Author's Note: Maybe I've overindulged on the hurt-comfort in this chapter, but I'm a bit of a junkie for it so I couldn't help myself. Those of you worried about wrapping this up in one more chapter; remember we do have an epilogue as well. I still can't reply to reviews, but I'm loving all of them as much as ever. Even though I can't reply I have a little internal conversation with each and every one. Oh, and to let you know that I do pay attention – in the first draft of this story Yuri was dead as a doornail. I killed him in the dungeon in a very touching moment between him and Gibbs. But since so many of you wanted him to live, I rewrote all of that and I have to admit liked it much better myself.
To the reviewer who suggested turning everybody on the team – I laughed my a** off at that! And to eng-sana who wanted a Jimmy Palmer moment – here you go.
Thanks again for continuing to review even though I can't reply. I'm looking forward to your feedback on this chapter, too! You guys are the best and have made posting this story so much fun for me.
TLH
A clattering noise jarred Tony back to consciousness. He felt heavy and drowsy, like he always did when he took any kind of serious medication, and there was no doubt Ducky had doped him up big time. He wasn't sure how long it had been since he basically passed out, but he didn't think much time had gone by. His body was at war with itself; continually exhausted yet not allowing him more than a few minutes rest at a time. Each successive episode grew worse and worse – when Adrian promised him a cruel and agonizing death he hadn't been lying.
Tony's eyes didn't want to open properly, and it was between prolonged blinks that he noticed movement across the room. He attempted to lift his head, wanting to see who was with him – he really hoped Gibbs had come back. He desperately wanted to his boss again, just in case the next incident with his traitorous body turned out to be the final chapter of his less than satisfying life. There were still some things he wanted to say to his friend and mentor, and of course there was the fact that when he was hurt and scared no one could comfort him quite like Gibbs. Years of therapy could probably never explain why he responded that way to the Gunny's tough love, but for some reason it fit him perfectly like a key in a lock. He could feel Gibbs' presence in the back of his mind, but was unable to tell if he was here with him or still miles away. His vision was too blurry to see much, and he couldn't make out more than indistinct shapes.
"Gibbs? Is that you?" The lack of reply from the other person made him nervous; he squinted his eyes and craned his neck for a better look.
A figure advanced into view, and what he saw stole the air from his lungs leaving him gasping. Gabriel walked toward Tony, rays of sun creating incandescent highlights in the vampire's wavy blonde hair. His golden eyes were focused and intent, his Cheshire cat smile revealing pride in his achievement. Pointed fangs accented his gleaming white teeth.
"Did you think I would give up that easily, Anthony? There is nowhere you can go that I won't find you," the sensuous voice warned as the vampire stepped ever closer.
Tony's eyes darted around the room, trying to make sense of this; Gabriel's presence wasn't possible. He was in Gibbs' house, in Gibbs' spare bedroom, everything was in its place and as it should be – except somehow Gabriel had followed them and was here to take him away again, where he would be alone with no one to help, no one to stop the vampire from doing anything he wanted to him. Using every ounce of fortitude he could find, he pushed himself up toward the head of the bed, attempting to put as much space between him and the vampire as possible.
"You're dead; Gibbs killed you…..he told me." He was so hot it felt like even his eyeballs were on fire and the dull ache in his stomach had made a worrying return. "This isn't real – it's just a dream," he said the words as much to convince himself as to convince the ethereal specter in front of him.
A sound caught his attention and he turned his head to find Jimmy Palmer coming out of the bathroom with a bowl of water and a towel. The young man stopped short when he saw Tony's terrified expression.
"Get out of here, Jimmy!" Tony demanded, confused when Jimmy moved cautiously to the other side of the bed; he had assumed Palmer would run away screaming at the first glimpse of the ominous visitor. Gabriel grinned at the autopsy assistant wickedly. Tony looked back and forth between them. "Hurry up before he attacks you!"
Palmer frowned apprehensively, glancing in the direction DiNozzo indicated with his eyes. "Who, Tony? There's no one there."
Gabriel licked his lips and gently placed both hands on the bed, leaning over Tony.
"He can't see me, Anthony. It's just the two of us, like it should be."
The agent turned away from the vampire's face. "Don't…please. Don't touch me." Tony could feel Gabriel's soft lips as they pressed against his cheek and the vampire's strong hands when they moved onto his arms to hold him down. The feverish man made a strangled cry of protest as his tormenter moved to climb on top of him, rubbing a hardened body seductively against Tony's warm skin.
"You were so sweet before, Anthony – I can't go away without having you again. I promise this time I'll take it slow and you'll enjoy it so much more. Let me remind you of how good it can be." Gabriel ran his hand down Tony's abdomen toward the elastic of his boxers, and DiNozzo let out a throat tearing howl.
"Get off me!" He bucked and flung his arms at Gabriel, trying to dislodge the vampire before the assault could continue. "No, no, no," he repeated while sweat poured off his skin and into his eyes, making them burn and his assailant's image waiver.
Instead of getting loose he was shoved back down on the bed and told not to move. Gabriel's eyes flashed angrily and he stood up, walking over to stand next to the door, folding his arms petulantly. For some reason Tony was still pinned to the mattress and he couldn't understand who was holding him down.
