A/N: Here's the next installment! On spring break now, so I'm hoping I can finish this thing up by the time I have to go back to school. Cross your fingers!
"Sergei!" Gibbs barked, pulling Ziva's shirt back down over her midriff. "We need to get back to Sanctuary. Now." He tossed the other two men their packs, not looking to see if they caught them. "Do you know a route off-road that will get us there faster?"
"Perhaps," Sergei said, his voice short and to the point. "This section of forest is mostly unmapped. I could try to navigate as we go, but I was under the impression that it would be too dangerous to take the Shadow in her condition."
"She's not gonna make it if we stick to the road," Gibbs stated bluntly as he gathered the woman in question into his arms, drawing another whimper from her limp form as he did so. "Her immune system's shot. This infection could kill her by the time we get there."
"Whoa, wait a minute," Fornell interrupted, a step behind the latest development. "What infection?"
In Gibbs' mind he saw the flash of movement as the rebar swung towards her, and Ziva's cry of pain as it connected echoed in his ears. But he shook the memory away with a mental smack to the head. No time for that.
"She's cut," he stated simply. "It's infected because we didn't treat it. We need to get to Sanctuary yesterday. Sergei, can you get us there by nightfall?"
Sergei nodded. "I believe so. If I am right, we should reach the Border by mid-afternoon, near the Road. But it will be treacherous."
"No other option," Gibbs declared. "Let's go."
Sergei led the way, and within moments they were deep in the shadows of the dense forest. They didn't bother to cover their tracks, instead focusing on moving as quickly as possible over the rugged terrain. Sergei was right—the going was treacherous, and several times they ran into obstacles that threatened to turn them back.
The first was the small river they had been using for water the past two days. Only now it had widened, and rushed quickly over the riverbed, and they needed to cross it. A tree had fortuitously fallen to create a footbridge, but what may have been simple had he been by himself, Gibbs had difficulty balancing both his and Ziva's weight on the relatively slender trunk. To make matters worse, Ziva began to stir restlessly in his harms two-thirds of the way across. She never fully woke, but her fevered movements nearly sent them both plunging into the river below—only Sergei's quick reflexes and steadying hand had kept them upright.
Other obstacles included steep slopes—one even nearing cliff status—and beds of loose rocks that made it difficult for even Sergei and Fornell to keep their footing, but they managed to navigate them all successfully and without incident through teamwork and not a little creative thinking. Throughout the whole ordeal they attempted to keep Ziva hydrated as best they could, but in her semi-lucid state and new inability to keep anything down, they spent more time trying to coax her into drinking than it took for the water come right back up again. Finally, they abandoned their attempts and simply focused on getting home.
Gibbs nearly collapsed from relief when they hit the Border, but the shivering form in his arms reminded him that they weren't out of the woods yet. Apprehension filled him as they moved closer and closer to Sanctuary, and slowly he realized he was scared out of his mind.
At the Navy Yard, in the woods, everything was going to be okay, as long as they got to Sanctuary. But now that they were close, Gibbs began to wonder if their promises to Ziva had been true. Would Ducky really be able to help her, especially now that she was so sick? Would they be able to get rid of the collar? Would his family really be whole again, with Tali accepting and loving of this new woman? Would they be able to pick up where they had left off?
Would everything really be all right?
He didn't have any answers, only a silent internal battle between hope and doubt. Seeing Ziva's condition steadily worsen did not lift his spirits either. By now her clothes were drenched with sweat, and even his own shirt was damp with her perspiration. Her shivering had become constant now, and her thin frame continually shook in his arms. Her breath rattled in her chest, and every so often she coughed harshly, as though she couldn't get enough air. But to Gibbs' relief, her breathing always evened out again.
By the time they hit the Road that would take them the last half mile to the town, it had been about almost two hours since Ziva had come even close to regaining consciousness. Gibbs fought to keep himself calm as they moved ever closer to their objective. He tried to keep his stride even, to avoid jostling Ziva too much, and to avoid causing her unnecessary pain.
The sounds of the Residents moving around the town reached their ears a few minutes before they actually came within sight of the heart of Sanctuary. It was a little after midday, which meant the Residents were all converged on the center of Town, eating and talking amongst themselves. And it meant that said congregation stood between him and the House.
The whole of Sanctuary would witness his return, and the return of Ziva David.
But his concern for his wife overrode any apprehension he felt at the prospect of making the long walk through Town, past dozens of staring eyes. With Sergei and Fornell in front to run interference, Gibbs strode strongly around the bend that took them within sight of the Residents. For several minutes, no one noticed their arrival.
