AN: Here's the final chapter. Special thanks, as always, to Kyrie, my editor extraordinaire! Without her, my stories would not be nearly as good. And thanks to everybody who's taken the time to follow this, especially coming as quickly as it has. Hard to believe it's been just over two weeks since we started this journey, and exactly one week in series time. Tim and Tony have had a wild first week back from vacation, that's for sure!

Chapter 16

0700 Friday

Tim tried to open his eyes, but his lids were too heavy. As he inhaled, he could smell the familiar antiseptic scent of a hospital. He tried to think, but all he could remember was entering the warehouse with Tony and splitting up to try and take out Carlisle. What had Tony gotten himself into this time? Tim knew his partner had to be badly hurt if his brain had blocked it out. Unless Ducky had slipped him a sedative to get him to sleep. The doctor had done it to Gibbs before. He tried to force his eyelids open, but instead found himself sinking back into sleep.

0830 Friday

The next time Tim woke up, he felt floaty. He couldn't seem to open his eyes, but he could manage to wiggle his fingers and toes. Rubbing his thumb over his left ring finger, his breath caught in his throat. What had happened to his ring? And what had happened to Tony? He wasn't... Tim pushed the thought away. Even if Tony was dead, he wouldn't have taken his ring off. Not if it was the last piece he had of him. Tony had to be alive. Tim tried calling out to him.

"Tony," he croaked.

"Tim?" He could hear his partner's voice, but it was faint. He succeeded in opening his eyes this time and saw Tony leaning over him. "Oh, god, Timmy, you're awake."

"M'wake. Wha-?" But his lips couldn't form the question. As he started to drift again, he felt a lightness in his chest. Not Tony. Tony was fine. Then it must be him who was hurt. Something wasn't right about that, but he couldn't figure it out.

1000 Friday

Tim first realized he was awake, because he could hear voices. The words were fuzzy, but as he listened, he started to catch bits of what was being said. He tried to organize his thoughts and focused on opening his eyes. As he did, he saw an older man hustling Tony out of the room.

"Stop!" He tried to yell, but it came out as a croak. His brain finally kicked into gear as he recognized the older man as Steve Jenkins, the older sailor in Brad's study who'd had such a negative reaction when he'd realized Tony and he were partners. He tried to push himself up and cried out as his left side erupted in pain.

"Tim!" He looked over to see his dad sitting by the bed.

"Stop. Tony. Steve, no!" He forced out before the pain transformed his protest into a moan.

And then Tony was by his side, stroking a hand across his face. "Tim, it's OK. Just lie back."

He shook his head. "What's Steve doing? He can't force you to leave. I need you here with me."

Tony gave a weak laugh and dropped his forehead down to meet Tim's. "He's not. Really, he's not."

His dad stood and rested a hand on his good shoulder. "I just wanted Tony to get some rest," he said. "He's been sitting up with you all night, and Brad and I both agree he needs some rest before he ends up getting admitted, too. He didn't want to leave, so Steve volunteered to make sure he made it to my room so he can get some sleep in a bed. Abby warned us he'd sneak back otherwise."

Tim looked up at Tony and tried to raise his eyebrow, but he still felt kind of fuzzy and floaty.

"Busted," Tony said. He reached out and laced his fingers through Tim's. "You stirred for a bit earlier, but otherwise you've been out cold. Ducky said the doctors didn't think you'd be awake for another couple of hours." He sat down on the edge of the bed. "Dad threatened to sic Gibbs on me if I didn't go."

"Where's Gibbs?" Tim was starting to feel more like himself. "What happened?"

"Tim, this can wait," Sean said.

Tim tried to shake his head and winced as it set his stomach to churning.

"Careful there," Tony said, stroking Tim's face again. "You gave yourself a real whack on the head. The doctor thought you might be out for a couple more days."

"How?"

"Hit your head on the ground after the dirtbag winged you," Tony said, his fingers moving up to stroke Tim's hair. Tim relaxed into his touch. "He clipped your shoulder, just an inch outside the edge of your vest. You were pushing Gibbs out of the way."

