Hey!!!

WOW! Loving the reviews once again!

Oh – just as a for warning – anything that I state here medically may not be true – seeing as I am 18 and in high school (just a couple more months left) and I dunno if any of this is true. So please excuse any mistakes!!

On with the story…

xXx Tiana

30 minutes later, Abby was running up the stairs at the hospital, with McGee and Ducky behind her. Well, McGee was; Ducky had decided to wait for the elevator. As soon as she had reached the right floor, she bounded out of the doors and into the wards.

Kate was leaning against the wall in the waiting area, staring out into space and chewing on her nail. She didn't know what was going on, and she couldn't do anything else. Her attention was suddenly broken away from the speck of dust in the air by someone yelling her name.

'Kate!' Abby yelled when she saw her. She grabbed her best friend in a hug just as McGee caught up with them. 'Where is he?'

'I don't know. They won't let me see him or tell me anything.' Kate replied. Abby hugged her once again, and Kate returned it. Just then, Ducky came along too.

'Caitlin. Any news?' when Kate shook her head, he nodded. 'Where's Jethro?' Kate looked over her shoulder to the nurse's station.

'He went to find some coffee. But I think he went after some doctors.' She told him. They all smiled a bit, knowing that Gibbs was probably most certainly on the lookout, or terrorizing, the doctors to get some information.

'I'll go see if I can track him. Don't worry, Caitlin. Young Anthony will be fine.' Ducky hugged Kate before going to find Gibbs. That left Abby, McGee and Kate in the waiting area once again. None of them spoke, not knowing quite what to say. They were all also worried for their team mate.

It was 2 hours later that Ducky came back with Gibbs and a doctor in tow. 2 hours of Gibbs and Ducky coming back to see if there was any updates, and 2 hours of pacing and not knowing what to do. All three of then stood and looked at the other three expectantly.

'Dr. Christianson is the doctor looking after Tony.' Gibbs explained. They all gave a short nod.

'Agent DiNozzo suffered from a small inflammation in the brain due to an infection that he must have picked up recently.' Kate, Abby and McGee all stood shocked. Abby moved to stand next to Kate, putting a hand on her arm. 'The inflammation caused him to pass out. He lost a lot of blood via the cut at the back of head, due to the excess build up it from the inflammation. Thankfully, if the cut hadn't occurred, he might have suffered some brain damage because of the pressure on his brain.'

'So he's gong to be ok?' Kate asked, her voice quavering.

'He should be ok. I can't be certain for another 24 to 48 hours, ma'am. We'll be keeping an eye on him until then. If all goes well, he'll be up in 48 hours and have hardly any repercussions from this.' The doctor explained.

''Hardly any'?' Gibbs asked.

The doctor turned to look at him.

'Your agent underwent brain surgery, sir. There is no way of knowing what after effect this may cause, if any, this early.' Just as Gibbs opened his mouth to say something else Abby interrupted.

'Can we see him?'

'Sure, but only a couple at a time. He is still under anaesthesia.' The doctor led then to a room in the ICU section. 'If you need anything, don't hesitate to call a nurse who will page me. Don't worry,' he added. 'He is young and I believe that he chances are good.' He turned away and walked off.

Kate placed a hand on the door, prepared to go in. she then felt Abby's hand on her shoulder. She looked at the Goth and could read her clearly.

'I'll be fine. I am fine.' Kate told her, smiling, answering her unasked question. Truth was, she didn't know how she felt, but she wanted to see Tony all the same, and she wasn't going to break down when he was the one who was in that bed in the ICU room.

When she walked into the room, she took each step steadily until she got next to the bed. Tony laid there with a bandage wrapped around his head, and some gauze sticking out at the bottom of it at the back.

But the first thing that Kate had noticed were machines in the room. There were too many of then, all making various noises. All hooked up to Tony somehow. She picked up on of his hands and held it in her own. It felt limp, Kate realised. Not the heavy, protective one that she was used to.

Gibbs had followed her into the room, but had stayed back a couple of step. Now, he went to Tony's other side. He still ad a coffee in one hand. He too, had noticed the machines. Sighing, he rested his other hand on the bed.

