Kate's limp body was being hovered over like a carcass in the arid desert of Las Vegas, it was almost as if the doctor's were the very vultures everyone feared when facing the ER. The head neurologist was there, working on the bullet wound. Thank god Palmer was a sad shot, if he hadn't been she would more than likely be dead. The bullet had firmly lodged itself within the hardest part of her skull. They had removed it easy enough, now they were closing the wound. The hard part would be the recovery, typically with these types of wounds there were always some type of memory loss.

Tony sat in his bed, Ducky was next to it. His shirt still held thick to his skin with Abby's blood. It was a no go, Abbs had died at the scene her body had shut down and even though they all knew that it was useless they couldn't help but hold that slightest bit of hope.

"So it was Palmer? This whole time it was one of our own?"

"I should have known Anthony, after all I hired Mr. Palmer."

"Ducky you can't hold yourself responsible, there was no way you could have predicted nor prevented this. It was going to happen whether you liked it or not." Tony sighed lightly leaning back, his Abby was gone. One of his best friends, she was like a younger sister to him and though he wanted so much to cry he couldn't at the moment. He was too shocked from all that had happened.

"I understand that Anthony, but you could have died. And Kate is battling downstairs for her own life...while Mr. Palmer is being treated like a pampered chef salesperson." He snorted in that British accent.

"Hey now Ducky, don't you think Gibbs will handle Palmer? After all he attacked his men, I mean come on its Gibbs."

"Tony...Gibbs is more concerned about the team members that are struggling for their lives in this hospital then he is about some wallowing vile creature." Ducky sighed once more as he heard a click come from the door. "Ahh Jethro we were just talking about you."

"Really now? Duck some how I don't that is a good thing..."

"Gibbs...how is she?"

"Kate is fine, she is in recovery. They will know soon enough about her memory and brain activity."

"And Palmer?"

"He is a fine recovery ward, the bastard made it." Gibbs snorted as he sat down next to Tony on the opposite side of Ducky. "Tony...they still haven't..."

"Don't worry about it boss, not like I'll be able to return to active duty or anything." Tony smiled lightly trying to push that subject to the wayside as he watched Gibbs. He saw the man's jaw contort as if he was going to verbally lash out at him then saw it relax once again.

"True, though it won't be the same without your fool mistakes. Suppose you were right about McGee taking over for you."

"Oh yes, probie." He smiled and the others did as well, they weren't their normal selves. But then again the three of them alone had known each other collectively for more than 15 years. Gibbs had hand picked Dinozzo, and Gibbs had been introduced to NCIS by Ducky. It was an odd meeting in deed, but they group had some how made a great connection with each other. They were almost like a family the three of them, Ducky was the grandfatherly type and Gibbs the father as they both carefully watched out for the youthful son.

Though once that slight moment passed of the three of them smiling and having fun, Gibbs took on a more serious role. "Tony, we need to try and get you back on your feet."

"Gibbs, its impossible..."

"It is only impossible if you choose it to be, you have to fight it you hear me? You are going to fight it if it's the last thing that you do!" Gibbs growled, though he was touched on the shoulder by a hand. It was Tony's, the young man had reached over and was now gripping the former marines broad shoulder.

"Gibbs, it is impossible because my body doesn't have it. I want to walk again, but if I can't then so be it. I have to take my welps in life, and by god if this is a beating that I am forced to take then I will and I'll take it like the man you taught me to be not like the coward my family tried to make me into. They abused me, not physically but I didn't have a family until you picked me up off of beat. I was a no good cop and you knew it, but you saw something. You saw something in me that made you choose me over half the department."

"I saw a fighter Dinozzo, and I still see a fighter everyday. I see it now, I see it because you are fighting me which is a mistake..."

"Is it? Is it really a mistake Gibbs? I mean if I wasn't fighting you now of all times when I know where I stand and where you stand, is it really when I finally know my place in life? Is it really when I am no longer destroying myself based on what others perceive of me but praising myself based on what I finally have realized myself to be?"

Gibbs sighed lightly, the boy he had cultivated and trained was no longer a boy, he had finally become the man that Gibbs had always wanted him to be. But now, in the moment of truth Gibbs didn't know if he could give up on the boy and allow the man to take full control.

"Tony, just think about it will you? If you fight this you could walk again, if you don't you may never be able to."

"And even if I do I may make myself unable to be able to get anything back Gibbs, and you damn well know it. This is my choice, you aren't my father..." Tony's mouth shut as he said those last words, his eyes falling on a hurt Gibbs.