A/N: Once again, thank you, every one for your support and helpful words. I think it's time I stopped talking about some unfriendly reviews; apparently this is how some people are and they just can't take the hint! So, whatever! Let them be!

Sadly, this time, I couldn't respond to your reviews individually and I'm sorry about that, but I read them all and each one of them gave me energy to work on this chapter faster. Hope you enjoy.

.

With both Gibbs and Tony absent, Tim and Ziva were forced to just go over cold cases as their team was still out of rotation; they kept going to the hospital, but no one could stay long, except Tony's next of kin which was Gibbs who didn't leave that place much, anyway.

It was 17 days after Tony was found and brought in to the hospital that he finally showed signs of waking up and it took another three days for him to actually wake up and be aware of his surroundings.

It was a Thursday afternoon when he finally found himself able to keep his eyes open long enough to take a look around his room.

The disturbing thing was that everyone seemed so happy to see him awake and they all showed it by turning up in his hospital room and talking excitedly to him, but he didn't show anything in return. Tony just stared at them without a word and with absolutely no expression on his face.

Everyone thought it was an aftereffect of the blow to his head; that he was awake, just not alert, but he was aware of what was happening around him. He was in pain, from his chest and his head, but he knew what was going on and he could remember what had happened that had led him to his current condition. Well, he could remember some of the things and guessing the others wasn't hard.

At first, he'd been a bit worried about Gibbs, but soon he'd seen the older man in his room, so the churning guts had settled down quickly, leading him to the conclusion that apparently he was the only one in a bad place at that moment.

After that, he found himself unwilling to talk. The most vivid images in his mind were those of Gibbs' house where the older man had ripped him a new one for a reason that wasn't even fair and he hadn't even let him explain things. Tim and Ziva's words were also fresh in his mind, since to him it all seemed like a few hours ago; making him reluctant to talk to them and when he kept quiet around them, he didn't feel like opening up and responding to anyone else, either.

He knew that something had changed in him and he couldn't put his finger on it, but it was almost like he didn't care about anything anymore; like he was totally spent and therefore indifferent towards everything and he just didn't feel like showing any emotions on the outside.

It did make the medical team worried; they took him to various tests and asked him a vast variety of questions, but so far, his brain seemed intact.

"Then what's wrong with him?" Gibbs had asked when he was told that physically, Tony's brain was not showing any problem.

"Give him time, Agent Gibbs. He spent 17 days in a coma; it takes time to get back to normal." The doctor had answered encouragingly.

And now, four days later, Tony still refused to show any emotion or answer anyone. He'd started to slightly smile at Abby and would return her hugs with one arm; he also tried to answer Ducky's question with a word or two, but not for long since he'd zone out in the middle of conversations; but that part was related to his physical condition.

Now, Gibbs was sitting with him again and for once Tony wasn't feigning sleep; in fact, he'd been checking his cellphone when Gibbs had walked in, so Tony hadn't found the time to pretend sleep.

"I understand that you don't wanna talk to us." Gibbs said quietly as he lowered himself to the chair next to the bed and studied his SFA; he didn't sound like himself; his tone was gentle and caring. "We weren't fair to you. Didn't let you explain."

'You think?' Tony thought, but his expression didn't change at all and he kept his eyes on his phone.

"And the things I said... Didn't mean any of them." The older man searched Tony's eyes for any sign of acknowledgement; but there was nothing. "You know me; I tend to break rule #10 every time it gets bad; doesn't mean what I say is what I think."

'Yeah, and I'm supposed to just smile and say it's alright, Boss. No harm done. Is that it?' Tony thought once again silently; suppressing the urge to sigh.

"I'm sorry, Tony."

There was still no reaction; not even Gibbs apologizing was enough to elicit a reaction; not because Tony was too angry to talk; it was still for the fact that he didn't care and in that state of mind, he saw no points in talking back or arguing or even pretending.

