I have seen the effects of Regressive behaviors and have attempted to keep it toned down in my story. That being said, I will need to move this forward to get where I need to be. Ziva's appearance will altar Tony's perspective some...his partner is his touchstone, not in a romantic way in this story but in a professional way.

When Gibbs returned to the room Tony had fallen asleep, underneath the blanket, which was odd but he pushed it back and took his seat. Tim and Ziva would finally be coming home, and he need them to assist in protecting Tony. Tony's childlike behavior was complicating things, he needed their assistance.

Abby entered the cubicle with treats in hand but she realized quickly that Tony was sleeping and handed them to the nurse then took her position by Tony's side, her arms wrapped her friend. She wondered to herself if her Tony would ever be the same, be the goofball, talented agent that she loved. She knew Tony had been through so much but she wanted her old Tony back.

Two Hours later

Bethesda Hospital

The room was still quiet, Abby and Tony were sleeping, Gibbs had taken a stretch around the room, and the opportunity to shave not only himself but a sound asleep DiNozzo. Most men couldn't sleep through such an experience but the nurses and techs had been wonderful in keeping him shaved during his time on the vent, stating that it assisted in keeping the tube in position if he was cleanly shaved. He only wished that he had a barber, Tony's hair had grown out to his early days on the team, too long for his liking.

He was startled by a noise from the nurse's station, it was Tim, carrying his luggage with him. He glanced over at the sleeping duo and then went to greet his agent and to see if they had anything else on the missing John.

The forth witness was elusive and evidently a mystery to the small town of Roanoke, nobody seemed to have seen the man out much and when they did he was described as well covered, no facial features could be detained, no descriptions of a man who had lived in the home for over a year.

"Hey boss! How's Tony?" he asked as he sat his luggage down and started for the glass room.

"Hold on Tim." Gibbs redirected his agent. "Where's Ziva?"

" She's on her way up, she had to take a pit stop at the lady's room. Too much coffee on the plane." he raised his eyebrows and smiled.

Gibbs smiled, he had been there before too. "Any updates? He asked, hoping for a lead.

"We combed that whole scene, not even a finger print boss, nothing that could give us a lead, just the note that was left behind regarding Elijah, uh , I mean Tony." Tim stuttered, not wanting to refer to his partner as Elijah.

"Have you spoken to Vance today?" Gibbs asked, knowing that he hadn't heard seen or heard from the man.

"No sir." Tim replied as he noted that Tony was now awake and starring through the glass at him and Gibbs.

Gibbs turned to see that Tony was now awake and he motioned for Tim to follow him back into the isolation area.

"Tony do you know who this is?" he asked as they approached his bed, but the look of confusion was plastered on his face.

"Another doctor?" he asked, his tone a little bit sarcastic, more like the old DiNozzo.

"No this is Tim McGee, an agent who works for me." he introduced the tall lean man.

Tim took in Tony's appearance, definitely not the Tony he had always known, his body riddled with wires, tubes, bandages and drains. He held up his hand and gave Tony a small wave, afraid to touch the injured, bruised man.

" What Timmy, you afraid to touch me? " he spoke without thinking, "You are a McFraidy cat." he let out a laugh then he reached over and tossed a sleeping Abby's pigtail over her face, playfully. Acting more like the old Tony they all knew, a surprise to Gibbs who took in his agent's new odd behavior.

Then a noise from the door got all their attention as Ziva entered the small space, Tony's eyes went wide as she entered.

"Hey Tony." her voice small, shocked at how sick her friend actually looked in person.

Tony looked as if he were in shock, and he remained quiet, taking in the woman before him.

"Tony, are you okay?" she was worried about his pale appearance, his quiet state. So were the others.

"Ziva?" he asked, his mind registering for the first time that he was not in his childhood but in the real world, the world where people get hurt, where things don't always go right. His partner and friend was standing before him and she looked so tired.

His eyes welled up with tears and then it came, the storm that had been held down so tightly, the pain that he had been hiding from, and he finally let it all out, Gibbs rushing to his side as did the others.

Abby awakened to a storm of emotions, she joined in, the hugs and consoling went on for over an hour, then Tony, exhausted, fell asleep again in Ziva's arms.

Tony was back but was it for good or just a moment of lucidity? They all sat quietly in the room, the nurse was concerned about his sudden realization of the present and had called both Dr Pitt and Dorothy Cannon who arrived simultaneously into the room.

"How is he? Dr Pitt asked the nurse as they entered.

"His pressure is up, but he's sleeping." she informed as the doctor started assessing his patient.

"Will he be okay?" Ziva asked, seeing the effects of his experience so up close and personal, she had never seen someone come out of trauma like Tony's unscathed before.

"That is the question, I've never dealt with anything like this before but Dorothy has and that is why we have her here." he turned to see the psychologist at his side.

"Tell me what happened." the psychologist needed to know his response.

"He recognized Ziva, then he cried for a long time , no words were spoken by Tony, then he fell back to sleep." Tim explained what he had witnessed, he was still shaken from the experience, it was fairly traumatic for all of them.

She nodded, the symptoms were familiar, "My partner just returned back from his sabbatical, he specializes in post traumatic stress syndrome, I would like for him talk to Tony."

Dr Pitt nodded to her suggestion but was still checking Tony's lungs and his pressure, ordering some medication. " I'm going to order Tony a sedative, it should keep him asleep for the rest of the night, I really don't want any set backs in his health."

"I would also like to put him on an anti depressant, maybe we can get that started tonight, they can crush it and put it into his feeding tube." Dorothy suggested, concerned that he might relapse back tp the childlike state.

The others listened as they attempted to find the best answers for what was going on with their friend. Gibbs felt that he knew what Tony needed and that was to be away from the blue lights and away from the hospital, but that was going to take time, maybe more than Tony had.

Abby reached over and stroked Tony's hair, she hated that her friend was in so much emotional pain, it didn't seem fair.

Tim felt uneasy, he had never experienced Tony so weak, so out of control and it scared him for his friend.

Ziva kept her arms wrapped around her partner, never moving or offering to let him go, he needed her as she needed him, they were partners and she really cared about his well being. Whatever it took she and the others would help bring him back to the team.

I like the Ziva and Tony partnership with Tim included. I felt the shock of seeing both of his partners, people he would die for, at the same time was the needed moment that jolted him back into reality. He feels protective of them. His mind had to react to them. Hope you liked...now we are moving forward...there is a story to finish.