Leroy Jethro Gibbs had a lot of experience in reading people; he could often tell by a person's body language if they were hiding something or lying and this ability was one of the reasons that he and his team had the highest solve rate in NCIS. However, at the moment, he felt like his ability was a curse rather than a blessing as the obvious concern on the doctor's face confirmed his fears that DiNozzo was not doing well. He silently hoped that the doctor was just erring on the side of caution but somehow he had his doubts; Gibbs had known all along that his agent was in serious condition.
"How is he?" Gibbs demanded to know. "How's Tony?"
"You're Agent DiNozzo's family?" the physician inquired, a hint of uncertainty evident in his soft baritone voice.
"Yeah." The team leader offered no further explanation; he looked upon Tony as his son and although they weren't related by blood, they had an unspoken familial bond that was stronger than most and there were many who envied their unique relationship.
"I'm Dr. Yates," the doctor stated. "I'm the attending physician for Agent DiNozzo."
Gibbs acknowledged Yates with a curt nod; he really wasn't interested in exchanging pleasantries with the man. "Is Tony going to be all right?" he asked again, his patience was quickly waning.
"It's really too soon to tell; we're…"
"What kind of answer is that?" Gibbs snapped.
He felt a restraining hand on his shoulder; Fornell had taken up the position just behind him, attempting to be the calming presence that that the FBI agent assumed that he needed. Gibbs didn't want to be placated or soothed; he wanted to know if DiNozzo was going to be all right.
The team leader hated for any of his people to be hurt and the fact that it was Tony had completely unnerved him; he and Tony had been through too much together for it to end because DiNozzo was trying to help his father. In his opinion, Senior was a man that constantly put his own welfare above his son's and who at this moment was waiting for Tony to walk through his door so that he could resume his task of using his own flesh and blood for his own selfish gain.
"Let him finish, Jethro," the FBI agent tried to reason.
Ignoring Fornell, Gibbs stared at the doctor, impatiently waiting for the physician to continue. Yates didn't seem to take his earlier rudeness to heart and the team leader figured that the doctor had dealt with his share of concerned and angry parents.
Dr. Yates cleared his throat. "As I was saying, we're doing some lab work and I've ordered several X-rays including a CAT scan to see what we're dealing with. I will tell you that his vitals indicate some internal bleeding but we have to wait for his test results so we know how to proceed; I'm hoping that he won't require surgery to stop it. The bruises and lacerations that he received are deep and will have to have stitches. Agent DiNozzo shows every sign of having at the very least, a severe concussion; he hasn't responded to any kind of stimuli since the ambulance and that has me a little worried."
"Just a little worried?" Gibbs had a feeling that Dr. Yates had a gift for understatement.
"If he hadn't regained consciousness at all since his attack, I would be more concerned. We'll see what the CAT scan indicates and go from there."
"Can I see him?"
Dr. Yates shook his head. "Not right now; I'll come back and talk to you when I know more," the doctor promised. "Don't worry; we'll take care of him."
"See that you do."
As Yates went back in the triage room, Gibbs stared through the window in hopes of catching a glimpse of DiNozzo. The nurses had cleaned some of the blood off his face making the bruises and jagged cuts even more pronounced. Maybe it was a good thing that Tony was unconscious; at least he wasn't feeling any pain at the moment. DiNozzo already had to deal with the emotional agony that his father seemed intent on putting him through and now he was going to have to handle the physical suffering that had been caused by Senior's inability to be honest with his son.
"Hey Boss?" McGee called out to him, dissipating his private thoughts into oblivion.
"What, McGee?" he tiredly sighed as he turned to face the younger man.
"I uh…was just going to remind you about Tony's father. The nurse came back while you were talking to the doctor and said that Mr. DiNozzo really wanted to see Tony; I uh…just thought I'd let you know."
Gibbs visibly bristled at the mention of Senior's name. "Go and talk to him, McGee," he ordered, his crisp tone and steely gaze daring the young agent to dispute his instructions.
"Me?" McGee gulped. "What do you want me to say?"
"I don't care what you tell him, McGee."
"Do you want me to tell him about Tony?"
