A/N: Thanx again for all of your reviews. This chapter contains a little medical info but just keep in mind that I have no medical experience myself so forgive me if there are inaccuracies. A bit angsty but hope you like it.

For two days Gibbs team maintained a bedside vigil in rotation, each taking a turn sitting with him as he lay unconscious. On the third day, Ducky was doing his stint, reading a newspaper aloud to Jethro, knowing the importance of keeping his friends brain ticking over. He thought he had noticed something different about Jethro when he entered the room that morning. He couldn't quite put his finger on it. Maybe it was his breathing or maybe his pallor, whatever it was, he felt something had changed. As he sat there reading, Gibbs took a deep breath, unusual enough to get Ducky's attention. Ducky stopped reading and sat up leaning closer to Gibbs. He looked into Gibbs' face and saw his eyelids fluttering.

"Jethro?" Ducky said hopeful that his friend was finally turning a corner. He took Jethro's hand in his. He watched as his colleague battled to surface from the depths of his coma. "Come on Jethro, you can do it," Ducky said trying to entice him forth.

It took several minutes but eventually Gibbs opened his weary eyes.

"Welcome back, Jethro," Ducky said delighted that his friend was finally awake. Gibbs blinked his eyelids several times with purpose. Ducky noticed this but wasn't overly concerned. He was riding a wave of elation and relief.

"You're in hospital, Jethro. You had us worried for a while but you're going to be fine," Ducky said intentionally loud. Gibbs tried to reply but his voice was weak and hoarse. Ducky leaned down closer to try and hear what he was saying.

"Is that you Duck?" he asked faintly.

"Of course it is my old friend. I'm right here," Ducky said standing up and looking into Gibbs eyes. It was then that he noticed that Gibbs wasn't really focusing on him. "Can you see me Jethro?" he asked, trying to mask the concern he was feeling.

" …just …shadows….," Gibbs replied in gasps. "What….what's wrong Duck?"

"Nothing to worry about, Jethro. I'm sure it's just temporary," Ducky said trying to sound confident. "You've just had brain surgery, Jethro. You need time to heal."

Gibbs was too weak to question him or worry any further. His eyes closed and he was quickly pulled back to the awaiting slumber once again. Ducky sat down and mulled over the reason for Jethro's vision problems. He decided to find Gibbs' surgeon and inform him that firstly his patient had woken, albeit briefly, and of the apparent complication.

Dr. Walsh was glad to hear that Gibbs was finally showing improvement but he was concerned to hear what Ducky had to tell him. With Gibbs' type of injury, loss of vision can be a consequence, sometimes a permanent consequence. Until he was fully conscious and they ran some tests, they couldn't be sure if this was the case for Gibbs. They also discussed the possibility that it was just a temporary side effect of the brain swelling and that pressure was affecting his optic nerve. All would be revealed when the necessary tests were run.

Ducky got a cup of tea to go from the cafeteria and returned forlornly to Gibbs' room. As he sat and sipped his tea, he considered what could be ahead of Gibbs. He feared for Jethro's future. He feared for Jethro. He was not a man who handled change well. If his condition was permanent, it would be devastating. He would no longer be able to work as an agent, his whole life would be turned upside down. Ever since losing his family, Jethro had immersed himself in his work. NCIS was his life. Knowing the man as he did, Ducky knew that Gibbs would never accept such an injury and such a change to his life. He was lost in his thoughts when Tony arrived to do his shift. Ducky never even noticed the door opening.

"Are you alright there, Duck?" Tony asked, seeing the redness around the elderly M.E.'s eyes. Ducky took a deep breath before facing Tony. "Has something happened?" Tony asked apprehensively.

"He woke up briefly," Ducky replied and Tony smiled.

"Hey, that's a good thing, right? It means he's getting better isn't he?" Tony asked optimistically. Ducky smiled and nodded unconvincingly.

"What's wrong then? I can tell something's wrong, Duck," Tony said bracing himself for whatever he was about to hear.

"He couldn't see me, Anthony," Ducky blurted out.

"What?"

"It appears his sight has been affected," Ducky clarified.

"What? I don't…... he's blind?" Tony stammered. Ducky nodded in reply. Tony rubbed his stubble and tried to silently digest the shocking news. It was a few minutes before either man spoke again.

