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Prompt #34: Mistakes - They'd both made choices over the years, however misguided, that had kept them apart for far too long.
Words: 982
Where did it go wrong?
When did everything get so difficult?
Why couldn't she...
Why couldn't he...
Why didn't they?
Abby bit her index finger nervously. Next to her, McGee wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Gibbs stood by the door to the ICU, draining his fifth cup of horrible hospital coffee. They'd been there for almost four hours, but they didn't feel any need to leave.
It was supposed to be safe. A routine drive to pick up a suspect for interrogation. Tony and Ziva had been sent, bickering like schoolchildren about who would drive and why. They'd been all right.
And now they weren't.
Ziva had been shot just above her hip, a through and through that nicked an artery. In addition to a bullet in his thigh, Tony's elbow had been shattered. Both had lost a lot of blood. If Gibbs' gut hadn't sent out warning signals, they might've never made it in time. They'd be on Ducky's slabs in autopsy, not fighting for their lives under the knife of a different sort of doctor.
Abby was mentally preparing the greatest tongue-lashing in the history of EVER for them both. Of course, different versions were needed for Tony and Ziva - there was only so much one could hear that had the other cocking a head to go, "Huh?"
The doors opened, and out walked one of the surgeons. "Agent DiNozzo?" he called.
Gibbs jumped up. "I'm his boss."
"Agent DiNozzo is in recovery now. We were able to stop the bleeding and patch him up. You can go in to see him if you want."
They didn't need be told twice. Abby led the pack as she raced down the hallway in her platform boots, heading for the room. To her immense relief, Tony was sitting up, looking tired and pale but very much alive.
"Tony!" Abby shrieked, throwing her arms around him in a bear hug that drove all the breath from his lungs.
"Ow...Abs, can't breathe..."
"Oh! Sorry." Quickly letting go, she grabbed his hand tightly. "Are you all right now?"
"I've felt better, but I like the whole 'still alive' thing," he admitted. His eyes looked around, suddenly seeming to register the missing member of their team. "Where's Ziva?"
Amid the awkward silence, Gibbs spoke up. "Still in surgery."
"Surgery?" Tony repeated, sounding out of it thanks to the painkillers. "What? Why? She's fine." His eyes darted around, no longer seeing the hospital room as his memory took him for a trip of recollection. "She was fine - she gave me cover fire when I got pinned down, I ran back to her - " He looked at his sling-and-plaster-encased arm, frowning in confusion. "How did that happen?" he murmured.
"Think, DiNozzo," Gibbs said urgently. "The case. The PFC's house. His wife opened fire on you."
Tony nodded blearily. "Yeah, Ziva took cover behind the car. I was trying to hide behind the trashcans. She gave me cover fire to run back, and I felt the bullet hit my leg..." He looked down at the bandaged limb. "I fell behind the car. I remember Ziva pulling me back...I pulled out my gun and...and then I - I don't remember. I can't remember. Why can't I remember?" He was working himself into a small panic, evident by the frantic beep-beep-beep of the machine recording his heart rate.
"Agent Gibbs?" came the doctor's voice from outside. Their silver-haired leader stepped out to talk with him, leaving McGee and Abby to calm Tony down. He wasn't gone long. When he returned, Gibbs spoke directly to Tony.
"She's out of surgery. They're putting her in a room down the hall."
Tony's reply was just as direct. "I'm going down there. Get me a wheelchair."
A nurse wheeled on to his bedside; obviously Gibbs had expected the demand. Tony didn't flirt with the pretty woman, a clear indication of how worried he was for his partner. Once he and his IV were squared away, the team pushed Tony down the hallway towards where Ziva was recuperating.
Her eyes fluttered open when they entered, then shifted to rest on Tony's face. Abby saw the identical looks of relief that swept over their faces before it was tamped down with a smirk and sarcasm.
"Lookin' a little pale there, David," Tony said, motioning McGee to push him to her bedside. "Getting enough sun?"
"And you, DiNozzo? A new arm accessory, I see," she replied, her voice sounding raw and dry. "Is papier-mâché the newest rage?"
His grin was pure playboy. "You know how much I like staying stylish. You, on the other hand, are absolutely forbidden from wearing that gown ever again."
"Never thought you would complain about me being so scantily dressed."
"It's the wrong shade for you. Totally turning me off."
They continued to bicker good-naturedly, but Abby could see the mutual relief and attraction that simmered in their eyes. Making a pout that went completely unnoticed, she hooked her arm around McGee's and pulled the agent out of the room.
You've got to be kidding me!
Why were they always so blasted stubborn?
Didn't he care about her?
Didn't she want him too?
Why couldn't they just suck it up and admit it already?
Somehow this went into a totally different direction than expected...
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