Disclaimer: NCIS is owned by Paramount, Bellisarius Productions, CBS and just about anybody else but me. No copyright infringement is intended. This little piece of fiction is written for entertainment purposes only, no money is being made.

Warning: There's foul language and violence in this story. I'll be rating this PG-13, or so.

I hope you enjoy this story. Please read and review. Many thanks go to my ever-patient beta Rinne.

Edited to close the gaping plot hole pointed out by TheNaggingCube (thank you!).

Chapter Four

"What the hell?" Detective Harding swore at the sound of gunfire coming from the bank. He and Gibbs ran over to the monitors to see what was happening.

"The bank robbers are falling apart, they're shooting at everything!" yelled Abby.

Harding motioned to the leader of the SWAT team.

"MOVE IN," came the command, as the black-clad officers swarmed past the barriers and into the bank.

Gibbs and Harding pulled out their weapons and followed the SWAT team. The gunfire ceased quickly, the sounds of customers crying filtering through the air.

Gibbs ran over to McGee, who had been kneeling over Tony, protecting him from the flying bullets and debris. Ziva was kneeling on Ryan Soldero, pinning his arm behind his back. Joey Michaels was lying dead on the floor. Petey, Angela and Frank had been subdued by the cops, crying and whimpering.

Gibbs knelt down. "How is he?" he asked McGee.

"It's bad, Boss," McGee's voice was grim. "He's lost an awful lot of blood."

Gibbs looked down at his senior field agent. Tony's face was pale, a sheen of perspiration covering the waxy skin. His breathing was shallow, hitching unevenly with each inhale.

"Tony," Gibbs' voice was gentle. "Tony. Can you hear me?" There was no response. "DiNozzo!" Still nothing.

The real EMT's rushed in and pushed the two agents aside as they began to monitor Tony's condition, readjusting the oxygen mask and inserting an IV. They carefully placed him on a stretcher and rushed him out to a waiting ambulance.

Detective Harding came up to Gibbs. "Go on, go to the hospital," he said. "I'll clean up here, but I expect your help with the paperwork."

Smiling gratefully, Gibbs shook the detective's hand. "You can count on my help. McGee, Ziva, get Abby and bring the car around."

Six hours of surgery and 5 pints of blood later, Gibbs, Ziva, McGee and Abby were sitting in uncomfortable plastic chairs in a hospital room, watching their teammate sleep. Abby had her chair up against the bed, her head resting on the mattress. It had been close, Tony had nearly died, but the young man was strong and stubborn. He'd made it through surgery and was now looking at a few weeks of recovery.

Gibbs watched Tony's chest rise and fall slowly. The bullet had passed through his side and cut a horizontal path through his torso. It was a miracle that it hadn't hit any major blood vessels or organs, although it did nick the liver, causing a majority of the blood loss. Gibbs shook his head, ruefully. DiNozzo had a propensity for finding trouble, and getting hurt. It wasn't even due to reckless behavior, there was no explaining it. He was going to make Gibbs get even grayer. Still, there was no one else that he would trust to cover his back, not even Ziva. She was good, no doubt about it, and he trusted her, but Tony seemed to know what Gibbs was thinking, what he needed. He was a perfect second. Gibbs hoped that, someday, Tony would take his place after he retired. He hoped when that happened, Tony would have someone he could trust as much as Gibbs trusted Tony.

Tony stirred slightly, waking Abby up immediately. She sat up, rubbing her eyes. Tony's eyes opened, slowly, blinking to clear them of the cloudy membrane.

"Hey, Tony." Abby held his hand. "Welcome back."

Gibbs, McGee and Ziva stood and moved to the bedside. Tony's eyes swept over them, still blinking, barely focused.

"Hey," his voice was raspy.

Abby picked up a cup of water from the nightstand and placed the straw in Tony's mouth. He took a few sips gratefully.

Gibbs, waiting for a minute, stood back quietly while McGee, Ziva and Abby teased Tony about doing all his business on a cash or credit basis only, no more money orders. As Tony's eyes started to close, Gibbs said, "All right, everybody out. Let's let DiNozzo get some rest. He's going to need it."

The three left the room reluctantly. Tony looked up at Gibbs.

"Hey, Boss," he murmured.

Shaking his head, Gibbs chuckled, "You are a lot of trouble, DiNozzo."

Tony lowered his eyes. "Sorry, Boss."

"Ahhh," scoffed Gibbs, taking Tony's hand and patting it. "Life's never dull with you around."

Surprised, Tony looked up with a small smile.

Giving Tony's hand one final pat, Gibbs looked at him sternly and said, "I expect you back at work in two weeks, DiNozzo."

"You got it, Boss."

"Get some rest." Gibbs turned and rejoined the rest of his team in the corridor. "Okay," he said. "What are you doing standing around? Let's get back to work."

"Um, Gibbs," Abby said. "It's almost midnight."

Surprised, Gibbs looked at his watch. "It is? Okay, who's hungry?"

A chorus of "I am's" followed him down the hall and out of the hospital.

The End - Fin - That's all she wrote. Thanks for sticking with me and all your lovely comments.