Three hours after getting the call Tony walked into the hospital carrying his backpack and a stuffed white bear with a pink ribbon around it's neck.
"You called, I came, who do we hurt?" He asks then he places the bear next to a dozing Penelope.
Rossi can't help but laugh lightly, that was the very thing he would say. Tony and Penelope were such good friends, he was very protective of her. Kind of like a big brother would be, it was endearing.
Hotch stepped forward, "Thank you for coming Tony. We all appreciate it, and I am sure that she will love seeing you. But there is something you need to know, Garcia was caught in the blast of a bomb going off. She has no burns, broken bones yes, but because she was so close to the bomb detonating she has lost her hearing. We don't know if it's permanent. She has an appointment scheduled for the day after you get back in D.C.."
Tony looked like somebody had let the wind out of his sails. Several emotions crossed his face, before settling on strong/humor as Garcia began to stir. He sent a bright charming smile her way before grabbing the note pad off the bed side table. "Hey there Blondie" he wrote. She gave him a bright beautiful smile being mindful of her volume she spoke, "Hey there my Italian playboy. What are you doing here?"
"I'm your friendly escort back to D.C." He writes on the pad of paper.
She frowns looking at the note pad. Picking up her cell she shoots of a text to Hotch and Rossi. He was not necessary I am perfectly capable of sitting in a train by myself.
Rossi grins then looks at Hotch as he is typing. You will accept the escort. You will rest and do as Tony tells you to. Consider it an order.
Looking up from her cell she sees the same blank schooled expression that is always on his face. "Yes Sir." she replies with a little more force than necessary.
The team didn't stay long after that, one by one they said good bye then left. Hotch waited until they were alone. He sat on the edge of the bed and sent her a text. Let Tony help you. If you need anything when you get back please let me know.
She knows he has a lot on his plate so she nods her head once. Then closes her eyes as he once again brushes a lock of hair, putting it behind her ear.
Tony doesn't even try to talk to her, he tells her to sleep promising that he would be here when she woke up.
They both slept fitfully through out the night. She woke up feeling worse that she has the day before. She needed the bathroom. Trying to get up with out waking Tony was going to be impossible she got as far as moving the bedding off before he was at her side.
Pointing to the small bathroom attached to her room, she nodded. Once she is\s steady on her feet he left her there in front of the loo.
Coming out five minutes or so later he can tell that she has washed her face and brushed her teeth. For someone as sore as she is that is a major accomplishment. He brings her back to the bed so she can sit down. Spying her hair brush on top of her clothes in the go bag, he gets it and is happy to see a hair band wrapped around the handle.
He doesn't ask just holds up the brush before he brushes her hair, when he is finished she is left with a messy bun of sorts. Having brushed the hair of god-daughters and a few girlfriends he had inkling of what to do.
He doesn't want to cross the line with his friendship with her but she is going to need help getting dressed especially as she wearing that wrap around sling they put her in.
Hearing her laugh he looks at her. Then she point to the pad of paper. I trust you, if you hand me my bag we can get me dressed, I'll do the front you do the back. How does that sound? My undies first, you start when up to my knees then we can pull them up without me having to get out of this lovely johnnie. It will save us both some embarrassment when we have to do the rest.
After a quick once over by the doctor, she was given the green light to leave. It took some doing but they managed to get her dressed one piece of clothing at a time. A quick stop at the hospital pharmacy to fill some prescriptions and they were on their way.
By nine o'clock they were on the train. Tony made sure to inform the steward that Penelope's a federal that agent that is returning to DC after being injured. That he is a retired agent acting as her escort. That made things so much easier. They made sure to keep an eyes on her for him while he went to get them some breakfast from the dinning car. Tea and muffin for both she needed to eat something before she took her pain meds.
They wrote back and forth on a pad of paper saving the cell phone just in case. She dozed, he read a book wanting to be right there in case she needed anything. He also made sure she was comfortable and well hydrated as for food, she declines all offers, just not hungry she would say.
It was Gibbs that met them at the station, parking as close as he could to the building, going as far as flashing his badge.
He wasn't one to waste words, he put arm around her waist carefully guiding her to the waiting car. Leaving Tony to deal with her bag, his backpack along with his cane. A long as Tony is careful, Gibbs knew he would have no trouble at all.
She handed her keys to Gibbs then waited for him to unlock the door for her. Switching the lights on, the three on them entered the apartment, It wasn't what you would call decorated. A couch , recliner, coffee table, side table and an entertainment cabinet for a TV. Plain and simple lines no picture, no art on the walls, It was not what they expected at all.
She heads right for the recliner, sending a text to Tonytelling him to just leave my bag on the couch I will take care of it later. If you two want coffee help yourselves. I just want to sit for a few minutes, my arm is hurting me not just the shoulder. But my whole arm.