Gibbs shook his head; he wanted that duty for himself but right now, he truly didn't know anything more than what the doctor had told him. However, he had a few other things that he wanted to say to Tony's father and Gibbs wanted to make sure that the elder DiNozzo clearly understood that he was responsible for Tony's condition. He realized that he was going to have to confront Senior with a clear head and right now, his concern for Tony was foremost on his mind.
"No, Tim; just keep him occupied until I get there."
"But what if he asks about Tony?" Tim wanted to know.
"Tell him that you don't know where he is; technically it won't be a lie."
"Don't you think that he's going to…"
"McGee! Just handle it!"
Why did McGee have to make everything so complicated? Maybe one of these days, he would pay better attention to how DiNozzo dealt with McGee's ability to over think everything; over the years, he had learned so much from Tony and he could only hope that he got the opportunity to learn even more.
Without uttering another protest, McGee made a hasty retreat down the corridor towards the elevator as Gibbs once again found himself staring through the window at Tony's still form.
"A bit hard on him, don't you think?" Fornell asked.
"Nope."
"Look, I know you're worried about DiNozzo, but…"
The glare that he was now bestowing upon his old friend was usually reserved for suspects. Gibbs still wasn't interested in any false assurances or any other words of wisdom that Fornell had to give; until he knew for sure that Tony was going to pull through, attempts at consolation would not be welcomed.
"Not now, Tobias."
He was forced to stand aside as the door opened and the medical team pushed Tony's gurney down the hallway towards the elevator. The fact that DiNozzo was still unconscious didn't stop him from pushing his way in between a couple of nurses in order to give his agent's shoulder a gentle squeeze; he wanted to make sure that Tony knew he was there and that he had his back. He stayed beside the gurney until they reached the elevator.
"Hang in there, DiNozzo," he whispered in Tony's ear as he was whisked away.
"I'll let you know something as soon as possible," Yates vowed once again.
Gibbs acknowledged the doctor with a barely perceptible nod. As the doors closed, he leaned against the wall as he continued to silently urge Tony to fight; his senior field agent had told him a long time ago that DiNozzo's didn't give up and Gibbs could only hope that those words rang true today.
"Let's go get some coffee," Fornell suggested.
"I don't want any coffee," Gibbs growled.
"Well, since the hospital doesn't have a vending machine that disperses bourbon, you're going to have to settle for coffee. Come on, they'll know where to find us."
Knowing that at the moment, there was nothing he could do but wait, he reluctantly joined Fornell as they made their way to the cafeteria. Gibbs briefly considered relieving McGee but it would be a while before he was ready to face Tony's father; he personally held the elder DiNozzo responsible for what happened to Tony and it would be very easy for him to forget that the man had just had heart surgery. No, it was better for McGee to deal with him; he would meet Senior face to face soon enough.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
McGee blew out a pent up breath as he lightly rapped on the door. He still wasn't sure exactly what he was supposed to say to Tony's dad but Gibbs expected him to handle the situation; Gibbs and Tony were counting on him and he didn't want to let either one of them down. The team leader was a father figure to them all and Tony was the big brother that he never had; they were a family and if there was one thing he had learned from Gibbs and DiNozzo, it was that they took care of their own.
"Mr. DiNozzo?" he tentatively called out, poking his head through the door. "It's Agent McGee; I work with Tony."
"Come on in!" Senior greeted, his normally strong voice weak and dripping with fatigue. "It's good to see you again, McGee. Pardon me if I don't get up but…"
Upon the elder DiNozzo's request, McGee entered the room. Taken back by Senior's ashen appearance, McGee had to remind himself that this wasn't the same debonair man that he had first met; Tony's father looked vulnerable and weak and that was going to take some getting used to. "That's okay," he replied. "I don't expect you to get up; you just had surgery and you need to rest."
"DiNozzo's are quick healers," Tony's father assured him. "I should be up and around in a day or so, especially with the proper motivation."
Confused, McGee asked, "Proper motivation?"
"Have you seen my nurses? Beauty can motivate a man to do many things, including getting out of a sick bed," Senior pointed out.
"I guess so," Tim agreed as he took the seat beside Senior's bed. "Can I get you anything, Mr. DiNozzo?"
"Call me Tony, please."
