Tony groaned as his eyes fluttered open. He didn't remember it being so difficult to do so, but then he was having trouble remembering much of anything. His head felt like it was going to explode and he groaned again trying to raise his hand to it, finding that there was something pinning his arm down. The other arm came up easily, if slightly stiffly, and he rubbed at his face. Slowly he let his eyes wander around the room, stopping only when they fell on Gibbs. The older man was slumped, sleeping, in the chair by the side of his bed. His hand was clasped in the ex-gunny's and he used the other one to gently touch the older man's shoulder gently. Gibbs' eyes shot open and he turned to Tony.

"Tony," the relief was evident in his voice. "How are you feeling?"

"Wha' 'appened?" Tony frowned.

"What do you remember?" he still seemed concerned.

Tony thought about it, "The colonel, creeped me out, then he had a knife. I didn't have a choice, I...I had to..." he swallowed. "Then you showed up. Then it goes blank."

"You passed out," Gibbs informed. "The colonel's knife grazed your side, you lost quite a bit of blood."

"I didn't realise," Tony apologised. "When can I go home?"

"The helicopter's picking us up soon," Gibbs informed. "But only if you feel up to the trek to the clearing."

"Yeah," he nodded slowly. "I actually don't feel so bad, 'cept the headache."

"Yeah, you've got a concussion as well," Gibbs commented. "You sure you're ready to go?"
"I just want to go home," Tony tried to get up.

"You're staying with me until you heal," Gibbs told him. "All our bags have already been taken back along with the body."

"How long was I out?" he couldn't hide his confusion.

Gibbs looked at his watch, "couple of hours."

Gibbs quickly helped him redress, much to his embarrassment, and one of the infirmary's doctors approached to check him over before allowing him to leave. Despite his protests that he could walk on his own Gibbs wrapped an arm around his waist to support him, assuring him that neither McGee or Ziva would make fun of him. Nodding he leant into the older man's touch. The trek through the forest was slower than before but no one commented on it and, as he settled into the helicopter, he mused that the rest of his team were grateful for the slower pace - neither McGee or Ziva seemed as out of breath as the were the last time. Once again Tony slumped against Gibbs and drifted off to sleep.

He slept for the entirety of the journey and Gibbs gently shook him awake when they arrived at the airstrip in Washington. Yawning he allowed himself to be led to the sedan that was waiting for them. Gibbs drove them back to NCIS to drop McGee and Ziva off and Tony asked if he could see the colonel's body, assuming Ducky would be the one to do the autopsy. Gazing at him for several seconds Gibs simply nodded and accompanied him to autopsy. The colonel's body was laid out on one of the slabs, Ducky sewing up the y-incision on his chest. The medical examiner turned at their entrance, offering them a welcoming smile.

"Jethro, Anthony, I didn't expect to see you here today," Ducky stated.

"I...I needed to," Tony waved his hand vaguely at the body.

Ducky nodded understandingly, "Anthony you musn't blame yourself, your actions were in self-defense and even if you hadn't killed him he would have probably been dead by the end of the month."

"He was ill?" Gibbs hadn't known that.

"Brain tumour," Ducky informed. "And a malignant one at that, it was killing him."

"Ducky," Tony turned to them. "Brain tumours cause changes in behaviour right?" he seemed to have difficulty speaking. "Could it have changed his behaviour from the time I left until now."
"It's possible," Ducky nodded. "Brain tumours have been known to cause violent behaviour in some people."

"Oh god," Tony choked out. "He was ill, I killed him because he was ill."

"Tony" Gibbs moved to hug him. "He was a murderer, it doesn't matter what caused him to behave that way, the fact he did so made him dangerous."

"Doesn't change the fact I killed him," Tony mumbled against the older man's shoulder.

"If you hadn't he'd have killed you," Gibbs soothed. "And I don't want to lose you, you did the right thing."

"I'm not so sure," Tony admitted.

"C'mon," Gibbs led him to the door of autopsy. "Let's get you home, you've had a long day, you need to get some sleep, we'll talk abut this in the morning."