A/N - Thank you for all the great reviews! I'm really enjoying writing this story, although I'm not quite positive where it will end up. I do have a pretty good idea but just need to keep working on it until I'm happy with the results. -abby
**********
The soft light streaming through the blinds brought Tony back to consciousness. He stretched and groaned inwardly as the movement reminded him of his injury. That painkiller must be wearing off. Finally. It was making me way too sleepy. Tony dragged himself out of bed and went to answer the call of nature.
Tony was startled at the reflection staring back at him from the bathroom mirror. He looked exhausted – even more so than he felt – but the worst part was the dark, vicious bruising that covered most of his neck and throat. Wow, Tony mused. No wonder it hurts like hell. He started the shower, making the water as hot as he could stand it.
After almost a half-hour of standing under the water, Tony began to feel a little better. Much cleaner, anyway, and somewhat hungry as well. He toweled off and dressed in his favorite jeans and button-down shirt. Tony soon realized that there was no chance he could hide the bruising unless he planned on wearing a turtleneck sweater in the middle of summer. He hated the looks of pity he got from his coworkers when he showed up at work sporting a visible injury. Unfortunately it didn't seem to be avoidable this time. Guess this will have to do, Tony thought in annoyance.
He wasn't surprised to find Gibbs at his kitchen table, sipping coffee and reading the paper. Even though his boss hadn't made a sound Tony had known he was there. For one thing, Gibbs' coffee was so strong that DiNozzo could have smelled it from the next county. And for another, this wasn't the only time that Tony had been injured on the job. The first time (or three) that he had discovered Gibbs in his apartment the next morning it had been a bit of a shock. But now Tony knew that his boss had his six.
"Morning. You hungry?" Gibbs jerked his head in the direction of the refrigerator. "Brought you a milkshake. Abby's sorry she couldn't stay, but I needed her to process the evidence." Tony nodded his understanding and sat down after retrieving his milkshake. Gibbs reached across the table and lifted the younger man's chin to get a better look at the damage. He cringed involuntarily but quickly covered his reaction. Gibbs knew better than most how DiNozzo felt about pity.
-Bad, I know- signed Tony. There was no point in denying it. He took a sip of his milkshake and swallowed with some effort.
"You've looked worse," Gibbs said. It was true. When DiNozzo had been infected with Y. Pestis he had looked a hell of a lot worse than he did currently. At least right now Tony was still Tony, if battered and bruised. During his battle with the plague DiNozzo had been a ghost of himself, pale and thin and tinged with blue...Gibbs had been terrified that he'd never have his senior agent - his friend - back at a hundred percent. Gibbs shook his head to derail the depressing line of thought. Enough, he mentally admonished himself. DiNozzo is fine. Or will be.
Out loud he said, "You ready for this? You could take another day, you know."
-Right- DiNozzo responded swiftly. -I could sit around here all day feeling sorry for myself instead of helping find the bastard that did this.-
Gibbs smiled. He had of course known what the answer would be before he even asked the question. "Let's go, then. Ducky will want to have a look at you."
It didn't escape Gibbs' notice that DiNozzo had only consumed about a third of his milkshake before throwing it in the trash, but he decided to let it go for now. He knew the young man was hurting more than he let on, and while Tony would finish the milkshake if Gibbs ordered it there was no point in pushing him just yet. But if things continued as they usually did, Gibbs knew he would have to lay down the law sooner rather than later.
Let's get this over with, Tony thought as he grabbed his backpack and Sig and silently headed for the door. The sooner we get there, the sooner I can start ignoring all the looks of sympathy. Well, at least this time I won't have to answer a bunch of questions about what happened. The thought cheered him somewhat during the fifteen minute drive.
Gibbs wondered what Tony was thinking about, but having to watch the road precluded having a conversation at the moment. It would have to wait until they got to the Navy Yard. It was unnerving to have a silent Tony sitting by his side. DiNozzo was so frenetic, so very full of energy, that usually he was driving Gibbs insane within seconds of being cooped up in a vehicle - chattering constantly, singing along with the radio and generally going out of his way to annoy everyone in the car. The quiet stillness was just...wrong.
When they pulled into the parking garage, Gibbs shut off the engine and turned to face the young man. "Hey," he said softly. "You want to talk about it?"
Tony smirked. -Funny,- he signed.
"DiNozzo. Poor choice of words, but you know what I mean. Are you sure you're up for this? This is going to be a major adjustment for you, Tony. Temporary or not, it would be hard on anyone." Gibbs tapped Tony gently on the cheek.
-I'm okay, Boss. I just need to get back to work.- Tony was again thankful that Abby had insisted on teaching him how to sign. He hoped that it would make the next few weeks infinitely less frustrating, although Gibbs and Abby were about the only two people at NCIS that he would be able to easily communicate with. Abby had once tried to insist that Tim at least learn how to fingerspell, but even she hadn't been patient enough to successfully teach the technology-minded junior agent. She eventually declared him a lost cause. McGee. Tony suddenly remembered what Abby had said the night before, about yelling at him for responding too slowly. Tony strongly suspected that Abby had not been the only one angry with McGee about that.
-McGee okay?- Tony carefully asked his boss, waiting for the inevitable explosion.
"Hell if I know, or even care right now. I expect my team to respond appropriately in the field and yesterday McGee certainly did NOT. If you had been severely injured, the delay he caused could have meant the difference between life and death." Gibbs glowered furiously.
-It's my fault, I had been hassling him all day. He had every right to think that I was still just messing with him.- DiNozzo looked at his boss.
"Don't you dare take the blame for him. He should have known that you would never be that irresponsible while at a scene. His behavior was completely unacceptable." Gibbs was not about to be placated. Tony might act like a childish frat boy sometimes but he didn't ever cross the line that way. And as far as Gibbs was concerned, McGee should have known DiNozzo far better than to assume as such.
Tony could see that he would not easily change Gibbs' mind. Not that I can argue all that effectively right now anyway. He looked at Gibbs pointedly. -Just take it easy on the kid, would you? If I know Probie he feels bad enough already.- Gibbs was clearly still livid, but he nodded shortly and moved to get out of the car. "I won't kill him. Beyond that, no promises."
Upon exiting the elevator, Tony could feel all eyes on him. Gibbs could apparently sense his discomfort and barked, loud enough for all to hear, "Hey! Don't you people have work to do?" The onlookers quickly dispersed, not daring to make eye contact with the notoriously cranky lead agent.
As DiNozzo settled himself at his desk, he could practically feel the waves of tension coming off of Timothy McGee. The MIT graduate was hunched over about as far as he possibly could be, typing furiously and clearly avoiding looking in Tony's - or Gibbs' - direction.
"DiNozzo. Go see Ducky." Gibbs motioned toward Autopsy, his eyes never leaving McGee.
Tony stood, then knocked on his desk to get Gibbs' attention. When his boss finally turned in his direction Tony signed -Hey, remember what you promised.-
He could practically see Tim trying to become invisible as the elevator doors slid closed.