It had been twenty four hours since Tony was brought to the hospital. With the injuries he suffered trying to protect Jimmy from kidnappers. In that time Ducky had revealed a horrible secret from his past that connected him to Tony. They had found poor Jimmy already dead from the abuse he had endured. In his abductors quest for vengeance against Ducky. To top it off Tony had been injected with a needle filled with bath salts and arsenic. Gibbs sat by his son's side. His face was wet with sweat causing his hair to stick to his forehead. From a night of convulsing and heart palpitations.

"Tony son you are not allowed to die." Gibbs said.

"How is he?" A female voice asked from behind Gibbs.

He turned around to see Breena standing behind him. She was wearing Jimmy's oversized NCIS t-shirt and a pair of pajama pants with a "Treasure Island" pattern on them. That Gibbs guessed had belonged to Jimmy. Her face was red and puffy from crying. Her eyes were almost swollen shut from crying so hard. Still tears were pouring down her cheeks.

"Breena are you okay?" Gibbs asked.

"I'm never going to be okay again but I figured I owed it to Jimmy. To check on the man who tried so hard to save him." Breena replied.

"He's not doing well his heart is beating almost twice as fast as it should be and he has been having seizures. His body is so weak and they don't know how to treat him." Gibbs explained.

"What does this mean?" Breena asked.

"He's dying" Gibbs replied brokenly.

"Can I see him?" Breena asked.

"Sure" Gibbs replied.

Ducky spent the night with his assistant's body. It seemed like the right thing to do. He knew he couldn't be alone after performing Jimmy's autopsy. Jethro was with Anthony, Abigail and Timmy had gone together, and Ziva just wanted to be alone. Leon had offered to bring him to his home but Ducky had declined. He didn't really want to leave Jimmy. The younger man had confided in him that he was afraid of the dark. He hated having to put the claustrophobic young man in the drawer but knew he had to to preserve his body. It was Leon Vance who found the elderly doctor curled up on the table. The drawer containing Jimmy's body ajar.

"Doctor Mallard?" Vance called shaking the older man.

"What? Oh Leon. Is it morning already?' Ducky asked.

"Did you go home last night?" Vance asked.

"No I could not be alone." Ducky replied.

"I wish you had come home with me. You would have been a lot more comfortable." Vance replied.

"I did not want to leave Mr. Palmer alone." Ducky replied.

"Very well." Vance replied.

"Oh Leon please don't make me get a new assistant right away." Ducky replied.

"Just let me know when you are ready." Vance replied.

"Thank you Leon. It means a lot that you are so respectful to Mr. Palmer." Ducky replied.

"I know you guys would do the same for me." Vance replied.

Breena walked in and sat down beside Tony. She placed her hand into his. She had no idea what to say to the man who had fought so hard to save her husband. She was worried if she said Jimmy was dead. It would kill Tony. Besides the fact that she did not want to make this all about her. Sure she was going through the worst tragedy of her life but this wasn't her. This was a man who while lying in the hospital with defensive wounds. Had been poisoned with some weird concoction and was now dying. None of this was fair. She just wanted her Jimmy back and for Tony to be well. Finally she found the courage to speak.

"Tony I honestly had no idea why Tony would be friends with you. When we first met. I thought you were just a big bully. He always said that you were more than that you were a nice guy who'd lay down his life for anyone who was a good person. Eventually he wore me down but I still didn't think you were really that heroic. Yesterday you fought five people to try and save my Jimmy and even though you failed. I know you gave it all you had. I wish my Jimmy were around to try and bring you back but he is gone. Those monsters killed him. None of this is your fault. It is the fault of the people who killed him. I need you to fight. Your family has been through too much loss. God Dr. Mallard is hysterical. Everybody is. I think even Gibbs is upset and Jimmy always said that nothing ever fazed him. Please fight Tony." Breena rambled.

Ducky found the courage to close Jimmy's drawer all way and began to clean up. After washing down the table and all the instruments. He realized that he needed to shower himself. He went into his office and retrieved the back up clothes he kept in his desk. Jimmy really had a terrible case of claustrophobia. Ducky remembered the first time they were stuck over night because of a case.

FLASHBACK

Ducky walked towards the shower area in autopsy. The latest killer Jethro and his team were chasing. Had kept him at work for eighteen hours. Finally he had finished his last autopsy for the time being anyway and called to check on Mother. He at last had time to shower. He heard one of the showers running. He shrugged and headed for the stalls. The sound was coming from the first stall so he turned to the second. Except the first stall was open.

"Mr. Palmer did you have trouble with the lock?" Ducky asked.

"Oh Dr. M...Mallard. I thought you were calling your mother." Jimmy replied nervously.

