Chapter 26
Tony was looking at a magazine when the nurse came in to get Gibbs up. She was not happy to see Annie laying there, but Tony hushed her as he gently moved Annie.
"Agent Gibbs, we are going to see if you can set on the side of the bed." the nurse said as she raised him up and helped him turn swinging his legs off the bed. He felt light-headed and in pain. "How do you feel?"
"Weak and sore." he managed to get out.
"The doctor has ordered the tube out of your chest today and when I do that I will take the catheter out too. Then we will get you up walking."
"Ok." he winced.
"Let me check your dressing while I'm here. If you feel up to it we'll get you a sponge bath later also. Now let's get you back down."
He gritted his teeth as he laid back. This was not going to be a fun day, he thought. He looked over at Annie still out from exhaustion. He hoped she would sleep a while longer.
Fifteen minutes later Annie opened her eye to find she was being held by Tony. She felt like a bouncy ball. She stirred and slowly sat up.
"How is he?" she asked looking at Jethro's still body.
"Nurse came in set him up for a few minutes, they are going to come back this afternoon and get him up to walk. Shadow said he brought you some saltines and you should try to eat something."
"I don't know."
"Mom you have to stay strong, try just one." he said handing her a couple. She took them and starting nibbling. He got her some ginger ale to wash them down.
"Dad you want some ice chips?" Tony asked spooning some out for Jethro. He took them hating feeling this helpless.
Annie ate four crackers and drank half a cup of drink. She leaned back in the chair to see if it was going to stay down. She had not eaten much the past week. She wasn't sure what she had picked up but it didn't want to go away.
Annie kept the crackers down about twenty minutes before she felt the nausea trying to sneak back in. She moaned softly to herself.
"Mom are you ok?"
"Yeah must have picked up a stomach bug somewhere."
"Annie you need to go home and rest." Jethro said without opening his eyes.
"No as long as you are here so am I. How do you feel?"
"Really sore, weak, head gets a little fuzzy still."
"Can I get you anything?"
"No baby, just sit down and rest." he said.
Tony flipped on the tv to see what he could find to watch. He had the volume down low so Jethro could sleep without disturbing him.
The nurse came back to remove the tubes. "If you will step out I will remove the tubes and get him ready to get up."
"No, he will not be left alone with anyone. Do what ever you need to do." Annie said crossing her arms. The nurse looked a the determined look on her face not sure what to do.
"Go ahead." Tony nodded.
As the nurse removed bandages Annie slowly started turning pale. Tony noticed her beginning to sway slightly and reached out a hand to hold her.
Ziva happened to walk in and Tony handed Annie over saying, "Take Mom out for a little air Ziva."
"Ok Tony," she said taking Annie from him and walking with her down the hall. "Let go find the cafeteria."
Ziva sat two trays on the table where Annie was sitting. She pushed one in front of her saying, "Eat, you will feel better."
Annie looked down and saw a muffin, fruit and hot tea. She picked up the tea and took a small sip. She picked up a fork and broke off a small bite of muffin. Ziva watched as she picked at the muffin taking a bite here and there. She sipped the hot tea letting it warm her up.
"Ziva after I get Jethro back home and he is doing better, I want to continue with my training. I want to know how to disable an attacker and kill if I have to."
"I will teach you to defend yourself Mom, but you do not need to know how to kill."
"Only as a last resort. It wouldn't be something I would want to do."
"We will see."
"I want to get better at shooting too."
"That we can do now eat some more to keep your strength up."
"I'll try." she sighed.
"Mom, did Dad ask you to marry him?" she asked curious like.
"He did, before all this happened. I was going to have you girls help me plan a simple, family only ceremony. Love to do it outdoors, nothing fancy, absolutely no white dress." Annie dreamed.
After finishing up they went back to Jethro's room. The nurse had left leaving him sitting up in a chair by the bed. Ziva snuck her cell out and quickly began to text Trace what she found out so he could pass it alone.
"Jethro, feeling better?" Annie asked giving him a hug and kiss.
