Tony limped to the front door slowly, mindful of the precariousness of his balance and the fact that his vision, while a bit better, was still far from actually being useful. Gibbs had taken Rufus to the groomer and ordered Tony to rest while he was gone. Resting was ... pointless, at least as far as Tony could see. Although, admittedly, these days that wasn't far. Gibbs was the one who'd been working non-stop on a case. The older man was tired, which made him fussy. And fussy made him bossy.

"Coming," he called out as he reached the foyer, belatedly realizing at the pace he was setting whoever it was may have already left.

He fumbled for the doorknob and finally managed to swing it open.

He didn't see the first punch coming. Or the second. Or the third.

Gibbs pulled into the drive and immediately noted the open front door and the dark shadow lunging ungainly within. Bolting from the car he snatched out his weapon, taking his front steps two at a time.

"NCIS. Freeze!"

The hulking form hunched over in his foyer jolted in surprise and then, unexpectedly obedient, held up his blood-streaked hands. Not chancing a glance down, Gibbs slid his left hand to the back of his belt and jerked up the cuffs, springing one.

"Turn around! Hands on the wall! Do it!"

The perp put his palms to the wall and Gibbs came up behind him, ripping the right arm from its hold and securing the cuff.

Gibbs kneed the intruder in the back. "Get out on the porch. Now!"

Where he'd peeled the hands away from the hallway wall, two red handprints marred the white paint.

Dragging the cuff chain between the wrought iron bars of the sturdy side rail, Gibbs fastened him snuggly.

"DiNozzo!" He gave a tug to make sure the stranger was secured. "Tony!"

"Fuck!" Gibbs pulled out the cell phone, dialing even while sinking to his knees, a shaking hand reaching for the neck pulse.

"I have a Federal Agent down! This is Jethro Gibbs, NCIS." His fingers slipped in the slick coat of blood making its way down Tony's neck.

"Never mind my badge number! Get an ambulance out here!" He recited the long-familiar address by rote, his fingers slipping as he searched for the carotid.

"Don't do this to me, Tony."

A harsh gurgle and more blood seeped from Tony's mouth.

"Goddamn it."

Beneath splatters of red, Tony's eyes flickered open.

"Gi...Gibbs."

"Ssh," he soothed. "I'm right here."

"Wha' happ'n?"

"I don't know. You tell me, buddy." The body under his hands was starting to shudder and Gibbs shrugged out of his coat and laid it over Tony's upper body to combat the shock.

"Jus' opened the door and ... wham..." Tony's voice trailed off and his eyelids shut, covering his unfocused eyes.

Mercifully, over Rufus' frantic barking, Gibbs heard the sirens in the distance.

(tbc)