A/N: Thanks to all who read and reviewed. They are all greatly appreciated. Next chapter should be up sometime next week. this chapter took a bit longer to write however, mainly because I had a evil little plot bunny that attacked and didn't let me go till I wrote a one-shot that I've also uploaded. So, hopefully with that outta the way, the next update will come quicker. :) Hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter Twenty Five

It's hot hot hot.

I can't breathe.

I wanna go home. But I can't cause its hot and everything is slipping like the wet sand did when Boss took me with Baron to the beach with the lines in the sand.

Not Baron. Baron wasn't there. It was someone else. Someone else that drew that lines and let the waves erase the scars.

Who was at the sand and the wet? There was someone but I can't remember. And everything hurts.

And I can't…can't…it hurts.

Slipping away.

I can't hold on. I'm gonna go back to sleep now.

Gibbs paced the neurosurgery floor impatiently. Tony's cranioplasty surgery hadn't gone as well as they would have hoped but Gibbs decided not be picky, considering everything had gone off relatively well. But really sometimes, he just wished his kid would catch a break. Tony's brain swelling had finally gone down enough for the surgeons to put the bone flap back in his head so that he would no longer have the "soft" spot. But they had run into a few problems when they had started the surgery.

"This is a setback indeed," Ducky had nodded gravely as he had fully removed his surgical mask, "The neurosurgeron and Dr. Clarke are discussing the further options before presenting them to you. Most likely, they will replace the bone flap that was removed with a synthetic plate and deal with the infection that is causing so many problems separately."

"What about his intracranial pressure? Has it risen?" Gibbs asked. The rest of the team had gone home and Elijah was with Baron. Gibbs was partially happy that he was alone. At least this way, he didn't have to pretend he wasn't terrified.

"A slight pressure raise is to be expected with this type of situation however, the doctors are currently treating the rise with a diuretic. So far, our Anthony is doing the best he possible could."

"Will he be home for Christmas?" Gibbs asked a few minutes later, after he had absorbed the curve ball fate had thrown at them.

"Only time will tell," Ducky frowned, thinking about the turn of events that Anthony found himself in, "Two weeks could see him home and well. However, I had better return to my post. I will come out once again when Tony is out of surgery."

"Thanks Duck," Gibbs watched as his friend left. Finding one of the many chairs unoccupied in the neurosurgical waiting room, Gibbs hoped that Tony would be out of surgery soon.

And that his kid would just catch a break.

Tony hurt.

Really really bad.

He had a head hurt.

Ache.

Headache.

"'ossss," Tony cried cause his head hurt and it was hot. Why was it hot? Boss could take away the headhurt. No headache. Boss could take away the headache. Could he take away the hot?

"oo ey," Tony's head hurt.

"Hey Tony," someone said the words really quite like Lijah did when he was watching a movie and he didn't want to talk louder than the people that were talking on the TV screen.

"Owww," Tony didn't want to open his eyes again. It made the head hurt bad.

"Come on Tony, you gotta open those big green eyes I know you have," the voice said really quite again and Tony frowned.

"Nooo," Tony didn't want to move but the voice was asking really nicely like Boss did when he needed Tony to wake up after Tony had had a shake. But Tony didn't move and a long long time later the voice went away.

But then another voice came back.

"Hey Tony, come on bud, open those eye for me."

Tony tried to smile even though he had a head hurt but it came out like tears instead cause he hurt.

"oss," Tony tried to open his eyes even though his eyelids felt like his bad arm and legs felt after physical therapy. It hurt, when Tony opened his eyes and he made a nose he thought because Boss rubbed his shoulder like he did when he wanted Tony to wake up after a nap.

"Hey, can we turn down the light Hannah?"

"No problem Special Agent Gibbs," Tony frowned. The other voice was here with Boss now?

Was Boss gone?

"Boss," Tony tried to move his hand but it felt funny, like he was really heavy. But he must have moved it a little cause someone moved it for him. Tony frowned cause other people had moved his hand before too but this wasn't other people.

Boss was right there. Tony knew cause the hand in his hand was exactly how Boss' hand felt.

"'ired 'oss," Tony wanted to feel his head cause it felt funny.

