Chapter 93—Part 2

AN: Have some tissues handy. JL

Carson was still in shock. When he had gone to work he that day he had a perfectly healthy family. Now, his wife was dead, and his little girl was in the hospital. His mind was still reeling from it all. But, he could see that Tony was not comfortable with trying to explain things.

Carson nodded. He would talk to Dr. Williams.

Tony volunteered to stay with Megan while Carson talked to the doctor. She just sat in his arms, leaning against his chest. One of the nurses had given her a teddy bear, and she clutched it to her chest. Her tiny body shook as she cried.

Tony had no words. He had had to tell loved ones, many times over in his career, that someone had died. But never a child. That was usually reserved for the parents or guardians. This was different, Megan was his adopted niece. And, she was a very smart girl.

Megan didn't have a great understanding of death. But, she had a friend in her class that had lost her father. He had died in Iraq almost a year ago. Megan had visited with her friend at her house. She had been to the school's psychiatrist to help her understand what her friend was going through.

"Mama's gone to heaven, Tony." Megan said as she leaned against his chest. "Just like Amanda's daddy."

Tony nodded. "That's right, Megan. Mama's okay now. Her head is not hurt anymore. She's gonna…" He paused as the emotion came into his voice. "…she is gonna be able to see you. She's gonna see her little girl grow up."

Megan looked up at Tony. "She can see me from Heaven?"

Tony nodded. "She can."

"Why couldn't she stay down here?" Megan whined as she bowed her head. She brushed new tears out of her eyes.

Tony shook his head and sighed. "I don't know, Baby. Sometimes people don't get to stay long down here. I think God needs them in Heaven. He has important stuff for them to do."

"Being my mama was important." The little girl said.

Tony closed his eyes for a moment, and a tear rolled down his cheek. The statement broke his heart. It took him several moments to respond.

"Yes, it was. And she will always be your mama. And she was a good mama. Nobody loved any little girl more than she did you, Megan." Tony closed his eyes again as more tears rolled down his cheeks.

"Mama was supposed to stay here. She was supposed to see me grow up." Megan sobbed into Tony's chest.

"Megan." Tony said, causing the little girl to look up at him. "You know what you have to do now?"

Megan shook her head.

"You have to be a big girl." Tony told her. "You have to help Daddy through this. He's going to be really sad. You need to help him out when he asks you to do stuff. You can be sad and cry with him, too. But, you might have to help with the dishes, help wash clothes…."

Megan nodded. "Mama was teaching me how to wash clothes and wash dishes. She let me bake cookies, all by myself, once."

Tony smiled and nodded. "Good, you can help Daddy when he needs you. And he's going to need a lot of help."

Megan nodded. "Mama said Daddy was an awful cook."

Tony shook his head and chuckled. "Well then, maybe you can teach him how to cook."

Megan nodded and wiped her eyes.

Gibb knew it was going to be an off day. He knew it as soon as he got off the elevator. He spotted DiNozzo asleep at his desk. He walked on by and sat his things on his desk. He then started to leave the bullpen.

"Morning, Boss." Tony said as he wiped the sleep from his eyes. After his night of hell in the ER, he had not fallen asleep immediately when he had finally gotten home. He had slept fitfully and had finally just gotten up, gotten dressed, and headed into work.

Gibbs looked at Tony. "You should have called in."

"I look that bad?"

Gibbs didn't answer, immediately. "Bad night in the ER?"

"Horrible." Tony sighed. "My neighbor, Claudia…."

Gibbs nodded. He remembered her well. She was always coming and going from her apartment. She made and sold decorative candles. And she always seemed to be making deliveries.

"She was…she and Megan went shopping. Lots of stores had special midnight shopping hours." Tony sighed. He could feel himself getting emotional, as if the reality of the situation was hitting him for the first time. He cleared his throat. "They were both…. They were at the beginning of the line when the doors opened." He sighed. "Claudia passed away at 3:24 a.m." He shook his head. "I was literally walking to my car when my cellphone rang." He sighed again. "Complications from surgery. Severe skull fracture."

Gibbs remained silent, watching his agent carefully.

Tony told Gibbs what happened. Tony had returned the room that Carson and Megan were in. They were not there. He then headed up to the ICU waiting room. Carson was on the phone, giving his and her relatives the bad news. Megan was curled up in one of the waiting room chairs, just staring at the floor. She looked up when she heard Tony's voice. She climbed into his lap as soon as he sat down. She leaned against him and began to cry.

"What am I supposed to do with that?" Tony was heartbroken for the little girl. And it had triggered his memories of his own mother's death. "I couldn't…I sat there, with her for an hour or more. Her dad, Carson, he was…." The agent shook his head. "What…?"

Gibbs sat down on the edge of Tony's desk. He smiled.

"What?" DiNozzo asked.