"Through and through?" Tim wanted to ask more, but that was all he could manage, his energy starting to lag.

"Went through, but Ducky said something about the joint and your rotator cuff and a bunch of other things that boiled down to you've got a lot of physical therapy ahead of you, and probably won't be back in the field until almost the summer. You had to go and get shot in the left arm, didn't you, Probie?" He bent down and kissed Tim's forehead, taking the sting out of his words.

Tim smiled. "Says the man who broke his left arm killing Rivken." He yawned. "Sleepy."

"Yes, but I'm right-handed," Tony said. "Tim, don't ever scare me like that again."

"Not... purpose." Tim could feel the fog claiming him again and fought against it. There was something else he needed to ask. As Tony kissed him gently on the lips, he remembered.

"Steve? Not... OK? With us?" He looked over at the sailor by the door.

"What? No." Steve stepped closer. "Look, I'll admit, I was a little shocked when I learned you two were together. It's just... I'm old-school. But I saw Tony sitting with you this morning, heard from Brad and your team how he'd been sitting with you all night." The older man swallowed hard. "And when he looked at you, I could tell he feels for you the way I felt for my wife. I don't understand it, but I can't argue with it." He blinked his eyes a couple of times.

"So you weren't ... hurt him." Tim felt as though he was speaking through cotton balls.

"He wasn't going to hurt me, Tim." Tony yawned and stretched, his spine cracking all the way.

"Bed, Tony," Tim said. "Be here... you wake up."

"Well, yeah, McObvious," Tony said, running his hand along Tim's arm. "Everybody's going to be here. We've got almost two feet of snow, and it's still coming down. We're all going to be here for a few days." He yawned again.

"Tony, go," Sean said. "I don't have it in me any more to carry a sleeping son to his bed."

Tim laughed at the image. "Get Gibbs? He'd... be able..."

"No, he'd head-slap me awake," Tony said. "I'm going, I'm going. Tim, when I wake up, maybe you'll be up to complete sentences."

As Tony left, Tim settled into the bed, his mind clouding. "Mom? Sarah?" He managed to find the words.

"Sarah's in the waiting room, and your mom is trying to find me some food," his dad said. "The doctor wouldn't let Sarah stay in here."

"You guys... Tony..." Tim smiled.

"No."

"No?" Tim reached his right hand up to scrub his eyes. "What... mean, no?"

"If your director hadn't been ready to get SecNav on the phone, Tony would have been stuck in the waiting room with everybody else."

"SecNav?" Tim's brain wasn't working right; he couldn't hold on to any thoughts. "Why SecNav?"

"Because that damn doctor wouldn't listen to the rest of us." Sean glared, his eyes fierce as the Celtic warriors in tales his own motherhad told Tim and Sarah when they were little. "He said as far as Bethesda was concerned, Tony didn't have any more standing than Ziva or Abby to come see you. Your mom and I could come in because we're your parents, and Gibbs could come in as your medical proxy. He offered his spot to Tony, and the doctor turned him down. I ordered him to let you in, and he said JAG would never prosecute him for insubordination. I even offered to give up my spot, and he wouldn't back down. Tony was about to hit him when Vance stepped in."

"Vance didn't... mad at Tony?" Tim frowned, frustrated that he couldn't make his brain cooperate.

"No, he's not mad at Tony. Threatened to let him force his way in here if the doctor wouldn't back down."

"Good."

"Good?" His dad got up again and stood at the end of the bed. "Timothy McGee, there is nothing good about this. Your husband almost got shut out of here because you don't have the right paperwork to let him in. It's a simple form."

Tim opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say. He thoughts were floating around, fragments he couldn't grab onto. He blinked a few times, and when he rubbed his hand across his eyes, it came away wet.

"Tim," his dad said, coming around to sit next to him, "I'm sorry. I didn't meant to yell. Hell, you haven't even been awake 20 minutes."

