A/N: Sorry it took so long to get this up. I've actually had this chapter done for a while, but I thought I already put it up. Sorry again; enjoy!

Washington DC— En Route to Bethesda Hospital

By the time they arrived at the hospital, Gibbs and Ziva had filled each other in on most of the events that had occurred.

Ziva had gone first, and Gibbs was silent. She told him that the captors had come as she was getting dressed, and she hadn't had time to react before they knocked her out. She described the room in which they were held, and she told him that the men were indeed there on Director David's orders, and that they had, in fact, killed Jeanne. She did not tell him about the argument over a partner's duties, or that she had volunteered to go back to Israel of her own free will, to save Tony. She would tell him later, after talking to Tony; she needed to talk to him first.

Gibbs, unaware that she had left anything out, told her everything that had happened: about going to her apartment and finding minimal evidence, about his short temper getting shorter, and about Abby's meltdown. He said that Abby was blaming McGee for the kidnapping, and it just made the poor junior agent feel all the guiltier. When he got to the previous night's events, Ziva felt the need to interrupt.

"McGee punched him?"

Gibbs did not miss that under the initial shock, her words held disappointment, but he ignored it. "Yep. Right in the nose. So I took them into the elevator…"

"He punched him in the face?" The words were dripping with disappointment now.

This time, however, Gibbs called her out on it. "You don't sound too concerned for Beal's safety," he accused.

"Well… On the plane to Los Angeles… Tony and I made a… a bet… and I just lost."

To her surprise, Gibbs laughed. She smiled in response.

"Perhaps he will have forgotten, in light of recent events. After all, we did not set any filets," she said hopefully.

"Stakes, Ziva. No stakes. And you don't really think DiNozzo would pass up on a chance to brag about being right, do you?"

She laughed and shook her head. "Yes, I suppose it was merely wishful thinking."

He continued to relay earlier events. When he got to finding Tony, she said nothing, but he noticed that a few tears had escaped by the time he had finished.

"Ziva, look at me." When she did, he told her, "This is not your fault. You did nothing wrong. This was all Eli David. Not you. Hey!" She had looked away. "He will be fine. I did not give him permission to die."

Again, his words brought tears to her eyes, and she looked away again, embarrassed and unconvinced.

"Ziva, I promise."

He said it so forcefully that she had no choice but to believe him.

Washington DC—Bethesda Hospital

When they got to the hospital, Ziva got into an argument with the nurse at the front desk. The nurse was adamant that Ziva be checked out right away, but Ziva wanted to see her friends – her family – first. Gibbs had to flash his badge before the woman – grudgingly – let them through.

Upon their arrival at the waiting room in which McGee, Eric, Ducky, and Hetty were sitting, Abby jumped up to hug Ziva. Ziva, to everyone's surprise, instead of freezing as she normally would have, squeezed back with the same bone-crushing force. Abby, shocked, just hugged her tighter.

"We need to talk," Ziva whispered in her ear as they separated.

Abby, though confused, nodded.

Next Ziva walked over to Tim, who had stood when they'd walked in. "Thank you," she whispered. "Gibbs told me everything. I need to talk to you, as well."

"Sure, Ziva," he murmured in reply, returning her hug after a surprised pause. "I'm glad you're okay."

"I have you to thank for that, I hear," she said kissing his cheek.

He turned bright red. "Well, ah, not just me…"

"No," she agreed. She then turned to face the room. "Thank you all. When the others get here, tell them to come and see me so I can thank them as well. If not for you, I would be on a plane to Tel Aviv right now. Now I must see a doctor," she finished, holding her head.

So, with Gibbs still at her side, she left.

Gibbs returned an hour later, to find that the group had grown. Callen, Sam, Kensi and Dom had dropped the captors off at headquarters and come straight to the hospital. Palmer was also there, looking quite worried, Belatedly, Gibbs remembered that he had become Tony's friend during Gibbs' absence.

"The doctors want to keep an eye on her for a few days, because of her head wound," he announced, taking a seat. "She's fine, just a little shaken up. She's asleep now. Any news on DiNozzo?"

As if on cue, a doctor entered the room. "Family of Anthony DiNozzo?"

Everyone stood up.

"You're all his family?" he asked doubtfully.

Everyone sat down, with the exception of Gibbs, McGee and Abby.

"That's a bit better," the doctor muttered. Then, louder, "Come with me, please."

He led them out into the hallway, and informed them, "He is out of surgery, and now in the recovery ward."

"Can we see him?" Abby blurted.

The doctor looked at her, annoyed. "I'll get to that. As I was saying," he said, talking to the two men now, "With the extent of his injuries, we decided it would be best to put him in a drug-induced coma for a few days, to keep him out of pain."

"Wouldn't morphine suffice?" Abby asked, irritated that the doctor had dismissed her so blatantly.

"Yes, but we would like to be sure that his vitals are in order before he experiences any more stress."

"So we can't see him?" McGee asked.

"I don't see a problem with it, but please understand that he won't be able to hear you. And please, just one at a time."

"Will he be okay?" Abby inquired.

"Well, we won't be sure for a few hours, but things are looking good for him."

All three beamed at the news, and Abby hugged McGee again. They then returned to the waiting room with the great news.

The mood of the room instantly lightened, and everyone smiled. Abby relayed everything the doctor had said. When she mentioned the coma, Kensi gasped.

"They put him in a coma?"

"They're not so bad," Gibbs said nonchalantly.

"You were in a coma?" Callen asked, expertly concealing the hurt he felt at finding out his old friend had been in such a state.

"Two," the entire DC team corrected.

Before Callen could say anything, however, Abby continued, "And the doctor says he'll be okay! And we can see him! I'm going first!" she yelled as she ran out the door.

So, that's chapter 20. If you disagree with anything, or love something in particular, tell me! How can I improve if I don't know what my readers like?