It took me a bit longer than I expected to come up with the next part of the story.
Disclaimer: I may have the hang of this, but I'm not ready to quit looking for work in my chosen field and take a chance on writing for profit.
Tim came by Ziva's apartment to check up on his teammate. He was not surprised to find Tali there as well. "Hey," he said as he was invited into the apartment.
"How's he doing?" Ziva asked.
"He's still in a coma," Tim replied. "The doctors are indicating that his brain is active, and he's starting to breath normally. He's off the ventilator, and on supplemental oxygen."
"In other words, he's getting better," Tali answered. "Thanks, Timmy."
Ducky and Jimmy were autopsying the terrorist cell leader when Gibbs entered for an update. "What do you got, Duck?"
"Our uninvited guest died of a single gunshot wound to the heart. Fir the first time hadling an AK-47, our Anthony had done exceptionally well."
"Anything to identify where he came from?"
"His stomach contents indicated that he had been sustaining himself on Beltway Burgers," Jimmy added, "those things would have killed him if Tony hadn't got to him first."
"In other words, this guy's been in DC for a while?"
"I've also sent prints and DNA samples up to Abby for analysis."
Next stop for Gibbs was Abby's lab. "What do you got, Abs?"
"Enough white vans to start a mobile forensics franchise," Abby replied as she took a sip of Caf-POW. "I've gone through all of the stolen vans. I found traces of motor oil in two of them."
"So, the vans were used to disable the police cars."
"That's not all," the forensic scientist continued, "I also found traces of Ammonium Nitrate on the same vehicles."
"A fertilizer bomb?" Gibbs inquired.
"The FBI found two bombs. One was used to destroy the hard lines to the school. The other was supposed to do the same at the 911 dispatch office, but it turned out to be a dud. Bomb squad disarmed it and got a serial number off the detonator cap.
"Good work, Abs," Gibbs said as he headed out the door.
Abby pressed a button to lock the special agent in. "I've already given everything I've got to Fornell. FBI will take lead on finding the cell, Vance's decision. You, on the other hand, need to get your butt over to Bethesda. Someone has to be there when Tony wakes up from his coma."
The monitors beeped an alarm in Tony DiNozzo's hospital room, signaling the nurses to rush in to check on him. They found him as he was regaining consciousness. "Agent DiNozzo," one of the nurses inquired, "do you know where you are?"
"Bethesda Hospital," Tony answered. "When did I get moved out of isolation?"
"You were never in isolation."
"What are you talking about? I was brought here because I contracted the plague. I don't know if I'm still contagious."
"Contact Dr. Pitt," one of the nurses indicated.
A few minutes later, the pneumologist arrived to tend to DiNozzo. "I see you're awake," Brad noted.
"Yeah, I know," Tony replied. "When was I taken out of Isolation?"
"This may seem like a stupid question, but I need to know. What is the last thing that you remember?"
"I was suffering from the plague, and Gibbs came in to order me not to die."
"Tony, that was nearly eight years ago. You were shot and suffered a concussion, and clearly, you're having a case of amnesia. I'll contact a neurologist and have you check you out, and I'll let agent Gibbs know that you've regained consciousness."
As McGee was talking with a worried Ziva and Tali, he received a call. "Yeah, boss," McGee answered. McGee listened to Gibbs's status update, then he spoke again. "I'll let them know." As he hung up, he turned to Ziva and Tali. "Gibbs has good news and bad news. The good news is, Tony's come out of his coma."
"And the bad news?" Ziva inquired.
"He's suffering from amnesia," Tim answered. "He can't recollect anything that happened to him after contracting the plague." McGee watched as tears began to form in Ziva's eyes. "I'm sorry, Ziva."
Tali wrapped her arms around her big sister as Ziva started to cry. "Do you think he will get his memories back?" Tali asked.
"It's hard to tell," McGee replied. "The doctors are advising against visiting him tonight. Gibbs and I will be checking on him in the morning."
Later that evening, Gibbs came over to Ziva's apartment. Tali opened the door upon his arrival. "How is she?" he asked.
"She's very depressed over Tony's amnesia," Tali answered. "She's afraid that Tony will never remember her, or that he couldn't love her."
"Not gonna happen," Gibbs replied, "if I have anything to say about it. Why don't you let me talk to her."
"I'll leave you two alone for a while, then. Timmy, you think we can give Gibbs some time alone with Zi?"
"Sure, Tali," McGee answered. "Hey, boss."
"McGee," Gibbs answered.
"Why don't we go for that coffee you promised," Tali suggested.
"You two dating now?"
"Don't make me give you a taste of your own medicine," Tali warned. "Besides, I don't work for you, so rule 12 doesn't apply to me. Besides, it's only our first outing together."
"Just don't break his heart," Gibbs advised.
"Wouldn't even think about it."
As Tali and Tim left, Gibbs reached out to Ziva. "Hey, Ziver."
"Gibbs," Ziva cried as she leaned on his shoulder.
"It's okay, Ziva. DiNozzo will always love you, even if I have to slap some sense into him."
"I hope you are right," Ziva answered. "I do not know if I could live without him."
Tony found himself back in his childhood home, with his baby grand in the center of the living room. Tony walked carefully toward the piano. Somehow, he thought, I feel like I've been here before.
DiNozzo sat down at his piano and began to play. For some reason, he instinctively started to play Fever. As he played the opening measures of the song, he sensed a presence.
A sense of déjà vu came over Tony as the Woman in Red descended the stairs. As she sang along to Tony's music, she walked alongside the piano where the dreamer could admire the vision.
Tony took notice of the Woman's jewelry. She wore a pair of golden loop earrings, along with a gold chain necklace.
Tony noticed the pendant on the necklace. It was a Star of David.
The living room suddenly vanished in a white glow. As the glow faded, Tony found himself in a school office, holding an assault rifle, facing three armed men. "You our outnumbered, and we are more skilled with these weapons than you are. We may be killed in battle today, but there are others like me, and we will not rest until the Jew Cancer is stricken from this earth."
Tony was starting to pull things together. He quickly realized that the pendant was a symbol of the Jewish faith. If the Woman is real, Tony thought to himself, the terrorist would want to kill her.
He recalled once again pulling the trigger.
*foof*
A little crime filler, some McTali, Tony with Amnesia, and a distraught Ziva.
Next time: Gibbs checks in on Tony.