Gibbs woke up and saw that Tony was watching him.
"What?" He growled.
"I was just-" Tony began through his mask.
"Wait a moment." Gibbs answered taking the oxygen mask off of Tony's face and putting the nose canal on. "Now, what were you going to say."
"I was just thinking about the first time you met Uncle Sonny. Now it seems like a lifetime ago." Tony explained with a smile.
"It was a lifetime ago, 9 years." Gibbs agreed.
"How can you still want me on your team? I am a screw-up."
Gibbs wished that they were having this conversation again so soon. He figured that they will be having it again and again.
"I was thinking that after you return the field. I will let you take on the role as team leader at least twice a month."
Tony was confused. Why would he do that?
"Why? I didn't do so hot the first time around. Remember Renny Grant, I sent him to prison for 3 years on embezzlement charges and he was innocent."
"You made a mistake and you fixed it. I watched you do the job and you did it very well." Gibbs replied.
"Doesn't give Renny back 3 years of his life that he lost and all because of me."
"You think you were the only one to make a mistake as team leader. Remember before I officially came back to work. Derrick Paulson. Fornell and I accused him of bank robbery and he was also innocent. And what about Jack Curtain, he was sent to Leavenworth for murdering his wife and the cable repair man and he was also innocent."
"Yeah but that was different." Tony answered quietly.
"Oh I get it. Everyone else is allowed to make an honest mistake; but when you do it, it is a screw-up."
"Exactly."
Gibbs shook his head; some time there was no getting through to him. He was glad for the distraction when someone knocked on the door.
"Come in." Gibbs called.
Sonny and Dante came in.
"How are you feeling this morning?" Sonny asked his nephew.
"I'm fine." Tony answered immediately.
"You know Anthony; when I ask an honest question, I expect an honest answer." Sonny scolded.
Tony blushed looking down at his hands. Gibbs and Sonny always call him out on that answer. If they knew what his response would be, you would think that they would quit asking that question. Ducky is another one that doesn't take "I'm fine" for an answer. Gibbs patted Tony's leg as he has yet to respond truthfully. Tony just shrugged, hoping that they would drop it. Yeah fat chance of that happening.
Brad came in to check on his patient and give him his antibiotic. Tony stared at the medication, he really doesn't want to take it and certainly not for the rest of his life. But he knew he really doesn't have a choice, this is his only was of returning to active duty.
"How do you sleep?" Brad asked Tony after he swallowed the antibiotic.
Now that was a question he could answer.
"Better than I have been. No weird dreams."
Everyone in the room hoped he would expand on that answer. When he didn't continue Gibbs asked.
"What weird dreams?"
"I have been having dreams where we would be chasing some suspect and in the next scene he and I are in the interrogation room and he is putting a plastic bag over my head. I couldn't breathe and everyone is just standing there, no one tries to help. It is usually then that I wake up gasping for air as if the bag had really been over my head. Last night was the first time I didn't dream about the plastic bag." Tony answered.
"I think that your weird dream was your subconscious way of warning you that there is a problem with your ability to breathe at night. Now that you are on full oxygen at night, it shouldn't be a problem anymore." Brad answered.
"You guys ready for breakfast." Sonny asked.
Tony ignored Sonny's question. He was still trying to get Gibbs to see that he was useless to the team. At least when he had his health, he could pretend that he was of some use to the team.
"Don't you think that your Senior Field Agent should be someone who isn't being accused of murder on a yearly basis." Tony just stated.
"Murder?" Sonny asked.
"Long Story." Gibbs answered then turned back to Tony. "I told you, you never need an alibi with me. You never committed those murders, and I know you never will. There is always a reasonable explanation for it."
"You should give up on me now and make McGee your Senior Field Agent."
"I will never give up on you. McGee wouldn't be on the team if you didn't believe in him. If you show me the way to grow a backbone. Remember before he joined the team, he couldn't even form a sentence in my presence. Now, he is a great agent; but he is not my Senior Field Agent. Only one person will ever hold that position and that person is you; even if you can't go back to the field."
"Just how many times have you faced murder charges?" Sonny asked.
"Really just 1 time, however I was accused of it 3 times. The first time was the only time I was really arrested. The second time was a woman I hurt while working an undercover op. The same day she found out, her father was killed. The last time was a guy I had accused of embezzlement who spent 3 years in jail and he was innocent." Tonyexplained to his uncle and then turned back to Gibbs. "Those are the reason why you should just fire me now before I disgrace the Agency any more than I already have."