Okay, who's ready for another chapter? Put those hands down...can't see them anyways and besides you will need them to scroll down to read this one but the best is yet to come late tonight...A big surprise for those who love to mess with our favorite agent...and I'm not talking about Vance. So read this, let me know if you like the ending and I'll see you late birds later! Oh, I have been looking at all the names who review and have picked some really juicy stories to read after I take a break for this story...I'm excited and you writers know who you are: send me suggestions too...I love to read!

Three Hours later

The flight to Bethesda was long but Tony seemed to not really care or notice. Tony was no longer able to experience anything except the drug induced sleep that certain chemicals brought about. Brad had never left Tony's side the entire flight, the man was relentless in catching even the smallest detail of Tony's condition as they traveled.

Ducky looked exhausted, Gibbs could see the age in his eyes as he continued going over Tony's chart with a fine tooth comb, bringing even the slightest detail to the medical staff's attention. Ducky was worried, more than he had seen Ducky worried before and he had been beyond concern when Tony had experienced the plague years ago.

Gibbs not only observed the others, he watched Tony too, it was not easy watching his body being unable to respond to the jolts of wind sheer or the turbulence of the plane, it was heartbreaking because flying was something Tony hated so much, but would never admit to it.

He reached over and took his agent's hand and gave it a squeeze, wanting the man lying so still to know that he was till there, that he wasn't breaking his promise. Tony didn't respond, not even with an elevated heart rate this time, he was placed into what Brad called a drug induced coma, it would allow Tony's body to fully relax and heal.

The pilot announced that they had reached their destination and to secure themselves for landing. Gibbs tightened his belt and watched as the others did the same. They were home and now was a time for healing.

Little Rock Arkansas

Hospital

Vance stood at the ICU window of the man who had harmed his agent. The man who had taken DiNozzo's body for a ride through hell.

He watched as the nurses gave him his dinner and as they tended to his needs. It didn't seem very fair that his agent was unable to enjoy the smallest of things, hell, Tony couldn't even enjoy breathing into his own lungs right now.

Vance never respected Tony as an Agent until he went up against Eli David and won. Now he enjoyed having the renegade agent around, enjoyed his mischief, it reminded him a lot of Gibbs though, having two of them was definitely a challenge but a challenge he had come to welcome.

He turned to see the other agents, Ziva and Tim starring at the man, beside him. Their emotions had been on a ride for the past few days and he hoped that neither would do anything foolish, that is why he had placed two agents at the man's door, wanting to make sure the man stood trial, but not in a Mossad kind of way.

"McGee, David, I thought I gave you both your assignments." His voice was gruff but he wanted them to know that he meant business, the sooner they had their jobs finished the sooner they would be on their way back to DC.

"I could take him out sir." she was serious, her eyes trained on the man who had harmed her partner.

"If it were legal I would have already done it but it isn't David, so I guess he will be standing trial, that is if we have any evidence to present?" he turned and looked at the two agents, their anger palpable. "You have jobs to do, I want to get back to DC too but it is all contingent on getting our jobs done here. Gibbs is with DiNozzo, he'll keep us updated." Vance continued.

They nodded in unison but Tim's anger seemed to be out of character though, the normally low key agent had stayed quiet but Vance knew it was the quiet before the storm, he had been there before, he could see the hate in his agent's eyes. After another glance at Goforth they turned and left, they had to return to the crime scene, the last one, where Tony was held prisoner, then they would have to follow through with the others..

Vance turned his attention back to the window and continued to stare into the glass, he had to make sure that this crazed mad man landed behind bars for the rest of his life or even better, be delivered a syringe loaded with Potassium, so that death could be inflicted to the man who had taken so many lives.

The man glanced up and gave Vance a devious smile, it chilled the experienced agent to the bone.

Bethesda Hospital

Isolation Area

Sixteen days Later

Abby and Palmer had returned to their jobs at NCIS but that job also included taking turns coming to the hospital to stay with their friend. Tony looked so small in contrast to the various machines keeping him alive. Gibbs was now a fixture at Tony's side, his appearance had taken on his previous Mexican look, whiskers included.

