Ziva's eyes followed Tony's to his hand and then moved to her own shirt. She stared in horror at the blood splatter that covered both.
Tony insisted he was perfectly capable of walking back to Ziva's apartment. Ziva wanted to run ahead and return with her car but she was scared to leave Tony alone. The only other alternative was to call for an ambulance. Ziva knew Tony would be extremely angry if she did that. He seemed to be breathing normally so they slowly walked back to her apartment building. He continued to cough but there was only a small amount of blood mixed in his phlegm now.
Tony knew without a doubt that there was no way he was getting out of a trip to the emergency room. He was certain Ziva would haul him there at gunpoint if necessary. He called his pulmonary specialist's answering service and left a message during the drive to Bethesda. He hoped the doctor was already on duty. That would at least speed things up once they got to the emergency room. He tried to reassure Ziva a couple of times but finally gave up. Maybe a doctor would be able to convince her that he was okay.
Tony had been in the emergency room for almost an hour when Gibbs arrived. As Tony had hoped, calling his doctor had expedited the process and he was treated immediately after his arrival.
"Talked to the doc yet?" the lead agent asked.
"You called Gibbs? Ziva, come on! This is ridiculous. I'm fine. I haven't even coughed once since we got here. She wasted your time, Boss," Tony exclaimed.
"I needed to tell him we would be late. I did not ask him to come here," Ziva defended before turning to Gibbs, "He has had blood work, an x-ray and a breathing test…"
"Which I passed with flying colors, thank you very much. I have the lung capacity of a twenty year old," Tony bragged.
"A twenty year old plague survivor, you mean," Dr. Bob Miller interrupted. "Your bad cholesterol is down since your last check in October, by the way. Good job."
"Hey, Dr. Bob," Tony greeted the doctor who then looked quizzically at the others in the room.
The graying doctor was roughly the same age as Gibbs but the similarity between the two ended there. Dr. Miller had a wonderful bedside manner and usually developed a great rapport with his patients. He was popular among the hospital staff as well. He had a reputation for being able to explain complex medical issues in laymen's terms despite the fact that he was one of the best cardio-pulmonary specialists in the northeast.
"This is Dr. Bob, the lung guy Dr. Brad referred me to. My boss, Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, and my official worrier, Ziva David," Tony joked by way of introductions. Seeing Ziva's murderous glare, he quickly amended, "Uh, Ziva's also my girlfriend, partner at work, and her cooking is the reason my cholesterol is down."
"What's wrong with him?" Gibbs asked getting to the point.
"I ask myself that every day," Ziva muttered under her breath.
"Nothing that can't be easily fixed," Dr. Miller reassured them as he put Tony's x-rays on a lighted screen. "The plague left Tony with some moderate scarring on his lungs. It's very common especially among those that have had severe pneumonia. Sometimes we even find it in healthy lungs for unknown reasons. It can cause diminished lung capacity. In someone as healthy as Tony, though, that's not usually a concern."
"So why did I cough up blood?" Tony asked revealing that he truly was worried.
"We talked about this possibility," Dr. Miller reminded him. "There are a couple of areas of scar tissue that have calcified. As long as there is no reason to remove them, we leave them alone. Removing them means taking a little of the healthy tissue around them so you don't want to do it unless it becomes necessary. We just monitor them for changes at your annual appointment."
"So, have they changed?" Tony asked nervously knowing that could be a potential cancer indicator.
"No, the size and shape are still the same. One of them is irritating a nearby blood vessel, though. Over the long term that could leave you prone to infection. Lung infections are something I'd like to see you avoid. It's your decision but I'd recommend going ahead and removing them," Dr. Miller suggested.
"He needs surgery, yes?" Ziva asked.
"That's my recommendation. It's a fairly simple procedure done with a scope and camera. It does require piercing the chest cavity so there's a one night hospital stay but the recovery time is short. You'll probably be out of work about a week to ten days and on desk duty for a week or so after that. Your ribs are going to be pretty sore around the area where I insert the camera," Dr. Miller explained.
