Tim lay back on the bed dozing whilst he waited for Ducky to pick him up. He had already filled out the discharge papers and now it was a case of hanging around until someone came. With a sigh he opened his eyes and looked towards the door only to see one of the nurses bustling in.
"Seeing as you're still waiting, the doctor suggested I check your vitals one last time."
"Sure, Martha. They'll be here soon anyway." Tim yawned loudly and started to cough. He soon found himself being sat up whilst the pretty young nurse rubbed and slapped his back. It wasn't long before the coughing abated and Tim glanced up at Martha sheepishly.
"Thanks."
"No worries. It's not as bad as it has been but it'll still happen for a good couple of weeks yet. Just make sure you take your meds and use the inhaler when you need it." At Tim's scowl at the mention of the dreaded, vile tasting inhaler, she rolled her eyes. "It's for your own good and you know it."
"Yes, Ma'am."
"And try not to get into any deep and meaningful conversations for a couple of days. I know the doctor said you could talk, but just try to limit it if you can because I'll be damned if you're getting special treatment next time you're in here." Tim looked at the nurse with a shocked expression but the twinkle in her eyes made him realise that she was kidding with him.
"I'll try my hardest."
At that moment the door swung open and Tony walked in with a big grin on his face. He was soon followed by Ducky who was pushing a wheelchair.
"Hey guys, you here to spring me out?"
"Sure am, Probie. So come on, let's blow this joint!" Tony picked up Tim's bag and frowned at the weight of it. "Damn, what've you got in here?"
"My stuff and all the things you guys bought in for me." Tim shrugged and turned to Ducky. "Do you want to talk to my doctor or can we just go?"
"I would like to talk to your doctor about the aftercare you are going to need. As you know, you will be spending some time with me so I can look after you. Young, Anthony here can take you to the car and get you settled whilst I do."
"Thanks." He watched Ducky walk out of the room and turned to Tony. "So, what're you doing here? I thought Gibbs had you holed up in the squad room."
"Timothy McGee." Martha warned with a smile. "Shorter sentences for the time being please."
"You worry too much."
"Yes. As much as I've enjoyed your company, I will kick your ass to kingdom come if you end up back in here." With a smile, she ripped off the blood pressure cuff she had put on him and sauntered out of the room.
"Nice nursing staff they've got going on here. Anyway, Gibbs let me go for a few hours because there was no way he was letting you get into Ducky's Morgan. It's too cramped. That and the fact that I wanted to talk to you."
"About?" Tim's curiosity piqued at the statement.
"Nothing important...well, okay, yeah it's important but nothing to worry about. I've just been here remember."
"I know." Tim was assaulted by another wave of coughing that left him gagging the way he did every time his lungs expelled the fluid and gunk that built up there.
"Damn, hold on, McGoo. I'll get a basin." Tony turned away and saw the emesis basin sitting on the nightstand. "Here. Easy, that's it."
Ducky chose that moment to arrive back and balked at the sight of Tim hacking up his lungs whilst Tony supported him and thwacked his back rhythmically in the centre to dislodge anything that had settled there. He moved over to the bed and pulled unhooked the oxygen mask from the wall.
"Timothy, listen to me. Once you have done, I want you to use the oxygen for a few minutes." He was relieved when the coughing fit ended and helped Tony lay him back against the pillows before placing the mask loosely over Tim's face. "There, keep that on and then we'll move you out."
"Move him out? Duck shouldn't he be staying here? I mean, they've got drugs and oxygen and doctors and nurses." Tony was staring at Ducky with wide incredulous eyes.
"Anthony, he'll have that with me. I am a doctor, he'll have his medication and Timothy's attending physician is arranging for an oxygen tank and mask for us to take with us. There really isn't anything else that they can do and Timothy will be more comfortable away from the hospital."
"Ducky...Can I have some water please?" Tim's voice was hoarse from the coughing fit but he was breathing a lot better. Ducky reached over and took the mask away.
"Of course. I think that did the trick. Now, We're going to sit you up and once you've had a drink, we'll take you to the car so that we can get you settled at home."
Between the three of them, they soon had Tim settle in the wheelchair and were ready to roll out. Tony grabbed the handles and started to push but was stilled by Ducky's hand on his arm.
"Anthony, I'll be there in a moment. I just want to talk to the doctor again."
"Everything okay, Ducky?" Tony frowned at the obvious worry in Ducky's tone and knew that the M.E. was having the same reservations about Tim being released.
"Yes, everything is fine. I'm just..."
"You don't think I should...be released." Tim's dejected tone rose up from the wheelchair. Ducky crouched down and looked Tim square in the eyes.
"You listen to me, young man. You have been coming on in leaps and bounds and the coughing will take a couple of weeks to abate. I just want to make sure that I have everything that you will need whilst you are in my care. I'm also fairly certain that there will be things that you fail to tell me about what you should be doing and so, I am going to the best source of knowledge I can."
Tim chuckled slightly "You know me...too well."
"Unfortunately for you, yes I do." Ducky patted his knee and stood up. "Anthony, if you will do the honours."
