They had found an old flick to watch on the TV but every few minutes they would turn there eyes to DiNozzo's chest.

"Still here?" DiNozzo asked somewhat breathlessly, without opening his eyes.

"We are here until Gibbs returns." Ziva answered.

"Great movie." Tony said after opening his eyes and breathing deeply for a few seconds. The mask muffled his words but both of them caught the meaning.

"Abby chose." Ziva said "I do not much care for it."

"Classic." Tony managed with an martyred expression on his face.

"How're you Tony?" Abby asked.

"Kay." he answered.

"I'm going to call Brad, he wanted to run some tests." Abby said reaching her hand forward.

Tony shook his head no.

"He'll… poke and… prod." Tony said with a wince.

"Exactly. to find out how you are recovering DiNozzo." Ziva said with a nod to Abby.

"He'd…. he know?" Tony asked

"Ducky told Gibbs you'd been having checkups with him. He suggested Gibbs call him. A few minutes later Brad came in and demanded to see you. He probably hasn't left since. He's a good friend DiNozzo." Abby said.

They waited a few minutes for Brad to come in as they all focused on the movie.

Abby looked at Tony out of the corner of her eye every few seconds. He looked tired and pale his eyes half closed in a struggle to not drift to sleep again. The oxygen mask that helped him breath leaving imprints on his face.

"Tony it's good to see you awake and in the land of the living." Brad said in a loud cheerful voice as he entered a nurse behind him. "If you lovely ladies will excuse us we'll be taking Tony down the hall to get an X-ray of those lungs to see exactly what our course of treatment should be."

Abby jumped up, disentangling her hand from Tony's.

The nurse carefully unhooked the oxygen from the large bedside machine and hooked it up to a portable machine she hung on the side of the bed.

"Let's take a ride Tony." Brad said taking the head of the bed. They carefully maneuvered the bed into the hall and away. Abby and Ziva sat in the now much emptier room and stared at each other.

"Where's DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked looking around with, as distributed the extra coffee and Caf-Pow he had in his hands. No one missed the worry.

"X-Ray's. Brad wants to see exactly what he's dealing with." Abby said a smile on her face as she sipped on the large drink.

Ziva stood and allowed Gibbs to sit down.

"How is he doing?"

"He is a little scared." Ziva said.

Gibbs nodded understanding the feeling.

"Other than that?"

"Better. He was ok enough to be outraged that Ziva hated a classic." Abby smiled then turned to Ziva, "Your never going to hear the end of that. Tony is going to obsess over ramming the details down your throat until you watch it and tell him you like it."

Gibbs smiled at Abby as she bounced in her seat with seemingly never ending energy. The smile on her voice was hope for his agent.

They waited in silence for another twenty minutes before the nurse and Brad carefully pushed Tony into position. He was sitting up with a tired expression but the mask had been removed and replaced with an oxygen cannula.

"What's the diagnosis doc?" Gibbs asked once Tony was safely in place.

"His lungs are healing nicely. And right on track with where we want them. If nothing else pops up tonight he can be moved out of ICU tomorrow afternoon."

"How long till I'm outta here?" Tony asked stopping every couple words to catch him breath.

"It depends. At least until you can say that whole thing without panting for breath." When Tony opened his mouth to try Brad sent him a glare. "That didn't mean try it. Your lungs need to be worked up slowly."

Gibbs leaned over and lightly tapped his head.

"Sorry Boss." Tony said with an unrepentant grin at his doctor and his boss.

"Well Gibbs I think it is time for us to take our leave." Ziva said standing.

"Bu….." Abby started with a look at Tony.

"Go home Abbs." Gibbs said. "I'll be here." Abby nodded silently and collected her things.

"If you don't call me if something changes you'll be sorry." She said her finger waving in at Gibbs as she walked out the door.

"Hey Doc." Gibbs said turning to Brad.

"Yeah?"

"You haven't been home in a week. The other doctors can handle things for a night."

"I can…."

"Go. Doc. I've got Gibbs." Tony said his eyes sagging closed as he sunk into the pillows.

"I'll be back Tomorrow morning." Brad said with one last look around at everything.

As soon as Brad was out of the room Tony cracked one eye open to look at the profile of his boss.

"Sorry." he said.

"Tony." Gibbs reprimanded, looking over at his agent.

"Right boss. Rule 6. Don't say sorry. Won't do it again."

"Of course DiNozzo. The next time you don't let me know your sick your badge is mine."

"Of course Boss." DiNozzo said.

Gibbs gave Tony a long look.

"I'm fine boss." Tony avoided his bosses eyes a little longer. "Really."

Gibbs turned to the now muted TV.

"I hate not being able to breath." Tony said in almost a whisper. Gibbs knowing what his agent needed neither turned now acknowledged the breathless whisper. "It doesn't get any easier the second time around."

Gibbs still stared forward.

"Whoever made up the saying as easy as breathing obviously never had the plague." Tony said. Gibbs knowing that this was a sign that DiNozzo was done sharing turned his head a little and smiled the joke.

His smile faded however as Tony's chuckling turned to deep ragged coughed that tore at his chest. Gibbs rushed to his side and carefully lifted his agent into a fully sitting position and patted his back to help.

When Tony was finally able to draw in a breath Gibbs carefully lowered his spent agent to the bed.

Tony's eyes drifted closed again as Gibbs settled into the chair next to the bed to wait.

"As easy as pie boss." His agents sleepy voice drifted through the quiet room. Gibbs smiled and settled in to wait.

A/N I know i'm sorry but it seems that everything gets crazier the last two weeks of school. almost through though. So I hope everyone enjoyed. Reviews are appriciated thanks for reading.

wolfgirl