Title: Choices

Author: PunkyRabbit

A/N, Warnings, Disclaimer: See Part 1.

Part 10

Several hours later, both Tony and Abby were taken to their separate hospital rooms. They couldn't move Tony back into the room he had been in, because it was now a crime scene that NCIS needed to process.

The doctor told the worried, sleep-deprived agents about their friends' conditions. "Agent DiNozzo is going to be fine. The bullet went straight through, and didn't cause any permanent damage. And Miss Scuito…well, she was very lucky. The bullet missed all her major organs, as well as her spinal cord. So, in time, she too, will be fine. It was just a stroke of luck that neither bullet hit the oxygen tank. Neither of them would be alive in that case."

Palmer remained in Ducky's room. McGee and Gibbs stayed in Abby's room, and Kate stayed with Tony.

"" "" "" "" ""

Tony woke up several hours later. He still felt pretty lousy from the crash, but now he also had a sharp, throbbing pain in his left shoulder. He noticed the sleeping Kate in the chair beside his hospital bed. He didn't know where or how Abby was, or if she was even alive. He figured that McGee, Gibbs, and Palmer were with Ducky, or maybe with Abby, if she was still alive.

He didn't know why the shooter tried to kill him, but he was fairly confident that the man was trying to kill him, not Abby. After all, Abby got shot when she moved in front of Tony's bed, which would seem to indicate that Tony, not Abby was the target. He lay in the silence for a long time; partially not wanting to wake Kate (he knew she hadn't had much sleep the past couple of days). But, he also felt guilty for what happened to Abby, just as he did for Ducky. He just kept screwing up and his friends kept paying the price.

"Kate." He finally said softly. He needed to know what happened to Abby. Even the slightest noise was enough to wake the NCIS agent.

She jerked her head up, and responded groggily. "Yeah?"

He was staring out in front of him, at nothing in particular. When Kate responded, he looked at her and started speaking. "How's Abby?" His voice sounded so pitiful and worried, that it nearly broke his colleague's heart.

"Doctor says that the bullet missed most of her internal organs, as well as her spinal chord." She was trying to help mend her friend's solemn condition. She wasn't succeeding.

"So, she'll be alright?" He still sounded miserable.

"Yeah. The Doctor seems to think so, anyway."

They sat in silence for a moment, Tony staring back out into space. Kate tried to stay awake; she could tell that there was still something on Tony's mind. But, she was tired, and without realizing it, started dozing back off, when Tony spoke again. "This is my fault, too." His gaze didn't leave its position, locked on absolutely nothing.

"No, it's not." Kate sat up, and promptly interrupted, before he could further condemn himself for something beyond his control.

"You're wrong." He stated. Before she could respond, he continued with his reasoning. "That bullet was meant for me. Somebody had a big enough grudge to want to shoot me. And Abby got hurt for it."

"That hardly makes it your fault." She was adamant.

"It is my fault, Kate." He looked directly at her that time. "I am supposed to be the one that took that bullet…not her. She's never done anything to anybody. She's lying there with a hole in her back, because of me. I did something to merit this, not her." He was overwhelmed with emotions. He was furious at whoever did this. But, at the same time he was sad that Abby was hurt, and blamed himself for it.

"You can't hold yourself accountable for someone else's actions."

"Maybe not. But, it is still my fault."

"God, Tony. You're sitting there kicking yourself, as if you had pulled the trigger." He just looked at her. He didn't really see where she was going with that line of reasoning. But he knew that she would keep trying to drill whatever the point was into his head, until he got it. "It's not you're fault."

"But…"

"No." She wouldn't let him continue on his guilt trip. "If you think this is your fault, you're an idiot." When that got no response from Tony, whatsoever, she tried for a little levity. "But whether or not you are an idiot is beside the point." That didn't work, so she just restated the point. "You didn't shoot her, right?"

"Right! I would never…" He said defensively.

"Ok. Did you want her to get hurt?" She continued.

"God, no," he said defensively before he figured out what she was doing.

"Then, how is this your fault?" She was concluding her point.

Tony didn't answer, but looked just as crushed as he had been. He went back to staring at nothing.

After a while of silence, Kate fell back to sleep and Tony was left with his own thoughts, until he acquired another visitor.

"Hey, Tony." McGee peaked his head in around the corner.

"Hi, McGee." Tony sounded kind of ticked, although it was mostly at himself, for letting this happen to his friend.

McGee took a step back, and looked at Kate. She had awakened from her doze immediately and nodded for him to continue, and he took her cue. "Um… uh…" He started reluctantly.

"Spit it out, McGee." Tony still wouldn't make eye contact.

"Umm… I just… umm… I just wanted to see if you were OK."

"Of course I'm Ok! Why wouldn't I be?! I seem to make it through all of these things just fine. It's just my friends who aren't okay!" He snapped, and McGee jumped back. He didn't mean to upset him. Kate gave McGee a look that told him that it wasn't anything he had done that caused Tony to be upset. Tony sighed. He hadn't meant to snap at McGee like that. "I'm sorry, McGee. It's just…"

"I understand." McGee responded.

The Doctor walked in to check on Tony. "How are you feeling today?"

"Like I let my friends down." Tony stated miserably. Everyone was silent. No one knew what to say after that. "Hey, Doc…" He started.

"Yeah?"

"Um… Can I go see her? Abby, that is."

"Well, she's currently unconscious, but, as far as her condition is concerned, I don't see why you couldn't, once you…."

"Great!" Tony started to get out of his hospital bed.

"Ah, ah, ah." The Doctor protested. "Not so fast. You, however, don't need to be going anywhere, just yet."

"Well, you're wrong. I need to go see Abby."

"Tony," the doctor started gently. "Your body is still extremely weak. The fact that you haven't been eating anything doesn't help much. And you're still on oxygen."

Tony ripped the canula from his nose and said, "I need to go see her. I owe her that much."

"Is there any reason why he absolutely can not go?" Kate asked the Doctor. "Just for a short visit?"

"Well, no. But…"

"Then, let him go." McGee interjected.

The Doctor looked like he was contemplating it, so Kate continued. "We all know he's going to go, with or without your permission. So, you might as well give it to him."

"Okay." He turned to Tony. "If you eat your lunch, and you keep your oxygen on, I'll see about setting you up with a portable unit and you can see her for a short visit. Then it's right back here so we can monitor you."

Tony grumbled about all the conditions, but finally capitulated. "Fine." He knew that that was the only way he was going to be able to see her anytime soon.