It was going to be difficult to honor Senior's request; to McGee, there was only one Tony DiNozzo and he was downstairs in the ER fighting for his life. "Okay, I'll try."
"So, what brings you by, Tim?" Senior inquired.
"Uh…well, I heard you were in the hospital, so I just thought I'd drop by and see how you were doing."
"That's very considerate of you; you didn't bring Ziva with you?"
"Uh, no. She's out of town right now but I'm sure she'll come and see you the minute she gets back."
"Could you raise the head of my bed a little?"
Tim did as Senior requested and when the man indicated that he was comfortable, he placed the control within Tony's reach and sat back in his chair. "Anything else?"
"No, thank you. Anyway, back to Ziva; when did you say she'd be back?"
"In a couple of days."
Senior shook his head. "If Junior keeps dragging his feet, I may have to step in; Ziva's quite a woman. Do you think Junior will ever make his move?"
Tim wasn't sure how to answer his question. The best word he could think of to define Tony and Ziva's relationship was enigmatic. They still flirted and teased each other but sometimes things still seemed strained between them; McGee wasn't sure that Ziva had completely forgiven Tony for shooting her lover, Michael Rivkin, and the subsequent turmoil that had followed, but over time, things were slowly beginning to get back to normal.
"I don't know," he finally replied. "I guess we'll have to wait and see." McGee knew it wasn't what Senior wanted to hear, but it was the only answer that he could come up with.
"I guess you're right, but if he doesn't make his move soon, I may just have to take that as a sign that the way is clear for me."
Tim nervously cleared his throat. "Uh…I don't think…I mean, isn't Ziva a bit…"
"Young?"
McGee reluctantly nodded, hoping that he hadn't offended the older man. Sometimes he had a tendency to speak what was on his mind before his brain stopped him; fortunately Tony's father didn't seem to be upset by his words. Instead, Senior began regaling him with his past loves; the one thing that all those women that he recalled had in common was that they were very young, sometimes younger than Tony.
He couldn't help but wonder how Tony must have felt every time he had been introduced to one of his father's girlfriends; several of those women had become Tony's stepmother as well and that had to be both awkward and frustrating. Tim was quickly developing a new level of respect for his friend as he gained a better insight into the events that made Tony the man he was today.
It had taken Senior almost an hour to regale him with his past triumphs and failures. Tim was surprised at how exhausted he was just from listening to Tony's dad; he wasn't sure how much of what he had been told was the truth but it wasn't his place to judge the ailing man. It did bother him that in all his marriages and relationships, Senior didn't mention anything about Tony and how his philandering ways had affected him. McGee now understood why Tony was so guarded and at the moment, he couldn't blame his comrade for hiding behind the class clown façade; it was a lot easier to do that than to risk being hurt.
He thought that Tony's dad had worn himself out from talking and that he would go to sleep; unfortunately, McGee's hopes were dashed when after taking a drink of water, Senior began to question him again.
"So, are we done with the small talk?" Senior asked.
"Uh…small talk? I'm not sure what you mean…Tony."
"I appreciate the visit, McGee, but you're not here on your own free will. Where's Anthony?"
"Uh…you…you mean Tony? He'll…uh…be here as soon as he can," he stammered.
"McGee, you can't con a con man."
"No, uh…I guess not." McGee had tried to warn Gibbs that Senior would figure out something was amiss but the team leader had ordered him to handle it. "Tony's tied up at the moment and so I thought that I would come and keep you company." It wasn't a lie but then again, it wasn't exactly the truth.
"Tied up?" Senior pressed. "Is something wrong?"
Once again, he found himself struggling to come up with an answer that would satisfy Senior's curiosity. McGee suddenly found himself wishing that Gibbs would come striding through the door, but unfortunately, fate wasn't going to be that kind. What was he going to tell Tony's dad? Senior seemed to intuitively know that something wasn't right and that McGee wasn't being completely honest.
"McGee," Senior called out.
"Sir?"
McGee swallowed hard as he met Senior's hardened gaze. "I'm only going to ask you this one more time; has something happened to Tony?"
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXGibbs paced the small waiting room sipping the steaming brew that Fornell had bought him. His friend had attempted to get him to eat something in the cafeteria but the team leader had refused; he wanted to be sure that Dr. Yates could find him whenever he had something to report regarding Tony's condition. Glancing at the wall on the clock, Gibbs mentally calculated that only an hour had passed since Tony had been taken down to X-ray; his aversion to waiting was exacerbated by each second that ticked off the clock.
