Author's Note:
Thank you for all the reviewers, favorites and followers of this story…
Here's the next chapter… Enjoy!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Tony paced in the hallway, worried and afraid of what Gibbs was going through. He heard Gibbs' shout of pain and almost walked into the room to give Gibbs some kind of support.
It was Abby's gasp of shock and trembling words that held him back. "Oh oh oh! Gibbs is in so much pain. What can we do? Tony, what can we do to make it better?"
"Abby," Tony made eye contact with Ziva and McGee as he wrapped his arms around Abby. "Let's move into that waiting room down the hall."
"I will join you in a moment." Ducky said heading into the room where Gibbs was being examined.
As Ducky opened the door, Gibbs' growl of pain could be heard by all.
"Oh dear, Jethro." Ducky said, the door closing behind him.
"Oh boy." McGee looked pale. Ziva placed her arm around his waist and led him to the waiting room as Abby started crying.
"What's wrong with him?" Abby asked between sobs.
"I don't know." Tony replied. His voice was so serious, so unlike the Tony they all knew.
"It's so unexpected to see Boss so vulnerable." McGee said.
"Yes, well he is just a man and we all seem to forget that sometimes." Ziva stated, heat in her voice the only indication of how worried she was.
Tony mentally shook himself and pulled himself together.
"Gibbs is strong and healthy and whatever this is, the doctors are seeing to it. There is no reason that Boss will not make a full recovery and be back in the office barking orders at us within a week." He said.
"Tony's right." Ziva agreed.
"I know," Abby said, "But I'm still worried."
McGee reached out and squeezed Abby's hand. She looked at him through tear filled eyes and squeezed his hand back."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
In the ER examination room, Gibbs was trying to pull away from the intrusive doctor who was examining his ear.
He heard Ducky's voice say, "Jethro, you need to calm down and let the doctor do his job. I'm Dr Mallard, the ME at NCIS."
Great… I can hear again…
"Smith." The doctor nodded his head at Ducky, while he continued examining Gibbs' ear.
"Argh….hurts like a bitch, Duck." Gibbs growled as the doctor pulled his ear lobe firmly and forced the otoscope deeper inside.
"I'm not surprised it does." Dr Smith responded, his instrument still painfully pressing into Gibbs' ear.
"Otitis Externa?" Ducky asked.
What the hell is otitis externa? Gibbs wondered as he felt the nurse tighten her hold on his wrists. How long has she been holding me down?
"No." replied Dr Smith. "Otitis media and it's one of the worst cases I've seen in an adult."
Crap… sounds bad.
"Oh dear." Ducky exclaimed.
Dr Smith removed the otoscope from Gibbs' left ear and moved over to his right side. He adjusted a new tip onto the otoscope.
"No." Gibbs growled as he felt the doctor's cold fingers on his right earlobe.
"I'm sorry Agent Gibbs. I will be as quick as I can." Dr Smith said, pressing the otoscope into Gibbs ear. The nurse held his wrists firm as she mumbled some encouragement.
"Hell, take that damn thing out of my ear, now!" Gibbs growled. The pain peeked in his right ear. Gibbs shouted out in agony trying to pull away. But the nurse, Ducky and Dr Smith managed to keep him still as Dr Smith continued examining his ear.
"Both ears are infected. And we have fluid coming out of this one." Dr Smith removed the otoscope and Gibbs took a number of shaky breathes. He felt the deep pressure, pain inside his right ear easing and warmness filled his ear. The nurse still held onto his wrists, gently this time. Ducky leaned forward to look at Gibbs' right ear, and Gibbs flinched.
"Don't touch it." He warned Ducky.
"I wouldn't dream of it dear Jethro." Ducky said sympathetically as he noted the mixture of stinky off-yellow pus and red blood running out of Gibbs ear.
Dr Smith handed the otoscope back to the nurse and said, "Get a swab of that discharge from his ear to the lab stat."
"Do you suspect a viral infection?" Ducky asked, his hand lightly on Gibbs' shoulder.
"Not sure yet, Dr Mallard."
"So you will run cultureS for viral, bacterial and fungal infections, I take it." Ducky said
Viral, bacterial and fungal!
Crap… Gibbs took deep breathes, listening to the exchange.