"Please let me up…I have to get away from him…..he's going to….." Tony gasped and threw his head against the pillow, unable to say it out loud. "He's going to….." A few stray tears leaked out of his eyes, mixing in with the streams of perspiration.
"Tony, listen to me, no one is here! I don't know what you're talking about!" The loud words cut through his hysteria, and Tony realized it was Palmer who was shoving him against the bed. The young man's face was beet red and he looked scared half to death.
Jimmy turned to the side when Ducky, Mike, and the team rushed into the room; Tony watched them hurry through the door and right past Gabriel, who was leaning against the wall sulkily. The vampire smirked when Tony met his eyes.
"What on earth, Mr. Palmer. We leave you alone with Anthony for five minutes and this is what happens?" Ducky lectured his aide, who let go of Tony's arms and stepped aside so the doctor could check on his patient. "We heard him screaming; what happened?"
Palmer swallowed anxiously, crushed by his inability to help his friend. "He woke up imagining someone trying to…..um, hurt him. I think it might have been Gabriel."
Mike peered down at Tony who stared fixedly at the doorway looking like Satan himself had come to pay a visit. "DiNozzo? You with us?"
Tony's frightened eyes rolled toward Franks then back to the door; his lips parted and he tilted his head. "He's here…. he….he came back for me. Right there…..he's right there." Tony pointed a shaky hand toward the vampire, who tossed his head back and laughed. The agent bit his lip helplessly and put his hands over his ears when no one else reacted to the grating sound. "You can't see him, can you?" he asked frantically, letting his eyes roam to his teammates who were watching him warily. "Why can't you see him?"
Ducky reached out and removed his hands from his ears; he touched Tony's forehead, pursing his lips when the young man flinched. "Anthony, you have a dangerously high temperature. What you are seeing is a hallucination. I swear to you there is no one else in the room except your friends."
Tony observed Gabriel stroll casually to the end of the bed; he placed a hand on Tony's foot that was sticking out from under the blanket. DiNozzo jerked his legs out of the vampire's grasp, his body trembling violently. Logically he knew that Gabriel wasn't actually there and they were telling him the truth, but he thought he could feel those icy fingers just like on that night when Gabriel had…. Why did he keep thinking about that? Why couldn't he just forget about it and not spend the last few hours of his life focused on the worst thing he'd ever experienced? He closed his eyes and repeated, "It isn't real. It isn't real," praying that when he looked out again the ghost haunting him would be gone.
"Ziva, Abby, I think we need those ice packs now," Ducky suggested, carefully tugging the sheet from Tony's fingers and folding it at the bottom of the bed.
"What…what are you doing?" Tony asked when Abby placed several of the frozen rectangles she was carrying under his armpits. Ziva lifted his legs to arrange some beneath his knees before tucking one next to his groin.
"Hey," Tony protested, shivering. "That's cold." He shifted around, trying to dislodge the uncomfortable devices. "Take these off me."
Ziva stroked his arm, hoping to calm him. "You must not move, Tony. We are trying to help bring your fever down." Abby took his hand, lacing her fingers in his so he couldn't try to remove the ice.
Tony looked past Ziva's shoulder, noticing that Gabriel was still there and had moved to sit in the chair. The vampire crossed his legs and leaned back. "I'll wait for them to leave, Anthony; then we can enjoy some privacy. I can wait all night if I have to."
Suddenly, Mike Franks loomed in front of him, heading straight for the chair where Gabriel was seated. "Is this where you see him, DiNozzo?" He waved at the seat. Tony could sense everyone looking at him and guessed they all thought he was crazy, but he nodded anyway. Mike snorted, strode to the chair, and sat down with a dramatic thump. The image of Gabriel faltered and disappeared – Tony looked around but couldn't see him anywhere else in the room. "Is he gone?" Mike asked, scooting forward.
"Yeah, Mike, he's gone," Tony answered gratefully, not one hundred percent clear on what just happened but too tired and sick to really care. At least he couldn't see Gabriel anymore.
"Good." Franks relaxed. "If you see him again, tell me and I'll kick his ass all over again." He smiled, obviously quite pleased with himself.
Abby pushed some hair from Tony's damp forehead. "You doing any better?"
He hated to admit to her that he wasn't. They were all waiting for some kind of miracle that wasn't going to happen, and for some insane reason it made him feel like he was letting them down. Even McGee gazed from across the room like he expected Tony to hop up and announce he was cured and everything was going to be alright; he'd tell a few jokes, make a few off-color comments and their lives would be back to normal. None of them seemed able to accept this movie was not going to have a happy ending.
Abby held his hand and Ziva stroked his hair; which was nice, but he needed more to ignore the fact that Freddy Krueger was once again slashing away inside his stomach. He thought about Gibbs, and the connection hummed to life, but the main sensation he got was a feeling of frustration and annoyance. Tony almost laughed about that, since he was fairly certain those two emotions got a lot of use from Gibbs. Instead, a particularly sharp pain stabbed his gut and he pulled his hand loose from Abby's to grip his abdomen.
Abby grew wide-eyed at his pained expression, then she followed his hand with her own; reaching under his t-shirt she carefully rubbed soothing circles on his taut stomach. Even though it didn't take away the pain, it helped him relax and he felt himself melt against the pillows. "Thanks, Abs." he whispered, his green eyes meeting hers.