The respite didn't last long though, and soon Dylan—a young, newer Resident who had joined them after the Evacuation—spotted them. He nudged his friend, who nudged the Resident next to him, until all of Sanctuary had their eyes trained on their dirty, weary trio. A few Residents started to call out in greeting, but stopped short when they saw the limp woman in Gibbs' arms.
Soon enough, the familiar patter of little feet sprinted towards them.
"Daddy, Daddy!"
Tali pushed past the last legs separating her from her father, and Gibbs could see the excitement in her eyes as she pounded towards him, Shirt in hand. But the little girl stopped short in surprise and confusion when she realized his arms were already occupied. He could tell she was ready to protest at the development, but the silence of the other Resident's made her teary eyed instead as she brought the Shirt close to her chest for a tight hug.
"Tali!" Abby called, pushed through the crowd. "You know you're not supposed to run off on your own!" The scientist's arms wrapped around the little girl, hefting the child up onto her hip. "Gibbs, I'm sorry, I know you said—"
It was in that moment Abby's eyes found him, instantly drawn to the shivering woman he was carrying. Green eyes squinted, and then widened with shocked recognition. Gibbs heard the soft gasp that passed her lips, but the scientist quickly clamped her jaw shut against any further reaction. Her arms tightened around Tali as she froze in place, and only her head turned to follow Gibbs' path through the Residents.
The crowd parted before him, rendering Fornell's and Sergei's presence unnecessary. Some of the Residents, the older ones who had lived at the Warehouse, gaped in disbelief. Hands covered silent gasps, and couples instinctively moved closer to one another. The newer Residents were just as silent, though their expressions conveyed confusion and pity rather than the stupefied amazement of the others.
Gibbs saw Ducky in the crowd, and it took only a glance for the doctor to comprehend the situation. He turned to Palmer, and murmured instructions to the younger man. After moment of staring dumbly at Gibbs and his burden, Palmer moved to obey. Ducky looked pointedly at Gibbs, and then nodded in question towards the House. Gibbs nodded, and then passed his friend without saying a word.
He moved briskly, but smoothly, and was thankful when the front door of the House shut behind him, blocking the stares burning into his back. He was up the stairs in an instant, leaving Fornell and Sergei to follow behind. He took Ziva to the room he shared with Tali at the end of the hall, and gently lay her down on the larger of the two beds.
The bed was pushed up against the eastern wall, so when Gibbs settled Ziva on the mattress, he could see Fornell's solemn gaze as he watched from his position just outside the door. For a moment Gibbs wondered where Sergei had gotten to, but his attention quickly returned to the woman on the bed. He tried to shut out the moan of pain that slipped from her lips as he set her down, but it made his heart hurt all the same.
He sat next to her, pushing her hair away from her brow, where the matted strands had stuck to her damp skin. To his touch, her temperature seemed even warmer than the last time he had checked. But before he could yell down to the others, a bowl of water and a damp cloth was passed to him from the direction of the door.
Gibbs received it with a nod to Sergei, who had just joined Fornell outside the room. He dipped the cloth in the water, and then wrung it out before pressing it gently against Ziva's overheated skin. For a moment, it seemed as though she felt the relief of the cooler moisture, as her expression softened ever so slightly. But then, suddenly, she began to cough.
The shivers coursing through her body were eclipsed by the spasms that wracked her as she hacked harshly. What sent Gibbs into a near panic was when the coughing persisted, to the point where she could barely struggle for breath between coughs. The sound of it was dry, almost a bark, though it rattled deep inside her chest as she choked for air.
"Where's Ducky?!" he shouted, unable to keep the fear from his voice.
Before Sergei could answer, the doctor was there, his small duffel of supplies in his hands. "I'm here, Jethro," came the accented reassurance.
"She can't breathe, Duck," Gibbs bit out. "She just started coughing, and now she can't breathe…"
Ducky quickly appraised the situation, and took over the situation with a calm hand. "You must help her sit up," he instructed firmly. "Do your best to keep her from exerting herself further."
The force of Ziva's coughing was already picking her up off the mattress, so it was easy for Gibbs to slide underneath her shoulders. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, careful to avoid her injury. His aid did seem to ease her coughing, and at Ducky's further instruction, Gibbs managed to help her drink some water, which soothed her further.
