Tony watched helplessly as McGee did his best to calm Abby down. He had her in a full hug now, stroking her hair and making soothing noises, reassuring her over and over that she was safe. In all the years that he'd known Abby Scuito, he'd never seen her this scared before. Part of him was glad it was McGee she'd turned to; he wouldn't have known what to do. But McGee seemed to. Her sobs had eased and she was listening to him now. He went to the door and poked his head into the hallway, looking for someone. There was a nurse a short distance away, walking back towards the nurses' station. He called out to her
"Nurse? She's awake"
At his words, the nurse turned around and headed back towards him, followed by a doctor who must have been at the nurses' station. He stood aside and let them enter Abby's room. At their insistence, McGee got up from his perch on the side of Abby's bed and joined him in the doorway. At her fearful look, he reassured her
"I'm not leaving, Abs. They've just gotta make sure you're ok"
She submitted to the medical staff's ministrations, answering the simple questions that they asked to assess any brain injury quickly, though her voice sounded scratchy and harsh. The nurse gave her some ice chips, explaining that she wasn't allowed anything else for now.
Tony watched McGee covertly. His attention was firmly fixed on Abby. A curious mixture of pain, love and worry was writ large on the younger agent's face. He wondered what McGee's state of mind must be like right now. He'd never had to watch someone he loved go through this sort of pain. That thought made him wonder something else. Had McGee ever told Abby how he felt about her? Inwardly smiling, he told himself that if Abby looked at McGee right now, he wouldn't have to tell her.
As the medical team left, the nurse reminded the two agents that she was only allowed one visitor at a time. Rolling his eyes, McGee gestured for Tony to take his seat at Abby's bedside. He remained in the doorway, hoping that they wouldn't come back and kick him out. Technically he wasn't in her room, but he doubted they'd see it like that.
While he loitered in the doorway, he spotted Gibbs coming down the hall towards him and groaned mentally. He'd hoped that his boss would arrive while no one else was visiting Abby. That way, maybe, he'd be too concerned with the forensic scientist to ream him out. He wasn't looking forward to this conversation.
He turned to meet Gibbs, making sure he stayed in Abby's vision. He was probably being ridiculous, but she'd begged him not to leave her. Abby never begged, so he was keeping his promise to the letter.
"What in the hell did you think you were doing, McGee?" came the expected angry question. Frustrated, he ran a tired hand through his hair. He didn't have an answer to that question for himself, let alone for Gibbs
"I lost it, Boss. It won't happen again" he told him
"You're damn right it won't! Consider yourself on a week's leave, effective immediately. Director's orders" Seeing the rebellion on his young agent's face, he relented a little "I do understand, Tim. I've been there myself". He saw the flash of comprehension and memory in McGee's eyes, knowing that McGee instantly took his words to mean his obsession with Ari in the aftermath of Kate's death. He'd never told anyone about his trip to Mexico after the murders of Shannon and Kelly. "You love her, don't you Tim?" he asked gently
"Yeah Boss, I do" McGee answered quietly. Turning towards the bed, Gibbs allowed himself a half smile. That was all the explanation he needed.
They stood in uncomfortable silence for a few moments. McGee was slightly unnerved by the conversation with Gibbs. He never pried into the personal lives of his agents. Oddly he felt closer to the older man right now, the love they shared for the injured woman in the bed before them binding them for the moment.
Gibbs broke the quiet
"How's she doing?" he asked
"Better" McGee was relieved to be having a more normal conversation with his boss "They put her back on a mask an hour or so before I got here, and she woke up just after Tony arrived. She's lucid and she remembers what happened. She's pretty terrified, Boss. Kept begging me not to leave her" he took a deep breath at the memory. "Tony called the staff when she woke up, they asked her a whole bunch of questions; name, age, occupation, the usual stuff. They didn't tell me what they thought, and I'm not listed as next of kin so they won't let me ask" He grimaced at that.
Gibbs nodded; he was listed as Abby's next of kin. "I'll find out" he told McGee, heading down the hall to the nurses' station. McGee turned his attention back to Abby, watching her with Tony. She looked calmer now, though her eyes still slid to where he stood. Making sure he was there, he assumed.
At Gibbs' return, Tony excused himself to Abby and joined them in the doorway. "Good news?" he asked hopefully
"Initial assessment is no signs of brain injury" Gibbs told them. The sense of relief was massive, making Tim's knees shake slightly
"Thank God" he said fervently. Dimly he heard the rest of Gibbs' update, about having to conduct more tests. His thoughts were elsewhere. She was going to be ok. The physical wounds would take time to heal, and so would the mental, but she would be the same Abby that he'd loved for so many years. He realised he had tears running down his face again, but made no move to wipe them away.
Tony left then and Gibbs entered Abby's room, leaving him to his thoughts.