"I was and she is fine so I decided to shower before we get called out again. Now why is the door unlocked?" Ducky replied.

"I am afraid." Jimmy replied.

"Afraid of what?" Ducky asked.

"Being closed in." Jimmy replied.

"Ah claustrophobia my father had a touch of that." Ducky replied.

"Oh well thanks for not being mad. Anyway I am done." Jimmy replied wrapping himself in the towel.

"Very well. Oh and one more thing Mr. Palmer." Ducky replied.

"What is it?" Jimmy asked.

"The gym has a high school locker room style open shower area. Just be warned Anthony showers in there sometimes and he is a wee bit self conscious so keep your eyes on the wall." Ducky replied.

"Oh well from how Kate talks about the weekend her heat was out and she stayed with Tony. He has nothing to be self conscious about." Jimmy replied exiting the room.

"Alright" Ducky replied rolling his eyes and chuckling.

END FLASHBCK

Ducky smiled at the memory. It was moments like that he'd miss the most. Jimmy hadn't had the easiest life. Compared to the others it was a cakewalk but he had his share of pain. Yet he never lost his boyish innocence and unlike Anthony it wasn't all an act. Years after Catlin's death he learned from Jethro. What had really happened when Catlin was staying with Anthony. It seemed that one morning her car had broken down. Timothy had seen her walking and offered her a ride. Unfortunately he had his no food or drink in the car rule and had made her throw away the last of her mom's homemade cinnamon rolls. Naturally she was unhappy and decided to get back at him. So she decided to exaggerate the story of when she stayed with Anthony. She had gone into the bathroom to brush her teeth and it seems that Anthony had forgotten to lock the door. Now she had only seen the back end but wanted to get in McGee's head. Ducky's smile disappeared when he reentered the autopsy room. It was clean and empty with no evidence he'd preformed Mr. Palmer's autopsy. The last thing they'd do together. Suddenly he wasn't alone.

"Dr. Mallard?" Jimmy asked.

"Mr. Palmer?" Ducky replied.

"I don't blame you for what happened to me." Jimmy said.

"But it was all my fault you'd still be here if I hadn't..." Ducky replied.

"What does Tony always say that's actually deep and heartfelt and still regularly said by him?" Jimmy asked.

"When it's your time it's your time." Ducky replied.

"Exactly so I can't blame you." Jimmy replied.

"I know but I am going to miss you so much. You were practically a son to me and now you are gone and it hurts so bad." Ducky replied.

"Hey I am always with you. You were like a father to me but it's nice to be with my real parents again. Even though they aren't happy I joined them so young." Jimmy replied.

"I'm glad you are happy but I have already asked my mother to watch out for you." Ducky replied.

"Thanks doctor. I hope to see you again soon but not to soon." Jimmy replied.

Ducky blinked his eyes and he was alone again.

Gibbs stood outside of Tony's room and listened as Breena spoke to his Senior Field Agent. He was amazed at what she was saying. When he lost his girls and later Jenny. There was no-way he could talk to anyone like that. Let alone someone who was nothing more to you than a close friend of Shannon. One that he didn't like that much at that. Even if they had risked their own life to save them. Slowly the door opened and Breena exited the room. Gibbs pulled her into his arms and embraced her.

"This is so hard!" Breena cried.

"You are one of the strongest people I have ever met." Gibbs replied.

"Jimmy would want Tony to know that nobody blames him." Breena replied.

"I really hope that Tony gets better." Gibbs replied.

"Me too" Breena replied.

"Oh Breena one more thing. If you ever need anything just call me. Anytime day or night." Gibbs replied.

"I hate this so much!" Breena cried.

"I know how hard it is to bury the person you love." Gibbs replied.

"It's not just that. We were going to be parents." Breena replied.

"Oh Breena are you pregnant?" Gibbs asked.

"No we were going to adopt. Now the kid we could have adopted and given a loving home. May wind up in foster care forever." Breena cried.

"Maybe adopting would be good for you." Gibbs replied.

"How?" Breena asked.

"Two people who lost everything and need a little love. It's perfect." Gibbs replied.

"Yes but I can't be a parent right now." Breena cried.

"Give me the number of your agency. I will call them and tell them what's going on and get them put put your name on some holding list." Gibbs replied.

"Thank you Gibbs." Breena replied.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I originally was going to publish this on Friday but I ran out of time before I could upload it. So I decided to post it today to make up for not being able to post anything yesterday. Which actually benefits you the readers because it has almost a thousand more words than it did on Friday. What I was originally going to publish only had the scene's in the hospital with Tony. Not sure when I will be able to publish again. Please review and thanks for reading.