Tony spent the next few weeks bored out of his skull. He tried several times to sign out AMA, but Gibbs and, surprisingly, Ziva vetoed that decision fairly quickly. He tried to reason with them, tell them he did not want to be cooped up in the hospital anymore (for cripes sakes they knew how much he hated these places), but they wouldn't hear of it. Granted, it wouldn't have been so bad if everyone hadn't been walking on 'eggshells' around him.

He wasn't sure why, but a part of him had a feeling it was about the little girl. She was still bugging him, still at the edge of his mind. He knew he knew her, her name just on the tip of his tongue, but it was as if his mind had blocked out anything important about her; just cruelly leaving him with her face and nothing else.

But the strangest thing was how much she looked like Ziva. Except her eyes, her eyes were almost the exact shade of green as his. He would have thought she was their daughter, laughable seeing as he didn't have any kids; let alone one with Ziva…

"Hello," a voice said and Tony turned his head, watching as Ziva moved into the room. She had been looking better since he woke up. The first time he laid eyes on her it looked as if she hadn't slept in days, her dark eyes bloodshot and her hair messy. She also had a ripe smell about her, but Tony was wise enough not to say anything.

Now her dark hair was braided down her back and she looked like she had been sleeping. Granted, save for when Gibbs made her go to work and home, she didn't leave Tony's side. As much as he liked her, he was starting to get a little sick of her. Again, he was wise enough not to say anything.

"Hey, ready to spring me yet?" Tony asked giving her his thousand-watt smile. It was the same question he asked when any of his friends walked into the room. Between the burly physical therapist helping him with his knee, the fact that only two nurses were hot and he rarely got them, and that he hated hospitals he would have surely thought they would have gotten him out by now.

"Actually, Ducky said he was going to talk to your doctor. There is a good chance you can go home by the end of the week," Ziva said taking a seat next to his bed. That was the best news he had heard all week, and his smile widened.

"Thank God," he breathed. The room lapsed into silence, Tony tapping his fingers against his uninjured knee. He couldn't believe how bad he screwed up his other one. He was actually pretty lucky he didn't have to have surgery, but the doctor assured him if he kept up his physical therapy and took it easy he shouldn't have any lasting effects; easier said than done when his therapist reminded him of Trunchbull from Matilda. Or was it Aunt Marge from Harry Potter…

And that is what he got for allowing McGee to host movie night. Never again, he silently vowed.

"Tony," Ziva started uncertainly, breaking the silence.

"Yeah," he said meeting her eyes.

She must have talked herself out of whatever she was about to say because she shook her head and said, "Never mind."

"What is it?" he was sick and tired of how careful they were around him. He pressed on when she didn't say anything else. "Is this about…?" Tony trailed off, biting his lip, looking down. Should he ask her? Would Ziva believe him? Hell, he didn't believe it, what made him think Ziva would?

"What Tony?"

"I keep seeing these flashes," Tony said slowly before he could stop himself. He shook his head, "But I'm sure it's a dream. 'Cause, I've never seen her before. You know?" he looked up, noticing the look of confusion flash across Ziva's face. Tony took a breath and mumbled, "Don't worry about it."

Before Ziva could ask him what he was talking about, Tony's doctor walked in accompanied by Ducky. "Good news, Anthony. Doctor Maloney thinks you can go home by tomorrow afternoon."

"What?" Tony met Ducky's blue eyes, for a second forgetting about what he and Ziva were talking about. That was better than what Ziva told him. "Really? That's better than the end of the week," Tony said quietly, leaning his head back.

"Yes, Agent DiNozzo, you are doing a lot better and I don't see why we have to keep you any longer. But, you are to continue your physical therapy and schedule another appointment with me sometime next month and with Dr. Pitt, just to check your lungs."

"They're fine," Tony said under his breath. Just because he had punctured a lung and had to have a breathing tube for a few days… he was fine, really.

"Humor him, Anthony," Ducky responded with a small smile.

"Fine," Tony said sighing slightly.

After a few more words Maloney and Ducky wandered out of the room, leaving Ziva and Tony alone. Ziva made to open her mouth, but DiNozzo quickly cut her off with a quiet, "I'm a little tired."

"Okay," she said equally as quiet, pushing herself to her feet. "I was about to go get something to eat anyway. Do you want anything?"

"Release forms," Tony suggested with a small smile.

"Twenty-four hours will not kill you," Ziva responded with a matching smile before turning and leaving the room. "I am glad you are okay, fuzzy bear." She grinned at the nickname, but before Tony could respond with the expected cheeky 'sweet cheeks' a flash hit him.

Or, more like, several rapid fire flashbacks: a pregnant Ziva, her mischievous grin, her voice calling him 'fuzzy bear.' And the girl, the little girl he couldn't seem to remember meeting.

"Tony, are you okay?" Ziva asked her concerned face swimming in his vision.

"Fine," he lied unconvincingly. "I'm fine." Ziva cocked an eyebrow, and even if he had been able to lie flawlessly Tony knew she would have known. But she didn't press the point. She just nodded and left him alone.

Tony rested his head against his pillows; the little girl's smiling face flashing across his eyes again. "Who are you?" he whispered with a sigh. "Who are you…?"

NCIS

Abby had been listening to her metal music, computers running tests, McGee across from her on another computer, when she heard the music shut off.

"Gibbs, why would you…?" she froze when she turned around, her face breaking out into a wide grin. "Tony!" she shouted running toward him. Or, she at least tried, but a pair of arms had grabbed her around the middle before she could reach the other man.

"McGee, let me go," she said with a hint of irritation in her voice. She wanted to hug Tony; he was actually up and around. He had been released from the hospital three days ago and she hadn't been around to see him. Work had been tying her down, but everyone kept assuring her he was fine. But this was proof he was going to be okay.