He texted back to her. You didn't eat on the train, you said the motion made you feel queasy so how about food now?
She smiled and told him where to find the take out menus. Then she closes her eyes. He watches her for a few minutes it doesn't take long for her breathing to even out. He knew then that she was once again sleeping.
He found Gibbs in the small kitchen digging into an open box resting against one wall. Pulling out an instruction booklet he turns around scowling "Look at this, she bought this table and chair set, a nice set too solid wood. Four chairs that hide under the table when not in use. She built one chair and left the rest in the box."
"I wonder." Tony says out loud. He turns and goes toward the back of the apartment walking into her bedroom, he is not in the least surprised to see no furniture. Just boxes leaning against the walls.
She had built one drawer in which she put her jewelry and spare glasses. He didn't need to turn around to know Gibbs is standing next to him.
"Go make coffee, it looks like we have work to do. Why didn't she ask for help from anyone? I'm sure someone on her team would have given her a helping hand."
"It's because of her divorce, she doesn't want them to think that she is heartbroken over the failure of her marriage. I think she just doesn't give a damn, she told me something else about working with her team. She said it's impossible to keep any kind of secret from them, they are just too damn good at their jobs So she tries to keep everything as close to the vest as possible. That couch is a pullout, I saw one just like it when I was buying things for my new house. I bet she sleeps on it."
"Yeah, well tonight she is going to sleep in a bed and you are going to sleep on that couch." Gibbs looks over in the corner and sees a few laundry baskets full of folded laundry.
He sends Tony a small smile "Alright DiNozzo, lets get to work. You take the kitchen, I've got the bedroom. When the coffee is ready bring me a cup."
Between the two of them, it took about an hour and a half to have the kitchen and bedroom completely built and ready. Gibbs even made the bed, military style of course, after finding the clean folded sheets in a basket.
When the Thai food arrived, Gibbs paid for it and brought it onto the kitchen to set the table, Tony walked over to Penelope to wake her. He scribbled on a notepad quickly that food was ready before he gently shook her uninjured shoulder. When she opened her eyes she thought to herself how lucky she was to have such a good friend in her life as she read the note about her favorite Thai vegetarian food waiting in the kitchen.
Tony helped her to a standing position and she whispered her thanks before kissing his cheek lightly, at that he smiled brightly.
Coming to the kitchen after a quick stop to the bathroom, she can't help but get teary eyed as she looks at the food on her table that is no longer in the box. Holding arm close to her she sits down.
"Does your shoulder hurt? Do you need pain meds?" Tony writes on the pad of paper.
"Yes, but arm hurts too a lot. Pills just before I go to bed, okay?' she writes back. It's just to hard to remember to control her timbre of her voice. Not being able to hear it make it even worse.
"When's her appointment?" Gibbs asks looking at Tony.
"Nine A.M. why?"
"You tell the doctor that she is holding on to the arm complaining of pain. I want to make sure they didn't miss anything."
"On it, boss." Tony relies with a nod.
After they had finished eating Gibbs left Tony with the kitchen duty then brought her into her bedroom. Looking at the room she starts to cry. He pulls out a piece of paper from his pocket and hands it to her. Next time you ask me, understand?
She blinks then nods her head, before she whispers a thank you Gibbs.
She walks into her living room just after eight to find Tony drinking coffee watching the news with the CC on the TV. He looks over and sees the she has managed to get herself showered and dressed.
He points to her hair when he sees the brush in her hand along with a hair tie. Once again she is sporting a messy/not so messy bun.
Tony makes sure to tell the nurse that she has to write everything down and to please tell her what is going on before they do anything. Also that she has been in a lot of pain not just her shoulder and body aches but her upper arm too, more than expected.
The nurse tells him that she will make sure that they order additional x-rays just in case something was missed in the initial exam. She told Tony to come back in a few hours they should know something by then.
After extensive autditory testing, it was found that her hearing loss was indeed permanent. Both ears had a 90% hearing loss, and there was nothing that could be done. The damage from the bomb blast was just too extensive.
After more x-rays it was found that her humorous had a fracture as well that was hidden in a shadow in the previous x-ray. The doctors set her in a cast and wrote her a prescription for stronger pain medication before releasing her into Tony's care..
Tony helped her into the car and get into the drivers seat. The both just sat there for a few minutes, Tony's mind was all over the place. His Beautiful Blondie, taking it all in stride as always. His phone vibrated signaling a text message, looking at it he saw it was from Penelope. Are we going to just sit here all day, or are we going to go get coffee and go bug Gibbs. Because I am in serious need of caffeine.
He had to smile as he responded we're going, we're going.
A/N: I have no medical training unless you call being a mom of three and Nana of a large brood of grandchildren, cuts , fevers and tossing cookies, I can handle and fix.
This fits my story, so please don't call me on the mistakes.
