More thank yous to all those who keep reviewing - it always puts a smile on my face and makes me writer faster!! Keep it up and i'll keep posting :) Hope you like this chapter

Tony woke to the bright light flooding through his bedroom window, he scrunched up his eyes, trying to hold on to unconsciousness but failing miserably. As his mind focused, he realised a warm hand was covering his. He turned his head and frowned at sight of Gibbs sitting by his bed fast asleep. He smiled and slowly pulled his hand out from under Gibbs'. Gibbs stirred at the movement and slowly opened his eyes, blinking a couple of times before focusing on Tony.

"For a second there..." Gibbs spoke, rubbing a hand through his hair.

Tony gave a half shrug, "It's real. I'm alive."

"How are you feeling?"

"Not bad," Tony answered, shuffling slightly under the covers. "The Doc's got me on some pretty strong stuff."

"Speaking of," a third voice said. Tony looked up and smiled as Todd entered the room holding a mug of coffee in one hand and a glass of water in the other. "That's for you," he handed the mug to Gibbs before turning to Tony, "and this is for you." He stepped up to the bed and placed it on the bedside table before grabbing a pillow from under the bed. "Help me will you?" He asked of Gibbs.

"Sure," Gibbs stood.

"I'm gonna lift him up. Place the pillow under him when I do." Gibbs nodded in understanding and gripped the edges of the pillow ready. "You ready?" He asked Tony and Tony nodded, gritting his teeth. Todd slipped one arm under Tony's back and a second on his far shoulder and slowly lifted him up. Tony whimpered slightly, but didn't cry out at the movement. "Quickly," Todd ordered and Gibbs pushed the pillow underneath. Once it was in position, Tony was slowly lowered down and he sighed in relief. "Better?"

"Much," Tony replied.

"Here," Todd handed over the glass of water and then handed over two white pills "Take these," he ordered.

"Yes sir," Tony threw his head back and chucked the pills into his mouth before gulping down the glass of water. He handed the empty glass back to Todd. "Happy?" Tony grinned.

"Ecstatic," Todd replied dryly. "I need to check your dressings."

Tony sighed before pushing back the covers, "Check away." Gibbs watched as Todd snapped on a pair of gloves, then pulled back the bandages covering Tony's wounds. Tony hissed as Todd prodded one too hard. Gibbs watched, unable to look away from the stitched up holes on Tony's chest.

"Sorry," Todd apologised.

"S'Okay. How am I doing Doc?"

"It's good," Todd nodded. "There's no inflammation, the wound's dry. You'll be up and about before you know it." Todd turned and opened a nearby cupboard, pulling out fresh dressings. "Your heart rate's not looking too bad either," Todd added, looking up at the cardiac monitor as he re-dressed the wounds.

"It's a Christmas miracle!" Tony replied sarcastically and Todd chuckled.

"It's January," Todd replied.

"A belated miracle?" Tony tried.

"How about three good surgeons and a boat load of medication?"

Tony grinned, "That too."

"Okay," Todd pulled the covers back over Tony. "Get some rest; I'll be back in with your pills in a couple of hours."

"I know, I know," Tony shooed the Doctor away.

Todd stopped at the doorway and looked at Gibbs, "I'll just be in the other room if you need anything."

Tony rolled his eyes, "Just go finish that book." Todd laughed and closed the door behind him.

"Book?" Gibbs questioned, returning to his seat.

"I've spent ninety percent of my time here unconscious and without a TV here, there hasn't been much to do," Tony explained. "So," he began, "When did Jenny tell you?"

"Last night, after I barged into her house and demanded an explanation."

"Wish I'd been there."

Gibbs raised an eyebrow, "Me too."

"About that-"

"You mean the fact that you lied to me, took part in a long term undercover operation, got yourself shot, faked your own death and hid in a cabin in the middle of the woods while we attended your funeral?"

"Yep, that."

Gibbs leant back into his chair. "An explanation would be nice."

"What do you want me to say? I'm sorry I lied to you….But you can't tell me that if our places were switched you wouldn't do the same thing"

"Tony-" Gibbs began but Tony continued.

"You were in Mexico okay? I was leading the team, a team who reminded me everyday how I wasn't good enough. Then Jenny offered me the undercover operation. It was something I knew I'd be good at, I wanted to feel like I was needed," I needed to feel like I was wanted, he added silently. He sighed and leaned his head back against the pillow.

"Why didn't you tell me when I returned?" Gibbs asked.

Tony shook his head, "I don't know….by then I was so deep in that there was no way out. I didn't want to risk anything"

"You thought I would risk things?"

"No!" Tony tried to sit up and winced as he pulled his stitches. "No," he repeated, slumping back down on the bed.

"Then what?"