'I meant what I said, Kate.' He spoke after a moment of silence. Kate looked up at him. Gibbs was looking at Tony too. 'I've never lost an agent before, and it's not going to start with DiNozzo now.' He repeated his words from earlier. He now moved to the end of the bed to read his charts. Kate nodded, knowing that Gibbs could see her, even if it didn't seem like it.

Soon after, there was a knock at the door, and Abby's head popped in. both Kate and Gibbs turned to face her.

'Can I come in?' she whispered, but in the quite room, it seemed much louder.

'Yeah.' Kate whispered back. She stood straighter and let go of Tony's hand. 'I was just about to… uh… call you.' She told her, walking towards her to exit the room.

'Kate…' Abby called after her, but Kate carried on out of the room. Abby followed her, but McGee stopped her when she got out of the room.

'Leave her. I think she needs to think.' He told her. Abby looked at him and then at Kate's retreating form. She nodded and entered the room.

--

Kate didn't know where she was going. She just let her feet take her wherever they wanted to go. Finally, she came across a cafeteria with some vending and a coffee machine. It was only then that she had realised that she hadn't ate since lunch, and it was currently 8.30pm. She headed to the coffee machine, but then noticed that she didn't have her purse on her.

Must have left it thereshe thought. Luckily, after a couple of months on the job, Kate had realised that they often worked till late on a crime scene, or for a long time, which had made her to start carrying money in her pockets, just in case.

Now, with coffee, Kate made her way back. However, as she hadn't known how she had gotten to where she was, it was easier said than done. Fortunately, she knew she had to go to the ICU, which was only on one floor.

As she made her way there, she came across a glass boardwalk, kind of like at an airport that connected two terminals together. This, however, was stranded. Kate stopped and leaned against the railings, staring out of the glass at the dark, star filled sky.

She had pushed all her thoughts out of her head for the past 3 hours or so, just focusing on Tony and wondering what the hell was going on with him. But now that she knew, she could allow her thoughts back again.

I shouldn't have left this morning… why does he have to be so Goddamn stubborn for... chickenpox to this… oh my God, he was right! He is going to d-… NO! DO NOT think that!

Kate's mind couldn't stay on one track. Her thoughts flipped from one to another, each interlinked, but none completed.

I can't think that… why did he get chickenpox for?... why do I even car?... why couldn't I keep it professional for once?... I shouldn't have trusted him… especially not this morning…

'I shouldn't have left him.' She said out loud.

'It's not your fault, Kate.' Abby told her. She had gone to look for her after seeing Tony. She now stood next to her best friend, also leaning against the railing.

'I knew he was worse today. But I left him. And I shouldn't have.' Kate carried on.

'Kate, this is Tony we're talking about. There was no way of making him change his mind.' Abby reminded her but Kate shook her head.

'I could make him change his mind. But I didn't try to. Or I did, but he convinced me otherwise.' Kate couldn't think anymore. Was it really just this morning that I was late for work? She thought. That Jack asked me out in the car? Kate frowned at the stray thought.

Neither of the girls said anything for a while. Kate sipped at her coffee, while Abby stared out of the window with her. Finally, Kate turned around and sat on the ground, leaning her head back against the railings. Abby joined her there.

'I knew he was ill. That he was worse than before.' Abby whispered. Kate looked at her with a strange look. 'This afternoon, when you asked me how he was, I lied. Kinda. He was pale, and he was like himself, but he was also really tried and…' Abby stopped, looking down at her hands.

'And?' Kate reminded her prompting her to go on.

'And he was swaying. He looked like he was going to collapse. But he said he was ok, and I believed him.' Abby had tears coming to her eyes now. She tried to keep them back, but it wasn't that easy. 'I'm sorry. I should've told you. I just didn't want you to worry.'

Kate sighed. She knew that she could just blame Abby, and get it off of her shoulders, but it wasn't her. It wasn't the way that Kate Todd did things.

'Shh, it's ok. It's not you fault, Abby.' Kate wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to her, allowing Abby to rest her head on her shoulder.

'I shouldn't have left him.'

'And neither should have I. But we did, and it's done. Right?' Kate asked her, uncertainty pushing its way into her mind.

'Right.' Abby whispered back. 'And if he didn't have that cut on his head, he'd be worse. Right?'