Ziva reached out and took his now free hand and squeezed - he gripped back, squeezing harder when another spasm hit. Ducky turned to his medical supplies as it became obvious another attack was building in its severity.
McGee saw that Palmer had gone still and was staring at Tony, shaking slightly.
"Are you alright, Jimmy?" he asked quietly.
Palmer felt the wetness in his eyes that he had been trying to hide spill out over his cheeks.
"This is all because of me," he said unsteadily, crying harder when the ME stopped what he was doing and looked up at him. "None of this would have happened if I hadn't insisted on taking that stupid test. I knew what Adrian and Gabriel wanted to do to him; I shouldn't have let him trade his life for mine. I'm so sorry."
"Mr. Palmer, I'm certain Anthony doesn't blame you," Ducky assured him.
McGee put his arm around their young friend. "He's right, Palmer, Tony would never think this was your fault."
His assistant wasn't mollified – he pulled away from McGee. "Well he should!" Jimmy's voice hitched. "I'll never forgive myself so why should he?"
Ducky placed a needle and vial of medication on the bedside table and walked over to Jimmy, settling a firm hand on his shoulder. "Maybe you should step out for a minute and collect yourself. It won't be good for Anthony to see you this upset."
"Jimmy." They turned to find Tony staring at them. "C'mere." His voice was rough and low, but strong enough to be heard.
Palmer sniffled and looked solemnly at the doctor, who gave him an encouraging smile. Jimmy took slow, hesitant steps until he reached the side of the bed. Abby and Ziva got up to make room; Tony slowly patted a hand on the empty space beside him. Palmer sat down timidly, lifting his glasses to wipe his eyes.
Tony waved for him to bend down closer; when he did, DiNozzo landed a light slap on the back of his head.
Jimmy straightened up, stunned. "What was that for?" he asked quickly.
"Being….an idiot," Tony informed him breathlessly. "You don't get it….do you? I've always thought our team was like a family. Ducky's the wise old grandpa." The doctor smiled appreciatively, apparently satisfied with his assigned role. "Mike is the bat-shit crazy Uncle who shows up at all the holidays." Franks grunted and flipped him the bird. "Abby's my favorite sister who's always there for me," Abby beamed at his description of her; she signed I love you in reply. "Love you too, Abs." He glanced over at his Israeli partner, who quirked her eyebrow and waited. "Ziva, well…I guess she's adopted, which makes us kind of like Greg and Marcia Brady. Unresolved sexual tension, you know?" Ziva laughed a little at the comparison, her own eyes glistening with tears. "McGee is my middle brother, and even though we fight a lot everybody knows if you mess with one of us you mess with both of us. Right, amigo?" Tim tilted his head to the side and shook it ruefully.
"You got it, Tony."
Palmer studied the senior field agent. "I guess Gibbs is the Dad, huh?"
Tony nodded and crinkled his eyes. "Yeah, Gibbs is the Dad. He keeps us all in line and lets us know when we need to straighten up and fly right. And you," he smiled. "You're my baby brother, the one I'm supposed to protect. It was my job to go with Adrian and make sure you were safe and I'll never regret that choice. Are we clear?"
Jimmy gave him a broken grin. "Crystal, Tony."
"Good." He took a shallow breath, worn out from talking so much, and gritted his teeth when another stabbing pain sliced through him. He wanted to curl into a ball again, but fought the urge since he was aware enough to realize how much that would scare the skittish autopsy assistant. Instead he let his mouth fall open and panted.
Ducky appeared at his side and deftly lifted his arm, swabbing a spot and giving him another shot. "It isn't a very large dose, but it should help ease some of the discomfort."
DiNozzo closed his eyes and rode out the worst of the pain. When he managed to look around again, Jimmy was still sitting by him looking guilty and forlorn. Tony put a hand on Palmer's cheek. "Make me a promise."
Jimmy sniffled. "Anything you want."
Tony's lips curled up at the edges and his eyes drifted closed. "Tell….tell McGee about that night…..when we went bar hopping and I…..I picked up those twins and they both…went home with me." He laughed weakly without opening his eyes. "It was classic DiNozzo."
Palmer used the back of his hand to wipe away the tears that were falling again. "I'll tell him, Tony. I won't leave out any details. I'll even tell him about the matching tattoos."
The weakened man raised up a fist, and Palmer bumped it. "Gonna…gonna go to….sleep now. Really, really tired." Tony was shivering harder, the ice packs working to reduce his fever but making him freeze in the process. Jimmy pulled the sheet back up to his shoulders.
"Ok, Tony. You get some rest."
He sat quietly until Tony's breathing grew long and even, before turning to face the rest of the team. Not a dry eye remained – even Mike Franks' rheumy eyes had a misty quality.
None of them spoke because honestly, there was nothing that could be said to make it any better. Tony was playing out his final act, and unless Gibbs returned and convinced Tony to change his mind, his bruised and battered body would never survive until morning.
