AN: Again thank you to my consistent reviewers! Also, for those who do not like the direction of the story I do apologize, but I did outline the story before I story so I do know where I'm going with this. However, I did remove the one line that referenced Tony being sexually abused, because I feel that the story I have actually written, not just the outline in my head, does not cater well to that development. Many of you have expressed similar concerns, and I do agree with them on that. Originally this story was intended to be a bit darker to help deepen the relationship of Gibbs and Tony, but now I no longer find the plot dependent on that facet. That being said, the rest of it I do find necessary to the plot and I hope that you all enjoy it. Let me know what you think.
*Also, this story is about wrapping up. I am considering writing an AU story about Gibbs adopting a deaf Tony. They have sign language in the show already and I figure that I might extend and exaggerate it a bit. I am intimate with deaf culture and I think it would be a neat idea. Let me know what you think.
Survival Italian:
(Gibbs)
I stop the car, and I am beginning to regret my most recent decision of letting DiNozzo leave the hospital.
"Hey" I say gently to my trembling agent, "You sure you want to go in there? We can go somewhere else and handle this privately until you're back on your feet and we have the right meds."
He shakes his head no. "Let's go in" he grits out, "It'll be okay."
He's wincing and holding his ribs tightly to himself in the passenger seat. The drugs have worn off and now he's starting to feel exactly what he was put through.
"Okay" I say.
I undo the seatbelts and get out. I see two figures approach us, Dominic and McGee. I requested that McGee stay and help finish the paperwork and conclude the case, and it was granted. What the director doesn't know is that I'm doing all of it myself so Tony will have McGee during the day. Abby and Ziva also wanted to stay but they were sent home under protest. Ziva was angry with me for picking McGee over her, but I told her that right now DiNozzo needed to be around other guys, and he and McGee have a strange but effective relationship. I open Tony's door and lean in close as the two figures approach us.
"You're going to lean on me, okay? We're going to do this real slow."
He nods his head.
"Dominic" I say, "I'm going to help pull him out and he's going to lean on me, you take the other side."
Dominic nods his head in agreement still trying to peek in and see Tony.
"What about me boss" McGee asks.
"I'll let you know" I say, "You hover for now."
I lean back down to my patient.
"You ready?"
He nods again still holding his ribs.
"Listen" I say, "This is not a race, we are going to take this as slow as you need, you tell me if we need to stop. Understand?"
He nods again wincing. I lean in to try and take an arm, but it won't budge. Okay so that arm is too busy protecting his ribs, fine.
"Tony" I say gently, "You have to lean on me okay?'
He shakes his head no.
"Hurts."
Well, yeah.
"What about the other arm?"
He concedes. I slowly pull him out and get on his other side to catch him. We're going down, but Dominic quickly helps support DiNozzo by the waist. We're not moving and I'm not sure why. Tony is adjusting to his support, but then again Dominic and McGee are adjusting to Tony's new appearance. They're both shocked.
"Hey" I snap at McGee and indirectly Dominic. McGee snaps out of it and walks behind Dinozzo.
"Okay Tony" I say gently a bit bothered by Dominic's reaction. "We're going to start walking, you ready?"
He nods and we take a step, and then another. His breathing is increased and he's sweating. He's swaying but between the three of us he's not going anywhere.
"You want to sit" I ask.
He shakes his head no and takes a step.
"This is ridiculous" Dominic cries, "Kid, I'm going to carry you okay?"
And this is why I'm here, because as close as these two are, I know Tony better. Tony is ferociously independent and detests dependence in anything. I know this because I work with him day in and day out, and I know damn well that there is no way in Hell that Tony is going to let himself be carried off; it's amazing that he even conceded to this.
"No" Tony says immediately, "I can walk."
"You're in agony" Dominic responds, "Let me carry you."
"No Dom" Tony whines, "My ribs."
"Okay I'll be careful."
"No!"
Another step forward.
"Promise Tony, I promise I won't bang them."
"No" he says annoyed and takes another quick step. We are almost to the patio. With his free hand he's gripping onto my arm.
"I'll get you pain killers soon" I tell him.
Another step forward but this time he's shaking more violently.
"Let's sit down" McGee offers.
"No" Tony says, "Too cold."
Yeah, that's why. Another step forward and we are at the steps. There is an easier way to get up them. I lock eyes with Dominic and we come to a silent understanding.
