Well, they tried. Tony isn't as fast as Gibbs pushing the pedal to the metal; but he has a hell of a lot more agility, and cars can't drive very well in the forest. However, Gibbs has the sudden realization to check the park where Tony was first attacked. He runs, Abby in tow, into the forest, gun at the ready. As they near the area, they find Tony sniffing around, searching for something. He seems to pick it up; his ears perk up, his nose twitches, and he growls before lifting his head and releasing a bone-chilling howl.
Abby steps forward to try and talk to Tony again, but he runs off, leaving his friends behind once again.
"What's Tony after?" Abby asks as she breaks into a run alongside Gibbs.
"Not sure." He's panting; they were just running a few minutes ago; Tony hadn't given them much of a break, and they're running yet again. [Tony can do this. He's young.] He glances at Abby, who also seems to be out of shape. "I.. I think.." He checks his memory to be sure. "He's heading.. towards.. Kelly's house!"
"Crap! Tony, no!" She picks up her pace, followed instantly by Gibbs, as both of them pump adrenaline, worried for Kelly's life.
Once they finally arrive at Kelly's home, Gibbs nearly falls to his knees; he instead keels over, vomits from the exertion, placing a hand to his chest.
"Where.. where's.. Tony? I.. don't see him," Abby huffs, looking around. No sign of Tony. A growl behind them, however, alerts them-but upon turning, they see black fur and white eyes staring at them.
"That's not Tony!" Gibbs says, yanking out his gun, aiming it right at the creature and shooting it straight into its face-BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM he fires off the rounds, the creature cringing with each shot-but it only lunges for Gibbs.
"NO!" Abby screams, and just as the wolf is about to take a bite from Gibbs' face, a brown blur tackles the black wolf, saving Gibbs.
The multicolored furry ball rolls on the lawn, the sound of rabid animals fighting ensuing, gathering attention from the people inside the house.. Kelly and her mother open the back door, see Gibbs and Abby and the two werewolves fighting each other. Kelly can't help it, and nobody could blame her; she screams at the sight, causing Tony to look over at her-CRACK! The black wolf lands a swipe that snaps Tony's head to the side, causing him to collapse onto the ground; black wolf then turns, growling viciously at Kelly. Her mother pulls Kelly in and tries to shut the door, but black wolf is much faster-it leaps forward, knocking mother and daughter down into the doorway.
Gibbs unloads his entire gun into black wolf to get its attention, yelling at it, insulting it. Abby has even joined in, trying to make as much of a commotion as she can. Black wolf turns and charges toward the two, but Tony is back up again, and with a well-aimed bite, has black wolf by the throat-with a twist of his powerful werewolf neck, tears black wolf's throat clear out.
Abby, Gibbs, Kelly and her mother watch as Tony tosses his head in the air, swallows the flesh and fur, then lets out a victorious howl. Even worse to experience, especially for the agents..is when Tony leans down and starts ripping apart black wolf, devouring muscle and organs, feasting on the dead carcass.
Gibbs can only watch in stricken horror, stomach lurching on him yet again; he puts a hand to it, face showing nausea. [This can't be Tony. He wouldn't do this.]
Abby, standing next to Gibbs, is crying. She's hugging herself, unable to believe what's going on here. Of course, she always believed in werewolves. But to actually see one, her friend, even, in front of her, killing and eating another in the eerie moonlight.. and knowing, that Tony isn't even aware.. it's shattering. "T-Tony.. Tony, please, stop this.." She speaks without realizing it, voice wavering, terrified.
As soon as she speaks, Tony's ears flick toward her, and he pauses, hazel eyes snapping to attention on her. He licks blood from his lips, a bit of blood-mixed drool dripping back into the carcass. She speaks again, just as afraid, and he watches her, focusing, as though thinking. All of a sudden, he looks at Abby in confusion, then to Gibbs; his ears pick up the whimpering of Kelly as she watches, and he smells something.. dead.. Looking down, he spots the dead carcass; tastes blood in his mouth, and he realizes what happened. Though he hadn't had control the whole night, he can pick up bits and pieces as though they were dreams.. he shakes his head, stepping back. "No.."
Abby's eyes widen. "Tony?"
Tony looks at Abby and Gibbs, then shakes his head again, eyes welling with tears. "No..." This time, his voice isn't so much horror, but strained and pained. He whips around and runs off on two legs, surprisingly fast; he keeps running, even as Gibbs calls after him.
"Fuck." Gibbs takes off once more after Tony; but after several miles at his top speed, Gibbs can't go any further. He stumbles to a stop on the sidewalk, drops down to his knees, breathing heavily. For the third time that night he empties his stomach, this time sure that there's nothing left in him. [Dammit Tony..]
Morning arrives, finding Gibbs at NCIS, too worried to sleep. Abby is downstairs in her lab, using every camera in the city she can access to try and find Tony; but has only caught glimpses of him earlier in the night. McGee and Ziva are just arriving, both without a clue of the previous night's events.
McGee arrives at the same time as Ziva, and spots Gibbs with his head down on his desk, appearing asleep. "Long night..?" he looks at Ziva, who shrugs.
