A/N: MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH

Gibbs walked towards Tony's room. He had allowed everybody else to see Tony before him just in case he couldn't hold on long enough. Ducky however had encouraged everybody to keep their visits short to try ensure that Gibbs had enough time so say goodbye to Tony. He had tried to call Senior but he was in a meeting and refused to even step out and say goodbye on the phone. Both Gibbs and Jack were infuriated by that. Jack had driven four hours and left LJ in charge at the store. For Tony and his own father couldn't even say two simple words into a phone. He got to Tony's room but somebody else was in there. He peeked in and saw Jimmy talking with Tony.

"It's my fault you are like this I should have told Gibbs or Vance at the very least fought harder." Jimmy said his voice cracking. Gibbs could tell he had been crying.

"It's not your fault kid." Gibbs said.

"Yes it is! I should have told someone what was going on but Tony told me not to so I didn't and now he's dying!" Jimmy cried.

"No kid he should have come to me. No I should have made him tell me what was wrong." Gibbs replied.

"You come in and say goodbye now." Jimmy replied. "Goodbye T you were a good friend." He said squeezing Tony's shoulder.

Jimmy left allowing Gibbs to enter Tony's room. He sat down by Tony's bed to say his final goodbyes to his beloved agent.

"Dammit DiNozzo you should have come to me. I would have taken care of it for you I would have believed you and made sure those two monsters were punished. You were a damn good agent probably the best I ever had. You are the reason McGee and Ziva are such great agents. You were like a son to me and I loved you. I should have said it before I love you Tony. There were days I didn't know why I bothered getting out of bed and you would say or do something that would remind me why I am here. There are so many cases that would have never been solved so many lives that would have been lost if it weren't for you. I will never forget you DiNozzo because I know you will always be right behind me watching my six." Gibbs said pouring his heart out to his agent and son.

That was probably the most he had spoken at once in his life but he wanted Tony to know exactly how he felt about him. He sat by his beloved agents side holding his hand. Wishing that it was him lying in that bed losing the battle to stay alive while Tony held his hand. Hoping that Jimmy would let go of the guilt he felt from his friends injuries. If anything Jimmy had given Tony more time. If it weren't for Jimmy letting him stay at his place and making sure that either him or Breena was with Tony at all times. Heck Jimmy had been the one to see that Tony's breaks had been cut. If it weren't for Jimmy there may not have been a chance for goodbyes. Just identifying Tony in a morgue. He couldn't stand that.

"Hey man I guess you've had better days." A voice called behind Gibbs.

Gibbs whirled around to see Dr. Pitt standing behind him. "Why didn't you look at Tony's lungs but you are visiting?" he asked.

"Today is actually my day off but Emma switched shifts so she could visit her parents next weekend. So she called and told me about Tony it's a shame." Dr. Pitt replied.

"Yeah. Hey you want a minute alone to say goodbye?" Gibbs asked.

"Sure" Dr. Pitt replied.

Gibbs exited the room and allowed Brad to say a final goodbye to Tony. Gibbs knew there was a very slim chance that Tony would survive. He was trying his best to hold on to that hope. He had even considered telling Tony he didn't have permission to die but he knew if he did that and Tony died anyway he'd die thinking he'd failed Gibbs. He had wanted to make sure that everybody said what they needed to say. Now he was just waiting for Tony to either die or by some miracle pull through. After a few minutes Dr. Pitt came out and let Gibbs go back to his son. This time he stood directly over Tony by the bed, slid his arms under Tony's body and a pulled him as close as he could.

"I hate to do this DiNozzo but I am giving you permission to die." Gibbs said sadly.

He held Tony tighter, bent down kissed his forehead and then he was gone. The machines went off and Dr. Roberts came in and turned them off. He allowed Gibbs a few more minutes with his body. Gibbs climbed in the bed and held on to his son. Until somebody came to take Tony away. It took four men to separate Gibbs from Tony's body.

