In mapping out the first several chapters of this story, I was concentrating on three major characters. We got a lot of Ziva, obviously, a good deal of Gibbs and even some of the two DiNozzos and McGee. So, I may have fallen down on the job with others, for which I am sorry. Ducky and Abby were those to, and I am working on correcting that.

The wonderful thing about Ducky is he offered a psychological aspect to his point of view. It's kind of heavy on the exposition, but it also offers a lot of insight into the both Tony and Ziva. And I have to say, I love writing in Ducky's rather more formal tones. It's very different from everyone else.

Please, please, please keep letting me know what you think, how I'm doing. It really pushes me to continue.

Anthony DiNozzo Senior charged out of the unit and announced to everyone who was there that his son had awakened. Ducky sighed happily at that. In truth, he had been rather concerned when the doctor had initially told them of the coma. There was no telling the damage that could be done the longer the body remained in such a state. But, in the end, it had been no more than six hours. Ducky's worry was further put to rest a few minutes late when Jethro had told them the patient has responded well to further treatment of the Gibbs slap. Abby had burst into the giggle upon hearing it said.

She, of course, wanted to run to Tony's room, and smother him with affection. Gibbs was somehow able to stop her, telling the scientist that the man needed time to recover from all that that been happening to him.

Ducky knew exactly what his friend meant.

Not only would he be dealing with a recovery from such serious injuries as had been inflicted on him, he would have to tackle the news of the return of Ziva David and his impending fatherhood. Ducky would have liked to have seen the look on the younger man's face when he received the news. But, alas, it was a private matter, between the man and the woman who was carrying his child.

He had watched Tony through the years change and grow. They were subtle changes, to be sure. He was still a prankster, the class clown as the saying goes, but when he wanted to be serious, he could be deadly so. And he was never more serious than when it came to Ziva.

She was, herself, a fascinating case study. The product of a stern rearing, where affection was often fleeting and shaky, she was one of the few of them who had siblings that she seemed to have had great affection for. Then, both of them had been taken from her. Her sister had been killed is a bombing, while her brother had been transformed into a psychopath, one that had to be taken down. And it had been left to her, perhaps even at the orders of their father, to do so. He was a distant man himself, serving his organization first, his country second, and his family last.

The thought of Eli David brought Ducky's attention to Anthony DiNozzo Senior. Not unlike Eli, he too was distant from his child, though in a different manner entirely. The good doctor knew tragedy had claimed his wife when their son was still young, and left her widower bereft. He had been adrift and so, too, was his son. Tony compensated for it by the attitude he showed the world-that of a man who seemingly took joy in his life, but was in truth guarded and lonely.

Just as much as Ziva was.

He had been staring at Senior for quite some time, enough for the other man to notice and approach him. "It is such a relief," he said, a familiar smile on his face.

"Yes, I too was worried there. Sometime, the knowledge I have makes me fear the worst. There still are unknowns, but for now, we shall take the good," Ducky replied.

Senior's smile slipped minutely until Abigail came over to them, full of her usual enthusiasm. "I just wish I could go in and see him. He had me so scared," she said, calmer than he had expected. "I just knew something was wrong when Timmy said he wasn't going to tell me."

Ms. Sciuto, though a sunny optimist by nature, was also prone to worry the most of all of them. He clearly remembered when Jethro had been severely injured on board a ship and it had taken her a long time to come down off the adrenalin high her worries had caused.

"The chief-of-staff here is a friend who has frequented conferences with me. Let me see if there are any strings I can pull to allow more us to see him," Ducky said.

"Oh, thank you Ducky!" Abby cried, enveloping him in a hug.

Mr. DiNozzo smiled as well. "It would really be appreciated. I don't think it would be right to have Ziva step aside for any of us to go in."

Ducky nodded. Before he set off though, he thought it appropriate to say, "And a hearty congratulations to you, Senior. It is the best of news."

With that, Ducky tracked down his old friend, who was surprised to see him in Baltimore. A quick explanation followed and his friend brought up Tony's records.

"My initial concern was for the coma, but he seems to have come out of it in fairly good shape, from what his boss told us," Ducky relayed.

His fellow doctor nodded. "They did have to leave in the bullet in his back. He seems to have taken a bad turn during the initial surgery and they thought is best to wait on it."

"That was my other concern," Ducky agreed.

The other man read on. "Actually, there's been an update for him. It seems the first scan was slightly off. The bullet lodged farther away than first thought. It's not as bad. Still serious, but not potentially dire."

"Oh, thank heavens, that's a relief," Ducky said, the relief palatable.

"He'll be in the ICU for a while, though. We're going to need be assured everything is alright. I think that if he continues to get stronger, by tomorrow, we should be able to go in and get the last bullet out," his friend reassured him.

Ducky nodded. "About that. I do realize there are rules limiting the number and relations of visitors to the ICU. However, there are many people eager to see Agent DiNozzo and, quite frankly, they are getting antsy."

"Understable. So long as a physician is present with them," Ducky noticed a slight tip of his head, "I don't see why both can't be extended."

Ducky got his meaning and nodded his thanks as he left. He returned to his comrades and clearing his throat, he got their attention. "I've spoken with my friend and, after reviewing Anthony's results has assured it is not as bad as first believed. Yes, he has an extensive recovery ahead of him, but he will recover."

Abby, naturally, was the happiest of the group, but Ducky noticed the relief on Timothy's face. Mr. and Mrs. Palmer, who had arrived as the sun was rising, hugged each other in joy. Gibbs, meanwhile, simply smiled, nodding his thanks to his dear friend.

"There is more. We have been allowed more people than is normally proper, but a doctor should be there in the room," he added.

Gibbs responded immediately. "Abby, McGee, go ahead in. You've been here the longest, and I'm sure you're the most worried. You too Bishop."

Tim and Ellie nodded and Abby hugged man on her way passed him.

Ducky smiled. "Come, my dears. I am sure that Tony is as anxious to see you as you are to see him," he said, taking Abby by the arm to lead her in.