"Could say that," Gibbs says, sitting up and leaning back in his chair. "Tony had a panic attack last night, I stayed with him all night." He looks at Ziva, who looked surprise at the news.
"I thought Tony was improving?"
"He is. Doctor said it could happen though." He's thankful that he can lie well enough that Ziva can't pick up on it.
"Is he doing all right now?" McGee sits down at his desk and pulls out his cell phone.
"Yeah. He said he might go out today, try and relax. Knowing him, he'll catch a movie."
A minute later, and McGee grins, holding his phone to his ear. "Tony? Hey, it's Tim. Are you feeling better?"
Gibbs looks over at McGee, amazed. [So he's home?]
"Yeah. Gibbs told me. Yeah, your panic attack, remember?" A pause. "You sure?" Another pause, with Gibbs watching him with severe interest. "You should rest though, especially after last night." Pause, insufferable pause. "All right. see you later." End call.
Gibbs stares at McGee, who starts typing on his computer. He continues his staring until finally, McGee can feel it like a rash. McGee looks up, looking clueless. "..Boss?"
"McGee, what did he say?"
"Oh! He-he said he was coming in today."
"..Today? What did he say about last night?"
McGee raises an eyebrow in confusion. "That.. it wasn't fun?"
Gibbs nods and gets up to get himself more coffee. He's going to need it. While he's up and away from the group, he pops out his cell phone and calls Abby.
"Gibbs? Is Tony okay?"
"Yeah, Abbs. McGee just talked to him on the phone, he's coming in today."
"Oh, he.. he is?" She sounds a little nervous.
"Yeah. Abbs, you okay?"
Silence on the other end, save for the background music. She speaks after a moment. "Gibbs.. I'm.. afraid of Tony, a little bit."
Gibbs frowns. "He took control. It's our Tony, you don't have to worry."
"Yeah. So.. do.. Tim and Ziva know?"
"No. I told them it was a panic attack related to his PTSD.. which honestly, I'm not sure he really has."
"I can understand that.. but geez, a werewolf. Tony." She shakes her head thoughtfully, though Gibbs can't see it. "Do.. you think he remembers last night?"
"Don't know, Abby. We'll talk with him later."
Tony arrives at NCIS an hour later. He'd showered, shaved, even trimmed his hair a little bit. He walks in just as he always did, but when he sees Gibbs looking at him, he slows down, sitting at his desk and leaning back nervously. "Hey..Boss."
"Morning, Tony. Get any sleep after I left?"
"A few hours, yeah." He motions to McGee and Ziva with his eyes and a look of questioning directed at Gibbs, but his expression shifts to relief as Gibbs shakes his head.
"Good. Come with me, I want Ducky to give you a quick check-up." He gets up to head that way; but in reality, they're heading to Abby's lab.
Tony follows, and once on the elevator, he shuts it down. He looks up at Gibbs with an expression showing many emotions. Nervousness, fear, shame, regret. "Boss, I.."
"I know." Gibbs pauses. "We'll work on it. Next month, we'll be ready."
Tony nods, but isn't so sure. "..I can't believe.. y'know.. everything."
"Yeah. Stand up straight, we're going to visit Abby."
Tony looks up at Gibbs with fear. "Abby? But she.. last night.. I mean... she's not scared?"
"Don't think so. She wants to see you."
Tony nods, then hits the button on the elevator again. "I'm sorry, Boss.."
Gibbs just gives Tony a light pat on the back, exempting him from the usual Gibbs rule of not apologizing. "Not your fault."
Music blares at them as they enter the lab. Abby is sitting at her desk, and when Tony and Gibbs walk in, she jumps up, both out of fright and eagerness. "Tony, you're okay!" Abandoning her fear at the sight of her temporarily timid friend, she runs up and hugs him, arms around his neck. "How are you feeling? Did you get any rest?"
Tony grins a little. "Thanks, Abby. I did, yeah, I got a few hours.. I'm feeling a lot better." He smiles as he's released. "Y'know.. I'm kinda bulletproof," he comments. "I woke up human and where you shot me, there weren't any injuries at all."
Gibbs gives a little nod. "You're going to have to watch yourself."
"Yeah, don't want to get shot with a silver bu-"
"No, at work." Tony looks at him in surprise. "You have better hearing and smell, thanks to the wolf, but you also have agression and wolf instinct. Keep your emotions in check and if you have any problems, report to me. If your nose or ears reveal something about the case, tell me and Abby, nobody else."
Tony perks up. "Does that mean that marine..?"
"Yes, Tony. His wife murdered him for cheating on her. You were right."
Tony grins. "Knew I was." He nods though, expression growing serious. "Understood though, Boss." He looks at Abby and smiles. "Thank you, Abby. For snapping me out of it last night."
"Of course. I knew you were stronger than some dumb wolf."
Tony grins a little, unsure as to why that felt like an insult to him.
"Time to work," Gibbs announces, turning and heading back for the elevator. Tony salutes Abby with a grin before trotting after Gibbs, feeling much better and finally, ready to work.