Moor
Ducky stepped into the hall when he saw the group return and looked at them with a feeling of guilt. His news did not alleviate any of their fears. Maria still proved unresponsive, and the doctors wanted to test brain activity in forty eight hours. The physicians agreed that they thought her damage so extensive that there would be no recovery. The only positive note to her state was that the surgical repairs looked good.
Jethro grabbed Tony by the arm to prevent him from following when the others entered the ICU room.
"Dad, don't start," Tony directed, shaking his head and clenching his jaw. "I am not leaving my grandmother."
"Son," Gibbs responded, running his hand through his silvery grey hair. "I am staying this morning, so go back to the house and just return later. This is too much for you to handle all alone."
"No, it's not." Tony puffed his lip out into a pout and scowled, kicking at the floor tile with the toe of his shoe.
"I refuse to argue, Son, just…."
Tony interrupted, "You are the one arguing, Dad, and…"
Gibbs narrowed his eyes and turned Tony to face him. "Son, I am proud they you want to step up to the plate and that you have every intention of protecting your grandmother."
Tony peeped up at him and nodded, suspicious that his dad had not reprimanded him for the disrespect.
"However," Jethro promised, his voice sliding to his you-are-about-to-get-yourself-into-big-trouble-tone, "if you don't change your tone of voice at once I will change it for you."
Tony bit the corner of his lip but did not respond.
His father softened, and tapped him under the chin. "Ok, I realize that the problem is that we are upset, and we don't know what to do to help Maria. We can't make things go back to the way they were."
Tony nodded, then met his father's gaze honestly. "I'm so scared, Dad. I can not lose Abuela."
"I know. I'm scared, too." Gibbs pulled Tony over and hugged him, then explained. "However, you are my child, and my job is to watch out for you. That plays into all of this that we are confronting. If I think that it is too much for you, then that is going to be it- no discussion, and you will be sent home. Do you understand me?"
"Yes sir," his son responded, making a mental note to hide his fatigue when his father approached.
Maria regarded the family. They spoke lovingly to her physical self, and she wanted to respond in some way, to acknowledge the love. The urge to go, though, intensified, and she turned and looked longingly at the light. She was ready.
As they joined the others at Maria's bedside Gibbs consoled himself with the thought that Tony would have to go home for a shower and change of clothes soon. Since babyhood Tony had spent a great deal of attention upon his wardrobe and personal appearance, and Jethro knew that his rumpled clothing would grate upon him soon. He brightened.
Ducky updated the medical matters for them with the clarification that nothing had changed.
Tony remained stationed on one side of Maria, his chair fixed so that he could hold one of her hands in his. The other visitors took turns on the other side.
Without warning an hour later, a cacophony of beeps and alarms burst from the monitors. Everyone jumped in shock as the door slammed open and medical professionals flew into the room. Ducky forced the visitors out into the hall, but they huddled transfixed at the window, witnessing the crisis and praying out loud. Even they could identify the heart monitor's lack of a discernible heartbeat.
The tunnel felt and smelled like springtime and cape jasmine and Maria reached out her arms to embrace her new existence. A feeling of utter joy washed over her and she opened her eyes as widely as she could to take in the incredible beauty around her. Colors vibrated, beautiful harps whispered tranquil melodies, and white robed figures floated towards her, beckoning her to join them.
Tia and Veronica clung to Gibbs as they sobbed, but Tony pressed his forehead against the picture window, whispering prayers taught to him by his grandmother.
A sudden blast of color burst in front of her and she felt herself yanked backwards at an unbelievable speed.
An eternity passed, in reality a quarter of an hour, before the crisis abated. Ducky told them the truth, that it had proved nearly impossible to restart Maria's heart. He could not offer a guarantee that she could resuscitate if a repeat incident occurred.
She remained critical.
She remained comatose.
The impact of Dr. Mallard's words triggered a physical effect upon the loved ones, and they seemed to collapse into themselves.
Tony pulled his cousin Veronica aside and the two spoke quietly for several minutes. The others regrouped and tentatively made plans to stay with Maria in shifts.
After lunch Veronica and Ducky left to return to the village.
Tia, Jethro, and Tony kept a terrified vigil around the bed. Conversation slowed to a trickle as each one dealt with the reality of Maria's situation. They took turns going to the cafeteria for coffee and snacks, not willing to risk leaving her all alone.
Late that afternoon Lorenzo joined them, arriving with an overnight bag for Tony. Gibbs realized that Tony had avoided a trip home by having gotten his cousin Veronica to pack a bag for him so that he would not have to return to the village. Thanks to Veronica, and then Lorenzo, Tony could stay put as he wished.
Gibbs looked around the room in frustration, worried that Tony now would exhaust himself at the hospital. At least some rest might have been in his future if he had to leave the hospital and go home. He glanced at his son and focused on the determined set of his jaw, combined with the gentle way he stroked Maria's hand as he held it.
Maria smiled down at the Bambino. She had worked since his babyhood to have him grow into a good man. The qualities had always existed within him, and she had helped to mold them. He had not disappointed her.
Tony had risen to the occasion.