All was calm aboard the USS Ronald Reagan the next morning, that wass if you ignored the roaring engines and the screeching tyres of F-14's as they took off and landed. A ships nurse entered the sickbay to wake the patients and prepare two of them for transfer.
"Good morning Agent Gibbs? How are you feeling this morning?" she asked cheerily.
"Good thanks, Michelle," he answered, glad to be greeted first thing in the morning by such a fabulous sight. Michelle was any man's dream, tall, buxom with blond locks tied up regulation style. The starched white uniform shirt and skirt do little to allay any sailor's desires, he thought.
"So I have orders to prepare you and Ms. David for transfer this morning. I'll be sorry to see you go," she told him.
"Well I'd be lying if I said I wish I could stay. I'll be glad to see the sky if only for short while," he admitted.
"Well. If you're ever in San Diego look me up," she said with a twinkle in her eye.
Gibbs nodded without a word. That would be nice, he thought, but will probably never happen.
She continued over to Ziva and woke her gently and told her about their travel arrangements. Ziva glanced over at Gibbs only to catch him checking Michelle out. She threw her eyes up to heaven and smiled. Men, they just can't help it.
About two hours later the sickbay became a hive of activity. Extra personnel were drafted in to assist with moving the patients. DiNozzo and McGee waited up on the flight deck. Ziva was assisted to the aircraft by a Corpsman. She walked although did rely on the Corpsman when they met with stairs. Although loath to admit it, she still felt very weak. Gibbs bade farewell to Fornell as he was stretchered from sickbay by four seamen. While he felt physically fit enough to walk up the few decks, he knew DiNozzo would be furious. He had to play the injured soldier for now at least, so that's exactly what he did.
Tony and McGee watched as the stretcher was loaded onto the aircraft. Tony felt a pinch of pride as he watched Gibbs lie there looking helpless. He knew that it must be killing him to actually stay on the stretcher and allow these men carry him. He admired his tenacity, knowing Gibbs' pride was taking a battering right now. After a few minutes the patients were secured on board the aircraft and the remaining passengers were boarded. Following a gut wrenching, sling shot take off they were finally Tel Aviv bound.
Gibbs and his team chatted intermittently during the flight. Gibbs explained to McGee and DiNozzo that their purpose while at the hospital was to keep an eye on Ziva and be her protection should Hadar decide to pay a visit. He suspected that in all likelihood that would be the case. He also knew that it wouldn't take long for the medical experts to figure out that he was faking and send him on his way. His job would be to delay any tests that they planned for as long as he possibly could. Other than that they would have to wait and see what unfolded.
It was early evening before they finally touched down in a military air base outside Tel Aviv. Two ambulances waited to take them to the Sourasky Medical Centre. There Gibbs was admitted to the Neurosurgery Department and Ziva to the Maxillo Facial Surgery Unit. Once Gibbs was settled into his private room, Tony called in to check on him.
"Hey Boss," he said looking around the fully equipped room. "Nice digs!"
"What are you doing here? I thought I told you to stay with Ziva," Gibbs replied irately.
"McGee's with her. Relax Boss," Tony said before realising what he had said. You do not tell Gibbs to relax. He watched Gibbs' reaction. He was met with a skull piercing glare. "Sorry Boss," he stammered. "I just wanted to check in on you."
"Well I'm fine DiNozzo. Bored but fine. Now get your ass back to Ziva's room before I kick you there," he growled. Tony took his cue and made a hasty exit. Gibbs lay back and rested. He didn't want DiNozzo to know that he felt exhausted after the journey. DiNozzo had a job to do, he didn't need any distractions. When Tony got back to Ziva's room two floors below Gibbs, McGee was standing outside in the corridor along with two sunglass sporting gentlemen. Tony marched up to him, livid that he had left Ziva alone.
"Probie! I thought I told you to stay with Ziva," Tony snapped.
"Her father is in there," McGee explained abruptly.
"Oh," Tony replied, peering in through the small square window in the door. Eli David stood with his back to the door, talking to his daughter. He stood close to the head of her bed and stroked her battered face.
"I'm so glad to have you brought back to me. I owe the Americans a lot," he said tears welling in his eyes. He was so happy his daughter was alive and yet so distraught to see the injuries that she had suffered. It was obvious that she had endured a horrendous time at the hands of her captors. His heart ached for revenge but his position denied him that satisfaction.
"I will be out of here in a few days Papa. Then I will be recovered enough for work," Ziva told him emotionlessly.
"What? No, you will rest and recuperate. What you have been through I cannot know but you will get whatever help you need," he promised her.
"Papa, I need to get back to normality. I want to go back to NCIS. I am sorry if that disappoints you," she said unable to look her father in the eye. Eli David stood in silence, digesting what his daughter had said. Much as it pained him, he knew she had carved a life out for herself in America. He could not deny her that chance she had of happiness.
