Shot To Hell by ceilidh
A/N:- Thanks, first of all, to christalsteele, for your PM on medical advice - that's always going to be handy for the next round of Timmy-whump!
There's more medical stuff in this latest chapter, dealing a bit more with the cause for Tim's collapse. Again, I hope it's okay, and more thanks for all the reviews!
Chapter Five - The Darkest Hour
What was it about hospital waiting rooms that made them so damn depressing? Grey walls, back-breaking chairs, undrinkable coffee, and-
damn it, Gibbs hated hospitals. He'd seen enough of them, both as a patient and an anxious visitor, to last him several lifetimes.
For the sake of those who sat with him, though, who were sharing this insufferable wait for news – no, for both of them, and for Abby especially, who sat so tearfully beside him, he had to stay positive.
"He'll be okay, Abs," he said at last, drawing his surrogate daughter into a fatherly reassuring hug. "You know he's in the best place now. And Ducky's with him, so you know he's in good hands."
"I – I know, Gibbs, I know he is," Abby sniffed, trying with all her heart to smile back at him – the weight of her conscience quashing it back into another muffled tumble of guilt-ridden tears.
"But Gibbs, he – he just looked so sick! And I was so mean to him, yelling at him, and- and-"
"Hey, if anyone's to blame for this, Abs, it's me," Tony cut in softly, glancing across at her – speaking for the longest time since they'd arrived as his conscience, too, proved too much for him.
"If I hadn't put that dumb CD on the plasma, and made him react like that, and- damn it, what's taking them so long? He's been in there almost an hour now, and not even Ducky's come out to tell us what's happening!"
Right on cue, the waiting room doors slid open. Three pairs of eyes swung instinctively towards them.
Instead of Ducky's familiar face, though, a tired but equally relieved doctor smiled back at them – that simple gesture alone answering their prayers long before he quietly introduced himself.
"Agent Gibbs? I'm Dr Grey, I'm in charge of Agent McGee's care, and- well, first things first.
Tim's had a severe allergic collapse, but he's regained consciousness, and he's responding to treatment. He was rather agitated when he came round, though. That's why I've asked Dr Mallard to stay with him. And he'll be under sedation while we flush out his system, but he was awake when I left to come here.
He was lucid, too, which is always a good sign. He knows who he is, and he also recognized Dr Mallard. I'd like to keep him under observation for a few days, but with plenty of rest, he's going to be fine-"
It was the news they'd waited an unbearable hour to hear. And yes, it was received with open relief. Their consciences forgotten, at least for the moment, Abby and Tony fell into an overjoyed hug.
A true master in body language, though, Jethro Gibbs could sense an unspoken 'but-' a mile off.
Along with hospital waiting rooms, red tape, and undrinkable coffee, it was something he hated.
"But?" he prompted, hoping his voice hadn't sounded as sharp to Dr Grey as it had sounded to him. Yes, Tim McGee was going to be alright, but he was still shaken by what he'd been through, and –
– and what the hell? Yeah, there was something seriously wrong with this damn coffee. How else could he explain the unbelievable 'but-' question which Dr Grey had just put to him?
"-there's no easy way to ask this, Agent Gibbs, but- well, does Agent McGee use drugs?"
If they'd not been so surprised, or so shocked by its implications, that question might have been funny. Tim McGee and a drugs problem?
No wonder Tony DiNozzo jumped in now, with two outraged feet. No-one insulted his probie except him. And even that was going through a guilt-stricken rethink.
"Are you kidding? We have to crush 'em into his coffee, just to get him to take an aspirin!"
Finding it impossible not to smile at that, Gibbs placed a steadying hand on Tony's shoulder – an ill-timed order of 'down, boy,' kept wisely to himself as he stepped in to save that boy's blushes.
"I'm guessing you found traces of cocaine in his system?"
Smiling slightly at the doctor's reaction, and Tony's wince of realization, Gibbs then winced too – silently kicking himself for an oversight which could so easily have cost Tim McGee his life.
"We just assumed it was some kind of delayed reaction to the shots he'd been given," he said at last – privately grateful that DiNozzo couldn't see it as he mentally gave himself one almighty head-slap.
"But yeah, the dog that mauled Tim was exposed to cocaine. It must have transferred to him in its saliva-"
"Yes, that would certainly explain the unusual violence of his reaction," Dr Grey agreed – smiling too now, even at Tony, as he nodded too, referring back to his notes on Tim's file.
"Though to be honest, it was a combination of several factors which caused Agent McGee to collapse. The greatest danger of bite wounds as deep as these is infection. And with so many inoculations involved, including high-strength antibiotics, there's always the risk of reaction against one of them.
And he's gone through a rough time from it, Agent Gibbs, especially with the additional effect of that cocaine in his system. I'm afraid with that, and the height of his fever, he's gone through a very rough time indeed. But he's stable now, and past its worst. He'll be under sedation now, and he'll sleep until at least tomorrow morning, but if you'd like to see him, I'm sure Dr Mallard would enjoy the company-"
Another moment which they'd spent the last hour waiting for - but now that it had finally arrived?
No, for Tony and Abby, this long awaited walk to Tim McGee's room was a double-edged blessing – the shock in Tony's face speaking volumes for them both, as they caught their first glimpse of him through the window of its doorway.
Under Ducky's expert, if rather grim-faced guard, they saw a body surrounded by tubes and wires.
And Tony DiNozzo's voice, hushed and horrified, summed it all up in three, guilt-ridden words.
"Oh, my God-"