Kate's hands were settled on the side of Tony's bed, her head laying close to his limp hands as she silently slept. Abby had fallen asleep curled up in McGee's arms, he on the other hand had fallen asleep with his head leaning aganist her's. Ducky sat in one corner, propped up on an elbow as he also rested his eyes. Gibbs, however, remained awake his hand upon Tony's remaining mess of brow hair.
Tony had a severe brain contusion when they had brought him in, and in order to alleviate the pressure part of his skull had to be removed. And a suction tube had been placed inside a now open wound. All were told that the young man may never function normally again, but that he would also have a malformity from henceforth. This alone was one reason the team had remained with Tony through the night, for there was a possibility that he wouldn't wake up again and none wished for him to be alone if that happened.
When the doctor had come to speak of the many complications and the resulting coma, they were also informed of the latest news upon his heart. It was inevitable that his heart would give out, but the time they had to secure a transplant was the thing that worried the doctors the most. If they had enough time they didn't know if he would have enough strength after this surgery, to have another. And then there was the possibility that he wouldn't be able to last long enough for a heart to be procured. This news had crushed the team, they had thought that he had a change to pull through this then with all of this latest news they were beginning to think that their Tony would never be Tony again.
A slow hiss came from the respirator as Tony's lung begun to force against it once more. From the injuries he had lost a lung, and his spleen had ruptured along with countless broken bones. Though what had punctured his lung was a protruding rib, caused by what looked to be a sharp kick. Right now the injuries of Tony were still a great mystery to the team. But Gibbs knew he would have to be getting his team to work soon enough. But for now he would tend to his young agent.
"Hey Tony, you keep that up. Fight that respirator, you don't need any help to live you never have and you never will." Gibbs spoke softly as he continued to run his fingers through Dinozzo's hair. This was something odd for Gibbs, him showing any kind of affection for his agents. Especially a gesture that was so father like it was almost like being in the children's ward. At his voice Kate stirred, her hand applying slight pressure to Tony's before she gazed up at Gibbs.
"He'll be alright Gibbs, he can beat this if he could survive you. He can survive anything." She smiled a hand falling on Tony's cheek gently, before she looked up to Gibbs once more.
"Well he better make it, or else I shall string him up by his skivvies." Gibbs smiled lightly, his hand finishing its path through Tony's hair. It was obvious through this tough guy act that Gibbs was definitely worried about Dinozzo, or at least it was to Kate.
"Gibbs, you can worry about him you know? Nobody is going to hold it over your head that you care about your agents, if anything they would probably respect you more." She spoke softly as she ran a finger across Tony's palm.
Gibbs sneered, "It isn't nice to read someone's mind Kate." He snorted lightly before leaning back in his chair. "And I don't need anyone's respect I am perfectly happy as it is." He closed his blue eyes, that was a lie. It got to him sometimes, that they thought he was heartless but then again that was the way he portrayed himself.
"Gibbs, its alright. You can admit that you care, why do you think each of us are here now? If we didn't care about Tony like we do now we would be exactly what his family is to him, nothing. A void in his life that he yearns for."
"..." Gibbs mouth opened but he said nothing, she was right. And he couldn't admit it, so he simply sat there his arms crossed and that locked jaw returning.
NCISNCIS
The team was finally back at headquarters, each going about their individual duties as they attempted to track down this Wolfe character.
"Gibbs, you say he was a Midshipman?"
"Yes he was Kate why?" Gibbs asked as he kept searching to match the knife blade with some brand. He was having issues, since he only had a small chip.
"Because here he is, but he isn't a midshipman." She stood walking towards him the file falling into Gibbs' hand.
"It says he is a colonel."
"Yes and thats not all it says, look under the last page."
Gibbs shuffled the pages, before snarling. "He had a run in with one Sgt. Anthony Dinozzo of the Baltimore P.D."
"Yes, and when I looked into it there was reported that Wolfe threatened Tony's life. Then he was courtmarshalled and has been in prision for about...8 years. He was released after Tony signed a parole allowance. Meaning?"
"Meaning he found evidence that disproved what he was convicted for! Good job Kate, we are going on a road trip." Gibbs said standing and grabbing his coat, "Lets move."
Kate bustled out after him, going to Baltimore she assumed.