Ducky's first order of business was to take Ziva's hand and insert a needle expertly into her vein. The needle immediately began to deliver the IV of saline and antibiotics, and then the doctor's attention shifted to her stomach. He gently lifted her shirt, eliciting a harsh whine from his patient. Fragile hands tried to push him away, but it was simple for Gibbs to grasp her arms, keeping them immobilized.
Gibbs heard Ducky inhale sharply when he saw the damage, but the older man recovered quickly. He turned to Sergei.
"I do not have the necessary supplies for this," he said. "Could you please go to Mr. Palmer, and tell him I need sterile scalpels and extra gauze and saline?" Sergei nodded, and quickly disappeared. Ducky turned back to Gibbs. "I need to know what caused this," he said carefully.
Gibbs hesitated, not wanting to share any of the gruesome details that had only grown more bloody each time he recalled that night at the stadium. But he recognized Ducky's need to learn, in order to know what he was up against.
"Sharpened rebar," he muttered softly. To Ducky's credit, the doctor didn't even blink.
Gently prodding the flesh around the weeping wound, Ducky continued to ask questions. "Rusted?"
"Possibly."
"Were there any obvious contaminants on the metal?"
"Probably. But I don't know for sure. I know it hit the ground before it cut her."
Ducky sighed. "Well, I'm sure I do not need to tell you that she's severely malnourished. I fear her immune system is not in any shape to be fighting this kind of infection. It has already become systemic. It is in her blood stream."
"But the IV will help… won't it?"
"It will help," Ducky conceded. "But I am afraid it is too soon to tell if it will be enough." He looked up to make eye contact with Gibbs, even as his hand rested on Ziva's forehead in an attempt to estimate her temperature. "It is a miracle she is still alive," he said carefully, "but it does not mean she will even last the night."
Gibbs' breath caught in his throat, and his immediately began to burn, but he refused to let it show. He shook his head.
"No," he declared forcefully. "No. She wouldn't come this far just let go now. She just needs some help." Despite his intentions, his words did little to reassure either one of them. "She just needs us to help her."
"And we will do what we can for her," Ducky agreed. "But it is important you know that even that may not be enough."
At that point, Palmer and Sergei appeared in the doorway. Palmer held a duffel bag stuffed with the necessary supplies in one hand, and he strode confidently into the room. There was none of the hesitation that might had been in there before the Incident—the younger man was not at all fazed by the shivering form in Gibbs' arms.
Ducky turned back to look at Sergei.
"We will need blankets and a steady supply of warm water" the Scotsman told him. Also, if you could find a turkey baster, I would be much obliged."
Gibbs looked at Ducky skeptically. "A turkey baster, Duck?"
"To better flush her wound. Once I cut away the worst of the infection, we will need to rid the exposed flesh of any debris and extraneous fluid."
"The white stuff."
"Yes. That is pus that will only continue to further contaminate the wound. We will need to press it from the wound several times before she is out of the woods, but it will help." Wizened eyes followed Gibbs' hand as he moved to moisten the cloth that had been pressed against Ziva's skin. "Stop," came the firm command.
Gibbs instantly froze. "Duck?"
"This is not heat stroke, Jethro. The cool water against her skin will only make her shiver more, which will in turn raise her body temperature further. And at this point, that is the most threatening factor of her condition."
"But the IV—"
"Will help in the long run. The fever could kill her before the IV has a chance to work, which is why we need to break it as soon as possible. The IV is mostly to hydrate her and to deliver the antibiotics. It should stop the infection from getting any worse, but won't do much for the fever."
As soon as Sergei returned a few minutes later with the items Ducky had asked for, the doctor fell to work. Gibbs was in charge of trying to keep her upper body still while Sergei managed her legs and hips as she writhed in pain. Ducky first irrigated the wound tract, rinsing the pus and blood from the torn flesh. If that wasn't enough for Ziva to handle, the elder man immediately continued on to carefully carve small pieces of contaminated tissue from the cut itself.
At the point, Ziva woke, though her eyes were clouded with fever. She began to beg, muttering almost unintelligible pleas for it to stop, even as her hands tried to break free from Gibbs' grasp in order to push away Ducky's ministrations. But Gibbs's hold was too strong, and she was too weak to do more than squirm.
The sound of her strained protests was punctuated by bouts breathless coughing. It threatened to send Gibbs into his own panic, but he managed to keep his cool by murmuring words of comfort she couldn't hear. There was no sedative adequate to ease her pain, and even if there had been, Ducky deemed it too dangerous to administer in her condition. Though he was reluctant to tell Gibbs, he feared that if given a sedative, she might never wake up.
