Title: Little Sister
Summary: This is a suggestion/request from SoapDramaCrimeGirl. Sometimes you just need your big brother to make all the nightmares go away.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
A/N: This is based on the scene in 15x22 Two Steps Back, when Tim is on the phone to Tony. He tells Tony not to come home to see Abby, because he's got everything under control, but…since when does Tony do what they tell him to?
Tony DiNozzo hated hospitals. They never meant anything good. He had often been in for gunshot wounds, the plague, and every mild cold after that. Gibbs had been in a coma in hospital and lost his memory of the 15 years that he had just endured. Now it was Abby.
Why did it always have to be his family, his friends? First the man who had been the best father he could ask for – even when Tony had started to reconnect with his own father, and now his little sister.
"Tony?" He turned, Ellie Bishop was walking towards him, a look of astonishment on her face.
"Hey, Ellie." He said with a smile.
"Oh my god! Wow!" She wrapped her arms around him, "it's so good to see you!"
"Good to see you too. You look well."
"You too. You got a bit of a tan I see. How's Tali?" At this Tony dug out his cell and opened up his photo gallery. Turing it to show a photo of Tali to Ellie.
"She's growing up too fast. I never understood it when my family used to say I was doing that. I always thought I was growing up too slowly."
"You here for Abby?" She asked.
"Yeah. Where is she?" He asked.
"Follow me. It's not good Tony. Tim's barely left her side when he can be here. Gibbs too. But I think she needs her big brother." Ellie said.
The room was far too quiet to be Abby's room. The soft whoosh of the ventilator and the beeping of heart monitor the only noise. It was all wrong. For someone as lively and loud as Abby it was all wrong.
"Did they get him?" Tony asked.
"Yeah. We got him." Ellie said, "And it fixes nothing." Tony silently agreed, because if they got him why wasn't Abby awake? Why was his little sister, his Abby, his Princess of the Dark so still? So silent? So…he couldn't finish that thought.
"Thanks, El. I need a minute." He said, Ellie nodded and walked away saying she'd go get coffee. Tony softly pushed open the door of the hospital room. He sighed as he sat down in the chair. He ran his hands through his hair. He knew Abby would comment on how he looked. Fatherhood had changed him, sometimes for the better.
"Gosh Abs, what you would say if you saw me right now. I can almost hear you saying it in your usual over-excited fashion. Because you would be excited. It's you…and you haven't seen me in two years. Gosh, I missed you. Your hugs mostly. Tali can't wait to see her Aunty Abby again. She asked me why I wasn't bringing her with me today. I didn't know what to say." Tony paused, he wasn't used to talking to Abby without her interrupting or talking over him, "this is all wrong, Abs. You have to wake up. Everybody who loves you is here. I even got here just to see you. Only for you, Abs. For my little sister. I mean that's what big brother's do right? They look out for the younger ones?
"Until I joined NCIS I never had much of a family. My father had disowned me before I was 13, the Police Departments didn't work out – and then in walked Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs from Washington's NCIS. I had no idea what NCIS was, I mocked him, threatened to shoot him – and was annoyed that he basically took over our investigation. But if I hadn't quit after finding out Danny was dirty and come to Washington and joined NCIS. Well…I wouldn't have met you. And I think…even if I didn't know you – my life wouldn't be as good and full of love as it is now if I hadn't met you, Abigail Sciuto." Suddenly Tony's attention was taken by a chocking cough from the bed. Abby had woken up. He rushed to the door and called for some help using his best Agent voice.
"NURSE!" Tony stood back as the nurse rushed in and calmed Abby before coaching Abby through taking the tube out of her throat. Tony only stepped forward after Abby had a nasal cannula and the nurse had made sure she was alright, saying the doctor would be in soon.
"I thought I told you…Tony," Abby coughed before continued, "never to call me, Abigail." He grinned at her, and leant to kiss her forehead.
"Well, I guess I didn't want to lose you and you'd always tell me off for using it – so I thought it was worth a try." Tony said with his trademark smile.
"It's good to see you, Tony." Abby whispered.