"Tony" I say, "When I say so, you breathe in real deeply, okay?"
He looks at me questioningly, but nods. I like Dominic and McGee want him to rest but there are other ways of going about it. Don't ask, just do.
"On three, okay? One, two, three."
He breathes in as orders and between myself and Dominic we lift him over the steps. McGee runs forward and holds the door open as we shuffle in. He then goes to grab a chair and Tony sinks into it. Tony leans down onto the table and holds his ribs. Dominic and McGee are openly staring at Tony's wounds that are now illuminated in the light. I lean down and get close to agent's face which is currently buried in his arms. He's lightly crying.
"You did good Tony" I tell him and rub the back of his neck, "We're in okay?"
"Boss" he chokes, "My ribs."
"Okay." I look over to my "helpers". Dominic looks like he wants to bolt, and McGee has paled considerably. Well that's great. I pull out the prescription and give it to Dominic.
"Can you pick this up at your pharmacy" I ask him, "We need this now."
He nods, grabs it and runs off to his car.
"McGee" I say, "Do you know where everyone is sleeping?"
"Yes boss" he says his gaze fixated on DiNozzo, "Tony's room has a shower connected to it."
"Okay let's go there now you lead the way. I'm going to need you to help me carry him up okay?"
His eyes grow wide. "You want me to touch him?"
No, I want you to make magically appear upstairs. I'm thinking teleportation would be the most efficient, but hey, if we have magic, we might as well just cure him all together!
"McGee?"
"Uh, what if I hurt him boss?"
"You are all I and he have right now so you're going to have to do. Suck it up."
He nods and goes to DiNozzo.
"What do I do?"
"You listen to him and me." I lean down to Tony's level.
"We're going to help you get up to the showers" I tell him. I want that shit off of him and I know he does too. I should probably put him in bed but a person's dignity can only take so many blows. I get on his left side where he is willing to put his arm around me. We both stand and McGee pales further at Tony's grunt of pain.
"McGee" I say gently because I may be an ass but I very well realize how traumatizing this is for him, "You hold him by the waist."
McGee seems unsure of himself and circles around his belly.
"McGee" I say, "You have to touch him, okay? I grab his arm with my other hand and push it into DiNozzo's back.
"Right boss, sorry Tony."
"S'okay McGee" Tony says trying to might light of the situation, "This is the perfect excuse for you to get your hands on me."
McGee laughs slightly and gets a tighter walk slowly to the stairs which thankfully are only a few steps until we get to the second floor. However, Tony is panting and is moaning.
"Tim" I say, "We're going to sit, help me get him down."
The three of us gingerly take our seats on the first step to let Tony rest. As Tony regains his breathing I see McGee staring at him in shock. Tony rests his head on my shoulder.
"My ribs" he cries to me.
"Here" I say giving him my hand. "You squeeze as hard as you can."
He grasps onto and hell does he squeeze.
"The medicine is coming" I remind him. "It's alright son just a bit more and you'll be floating."
He grunts his consent.
"You want to try and walk again?"
He nods and I kiss him on the forehead, "Alright, we're going to do this real slow. You ready McGee?"
McGee is in awe of our behavior. He's young I remind myself and he needs to learn that there are different rules for this game. People in pain are changed beings, they aren't the same person anymore and their needs and wants change along with it. There is a decorum to this that has to be learned. I've been in combat, I get it. Tony's been in his own share of fire fights plus his own versions of Hell, so he gets it too. McGee however is still wet behind the ears, but by the end of this he'll have an idea of how to get it. McGee himself is sweating too but is with the program. We stand and we make our way up the stairs, each step more agonizing than the next.
"Boss" McGee finally shouts over Tony's cry of pain on one of the particular steps, "What is wrong with him? Are we doing something wrong?"
"He was beat McGee" I say back, there is no sugarcoating this, "He needs some painkillers and he'll be fine. Keep walking."
We finally make it to the bedroom and then the bathroom that connects. We lay DiNozzo onto the bed and McGee goes to run the bath. DiNozzo's trembling has intensified and his whimpering has followed suit. I start taking his shoes off.
"The warm water will help" I tell him, "You're going to be fine DiNozzo. Your cousin will be back soon." I call for McGee who is at my side immediately.
"McGee" I tell him, "Get me some scissors."