"When will you go?" he asked sadly.
"Not yet. There is something I need to finish first," she replied cryptically. Her father looked at her inquisitively but she didn't expand on it so he didn't push.
"I must go and see Agent Gibbs. I understand he was injured in your rescue," he said leaning in to kiss his daughter on the forehead. "Rest and get well," he said as he left the room. The Mossad Director and his protection detail took the elevator to the sixth floor where Gibbs room was located. He found the room and entered quietly. Gibbs was dozing lightly when he came in. The noise of the door opening woke him and he sat up straight immediately, surprised that he had actually dozed off.
"Director David?" Gibbs said, surprised to see him standing there.
"Shalom Special Agent Gibbs. How are you feeling?" Eli asked genuinely.
"Eh, good thanks," Gibbs replied awkwardly. He wasn't friendly with this man and found it awkward to converse with him. "Why are you here?" he asked not even trying to hide his surprise.
"I owe you a great debt, Agent Gibbs. If it wasn't for you and your agents I could have lost my daughter. I just came to say thank you," Director David said humbly.
"There's no need. I would have done the same for any of my agents," Gibbs explained. Eli David smiled at the proud man in front of him.
"You are a good man, Gibbs. I hope you have not paid a great price for you efforts," he said referring to Gibbs injury.
"I'll be fine. The doctors just want to do some tests and then I should be out of here," Gibbs told him, feeling uncomfortable being on the receiving end of his pity.
"Good," David said. "Leon will be glad to have you back, I'm sure."
"I'm sure," Gibbs replied sarcastically. Eli thanked him once again and made his goodbyes much to Gibbs relief. He didn't know how to talk to that man. He wasn't entirely sure whether it was wise to trust him or not. He decided that he would keep and open mind on Director David for the time being.
Sitting there in his hospital bed, Gibbs was feeling helpless. He wanted to go down and talk to Ziva but he reminded himself that he was there under false pretences and had to keep up appearances of serious injury. He desperately wanted to stretch his legs and take a walk but forced himself to stay where he was. He used the phone by his bed to call Ziva's room instead.
"Ziva?"
"Yes, Gibbs," she answered a little surprised.
"Is Tony there?" Gibbs asked.
"He is. Tony!" she called giving him the phone.
"DiNozzo. Get your ass up here for a minute …. and bring coffee," Gibbs ordered gruffly.
"On it Boss," Tony replied before hanging up.
Gibbs sat back in his bed. His shoulders ached, his muscles burned and the fingers in his left hand were tingling a bit. He made a fist with that hand to try and improve circulation to the limb. He wiped his brow and noticed how warm he felt despite the air conditioning in his room. He put it down to the Israeli heat. According to the t.v. it was 98 degrees out there. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to relax. He woke with a start a when Tony barged in through the door armed with two take out cups of coffee. Tony noticed Gibbs shock and apologised.
"Sorry Boss. I didn't realise you were sleeping," he said.
"I wasn't sleeping," Gibbs denied. "I was just resting."
"Okay," Tony replied not believing him in the slightest. "I got you coffee as ordered, just the way you like it."
"I could kiss you, Tony," Gibbs joked, gratefully accepting the liquid gold.
"I'd rather you didn't Boss," Tony laughed pulling up a chair. "So, I hear you had a visitor."
"News travels fast," Gibbs replied.
"So, did he offer you the freedom of Tel Aviv for saving his daughter?" Tony asked kidding.
"Not quite," Gibbs replied. A shiver ran down Gibbs spine. Tony noticed.
"Are you cold, Boss?" he asked. "I can turn down the air conditioning."
"Yeah, thanks," Gibbs replied, taking the coffee cup in both his hands. He was feeling a chill and the discomfort in his back was getting worse. He shifted uncomfortably in the bed.
"Are you okay Boss?" Tony enquired noticing Gibbs unease.
"Yeah. Pain meds probably just wearing off," Gibbs replied, believing that was the case.
He and DiNozzo finished their coffees. Gibbs told Tony to return to Ziva's room and make sure to call him if Hadar turned up. Shortly after that a nurse came in to check on him and to take his Obs.
"You're temperature is high, Agent Gibbs. Your wound may be infected. If you lean forward, I'll check the wound," she said gently removing the dressing. The wound looked raw and angry and the skin around it felt hot to touch. Her suspicions of an infection were confirmed.
"Well?" Gibbs asked her.
"Looks like an infection alright. I'll get you some stronger antibiotics," she said as she redressed the wound.
"That's just great," Gibbs said feeling a little sorry for himself. The nurse left to get the antibiotics and once more Gibbs was in the room alone with his thoughts.
TBC