"Do I have to make a decision right now?" Tony asked earning him an incredulous look from Ziva.
"It's not urgent. You can plan around your life. Now if it were me and my doctor had an opening on say, Monday, March fifteenth, I'd do it then so I could spend the first week of March Madness on the couch watching basketball. Your Buckeyes are having a good year. Not as good as Duke, of course, but they'll at least make it to the Elite Eight," Dr. Miller encouraged.
When Tony didn't take the bait and defend his team's chances of going all the way, Gibbs knew he was upset. Both men remained quiet as Ziva continued to question Dr. Miller. She described the issues Tony had experienced while running in the cold wind. The doctor prescribed an inhaler and encouraged him to continue exercising. Ziva also told the doctor about the injury Tony had sustained the previous week. Dr. Miller assured her today's incident was unrelated. Finally, Ziva asked about the effects of the plague on Tony's other organs like his liver.
"With a normal strain of the plague that might be a concern but this one had a suicide chain. It stopped replicating before it spread beyond his lungs. Basically, you need to think of it as if he just had a severe case of pneumonia," Dr. Miller reassured her.
The doctor was highly amused by Ziva. He could tell she deeply loved Tony. I won't have to worry about him following my post-op orders, the doctor thought. This one is going to keep him in line for a long time.
The drive back to Ziva's apartment was quiet. Now that Ziva knew Tony was going to be alright physically, she began to focus on his emotional state. He was obviously unhappy about the prospect of having surgery. She knew he was not ready to talk about it, though, so she didn't push him. Gibbs had given them until ten o'clock to be in the office. Once they were back at her apartment, Ziva pulled Tony into her arms.
"We should shower together to save time," she whispered knowing he would welcome the distraction.
Her suggestion at least earned her a small smile and she gently pulled Tony into the bathroom with her. They barely made it to NCIS by ten. When the two arrived at their desks, Gibbs noticed that all the obnoxious bravado Tony had displayed at the hospital was gone. Instead, his mood gradually turned sour as the morning progressed. By lunch he had even rudely snapped at Abby for attempting to console him about his upcoming surgery. By mid-afternoon, Ziva had lost all patience and followed him into the men's room.
"I really thought you were finished with this routine now that we're dating. Talking to me while I take a piss at home isn't enough for you? Is this like some sort of weird fetish I should know about?" Tony snapped.
"You will not distract me from what I came in here to say. You owe Abby an apology. You were very rude to her and she cares about you. You need to stop acting like a pouting child," Ziva told him bluntly.
"Okay, Mommy, I'll say sorry right after I finish going potty," Tony said imitating a little boy.
"What is wrong with you?" Ziva asked attempting to keep her tone gentle despite her growing irritation.
"Um, I don't know, maybe I don't want to have surgery," Tony said sarcastically.
"That is understandable but you need to get over it. It is necessary. It will be unpleasant but you are in good physical condition. You will heal quickly and put it behind you," Ziva said trying to be encouraging.
"Okay, thanks, I feel better now," Tony said as he finished drying his hands and stalked out of the bathroom.
Tony did go to Abby's lab and make things right with her before the day was over. Abby was the one person he normally treated with unfailing kindness and he felt really guilty for losing his temper with her.
"Tony!" she greeted him enthusiastically.
"Why aren't you mad at me? I was a jerk earlier," Tony asked.
"You're right. I should be angry. How dare you be so rude? Not nice! I was just trying to make you feel better," Abby said with a dark frown.
"I'm sorry," Tony said giving her his best puppy dog eyes.
"You're forgiven," Abby said with a smile as she pulled him into a surprisingly gentle hug. "It's going to be okay, you know. Just think about all the basketball and movies you'll get to watch."
"Yea, it'll be great. A regular staycation," Tony said attempting to smile.