Before I can notice his absence he's back with the requested tool. I start cutting through DiNozzo's hospital shirt and pants. I don't want him to have to move his arms because it will provoke his ribs. McGee gasps and I stop myself from dragging him into a corner and telling him to suck it up. I realize how upsetting this is for him, but I also understand that Tony is too far gone to realize McGee's pity so I'm letting it go. I have him stripped down to his briefs which are incredibly bloody on the one side from the bite mark. His ribs are tightly wrapped, and shit. The wrappings are too tight, oh those fucking nurses! No wonder he's in pain. The skin is protruding over the bandages which means the ribs themselves are being squeezed too tightly. That's prison politics ladies and gentlemen. Dirty cops don't score too highly, but damn it all my kid was innocent and fucking right! I throw the damn scissors across the room.
"DiNozzo" I say to him yelling over his cries, "I'm going to fix it okay? It's too tight."
"No" he grunts.
"It's okay Tony" I say over his crying, "I'll be real gentle I promise." I snap my finger at McGee and the point to the bed. He climbs onto the bed and point him further back until he's sitting against the headboard.
"You hold up DiNozzo" I say.
"I what Boss" McGee asks.
"Did I stutter" I ask back. I lift DiNozzo, ignore his grunt of pain, and move him until Tim can drag him back against him. Tony is in too much pain to realize how intimate the sitting is, but McGee is quite aware.
"McGee" I say, "Hold him for God sakes! This is your teammate, we support each other got it? You're going to have to touch him!"
"He would hate this" he says back to me and he looks like he's going to cry any minute now, "He would really hate this boss."
I calm myself before I scream at him, "You see him protesting here? That's a sign McGee. Just hold him tightly okay? He's in pain Tim, all bets are off. And let's not talk like he's not in the room okay? He can hear us. You talk to him while I tend to this."
"S'ight Meh-Ee" says my senior agent, "Mah ah-ight."
I try not to wince at the harshness of his accent for one of two reasons. One being that it is an incredibly harsh accent and it's so different from the usual professional DiNozzo that I know that uses proper language and speech to present himself. Two being that it means he's in a lot of pain if he's falling back into old speaking habits.
McGee ever so gently wraps his arms around Tony's stomach.
"Oh God" Tony yells incredibly loudly. McGee jumps like hell and I can't help but notice that I do too.
"What" McGee is screaming, "What did I do? I'm so sorry!"
McGee keeps rambling on and is trying to get out of the position they are in so he can see if Tony is okay, and just about to help him do that until I notice that Tony is laughing.
"You're an ass" I yell at him.
"Mah so-ur" he wheezes out. I think that was an apology. "Mah uoldn't elp eht."
There are tears running down his face from both pain and laughter but he doesn't seem to notice them. He pats McGee's leg twice still laughing. He's wincing in pain and I can tell that the laughing is furthering his pain but with the adrenaline he just can't seem to stop himself.
"That wasn't funny Tony! I thought I hurt you!"
Well at least it taught McGee a lesson.
"Alright" I say, "Enough, Tony I'm going to start now okay?"
He bends his neck back into the curve of McGee's shoulder and resigns himself.
"Tony" McGee says gently in his ear, "You tell me if I'm hurting you okay?" And with that my probationary officer hugs Tony around the waist without any hestitation. Good boy.
I start to touch the wrapping, but a shaky hand holds mine down.
"Tony" I say gently, "You let me help you, understand?"
"No boss" he says back eyes tightly shut.
I don't want to force him because that's the last thing he needs but this needs to be attended to immediately.
"Tony" McGee says uncharacteristically stepping up, "Hold my hand okay? You squeeze it when it hurts."
I smile at Tim. Very good boy. Tony takes his hand and squeezes. I try to work as quickly as possible and finally I free him from the oppressive bandaging. They are wrapped quite tightly and Tony is feeling each and every time I move them. McGee however is too young to realize that its his job to cater to Tony's whines and talk to him. Watch McGee, like this. This is how you handle these situations. I take my hand cup Tony's face and run my fingers over his brow.
"DiNozzo" I tell him, "Almost done." I look pointedly at McGee.
McGee, this is how you comfort someone. The only way to learn this lesson is exactly how we are doing it now, I just wish the person wasn't Tony or in this degree of pain.
"Okay kiddo" I say, "Shower time. Let's get you cleaned up." As I go to assist McGee in righting Tony, Dominic appears in the doorway with a pill in hand and a glass of water. He looks afraid to enter and is entirely uncomfortable with his cousin's current state of undress and comfort level. Okay so Dominic has no intention of entering, great. Another skittish colt, that's exactly what we need right now. I have absolutely no doubt that if the situation was reversed Tony would know exactly how to act and with the right decorum. I go over and grab the pill and leave the water.
