Link

Sucker punched- that defined Jethro's immediate reaction. He'd been sucker punched, and his child was going to get the sucker punch to beat all sucker punches and he could not stop it from happening. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and tried to think rationally.

"The medical team plans to return this afternoon to perform some final tests, but it does not look promising."

"Ok," Gibbs clenched his jaw and answered, trying to wrap his head around a future without Maria. "Let Tony have a few more hours, though, until then, without knowing. This afternoon will be soon enough to break his heart."

"I know, Jethro," Ducky said simply, putting a hand onto his friend's arm.

"This will devastate him, I hope you know that," Gibbs turned an accusing glance at his friend.

"It will, and I know that you don't want to lose her either. The reality, though, is that there is nothing left to be done. She is just not responding. Maybe she does not want to respond, Jethro. Maybe we simply need to let her go."

Gibbs ground out, "I know that, Duck!"

Ducky set up a meeting with Maria's doctors for late that afternoon, scheduling the conference so that they could join Tia's family.

Tony talked on and off to his grandmother for most of the day, bringing up childhood activities and incidents and reassuring her of his love. Gibbs watched him from his own chair, thinking that his son reminded him of a lamb to the slaughter.

Maria wanted to tell them good bye. The time had come, and the light beckoned her. She knew what it meant, that she would cross to the other side and join family and friends lost long ago as she took her place in Heaven. Her sight swept the room and then rested on her boy. She loved him, but she would still leave him.

All of the others seemed to realize that a change had occurred, and that Maria had slipped from them. No one said anything out loud though, because of Tony.

Five o'clock brought a summons to join the medical team in the conference area. The family members got up obediently, all except Tony, who looked around in confusion. "Why do they want to meet with us? What is happening?"

No one responded but his dad motioned to him to come with them. He kissed his grandmother quickly and followed the group to the private meeting area, finding that a chair had been saved for him between his dad and his aunt. He looked around suspiciously.

The doctors began to speak, and Ducky joined them, translating the medical jargon to terms they could grasp more easily and better understand. Tony sat rigidly as the words slammed into him from every direction in that suffocating little room. Time stood still, and he felt surreal, almost as though he were actually witnessing this happen to another twenty two year old college graduate who teetered between possessing a grandmother he could physically touch, and one he could only remember.

After an eternity the room became eerily quiet, the only sound the tick of the wall clock. The doctors looked at the assembled family members with compassion, then said their good byes. When the door closed Ducky made his way to the other side of Tia, then leaned against the table so that he could face Tony. Gibbs and Tia turned in their chairs as well so that they could focus their attention upon him. Gibbs put a hand on Tony's leg, and Tia brushed back his hair.

Ducky patted his arm. "Lad, do you understand what this means?"

"I do," Tony replied softly, looking up to meet Ducky's gaze. "Tomorrow we will discontinue respiratory and other support, and if Abuela does not respond on her own, she will be allowed to die. That is the humane road, and we all have agreed to that decision. I have agreed personally because Abuela has taught me to show compassion."

"Right," Ducky confirmed. "There is a slight chance that she will do just that. However…."

"However," Tony interrupted, "the doctors find that improbable. So the point is that we need to say our goodbyes." He clenched his jaw, then reached up and wiped his eyes.

A second later he straightened his shoulders and beckoned to bring Tia towards him. He kissed her cheek softly and murmured, "Ah, Tia, su corazon es huirting, your heart is hurting."

Then he stood up and smiled down at his father. "Daddy, do not worry about me. I will go now to stay with my grandmother."

With that, he left the room. The others looked questioningly at each other, confused.

Lorenzo spoke first, his concern evident. "Does he understand?"

Veronica shook her head, "I think maybe he is unaware of the end."

"No," Jethro contradicted, speaking firmly. "He heard everything. He now wants to spend his time with her these last hours."

Ducky looked quizzically at his friend. "Do you think Anthony is strong enough to handle this?"

Jethro gave him a small grin in reply, his voice catching, "Yes, yes he is strong enough. She has taught him how to rise to the challenge."

An hour later Ducky, Jethro, and Tony made their way to the cafeteria for supper, leaving Tia and her children to stay with Maria.

The conversation never started, with all three men lost in their own inner worlds of pain. They ate slowly, not really interested in the food in front of them, but grateful that something in the day was completely usual and expected.

By nine o'clock, Tony sat alone with his grandmother. They had left him reluctantly, promising to come very early the next morning. Jethro had proved the hardest to convince that he did not want company, as expected.

Tony finally succeeded by leaning up and kissing his father on the cheek. "Dad, please let me have this time to myself. I have twenty two years of love that I want to make sure Abuela remembers and takes with her."

Maria put her hands over her heart. That love already lived right there, right in the centre of her being.

Gibbs nodded but didn't speak, afraid for his boy yet so very proud of his son. He hugged Tony to him and brushed back his hair, then gently kissed him on the forehead before he, too, walked out of the door.