At her apartment Monday evening, Ziva watched Tony with concern. He said nothing and picked at the dinner she had prepared for him. Finally, he gave up pretending to eat and took his plate to the sink.
"I'm going for a drive," he told Ziva and left.
As soon as she cleaned up from dinner, Ziva scribbled a note for Tony and went across the hall to talk to Lucy.
"I am very concerned about him, Lucy," Ziva told her friend after explaining the day's events and Tony's reaction to them.
"Poor thing. I'm sure this is very difficult for him. He is used to being strong and healthy. You know, my Matthew had to have hernia surgery shortly after we were married. He reacted much the same way as I recall," Lucy said.
"What did you do?" Ziva asked.
"Well, I took care of him, of course, but I left him alone until after he had the surgery. It's not a good idea to get too close to a bear with a sore paw unless you tranquilize it first," Lucy said. "I know it's not easy but just try to be patient with him, dear. He just needs to get through it. Let's make this an opportunity to show him he's loved, why don't we?"
Lucy and Ziva spent the next few minutes planning for Tony's surgery. Lucy was in her element as a mother and Ziva found it very amusing. She suspected Tony was going to be royally spoiled during his recovery.
When Tony didn't return from his drive by midnight, Ziva began to seriously worry. She would not have been surprised if he decided to sleep at his own apartment. She did at least expect a good night text, though. She had finally decided to call Tim and ask for trace on Tony's phone when she heard the door. She pretended to read her kindle nonchalantly while he changed into pajamas. Tony gave Ziva an obligatory kiss on the cheek, said good night, and laid down with his back to her.
"You are angry with me," Ziva said as she turned out the light and lay down beside him.
"No," Tony sighed. "Just not in the mood to talk. I would've kept driving all night but I knew you'd worry."
"You are right but you could have texted me. I understand if you need time alone to think," Ziva said as she snuggled against him and put her arm over his waist.
"I don't think I'm going to do this. Doc said it's elective and it's my choice. I'll just take my chances with infection. I can always do it later," Tony told her.
Ziva forced herself to remain calm. Overreacting was not going to help the situation. Something was wrong here and it had nothing to do with Tony's need for a simple medical procedure.
"Okay. It is your choice, my love," Ziva replied dropping a soft kiss on his neck.
"But you don't agree with it," Tony said as he rolled on to his back to look into her eyes.
Patience, Ziva reminded herself. Tony was obviously looking for a fight.
"I cannot say what choice I would make if I were the one facing surgery. I only know my concern for you. I love you and I wish to keep you with me for a very long time. If the choice for you to have this surgery were mine to make, I would be selfish. You would have the surgery and lower the risk in the future. But it is not my choice. It is yours," Ziva told him.
"Thanks for the guilt trip, Ziva. You say the choice is mine but you're going to manipulate me into it one way or another," Tony argued.
"That is not fair, Tony. How is it manipulation to tell you how I honestly feel? I will support you and continue to love you no matter what you decide. I am not like Eli and you should not accuse me of being that way," Ziva said with obvious hurt.
They lay in angry silence for a few moments while Tony absorbed the implications of his words. He reached over and pulled Ziva tight against him.
"I'm sorry, Princess."
"This is one of those times the past is interfering, yes?" Ziva asked.
"Maybe," Tony sighed. "I know I need to do this and I really don't want to. I'm pissed and you're here so you end up being my punching bag. Only you're not fighting back. It takes all the fun out of arguing if I end up hurting you. I never meant…you are nothing like him, okay?"
"I was very frightened this morning," Ziva told him.
"Yea, I know. Me too. I'm going to have the surgery, okay? But I can't promise I'm going to handle it very well."
"You will be very grouchy, yes? And whine about how much it hurts. You will be a very demanding patient. I will need to practice my nursing skills. I should start now. It is my bedside manner that needs the most work, yes? Hmm, let me think. How can I make you feel better?" Ziva said as she slid on top of Tony.