"He swallows them dry" I say absently as an excuse. I kneel by the foot of the bed and tap my agent's face.
"Hey, hey" I tell him, "Here, take it."
Tony grabs at it like his life depends on it and swallows it. I ruffle his hair and wait.
"Let's give it ten minutes" I say, "These are supposed to work quickly."
We all stay frozen in our spots each person afraid to move. Five minutes in I realize how ridiculous this is and tell McGee to go run the water. We wait it out until Tony's muscles relax and his focus dims.
"Tony" I tell him quietly, "We're going to get you bathed okay?"
He lolls his head at me. Between myself and McGee we get Tony situated into the bath.
"An do it 'igh-self" Tony grumbles.
"Yeah I know" I tell him humoring him.
"If he can do it himself, let him do it" Dominic says who is now hovering in the doorway; not fully in the bathroom.
I glare at him in response. I do not need any idiots encouraging DiNozzo. I have a very specific way of handling these situations and I dislike curve balls. McGee who with me is on his knee helping to support Tony has tensed up at the confrontation.
"Hold him" I tell McGee and I walk into Dominic's personal space.
"Get out" I hiss at him.
Dominic's eyes look they are about to pop out of his head.
"It's my house" he cries.
"Hey" I seethe, "Watch it! Keep your voice low, Tony does not need any additional problems right now. Your cousin can't do it himself, which means we have to, so piss or get off the pot."
He's silent, and damn it all I do not have time for this shit. I just want Tony clean so he can go to bed. Today needs to end. It's five thirty in the morning, and it needs to end.
"He's my cousin" he finally says, "I want to help."
Well that's wonderful. What should have been a two minute job is not going to be come a full blown hour. I don't need this man, nor do I want him. I have McGee who is part of this team so he should be here and that's it. We don't need the entire family in this very small bathroom.
"Look" he says, "Tony was real upset that no one was there for him when he got hurt down in Virginia."
Which time? You people don't call for a lot of things.
"I need to be here" he tells me.
I don't have time for this.
"You want to help" I say, "Fine, get some clothes for us to change him into. He'll need underwear too."
"I'll go get some of mine."
"Good, go."
I leave him and return back to my agent. I scroll my shirt up and grab a cup and fill it. I make quick work of cleaning his hair and getting that shit off of him. I see McGee start to comprehend what it is that he is looking at it and his face start to fall.
"McGee" I bark, "Go help Dominic."
I can't afford to have him start bawling here like a child and embarrass DiNozzo. McGee to his credit schools his features at his recognition of my dismissal.
"Sorry boss" he says, but does not leave but instead grabs the soap and goes to help me.
"Watch his ribs" I tell him.
"No" Tony shouts, his conscious somewhere emerging through the drug induced cloud, "It hurts"
He seems to realize where he is and slams his fist down inadvertently splashing me and McGee. Ah clarity has returned surprisingly fast.
"The hell" he proclaims, "No, fuck this. Get off of me, I can do it myself. Get the fuck out. Hell's wrong with you perverts."
Okay so the speech is still harsh but at least it's comprehendible. In fact it's so comprehendible that McGee has jumped as far as way from DiNozzo as possible. He will have to learn. I bring the cup over his head one more time and realize that's as far as he's going to let me. It's alright, he doesn't smell like a urinal anymore.
"We're done DiNozzo" I tell him gruffly, "McGee, go find Dominic and get the clothes."
"Get out Gibbs" he says dangerously, and I realize that somewhere I crossed a line in his mind.
"Tony" I say back to him, "I'm going to help you dress and then you can go to bed."
And despite the drugs, the discomfort, and the fact that he is sopping wet in his cousin's bath tub he still is managing to glare at me. Time to change tactics.
"Hey you want to go back to the hospital?"
Well that worked. A quick head shake.
"I don't want you as a nursemaid either" he retorts.
"You can't have it both ways."
"Boss" he says, "This is not better."
"DiNozzo" I say thankful that we are back on common ground, "I know that."
"I'm fine."
"You just forget how you couldn't get up the damn steps?"
He rolls his eyes but when McGee gives me the sweatpants DiNozzo doesn't resist my helping him.