Gibbs sighed and turned his head upward, closing his eyes briefly. He needed to let Tony know how his supposed death had affected him. "I was scared." He finally fessed up. "When the bastard shot you before my eyes and when you lay there unmoving; when he told me you were dead and that they'd burned your body." It was almost like his breath hitched. "Your blood was on my face and every time I close my eyes, these are the only things that I still see."

Tony was still staring at his phone's screen, going through the Apps aimlessly; after so many years of working with Gibbs, it was the first time he was hearing his boss talking about feelings that openly and with him out of everyone; Gibbs might've supported him in many occasions, but for someone so supportive, he sure kept his distance from Tony the most. For some reasons, he always let the others get closer to him than he'd ever let Tony. That was why at that moment Tony really didn't know how he was supposed to react; this was new to him, so he kept quiet.

Gibbs decided to change the subject for now; he wasn't comfortable and he could see Tony had built a brick wall around himself, keeping everyone outside. Apparently with their hurtful words, they'd managed to send Tony back inside his barriers and the younger man was clearly not ready to let anyone in again.

"We weren't able to bring down all those gangs, but they've, at least, left the East Coast; FBI is still working on their cases. I've put a BOLO on Max Riggs, the guy who shot you and I've heard something from an informant. If he confirms it, I'll leave to take care of it."

And that was when Gibbs saw it. There; a flicker of emotion on Tony's face and a twitch of the fingers holding the phone and then something akin to concern crossed the younger man's face. Tony might've been angry, hurt and indifferent to some degree, but he couldn't suddenly stop caring. It was just not in him; even if he left the team, he'd always keep tabs on their lives to make sure they were alright. Especially Gibbs.

"I'll be careful and I'll try to arrest him. I'll take someone as backup, too." Gibbs smiled slightly, feeling warm inside at the fact that the first reaction that Tony had shown in days was a flicker of concern for him. Maybe Tony didn't completely hate him, after all.

"Your friend, Julia, showed up at the Navy Yard." He'd kept that news till now, wanting to make sure the ex-cop was actually aware of that conversation.

This time, Tony's head turned towards Gibbs, eyes narrowed.

"She told us everything. You were still in coma, that's why she couldn't come and see you. I promised her that you'd call her the moment you were able to."

Tony really wanted to ask about Melisa, but couldn't bring himself to open his mouth.

Gibbs must've read the question in his eyes, because the next thing out of his mouth was the answer to Tony's question. "She said Melisa is doing much better; that the treatments were working. She wanted to thank you but had to go back home. Guess her husband should be back by now. I'm sure she'll try to call you later again."

Tony smiled slightly and sighed. Turning his phone back on, he once again turned his attention back to the device in his hand.

"I wish I had let you explain." Gibbs resumed the old topic. "But mostly, I wish I hadn't been a bastard in the first place. You wouldn't have been forced to come to my place to explain things and you wouldn't have been taken along with me. It's my fault you're here."

Tony's only response was a frown as his fingers hit the screen of his phone much harder than it was needed.

"I'm proud of you, Tony and..." Gibbs took a deep breath and stood up. "I've never ever regretted asking you to work with me. That's been my best career decision and I shouldn't have said otherwise." With that he walked to the door. "I'll go get a coffee. Will be back in a few." He said quietly before leaving the room, thinking about the fact that their roles had clearly been reversed in the aftermath of that ominous incident and he wondered whether Tony would feel just as bad when he came to his place and talked and he rarely answered or showed any emotion.

...

Despite his promise, he didn't go back to Tony's room in a few. Once he got his coffee and was on his way back, his phone rang and the man on the phone gave him the latest location of Max Riggs, causing Gibbs to take off immediately.

Riggs had been located in Baltimore in an old remote bar, so Gibbs knew he had some time before he'd lose him again. On his way to Baltimore, he stopped by Fornell's place to take him as his backup.

The information had been correct. Gibbs and Fornell found Riggs sitting at the far corner in the bar.