"Sure thing. See you in a few."
Ducky stood there and watched Tony pushing his young charge. He was sure that Tim was alright to leave, but just wanted that reassurance that he was alright. With a sigh, he turned and walked back towards the nurses' station.
Tim was relieved to see Gibbs' car looming in the distance as they exited the car park. Sure, Tony's car was nice and Ducky's Morgan was a classic, but neither of them were particularly comfortable and Tim wanted nothing more than to sink back into the seat and doze for a while...wow! The short journey out of the hospital had left him feeling exhausted.
"Gibbs' car?" Tim asked around a yawn.
"He kinda insisted. Something about it being safer and I'm not arguing with the boss."
"Don't blame you." Tim made to stand but was hit with dizziness. "Damn it!"
"You alright? Wanna go back?"
"No! I just...stood up to fast." Tony slung Tim's bag in the trunk and rounded to the front of the wheelchair.
"Come on. I remember this all too well, so my advice to you is to let people help when you need it. Right now, you're feeling weak and exhausted." Tony frowned at the glare that Tim sent his way "Don't deny it, Probie. I remember the smallest things wiping me out. Hell, even peeing seemed to take it out of me."
Tim relaxed and let Tony help him out of the wheelchair and into the car "TMI, Tony. TMI."
"You know, you've been spending too much time with Abby. TMI?" realisation of what he had just said dawned on him and he stood there gaping before pulling himself together again "Crap, sorry. I didn't mean..."
"It's alright, Tony."
"You sure?"
"Yeah. I need to sit down." Tony opened the door and helped Tim get into the front seat of the car. Once he was strapped in, he turned to his exhausted friend and grinned.
"I'm gonna take the wheelchair back. I'll be back soon." With that, he closed the door and walked back to the entrance with the chair. He felt awful for what he had just said, but vowed to have a long talk with his little brother once he was feeling stronger.
"Hey guys, can we make a pit stop?" Tim had been dozing in the front seat and when he woke, he was surprised to find them half way to Ducky's house.
"I don't see a problem with that Timothy, though whatever it is you want, me or Anthony will run in and get." Ducky emphasised the last bit making Tony chuckle.
"What he said. What can I get for you Probielicious."
"I really, really fancy coffee and ice cream."
"Ah. I see. Well I'm afraid ice cream is not an option and the coffee must be black for the time being. You know as well as I do, that anything creamy can impact on the congestion in your lungs. May I make a suggestion to an alternative?"
"Alternative to ice cream? Come on, there is no alternative to ice cream!" Tony jumped in with a huff.
"Huh? Alternative and no latte? Damn, that leaves me with..." said Tim.
"Black coffee, my boy and yes, Anthony, there is an alternative to ice cream. Frozen yogurt is less creamy and better for you." The M.E. watched as Tony screwed up his face with disgust. "Timothy, you can have frozen yogurt. Will that suffice for the time being?"
"I kind of like it." Tim said with a shrug. "Can we get some? I've been wanting it for days but the nurses wouldn't let me"
"I'll stop off and will run in. The coffee can be made at Ducky's once you've settle in. You know, this was the bit I hated, right. I couldn't have cheese for weeks which meant..."
"No Pizza?" Tim couldn't help but smile at the look of faux horror on Tony's face.
"It killed me! No Pizza! It was just wrong Probie and there's no alternative to Pizza." His face straightened out and Tim just knew that there was something that he wanted to say. "But, it's not too bad, McGee. Trust me when I say, it's not worth your lungs clogging up again because the one time I ate it, I hacked for an entire night. You need to take care of yourself, man and let people in; don't shut them out."
"I know." Tim whispered.
"Yeah, I know you do, kid. But I've been there, done that and know what it's like. Give it a couple of weeks and you'll be feeling better and there's no reason not to recover now that Alex has been put back where he belongs. Which reminds me, you wanna talk, you know where I am."
Tim stared at Tony for a moment feeling overwhelmed by his sentiments. It wasn't a case of he didn't trust his friend...his older brother...it was a case of he had no idea Tony would want him coming to him when things got too much.
"Thanks. I appreciate that."
"Timothy, you know you have every one's support, don't you. We are your family."
"Yeah, Ducky. I know. I owe you all so much but right now, I need to concentrate on getting better because I'm fed up of feeling this way."
"I know, my dear boy. I know, but you are making remarkable progress."
Tim settled further into his seat knowing that all would be okay. If they were letting him actually have the foods that he wanted, or at least alternatives to them, then he was happy and would do anything he could to move forward with his recovery. When they stopped off to get what Tim wanted, the ailing agent pulled out his cell phone and took the opportunity to make a call whilst he had some privacy.
"Hey, Abbs." Gibbs strode into the lab and narrowed his eyes at the sight of Abby slumped over computer. "Everything alright?"
"No. It's not, Gibbs. Tony and Ducky were going to call when they got Tim home. They've been gone for an hour. AN HOUR! They should be home. Why haven't they called?" Abby picked up her phone again and flipped it open to check the display.