Ziva awoke before five the next morning alone in her bed. She listened closely for sounds of Tony stirring in the apartment. She smiled in amusement when she heard him talking softly in the living room. I believe I am not the only one who finds lizards to be good listeners, Ziva thought.
"I hate being sick. I always have. The nurse in the infirmary at school was always grouchy and mean. I guess she did it on purpose so you wouldn't want to stay. It's not so bad when you're in the hospital. You have all the nurses and doctors checking on you and people come to see you. It's afterwards at home that's so crappy. Sure, sometimes people drop by and bring you food but they've got their own lives, you know?" Tony said before he was startled by soft hands on his shoulders. "You could have warned me. It's a good thing your cooking has lowered my cholesterol or I really would have a heart attack from you sneaking up on me."
Ziva said nothing at first as she dropped to her knees and put her arms tightly around Tony's shoulders. Internally, she was berating herself for not realizing why Tony had been so upset all day. He hates being alone and he will stuck at home for almost two weeks, she thought.
"What?" Tony finally asked growing a little uncomfortable with the intensity of the moment. "Did you dream I died or something?"
"You will not be left alone, my love. That is why the idea of surgery upsets you so much, yes?" Ziva asked quietly.
"I guess," Tony admitted with a sigh.
"I promise you it will be different this time," Ziva said as she continued to hold him.
"How? You're not going to be able to get two weeks of medical leave. You don't even have that much personal leave," Tony reminded her petulantly.
"I am not the only one who loves you," Ziva assured him. "Lucy is home every day. I believe she sees this as her chance to make up for all of the mothering you did not receive as a child. She and I made a plan tonight. You may actually wish for time alone before you are fully recovered."
"You planned my surgery? Really? I guess I shouldn't be surprised," Tony said but this time his face lit with a boyish smile.
"Yes. I will take three days of leave. I will be at the hospital with you the entire time and I will stay with you the first day you are home. After that, Lucy will take care of you during the day and I will be home in the evenings. I am sure some of your other friends may wish to visit you as well," Ziva explained as she shifted around to sit in his lap. "You will be the center of our attention. You will get to watch basketball and old movies all day. Lucy even said she will watch Magnum with you."
"Will you buy me junk food and make me cookies?" Tony said finally getting into the spirit.
"No, I will not! You will be recovering from surgery and you will need a nutritious diet. I will make you tofu pizza with goat cheese on a whole grain crust and you will eat fruit for dessert and drink green tea," Ziva said emphatically.
"Tofu pizza? Ziva, that is just so many kinds of wrong. Why would you ruin perfectly good pizza…because you're joking, right?" Tony said hopefully.
"Yes, Tony, I am joking. I will make all of your favorites," Ziva assured him before growing serious. "I know this is causing you to relive bad memories. It reminds you of almost dying of the plague and of being left alone when you were a child. Surgery is not fun and you will not enjoy it but I promise you will know that you are loved. I would never let you face this alone."
"I guess I should have known that, huh?" Tony said sheepishly.
"Sometimes what we know and what we feel is not the same thing, my love. You must focus on the truth. You are the treasure of my life and I will take good care of you. We have done well tonight," Ziva said proudly.
"What do you mean?" Tony asked.
"We could have let the past interfere and let anger push us apart but we have talked and dealt with it together and without any real fighting. That is progress, yes?" Ziva said.
"You're talking about what I said about you manipulating me, aren't you? Ziva, I really just wasn't thinking…"
"That is part of it and, yes, I could have been very angry and refused to talk about it. But I am talking about how you feel as well. Now that you have told me what is really bothering you I will be able to help," Ziva explained.
"Well, technically I told Sammy. Let's just hope McGee never finds out we go to a lizard for couple's therapy. He'd have some serious revenge potential with that one," Tony joked.