NCISNCISNCIS
Tony opened his eyes cautiously, looked around the quiet room, and then closed them again, waiting. He gingerly placed a hand on his stomach, aware that the mind-blowing pain from earlier was dancing around inside him somewhere, gearing up to make a glorious return. He enjoyed the brief period of relief thanks to Ducky's drugs - he wasn't complaining about the methods, grateful for the results.
A loud rumble caught his attention and he turned his head, opening his eyes fully to find Franks' long legs stretched out, feet resting on the edge of the bed, and his head tilted back, snoring like a freight train.
Tony's body was a dead weight and didn't want to move, but he couldn't pass up such a perfect opportunity. Taking his hand off his stomach he took hold of one of Franks' dirty boots and shoved, pleased when the small effort paid off and the vampire's feet landed heavily in the floor. The former NIS agent sat straight up with a startled, "What the hell?" looking around for an intruder.
"DiNozzo," he grumbled when all he found was Tony's mischievous grin. Tony laughed, the sound morphing into a choke when the pain decided to reassert itself; his hand pressed against his middriff as he tried to reign the beast back in. Mike was immediately by his side, large hand resting on his head, the small prank forgotten. "Just breathe through it," he advised. Tony tried to follow his instructions, eventually winning the minor battle to the point that he didn't feel like screaming anymore.
He let his gaze drift back to the old Viking. "Thanks," his voice was weary with tired resignation. "Gibbs back yet?" He had to keep asking, because he sure as hell wasn't going to die without at least saying goodbye, or thank you, or something. He just wished the lead agent would hurry.
"On his way." Mike didn't reveal that Gibbs wasn't answering his phone, but he was more than certain his Son knew what was happening and wouldn't be take too much longer – he'd barely been gone a few hours, but it seemed like an eternity. Mike had lived so long time usually had little meaning to him, yet today each second that ticked by carried with it a sense of doom. "There's something I wanted to tell you anyway."
Tony focused on Franks intently; he could count the number of conversations he'd had with the vampire on one hand, the talk a few weeks ago in autopsy included; for Gibbs' Maker to announce there was something he wanted to say to Tony usually meant he better listen. He just hoped they weren't revisiting the same topic of conversation from before; he was in no shape to argue with Mike about whether or not to have Gibbs turn him. He'd made up his mind and, no matter how bad things got, he had to see it through. He owed that much to Gibbs. Granted, he hadn't counted on the situation getting quite this bad, but for now he was still holding on.
"Ok," Tony allowed hesitantly, bracing himself for anything.
Franks cleared his gravely throat. "A long time ago, before I became a vampire, I was captured along with some other boys by a band of warriors. We were taken prisoner in order to sell us into slavery; it was a pretty common practice back then. They were rough with us, wanted us to know what our new owners had in store." He paused at this point, scratching his scraggly beard and staring into space, lost in the memory. He then leveled a stony gaze on Tony that rivaled the most captivating Gibbs had ever given him. "They raped us, every night, so we'd be ready to serve our masters any way we were ordered to. I guess I must've been about sixteen or so."
Tony didn't speak for a long time, digesting the information and trying to reconcile his own ordeal. "How long were you there?" he cautiously asked.
"A little over three months. A couple of the other boys and me managed to kill one of our guards and escape. We took off for the hills and never looked back. The point is I know what it's like to have to put an experience like that in the past, and it can be done." He crossed his legs and studied Tony carefully. "I just thought you should know that."
There was no way Tony could find words to express how much it meant to him that Mike was willing to share his story. He doubted it had been told very often. He could feel tears pricking his eyes again, and he shut them to force the urge away; he wasn't overly emotional, at least not in front of others, and currently he felt so exposed and on display for everyone to observe that it was like being a germ on one of Abby's slides. Mike must have sensed his unease, because he got up and went in the bathroom for a few minutes, returning with a cool towel that he placed on Tony's forehead.
"Mike, I….."
The gruff voice interrupted him. "You don't have to say anything, DiNozzo. I know how it is."
"How did you last that long?" Tony stared at his hands when he asked. He couldn't remember a lot about what happened to him that night with Gabriel; he'd been too out of it after all the bites at the party to clearly recall anything. What he could remember was disjointed and overwhelming, and it made him feel powerless and used. The idea of enduring that kind of abuse for months on end; he wasn't sure how anyone could stand it.
Franks raised his eyebrows. "I determined what they were doing had nothing to do with my spirit, and I wouldn't let it break me. I separated myself from it and thought about nothing but surviving. It didn't make me weak or less than a man, as a matter of fact it made me stronger when it was over." Mike reached out and held Tony's chin, giving it a little shake. "You're strong, too, and none of this is going to break you. Got that?"
Tony smiled, hoping it was all as easy as Mike made it sound, but in the back of his mind he still had doubts. "Got it," he replied softly. Feeling somewhat better, he let himself drift for a while, savoring the cold cloth on his hot skin.
"I would like to ask you a question, and I'd like an honest answer," Mike said unexpectedly, jarring Tony from his hazy floating.
Tony realized the vampire wasn't done with him yet, and the scrutinizing gaze he was getting indicated as much.
Mike's tone had a hard edge when he spoke, the opposite of the gentle approach he'd taken when recounting his abduction. "Why are you so against Leroy turning you? Why are you willing to go through this misery? You've been around us long enough now; you can see it isn't so bad to be a vampire. Make me understand your decision, cause I'm gonna tell you from my position, it's just plain stupid."