"Never apologize. Sign of... weakness." He reached out for his dad's hand. "Can't sign now... Hand. Soon as possible." And that was the last thing he remembered before sleep overcame him.

1400 Friday

He woke once as he was being shifted around by nurses, but drifted back off. The next time he woke, he realized that he must have been moved out of ICU into a regular room. Tim looked over to see Tony by his side, their fingers interlaced. He squeezed his hand.

"Tim! You're awake." Tony stood so he could drop a kiss on his forehead. "How do you feel?"

"Like I've been shot." He scrunched up his face.

"So stiff, sore, and floaty on the good drugs," Tony said, grinning at him.

"Now I know why you're goofier than ever on painkillers," Tim said. He tugged on Tony's hand to pull him close. "Soon as I can sign my name, we're getting all the paperwork done so you never get booted out again," he said. "Dad read me the riot act after you left earlier."

Tony eased himself to sit on the bed next to Tim and leaned over, using his right arm to support his body weight, and kissed him on the lips. "Like he said you did last weekend?"

Tim smiled. "Pretty much." He swallowed. "Tony, I'm sorry. We spent all that time making sure I was on your paperwork in case you got sick. I should have thought to make you my medical proxy, too. I just didn't..."

"Think you'd get shot?" Tony sighed, then gave a rueful chuckle. "It's OK, Tim. I should have thought of it. I'm the one who has a medical chart thicker than your next book. I'm just glad you're OK." He leaned forward and kissed Tim, who slid his good arm under Tony's scrubs, fingers skimming his chest.

"Timmy, you know we can't..." Tim captured his lips again, swallowing his objection.

Tony forced himself to pull back, and Tim grumbled.

"When you're home," Tony said. "I do not want to explain to the doctor how you popped a stitch because of me. And you are not getting me all revved up when we can't do anything."

"Payback for torturing me on the beach," Tim said, grinning.

"Oh, yeah, they've got you on the good drugs," Tony said. He skimmed his left hand over Tim's face, and Tim took the opportunity to kiss the ring on Tony's finger. "Where's mine?"

Tony pulled a string from around his neck, the ring dangling from it. "They had to take it off before surgery," he said. "Ducky got it, and Brad found the string. I'm afraid to ask what its medical use is. As soon as it's OK for you to wear it around your neck, I'll give it back. Ducky said it might be a few weeks before you can put it back on your finger."

"No."

Tony sat up in shock. "What do you mean 'no'? I thought…"

"Next time I put it on, it's going to be as your husband."

"But you are my husband, Tim. And I'm yours."

Tim grinned. "You know, the Court's expected to rule in favor of same-sex marriages in DC this month. So let's make it legal. I want the whole world to know you belong to me and I belong to you."

"You trying to make an honest man of me?" Tony asked, a wide smile across his face.

When Tim nodded, Tony leaned in and kissed him. "Let me get everybody in here, so we can tell them the good news."

"Mmm... Later," Tim said. "Stay here with me for now."

Tony just smiled and lay down next to Tim, snuggling close, carefully sliding his hand over the bandages that covered Tim's heart, and even through the floating sensation caused by the drugs, Tim felt anchored by Tony's presence and his love. He dropped a kiss on his soon-to-be-husband's forehead and let himself drift back to sleep.

AN: Thanks to everybody who stayed with this story through its twists and turns! It's been a wild ride for the gang, especially Tim and Tony. I promise this is not the last story in this universe. I'm taking a bit of a pause from posting to work on some shorter, future stories in this uni because the next one chronologically is going to be similar in size to Razor's Edge and I need a break before I dive into that. I also have to celebrate that with this final chapter, I have written and posted 200,000 words of NCIS fic since the beginning of March, which frankly, kind of blows my mind. :) I love to say I'd continue writing even if nobody reviewed my stories, but your comments, encouragement and requests for more have definitely helped feed the plot bunnies, so huge, huge thanks!