"Why don't you call them?"
"Because, I'm trying to take things slowly with Ti..McGee. I don't want to screw this up again Gibbs, and I don't want to pressure him." She stood up and started pacing.
"Abby! Sit!" Gibbs waited for her to obey and handed over the cafpow. "They'll call when they're home and McGee is fine."
"I know that. I'm just worried that he's not going to want me anymore." Her head hung at the soft admission.
"You've spent every night with him. I walked in and saw you curled around him last night."
"I know." Abby blushed. "We've been doing that for a few nights. The nurse's stopped trying to make me leave."
"Threaten to kill them and leave no evidence?" Gibbs smirked as he said it knowing that it was one thing that Abby would have tried at least once to get her way.
"Nope. Tim convinced them."
"How?"
"No idea. But he said he slept better with me there." She shrugged her shoulders and grinned "It's a start."
"Uh-huh. It is. But you've got a lot more to do. You've forgotten the talk we had already?"
"I know I've got more to do, Gibbs and no, I haven't forgotten it. I remember it despite being concussed at the time." Abby sighed and tried to rein in her defensiveness. "We just haven't been able to talk yet, you know, what with McGee having the restrictions on that and everything."
Gibbs cocked his head to the side and leaned in close to her so that he could whisper in her ear.
"You better try damn hard not to hurt him again, Abbs because you won't get off as lightly next time. Do. Not. Take. This. Lightly."He punctuated the last words to make her realise that this was serious. He was done letting her get off lightly with every damn mistake she made and, even though he still loved her as his daughter, she had to be reminded that it was about to stop and things were about to get a whole lot stricter for his lab rat.
"Gibbs! I wouldn't...I mean, I couldn't hurt him."
"You just did. What the hell do you think has been happening the past few weeks?"
"I was stupid and wrong. I know that but I won't make that mistake again. I love him...I really do, I love him." Abby went quiet and hung her head down low as tears sprung forward in her eyes.
"Then show it." Gibbs reached over and pulled her into a tight hug. "But don't treat him or anyone else the way you did. It won't fly next time."
"okay..."She was interrupted by her phone ringing and ran over to the counter. When she checked the caller display, her heart skipped a beat when she realised that it was Tim. With a swift flip, she had the phone open and to her ear "Tim! Hey, you home?"
Gibbs watched for a split second before smiling and making his way out of the lab. Maybe, just maybe, things were looking up and if Abby kept her side of the bargain, then maybe his youngest agent would actually stand a chance of happiness. He would, however, be keeping a close eye on the situation for a while because knowing, Tim, he'd manage to keep stuff to himself and wouldn't let Abby take the flak.
"Hey Abbs. No... we've just sto...stopped off for...some frozen yogurt." Abby frowned at the breathless pauses she was hearing even though she knew that they were better than they had been.
"They should have taken you straight home. You need to be in bed resting, not in some ice cream parl..."
"Hey, Tony and Ducky...have gone to get it." Tim coughed making Abby wince. "Sorry. I really...wanted some."
"So, you're not sitting in?"
"No. Take away."
"Oh, okay. Timmy..um, can I come over to Ducky's after work? I miss you and we haven't spent proper time together in ages." Abby was hoping to apologise to Tim and even though she'd already done so on numerous occasions, she still felt the need to atone for what she had done.
"Sure...can't guarantee I'll be...awake. But I'd like...that."
"Cool! I'll be there as soon as I've finished. I'm going to let you go because I can hear you struggling and it sounds like they're back now. Put Tony on." Abby had heard the car door open and close and knew that Tim wasn't alone any longer.
"DiNozzo."
"Tony. How is he? Is he doing alright? Why didn't you take him straight home? Why..."
"Chill out for a minute. Jeez Abbs, you're making my ears bleed. McGoo is fine. He wanted ice cream because he hasn't had it in a while and he's now slurping his way through some frozen yogurt. He's alright Abbs but we need to get him home now before the happy pills wear off."
"Is he in pain? Oh my God, Tony. You have to get him home."
"Abby! He's not in pain, but they only just gave him his meds half hour ago. He's fine for now, but he really, really needs to be in bed, So now we've fed his craving, we're gonna take him home, tuck him up and let him sleep. Alright?"
"Okay. Tell Ducky I'll be over after work."
"Abby, don't you think you should ask the Doctor if he thinks McGoo will be up for a visit?" Tony asked her. "Poor guy hasn't even been outta the pop stand for an hour and he's already wiped out. And don't forget, he's still on restrictions with long conversations."
"Tony, I promise. I'll talk to Ducky when I get there. Please just do this for me?"
"Will do. Catch ya later." Tony hung up leaving Abby standing there frowning. Was he really okay? She glanced around her lab and looked at the idle machinery that she had been running diagnostic on.
"Okay, boys. I have places to go and people to see, so how about you hurry up and do what you have to so I can get outta here?"
She walked over to the major and punched a few buttons to get the test started, it was something that had needed doing but hopefully, they would be done quickly because as soon as they dinged and the results were in, she was packing up and going to see Tim.