"I know Tony. You did a really good job opening your eyes bud," Boss put one of his hands on Tony's cheek and Tony sighed as Boss gently brushed the wetness off his face. Normally Boss brushed Tony's hair but Tony felt something on his head that was making it itch. Was it causing his head hurt?

Boss started rubbing his chest and Tony didn't understand. Did Boss want Tony to go to sleep or stay awake? Cause he was making him really…really…

"He's asleep," Gibbs smiled at Tony before looking over his shoulder at the nurse who was busy checking Tony's vitals and IV line.

"I just gave him his next dose of pain meds which probably helped a bit," the nurse, Hannah, nodded and charted the IV push onto Tony's chart, "We had to wait for him to come out of the anesthesia to make sure his baseline vitals and pupil response were alright. He seems to be doing really well."

"How long will he be in ICU?" Gibbs asked, his eyes watching the monitors. He had become fairly acquainted with them since that fateful night and now staring up at them again was like jumping back in the saddle.

"A day or two, then depending on his progress, we'll move him into step-down then a regular room."

Gibbs nodded and looked back at Tony, who was currently sleeping in the quiet room.

"You gonna come home for Christmas Tony?" Gibbs asked as he rubbed his ward's chest, mindful not to displace any wires or leads.

But instead of answering, Tony continued to sleep.

Knowing that the schedule visiting hours would be over soon, Gibbs glanced at his phone before he remembered he had turned it off. Knowing the rest of the team would like to know how the surgery went, Gibbs kissed Tony gently on the only part of his forehead that wasn't covered in bandages and proceeded to step out of the room so he could make a phone call.

Later that day after grabbing something to eat form the cafeteria, Gibbs was making his way out of the ICU floor when he spotted his team in the waiting area.

"Abs," Gibbs let out a huff and a laugh when saw Abby but also the rest of the team was sitting in the waiting room on the ICU floor, "What are you guys doing here?"

"Director Vance gave all of us a pass since we couldn't see Tony yesterday," Abby explained after giving her Boss his customary hug, "How's Tony? Can I go see him?"

"Yeah Abs, but he might be asleep so be quiet," Gibbs smiled fondly, "Same drill as last time."

Nodding, Abby grabbed McGee's hand and walked towards the double doors to be buzzed through.

"Hey Ziver," Gibbs kissed Ziva gently on the head, hoping the action would calm the nerves of the restless former Mossad Agent, "He's doing good."

"That is good," Ziva nodded and tried to smile back at Gibbs but her smile seemed to crumble before it even fully formed on her face, "I, I should be at the office. Someone should be there, in the event that a call comes in-"

"Ziva, Tony is okay. This isn't like last time. Doc thinks he'll be home in a week," Gibbs grabbed both of Ziva's shoulders, "Wait, before you leave. Come back with me and see him."

Ziva shook her head, more out of frustration than disagreeing with what Gibbs was saying, "I cannot keep doing this. I know that is something awful for me to say but Tony…Tony is my friend, my partner, no matter if he no longer works with us on the team. How he looked then, I do not think I would have been able to handle much more and now-"

"Come on Ziva," Gibbs gave Ziva a hug when he caught site of McGee and Abby making their way back.

"He's awake, and he wants to see you," Abby said to Gibbs, whipping the tears from her eyes. Her smile though showed that they were tears of happiness rather than sadness, "And he asked about Elijah. Where is Tony's body guard?"

"He's not Tony bodyguard," Gibbs laughed good-maturely, "But I sent him home with Baron. He should be back tomorrow. Now, come on Ziva. Let's go say hi to Tony."

Gibbs and Ziva made their way through the ICU hallway a few minutes later. Gibbs walked through the doorway first and smiled at the site of Tony awake and smiling at the nurse who was talking to him.

"Hey Tony," Gibbs gently rubbed the younger man's chest to gain his attention.

"Boss," Tony smiled and lifted his good hand up and not so gently touched Gibbs face, "Wrap. You're prickly."

Gibbs nodded, realizing that he hadn't shaved the morning Tony had gone into surgery. He was certainly sporting the 5'oclock shadow now.