"You should have come to me!" he called one last time as they held him back so they could take Tony away. Jack had waited outside Tony's room to support his son. He was the one who went out and told the others about Tony. Upon hearing the news Ducky took charge offering comfort to the others yet letting his own tears fall. McGee simply walked out of the room cursing Ramirez and Kline. Ziva tried and failed to hold back tears. Abby immediately burst into tears burying her face in Ducky's chest. Jimmy awkwardly ran out yelling "It's all my fault!" Breena chasing behind him. Gibbs walked out like a zombie actually accepting a hug from Jack. Gibbs walked over and pulled his remaining agents close, Abby shyly walked over and joined the group hug.

"We're gonna get through this." Gibbs assured.

Everybody returned home that night all having different reactions to Tony's death.

Abby couldn't be alone but didn't want to impose on any of the team so she stayed with Sister Rosa for the night. She curled up on the extra bed holding Bert to her chest, burying her face in his fur, and soaking him with tears. Wondering how people could do something so terrible to Tony.

Ziva went to a twenty four hour gym. She wrapped her hands and slammed her fists into the punching bag. Hitting it so hard that at one point it actually hit another piece of equipment causing a middle aged women to look up with wide eyes. She was doing to it what she wanted to do to Ramirez and Kline but those scumbags weren't worth risking her job. As she left two men growled at her. She shot them a death glare and stormed out.

Ducky went home and poured himself some tea. He sat on his couch and tried to watch T.V. but the old thing was acting up again. So he gave up and turned it off. He drank his tea and went to bed. He had a long day ahead. Tomorrow he would be preforming Anthony's autopsy. Something he would not have to do if it weren't for hate. A terrible thing that had taken far too many lives.

McGee went home alone. He tried to write but could not seem to focus. So he eventually gave up and walked over to his bookshelves. As he looked for a book he saw a picture of him and Ramirez at some NCIS team building exercise they had been partners for a few activities. He picked up the picture studied if for a minute before thrusting it into the wall and smiled as the frame shattered on impact and the photograph caught on a loose nail and ripped. "YOU WORTHLESS BASTARD!" he exclaimed relieved his downstairs neighbor who always complained about the noise he made was at a his college reunion. He slid down the wall. Jethro walked over and placed his head on McGee's leg looking up at him with curious eyes yet sad eyes. He remembered when he first met Jethro after he attacked him. How Tony had tormented him about it. He had tried getting Tony back by popping a seltzer tablet in his mouth and faking other rabies symptoms. Unfortunately it back fired when Tony panicked and screamed bloody murder for Ducky fighting off tears.

"I lost a really great friend today Jethro." McGee said sadly stroking the dogs head.

Jimmy went home and curled up in Breena's arms. He felt like he was never going to stop crying. He hated himself no matter what anybody said he still blamed himself for Tony dying. He was dreading helping Ducky with the autopsy tomorrow. He knew that it was Ramirez and Kline who had killed Tony but he still felt at fault somehow. He should have told but he was just respecting Tony's wishes He walked into the room Tony had stayed in it killed him to see. It looked like Tony would be coming back in any time his DVD played opened and on his bed, his dirty plate from breakfast on the floor, a book lying half off the bed. Jimmy knew his apartment was the same way clothes scattered all over the floor, dishes in the sink. Jimmy just wanted Tony too be home not lying dead in a drawer. He eventually tried to sleep but wound up waking up screaming from a nightmare about Tony.

Gibbs returned home with Jack. Jack wanted to talk about what had happened but Gibbs just stormed off to the basement. He poured himself a glass of bourbon and drank a toast to Tony tears pouring from his eyes. He couldn't fight it. He just sat down in the darkness of his basement drinking bourbon, toasting Tony, and working on some project even he couldn't figure out what he was making. He wound up drinking half the bottle his last toast was slurred and barely auditable but still touched his heart and he knew it would have made Tony proud. He prayed to God that all that bourbon would make him forget the events of that day. He partially wished that someone with a grudge on him would come in and shoot him in the head ending this pain. He had lost another child and just wanted to forget but needed to be strong for his remaining team.

A/N: OK so the challenge is due Wednesday and I have two more chapters that I need to do. I will either have one tomorrow or post two again on Wednesday depending on how fast I work. Please review. Thank you so much for reading.