Hey everyone, here's the next chapter! I really hope you like it! :)

Warnings for possible OOC moments.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own it!

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Three days later

I glared at the numbers on my alarm clock while swinging my legs over the edge of the bed as I made to get up. Three AM. I usually didn't get up until six.

Not that I had been sleeping for the past hour or so anyway. I had been asleep at one point. Until another nightmare hit. Same as always, Tony would walk into the squadroom, alive and well, we'd have a case and each time he would be killed. Shot, stabbed, bombed, poisoned. Sometimes he would be killed in front of me, other times he would even die in my arms. Each time different, yet each the same. Tony, dead, and I couldn't do anything to stop it.

I scrubbed a hand across my face, taking note of the deep, purple bruises underneath my eyes in the mirror of the bathroom.
I turned away from the sight and instead moved to take a shower and get dressed.

After finishing my morning routine, I grabbed a piece of toast as I went to the door. I hadn't had much of an appetite lately.

After I had actually gotten in the car, it hit me. I was heading to work, quite a bit early too. An extra two hours of starring at that empty desk. An extra two hours of unusual quiet. And an extra two hours of sheer loneliness.

I had went into work early before. It was quiet, desks were empty. But this was different. Now one of those desks wouldn't be filled.

And sometimes the squadroom wouldn't even be completely empty. Sometimes Tony had been there. Working late at night or early morning. Cause of a bad case or a nightmare. Not that he ever admitted that to me or to anyone. But I knew the signs, I could tell. And for whatever reason, coming into work and working by himself or sometimes just the two of us working, made him feel slightly better.

Maybe, like me, he reveled in the quiet time to calm his mind. Or maybe because he knew he didn't have to wear his mask in front of me it would put him at ease. Whatever the reason, it seemed to work for the both of us.

But I couldn't do that this time. Because the person who unknowingly helped me, was no more.

So for now, I just drove. First stopping to go for a run, then for coffee, and finally ending up at the Navy Yard.

The entire time asking myself the same questions I had been asking since Tony had been killed. Why him? Why not me?

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I glanced around the bull-pen again. It was way too quiet. There were no jokes, comments, threats, movie references, or rubber-band fights to liven the day. Not anymore. Ziva and McGee were quiet and subdued, not saying a word unless they were asked a question or maybe a simple good morning. Nothing more, nothing less.

I sighed, closing my eyes and, not for the first time, seriously considering just walking straight up to Vance and handing him my resignation.

I had written one yesterday when the silence and emptiness had become too much. All I had to do was turn it in. Yet, for my remaining team and family, I couldn't do it. Not yet anyway. But I wasn't sure how much longer I could handle the emptiness of the squadroom. The unbearable silence. The large gaping hole Tony had previously filled.

My eyes jerked open at the ringing noise emitting from my cell. I snatched it up, glad for something to break the silence.

"Gibbs." I said simply, realizing my voice sounded as tired as I felt.

"Boss....." a voice started. I didn't hear the rest of what the person was going to say as I dropped the phone and it clanged against the desk.

I stared straight ahead, hand still in the position of holding the phone and I'm sure my face was a sight to see.

I had heard him. I had heard Tony. Tony who had died over a week ago. I blinked once. Twice. Part of me couldn't believe that I even considered it being Tony and that I was just drawing off of false hope. The other part of me, however, wished it to be true more than anything else.

I heard a shout from the phone that snapped me out of my internal struggle of wish and want with doubt and not wanting to build up hope.

I caught a sight of Ziva and McGee starring at me, they looked almost terrified. Of course the last time I had reacted badly to a call it had been about Tony's death, no wonder they would react the way they were.

I snatched up the phone which was now laying on the floor and shoved it closer to my ear.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Boss, thank God, I was starting to think you'd been attacked or somethin'." It was defiantly Tony's voice. There was no mistaking that tone, especially when that teasing undercurrent was added.

"Hold that thought." I said tightly.

"Boss?" he asked, sounding confused.