Tony sighed and grimaced; he'd only been awake a few minutes and the jolts of pain were already coming back. He didn't want to talk about this, especially not with Mike. Was it too much to ask to just be left alone?
He had to say something, and he had enough of his faculties about him to start with the obvious. "I told you already, I don't want to drink blood for the rest of my life. I can't…..I can't do that Mike." His hand stretched across his stomach again and he shifted miserably, the ache growing. "Gibbs is ok with my decision so why can't you be?" It shouldn't have been possible, but he felt like he was getting even hotter. He pushed the sheets back feebly and stretched his legs, trying to untangle the knots in them.
Franks made an annoyed sound in the back of his throat. "It still doesn't make sense to me. Do you want to die? I thought you'd jump at the chance to be Gibbs' full-fledged Son, even if you had to become a vampire to do it. You might sell that sack of shit to everybody else, but I'm not buying it." He was taking advantage of Tony's physical state, but he was determined to find out the truth any way he had to. And he certainly didn't want to have to pick up the pieces with Gibbs if Tony died; he'd already lived through the aftermath of Shannon and Kelly and it wasn't something he ever wanted to deal with again if it could be prevented.
Tony glared at Mike with near hatred in his fever filled eyes. Who was he to ask these questions? He didn't know a single thing about what Tony wanted or why he was unwilling to take up the offer to become a vampire. A powerless rage flowed through him.
"Of course I want to be Gibbs' Son!" He raised himself off the bed to get closer to the vampire. "And no, I don't want to die lying here like some goddamn invalid while everyone whispers around me waiting for my last breath! But you know what Mike? Gibbs doesn't want to make me a vampire! He doesn't want to have to drink blood every day to feed me and keep me alive. He doesn't want to take care of me for the next five years like some fucking infant. And I wouldn't ever ask him to do that! I will not be a burden to him!" He was shaking now - whatever had been holding him together snapping apart - and all the pain and agony came roaring back to life, devouring him from the inside out. He dropped back to the bed, arms wrapped around his waist and breathing rapidly, claws tearing at his flaming insides. He wanted to run away but he couldn't move and there was nowhere to hide anymore.
"He might have done it for Kelly, but not for me, Mike. So please, let it go." His tone was small, quiet, and defeated. With his eyes he begged for the vampire to stop pushing him now that he had his answer.
Nothing could have stunned him more than what he heard next. "Is that really what you think, Tony? That you'd be a burden to me?"
He should have known that if he was going to make a soul-baring declaration, Gibbs would be standing behind him listening. Tony would have said so, but his body chose that moment to betray him, and before he could do anything else, all hell broke loose.
NCISNCISNCIS
Tony looked like he was on the verge of a full-blown panic attack; his green eyes grew wide and unfocused, his face flushed red, and his chest heaved up and down. Every bruise and bite on his body stood out in harsh Technicolor against his pale and waxy skin. He lay sprawled on the bed still and frozen, trapped by his failing body and Mike Franks' oh-so-effective interrogation.
Standing in the doorway, Gibbs had heard everything, and there was no way Tony could deny any of it.
Gibbs could understand why Tony thought what he did, and it was his own damn fault. He'd been fairly adamant about his ongoing dislike of drinking blood, along with his lack of desire to sire a Child. Of course Tony had internalized those statements, adding in his own insecurity and deciding Gibbs not only didn't want to make a new vampire, but didn't want him in particular. Gibbs wouldn't be surprised if somehow Adrian had aided and abetted Tony's current frame of mind and he felt a fresh desire to rip his dead nephew's head off with his bare hands.
All of that took a back seat to Tony, who had pushed up on his elbows, turned to face Gibbs, and was trying to apologize. "Boss, I'm sorry, I didn't…..mean for you to hear…..that. I didn't….." Tony shook his head, for once at a loss for words. Feeling an overwhelming surge of protectiveness, Gibbs strode over to his wheezing agent and lifted Tony's head onto his lap, brushing strands of sweaty hair back. Tony let out a deep and uncensored sigh of relief.
"I kind of figured that, DiNozzo." Gibbs spared a withering look for Mike, who shrugged sheepishly, but his expression showed he wasn't completely disappointed in the revelation.
Tony's eyes fluttered rapidly and he was losing the fight to hold his body motionless. He curled up on Gibbs' thighs and groaned; the sound stretching into a low moan. Ducky found his way back into the bedroom and shut the door, his stoic features uncertain and grim.
Gibbs didn't know how to respond to Tony's latest physical breakdown; he stroked the younger man's quaking back and tried to reassure him. "What the hell is this, Ducky?" he asked his old friend.
The ME shook his head. "I've only seen someone go this long without being turned once before, Jethro. If you recall, it was when I was captured by the Moors and imprisoned for a time; several of my companions went through something similar and I must say it is one incident I have tried to forget. His body is attempting to complete the change without the proper elements supplied by the blood of a vampire. There is little more I can do for him at this stage. The attacks are coming more frequently and with more intensity; Mike's hypnosis is having no effect and I have already passed the safe limit of narcotics."
"Boss…" Tony whined desperately, and Gibbs grasped his hand.
