THE COP AND THE CON SERIES—Part 17

Unbreakable Bonds

AN: I am going to have both Neal and Tony whumpage here…it just makes me so very happy.

Hello, my name is JackiLeigh, and I am a HurtFanFiction junkie.

I have a three-step program:

1. Read or write HurtFanFiction.

2. Read or write MORE HurtFanFiction.

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Tony was the first to open his eyes. He couldn't move. That was what he realized first, aside from the pain and the breathlessness. I took his a second to realize that he had been in an accident, and that he was pinned in the car by the steering wheel. It was then he remembered, to his horror, that he was not alone. Tony looked to his right. Neal was beside him unconscious and bleeding. The only thing keeping him in his seat was the seatbelt.

"Neal!" Tony called barely above a whisper. "Neal?"

Neal didn't respond. But Tony could see the blood dripping from the corner of Neal's mouth and the huge gash on his head. Tony could also hear the harsh breathing. But the problem was that he couldn't hear it all the time. Neal was also moaning, softly, and it concerned Tony when he didn't even hear that sound. He had come to depend on it.

"Talk…to me…Neal." Tony said through his pain as he grasped Neal's hand.

Neal opened his eyes, only, at first, aware of the pain. Their car had been hit from behind, forcing their car into a concrete barrier. Neal had the dashboard basically in his lap. He tried to take a deep breath to answer Tony and quickly realized that that was a huge mistake. He could only groan in response.

"…gonna…be okay…." Tony said before his eyes slid closed, and he loosened his grip on Neal's hand.

The street was a not a busy one. But, luckily, help arrived quickly. The local LEOs recognized Tony as an NCIS agent. NCIS was notified and Gibbs and Agent Burke arrived at the scene moments later.

Both Gibbs and Peter ran from the car as soon as Gibbs came to a stop, aghast at the site of the mangled car before them. They could see the EMT workers trying to extract the two men inside. They had already removed both car doors. But they were determined to get close to the scene to see how injured both men were, rushing past the medical personnel with not so much as a word. They both flashed their badges halting the workers' protests.

Gibbs and Peter made their way around the sides of the cars, then stopped in their tracks. Tony and Neal were barely recognizable through the blood and the bruises on their faces.

Tony had not been lucky enough to pass out completely. He was still hovering near consciousness, so when he heard Gibbs call him name and then touch his hand, Tony opened his eyes.

"Hey, DiNozzo." Gibbs said, trying not to sound emotional. Instead he went into Papa Bear mode and started yelling for everybody to hurry up.

Tony opened his mouth to speak.

Gibbs shook his head.

"…chest…hurts…." Tony managed, though pained breaths and spitting up blood.

"Tony…don't…." Gibbs shook his head again.

"…can't…breathe." Tony continued, as if Gibbs hadn't spoken.

Gibbs responded by squeezing Tony's hand and yelling at the EMTs to pick up the pace.

Peter knelt down beside Neal. He wasn't really one to hold hands. But that seemed to be the only part of Neal's body that wasn't injured. Peter took Neal's hand and squeezed it, not really expecting a response. Neal opened his eyes.

"Peter…." Neal said weakly, causing Peter to look up at him in surprise.

"Hey, Kid." Peter replied.

"…hurts…." Neal managed to say through his pain.

"I know…Neal. It's gonna…." Something in the way Neal looked at Peter made him pause.

Neal shook his head, as much as he could. "…hurts…too much…."

Peter just looked at him. Was Neal giving up? Was that what he was hearing?

"Neal, don't…." Peter started.

"Tony…he's…. Neal paused. "…been…trying…so long…." Neal was talking about the EMT's efforts to free them. He shook his head. "…not…happening…. "

It was Peter's turn to shake his head. "Gibbs is with Tony. He'll be okay. Gibbs will make sure of that. And it's not been that long, Neal. You haven't been here that long. Just…."

Neal looked at Peter. Neal was not sure if he believed him.

Peter gingerly squeezed Neal's hand. "I wouldn't lie to you, Neal. I wouldn't lie about this. "

"Thank you…didn't…have to…." Neal stopped speaking as his eyes slid closed. and he loosened his grip on Peter's hand.

Peter panicked. He checked Neal's pulse, pressing his fingers against Neal's wrist till he felt something. He sighed in relief.

Gibbs could feel Tony's strength leaving him. Gibbs touched Tony's face, and Tony opened his eyes.

"Thank…you…." Tony started.

"No, Tony. It's not going to end like this." Gibbs told Tony.

"…can't order…not this…time…." Tony replied pain etched on his face.

"It worked the last time." Gibbs replied, patting Tony's face.

Tony tried to smile. "…was…afraid…to disobey…." He tried to turn his head. "Is Neal…?"

Gibbs nodded. "Peter is with him, Tony. He's okay."

Tony tried to turn his head to look at Neal. "Neal?" The sight of Neal's injuries scared him. He had not really seen Neal's injuries before. He grabbed Neal's hand.

Neal responded, squeezing Tony's hand. Neal let go as the EMTs tried to remove Neal from the vehicle.

Gibbs and Peter tried to stay out of the medical personnel's way as they worked. They had allowed Gibbs and Peter to stay only because Tony and Neal seemed calmer with them near. But now Gibbs had to move, they were ready to try to get both men out.

Neal was removed relatively easily. His ribs had been broken and his right badly bruised. He had bruises on his face, chest and back. His legs had been twisted up under the dashboard. It took a little extra time there, to make sure they didn't aggravate any injuries they had not yet been able to assess.

Neal passed out from the pain as soon as they began to move him.

The steering wheel had been pushed into Tony's chest. He screamed in pain as the EMTs began to try to pull him out. The release of pressure on his chest caused him to involuntary take a deep breath. He lost consciousness seconds later.

Tony injuries mimicked Neal's with the exception of the broken ribs. Tony had more ribs broken. He also had organ damage because of the position of the steering wheel.

Before long the two injured men were on their way to the hospital.

THE END

END NOTES: I know it seems weird to end the story here. But I just wanted a little shameless whumpage. Our boys didn't die; I couldn't do that to you guys. Hope you enjoyed.