Warnings: None for this chapter.

A/N: Ok, this is more a filler chapter than anything. In case anyone was wondering, I do have a Ziva returns story in the works, but she will not be making an appearance in this story. Like someone pointed out, Leah has enough drama right now to deal with Tony being in the hospital lol. Enjoy! Thank you everyone that has favorited, followed, and reviewed this story! It means a lot to me!

amaia- It's so nice to hear from a Tiva shipper that they like this story. I think some of you are getting a bad rep because of the crazy behavior of some fans.

To the Guest that left the reviews on "My Sweetest Friend", I did get them and thank you so much! I hope you have found the rest of the stories and are enjoying them :).

"Mrs. DiNozzo?"

Leah stopped the grocery cart in the middle of the cereal aisle and looked up to see a woman standing in her path, dressed in a sharp business suit. "Yes?" she asked, pulling the cart closer to her protectively. Jack looked up at the newcomer and smiled. So much for stranger danger, Leah thought as she looked at him.

The woman stepped forward and held out her hand. "My name is Beverly Marks. Deputy Sheriff Marks was my brother-in-law. Sorry... sorry to startle you, I just... I recognized your photograph from the local newspaper about Howard's death and your husband on life support... we're in town... we're in town for Wayne's preliminary hearing."

"I... I'm sorry for your family... Tony, he... he wouldn't be alive if it weren't for Sheriff Marks. He used the radio to call for help," Leah said, sadly. "If he could have... he would have tried to save your brother-in-law."

"Oh... I think I gave you the wrong impression, Mrs. DiNozzo," Beverly said. "My family does not blame your husband in any way. Howard... he wanted to help people... always... he was doing his job. You must... you must understand being the wife of a federal agent."

Leah stroked her son's soft head of hair. "Yes," she whispered. "I understand." All too well.

Beverly smiled, sadly. "It was nice to meet you, Mrs. DiNozzo. I'll pass... I'll pass your condolences on to Howard's family. We've all been... we've been praying for Agent DiNozzo."

Jack gurgled as the woman said her good-byes and walked away with her small basket of food to the register. Leah took a deep breath and pushed her tears back. How close had her and Jack come to being the Marks' family? How close had she come to sitting next to them in that preliminary hearing? She closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. When she opened them again she smiled at her son, stroking his cheek with her thumb. "People who don't believe in the power of pray, Jack... have never experienced it before... we have, little man. So many people praying for Daddy."

He responded with a twinkle in his eye and a smile that was all his father. Leah kissed his forehead and continued her grocery shopping. It was time to repay the Marks' family for their prayers by praying for them. Because as long as the road was for her and Tony... it was even longer for them.

Tim had never been so happy to hear a DiNozzo movie reference, ever in his life.

Tony was sitting up in his bed, color finally returning to his cheeks. He had just finished watching some obscure movie that Tim had never heard about and joked about the similarities in his situation. But Tim didn't care. That meant Tony was on the mend.

"Glad you're feeling better," Tim said, softly, relieved. "It was... things got terrifying there for a moment, Tony."

"Aw, you can say it, Tim," Tony replied, grinning, "You were afraid I wasn't going to make the wedding."

Tim shook his head, knowing that Tony was drugged up on morphine thanks to Leah having control of the pump earlier that morning. "No, Tony. I was... I was worried that you were dead. I should have... I should have been with you. If I had... none of this would have happened."

Tony frowned and shifted to look at his partner with a serious expression. "Tim. None of this is your fault. You were sick. You couldn't work. And I volunteered to go alone. If anything it's my fault. I didn't see the signs that the kid was whacked. Should have. I've been putting scum like him away for a long time. I was... I was too focused on calling Leah and letting her know I was fine to even notice that the kid was drooling over me like I was a Big Mac."

"Well... Delilah said you can borrow her extra wheelchair for the wedding if you need it," Tim quipped with a shy smile.

"Only if I can bling it out like she's doing to hers," Tony threw back with a casual smile.

"Sure. Why not?"

"And if I'm on crutches still?"

"We can totally glam them up," Tim replied. He then got serious. "I don't care how you walk down that aisle, Tony. I just... I want you there no matter what."

Tony sighed and leaned back in his pillows. "Don't worry. I'll be there, Timmy. Hobbling like Long John Silver... but I'll be there."

Tim snapped his fingers and reached for his backpack. He pulled something out. "Delilah wanted you to see this," he said, pulling out a tiny little tux. "She got it for Jack. We want him to be a part of the ceremony. Her parents have this really nice old pram that he can be pushed down the aisle in with the rings... he's my godson after all and I want him to be involved in some way."