"They can fix it, right?" Tony asked hopeful of a positive response.

"I don't know. I spoke to his doctor and until they do some tests, they don't know what they're dealing with. We just have to wait and see," Ducky replied. Tony sighed.

"How did he handle it?" Tony asked.

"Well, I'm not sure he even understood what was going on. He was only briefly conscious. I can't imagine he'll handle it at all well," Ducky said sounding worried.

Tony agreed. They both knew Gibbs well enough to realise that he would be devastated. They also knew that whether he liked it or not, he wouldn't be handling this alone.

Tony told Ducky to head back to the hotel and get some rest. It took some convincing but he managed to persuade Ducky that it would be okay. Ducky's greatest fear was that Gibbs would wake again and that he would be very distressed. Tony promised him that if he woke again, he would call him straight away. Ducky left and Tony took up position on the visitor's chair. He turned on the t.v. keeping the volume low. He was in his element because a Magnum P.I. double bill was being shown on one of the channels. He sat back and watched Tom Selleck racing around Hawaii in the red Ferrari and dreamed that he was in fact Thomas Magnum. By the second episode, he had becomes so wrapped up in the show that he failed to notice that Gibbs eyes had opened once again.

Gibbs became aware of the sounds pummelling his newly awakened brain. The regular beep of the heart monitor, he recognised. But there was also music coming from somewhere, somehow it didn't fit this scenario he thought. He opened his eyes but all that he could make out was light and dark patches in his field of vision. It was as if someone had pulled a veil over his eyes. He closed his eyes tightly and then re-opened them, trying to clear it but to no avail. In fact the repeated blinking only served to cause his head to ache. He feebly raised his uninjured hand to his eyes to rub them and see if that would help. It was this movement that make Tony realise that Gibbs was awake. He almost fell off the chair in surprise.

"Boss! You're awake," he said jumping to his feet and moving towards the bed.

"DiNozzo?"

"Yeah, Boss. Over here," Tony said, turning down the volume of the t.v. as he did so.

"My eyes, they're…..," he said not really sure what was wrong.

"I know Boss. Ducky said it's probably because of the swelling after your surgery," Tony informed him.

"So it'll get better?" Gibbs asked. Tony hesitated before responding.

"Yeah, it'll get better," he replied, however, his hesitation was not lost on Gibbs.

"So, how did I get here, DiNozzo and where is here?" he asked before starting to cough. Tony raised a glass of water to his lips and Gibbs gratefully sipped.

"Do you want the long or the short version?" Tony asked.

"What do you think?" Gibbs replied. Brief and to the point was how he liked things so that was what Tony gave him.

"I don't remember very much about it," Gibbs told him.

"It's just as well," Tony replied.

"What about Mike? Is he okay?" Gibbs asked shifting painfully in the bed.

"Mike? Yeah, he's okay. Busted his leg when you crashed the truck but he'll be fine," Tony told him. Gibbs closed his eyes and held them closed for several seconds, letting a stabbing headache pass. Tony noticed it and couldn't help but feel his pain.

"Are you okay Boss?" he asked meekly, slightly afraid of Gibbs.

"What do you think?" he replied intending for it to be cutting but barely managing a slurred whisper.

"Of course you're not. I'll get someone," Tony said almost running for the door, glad to get out of Gibbs' firing line. He got a nurse to page Dr. Walsh and he waited until the doctor turned up.

"Hey, Doc. Gibbs is awake and I think he's in pain," Tony told him as they walked back towards the room. Gibbs was still awake when they entered. He turned towards the sound and strained to see who it was. All he could see were two dark shadows.

"Welcome back, Agent Gibbs. I'm Dr. Walsh, I carried out your surgery," he said approaching Gibbs bed. Gibbs nodded but remained silent. "I believe you're in some pain. We can sort that out pretty easily. I can write up some meds for you now that you're awake," he said taking Gibbs wrist in his hand and checking his pulse. He checked the monitors also. Everything appeared well.

"You're doing surprisingly well, Agent Gibbs. Your wounds are healing nicely, you could be out of here in another week or ten days," Dr. Walsh said optimistically.

"What about my sight?" Gibbs asked directly. "Will I get it back?" he asked sounding apprehensive. The doctor considered his response carefully before replying.