"It's ok, Tony. We're here with you."
Tony's face contorted in pure fear before he started coughing, the kind of loud hacking he did when he had the plague; it was Gibbs who noticed the flecks of blood spewing out on his pants. He held Tony's quivering shoulders as the blood thickened and came out in larger quantities, bathing the bedclothes in bright red specks.
"Ducky, help him!" Gibbs demanded.
The physician waved his hands helplessly. "There is nothing I can do, Jethro! There are only two people in this room who can do anything to end this!"
Tony was coughing so violently he was nearly vomiting. Gibbs held his head carefully. "Shhh. Shhhh. I've got you, Tony, I've got you." He turned to Mike. "Hand me that towel," he requested tersely, taking the damp rag Mike had brought in earlier.
The silver-haired vampire wiped Tony's face and continued to clean him as the blood tinged coughing went on for several minutes. He stroked Tony's hair and whispered in his ear, running a strong hand down his spine when he tensed up and trembled. Finally the episode passed, and Tony went completely limp in his arms.
Gibbs scooped him up and placed him back on the center of the bed; Franks stripped the blood-soaked linen and handed over clean blankets. Gibbs pulled them up to Tony's chin, trying to ignore the fact the boy looked more like one of Ducky's cadavers than a living human being.
The ME quickly took Tony's vitals and ran a hand through his grey hair. "He's hanging on by a thread; his pulse is weak and his blood pressure is almost non-existent. One more of these attacks and, well, I'm not sure he's strong enough to take it."
Gibbs rubbed his temple; Ducky was right, only he and Tony could do anything about this, and they needed to settle the matter once and for all. He had already heard enough to know that Abby was right and Tony hadn't been completely honest with him. "Leave us alone," he commanded, not looking at his companions in the room.
Mike nodded and walked to the door; Ducky hesitated, glancing at Tony drifting in and out of awareness on the bed. "I'm sure you understand he's very fragile right now. Go easy on the lad."
Gibbs brought his blue eyes up to meet the physician's. "I'm not that much of a bastard, Ducky. Let me take care of him."
The doctor looked a bit abashed. "I know you'll take care of him, Jethro; I didn't mean to imply otherwise - I'm just worried about Anthony. He has managed to work his way into my heart, and I hate to see him endure so much." The diminutive vampire blinked back a few tears. "I'll be right downstairs if you need anything."
"Thank you, Ducky," Gibbs said as the ME left the room, allowing him to turn his attention to the young man who he guessed was unaware of just how much he meant to all of them.
Gibbs rested his head on his hands to collect his thoughts before lightly tracing a finger over the scar on Tony's cheek. Things had been so crazy he doubted Tony even knew it was there. He had wanted to protect Tony, to take care of him, but ultimately he had been unable to prevent him from being hurt, both body and soul. He'd compounded his mistake by believing Tony when he said he didn't want to be a vampire because of hating the prospect of living his life dependent on human blood; it had never occurred to him that DiNozzo was really trying to protect him. Looking at it now, he could see it was a typical Tony misdirection and he should have picked up on it immediately.
He took Tony's hand in one of his own and patted his cheek with the other. "Hey, DiNozzo, wake up. I gotta talk to you." He figured just the fact he was holding Tony's hand would be enough to flip the guy out, since Tony never responded comfortably to his nicer side.
After a few minutes of coaxing, a bleary eye finally cracked open. "Gettin' tired of wakin' up like this, boss," Tony whispered.
"I can imagine you are," Gibbs agreed.
Tony gazed down where Gibbs held his hand, rubbing it absently. "I guess this is it," DiNozzo mumbled, and Gibbs figured the only explanation Tony could find for the comforting action was his own impending death. "Wouldn't want anyone else to be here with me," he added absently. "I've been waiting on you."
Gibbs took a deep breath, amazed at how easy it was for Tony to get it all wrong. "You know I heard what you said to Mike earlier, and I understand why you see it that way. I gotta tell you, though, it's not quite the way you think it is."
Tony sighed heavily. "You don't have to do this, Boss."
"Yeah, Tony, I think I do. I've led you to believe some things that aren't true, and I need to set the record straight."
Tony coughed a little, and Gibbs grabbed the cloth and cleaned his mouth and chin, forcing himself not to react to the menacing red dots. Tony made to protest. "I can do that," he said, trying to reach for the towel, which Gibbs wouldn't give over and instead batted his hand back down.
"Drop the DiNozzo pride for a minute and just listen. I've always had issues with the vampire thing, and I've never accepted drinking human blood. But I do it, and I'll continue doing it, because that's what it takes for me to live. That's never going to change, whether I turn you or not." He stared into Tony's green eyes, which at the moment were large and anxious. "I won't lie to you, Tony, if you die it might hurt me as much as when Kelly did. You weren't born my son, but for the last ten years you might as well have been, and I already know what it feels like to lose a child. I have no desire to go through that again, ever. Seeing you like this….." His voice broke in a way that was very uncharacteristic for the agent, and Tony had never heard it happen before. "Seeing you like this hurts like hell." He paused, and gave his patented barely there smile. "I swear to you Tony; if I turn you I will never regret one day spent taking care of you. But I'll regret every day with you not around if you die."