I didn't answer, I just got up from my desk and walked to stand in the corner near the stairs out of range of hearing of Tim and Ziva. No need to build up their hopes until I was positive it was actually Tony.

"Tony?" I asked finally, my voice sounding hopeful, even to my own ears.

"Yeah, boss. What's going on? I know it's a little shocking, but it can't be that bad."

As soon as he had spoke the first two words a huge smile involuntarily made it's way across my face. I could have literally jumped for joy and would have if I didn't think it would draw attention. I don't remember when I'd felt so relieved. I couldn't believe it. He was alive. He wasn't the one who had been killed in the fire. He was alive and, hopefully, well. Thank God, I thought in a silent prayer.

I blinked my eyes a few times to stop any tears from actually falling from my eyes.

"Tony, you okay?"

"Fine, boss. Are you sure you're okay?" he asked.

I gave a single chuckle, my voice sounding tight again.

"Gibbs? Really, you don't sound good. What's going on there?"

"Nothing, DiNozzo. Where," I cleared my throat to make my voice sound more natural,"Where are you?"

"Bethesda." he said simply, unbelief coloring his tone when I had told him it was nothing.

"Bethesda? I thought you said you were okay?" I asked, all of my red flags going up at the mention of him at a hospital.

"Yeah, well, I do have a broken arm. They still need to set it but I wanted to call you first, tell you that you can call off the search now."

"Search?" I asked, slightly surprised.

"Yeah, the-----" he stopped.

"Tony?" I asked.

"You weren't looking for me?" he asked his voice as hurt as I'd ever heard it which made my own heart pang considerably.

"Tony, wh---"

"I thought you never left a man behind?" he asked, his voice starting to sound angry.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"I'm talking about how you stopped looking after those dirtbags took me." he said, voice almost defensive now, but the hurt was still plain as day.

"Took you?" I asked, surprised.

"Those two----!" he paused again, "You didn't realize I was missing?" he asked, also surprised now.

"No. We thought you had------" I closed my eyes for a minute, "We thought you had died in an electrical fire at the coin laundry." I explained, my voice slightly ruff as my mind flashed back to through all those horrid memories that would haunt me for the rest of my life.

"You thought I had----?"

"Died......Yeah, Tony."

He stayed silent for a longer time now.

"Well, I guess that's a good excuse for not looking for me." he said finally with a short, humorless laugh, but I could tell he no longer blamed us.

"If you were taken then how---?" I asked.

"Please, Gibbs, you underestimate me." he said, voice teasing again. "I got away......Actually it wasn't that hard. The idiots who took me were a couple of complete reason it took me so long was because I had to wait it out until I could get past the one idiot." he said dryly.

"Why do they think they took you?" I asked "And why keep you all this time?"

"Well, their boss was ticked at NCIS. Some agent put him jail twenty-six years ago. He just got out a few weeks ago and cooked this up to get back at them. Kidnap one agent, make the others think he died, and then kill him for real."

"Why didn't they just kill you instead of kidnapping you and then killing you?" I asked. Not that I cared, I'm just glad that Tony was still alive.

"I have no idea," Tony said "This guy had more than one screw loose if you know what I mean. I don't think he really thought it through too well, otherwise he would have hired two morons that could actually carry out a shooting and kill me. Course I'm not complaining." he said.

"Me either." I added under my breath.

"Like I said, they didn't think it through. He just wanted to make someone suffer because he was, ah 'wrongly accused of a crime by the brainless NCIS idiots who dared call themselves agents' " he said, "His words, not mine." he added quickly.

"He actually told you all of that?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, you know how in the movies the bad guys always have to have those long, boring speeches explaining the genius behind their plans?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"Well, apparently this guy watched too many movies." he said.

I chuckled, my heart the lightest it had been since I had gotten that first phone call.

"Gotta go, boss, these vultures are here pecking at me to let them set my cast." he said and I could just see him rolling his eyes.

I heard someone else say something to him.

