Had such trouble with this chapter – I ended up with five versions and two drafts of the final one I chose - so I hope you like it. I was trying to stop the whole reflective, no dialogue thing.
She shifted in her bed, flinching as the pain shot through her already aching body. Her eyes opened and her blurry vision cleared slowly, revealing an empty room just like the first time she had woken up.
She mumbled incoherently and closed her eyes again, settling back to sleep.
Tony watched her from the doorway, a sad smile on his tired face. He felt a tap on his shoulder and he spun around, expecting McGee.
'Mr DiNozzo,' the doctor greeted. 'How is she?'
'Asleep,' Tony replied curtly. He had still not forgiven the doctor for sending Ziva back into a coma after she woke up, trying to survive. The doctor had not forgotten either, his nose still bandaged.
'She can go home soon,' the doctor revealed, hoping to improve their interaction.
'When?' he asked quickly, allowing the doctor a smile.
'A week,' the doctor estimated. 'She won't be able to stay alone though.'
Tony nodded, turning back to the door, his eyes falling on the sleeping Ziva. 'That'll be fine,' he replied softly.
Once the doctor had left, Tony walked slowly into the room, his smile not wavering. 'Did you hear that, Ziva?' he asked. 'You can go home.' He touched her hand gently and sat down beside her. 'You don't have to put up with being confined to the bed anymore, staring at the same four walls all day, going crazy cooped up in here. You can come home with me,' he finished happily.
'She can go home?' Abby squealed behind him.
He turned around and nodded. 'Yep,' he grinned. 'Next week, the doctor says.'
'That's great!' Abby enthused. 'She hates it here.'
Tony grimaced. 'I don't blame her. I mean, she's never been so helpless before. She doesn't like feeling powerless and trapped.'
'But, Tony,' Abby countered tentatively. 'She is helpless. She can't move without it hurting, she can't speak, she can't stay awake for longer than ten minutes at a time, she can't keep down food, and she still hasn't laughed yet.'
Tony's eyes flashed angrily. 'She isn't helpless,' he defended. 'She just woke up from a year long coma. You wouldn't be able to do any of those things,' he accused.
Abby shrank back into her chair. 'I know, Tony. She's doing great under the circumstances but she's still powerless and feeble. She's amazing and strong somewhere inside but she isn't back to being Ziva yet. You've got to let her do things in her own time. She's been stuck here for two months and she must hate herself for all this weakness.'
'She's not weak,' Tony mumbled.
'Tony,' Abby sighed, jaded by the effort of arguing with a stubborn Tony.
Tony sank down and shrugged, accepting Abby's rational argument. 'Whatever,' he grumbled. 'She's not defeated yet.' Abby smiled sympathetically and patted his knee before leaving him alone with her.
They had all been so optimistic about a faster recovery than the doctor had predicted due to their intimate knowledge of Ziva's strength and determination so, now that Ziva was flailing and only making slight progress, they were disappointed and angry.
Ziva's eyes fluttered open and Tony bent down immediately to listen to any sounds she made in trying to convey her frustration. She groaned faintly and an insipid whimper was emitted before she sank back into her pillow, her eyes dry and unable to cry.
It's shorter than I usually do but I am so worn out from all the different versions I tried out that I decided I deserved a break.
What do you think: more Tiva or something else? I need help!