Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS, or the characters, and probably never will.

AN: I have no medical knowledge, just way too much time to search the internet.

Enjoy!

The next day, Abby stops into Ziva's room on her way out, she still hasn't been able to find out why her friend had been driven to attempt suicide, she always thought she was invincible; Abby has been sitting with Tony for most of the morning, keeping his mind off himself by filling him in on the latest cases she's been involved in at NCIS.

She greets her friend in a hushed voice, knowing that Ziva probably wouldn't appreciate her usual bright demeanor at the moment. "Hey, Ziva."

At least the swelling in Ziva's face has gone down slightly, so she can actually see clearly again without difficulty. But still despite her increased ability to express herself using her face, while she can't speak due to the breathing tube, Ziva her head away from Abby, opting to look towards a blank wall instead.

Not deterred by Ziva's response, Abby sits down beside Ziva, ignoring the fact that she is refusing to look at her. "So I've just been to see Tony, he's had some complications-"

As soon as the word leaves Abby's mouth, Ziva turns to face her, grabbing a note pad and pen from the over-bed table, on which she quickly scribbles "Ok?"

Abby takes this as asking, is Tony okay, and seeing as this is the first time Ziva has even tried to communicate, she figures that she deserves the truth. "It's pretty bad, he's still conscious, which is really good apparently, but it still could get worse."

Ziva takes back the note pad, and writes "What's wrong?" before handing it back to Abby to read.

Abby gently places her hand on Ziva's shoulder as she tells her. "The doctors said that his kidneys aren't working, it's really complicated, but basically it's because it took so long to get him out of the wreck. They've got him on a machine to compensate until it gets better."

Ziva ignores the tears that are forming in her eyes as she writes. "What else? No one's said anything."

Abby hesitates, but then as she looks directly into Ziva's eyes, and keeps her hand in place on Ziva's shoulder, she says. "He's got three broken ribs, both his legs are broken, his left arm as well, and his pelvis too. He's also got a collapsed lung, and there's a lot of swelling in his spinal cord, they think that he might be paralyzed. I'm sorry, Ziva, this is too much, I shouldn't have said anything, I'm so sorry, I'm sure he'll be alright." Abby finishes shakily, already regretting telling Ziva.

What happens next surprises Abby completely, a moment after she finishes speaking, Ziva scribbles something else, and shows it to Abby "Thank you." She then takes the pad back and continues writing. "Hated not knowing. Worried."

Abby reads the words written by her friend, and is silent for a moment, deep in thought, before she says. "You know what worried me? ...Finding out that you were in surgery after trying to kill yourself, and then hearing that you tried again. That worried me." Abby pauses, trying to push down the feelings of guilt, she knows that if she stops now, it won't do anyone any good. "Why'd you do it, Ziva? It was an accident, no one blames you."

Tears now blurring her vision, Ziva wipes them away before she writes "I was my fault. I was going too fast, through a red light, and because of that Tim is dead. It's my fault."

Now crying too, Abby replies. "I did the forensics for the crash, that truck was doing twenty miles over the limit, it was a question of when, not if it crashed. It was an accident, Ziva, and I know that doesn't make you feel any better. Ziva, you have to know that Timmy's death nearly destroyed us, if you die, if you kill yourself, we're... you're not just killing yourself." Abby says with finality, and then after a noticeable pause she adds. "We want to help you, get you back on your feet."

Several days later, Ziva has finally been taken off suicide watch, having turned a corner since her talk with Abby, and has been moved out of intensive care, when out of the blue Vance walks into her hospital room as Gibbs is sitting beside her, handing her the latest offering of magazines and other entertainment for Abby.

"Morning, Officer David. Gibbs." Vance says evenly as he walks further into the room, stopping at the end of Ziva's bed.

Ziva, still unable to speak because of the ventilator nods slightly in acknowledgement of his greeting, while Gibbs says. "Leon, what can we do for you?"

Vance looks directly at Ziva as he answers Gibbs' question. "Your father called me, Ziva. He's requested that you return to Israel as soon as the doctors will let you fly, he said that he plans to arrange for your continued treatment there." The tone in his voice immediately tells the pair that there was no suggestion involved, Ziva must return to Israel, unless she is willing to disobey her father.

Meanwhile in Tony's ICU room, the dull noise of the dialysis machine, and the various other equipment is suddenly drowned out by a loud, continuous screech as the monitors show a flat line and staff come running into the room, putting the bed down flat, and pulling his gown as one of the nurses puts the defibrillator paddle to his now bare chest, and calls out "Clear" before she administers the shock.

TBC...

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