To Gibbs' chagrin, Ziva didn't lose consciousness like she had in Autopsy. She never fully woke either, instead remaining in a state of fevered awareness that allowed her to feel the pain of Ducky's treatment, but not to recognize where she was or whom she was with.
But finally, Ducky put the scalpel down. He pressed gently on either side of the angry gash, forcing a mixture of blood and pus to ooze from the wound. Palmer was there to wipe the fluids away, and then Ducky repeated the motions again, pushing more of the tainted substances to the surface. He did it several times, until the only substance that welled up was unpoisoned blood.
The two doctors covered the cut with clean, medicated bandages without suturing the wound shut. Ducky explained that stitching it closed would only allow the wound to fester, while keeping it loosely bandaged would give it a chance to air out some. Long strips of gauze wrapped around her middle to keep the bandages in place, and as soon as they were tied off, Ducky urged Gibbs to slide out from behind Ziva.
A pile of pillows replaced his bulk, keeping her head nad shoulders elevated. She was breathing heavily from the pain and fever, but the coughing had lessened enough for Gibbs to give a small sigh in relief. Moving to sit on the edge of the bed next to Ziva, Gibbs was now able to see that the spectators at the door now included both Tim and Tony, who watched with faces pale and slack in disbelief.
He ignored them in favor of focusing on his wife, and the instructions Ducky was sending his way.
"She should be covered in a light blanket, to help stave off her chills," the Scotsman said firmly, wiping his bloody hands on a rag Palmer had handed to him. "But nothing too heavy, or she will be too must keep her hydrated, so if she is able to drink, have her do so slowly. But if she remains as she is, then the IV will be sufficient. I will monitor her closely."
"We will monitor her closely," Gibbs returned, a fierce territoriality creeping into his awareness as he gazed at his wife. "We."
"No, Jethro," Ducky responded. "You have other duties you must care or first."
Gibbs opened his mouth to protest, but Ducky continued.
"For instance, the little girl who had been inconsolable since the day you left. You need to speak to your daughter, Jethro. I will stay here—Ziva will be fine until you return."
Gibbs froze.
Tali.
He had nearly forgotten, but now the image of Tali's shocked expression could not be chased from his mind. He knew Ducky was right, but he didn't want to leave Ziva, not when she was still shimpering in pain. But the heavy weight of Sergei's hand on his shoulder prompted him to go.
"The Doctor is right," the Russian stated simply. "The child needs you more than Ziva does. I will make sure the Shadow is safe."
Gibbs hesitated a moment longer, then nodded. He stood, but then leaned down to press a kiss to Ziva's warm brow. Without allowing himself to second-guess his decision, the Voice left to find his daughter. He pushed past both McGee and DiNozzo, focusing solely on the task at hand, but both men trailed after him.
"Boss—"
"Is she--?"
They both tried to speak at the same time, but their words petered off when Gibbs gave a single response.
"Not now," he told them brusquely. "Tim, where are they?"
McGee needed no elaboration. "Waiting for you in the Garden."
"Stay here. If there's any change, find me immediately."
"Yes, Boss," both men responded, stopping short in their tracks as Gibbs disappeared down the stairs.
Within moments he was out of the House and making his way to the Garden. The Garden was not a garden so much as it was a large patch of wildflowers on the far end of Town. The flowers surrounded a large boulder that served as a comfortable place to sit, and Tali enjoyed the multitude of bright colors the plants offered, making it a good place for the two of them to find peace.
The Residents had abandoned their Tasks for the day, all of them too shocked to do anything more than mill about in the center of Town. Gibbs pushed through them without a word, unwilling to share what little information he had on Ziva's condition. He could barely think, barely breathe. He just needed to get to Tali. That was the only thought that could process itself past the images of Ziva in his mind.
But then he was there, reapidly approaching the field of wildflowers. Abby sat on the boulder with Tali playing quietly in the flowers at her feet. The tension in the scientist's frame was obvious, and her long fingers worked worriedly at her hands, wrinkling them nervously. Andthen she looked up, and spotted his approach.
She stood to meet him, but stopped herself after a moment's thought. Tali had similar qualms as she stood as well, but she took a few nervous steps forward towards her father before stopping short. She looked up at him with wary blue eyes that sparkled with tears.