"That little girl needed you." Gibbs stated. "You did the best and the only thing you could do, Tony. Be grateful you could be there for her."

"It doesn't seem like it's enough."

"She will remember that for the rest of her life, Tony." Gibbs paused. "You said both. So, Megan's injuries weren't bad?"

Tony shook his head. "...twisted ankle…a few cuts and bruises. Considering that they were basically crushed, Megan got off very lucky."

"When did you finally get home?" Gibbs asked.

Tony shrugged. "About 5 a.m. I guess. I sat with Megan while Carson talked to the surgeon. He's…he's still in shock. I drove him and Megan home. Carson was…he was in no shape to do much of anything. I couldn't let him drive like that. His car is safe in the hospital parking lot until he can go get it."

Gibbs just stood and looked at him for a bit. "You can still go home."

"I'll go sleep on Abby's couch." Tony said, getting up and stretching. "I need to tell her about Claudia, anyway. Every time they saw each other, they would strike up a conversation. And, Abby just loves little Megan."

Gibbs nodded as Tony left the bullpen.

McGee and Kate showed up a few moments later. Tim looked around. "Is Tony here?" He saw Tony's backpack, but no Tony.

Gibbs nodded. "He's down in the lab."

Tim started to leave the bullpen.

Gibbs stopped him. "He needs to sleep.

Tim stopped and turned. "I heard on the news. That awful stampede, the midnight rush. They said several of the folks went to Bethesda…."

Gibbs nodded. "One of Tony's neighbors…."

Tim was in shock. He had met several of Tony's neighbors and they were all very nice people. He was afraid of what Gibbs' next words would be.

Kate had heard the news, too. And she wondered the same thing. She knew that this weekend was Tony's weekend to work.

"Tony said Claudia Fisher died in surgery." Gibbs started.

"That's…she lives next door to Tony!" Tim said.

"Megan's mom!" Kate said, putting the pieces together. She had heard Tony talk about the Fisher family enough to feel like she knew them. "Is Megan…how is she?"

"Sprained ankle, bruises, nothing too serious." Gibbs replied.

Both Tim and Kate breathed a sigh of relief.

Kate shook her head. "That poor girl! So young…!"

"Tony said he didn't get home until about 5 a.m." Gibbs stated.

"Then in here at 7 a.m." Tim said, astonished. "Why didn't he just call in?"

"Abby is letting him borrow her couch for a few hours." Gibbs told them.

Abby run to hug Tony when he came into the lab. But she stopped herself. Tony looked very tired. She gave him a gentle hug and then patted his chest.

"Are you okay?" Abby asked.

Tony shook his head and ran his hand over his face.

Abby led Tony to her office. He immediately sat down, then laid down, on the couch she had in there. Abby found a blanket and spread it out over him. But the time she had turned off the light and left the room, he was asleep.

Tony was up and moving around her back office at lunch time. He smelled the aroma of her lunch and came out into the lab to see what she was having.

It was Chinese food and it smelled wonderful. Abby had ordered enough for Tony, so he helped himself. He took a couple of containers and a pair of chopsticks and headed back to her office to eat.

Abby could tell that something was bothering him. She waited but he seemed very reluctant to talk to her about it.

"Bad E.R. shift?" Abby asked.

"Horrible." Tony said, sitting aside his food. He had no idea how he was going to tell Abby about Claudia. "You show the Black Friday incident?"

Abby nodded. "Horrible stuff!" She said, shaking her head. "People dying, just to go shopping. So senseless!"

Tony didn't know what to say.

"What?"

"Claudia and Megan…."

Abby just looked at him for a moment, afraid what he was going to say.

"They went…they went shopping, to get all those good deals." Tony sighed. "Megan ended up with a twisted ankle. Claudia…Claudia had…she had severe brain damage. She…she died on the operating table."

Abby shook her head. "That's…that's not…." She blinked as tears flowed down her cheeks. "We were just talking…I was asking her about some gift ideas for Megan. I had found this cute doll for her. But, I…I didn't want to get it if she already had one. I…that's…" She shook her head again. "That poor little girl. And, Carson, he's an only parent now." She paused. "How is he…?"

Tony buried his head in his hands. "He…I took him and Megan home last night…well this morning, about 5 a.m. He's still in shock."

"They were…they were such a great family. Carson and Claudia were so much in love. And they both thought the world of Megan." Abby said. "It's just so sad."

Tony nodded. He stood and stretched.

Abby looked at her friend. She read his mind. "He's not been down here yet. And I am in desperate need of a Caf-Pow."

"He told me I should have called in this morning." Tony told her, as he grabbed another few bits of food. "I'll head on upstairs."

Abby grabbed him by the arm stopping him. She hugged him tightly. "I'm so sorry, Tony. I know that was hard for you." She paused. "We have to make Megan's Christmas extra special this year."

Tony nodded, kissed her cheek and then left the lab.

TBC