The two weeks until his surgery passed more quickly than Tony would have liked. The team caught a case on Tuesday that kept them busy for the rest of that week and partially into the weekend. Ziva still found little ways to encourage and spoil Tony despite how busy they were. She teased him about being prepared for his convalescence. He responded by saying she made it sound like he was going to a nursing home. Still, he began to find little surprises that were meant to either prepare him for surgery or amuse him during his recovery. His favorites were the children's books about hospitals and the Spiderman pajamas he found in his dresser drawer at her apartment one night.
"How did you even find these in an adult size?" he asked incredulously.
"It is amazing what is available on the internet," Ziva replied.
Some of the gifts were a little more serious like a new robe with an Ohio State logo.
"We are not having a repeat of your not so embarrassing moment," Ziva told him. "I do not share. Your ass is for my eyes only."
"But I was so looking forward to my sponge baths in the hospital," Tony teased.
"And that is why I am staying with you in the hospital," Ziva replied with a mock glare.
By the night of the Capitals and Stars game, Tony was ready for an evening that was free of surgery talk. Fortunately, the team had wrapped up their latest case on Saturday allowing Tony and Ziva to leave work at a reasonable hour on Monday. James offered to pick up Lucy so everyone met at the Cooper's house before the game. When Ziva and Tony arrived, Ashlynn was giving Lucy the babysitter's laundry list of instructions while Gracie and Aidan were waiting impatiently for Miss Lucy to play with them. James was trying to keep them distracted so the two women could finish their conversation.
"I think I am all set, dear. I have your phone number if I have any questions. Your Gracie sounds a lot like one of my grandsons. My daughter used to call me in tears when he was a preschooler but he's been a joy as a teenager. Peer pressure has no effect on him because he's got such a strong mind of his own," Lucy encouraged.
Lucy was amused by Ashlynn's skeptical look. She had no doubt there were days when the young mother wondered if she would survive until her strong-willed daughter was a teenager.
As Tony had hoped, the evening was filled with fun for both of the couples. There was a lot of good natured ribbing between them over their favorite teams. The Capitals led the first two periods but the Stars goalie managed to keep his team in the game. Tony worried he might have to restrain Ziva when penalties caused the Caps to forfeit their lead and ultimately the game in the third period. The victory was a great pick up for the Stars who were struggling to sustain their play off hopes.
James was excited to tell Tony and Ziva that he had an interview with NCIS on Thursday. Tony noticed that James also seemed more at peace and wondered if his talk with Ziva was part of the reason. It was clear that Ziva and Ashlynn had bonded as friends over their lunch. At one point Tony thought he actually heard them discussing a shoe sale at a department store. It always amused him when Ziva dropped her ninja armor and acted like a typical girl.
Only two things marred the otherwise perfect enjoyment of the evening. Tony was forced to explain his upcoming surgery on the drive home. James had tried to recruit him to help coach tee ball. Aidan played in a local league. James was the coach but had yet to find enough assistants. Most of the kids on the team were without dads for various reasons and he had already drafted the only mom who knew anything about baseball. Tony was receptive to the idea but had to explain why he would be out of commission for the second half of March.
James and Ashlynn had many questions. They had never heard the story of Tony surviving the plague. Ashlynn also asked questions about all the logistics of the surgery itself and offered their help if needed. Tony was very touched by the concern of his new friends.
The other more sobering note to the evening was actually good news for the Martinez family. They would be moving to Florida in two weeks. Shortly after returning to work, Robert had been offered a manager position. The airline was planning to expand to Pensacola and Robert was taking one of the newly created positions at that airport.
"Robert is so excited. Lauren says it's no big deal since they get to fly for free. She says they'll be back to visit all the time. They're hoping Robert can work his way back to one of the bigger cities in the northeast over the next five years. It was too good of an opportunity for them to pass it up. The airline is really a great company. You should've seen the way they supported him while he was deployed. I bet someone called to check on Lauren at least once a week. She never had to mow the lawn once. Robert's coworkers took turns doing it for her," Ashlynn told them.