"Wearing a path in the floor isn't going to make the doctor walk through that door any faster," Fornell pointed out.
The former Marine stopped in mid stride and glared at Fornell. He knew that the FBI agent was right but he didn't care; Gibbs wanted someone to come and tell him what was wrong with his senior field agent. "It'll make me feel better," he snapped.
"Maybe, maybe not," Fornell replied. "However, you're making me dizzy; now sit down."
Gibbs acquiesced to the other man's request and took a seat beside Fornell. "Happy?" he growled.
"For now."
He could sense Fornell studying him. Trying to ignore his friend, he sat back against the hard, vinyl cushion and pinched the bridge of his nose in an attempt to ward off the headache that was trying to strike up a drum and bugle corps in his skull.
"Want to talk about it?" Fornell asked.
"About what?"
"About what's eating you?"
Gibbs took another drink of his coffee; the last thing he wanted at the moment was to talk. He wasn't known for holding lengthy conversations and he wasn't about to start now. "Not really," he tiredly sighed.
"It might help."
"I'll be fine once I hear that DiNozzo's going to be all right," Gibbs declared.
"What are you going to tell Tony's dad?"
"The truth."
"Are you sure that's wise? He just had heart surgery," Fornell reminded him.
Gibbs felt his entire body tense; he couldn't stand the thought of anyone taking up for Tony's father. He was not going to let Senior off that easy; DiNozzo's dad was going to have to start taking responsibility for his actions and stop expecting his son to clean up after him. "I know that, Tobias! Because of that man, Tony was beaten within an inch of his life and he still might die!"
"Sounds like you've already given up on DiNozzo; I don't think he'd appreciate that."
"I'm not giving up on Tony; I'd…"
"Agent Gibbs?"
Gibbs pushed himself up off the couch and met Dr. Yates as he entered the waiting room. "How's Tony?'
"He's doing better than we initially thought," Dr. Yates informed him. "There is some internal bleeding but we're going to try and let it stop on its own; his kidneys are bruised from the beating and he's passing some blood in his urine but that should clear up in a few days. He's definitely got a broken wrist and a couple of broken ribs; he's going to be pretty sore for a while. We finished stitching up some of the lacerations; he had several deep ones on his face but I think the scarring will be minimal. Whoever worked him over knew what they were doing."
"Has he regained consciousness?" Gibbs anxiously inquired.
Yates nodded. "Yes and he's asking to see you. Now, keep in mind that he took a pretty good blow so he's still pretty groggy. He's being settled in ICU so we can observe for him until the bleeding stops; the nurse will come and get you when he's ready. There's a waiting area outside of ICU," the physician said. "It's a bit more comfortable than this one."
"Thank you."
"My pleasure."
Gibbs exhaled slowly. It was going to take some time but Tony was going to be all right, at least physically. Dr. Yates excused himself and left the two men alone. Turning to face Fornell, he took the fresh cup of coffee that Tobias offered to him. "I'm going up to see Tony," he announced. "I need you to get back to investigating Brewer; as soon as I free up McGee, he'll be at your disposal."
"I'll be in touch," Fornell promised.
He quickly made his way towards the elevator so he could go to the ICU waiting area. Gibbs hoped that he wouldn't have to wait long to see Tony; he needed to see for himself that he was going to be all right. Because of the paternal bond that he felt with DiNozzo, he understood the pain and suffering associated with watching a child suffer; he had already lost one child and he didn't think that he could go through that agony again. Tony had also experienced his share of hurts, both physical and emotional but Gibbs was determined that no one would ever hurt his son again, even his own father.
Two posts in one day! Consider it a really late Christmas present or a really early one, depends on how you look at it! I actually got to do some writing over Christmas! I do hope that everyone had a splendid holiday and is ready for another year of angst and whump!
Hope you enjoy the post and I do hope it's been worth the wait. Off to finish another chapter or maybe do some proofing! Thank you all for being such loyal and wonderful readers; your support and encouragement mean so much and I hope you continue to enjoy my stories!