"He'll clean up nicely in that tux," Tony said with a broad grin. His eyes started to get heavy. "Hey, Tim."

"Yeah, Tony?"

"You don't mind if I take a little nap do you?"

Tim shook his head and put the little tux down. "No. Not at all. We need you to get back on your feet, Tony and you're only going to do that if you rest up and get stronger."

Tony mumbled something under his breath that Tim didn't quite understand and drifted off to sleep. The senior field agent slept more these days than he was awake, which giving his condition was probably a good thing. Like Tim had said he needed to rest up to get stronger so he could get out of the hospital, start his physical therapy and eventually return to NCIS. That was the only way it had to be, Tim reasoned. He didn't want to think about Tony not returning to work, what that would do to him.

Guilt engulfed him again. Tim had been fighting with it since Tony went missing. He just should have been there. Wayne never would have attacked two agents, he didn't like witnesses, which was why he'd shot Howard Marks. Fortunately for the Marks family Tony had survived and would be able to testify as a witness in Wayne's trial. But it never should have down to all of this.

Delilah would throttle him if she knew he was still having these guilty thoughts. And she had pointed out on several occasions that it had been Tim and Ellie's work that had led Gibbs to Tony in the first place. They had been the ones to put the pieces together while Gibbs rushed around that small town in West Virginia. Tim had repaid the debt he felt he owed Tony for saving his life two years ago.

It's not the same, a small voice in the back of his head said. Tony single-handedly tracked you. He found you and then he shot Crowley to protect you.

Tim hadn't done any of those things for Tony. Ellie had been the one to find the hunting license, the piece of evidence that had really convinced the judge to get their warrant. All Tim had done was put out the BOLO that eventually got Howard Marks killed.

"Sometimes this job sucks," Tim whispered.

"Sometimes," Gibbs said in response. "Not all the time."

"Boss? When did you get here?"

"Just now. You alright Tim?"

He shook his head. "No. Tony saved my life two years ago... and when he needed me I didn't repay the debt."

Gibbs glared at him. "Like hell you didn't. Tim, you came into work sick to help find Tony. And if you had been healthier, you would have been with me, in West Virginia looking for him. I didn't ask you to stay behind because I thought you weren't capable, Tim. I asked you to stay behind for your health. One agent in the hospital is enough for me."

Tim cocked a shy smile. "Thanks, boss."

"You going to stop beating yourself up now?"

"Yeah... I think... I think so."

"Good. So I don't have to slap you."

"No, boss," Tim said, grinning, "You don't have to slap me."

Abby brought Tony black roses on the morning of his knee surgery.

Leah wasn't sure what to make of them but Tony politely thanked her. By the time they were bringing him up to the OR he had slipped into a state of unconsciousness thanks to the anesthesia. The team sat patiently in the waiting room. As far as Tony's operations had gone in the last three weeks, having his knee operated on had been the least of their concerns. And with Dr. Pitt overseeing the operation they could rest a bit easier.

Gibbs had made sure Vance knew to keep the team off of rotation that day. Delilah had delayed her next trip to Dubai and even Jake had popped over for a bit to check on Tony and sit with Ellie. Tony had told Leah once, back when they had first started dating that Ziva had informed him that he was loved. It never had really rung true for her until that moment... when she saw how many people cared about him.

She had known had that the team had cared for him before this of course, but she had never felt it more than she did that morning.

Halfway through the operation Dr. Pitt came out to update them. "He's doing, fine," he assured them. "Breathing is good, heartbeat strong. Should only be a couple of more hours now."

"When will I be able to see him?" Leah asked, biting down on her lip, nervously.

"As soon as he's settled back in his room I'll come get you," Brad promised her. He nodded his head at the team and went back to the OR.

Ducky gestured for Leah to come sit next to him. He took her hand and gave it a squeeze. "See. Nothing to worry about, my dear," he told her with a smile. "I suspect that Anthony will be plotting his escape from the hospital once he's awake."

Leah laughed. "Yeah. All the way to the Canadian border if he has too if it means not staying here."

"I'll post a guard at his door if he thinks of doing that," Gibbs snapped. "He's staying here until the doctors say he can leave."

"Maybe you should post yourself at the door," Leah responded. "He isn't going to let a guard stop him."

Gibbs scoffed. He knew that all too well. Hell, Tony had returned back to work much too soon after having the plague. But... at least Gibbs would have the option to argue with Tony about taking the proper time to heal this time around... because he had come very close to not having the option. And he much preferred it this way.