Tony never thought he would be planning his daughter's funeral, but here he was. Sitting in the funeral director's office. He had planned the funeral for three days later. The obituary would run the next two days. He just wanted everything to be over. He wanted it to be over but he also wanted to hang on. He was not ready to say goodbye. Then again how could he ever be?
Tori Palmer was seriously ill. Jimmy and Breena's worst fears had been confirmed. Their only child was suffering from bacterial meningitis. She had contracted it from Tali DiNozzo. It was a horrible feeling. They were facing the loss of their child. All because one of Jimmy's best friend's had lost his child to the same disease. Tony had no ill intent. He did not even know Tali was sick the last time the girls played together. The morning before she died.
"She's still critical. No real change." Jimmy said.
"Prognosis still the same?" Breena asked.
"They don't know but they want us to prepare ourselves." Jimmy confirmed.
Tony had arranged for Tali to be buried in her favorite dress. He made sure that they played her favorite music. He had called everybody he thought should know with the official information. Parents had asked if they should bring their children. The only thing Tony thought to say was "If they can handle it." That was the best answer. If the children could handle the funeral bring them. If they could not leave them home.
"Did you make the calls?" Gibbs asked.
"Yeah" Tony replied.
"I'm sorry." Gibbs apologized.
"How the hell do I move on from here?" Tony asked.
"You remember that she would want you to be strong." Gibbs replied.
Gibbs ached for his boy. He knew that pain all too well. It killed him to see his child to be through that same pain. What was worse was knowing that there were more victims of this tragedy. Tori Palmer was fighting for her life and so were three of Tori's classmates. Four of Tali's classmates had become infected through contact with her. One boy had died the morning before. The boy had a heart condition or some other existing medical condition. He did not have a chance. Tony did not know that any other children had become sick and that's how Gibbs wanted it. At least until Tony had calmed down a little.
McGee felt terrible, utterly emotionally drained. He felt awful for not being glad he did not go to the hospital. He knew he had done it to protect the twins and Delilah. Especially now that they knew that Tali's illness was highly contagious. Besides that the flu was rampant. Delilah had gotten her flu shot but they were not one hundred percent effective. With her being a paraplegic she was extra vulnerable. The twins were extremely vulnerable. They did not have any shots yet. Then again McGee was not one hundred percent sure the vaccine they would receive was effective against Tali's strain. He was still new to this parenting stuff. Fresh guilt washed over him. He should be more grateful that he could still be a father.
Abby tried to call Gibbs for the umpteenth time. She wondered why he was not answering his phone. Was Tony really that bad off? She wished that she could come over but Gibbs had said not to come. No visitors until Tony was ready. Was that really what Tony wanted? Or was it what Gibbs wanted?
Bishop mentally ordered Abby to hang up the phone. She wished that Abby would understand that Gibbs was just looking out for Tony. He was not being mean. He was trying to keep Tony from becoming overwhelmed and breaking down further. She knew Abby was just trying to be nice but it was more annoying and careless than nice.
"Abby hang, up!" Bishop hissed.
"I want to talk to Tony." Abby replied.
"Tony does not want to talk." Bishop insisted.
"How do you know?" Abby questioned.
"You remember what Gibbs said. Tony is falling apart. He just wants to be alone. At least for now. He will come around soon." Bishop explained.
"Well why won't Gibbs talk to me?" Abby questioned.
"Because Tony needs him more. Come on let's get some lunch. I am starving." Bishop insisted.
Tony pulled himself up off the bathroom floor. He felt sick to his stomach. He had thrown up ten times since Tali died. He could not eat, he could barely drink. He was miserable. He wished that he was dying too but according to the doctors he was fine. "Fine" that was a huge lie. He was in hell. He had lost his child. His only child. His last link to Ziva. He was never going to be fine again. He did not care what anybody said. He was never going to recover.
Tori started to get worse in the late evening. Jimmy knew that any hope was fading. Breena was trying to deny it. She did not have the training that Jimmy had. She did not know the cruel reality. Jimmy was trying to be strong but it grew harder by the minute. Unlike Tony, he could always have more children with Breena. That made no difference. No matter how many children he had. None could replace Tori. He hated that it was happening this way.
"She's not going to get better is she?" Breena asked.
"I don't think so. If she does. She is going to have life long problems." Jimmy explained.
"Which would be better?" Breena asked.
"Give how high her fever is and how long it has lasted. The level of brain damage. It may be better to let her go." Jimmy explained.
"When will we know?" Breena asked.
"They are running more tests in the morning. If she makes it that long." Jimmy explained.
A/N: How will Tony react when he finds out about Tori and Tali's classmates? New chapter will be up soon. Please review and thanks for reading.