"Let me have your arm Anthony" Ducky said. Tony flipped his arm out so Ducky could have it without a single word. Ducky injected a muscle relaxant into Tony's arm and then patted it. "Just so you can sleep tonight Anthony" Ducky said with a smile. He walked over to Gibbs who was leaning on the doorframe between the kitchen and the livingroom. "He's tired" Ducky said.
"I know" Gibbs said, "He does everything we order him to do" he continued, "They've broken him somehow, and now we have to put him back together" Gibbs said. "We might never know what they did to him in there, but I sure as hell know it would've broken a lesser man than Tony" Gibbs finished.
"I gave him a musclerelaxant, both for getting him some sleep, and so he doesn't run out on us in the middle of the night" Ducky said. Tony was nodding off in the sofa and Gibbs walked over to him, crouching down in front of him. He looked at Tony who was desperatly trying to stay awake, head jerking up from time to time.
"Sleep, Tony" Gibbs whispered. Tony's eyelids fluttered, and then closed, and he slid sideways until he was laying in the sofa. Gibbs pushed and pulled until he had Tony in his arms, and started carrying him upstairs. Ducky stopped him and peeled back Tony's eyelids one bye one.
"I'm not liking this sleep a lot.. he's really out of it like Abigail would say, but at least he is resting, as should you be, tomorrow is another day" Ducky said. Gibbs smirked and carried Tony up the stairs and into the bedroom when he pulled off Tony's socks and his sweater, biting back a string of curses when he saw all the scars running over Tony's body. Then he lay Tony beneath the comforter and pulled it up to Tony's chin. Tony always got cold when he got sick, this was not an exeption. Gibbs lay down on top of his own comforter, fully dressed and ready for anything. He watched Tony's chest rise and fall, hypnotized by what it meant. Tony was alive.
Gibbs didn't know he had been sleeping until sunrays hit him in the face. He looked over to his right and saw Tony still sleeping. Gibbs smirked and rolled over on his side, supporting his head in his hand. Six months ago, they had been happy. Six months ago they had been together. Six months ago they had given eachother a ring. A ring that meant everything to them. It bonded them closer together than anything. They had been holding hands six months ago, laughing and even humming as they played a cd in the car on their way to a vacation planned a year ago. Four months ago, the joy had ended. As if he knew what Gibbs was thinking about, Tony's eyes opened and Tony lazily tried looking around.
"That drug knocked you out pretty good, didn't it?" Gibbs asked. Gibbs thought he could see a hint of a smile playing on Tony's lips, like an old ghost lingering, but it was gone the moment he blinked. In it's place was a dead expression set in stone. Gibbs sighed and looked at Tony. "Let's get you shaved and cut your hair, you look like a yeti" Gibbs said and chuckled. Tony's expression remained cold. "Not funny huh?" Gibbs asked as he got out of bed. "Come on" Gibbs said. Tony got out from under the covers and stood up on trembling legs. He almost fell if it hadn't been for Gibbs's strong arms catching him before he fell face first into the floor. "Easy Tony, easy, baby steps" Gibbs said and flung Tony's arm over his shoulder. He carefully guided Tony to the bathroom and sat him down on the toilet seat. "Now, you have to sit completely still, can you do that?" Gibbs asked, looking Tony in the eye. The trembling subsided, and even though Gibbs was happy Tony was still, he didn't like how easy he had gotten Tony to do something, when usually, he would have to aske three to six times to get him to do something for him. "Thank you" Gibbs said.
"You two are up I see" Ducky said, "When you're done, breakfast will be ready for you downstairs" Ducky said and disappeared down the stairs again. Gibbs shaved Tony carefully, getting rid of all the beard. Then he proceeded to cut Tony's hair. Not super short, but the way Tony usually liked it. Marine style. Gibbs smirked as he finished and looked at Tony.
"There, now you're starting to look like your old self again" Gibbs said and pulled Tony into a standing position before guiding him to the mirror. Tony looked at his reflection and touched the mirror. "Yeah, that's really you" Gibbs said, "Now come on, let's have some food" Gibbs said and helped Tony downstairs. When they got into the kitchen, Gibbs was surprised at how Tony wriggled free and retreated into a corner. For a little while, Gibbs was afraid they were having a rerun of last nights events, but Tony held his hands out. Ducky and Gibbs looked at eachother, and Gibbs patted the chair next to him. "You eat in my house, you sit on a chair Tony" Gibbs said firmly, but gently. Tony reluctantly got up on shaky legs and sat down on the chair. His eyes were planted firmly in the table, and Ducky served them both. Tony didn't eat at first. "Eat" Gibbs said. Tony picked up the spoon and started eating very slowly. He ate the whole bowl and Gibbs smirked. "Good boy" Gibbs said and ruffled the short hair on Tony's head. Tony jumped but remained in his seat. "I'm sorry, did I scare you again?" Gibbs asked and took Tony's hand in his own. "I'm really sorry if I did" Gibbs said. Tony looked like he was about to say something, but then turned to throw up violently on the floor making Gibbs jump back. When Tony dry heaved, Gibbs rubbed soothing circles into Tony's back. He felt the bckbone stand out and shuddered.
"I'll clean up this mess" Ducky said, "We'll try a smaller portion later" Ducky continued, "You two go change" Ducky finished. Gibbs lifted Tony up carefully so they were both standing, then flung one of Tony's arms around his neck and they started their slow walk into the bathroom. Gibbs sat Tony down on the toilet and helped remove his socks and slacks, before removing his t shirt and boxer. Gibbs dressed Tony in all black, smirking at how much Tony used to like everything in the same colour. Tony sat stiff during the whole operation 'dress Tony' but now, he was shivering violently and Gibbs sighed.
"What'd they do to you anyway?" Gibbs asked. He turned around to face the mirror when a voice piped up behind him.
"Boss?"
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AN: Oh that's just evil! Leaving you hanging like this? Mean mean mean!!! I'm a meanie :D evil grin Thank you for all the beautiful reviews :D :D
Disclaimer: All hail DPB