"I'll wait outside the backdoor." Fornell announced before finding his way out as Gibbs made his way towards the criminal.

Riggs detected Gibbs when he was a few feet away and instantly took off towards the backdoor. Following him patiently, Gibbs also elbowed his way through people towards the exit. Once he walked outside, he found Riggs on the ground with his hands over his broken and bleeding nose.

"I'll sue you." The fallen man spat angrily behind his hands which earned him a kick in the back.

"Shut up if you know what's good for you." Fornell said nonchalantly.

"Remember me, you bastard?" Gibbs kicked him one more time.

"So you're alive?" Riggs pulled himself to a sitting position. "How does it feel to be alive, knowing you are the reason that your agent isn't?" He smirked and took his hands away from his nose, letting blood run freely down his chin.

Sending an impatient look towards Fornell, Gibbs smirked. Fornell grinned back.

"Wow. Can't believe you're that big of a heartless bastard. You don't even care your agent is dead, do you?" Riggs was incredulous. "Man, you had his blood all over your face and clothes. How could-"

"He told you to shut up." Gibbs backhanded him across the face. "You remember what I promised to do to you when you had me captive?" He bent down to look the dirtbag in the eyes. "I said I'd kill you for what you did to DiNozzo. Take a look around; here I am."

"You can't kill me. I'm unarmed."

Gibbs snorted. "Well, you tried to escape." He pointed out.

"And you knocked me down and took my weapon. Agent Gibbs had no choice but to shoot you." Fornell provided further, sounding like he was giving a report. "You're a dead man." He smirked.

Rigged looked petrified. "You can't do this."

"You see any witness around?" Fornell smiled amiably, tilting his head to the side. "We're the only one here, man and if you think they won't believe us, you're dumber than you look. And hey, DiNotzo has many friends, especially here in Baltimore. They wouldn't mind knowing whoever shot him is dead. You made a big mistake by shooting him."

"You can't kill me." Riggs repeated. "You've sworn to save lives not to take them."

Both Gibbs and Fornell burst into laughter at hearing that.

"That applies to innocent people; humans! Not cockroaches." Gibbs clarified.

"We've actually sworn to clean the streets from your kind." Fornell knelt down beside him.

"And I promised to kill you for killing Tony." Gibbs once again reminded him and lowered himself down, close to Riggs' right ear. The man was visibly shaken, all the arrogance was gone from his face and voice.

"Please." He begged miserably. "I... I-"

"Not so bold anymore, are you?" Gibbs snarled. "Did you stop to think about him when you shot Agent DiNozzo in cold blood?"

"Please. I was just following orders." Riggs was shaking with fear; constantly throwing glances towards the alley entrance in hope of seeing someone who could help him, after all, the Feds couldn't kill him if there was a witness around.

"I didn't see anyone ordering you to shoot a guy who was tied up." Gibbs said angrily and hit the man in the ribs with the butt of his gun, eliciting a yelp of pain, and probably of fear, from him.

"I told you I'd kill you, but you're one lucky bastard that DiNozzo is so resilient. You see, he's alive." He smirked at the shocked look on the dirtbag's face.

"That's-" Riggs shook his head. "No. That's impossible. I put two rounds in his heart."

Rolling his eyes, Fornell grabbed a fistful of Riggs' clothes and pushed him against the wall; wrinkling his nose when he noticed Riggs had wet his pants. "Right now, you should be thanking your lucky star that he's alive; or Jethro, here, would've killed you and I wouldn't have batted an eye." That probably wasn't the complete truth, but it didn't hurt to scare that little shit a bit more.

After that Gibbs hit Riggs one last time in the head, this time with the butt of his SIG-Sauer. As the criminal lost consciousness and his body went lax, Gibbs stood up and kicked him one more time. "Let's get him to the car. We're done here."

.

.

... TBC ...

A/N: So, what do you think? :D

.

.

All mistakes are mine.

.

.