tony's head to offer him a sip of water from a cup. Tony raised his head barely off the pillow and found it was too strenuous, he must have been out of it for a while.
" What happened?" a few seconds later his mind finally realizing where he was, the hospital.
Gibbs stern look appeared and his voice was not matter of fact, " You did something stupid Tony."
"Hate hospitals boss." he answered, sleep already threatening to take him now, no longer the coma that had him unconscious for days.
"I know Tony." Gibbs face softened, he couldn't be mad at Tony, not when when he had done the same thing before in his lifetime, maybe even several times. "Your partner saved your life, again."
Tony nodded and took a deep breath then closed his eyes, "Tim, I know you're there. Thanks."
Tim had noticed that Tony was awake and had been listening intently as Gibbs and Tony spoke. It didn't surprise him to know that Tony was aware of him being there, he was after all his partner, his best friend Tony always knew when people had his back.
"Go to sleep Tony." Tim replied. Wanting his friend to know he was there, would continue to be there.
Tony's eyes closed. He knew that he was in good hands but he also knew that Gibbs would have his ass once he was feeling better, he actually looked forward to it.
The end?