Things were going well, but Tony knew they would go up in flames soon. He prayed they would stay good as long as possible but knew it would not last. Sure enough everything crumbled on the two month anniversary of the accident. Only one week after he finally started to rebuild. He got the news that he had to see those people again. His former co-workers and friends, his former family. He had prayed he'd never have to see them again. Rachel and Vance had tried desperately to avoid this meeting but SecNav wanted a session between Tony and the members of team Gibbs. Valarie would be keeping Tali for the day and Tony was just praying he would survive.
"It will be OK. One hour and they are out of your life forever." Valarie assured.
"Unless they actually do sue me." Tony sighed.
"They can't sue you. Breena could but she is not in her right mind." Valarie explained.
Entering NCIS was not that bad. Everybody knew the story but most did not mention it. The security guard asked how he was doing. The Delores said how sorry she was and asked about Tali. He got a few angry glares and a few more sympathetic glances. He did not acknowledge either. He just made his way up to the room. The tables were folded against the wall and the chairs were lined up in a semi circle. Rachel entered looking furious. McGee and Bishop whispered and smirked. Jethro and Abby shot daggers at him. Ducky remained silent.
"I want this over with as fast as possible. So we are going to act like adults. Got that?" Rachel explained.
"Tell Tony" Abby smirked.
"Tony has not done anything." Rachel reminded.
"Yes he has. Need I remind you he was the one driving that day." Ducky insisted.
"That is true but it was an accident. Any one of you could have been driving that day. It could have been Jimmy and Breena or just Jimmy." Rachel explained.
"DiNozzo is always making shitty decisions. I bet he could have stopped if he wanted to! He could have done something but he chose not to!" Gibbs snapped.
"I couldn't! I couldn't! I actually tried but I couldn't. I tried. Oh God I tried." Tony rambled, sobbing and shaking by the end.
Everything came rushing back. The images that had haunted his nightmares in the days following the accident and then just disappeared. He knew they had been blocked out and Rachel told him they could come rushing back. Well that's what happened as he sat in the presence of his former family. It was more vivid than he had ever remembered. He heard the tires scream and the two pieces of metal crunch and break upon meeting. He heard the glass shatter on the windows and even felt the shards that hat hit his face and arms. The memory brought back the part he had mercifully blocked instantly. The sound of Jimmy's pained cry. It was half cry and half scream and the most horrible sound Tony had ever heard. He saw Jimmy convulse in the seat beside him, that instant death was not so instant after all. Though he was gone by the time Tony could get to him. He felt himself crawling out of the car and feeling Jimmy's lifeless neck. The window shattering the rest of the way and Tori's body. He almost grabbed her but he had never felt as much fear before. Tali was alive but Tony feared she would die to. Hitting the sidewalk and how the car exploded. Something about the gas line and a spark.
"TONY!" Rachel screamed.
Rachel screaming for him was enough to jolt him from the nightmare but it was not instantaneous. He didn't know how long it lasted but by the time he came to he was lying on the couch in Vance's office. A cool cloth was placed over his face and he could feel his heart racing. Rachel had tears in her eyes and Tony had never seen director Vance that furious. He tried to sit up but Rachel made him lie back down and re-positioned the cloth.
"You need to relax. You had a flashback." Rachel explained.
"Did I go crazy?" Tony asked thinking of various PTSD flashbacks had witnessed or accounts he had heard.
"You were running around and screaming. Leon grabbed you just as you were about to go over the railing." Rachel explained.
"Did I damage anything. I will pay for any property. Just send the bill." Tony rambled.
"No damage you need to worry about. Just relax and an ambulance is on the way." Vance explained.
The hospital opted to keep Tony for the mandatory seventy two hour hold. Valarie had Tali and promised to give her the best care. Tony dealt with hours of therapy sessions and questions. He was facing and PTSD diagnosis. At least he was already in Rachel's care and had very specific instructions for Tali. Should he be deemed unable to care for her. Ironically Jimmy had been the one who insisted on not naming Gibbs the Godfather. He was relieved that Valarie was the person who would care for his daughter while he could not. Night had fallen and he was alone in his room. He heard people rant and mumble to themselves. The man in the next room had night terrors and still this moment was more peaceful than that afternoon and the life he faced on the outside.
"God help me." Tony sobbed.
It was hard for Vance to terminated two of his best agents, one of the top lab techs in the country and a Medical Examiner respected around the world but none of those people were deserving of his respect. Not after the nasty crap they had pulled. They had mocked Tony during his flashback and that was enough. He had long and loud talk with SecNav Porter about the meeting and by the end she was understanding. Now it was early in the morning and he was finally able to get an update from Rachel.
"The hospital is keeping him for seventy two hours. After that he will be released to his neighbor Valarie. I will be taking over his care upon release but he will still have daily sessions with the hospital's psychologist. The next few months will be intense but I think I can save him."
"Good and you should know that I have terminated Dr. Mallard, Mrs. Scuito, and Agents Bishop and McGee. All four along with Agent Gibbs are barred from stepping foot on NCIS property for the duration."
"Good"
A/N: At least Tony is finally getting the proper care. New chapter will be up soon. Thanks for reading and please review.