'Right.' Kate replied. The sat like that for a moment before Kate sighed. 'Trust Tony to turn an accident into something that'll save his life.' Abby giggled at her comment.

'Only Tony.' Kate laughed with her. 'He'll be ok. If we believe it, it'll happen.'

'I hope so'

'Tony's not going to let go that easily. There's so much left for him to do.' Abby said. Kate looked at her funnily, causing then both to sit upright.

'Such as?' Kate asked, wanting to know what Tony had 'left to do'

'Such as saying 'I love you' to you, and marrying you, and- ' Abby stopped her words when Kate got up, a small smile playing on her lips.

'I'm going now.' She announced, walking past Abby, causing the Goth to jump up and walked besides her.

'I was just saying. And you know it's true.' When Kate shot her a glare, she just smiled. 'You'll see. He'll be fine.'

'Yeah.' Kate replied, not as confident as before.

--

10 minutes later, all five of them were in Tony's room. Even though the doctor had just said a couple of them at a time. Kate assumed that Gibbs used his 'power' to pull some strings.

When the nurse came in to check up on him, all five were ordered out. They all reluctantly left.

'It's getting late. Why don't you head home? There's nothing else that can be done tonight.' Ducky said, his words mainly aimed at Abby and McGee.

McGee nodded and Abby sighed in defeat. She turned to look at Kate, but she wasn't paying any attention to anyone, instead she was looking through the window into Tony's room.

Gibbs noticed Abby's hesitation. When she looked at him, he nodded, assuring her that he would talk to Kate. Abby sighed once again and allowed McGee to drive her home.

'I might head home too. Mother would worry if I don't.' Ducky went over to Kate, who turned to face him. 'Let me know if there's any change, or anything, ok?' Kate nodded and accepted his hug, before he headed home too.

That just left Gibbs and Kate alone outside Tony's room. When she faced him, she knew what he was going to say. Or she thought she did. To be honest, no one could ever guess what Gibbs was going to say. Ever.

'I'm staying, Gibbs.' She told him. Gibbs gave her the all knowing smile.

'I know, Kate.'

'Then don't try to convince me otherwise.' She informed him.

'I wasn't going to.' He insisted. The nurse finally came out of the room, allowing the two of them in.

Kate went striaght to Tony's side and sat it the chair that was pulled up next to his bed. She was no longer fazed by the machines or the numerous wires hooked up to him. Gibbs, however, checked Tony's charts once again. Kate watched him do so.

'Do you even know what those mean, Gibbs?' she asked. He looked at her with the smile again.

'No change.' He replied. Kate looked at him in disbelieve, but pushed the fact that Gibbs could read it for something more important.

'That's good, right?'

'It sure ain't bad.' He told her. Kate nodded.

Gibbs walked over to her and placed the charts in front of her, over her shoulder.

'Let me know if anything happens, Agent Todd.' Gibbs demanded. Kate looked at him, knowing that his order was a personal one as well as a professional one.

'I will.' She whispered as Gibbs nodded and walked out of the room, leaving Kate alone with Tony.

She looked at the charts that Gibbs had placed in front of her, and laughed at what she saw. In each of the columns, for all of the things that the nurses were looking for, was written 'No Change'. No wonder he knew Kate thought

Getting up, she placed the charts back at the end of the bed before taking her place by Tony's die once again. Taking his hand in hers, she held it tight and held it in front of her mouth, as she gently placed a kiss on his hand.

'You've gotta wake up, Tony. Everyone's counting on you. Abby's got your life planned out, and she'll be upset if you didn't fulfil it.' She whispered. 'I'm counting on you. I need you, Tony. I need you so much. I can't stand having another partner at work. And I can't stand not having you to talk to. And I wouldn't be able to stand not having you at all.' Kate's voice started to tremble at the end. She didn't once look at him, instead looking at his hand as she gripped it. 'So you better wake up. And I'm telling you to. So you better do it.' She let her tears fall as she looked at him finally. 'Just wake up.'

IM SORRY IT TOOK LONG TO UPDATE! I got writer's block 

But it won't be this long next time – I promise!!!

More TATE next time! And I mean MORE TATE!!

And no - lhjjh () - I didn't forget you guys – I never could! !

Please R&R!!

xXx Tiana