"I don't move very fast, but things are clearing up some."
"Dad, you are looking better." Ziva said.
"I'm out of here Dad. Do you need me to bring anything?"
"Yes how about some food." he said looking down at the liquid diet lunch, broth, crackers and jello.
"You need to eat it anyway." Annie said putting a straw in his tea. "Now drink."
Jethro grumbled to himself as he forced himself to drink the broth and tea.
"Do you think you can walk some?" Annie asked moving the tray.
"Yes, the sooner I can move the sooner I am out of here." he said standing up slowly as he held on to the IV machine.
"Let me get this gown fixed, don't need to flash everyone." she said adjusting his gown. She gave him support and he walked around the room several times.
"Just don't overdo it." Ziva told him standing by if needed.
"I won't. I think that was it, I need to lay down." he groaned going to the bed.
Ziva and Annie helped him back into bed and covered him up.
'Who's coming up next?"
"I think Flash."
"Have her stop at a department store and pick up a pair of pajamas for Jethro. I don't think he owns any."
"I'll let her know." she said taking out her phone.
Gibbs napped as Annie looked thru a magazine Tony had left. Her whole body was so tired, but she kept pushing it back. Hopefully, Jethro would continue to improve and would be released soon.
Flash showed up twenty minutes later with food and pajamas. Ziva accepted some food and offered some to Annie. She took one sniff of the sandwich and ran to the bathroom to be sick.
"Ziva is she sick again?" Jethro asked.
"Yes, probably the stress and not eating and no rest."
"Keep an eye on her." he told both of them.
"Annie wanted me to pick up pajamas." Flash said taking out the bottoms. "Want some help slipping them on?"
"Help me up, I think if you get them started I can get them up."
Flash and Ziva helped him to the side of the bed and Flash slipped them over his feet pulling them up until he could get them.
"Now lets walk." he told them standing up.
"I'll wait here for Mom," Flash told them.
"We will make a loop." Ziva told her as Jethro leaned on her the first couple of steps before slowly getting his balance and continuing toward the door.
Jethro was sitting up when the doctor came by, tired but looking better.
"Well you seem to be doing better today."
"Yes, I'd like the IV taken out now."
"We'll leave it in a few more days."
"Let me put it this way, either you take it out or I will." Jethro demanded.
"Now look…" the doctor started.
"No, I want it out and then I want released."
"If you leave, it will be against my orders."
"Fine what do I sign?"
"Jethro, you need to do what the doctor says."
"Annie I know how I feel."
"Doctor if you will take the IV out today and he is doing good tomorrow then maybe we could talk about releasing him?"
"I guess that would be all right. I will have a nurse come in and take out the IV." he said. Thirty minutes later the nurse was in to removed his IV.
McGee relieved Flash at six. "You're looking better Dad."
"McGee go down to the cafeteria and get me something to eat."
"What are you suppose to have?"
"McGee no, he's not to have solid foods yet." Annie told him.
"That is an order McGee."
"Mom, Dad!" he begged not liking being caught in the middle.
"Jethro, if you don't do what the doctor says…."
"Annie, I want real food."
"Jethro."
"Annie am I going to have to walk down there myself?"
"McGee go get Jethro a baked potato no salt or plain rice."
"Yes Mom." he said glad to leave the room.
"Annie come here and kiss me." Jethro said to her after McGee left. She walked over to him and leaned down to kiss him softly and then more passionately. "You do know I love you."
"Always and forever."
"Always and forever."
McGee was back with a baked potato and rice. "I wasn't sure which you would like." he said sitting down the food.
"I will eat one, if you will eat the other."
"No Jethro."
"Yes you need to eat too. So pick."
"How about I take a spoon of each and you eat what you feel like eating."
"As long as you eat too."
Annie took a spoonful of each and sat on the bed carefully eating what she had taken. She took a deep breath trying to be sure she would keep it down.
Jethro slowly ate his food glancing occasionally at Annie waiting to see if she was going to be sick. He was going to make her see a doctor if she kept it up.
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NC