"Abbs, look at him. Hugging him might set-back how much he's healed," McGee said quietly and Abby did as she was told. Tony was upright, yes, but it didn't mean he was one-hundred percent. He had a brace around his left knee, crutches tucked under his arms. His face still had slowly fading bruises, the left side of his head covered in a white bandage. And those were just the visible wounds. He also looked tired, despite all the time he spent sleeping in the hospital, and his face could barely keep the grimaces of pain at bay every time he nudged his knee or moved too quickly.

"Can I give him a little hug?" Abby asked quietly.

"I'm right here," Tony pointed out gesturing to himself. "I think I can judge how big of a hug I can take." McGee let Abby go, backing up a few steps, and she slowly trekked across the lab. She carefully wrapped her arms around Tony, giving him a mini-Abby hug.

"I'm so glad you're okay," she said feeling him briefly embrace the hug before she broke away and stepped back. "Are you supposed to be here? Does Gibbs know you are here?"

"I was kinda hoping to ask you a favor," Tony replied ignoring Abby's questions. There was something in his eyes, something Abby couldn't pinpoint, but she knew this favor was important to Tony. So, she nodded and motioned for him to proceed.

"You know that program, the one you use to recreate faces," he asked slowly, fiddling with his left ring finger. In fact, that was the only sign of uncertainty Abby noticed on her friend.

"I have a couple," she said moving toward her office. "But I think I know which one you are referring to. Why?"

He clicked after her, McGee a few steps behind him, and Abby allowed Tony to sit in her chair as she brought up the program. It was her own version of a 'sketch artist.' Far easier than actually having someone come in and draw the descriptions giving to them.

"I wanted…" Tony cleared his throat, obviously choosing his words carefully. "Can you…?" he shook his head, pushing himself up. "Never mind."

"No, no, no," Abby said quickly easily pushing him back down. "Come on, tell me."

His eyes were troubled, but he still nodded and said, "No questions asked?"

"No questions," Abby agreed readily, glancing back at McGee. He had a hesitant look on his face, but an Abby sized elbow to the stomach had him nodding in agreement.

"Okay…"

NCIS

It took over an hour, almost as if Tony was trying to get the facial features perfect, before a little girl looked back at them from Abby's computer. McGee studied the picture, wondering who she was, vaguely remembering Tony asking about Katie. Could this be Katie?

Gibbs had pretty much ordered them not to mention Katie while Tony was recovering. There was a chance she was just a dream, and to tell DiNozzo that his daughter was just a figment of his imagination could do some emotional damage. Though, he hadn't mentioned Katie since he woke up the first time, almost as if he didn't remember her. And who really knew maybe he didn't or he was just suppressing her memory.

"Who is that, Tony?" Abby asked quietly breaking the silence in her office. McGee gave her a quick look, but she didn't see him. She was too busy studying DiNozzo.

He followed her gaze, watching Tony closely. Of course, there was a chance Tony didn't even hear Abby, his face locked on the screen. His eyebrows were furrowed, he was fiddling with his left ring finger again, and his face battling between letting the usual masks fall into place or just giving up and allowing his emotions to take over. The masks managed to win and Tony turned to Abby and quietly asked, "Can you print me a copy?"

"Yeah, sure," Abby said quietly, doing as he asked. She spared a glance back at McGee, who just shrugged, before she moved toward her printer. Once the page was finished printing, she picked it up and carried it back to Tony.

"Thanks," he said quietly taking the page from her. He pushed himself up, clicking toward the door, without a backwards glance or another word.

Abby and McGee watched him go before glancing back at the computer screen. They were quiet for a second and then Abby said, "Do you think that's Katie?"

"I don't know…"

NCIS

Ziva had been on the phone with one of her contacts, hoping to get information on the cold case they had been working on, when she heard the familiar 'clicking' of crutches against the floor. She ended her call with a quick 'good-bye', putting her phone down just as a piece of paper was slapped down in front of her.

"Who is this?" Ziva asked glancing down at the picture of a little girl. It reminded her of Tali, but the eyes. They were Tony's eyes.

"I've been asking myself the same question," Tony replied pacing back and forth as best he could. "Every time I close my eyes I see her, every fricking time. Yet I don't know who she is or why I'm seeing her." he stopped pacing, eyes far away as he looked down at the page, fiddling with his left ring finger. Ziva had noticed he had been doing that a lot lately, but she had a feeling he wasn't aware of doing it.

"Why would you dream about her?" Ziva asked carefully, avoiding the topic of 'Katie.' As much as she wanted to know who 'Katie' was, she wasn't sure Tony could actually tell her. She glanced down at the picture. Could this be Katie?

"I don't know," Tony admitted quietly, still fiddling with his finger.

"Tony, do you think this is…?" Ziva trailed off, shaking her head. She couldn't open this can of worms, not at the hospital and not now. "Never mind."

"What?"

Ziva sighed, picked the page up, and said, "When you woke up you asked where Katie was."

"Why would I ask where Kate…?"

"Not Kate, Katie."

"Who's Katie?" a flicker of confusion flashed across Tony's face.

"You told me, and McGee, she was your daughter…"

Tony's eyebrows furrowed, he opened his mouth to say something, but he closed it when realization seemed to dawn on him. He slowly backed away from Ziva, his eyes troubled, and moved toward the elevators.

"Where are you going?" she called after him but he didn't answer, already pressing the elevator button. The doors slid open and he was already gone before Ziva could say anything else…

NCIS

We are so sorry for the long wait. There are no excuses, nothing to say as to why this took forever, other than writer's block.

So, once again sorry, thanks for all the reviews and alerts last chapter, and we own nothing.

Drop a comment if you can...

PEACE OUT...