"Daddy…"
Tali's voice wavered, her earlier excitement gone. Her tone was uncertain, and confused. She didn't understand what was going on, but the greatly altered atmosphere of the entire Sanctuary had found its way to her as well. She knew something was wrong, and that it had something to do with her father, but her young mind couldn't comprehend anything more than that.
As soon as he was in reach, Gibbs knelt and wrapped his arms around her, holding her as tight as he could without hurting her. Her arms wrapped around his neck, her face burrowing into his shoulder. He felt the Shirt in her hand brush against his back, and his heart cracked a little bit more. The tears that had fallen in the privacy of the abandoned Navy Yard threatened to return, but somehow he managed to keep himself together. After a few minutes, he stood once more, picking Tali up as he went.
The arm not supporting Tali's weight reached out to Abby, who moved in to receive her own comforting embrace. It didn't last long though, and she quickly pulled back slightly to voice the questions that had been flying through her head at warp speed ever since seeing his return.
"Gibbs…" her voice was soft. "Was that really…?"
Gibbs nodded. "Yeah, Abs. It's her."
The scientist sighed sharply, her expression a mixture of relief and concern. "She didn't look good, Gibbs. She looked really bad." Her words wavered tremulously as she wiped her eyes with a brusque. "How did she Survive, Gibbs? Where has she been? She should've been here with us. And what was that thing around her neck? And her face—Gibbs, her face…"
Gibbs pulled her close again, allowing her tears to dampen his already grimy shirt. Her hands clutched at him, belying the desperation she was trying to conceal from him. He pressed a kiss to her forehead before pulling away enough to look her in the eye.
"I'll tell you and the others what I know later, ok Abs?" He jerked his chin towards Tali, who was still clinging to him like there was no tomorrow. "I don't want her to have to hear it."
Slender fingers clutched tighter at him, and Gibbs knew that Abby fully understood what he was trying to say. Her best friend had been through something horrific. She'd suspected, but it didn't make the ascertaining of that suspicion any less painful.
"Daddy…" Tali's voice drifted up to Gibbs' ears, small and careful. "Who was that lady you were carrying?"
Abby's fingers clenched at the child's question, before the scientist fully pulled away from Gibbs. She wiped her eyes again as she cleared her throat.
"I'm going to go find Tim," she told him softly. "I'm sorry, I just can't—" She couldn't hear the story again. She didn't want to know how he was going to explain the situation to his daughter.
"It's ok, Abs," Gibbs reassured her. He nodded in understanding. "He's up at the House. Don't go upstairs," he cautioned. Abby nodded, appreciative of his innate understanding of what she needed; she wasn't ready to see Ziva like that. Not yet.
When she was out of earshot on her way back to the House, Gibbs took Tali and sat down on the rock. He settled Tali on his lap, where she looked up at him in nervous curiosity. He looked into blue eyes for a long moment as he gathered himself, and tried to find a course of action the little girl could comprehend.
"Tali," he started, running his hand through her brown curls, "do you remember the Memories I tell you before bed?"
She nodded. "All of 'em."
"And you know how they always have that one woman—"
"The pretty one? The Warrior Princess?"
Gibbs blinked. "Warrior Princess?" He hadn't heard that one before. "Where did you hear that?"
"Uncle Tony," came the succinct response. Of course, Gibbs thought to himself.
"Well, that lady from the Memories, she's been missing for a really long time. When I went on my trip, I found her. She's the lady I was carrying into Sanctuary."
Tali's eyes widened even more. "She's the lady from the Mem'rees?" Her voice was awed, with the faintest hint of excitement. But then her expression fell. "She didn't look like a Warrior Princess."
"That's because she's very hurt, and very sick," Gibbs answered softly. "Even heroes get sick, pumpkin."
"Will she be okay?"
And there it was.
The question of all questions— the one that he couldn't answer. He knew what he wanted the answer to be. He knew what the answer would have been had she asked him three days ago. But now, after seeing what he had just seen—a delirious Ziva suffering through a crude surgery—with nothing more than hopes and should-be's as to the effectiveness of her treatment…
He didn't know.
"I hope so, Princess," he murmured softly, wrapping his arms around Tali for another hug. "I hope so."
Small arms wrapped around his neck, and soft hair brushed against his nose. Gibbs could smell the faint fragrance of the soap Abby had used to wash her earlier that morning, and vaguely wondered how he smelled at the moment. But the words he heard next shoved the mundane thought roughly from his mind, and sent a rush of sad relief through his bones.
"She'll get better, Daddy," the small girl said simply, sure in her newfound belief. "Heroes always get better."