Gibbs brought Tony in with him to the Navy Yard, but since technically they were both not working, he felt it would be better to Tony to lie low, and perhaps visit Ducky while he got his report done for Vance.
What he didn't realize was that Brian O'Shea's body could now be released to his family, since the sting had been executed. They were told the truth as soon as word came through that Latham went down.
Ducky had poor O'Shea on ice, since he came in almost two weeks ago, but was now preparing him to go to his family.
He didn't expect to see Tony, dropping into the suite just to say hello, though he knew Gibbs was coming in for a while to do paperwork for the Director.
"Tony! Ah…." Ducky's eyes wandered to the gurney, with the zipped up body bag on it.
Tony was going to say hello to him, but then saw what the M.E. was looking at.
He froze in place for a moment, swallowing.
"Duck…is that…?"
"Yes, Tony," Ducky said sadly, walking towards the agent. "It's Brian O'Shea. He's finally going home."
Tony felt like he almost couldn't take any more. He thought maybe he was going to unravel for good.
A flash of memory burst through his mind. Floating in the sea, holding the dead man to him…he heard the whispers start up from the far corners of his mind.
But…Brian…he owed him so much…he had to keep it together.
"I…can I just be alone with him for a little while?" He looked at the older man, and shifted a bit on his feet.
Ducky wasn't sure it was such a good idea. He knew Tony's mental state was fragile at best. But, it didn't seem right to deny him time with his friend, to say goodbye.
"Okay, Tony, " Ducky nodded. "But afterwards, I think we should go get some air? Mr. Palmer is out refilling supplies and I have no other pressing appointments. Maybe we go to the café' until Gibbs is done with what he needs to do ?"
Tony nodded, swallowing, "Thanks Duck."
"I'll be right outside."
Tony walked over to the gurney, as the door closed behind Ducky.
He stood for a while, working up the nerve to unzip the bag.
He took a shaky breath, and then pulled down the zipper, just a bit, to see O'Shea's somewhat death distorted face.
He swallowed, putting a hand gently around the head.
"I'm sorry, Bri," he whispered, silently weeping , a few tear drops falling into the body bag.
He looked at the face.
"You really saved my ass, man. I just wish…you were... still here." He swiped at more of the tears.
"I thought I was done for, you know that? They…they almost did it."
He looked down for a moment, and then back up to the still face.
"I'm still not sure, I guess that they didn't. But…my head…I just wish, you were still around. You were the only one on that boat who…" he shook his head. "Well, you know, don't you."
He stroked the hair for a moment, "You're a hero, you know that ? And when I'm better, I'm gonna go see your mom, and your sister Morgan. I'm gonna tell them …I'm gonna…tell them," he was choking out the words, "what you did. And how brave you were."
Tony took a deep breath. He still heard the whispers in his mind, and they got a little more insistent with the stress of seeing O'Shea's body again.
He zipped up the bag with a shaking hand.
Someone walked into the door behind him, and put a hand on his shoulder.
It had little black fingernails on it.
He smiled, turning around, even with the tears still drying on his face.
Abby just looked at him for a quick moment, taking in his expression, and then put her arms around him without saying a word.
Ducky called Gibbs from his office phone.
"Gibbs."
"Jethro."
"Tony okay, Duck ?" Gibbs asked suddenly worried.
"I believe so but –"
"What's going on?' Gibbs was on edge. He's had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach since they had left the house.
"Oh, since the whole affair with Latham is now over, Brian O'Shea's body has been released to go back to his family-"
"And let me guess, Tony's standing in front of it right now."
There was a hesitation.
"I had to, Jethro. I could not deny him saying goodbye."
"I know, Duck. Just keep an eye on him. I have another hour to do here…if he needs me – let me know."
"I will. And actually I am going to try and get him out of here for a bit when he's finished."
Thanks Duck."
Ducky hung up the phone
He wondered if he should check on Tony.
As he walked back into the hallway, he was relieved to find Abby was leaning against the wall, talking to him, with her hand on his arm.
She was trying to fill in for how quiet Tony was, by talking a mile a minute about a personal project she was working on, knitting dog sweaters and selling them to make money for a local animal shelter.
He smiled a little at her, even though he didn't add much to the conversation.
"Abigail, did you come down for something in particular? I wasn't expecting you, my dear," Ducky said curiously.
She turned to him as Tony looked on.
"Oh I saw Gibbs…I knew Tony was here, so I came down to see him."
"Ah, well, I am about to take Anthony for a civilized cup of tea – or in his case some strange cappuccino-like beverage. Do you have time to join us ?"
"Awwwww! Ducky ! I can't I'm sorry!" She turned to Tony, "I wanto, really but, I have two other cases in I have to work on."
"S'okay, Abby," he smiled but Ducky saw the red rimmed eyes, "we'll have plenty of time." Thanks to O'Shea, he thought.
She smiled and hugged him. "Yes. Yes we will."
Gibbs got his paperwork in to Vance early, snorting in disgust to find Vance had gone out to a meeting anyway. He left it on Vance's desk.
He thought he could surprise Ducky and Tony by showing up at the café. He liked the coffee there anyway.
He passed the bullpen, where only McGee was doing some computer work, since Ziva was still on leave for her shoulder wound.
"McGee," he growled the greeting as he walked by.
McGee looked up, momentarily surprised to see Gibbs.
"Uh- hi Boss !"
Gibbs continued walking to the elevator, smiling to himself as he heard the puzzled, "Bye Boss…"
He knew McGee was busy, and they would likely see him over the weekend, along with Ziva and Abby.
It was almost 11:30, and the lunch hour hadn't begun, so the streets were fairly calm.
The café was on a corner, about 10 minutes walk from the Navy Yard.
As Gibbs turned the corner, he heard the sound of wheels burning rubber on pavement, and gunshots, along with screaming.
A white van careened around the next block and faded out of sight.
He ran, seeing Tony trying to get himself up from the sidewalk, while Ducky held a gun on another man, lying on the ground, cursing.
As Gibbs caught up to them, gun also trained now on the unfamiliar man writhing from a gunshot wound to his leg.
"What the hell just happened?" he asked them.
Tony didn't make a sound, he was still sitting on the ground, shaking and looking at the man with dazed confusion.
"Two men tried to pull Tony into a van just as we came around the corner. It pulled up very quickly, just as I walked ahead not four paces from him, and the threw the door open, trying to grab him. They weren't anticipating one of us had a gun though."
Gibbs knew Tony couldn't technically carry until he passed psych. But…he didn't think they had to worry about it anymore.
He stole a glance at Tony, who was frightened and silent, as he slowly got to his feet.
"You get the plate?"
"No...but we have one of the culprits apprehended, so I hope you will forgive my lack of attention to that detail. It was rather fast, and I wanted to keep them from taking Tony."
"Thanks, Duck," Tony finally said in a low tone, with tremors running through him. Gibbs realized, he was not just frightened. He was pissed off.
"Absolutely my pleasure, my dear man."
"You ever see him before ?" Gibbs asked, looking at Tony, almost wanting to weep in relief he hadn't gone back in the shell.
He shook his head. "No... never." And then he looked at Gibbs, hearing the ambulance coming in the distance, "I think."
As the man moaned, clutching at his leg, Gibbs smiled at Ducky. "Nice shot. He's alive. I'll be able to interrogate him."
"Well, a scalpel is surely not the only tool in my repetoire, Jethro."