" Hey Gibbs!" Abby greeted as she walked through the isolation room door carrying a large cup of coffee and a bagged lunch which she had made for him, which he took gladly took and sat down on the bedside table. The isolation room was a precautionary measure but one that had to be done, but it was more for Tony's protection against any other germs, bacteria.

Gibbs stood and wrapped his arms around Abby, "Hey Abs." he then gave her a tender kiss to her forehead.

"Hey Tony!" Abby greeted as she was loosened from Gibbs embrace. She walked over and in her usual routine she gave him a huge kiss on the cheek and an embrace, as much as one could embrace someone who was wrapped in wires and gauze.

Tony's back was finally healing, a couple of sores had developed during his captivity on his sacrum, Brad had called them decubitus or bed sores. They had taken him to surgery on day three to debride them after the cultures had grown out staphylococcus and now he wasn't allowed to lay on his back, he was propped on his side with a pink wedge which Abby had decorated with multiple flower designs, the nurses loved them. The still open wounds which they packed twice daily, with wet sterile saline, would take time to heal.

"Ziva and Timmy are coming home today and I hear that you are going to get off that machine!" she spoke to her best friend and then smiled down at Tony. Brad had informed them that the ECMO unit would be discontinued that evening and that Tony would be allowed to come out of his drug induced coma and weaned off the ventilator. She was excited for Tony, she had actually stopped and picked up a gift for his awakening, a cousin to Bert, Ralph, a burping monkey.

She sat Ralph down and took the empty seat beside Gibbs. "When are they going to disconnect the machine?" she asked as she watched Tony's chest rise and fall to the rhythm of the sounds of the ventilator.

"Abby, we are talking baby steps. Brad wants to see if we can wean Tony off the ECMO first and then we will see if he can come off the ventilator. That is the tricky part, Tony's lungs are still healing and if you remember it took days the last time to get him off the vent, his lungs are weaker this time." he patted her hand as she reached over to clutch Gibbs' his, wanting to decrease her fears but he had his own, he was concerned for his agent.

Brad entered the cubicle and walked over to his patient, "Hey Tony. Today is a huge day for you big guy. We're going to first get rid of this machine and then we are going to scope you one more time before we attempt to take you off the ventilator." he looked up at the two agents and smiled. "Tony's blood gases are looking great and we have the best labs I've seen since he came into the hospital. I want to scrape the left lower lobe one more time and do some washings with some stronger antibiotics now that his kidney function is better."

"When will you take him off?" Abby asked as she let loose of Gibbs hand, walked over and took Tony's hand into hers.

"Well, the team is coming over so by 1500 hours so we should have him disconnected and his procedure done within a hour after that, then we can start weaning him off the vent. I know we usually have to caution that it might not happen in a day but Tony's lungs really responded well to the healing time he had on the ECMO, it 's a life saver for sure." he patted Tony's shoulder and walked back to the door. "I'll be back in approximately thirty minutes and we'll get started." he then rushed out the door to see another patient.

"Did you hear that Tony? I'm so excited!" she gave him another kiss, oblivious to the man behind her who was more concerned for what was going to happen next.

Gibbs couldn't help but to be worried regarding the aftermath of his isolation and torture, it would not be a picnic coming back from such a horrible experience.. Would Tony be the confident, capable agent he was before, the only man who could stand up to him one minute and and yet make him laugh the next? He wanted Tony back, he needed to have him back the way he was before, he had to for the team's sake, for his sake.

They took their positions, Abby sat on the side of the bed and Gibbs sat down in his chair, tonight would be a full night for sure.

Unknown Location

He knew his part in the plan if Enoch and Moses were stopped. He would have to wait for Elijah to heal then he would make his move. They would pay for stopping the plan. He finished packing his bag, his flight would leave soon.

And you say DANGIT! Always a twist! But if you have ever read the book of Revelation then you already knew that there is another candidate for the end time prophesy. Already working on the next chapter and remember...Review for the sake of my fingers. Lol Thanks for all you guys do, and for reading this story!