"We are hopeful that it is just a symptom of the head injury you sustained and the associated swelling. We will arrange for you to undergo another scan now that you are awake and we can see exactly where the problem lies. Then we can work on treating it," he replied.

"That's just a maybe then?" Gibbs asked.

"Yes it is. Right now you need to rest and let your body heal. Let's get you back on your feet first, okay?" the doctor said trying to encourage his patient. Gibbs didn't look very encouraged, Tony noticed. When the doctor left the room, there was an air of awkward silence. Tony wanted to tell Gibbs that everything would be alright but he knew Gibbs wouldn't appreciate the sentiment. Gibbs turned his head away from where he knew Tony was standing. He wanted to be left alone. Tony sensed it so he made up and excuse about going for something to eat and left him alone.

Gibbs sighed deeply once he knew Tony had left. Physically he felt dreadful. A constant ache throbbed in his head. He decided to give himself the once over and take stock of his injuries. He felt tightness in his shoulder and it stirred memories of Estella digging the knife into his flesh. As he shifted slightly in the bed to get more comfortable, he became more aware of the injury to his hip. Try as he could, he couldn't remember how that injury had been inflicted. He felt around the site of the pain with his good arm and found a dressing covering an area in his abdomen near his hip bone. Just breathing reminded him of his bruised ribs. He didn't even try and move his broken arm, remembering the excruciating pain of that all too well. He was relieved that the pain had dissipated since then.

He opened his eyes and stared towards the light source in the room. He concentrated extremely hard and willed his vision to return but he was left disappointed. He thumped the mattress in frustration. This couldn't be happening to him. He needed his sight. Hell, he used to be a sniper. Clarity of vision was imperative. He knew he could kiss goodbye to his NCIS career if his sight remained this way. If he lost his career, it would also mean losing another family to him, his NCIS family. They all had their own lives and careers to think about. He couldn't expect them to be there for him forever. His muddled and overwrought mind went to some dark places after that. He tried to snap out of it and decided he didn't want to think about all that. He didn't want to think, period! He was too exhausted. He closed his eyes and drifted off into an uneasy slumber.

Unfortunately for Gibbs, his sleep was haunted by the trauma of the ordeal he had been subjected to. In his dreams, Estella was after him armed with the long bladed knife that she had used on him in the boat house. He was shouting for help and the first to come to his aid was Tony. Estella wooed Tony with her charms and stunning good looks and once he was under her spell she kissed him softly on the lips and then plunged the knife into his heart all the while grinning at a horrified Gibbs. Gibbs cried out as he watched Tony stagger and collapse. It was then that Gibbs was woken by a gentle hand on his forehead. As he woke he realised that his breathing was rapid and ragged. A gentle female voice spoke to him.

"Gibbs, it's okay. You're safe," she said stroking his forehead. It took him a few seconds to recognise the voice and to realise who it was. It was Ziva.

"Ziva, where's Tony?" Gibbs asked with urgency, the perspiration evident on his brow.

"He's back at the hotel probably stuffing his face with pizza as we speak," she laughed. "I think you were having a nightmare."

Gibbs nodded in agreement allowing his breathing to normalise. Ziva remained at the head of the bed although she had removed her hand from his forehead, not wanting to embarrass either him or her. He asked her to raise the bed so that he could sit up. She did so slowly and delicately, careful not to cause him any discomfort.

"Thanks," he said appreciatively.

"Can I get you some water?" Ziva asked, noticing how he licked his dry lips. She brought a cup with a straw to his mouth. He gratefully accepted and then relaxed back into his pillows.

"Were you in Mexico too?" Gibbs asked, having no recollection of his rescue.

"Yes," she replied.

"I need to know what happened when you found me," Gibbs said, making it more of an order than a request. He was hoping she would help him fill in the blanks. Ziva considered whether he was well enough to hear the details but she knew that he'd find out one way or another. So she began to tell him about getting the call from Mike Franks and their mini investigation that led them to the beach house belonging to Estella Hernandez. A shiver ran down Gibbs spine at the mention of her name. She told him about Tony shooting her brother, Raul.

"Is he dead?" Gibbs asked not sure if he wanted him to be dead or not.

