Author's Note:
Thank you for the reviews…
Here is the next chapter… Enjoy and review soon…
ooooooOOOOOOoooooo
The coast guard confirmed that the NCIS team would be airlifted off the vessel first and that six other flights and two vessels were on route to pick up the rest of the passengers. So Gibbs sat for close onto 10 hours, one arm around Ziva and one hand clutching Tony's.
Tony awoke twice during the flight. Both times, he apologized to Gibbs and than whispered, "If I don't make it, I want you to know, you're my hero Gibbs." Then he would pass out again, leaving Gibbs close to tears.
Ziva just pulled Gibbs close and whispered reassurances to him, kissing his cheek and caressing his hair. During that flight, she admitted just how much she loved him.
Once at Bethesda, Tony was rushed into trauma 1 while the rest of the team was examined in the ER. Gibbs' meds were changed, his IV replaced and his wounds redressed. Abby underwent the same treatment. McGee was given a soothing salve for the bruises on his neck and Ziva was given a shot to sooth her inflamed sciatic nerve. Gibbs was admitted to the hospital, but refused to go to his ward until he got news about Tony.
So the whole team sat in the OR waiting room when Jenny called.
"Ah Jenny." Ducky updated her on everyone's condition. She said that she would be by as soon as the coast guard confirmed that everyone was safely back on dry land.
20 minutes later, Ducky stepped up to Gibbs and Ziva. He lifted Gibbs' eyelids and examined his pupils. Sighing he took his pulse and then placed a hand on Gibbs' forehead.
"Jethro, it's still going to be a few hours. You should go to your room and get some rest. You are exhausted and your vitals are erratic." Ducky stated.
"Ducky's right." Ziva said. She massaged her thigh and leg, the pinched nerve making its self-known, despite the pain medication she had received earlier.
"Boss, I'll come and get you the minute Tony's out of surgery." McGee said.
Abby had fallen asleep on the only couch in the room thanks to a sedative Ducky had her doctor give her. He would have tried the same thing with Jethro, but Gibbs threatened violence if Ducky drugged him again.
At that moment, a nurse entered the waiting room. Her face looked grim.
"Agent DiNozzo's family."
"Yes." Gibbs said as everyone stood up. Ziva took his hand and squeezed it tightly, fear coursing through his veins.
"Dr Potze asked me to give you and update. Agent DiNozzo has three fractured ribs. One of them pieced his liver and has done some damage. We have reset the ribs and stopped the internal bleeding."
"What about his shoulder?" Gibbs asked.
"The muscle and tendons of his shoulder joint have been severely torn. The doctors are still busy working on it, but they fear nerve damage."
"What exactly does that mean?" Gibbs demanded. Ziva wrapped her arms around him to keep him from getting any closer to the nurse, who had already back away.
"It means that we will not know how badly his mobility has been affected until he wakes up." Ziva felt Gibbs sway as he closed his eyes.
"Oh dear." Ducky exclaimed.
"How much longer will he be in surgery?" McGee asked.
"Another two or three hours. Once he is out of surgery, we'll move him to the ICU where he'll be placed in a medically induced coma to limit his movements. This will give his body a chance to heal and it will reduce his pain. I'm sorry, but that's all the news I have for you." She said before leaving the room.
"He can't lose the use of his arm!" McGee whispered what everyone was thinking.
Gibbs' legs trembled and he knew that he would fall if he didn't sit down. Ziva looked at Ducky and he nodded before leaving the room. Ziva steered Gibbs to a chair and held him close.
Gibbs was beyond exhausted. He was in intense pain from the gun shot wound, the near drowning and the kidney infection. But his emotional pain overwhelmed him. He was supposed to keep his team safe. But damn it, DiNozzo wasn't safe!
Ducky returned to the waiting room quietly. He looked at Gibbs who had his eyes closed before looking at Ziva. She nodded again. Ducky moved forward as Ziva pulled Gibbs into an embrace.
"Tony will pull through this Jethro." Ziva said as Ducky uncapped the syringe. "I know he will.
Ducky plunged the needle into Gibbs's IV line and emptied the syringe. Ziva continued holding Gibbs. She felt his tears on her cheek and turned to kiss him lightly. Moments later Ducky brought a wheelchair into the room. Ziva and McGee help Gibbs into it.
He didn't protest, the meds already making him sleepy. By the time they got him settled in his bed, Gibbs was fast asleep.
ooooooOOOOOOoooooo
Tony felt like he was floating in a dark, warm abyss. He was relieved that the burning pain has subsided and he was able to think again.
"Where am I?" He asked the darkness.
There was no answer forthcoming.
"Am I dead?"
"Nah. I can't be. Gibbs won't allow it." Tony smiled at that.
"Gibbs."
"You know," Tony looked around and the darkness remained.
"You're my hero. I never told you that."
"So I can't be dead because I still have to tell you."
"I can't be dead…"
White light flashed, followed by a kaleidoscope of colours. And with the colours, came voices.
"Yeah, I knew I wasn't dead."
And with the voices came…. Pain! White-hot blazing pain…
"Shit… Argh! Now I wish … I was dead." Tony shouted to the swirling world of colourful agony that surrounded him.
"Shit, my arm. What the hell is going on!" Suddenly he felt lightening race down his arm in rapid succession.
He heard a triumphant voice say, "He's one lucky Agent. Look at those fingers flexing. I think he's going to be okay. Josh, how are his vitals?"
"Stable but slightly elevated."
"Okay, Sandra, let's close him up and put him under."
As Tony wondered what they meant, the darkness closed in around him again. With it, the pain subsided and Tony drifted into oblivion.
ooooooOOOOOOoooooo
Author's Note:
That is it for this chapter…
The next sees the team visiting Tony…
And Gibbs and Ziva spend time sharing their pain and talking about the future.
McGee and Abby share a moment and then Jenny visits groggy Tony.