Sorry about the delay. LJ wasn't working this am when I went to post, and then I've been at work all day. So this backs up a tiny bit to give a different view before Jack arrives.
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Abby was kept in the ICU until mid-morning. She was taken for a second CT- scan and when the scan revealed that the swelling hadn't increased, but slightly decreased she was moved to a private room down the hall.
The three agents, as well as Ducky sat around Abby's room. No one spoke much as they waited for news on Gibbs. Eventually Director Vance stopped in, but didn't stay long. He brought along a bouquet of flowers, and after a few minutes pulled Tony out to the hallway for an update. Tony hadn't heard from Fornell yet, but promised to contact the director as soon as he knew anything.
Tony watched Vance disappear down the hallway, and just as he was about to return to Abby's room when a doctor heading down the hall caught his attention. "You are Agent DiNozzo?"
Tony eyed the doctor cautiously. "Yes, Tony DiNozzo."
"I'm Dr. Williams, I just came to let you know that Agent Gibbs is out of surgery. He'll be set up in ICU shortly. Surgery went relatively well, we lost him twice in the beginning, but he managed to pull through. We've repaired the tear in his kidney as well as the small tear in his left lung. We've removed the chest tube, and baring any complications, physically he should recover 100%. We are, however, concerned about the head trauma he has suffered. The next 24-48 hours will be critical. We've got him on IV medication that should help with the swelling."
"And if the swelling goes down?"
"At this point it could go either way. He could wake up and suffer no ill effects, or… we just don't know at this point."
"Can we see him?"
"He should be in his room, in the next 15 to 20 minutes and then a brief visit should be fine. I'll let the nurse know you're coming."
"Thank you. I'll fill in the others." Tony shook the doctor's hand and turned back to Abby's room. "He's out of surgery!"
Abby struggled to sit forward in her bed, and McGee slipped his arm behind her back to sit her up. "He'll be ok?"
"The doctor said that the next 24-48 hours are critical. Physically, he should be fine, they are just worried about the head trauma. But he made it through surgery. It's a good sign." Tony left out the part about him crashing twice. He didn't think it was worth mentioning until out of earshot of Abby.
"I want to see him. Now."
"He won't be in the ICU for another half-hour or so. After that, I'll take you down. He'll only be just down the hall and around the corner."
Abby glanced at the clock every few minutes as she waited. She wanted nothing more than to see him, to touch him, to tell him how much she loves him. Finally Tony stood. "I'll just go make sure he's there before we get you in a wheelchair."
Ducky stood. "I'll go with, I want to see if I can catch one of the doctors."
Tony nodded and the two men slipped out the door. They were halfway down the hall before Ducky spoke. "You left something out. What was it?"
Tony looked at him, opening his mouth to protest, but decided it was no use. "They lost him twice on the table. "
Ducky paused. "Oh."
"I didn't think it was necessary to mention it to Abby. She's been through enough."
Ducky nodded and they rounded the corner, coming to a stop at the nurse's station. "We're looking for Agent Gibbs' room. He was supposed to be brought up."
"Yes." It was nurse Sasha, the same nurse Ziva had flashed her gun to. "He's just being settled in. Normally we don't allow visitors now, but-" she held up her hand when Tony opened his mouth to protest. "But, Dr. Williams stopped by and said he would have visitors."
Tony flashed his best million dollar smile. "Great. I'll go get Abby."
"Is Doctor William's around?" Ducky asked. "I've got a few questions about Jethro's condition."
Tony headed back to Abby's room, grabbing a wheelchair that sat abandoned in the hallway. "The Tony-express, at your service." Tony wheeled the chair up next to her bed, and as Ziva took hold of her IV pole, McGee and Tony helped her to the chair. Abby clenched her eyes shut against the pain, but said nothing. Once she was settled in the chair, she finally let out a long, ragged breath.
Tony wheeled her down the hallway, hesitating in the doorway to Gibbs' room. They were greeted by the steady whoosh of air as the ventilator moved air into and out of his lungs, and the steady beat of the heart monitor.
Tony wheeled her up to Gibbs' bedside, and then backed out of the room. "We'll give you some privacy."
Keeping her eyes on Gibbs, Abby listened to Tony's retreating footsteps and finally the soft sound of the door closing.
"Oh Gibbs." Gripping at the railing on his bed, Abby pulled herself slowing into a standing position so that she could get a better look at his face. Besides the raw skin around the various scrapes, and the obvious tube jutting out from between his lips, Abby thought he looked like he was sleeping. She loved watching him sleep, he always looks so peaceful, as though nothing could trouble him.
"My fox," Abby ran her fingers gently through his hair, "My silver-haired fox." Studying his face, she traced a finger along his hair line, and then down along his jaw. "You've got to wake up. You've made it this far, you've got to keep fighting. I need you Gibbs. I need you in my life. Whatever happens, we'll get through this."
Abby felt her knees waver, so she kissed the side of his mouth before lowering herself back to the chair. Picking up his hand, Abby lifted his fingers to her lips.
"How's he doing?" Tony's voice broke the repetitiveness of the heart monitor and the ventilator. Abby looked over her shoulder and shrugged.
"You need to get back to your bed, Abbs. I know you want to stay, but… you really need to rest. You can come back in the morning."
"But I-"
"Abby, Gibbs would want you to get some rest. He'll need you to be strong for him when he wakes up. You need to rest. Ducky will stay with him."
Abby allowed Tony to wheel her back to her room where she managed to sleep for a few hours. After much debate, Tony wheeled her back to spend another ten minutes at Gibbs' bedside. Tony was just finishing getting Abby settled back in bed when she spotted Jack. "Jack."
"Jack." Tony moved from the chair he had just sat in and offered it to Jack. "It's good to see you, though I wish it was under different circumstances."
"Thank you." Jack took the seat that Tony offered. "Yes it is good to see you again; my son spoke highly of you while you and the team were in Stillwater, but like you said, if only it was under different circumstances." Jack swiveled in the chair to face Abby. "How are you doing, my dear."
"I… I've been better."
Ziva motioned for Tony and McGee to step out, but Abby stopped them. "You guys should go home. Tell Ducky to go home too. You've been here more than 24 hours now. Go home, get some sleep."
"I'm not going anywhere. You guys go take a break and come back in the morning. I've got Tony's number. I'll call if anything changes."
The three agents exchanged silent looks before slowly agreeing. "You sure you don't want us to stay?"
"Go. I'll be fine. But Ziva? Maybe you could stop by and let the nurse in the ICU know that Jack will be visiting Gibbs? She doesn't seem to be able to say no to you."
Ziva smiled and flashed the gun on her hip. "I will do that, and perhaps let my hip do the talking."
"Thank you." Abby smiled weakly.
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TBC…