Thanks as always for all the reviews and alerts. So…here is the next chapter hope ya'll like it. Got to give a little warning here though: there is a scene of abuse.

Chapter 8- Trying To Repair Damage Done.

After Tony being rushed to the hospital, Ziva and McGee worked on the crime scene and got a BOLO out, looking for the guy that had hurt their friend. They now had a name at least, Darren Hughes, petty officer first class. They learned all this from Tony's notes; they'd found the notepad close to where he had been lying, it was smeared with his blood, they didn't like that. In fact, they had been feeling even worse for what they had done upon finding Gibbs and Tony speaking, they listened as Tony spoke dejectedly.

"W-w-why…are you… here…i-i- failed…you… shouldn't…care."

No question within the words, just as if stating a fact, no matter how much the fact hurt and tore at them, they knew he meant it. Why shouldn't they care though? They were a family weren't they?… weren't they? What had they done? Given him a second family, one that actually cared, then… just ripped it away from under him. As if, he didn't matter and never had.

"S-so…tired"

And it hurt them, they hadn't meant for him to give up, to think he didn't belong. They felt worse for letting it go on for so long and that they hadn't done anything to help… just everything that wouldn't and they couldn't take it back. He wouldn't accept it back, his mind wouldn't let him. Two simple words that held so much weariness, so much pain. It made them feel guiltier just looking at the defeat in his eyes as the EMT's took him to the hospital. Gibbs might have gone with him but… but what could Gibbs do? They had taken Tony and crushed his hope, his spirit and they knew it. At least in the car they had hope, hope that the damage they had done could be reversed. Now, could they help their friend from himself, from his own warped mind? Could they? Could Gibbs?

Gibbs had hurt him too; they had worked together and trusted each other for years before either of them came. It was worse when even Abby hadn't even done anything. They knew that they couldn't live with it, with the pain of thinking that your own family didn't care what happened to them. They knew they needed to fix it, but didn't know how or where to even start.

"What do we do, Ziva?" the question simple, the answer too complex to try and guess.

"I do not know, Tim." And she hated it, for once in her life she had absolutely no idea where to go from here, what to do for her partner. Worse, it was her entire fault. No words could fix it, only actions. Gibbs had tried by showing affection openly, by holding his hand. But the doubt and fear that he would be left alone again was still there, still festering within Tony's mind.

Worse than even that, she knew his past, knew that nobody had cared enough when it mattered, knew that he had barely survived getting completely cut off by his family at twelve years old, and forced to look after himself. Yet he hid it so well on the outside and she had still left him out, cut him off again. Even though he was still hurting from damage done so long ago and damage done since, moving from place to place, trying, hoping to fit in. In a way they were similar, in another not. She still had some and spoke to what remained of her family, he had no connection to his biological and she had taken his actual. For that she was truly sorry, but would he take the apology for what is was and not doubt it, she doubted if he could find the trust not so freely given. Not after everything.

***

Back at the hospital…

"DiNozzo's don't cry, you're a disgrace to this family, you will never amount to anything." DiNozzo senior watched with glee as his son backed away. The boy was a nuisance, always messing around, blackening the family name. He wouldn't stand for it.

Tony knew when to stop, he ran but his 'father' grabbed him, a bruising grip and screamed at him, until a 10 year old Tony didn't even know what he had done wrong anymore.

Gibbs woke up to a mumbling Tony in his arms, a nightmare by the looks of it. He didn't know when they had fallen asleep, he just knew that Tony had needed, wanted someone, something to hold on to. He knew that all Tony's insecurities would be back but didn't know the extent of them. He needed for Tony to talk to him. He had tried once before but Tony had shut him out, it had been after Tony had been injured and Gibbs was watching over him, he had heard Tony whimper in his sleep, of all the damn things to hear from his lively agent. That was when his suspicions had started, but still Tony had shut him out, not speaking of it again.

Gibbs was shook out of his thoughts when Tony's movements became more agitated and the mumbling became louder. He could hear what was said and in that moment his suspicions were proven. He had to get Tony out of his nightmare, try and save him from something. He moved off the bed and put his hand on the younger mans arm, trying to rouse him gently.

"Tony, wake up, it's just a nightmare." Nothing and the thrashing increased.

"DiNozzo!" he used his commanding tone. Tony's movements froze and he opened his eyes. Still clearly panicked, he flinched back from the touch, his posture defensive as if expecting attack. If that didn't prove his suspicions then what would.

"Sorry Boss." Tony replied blankly. As he looked into Gibbs' eyes he saw a flash of pity, he hated pity. That meant…he knew. Damn, nobody was meant to know. He panicked and tried to get out of bed, only managing an inch before the pain in his side drove him back down. regaining his focus he realised that Gibbs had been talking.

"It's okay Tony." It sounded sincere enough but…

Ha! It wasn't okay, now Gibbs knew his secret he looked weak, had even cried in front of his boss. NCIS didn't need a weak agent. He had to leave now. He was sorry but…but he wasn't, they had acted like his so called family all along, it had all been a lie, all of it, everything. And he was angry again. But he had to ask, had to see if what Gibbs had said he would repeat, if he repeated it, it could be real. Couldn't it?

"Why do you care?" again the question simple, the answer he was looking for he didn't even know.

"Because I do." the answer simpler, like the man behind it. As if a statement of fact, with no room to manoeuvre. Gibbs watched as a battle was fought in the other man's mind. The outcome could go either way, and he could only hope it went his.

Tony was scared though; could he really trust the words? He wanted to but…but all those lessons had taken his hope, taken his everything and his everything was gone again, taken from him. If he stayed he was a liability and he knew it. He couldn't leave them an agent down but he couldn't go back if he would only get them hurt. So his next words were simple and to the point, without emotion and without hope.

"But you shouldn't."

TBC

I already have something in mind for the next chapter. It shouldn't be too long until I get it written. Please read and review as always.