Tony blinked; his face a mask of confusion and uncertainty, bewildered by Gibbs' confession. The lead agent gripped his hand reassuringly. Tony's gummy brain cells tried to grasp what Gibbs meant – was he basically saying he wanted Tony to be a vampire because it would hurt him too much to see him die? Had he equated his feelings for Tony to his feelings for Kelly? Tony shook his head to clear it; that couldn't be right. He had seen exactly how much Gibbs had loved his daughter, and there was no way his relationship with Tony could be anything similar. It didn't make sense.
Gibbs was scrutinizing him closely. "If you say you don't want me to do it, I'll sit here with you until it's over and won't leave your side for a second. But if you tell me you've changed your mind, and you want to be turned, I'll take care of you like you're my own flesh and blood, because you will be."
Tony bit his lip, trying to calm his racing heart. He always knew Gibbs cared about him, but to be compared to Kelly, and to be told that the vampire was choosing him to be his Son, it was almost too much to accept. Believing in vampires had probably been easier. "I don't want to die, Gibbs. But I don't want you to feel obligated…."
"Have I ever done anything I didn't want to?" Gibbs interrupted.
Tony shook his head quickly. "No, Boss."
"Did I refuse to turn my own nephew when he asked me to?"
DiNozzo mulled that over. "Well, yeah."
Gibbs sat back like that answered everything. When Tony kept staring, he threw up his hands. "I want to do this, Tony. I'd never make this kind of offer out of a sense of obligation. It's too serious. I want to turn you. There is no one else I'd even consider being my Son."
The lead agent might not talk a lot, but when he did it really mattered. Everything Gibbs said had been exactly what Tony needed to hear, he'd just never expected it to happen. Gibbs wanted him to be his Son. He wanted to take care of him. The boss would never lie to him about something this important, and Tony accepted every word the man had to say as gospel. It made what had been a difficult decision into a simple choice that he wished he'd been smart enough to make a lot sooner. Even so, there was still a matter he wanted to clear up.
"You won't be disappointed in me? For not….being able to take this? For giving up?"
Gibbs huffed and shook his head. "DiNozzo, you've suffered longer than anyone I've ever known – you are stronger than I ever was, and hell no, I'm not disappointed in you. I know that if we hadn't had this conversation you would have laid there and endured every second of agony just so no one else would be put out. The thing is, you don't have to go through this and I don't want you to. So what's it going to be?"
"Okay."
Gibbs quirked an eyebrow. "You really want me to turn you? You know it won't work unless you mean that."
"Yes, Boss, I want you to do it." He leaned into the pillows, breathing through his mouth, and now that he'd made the decision he wondered exactly how long the turning would take. The way he was feeling, he didn't know if waiting very long was a good idea. "I trust you, Boss. I know if you say you'll take care of me you will." His eyes were pulling closed, and he had to keep forcing them back open.
Gibbs smiled at the total faith DiNozzo had in him – for a while he thought that trust might have been lost forever. He leaned forward and made sure Tony was looking at him. His senior field agent had to totally understand the ramifications of his change of heart. "There's more to this than we've explained, Tony. There are possible complications and lots of rules you'll have to follow. It won't be easy." Gibbs seemed determined to make him listen to this.
Tony nodded. "I think I can follow your rules, Boss." He rolled onto his side with a grunt, facing Gibbs. "I'm not feeling so good again." He tried not to sound scared, but it was getting really hard to breathe and the twinge in his stomach had returned. "Can you do it now?"
Gibbs smiled sadly. He realized he was both nervous and excited, kind of like how he felt the night Kelly was born. Tony couldn't know it, but everything about their relationship was going to be different. He was looking foward to it, not just because it meant Tony was going to live, but because now that he was being honest with himself, he'd wanted to be a father again for so long. He was pretty sure having Tony as a Son wouldn't always be easy, but he didn't figure he'd be the easiest Father to deal with, either.
Tony felt Gibbs' strong fingers card through his hair. "I can't do it yet, Tony. I have to talk to Ducky first; I've never done this before and I need him to go over how to make sure it works. I've got your six, though, so let me worry about everything for a while." Gibbs stood up from the bed. "Oh, I almost forgot," he fished the tiny wooden boat out of his pocket and put it in Tony's hand, curling his fingers around it. "I fixed this for you."
Tony held up the boat and swallowed hard, the small gift meaning more to him than a dozen red Ferraris. It was like a dam broke inside him, and he suddenly wanted to cry again. Gibbs wanted him as a Son, and was going to be around to take care of him, always. The drinking blood thing still bothered him, but he'd figure out a way to handle it, just like Gibbs had. "Thanks, Boss," he choked out. Gibbs reached over and circled a pair of strong arms around him, pulling Tony to his chest, hugging him close until Tony felt somewhat put back together. The fact that Gibbs was hugging him, well; it was a day of unbelievable events.
Gibbs patted his damp cheek. "I'm going to get Ducky and then we'll get this started. You hang in there, alright?"
Tony blindly nodded his agreement. He held the boat tucked in his hand, afraid to let it go, as he stopped fighting his unrelenting exhaustion and let it take him down once more into its cool embrace.