"I don't care, Brad.....No you are not sticking that needle in me." he griped to the doctor.

"Hey, DiNozzo."

"Yeah, boss?" he asked, "Brad, leave me alone a minute would ya'?"

"See you in a few." I said and snapped the phone shut before he could protest.

I dropped my phone in my pocket, aware of the smile still plastered on my face. And again it hit me, Tony was alive and well and he would be coming home soon.

I couldn't help it, I pumped my fist into the air, hissing a semi quiet "Yes!" as I did so.

I walked back into the bull-pen, smile still in place, only slightly subdued now, to see McGee sitting on Ziva's desk talking quietly with her quietly.

"I do not know, McGee, but I am worried too. The last time Gibbs got a ph---" I heard Ziva start to say before spotting me and stopping abruptly. McGee looked over his shoulder and upon seeing me jumped to his feet, turning to face me.

"Gibbs?" Ziva asked. She looked as if she was trying to decide if she should be worrying for my sanity. I hadn't smiled since before Tony's supposed death. But then again, neither had they.

"McGee, go get Abby, Ducky, and Palmer."

"On it, boss." he said, hurrying off to the elevator.

"Gibbs, is everything alright?" Ziva asked.

"You mean should you be worried?" I asked.

"Yes."

"No, you shouldn't." Seeing she was still disbelieving, I added, "Everything's fine, Ziver." I said in a much softer tone and using her nickname to try and assure her.

I could tell she still wasn't too sure about that but she didn't press the matter for which I was grateful.

Sitting back at my desk I tried to think how best to tell them. They wouldn't really believe me if I simply told them I had gotten a call from Tony. They would undoubtedly think I had finally lost my sanity. Couldn't blame them, the past week I had started to wonder about that myself.

But how would I get them to believe me? The only way they would is if I had proof. What proof did I have though except for Tony himself?

That'd have to be it, I decided, I'd show them. Once they saw Tony with their own eyes they would believe it.

"Jethro? Is everything alright?" Ducky's voice asked, making my head snap in his direction to see him enter the bullpen followed by McGee, Abby, and Palmer.

"Better than alright, Duck." I said, my grin widening.

"Well, what happened?" he asked, looking at me carefully.

I opened my mouth, tempted to just tell them, but a few seconds later shut it again. I wanted to tell them, to somehow find a way to make them see that it was the truth and Tony was alive, but I knew better. "Come'on." I said, standing, "We're going the Bethesda."

"Bethesda? Is someone hurt?" Abby finally asked. She had been unnaturally silent ever since Tony's death. You might get a good morning or thank you, but other than that she never said a word unless spoken too. It was starting to scare me.

"No, Abs, no one's hurt. But there is someone there you need to see." I said as assuringly as I could.

She nodded and fell back into silent mode.

"Jethro, what's going on with you?" Ducky asked, placing a hand my arm as I made to walk by him.

I could see it in his face, he already thought I was losing it. Wasn't too big of a leap though considering how the past week had been I reminded myself.

"Ducky, trust me, if I told you, you wouldn't believe me."

He looked steadily at me a moment, his eyes sad, but he finally nodded.

I lead my sullen team, grin still in place, down to the parking garage, climbing in one of the agency vehicles so there would be enough room for everyone.

It was silent the entire twelve minute drive there. But that may be because I was driving faster than I usually did and they were all clinging to whatever support they could find. I saw Abby dig her nails into McGee's leg as she tried to keep from tipping over and Ziva's hands flew to cling to the back of Ducky's seat but I didn't slow down.

I needed to get the hospital. To see Tony, to make sure it wasn't something I dreamed up. Something my imagination had created to fulfill the wish to see him alive and whole again.

I shook my head to get rid of the thought. Tony was alive and he was going to be fine. I told myself silently. He had to be.

As we pulled into the parking lot and the others took a few seconds to regain their equilibrium I swore that once we got Tony back home and safe, he was never leaving my sight again. That way maybe, just maybe, we could avoide loseing him a third time.