"Yea, Robert was known for getting the best care packages, too. His coworkers usually sent stuff for all of us. They even made us a huge banner to hang in our barracks and all these people signed it with thank you notes," James remembered.
"I'm sure it doesn't hurt that Robert is such a likable guy but he talks like that's the kind of thing they do for all the employees," Ashlynn explained.
By the time they arrived at the Cooper's house, Lucy was resting comfortably on the couch watching an episode of Dirty Jobs. The children had long been tucked into their beds. She claimed they had behaved like perfect angels all evening. Tony and Ziva were a little skeptical, though, when they tried to talk with her on the way home and found that she had fallen asleep.
The rest of the week was occupied by another case that was interrupted only by Tony's pre-op physical on Wednesday. In addition to the physical, Tony had to spend a few minutes filling out paperwork. He smiled as he listed Ziva as his emergency contact and signed a release allowing his doctor to discuss his condition with both her and Gibbs.
Tony and Ziva spent Saturday morning following their new normal routine. Ziva went to her synagogue while Tony purchased food for Sammy. After Ziva returned, they went for a run. Ziva had been insistent that Tony eat healthy and exercise consistently for the two weeks leading up to his surgery. She claimed the better his condition before the surgery the faster he would recover afterwards. He did manage to sneak a few candy bars behind her back but for the most part he followed her advice.
They were almost finished eating lunch with Lucy on Saturday when they were interrupted by a knock on the door. Tony opened it to find Tim and Abby carrying an assortment of electronic equipment in various boxes. They sat to work setting up one of Tim's old gaming systems with a variety of games from the eighties. They were games Tony would have played as a young child such as Pac Man, Donkey Kong, and Asteroids. There was no mistaking the "I told you so" look on Ziva's face.
Tim and Abby hung around and went out to dinner with Tony and Ziva Saturday evening. They invited Lucy but she declined with a wink at Tony. It took him a minute to realize she was playing matchmaker again. She thinks this will be a double date without her there, Tony thought incredulously. He always viewed Abby and McGee as a friends with benefits kind of thing. It was clear Lucy saw them as something more serious.
Sunday was much more strained as Tony began to feel a little nervous about the surgery itself. Ziva was surprisingly patient as his mood vacillated between inappropriate joking and grouchiness. It wasn't until they were ready to fall asleep that he realized she was a little bit nervous as well. Her resting with her head on his chest was normal. Her tight grip on him gave her away, though.
"Are you worrying about me?" Tony teased.
"I am not looking forward to seeing you in pain," Ziva replied. "And I do not like being out of control. I am used to watching your back. I will not be able to do that tomorrow."
Tony really had nothing to say to that since he knew he would feel the same if she were the one having surgery. They attempted to sleep since Tony had to be at the hospital by six the next morning. Neither of them was surprised by the alarm clock, though. The drive to the hospital was quiet. In fact, things remained very quiet until Tony was given the preliminary drug meant to relax him prior to going into surgery. Once it took effect, he began talking incessantly.
"This is like that night we spent in the hospital when you hurt your head. Sleeping together without sleeping together, remember?" Tony asked as Ziva lay with him on a bed waiting until it was his turn to be taken to surgery.
"Yes, Tony, I remember," Ziva replied.
"How come drugs don't make you loopy? You just fell asleep after Nurse Chatty gave you the painkiller. Not me. I'm the 'help, I'm talking and I can't shut up' type. Did you ever notice that about me?" Tony wondered.
"Yes, my love. I have noticed," Ziva said with an amused smile.
"I like it when you say that. It makes me feel really good. Do you like it when I call you a princess?"
"Careful, Tony. You are going to say things you will regret later. And, yes, I like it very much when you call me a princess," Ziva told him with a gentle kiss.