NCISNCISNCIS
Gibbs shrugged into his coat as Abby followed after him, bobbing and weaving to try and get in front of him before he made it to the door.
"Come on, Boss, my idea would be so much easier!" she whined at him.
"No, Abby."
"But Gibbs!" she continued. "You could drink from me, get juiced up, and go back to Tony in a few minutes! It would save time, and it's for Tony! Let me do this!"
He took her pale face in his large hands and locked his gaze onto her shiny and pleading green eyes. "I said no, and I mean no. I will never drink from one of you. Now let me get out of here so I can get back faster. You make sure Tony doesn't do anything stupid, like die. Ok?"
"Ok," she replied between squished up cheeks. "But just for the record I think you're being silly."
He released her face and kissed the top of her head without responding.
"Fine," she grumbled, and tromped toward the stairs. "I'm going to sit with Tony. Who's coming with me?"
McGee, Ziva, and Palmer took her cue and followed the sulky scientist up the stairs to the spare bedroom. Gibbs smiled indulgently after her and shook his head, before making his way to the door, accompanied by Ducky and Mike. He didn't want to leave Tony again, but Ducky insisted he needed as much fresh human blood in his system as possible, especially for the first time Tony drank. They needed to do everything they could to ensure that this worked.
"Jethro," the doctor said, placing his hand on Gibbs' arm, "you do understand that even though this is Tony's only chance, it doesn't mean he's out of the woods. He's extremely weak, and there is always the possibility that his body won't be able to complete the process. I don't want to be a harbinger of doom, but I think we have to prepare ourselves for all the probable outcomes."
Gibbs thinned his lips. "He'll be fine, Ducky. We didn't come this far for him to give up now." With that, he opened the door and went out into the snowy night.
NCISNCISNCIS
This time when Tony woke up there were a lot of fuzzy shapes moving around the room. As his vision came into focus, he could see Abby and McGee with their heads together, talking quietly. Ziva was standing by the window looking out onto the street, and Palmer was seated in the chair with his head tucked on his chest asleep. Ducky and Mike were having a serious but inaudible conversation by the door. It reminded him of family wakes he used to attend as a child; the only thing missing was a pan of lasagna, a lot of wine, and his drunk Uncle Vito.
"Did somebody die?" he whispered.
Abby caught his open eyes and ran over. "You're awake!" The next thing he knew he was smothered in kisses. It never failed to make him feel good to be wrapped in Abby's unadulterated affection.
His eyes swept the room again. "Gibbs?"
Abby rubbed his hair. "He's not back yet." She frowned at his dejected look. "He should be here any minute, Tony. Ducky said it was important he had full supply of fresh blood so he had no choice but to go hunting. Don't worry about it."
"I'm not…..I'm not worried." He ended the statement with a strong cough, and everyone in the room turned their heads toward him. He tried to hold back, but couldn't keep the painful hacking inside, prompting the team into action. McGee grabbed a bowl of water, Ziva a towel, and Palmer a glass of water. Abby continued to hold his hand and pat his back.
Ziva wiped Tony's mouth using water from the bowl, glancing askance at the reddened cloth, and Palmer gave him a drink to soothe his throat. "Where's Gibbs?" Tony asked again, his brow furrowed in confusion as his eyes opened and closed slowly, already worn out. "Abby? Abby? Where'd he go? He said he'd help me." He needed Gibbs to be here, there was something the boss had promised to do, but he couldn't remember what. He knew that Gibbs would fix everything, and somehow his boss would make all of his pain and uncertainty go away - Gibbs had a way of doing that with one glance of his pale blue eyes. Tony fisted the sheet in his hands and tried to even out his breathing, but didn't have much success.
"He's coming," his friend said tenderly, not pointing out he'd just asked the question a minute ago. "Don't get upset, sweetie. Pretty soon you'll be better and driving us all crazy like usual." She glanced over her shoulder, willing Gibbs to get here now, since there was no way to know if Tony had hours or only minutes left.
As Tony faded back into a restless sleep, the room of concerned friends fell into silence, all of them waiting anxiously for Gibbs' return.
NCISNCISNCIS
The silver-haired vampire had drunk enough to fill both him and Tony. He'd never shared blood before, and he wasn't completely sure how much was needed, but he was fairly certain it was more than the usual amount he took. He tried not to rush, even though the need to get back to Tony as quickly as possible was pressing on him.
Gibbs pulled his fangs away as the man beneath him shifted and groaned; the vampire rested his donor's head on the ground as gently as he could and licked the twin puncture marks, satisfied when they receded into tiny pinpricks. The man would hopefully wake with a slight headache no worse than he'd get with a hangover, and no memory of the event.
He sensed a presence behind him suddenly, turning his head to see figures looming over him in the dark alley. He'd been so preoccupied with Tony that he hadn't been paying attention to their approach. Something heavy connected with the back of his skull and he fell down, momentarily stunned.
He shook his head and stood up, cursing this unneeded complication and his own lack of concentration, to face three burly men, one with a tire iron, one with a heavy chunk of wood, and one with a knife, all looking very pissed and out for blood.
Which Gibbs found more than ironic, since blood was exactly what was on his mind, and, as the first man lunged in to strike, Gibbs vaguely wondered if maybe he should have taken Abby up on her offer after all.