As we walked through the doors to Bethesda I ordered them to stay back as I went to the nurses station.

"I'm here about Anthony DiNozzo." I said to the head nurse, quietly enough the others couldn't hear.

"Are you Gibbs?" she asked.

"Yes."

"He said you'd be coming to pick him up. He's in the waiting room." she said, pointing behind me.

"Thank you." I said quickly, heading back to the team.

"Are you going to tell us now?" Ziva asked, impatiently.

I glanced at her quickly before deciding now was as best time as ever.

"We're here to pick up DiNozzo." I said simply. No point in beating around the bush.

"Jethro...." Ducky started.

"I haven't gone crazy, Duck. I thought I had at first, but it really was Tony. He called me from here, he----"

"Jethro, I know you took it quite hard when Anthony was killed, we all did, but this is----"

"Ducky, I promise you. It really is DiNozzo." I tried to assure "Come'on." I added, gently pulling on the ME's arm and taking him towards waiting room. Towards Tony. The others following behind us.

I stopped a few feet into the room. Tony sat in one of the chairs, a magazine laying across his lap, his left arm now wrapped in a white cast. He had a few bruises on his arms and face and looked like he dropped quite a few pounds. But he was there. He was alive and breathing. I felt like jumping for joy again.

"Oh my." Ducky whispered and Abby gasped behind us.

Tony's head snapped up and he grinned at the sight of us.

"There you are!" he exclaimed, tossing the magazine onto the table and jumping up with ease. I didn't miss though at how he favored his right leg or the fact that he seemed just a bit shakey.

"You guys okay?" he asked, that DiNozzo grin spread widely across his face.

"Anthony?" Ducky breathed.

Tony's grin widened, "In the flesh!" turning to me he asked, "I'm guessing they didn't believe you when you told them?"

I opened my mouth but was cut off by Abby who all but screamed "Tony!" rushing past us and nearly attacking him in a hug.

"Woah! Good to see you, Abs." He said hugging her back.

Instead of answering she started sobbing onto his shoulder.

"Hey, Abs, it's okay." he tried to sooth, throwing us a look that screamed 'help me!'

I chuckled, gently prying Abby from Tony, trying to calm her.

"It's okay, Abs." I whispered to her "It's gonna be okay."

It took only a few seconds longer for the others to register that it really was Tony they were seeing and not their imagination or a dream and for them to engulf him in hugs as Abby had done. Tony was grinning the entire time, ecstatic with the warm welcome and the fact that he had been missed and wanted.

"It is so good to have you back, Anthony." Ducky stated, patting the younger man's arm.

"Yes it is, but if you ever do anything like that again I will make sure you wish you had never been born, DiNozzo." Ziva threatened, prodding his chest with a finger.

"Missed you to, Zee-vah." He said, grin still in place, rubbing the sore spot on his chest now.

She smiled giving him a quick kiss on the cheek and teasingly messing up his hair.

"Hey!" he proclaimed as he tried to make his hair lie flat again. "You're jus----"
She mock glared at him causing him to quickly shut his mouth.

"Don't worry, Tony, I'll protect you from her. But she is right. You do that to us again and you're a dead man walking." McGee assured, patting his friend on the back.

"Thanks allot, Probie." Tony replied, rolling his eyes.

My heart swelled at the sight of our family back together and whole again. Tony, such a large part of our little family, back with us and the others now whole again now that he had returned. Everything was going to all right again.

"So, boss," Tony said, breaking into my thoughts, "Are you gonna yell at me or headslap me?"

"Are you trying to get in trouble?" Palmer whispered to his friend, throwing a quick, slightly frightened glance at me.

"Might as well get it over with." Tony said, shrugging and then straighting his stance as if waiting for the storm to hit.

I stepped forward until I was standing in front of him; I smiled to myself as he tensed, waiting for the slap or whatever threats I was going to issue.

Instead I pulled him into a hug, holding tightly and placing a hand at the back of his head.