Fortunately for Tony, they were interrupted by a nurse and orderly with a gurney. It was time for Tony to go. The nurse directed Ziva to the appropriate surgical waiting room and told her Dr. Miller would find her there after the surgery was over. Despite the drugs, Tony was finally silent. Ziva leaned over him and gave him a tender kiss before watching him being taken away. Logically, she knew she had no reason to be so worried but it was impossible for her to stop.
Ziva had been in the waiting room about fifteen minutes when James Cooper approached her. Seeing her look of surprise, he quickly explained.
"I told you my grandmother raised me with old fashioned southern values. One of her cardinal rules is that you don't let the family sit alone when someone has surgery. Tony didn't mention anyone else so…"
"Yes, Tony's friends are his family. We have that in common. His mother died when he was young and his relationship with his father is distant. He was raised in boarding schools and summer camps. Thank you for coming," Ziva revealed.
"Is anyone else coming?" James asked curiously.
"No, they are investigating a murder. Gibbs is being very generous by allowing me to take leave until Thursday. I have strict orders to call both him and Lucy as soon as Tony's surgery is over," Ziva told him.
Ziva and James spent the next three hours talking about a variety of topics. James was much more talkative one on one than he was in a group. He and Ziva had many things in common including a love of books and American history. At one point, they were interrupted when James got a phone call from someone at NCIS. He learned he had been selected to attend FLETC and hopefully become an NCIS agent. Ziva listened with joy as he excitedly called Ashlynn and told her the news. After the first two hours passed, James noticed that Ziva began anxiously watching the door and listening eagerly each time a nurse or doctor entered the room. Finally, a nurse said the words he knew she had been waiting to hear.
"Family of patient Anthony DiNozzo," the nurse called out. After Ziva and James approached, she said, "Dr. Miller wanted to me to let you know that Mr. DiNozzo's surgery went well and he is on his way to recovery. The doctor will be here in few minutes to update you and you will be paged when Mr. DiNozzo is transferred to a room."
It was closer to thirty minutes before Dr. Miller entered the waiting area and Ziva was ready to jump out of her skin. She had sent Gibbs a text after the nurse's update but refrained from calling Lucy until she had any more information to share.
"Ziva, it went very well. I was pleased with how little of the healthy tissue I had to remove. Things look a lot better in there than I expected given everything he's been through," Dr. Miller spoke reassuringly before teasing. "Now we just have to make him behave while he is recovering."
Ziva sat reading her kindle while Tony slept peacefully in his hospital bed. The combination of the remaining anesthesia and a recently injected painkiller insured that Tony was comfortable. That had not been the case just an hour earlier. The anesthesia had made Tony nauseous. Ziva had been adamant about him not eating after midnight so he never actually vomited. However, all the dry heaving caused him considerable pain. It had been very difficult for Ziva to see him like this. He had an IV, of course, and had a tube in his chest as well. He looked very pale and weak. The worst part had been his pain, though. Ziva could tell that he was not exaggerating and it broke her heart.
By nine o'clock, Ziva was exhausted. The lack of sleep the night before had caught up to her. She converted the chair into a fold out bed and added the pillow and blanket from the closet. She knew she would not sleep but she intended to at least lie down. She was about to do just that when Gibbs walked into the room. He dropped a duffel bag at the foot of the chair/bed and waited for a report.
"He is finally sleeping again. They gave him something for the pain. Even the slightest movement makes his chest hurt," Ziva informed him.
"Alright, so more painkiller in four hours," Gibbs noted after reading the notes the nurse had put on the marker board on the wall. "Go home, Ziva. Get some sleep."
"But…I cannot leave him. I promised he would not be alone. He cannot be alone," Ziva protested emphatically.
"He's not going to be alone. I'm staying. You need to sleep, Ziva. You're going to have another long day tomorrow. You're not going to sleep if you stay here. Go home," Gibbs ordered.
Before Ziva could protest further, Tony mumbled a weak, "Hi, Boss. You the night shift?"