"I…" Tony began. "I didn't want to hear you tell me how I'd disappointed you." Tony turned his head away and stared at the wall.

"Hey." Tony didn't move. "Hey," Gibbs repeated, taking his hand and forcing Tony to look at him, "I have never and will never be disappointed in you…okay?"

Tony nodded, "Okay."

"Good, now how about you answer question two on my long list of questions."

Tony groaned, "Fine, ask away."

"Why didn't you come to me? You chose to fake your death? I could have protected you."

Tony gave a slight shrug, "It felt safer I guess."

"Safer?"

"Yeah, no chance for Delgardo to finish the job, plus I knew if he thought I was dead he'd think he was safe, think he'd won. People who think like that make mistakes."

"And you knew that I'd catch him the minute he made a mistake."

Tony nodded, "You found him yet?" He asked, hoping the question would distract Gibbs from his own line of questioning.

Gibbs shook his head slightly, "Nothing substantial, he's too well connected."

"That's why it took us nearly seven months to finalise the exchange in the first place. He trusts less people that you do."

"You know I wondered about all those hospital appointments you disappeared off to. Ziva thought you were ill," Gibbs smiled.

Tony chuckled, "And she thought I couldn't lie to her."

"You proved us all wrong," Gibbs raised an eyebrow at Tony.

"I'm going to be apologising until I'm 60, aren't I?"

"Apologising, grovelling," Gibbs shrugged, "And who says I'll let you back anyway?" Gibbs smiled at Tony's horrified expression. "You know we already have your replacement," he added, knowing the reaction it would cause. Tony had always been insecure when it came to his place on the team. Feeling replaceable and finding it hard to compete against MIT schooled McGee and super assassin Ziva.

Tony's eyes widened, "You do?"

"Name's Warren Hunter, hard worker."

"But he's no me, right Boss? Come on, I come back from the dead and this is how you repay me?" Gibbs laughed. "There is no way Abs likes this guy," Tony shook his head, "It took her months to warm up to Ziva."

"I think she referred to him as a Calvin Klein model," Gibbs spoke, taking Abby's description out of context just to see the expression on Tony's face.

"This is so unfair."

"Hey, I'm not the one lying around in bed, doped up on some pretty nice pain medication while other people do his dirty work."

"Dirty work? And anyway, in case you hadn't noticed, I'm recovering from gun shot wounds to the chest and gut. I'm still on liquids for crying out loud!" Tony exclaimed, pointing to the IV he was still hooked up to.

"Do you ever stop moaning?" Gibbs asked.

"Up until last night you thought I was dead, where's the love?"

Gibbs motioned to the cup of coffee, the forgotten drink now cold. "Haven't had my coffee yet," he explained.

"Of course, you can't start the day without coffee," Tony said, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "By all means, go get another cup."

Gibbs placed his hands on the chair's arms and pushed himself up and out of it. "You'll be here when I return?" He asked.

"I'll be fast asleep," Tony yawned. "But I'll be here," he reassured.

Gibbs nodded, "Good." He picked up the cold coffee and made his way to the bedroom door. He opened the door before stopping. He twisted his neck round, taking one last good look at an almost asleep Tony before stepping through the doorway.

"Hey," Todd looked up from his book and greeted as Gibbs re-entered the living area.

Gibbs nodded. "Hey," he returned.

"Looking for more coffee?" Todd asked "There's a jar of instant in the top cupboard."

"Thanks," Gibbs moved passed the couch and into the small kitchen area, finding everything he needed quickly. "So," he began, "Two questions, why are you doing this and where did all that hospital equipment come from?"

Todd laughed, "Okay, well." The book was closed and placed down on the coffee table. "Jenny asked me to do this. She told me how important it was and how she couldn't trust anyone else." He rose and walked over to Gibbs. "I couldn't say no. The hospital thinks I'm on holiday." He smiled, "And as for the hospital equipment." He shrugged, "I gave Jenny a list of everything Tony needed and she just turned up with everything. Didn't ask where she got it all from and I'm not sure I want to know."

"She's always been well connected," Gibbs explained.

"She phoned not long after you turned up last night. Told me to tell you that she'll be up here later and that the longer you're here the more suspicious your team will be."

Gibbs sipped his newly made mug of coffee. "Let them," he said simply, "They should know Tony's alive too."

"You really think that's a good idea?" Todd questioned.

Within seconds, Gibbs had downed the entire mug of hot coffee. "The director was right, I really should be getting back." He put the empty mug down on the work surface harder than necessary and made his way to the door. "Tell Tony I'll be back later." Todd nodded. Gibbs yanked open the door, stepped outside into the cold morning air and closed the door behind with without a goodbye, silently making his way back to his car.