"Oh, it's really good to see you Abbs." Tony said, kissing her cheek this time.
Tali was nearly vibrating with excitement dancing from foot to foot. Tony grinned when he looked down at the now 4-year-old. She had been so excited when Tony had told her that she could see Aunty Abby because she really wanted to see the little girl.
"Aunt Abby's ok?" the little girl asked.
"She'll be much better when she sees you, I'd imagine." Tony said.
"Really?" She asked, her grasp of English was over-shadowed by her much better grasp of Hebrew. The words was spoken quietly and in her mother's native language.
"Really, really." He replied, making her giggle as he used a line from her favourite movie, Shrek.
"Will she like her picture?" The girl asked again in Hebrew.
"I think she will. After all, you made it by yourself." Tony said. He led Tali to the door of Abby's room and he had to smile seeing Tim, Delilah, Morgan and Johnny in there all talking to her. Abby looked brighter than the day before and she was enjoying the hugs the toddlers gave her.
"Are they my cousins?" Tali whispered.
"Yeah. That's Morgan and Johnny. Let's go and see Uncle Tim." Tony pushed open the door causing Tim, Delilah and Abby all to look up at the newcomers.
"Tony!" Tim exclaimed, moving to hug his friend.
"Hey Probie! Hey, Dee." Tony said after hugging Tim, he dropped a kiss to Delilah's cheek.
"Uncle Tony!" Two voices cried at the same time, and as Tim lifted Tali into his arms, Morgan and John tackled Tony.
"Hey Tali." Abby smiled, as Tim helped the 4-year-old onto her bed.
"Shalom, Aunty Abby. I made this for you!" Tali produced her creation. It was a drawing of four figures, one smaller than the other two. Tony's handwriting above each proclaimed each to be a different person. Ima, Abba, Tali, Abby were written clearly above the characters.
"I love it, Tali! Did you draw this all by yourself?" Abby asked.
"Abba wrote the names." Tali admitted.
"I see that. I'm going to put this up on my fridge at home, so I always see it." Abby told her, hugging the girl tightly. Morgan and John got off their Uncle who was still chuckling at their enthusiasm.
"It's good to see you, Tony. We missed you." Tim said as he helped Tony up off the floor.
"Missed you too, guys. It's good to see you, Tim, and you Dee. And Abby, it's really good to see you awake." He said turning to the young woman he'd always seen as a little sister.
Abby looked over at Tony as they rode the elevator up to the bullpen. She was going to say goodbye to everyone and Tony had offered her the support of her brother. The only person Tony hadn't seen while at the hospital, was Gibbs. He was sure he'd get a hug from him too – maybe.
"Are you sure you're ok with this?" Abby asked.
"Of course I'm sure. These guys are just as much my family as Tali and Ziva are." Tony said.
"Have you found her yet?" She asked.
"Ziva, no. But I know she's alive. She's too ninja like to be killed by a bomb." Tony said.
"This is going to be hard. Saying goodbye." Abby said.
"Well…don't say goodbye. Tell them what you admire about them. I never said goodbye to Ducky, Jimmy, Tim or Ellie. Not even Gibbs. You said goodbye to me yourself. And we did admit we'd miss each other. And we do. But just say what you think you need to." Tony said.
"I don't know if I can." She admitted.
"If I know anything about you, Abby, it's that you never mince words," the door opened the bull pen, "and today, you will say everything you need to. And I'll be right there with you."
"Thank you for always being there Tony." She said burying her face in his shirt and they stepped out of the elevator.
"You know, I'll always be here when you call, Abs. That's what big brothers do. That's what big brother are for. We will always love and support our little sisters in whatever venture they take." He said, kissing the top of her head.
A/N: I do not speak Hebrew – nor do I know enough to let Tali speak it fluently. Thanks to Ziva I know some words. I can't find all of them so I'll stick with ones I know. Also if anyone is annoyed by how old Morgan and Johnny are (as they were born in the same season) not my problem.
Again not really happy with it…not how I hoped it would work…But I did it.
Shalom.