"Trying to be," Gibbs said with amusement.
"Ziva," Tony quietly called her over. When she was close enough, he reached for her hand, "He's right, Princess. We didn't sleep last night and there's no way you'll sleep here. Go home and come back in the morning."
"I promised I would not leave you alone," Ziva reminded him.
"You're not leaving me alone. You're leaving me with Gibbs. Gibbs isn't like you. He can sleep anywhere even an autopsy table," Tony replied.
Suddenly, Ziva realized what this would mean to Tony. Gibbs was truly acting like family. And there was no doubt in her mind that Gibbs knew exactly what he was doing. He had not questioned her at all when she told him Tony could not be left alone. Yet it was clear that Tony was capable of spending a night on his own in the hospital. He was coherent and able to call for a nurse if needed. He was by no means in critical or even serious condition. The reasons for someone staying were entirely emotional.
"Okay, my love, I will go home to sleep if it will make you rest easier," she gave him a soft kiss before whispering, "Good night. I love you."
"Good night, Princess. I love you," Tony said in a normal tone without any concern about Gibb's presence.
Ziva gathered her things reluctantly and told Gibbs goodbye before making her way out of the door. Gibbs watched her leave with concern and finally decided to follow her.
"Going to make sure she's not bedding down in the lobby," Gibbs told Tony.
"Good idea, Boss. She's a sneaky one. You better…"
Gibbs found Ziva waiting for the elevator. She looked tired and worried and a little sad.
"Is something wrong?" she asked with concern when she saw him.
"You tell me," Gibbs replied.
Ziva stared at him for a moment and her expression changed to a smirk, "You do not wish to hear the answer."
"You've gotten used to having someone else in the bed," Gibbs observed.
"Yes. I will miss him tonight but it is better that you stay. It means a great deal to him that you care enough to do it…" Ziva said before she was interrupted by the arrival of the elevator.
Gibbs had turned down the lights in Tony's room around midnight but still remained awake. Tony was asleep again but he was starting to get restless. He'd taken another dose of pain medication an hour earlier but he was still uncomfortable. Truthfully, Tony was having a rough night and Gibbs was glad Ziva wasn't here to see it.
"Boss, uh, I'm thirsty," Tony called. "The tray got moved last time they checked my temp. Maybe I can…"
"Don't move," Gibbs ordered knowing it would cause him pain.
After drinking a few sips of water, Tony said quietly, "I love her, you know."
"Heard you earlier," Gibbs replied.
"No, I mean I really love her. Like trying to decide if I'm done kind of love. I've been thinking about what happens if I marry her. Would you make one of us switch teams?" Tony asked candidly.
While Gibbs didn't doubt the honesty of Tony's words, he was sure the drugs were responsible for the ease with which he said them.
"No rule against it," Gibbs replied.
"I know NCIS policy allows it as long as she's not my direct report but I'm talking about you, Boss," Tony pushed.
"I'd have told you a long time ago if I had a problem with it, DiNozzo. Go back to sleep," Gibbs ordered.
Silence reigned for a few minutes until Tony spoke again.
"If she was your daughter would you allow it? Do you think I'm good enough for her?" Tony asked.
Gibbs sighed and contemplated not answering. The drugs had enhanced Tony's normal personality. He didn't usually know when to shut up and the drugs certainly weren't improving that. Gibbs knew he would persist until he got an answer.
"You asking for my blessing, DiNozzo?" Gibbs said with amusement.
"I can't exactly ask Eli, can I? If I'm any good for her at all, he'd try to get rid of me. That's just the kind of dad he is. You're the closest thing she's got to a father that actually cares about her," Tony explained.
"Any father ought to be proud to have you for a son-in-law, DiNozzo. Go to sleep," Gibbs said but then couldn't resist adding, "Eli's hoping for grandchildren. You ready to sign up for that?"
Gibbs smiled in amusement as Tony pretended to be asleep once again.
