Gibbs doesn't much like hospital waiting rooms. Not that anyone does. He especially doesn't like them when there are kids involved. Tony sits beside him, slumped, no longer crying but face not quite dry. He hasn't yet spoken, save for asking in a panic on the drive over where Ellie and the others are and if they're ok. Gibbs had explained to him the truth - that they're fine, and he'd sent Kate to collect them from where Ducky's been watching over them. That Ellie and Jimmy are the reason they're still alive, the latter having recognised Jenna's voice over the phone and the former having recognised Joe's. It was a close goddamn thing, but they'd told Gibbs and he was able to get there in time. As if he's summoned them with his thoughts, he hears Ellie's voice from across the room.
"Tony!" She catapults herself at him, and he wraps his arms around her reflexively. "You ok?"
Tony nods over her shoulder. She pulls back to look at his face. Tear stains cut tracks through the grime there. Jimmy bounces up behind her.
"Jimmy!" Tony chokes on a half laugh. "You're alright." He drops down to the floor and scoops Jimmy up in a hug too. "You did a good job, buddy. You saved us."
"Don't do that again." Jimmy says, all seriousness and determination. Tony takes a breath. The kid looks older than he ever has before. Braver, too.
"I won't." He says, and he says it sincerely. Nothing on this earth could make him leave them again. "Abby and Sarah?"
"They wanted to come." Ellie explains. "But Kate thought it'd be better if they didn't." Tony narrows his eyes at Kate, but then thinks about it and concedes. He nods his thanks to her, and she nods back. The moment of understanding passes as a nurse calls out.
"Leroy Jethro Gibbs?"
Gibbs stands and heads over, the kids trailing behind him like ducklings.
"How is he?" Gibbs asks the nurse.
"There was no fracture." He replies, and Tony has no clue what that means but he's smiling slightly like it's a good sign. "Just blunt force trauma and shock, his body needed time to rest. Still does."
"Can he come home?" Ellie asks, always the boldest of them when Tony isn't feeling himself.
"Well he'll need to stay in for observation for a couple of days. But he's awake now, and he's asking for a Tony?"
Tony doesn't move at first, thoughts whirring at a hundred miles a minute. Tim's ok. Gibbs places a careful hand on his shoulder. Tim's ok.
"Go on." He says, and to anyone else it might sound rough but to Tony it just means approval and forgiveness and so many other things-
Tim's ok.
He steps forward. "I'm his brother." He says by way of explanation. "Can our other siblings come?"
"I'm sorry, its probably best if we don't overwhelm him right now."
Tony looks back apologetically, about to protest. "You should go." Ellie says before he gets the chance. "Don't let him be alone. You never were good at that."
So Tony gives her and Jimmy one more hug, before turning and following the nurse out of the room.
...
Tim is underwater. No, that isn't right. He's breathing, and if he was underwater he'd be drowning. He is drowning, though. And he can't see. It's dark and it's cold - come on, kid - he hears, and it sparks something in him. He feels himself groan rather than hears it, and then suddenly there's light and noise and he's awake.
"Hi there." A lady smiles down at him. "I'm glad to see you up."
"Where...?" Tim slurs, and doesn't get much further than that.
"You're at the hospital. You're safe." She smiles. Tim tries to sit up, and flushes red when he falls back down again. "I'm Theresa." The lady holds a hand out to him. He takes it and pushes himself up against the headboard of the bed he finds himself on. "I'm Tony." He hears, feels the cold and the weight of Sarah in his arms that night all over again. The first time Tony had saved him, and not the last.
"My f-friend-"
"Everyone's ok, don't worry. And they've got that nasty woman in custody too." A scowl passes briefly across her face. "I know this is a lot," She says gently, and her smile is back again. "But I'd like to do some tests to make sure your head's ok, if that's alright with you."
Tim nods, follows her instructions without protest. He keeps thinking about being alive, and doesn't let himself consider much else. When she's done, she puts a hand on his shoulder. "You're all good for now." She says. "But you'll be staying here for a couple of days just in case."
He nods numbly, still trying hard to avoid thinking. It's no good. "I need to see Tony." He says, and his voice breaks. To his horror, he feels tears running down cheeks, but he makes no effort to wipe them away. "Where's Tony, I need to see him, and Sarah, and Ellie and Jimmy and Abby-"
"Oh, sweetie." Theresa turns and calls to a nearby nurse. "Would you mind updating the family for me? And see if there's a 'Tony' there, please." Once the nurse nods and moves away, she turns back to Tim.
"It's alright." She shushes, handing him a tissue. "Let it out." They sit there together for a few minutes, letting the quiet wash away the fear and the anger of the day. Tim finds he can take a breath without it hitching again, and takes the opportunity to thank her. "It's nothing." She says reflexively.
There's a knock at the door and she stands to answer it, but a boy come rushing in before she has the chance.
"Tim?" He calls out, and from the relief on her patient's face Theresa knows this is Tony. The boys collide as Tony rushes in and Tim pushes himself off of the bed, and as they wrap their arms around each other she senses that maybe its time to go. She likes to think she has been a comfort, bridged the gap between trauma and recovery, but that gap appears to be closing. And she has other patients to see, after all.
...
The boys sit on the floor. It's not the most comfortable part of the room (although Ellie might disagree, Tony thinks with amusement) but it's where they've ended up, and neither can bring themselves to care because they're together. Tony's gaze keeps drifting to the bandages around Tim's head. "I'm alright." The younger boy says. "Really. You look worse off than I do!"
"Gee, thanks McSubtle." Tony's eyes widen. "Not- I mean-"
"Calm down." Tim laughs despite himself. "I didn't mean what I said before, not really."
"But you were right. I should listen to you more, and the others. Sometimes I just forget..."
"Forget what?"
"Your age. My age! I don't know. Come on." Tony stands and holds out a hand. Tim takes it without hesitation and lets the older boy pull him up off the floor. They sit, side by side, on the hospital bed. Tim swings his legs and watches his feet as he talks.
"I... think I'd kind of miss the nicknames, if they stopped."
"I would to." Tony nods. "I, uh, only ever did it with love you know. Figured it was how real brothers acted." He ducks his head, tips of his ears burning.
"We are real brothers, Tony. In every way that matters."
Tony blinks fast a few times.
"God, just cry already. I already did."
"Of course you did."
Tim gives him a light shove - just to set the record straight. "Are we gonna be ok?" He asks.
"With Gibbs, I think so."
"You know you can't go back on that, right? If we're staying, we're staying."
"Don't make me say it again."
"I was right and you were wrong?"
"I was sensible and cautious and you were delusion and reckless."
"I was hopeful, Tony. I learned that from you, once upon a time."
"Yeah. I suppose you did." Tony sighs. "I'm proud of you, Tim. You were pretty damn awesome back there."
"Only cos you saved me first."
"Yeah, I was pretty awesome too."
"Jackass."
"You should get some rest." Tony shifts to stand from the bed. "I need to report how you are back to the others anyhow, they're probably driving Kate insane."
Tim catches his sleeve as he moves away. "Come back." He says, and it wavers slightly, only just a question.
"Always." Tony nods, then rethinks. "From now on." A promise he can keep.