"No, he was wounded in the shoulder but I'm sure he's fine," she replied. Gibbs mind started to wander once he realised that Raul was still alive, as was Estella. His gut told him this saga wasn't over. During his torture he witnessed the hatred they held for him in their eyes. He knew Raul would never take the legal route and try and have Gibbs prosecuted for the murder of his father. There was no way Raul could ever prove that it was him. Gibbs had thought that chapter in his life was closed a long time ago but now it had been opened up again. It's true your past always catches up with you.

"Gibbs? Are you okay?" Ziva asked having noticed that she had been talking to herself for the last few minutes.

"Huh?

"You kinda zoned out there," she said in explanation.

"Sorry," he said rubbing his temple. "Guess my concentration is a bit shot as well."

"That's okay. You should be resting. Abby will be here in a few hours so you should probably sleep now. She will be pretty mad if you're asleep when she gets here," Ziva told him. Gibbs smiled at the thought of Abby coming to visit.

"Ziva, you don't need to stay. I'm fine," Gibbs told her as he struggled to keep his eyes open.

"I know you are, Gibbs, but I'll be here if you need anything, okay?" she said not giving in.

"Okay," he said, his eyes already closed.

Ziva watched as Gibbs face relaxed and the tension left his body. He looked so vulnerable lying there. The superhero she had sometimes imagined him to be seemed to be a long way away at that moment. His bruises were turning an unsightly shade of yellow she noticed. He really was lucky to be alive she thought. Then her thoughts turned to the "what ifs". What if they hadn't found him? What if his sight never returned? What if he had to leave NCIS? What if?

Ziva remained with Gibbs while he slept. He was still asleep when Abby arrived. Ziva told Abby that he was waking up more frequently but that he still had gaps in his memory from his ordeal. Abby thanked her and eagerly took up station at Gibbs side. She was there for about an hour when he began to wake. She sat up and held her breath in eager anticipation. She hadn't seen him awake since she arrived from Washington. He opened his eyes and turned his head and looked right at her, but didn't see her. He turned his head away. She felt so disappointed that he didn't notice her there but quickly remembered that his vision was impaired.

"Gibbs! I'm here," she said standing up and leaning over to hug him.

"Abs?" Gibbs said as she gently embraced him.

"Of course it's me. I've been so worried about you," she said, still hugging him.

"Abs, you can let go," he said as she started to crush him.

"Oh, sorry Gibbs. I'm just so glad that you're alright," she said apologetically. "You are alright, aren't you?"

"I'm fine Abs," Gibbs replied.

"Enough of the 'I'm fine Abs', Gibbs," she said imitating him. "I want the truth. You don't look fine and you can't see me, so you're not fine, in fact fine is no where near where you are right now. So try again!" she ordered not falling for his standard reply.

Gibbs said nothing. He couldn't answer her because he wasn't sure how he was. He was scared but he didn't want her to know that.

"Well if you're not going to tell me, then I'll tell you," Abby said. "You have a head injury so you're probably tired, confused, in pain and scared." She had hit the nail on the head. "So am I close?"

Gibbs nodded and momentarily dropped his guard and Abby noticed tears welling in his eyes. She had never seen Gibbs upset before. So unexpected that it was, it threw her and she wasn't sure how to react. But as ever, her instincts were pure and as he bit his lip to hold back his emotion, she took hold of his hand in hers. And with her other hand she wiped away the sole tear that escaped onto his cheek. She then leaned in and kissed the same cheek and held him once again. This time he didn't fight or complain. Despite his physical pain, she was tending to his emotional pain and it felt good. She was the only person with whom he felt comfortable enough to be human in front of. It wasn't that he deliberately let his guard down around Abby. It was more that she could see right through him, always could. She sat on the edge of his bed, threw her legs up beside him and put her arm around his neck and he rested his head in the crook of her arm. They remained that way, Abby stroking his head every now and again offering comfort without unnecessary words. Feeling secure and safe, Gibbs once again slept. When she realised that Gibbs was asleep, Abby decided not to wake him so made her self as comfortable as she could and eventually dozed off alongside him.

A/N - decided to end this chapter here because it would run ridiculously long if I kept going. One, possibly two more chapters left. Reviews keep me going. Thanx again!