Usually I would have never done anything like that, especially in front of others, but I needed to feel he was here. To know he was real and alive and I wasn't dreaming.

I felt him in tense in surprise but I still continued to hug him and after a few seconds he relaxed

After I had pulled back, he stood staring at me. Shock written all over his face, as if he was wondering if I had been possessed or not.

Reaching my hand up I smacked the back of his head where I had previously held my hand.

"That's twice, DiNozzo. We get lead to believe you're dead again and I'll kill ya' for real." I threatened with no real heat. Something Tony noticed.

"Gotcha, boss." he agreed with a smile.

A small smile twitched at the corner of my mouth.

"Awww, Gibbs!" Abby squealed, throwing her arms around my neck in a hug, nearly knocking me over.

I patted her hand, trying to release her tight grip so I could breathe again.

"I suppose we should get home." Ducky said, smiling at me knowingly. I chose to simply ignore him at the moment. Just as I was doing with the looks of surprise on Ziva, Palmer, and McGee's faces.

"Oh man, real food, a real bed, a real shower." Tony said in wistful tone, closing his eyes, "Paradise on earth." he added.

Smirking at the long-missed humor, I led the newly reformed team out to the car. Mostly in silence, except for Abby who had become a one-woman talk show informing Tony of everything that had been happening since he left and just how much everyone had missed him.

The minute we were in the car though the usual chatter and banter from all of the team members picked up immediately, never quitting for a second. This time I didn't yell. This time I wasn't annoyed. And this time I didn't make them stop. This time I enjoyed it.

I couldn't seem to wipe the smile off of my face as I listened to their jokes and arguments. I had missed it more than I had ever thought I would and at the moment it was one of the best sounds in the world.

"Hey, I just thought of something." McGee spoke up suddenly from the backseat, loud enough to be heard above the other voices.

"Yeah, what's that, Probie?" Tony asked, "You think of a way to beat the next level of IceFariy?" he teased. "Oh, that felt good! I haven't been able to tease McGee in a week!" Tony exclaimed, leaning his head back on the headrest of the seat in satisfaction.

I smirked, glancing back at them in the rear view mirror.

McGee rolled his eyes, but he was having a hard time keeping a grin off his face.

"What'd you think of McGee?" I asked.

"That coroner that did Tony's....er, well, the guy we thought was Tony's autopsy. There's no way it couldn't have Tony. Obviously. So why'd he say it was?" he replied.

"That is good question, Timothy." Ducky said, looking back at him. "Even if someone was able to change the DNA and blood type on Anthony's file there is no mistaking him for someone else with his medical record."

"Well, the body was most likely badly burnt in the fire. Maybe there was no way to identify the body by his medical records." Ziva added.
"I don't think so. When Tony's car was bombed, proved it wasn't him because there was no scaring of the lungs. The body that was burnt in the fire would have been in better condition, he shouldn't have had any problem autopsying the lungs." Palmer said, adding his own two cents.

"So then, why'd he say it was me?" Tony asked.
No one had an answer. But I had a way to find out.

Twisting the wheel, I was able to catch the corner at the last minute.

The others scrambled to catch something to keep themselves from falling as the van nearly went up on two wheels. Their cries of protest were drowned out by the squealing tires and honking horns of the other cars.

"Jethro! What are you doing?!" Ducky yelled, now clutching the door handle for support.

"Getting answers!" I answered, jerking the wheel once more, cutting off yet another driver.

And that's exactly what we were going to do. Get answers. Because whoever thought they could lie to me, especially about the welfare of someone on my team, was going to pay. They were going to pay severely for it.

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Okay, to be honest, I'm not too sure how well this chapter turned out or if it's as good as the others, but I hope so. Please review and let me know!

ABOUT THE NEXT CHAPTER:

It'll probably take me a little longer for the next update cause I'm a little stuck on how to make all my ideas work together. But at least Tony is back now, right? :)

Again, please review!! :)