A/N: Next to last chapter! Hopefully I'll have this wrapped up today or tomorrow. Enjoy! -abby
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Tony sat across the table from West, playing Tetris on his cell phone. While it appeared that he was paying more attention to the phone than to his charge, he was actually just losing game after game while subtly keeping an eye on the suspect. I don't trust him. I can't quite put my finger on it but this guy is really freaking me out, Tony thought. Maybe my gut is getting as sensitive as Gibbs', he chuckled to himself.
"So what's your deal?" West taunted. "Too good to speak to a lowly night security guard? Cat got your tongue? Or is it something else? Oh, I see. Those are some nice bruises you have there. That must hurt like a son of a bitch." DiNozzo didn't look up. As he went to start yet another game, the phone slipped out of Tony's hand and he bent to catch it. That was all the opportunity West needed. He lunged across the table.
Gibbs didn't think he'd ever moved so fast in his life. He ran up the stairs at breakneck speed. Abby's right. If West thinks that DiNozzo can ID him…Gibbs somehow managed to pick up the pace.
Tony had only a split-second to realize what was happening, and unfortunately Vincent West was built like a linebacker. While DiNozzo could certainly hold his own in a fight he was currently at a major disadvantage. The drugs Ducky had administered made his reaction time slow, and he was stiff and extremely sore in spite of the drugs.
Tony saw West heading in his direction. Since he was already halfway to the floor, all he could do was go the rest of the way. DiNozzo tucked into a ball and rolled. I'll be damned if I let this guy get the drop on me twice. He made it to his feet and plowed into West with his full weight. The larger man was still unbalanced from his initial lunge and Tony managed to take him down.
It didn't last. West was back up almost immediately and Tony was moving too slowly to avoid him this time. The security guard slammed DiNozzo into the wall, both hands clenched firmly around the agent's neck. Tony gasped, his world exploding in a white-hot burst of pain. Boss, where are you? DiNozzo was losing the battle to remain conscious. "You thought you could stop me, huh? I should have killed you when I first had the chance!" West's tone was low and predatory. Tony kept struggling valiantly but in his weakened state he was simply no match for his opponent's superior size and strength. "Give it up!" West growled, tightening his hold around the agent's throat. Like hell, Tony thought.
Gibbs burst through the door to Interrogation and kept right on going. He used his best advantage – the element of surprise – and rammed into Tony's attacker, abruptly halting the vicious assault. DiNozzo slid down the wall to end up in a gasping, shuddering heap on the floor. Gibbs cuffed Vincent West faster than seemed possible and was kneeling next to his senior agent almost at once.
"DiNozzo. Tony, can you hear me?" Gibbs had his phone out and hit the speed dial for Ducky. "Interrogation room one, Duck. Yeah, it's DiNozzo. Hurry." He snapped the phone shut and returned his attention to the younger man. "Come on, Tony. Breathe for me."
Tony was still trembling, but his breathing was evening out and he was slowly coming around when Ducky arrived. "Oh my, Anthony. Let's just take a look, shall we?" Dr. Mallard fussed over his patient, checking his pulse and examining his damaged throat. Tony flinched away from the ME's touch and hissed in pain. "Shh, my dear boy. This will make you more comfortable." Ducky injected the field agent with the full dose of painkillers that had been rejected earlier in the day.
"He okay, Duck?" Gibbs kept his voice soft. "God, this is all my fault. I shouldn't have left him alone." DiNozzo was fading fast, but was still lucid enough to try and protest. He shook his head and managed -No, not your fault- before the drugs took effect.
"Don't worry, Jethro," Ducky soothed the lead agent. "He'll be just fine. I don't believe any permanent damage has been done, and this shouldn't affect his recovery significantly. Anthony just needs to rest."
McGee and Ziva returned to find chaos. They hurried into the room and took charge of the situation. West had been knocked unconscious when Gibbs took him down, but was starting to stir. Ziva forced the suspect to his feet and toward the door. "I will take him to a holding cell." She glanced worriedly over her shoulder at her fallen partner as she roughly shoved Vincent West into the hall.
Tim knelt down at Tony's side. "Is he okay?" Tony seemed to again be fighting his way back to consciousness. "Yeah, he'll be fine," Gibbs said with finality, "but help me get him up. I want to take him home. That okay, Duck?" The ME nodded and instructed Gibbs to call if DiNozzo's condition worsened.
McGee and Gibbs gently levered the semi-conscious agent to his feet and supported his weight between them. "What happened here, Boss? We tried to locate Kara West but her neighbors haven't seen her for two days." Tim was confused.
"Yeah, I know, Tim. She's dead. Vincent West killed her once he realized she was going to murder the Staff Sergeant and frame him for it. He must have been disposing of her body when DiNozzo followed him into the woods. We'll deal with it later, for now let's just worry about Tony." McGee nodded, and the three of them slowly shuffled out to the parking garage. After helping get Tony into Gibbs' car, McGee headed back inside to help Ziva wrap things up for the night.
Twenty minutes later, Gibbs was pulling up in front of DiNozzo's building. "Come on, Tony. We're here, do you think you can make it up the stairs? I'll help you." Tony nodded, albeit woozily. Gibbs eased Tony out of the car and slung the younger man's arm over his shoulders.
Once safely in the small apartment, Gibbs helped Tony stretch out on the sofa. "How bad is it? Tell me the truth, DiNozzo." -Hurts- Tony admitted -but I'll live. I'm sorry, Boss.-
"Ah, for God's sake. You have nothing to be sorry for, I'm the one at fault here. I didn't trust West but I ignored my gut feeling. No way should you have been left alone with a man that we suspected of assaulting you." If I hadn't made it in time...Gibbs refused to go down that path right now. He felt guilty enough as it was.
-Had an alibi. Couldn't have known.- Tony was clearly about to fall asleep. His eyelids were heavy and his fingers moved clumsily as he continued -Sorry that I let him beat me. I should have been strong enough to take him.-
"Tony, give yourself a break. You are not invincible. You're injured and hurting, and West is huge. You did the best you could, and I'm proud of you." Gibbs didn't say such things often, so when he did it was with the utmost sincerity. He looked fondly at his senior agent and settled himself into a nearby armchair. "Now go to sleep, Tony. I've got your six."
DiNozzo managed a faint smile before finally letting go and falling into a deep sleep.