"Yes, knowing exactly what type of infection Agent Gibbs has, will determine his treatment plan." Dr Smith stated as he turned to the nurse and continued, "I want a full blood count, viral, bacterial and fungal infection loads in addition to the cultures."
"Head, face and chest X-rays?" Ducky asked. Dr Smith nodded and the nurse took down the requirements.
Blood work, X-rays… sounds like it's going to take all bloody day.
"Also get an x-ray of his knee." Dr Smith said.
"The head wound is superficial?" Ducky enquired.
Dr Smith placed his fingers lightly against Gibbs' forehead and examined the head wound. Gibbs tried to pull away.
"Relax Jethro." Ducky stated. The bruises on Gibbs' head and upper cheek looked like nothing more than scratches.
"Clean and dress these." Dr Smith stated examining Gibbs' eyes and pupil responses. "I do not suspect concussion but report any such symptoms to me should they present."
"I don't have a concussion." Gibbs insisted.
"Will do doctor." The nurse replied simultaneously.
"Can we hurry this along. I need to get back to work?" Gibbs stated. He fully expected them to run all the tests they wanted to, give him a bunch of meds and let him get back to the office.
"I'm afraid, Jethro, you'll be a guest at the hospital for few days at least." Ducky said apologetically.
"What!" Gibbs was surprised. He didn't think he would be admitted.
"Unfortunately, your fever is extremely high and we are still to determine the extent of your ear infection. Cultures can take upto 72 hours to yield results and without them we cannot start the correct treatment plan." Dr Smith turned to the nurse. "I want him in a private ward until his fever is under control."
"Duck can't you handle this?" Gibbs asked feeling the frustration build up inside him.
"Unfortunately not my friend." Ducky said.
"You are a very ill man, Agent Gibbs." Dr Smith said. "In addition to being a danger to yourself, you also pose a danger to those around you as you could collapse again, or if your infection is contagious, you could infect those around you."
"That's true, Jethro." Ducky stated.
Are hell, I hate hospitals. Gibbs hated being ill. He hated not having total control of his body and his mental faculties. This was a bad situation that was getting worse by the moment.
But he also realized that he would be no use to anyone if he didn't get this problem under control. And there was no way in hell he would put his team at risk. And the pain in his head and ears was not showing any signs of letting up.
"Okay." "Just give me something for the pain, will you." Gibbs growled.
Ducky squeezed Jethro's shoulder, glad that he was seeing reason.
"Just give me something for the pain, will you." Gibbs growled.
"Of course." Dr Smith said, filling in a prescription form in Gibbs' file. "Give Agent Gibbs 50ml of Perfalgan via IV with 1 amp Tramal for the pain and fever and a Valoid suppository to control the nausea and vomiting."
"No suppository!" Gibbs growled prompting Ducky to smile.
"It's the least painful approach and will yield good results." Dr Smith stated.
"No." Gibbs responded, biting down on the nausea that still hovered when he moved.
"Okay Agent Gibbs," Dr Smith stated disapprovingly. "Give Agent Gibbs 1 amp of Valoid intramuscularly. He is to have nothing but a few drops of water orally for the next four hours. Monitor his vitals at 30 minute intervals and clean out the fluid from the ear as it drains. I don't want it getting trapped in his ears. That will compound the infection and cause Agent Gibbs a lot of pain."
"How did I get this?" Gibbs asked.
"It could be the result of a number of things such as a cold or unchecked sinus infection. Travelling in an enclosed space with someone who was infected especially air travel. Being in an environment where the infection could be spread quickly and silently. All that matter now is … that we run all the tests and ….. identify the strain of the infection ….. so that we can treat it effectively."
"The earing loss." Gibbs swallowed as his hearings stated fading again. "Will it continue to fade in and out?"
Dr Smith looked at Ducky.
"What… is… it… ?" Gibbs' blood pressure started to rise and his head and ear aches multiplied.
"Jethro, it … is … too …." Ducky spoke, but Gibbs didn't hear anything further. He blinked his eyes rapidly and watched Ducky's lips move. But he couldn't make out the words since Ducky was facing Dr Smith.
Shit! Gibbs closed his eyes and the silence overwhelmed him.
Is this how it's going to be in the future…
Dead silent?