"Did Abby and Probie come in and see you?" Gibbs asked, glancing back at Ziva who was standing by the doorway.

"Probie. Yes," Tony nodded. His eyes wandered away from Gibbs' face and Gibbs knew Tony's short attention span was most likely caused by the morphine drip he was now set up on, "Ziva."

Hearing her name, Ziva stepped forward and smiled, this time a genuine one gracing her features, "Hello Tony. I am glad you are well."

Tony smiled and almost nodded off. He opened his eyes moments later though and looked at Ziva, "Quiet. Can you sing again?"

Thrown off by his request, Ziva blushed, "Sing again?"

"You sing," Tony nodded and tried to lift his good arm to his head, "Make head hurt go 'way."

Gibbs looked at his Agent out of the corner of his eye and couldn't help but smile when the some of the anxiety drained from Ziva's face and was replaced by a caring and loving smile.

"I will sing then Tony," Ziva nodded and sat down on the chair Gibbs offered. Leaning forward and tracing Tony's features gently with her fingertips, Ziva began to sing a Hebrew lullaby.

Nodding, Tony leaned into Ziva's touch and when Ziva pulled her hand away after it touched one of Tony's bandages, Tony opened his eyes and whispered, "Sing. No hurt me Ziva. You never hurt me."

And as if Tony's words were a calming ointment, Ziva's shoulders loosened the rest of the way and she leaned forward and continued singing.

Gibbs was so entranced with Ziva that he almost didn't catch the fleeting person in the hallway.

Feeling his gut churn almost instantly and the hair on the back of his neck stand on edge, Gibbs wish he had his gun, if only to scare the man that was currently walking away from Tony's room.

"Mr. DiNozzo," Gibbs said, loud enough to grab the man's attention but not loud enough to disturb any of the other patients in the ICU ward.

The man stopped walking and as Gibbs took the last few steps and grabbed the man's shoulder.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Special Agent Gibbs," Anthony DiNozzo Sr. smiled, the kind of smile that reminded Gibbs so much of Tony it made Gibbs' skin crawl, "I believe as a father I have every right to make sure my son is well after his surgery. I did not do anything to disrupt you or him."

"You have no right to be here," Gibbs whispered, wishing he was somewhere he could yell and scream in anger, "I will not have you come in and disturb him. So if you want to talk to Tony, you can go through our lawyers, like you have been doing since I called that night. Now get out of this hospital, you are no longer wanted here."

Instead of the fight Gibbs anticipated, DiNozzo Senior nodded his head and smiled sadly, "I will be seeing you Special Agent Gibbs. A father will be with his son eventually."

And before Gibbs could calm his rage enough to respond to the man, Senior was gone, through the doors and hopefully, out of their lives.

Rubbing his face, Gibbs couldn't wait until Tony was home.

It's dark and light all the time. My head hurts when I open my eyes but when I open my eyes, Boss is there.

But my head hurts. I want to go home.

I don't like it here.

But Ziva and Probie and Abby are here too. Cause I remember them. Abby and Probie are nice and they're quiet and they don't make loud noises or make me open my eyes. Probie is nice to but sometimes he gets really nervous like he's gonna drop something or say wrong words like I do. But I told him not to worry cause he didn't get a head hurt and Probie never says wrong words. Sometimes though a word gets stuck on his tongue like he used glue to keep it there and now he can't get off.

But Ziva is nice too. She sings really quiet and she rubs my head sorta and it makes the head hurt go away.

Ziva doesn't speak English when she sings cause she speaks another language that her mom use to sing. That's what she told me and I remember cause my dad use to sing in another language that doesn't sound like Ziva's or Boss'.

But when she sings it reminds me of before, really really before, when I was little.

I wish it was before. Cause before I could sing too, just not like Ziva.

I could sing along with a really deep deep voice that was like Boss' when he helps me. The deep deep voice wasn't me though cause before I didn't have a deep deep voice. But someone did.

And I think it wasn't Boss but someone else. And I remember who but I don't want to say cause it's a secret.

Or a surprise.

I'm not sure which one.

But Ziva makes the head hurt go away and Boss is always there making sure I'm okay.

And I really want to go home.