Tony fought his way through the smoke. Screaming Carly's name the whole time. His chest was tightening up. He wondered if Emily would ever trust him with her kids again. This was not a good first impression of his babysitting skills. There was a good chance none of that would even matter though. He didn't want it to end like this. If he had to die young he want to be a hero. Not burned alive in some cruel repeat of history. The images of Amber and Jason. Dylan already didn't like him and if he let his sister die. He would never like him. At least Jason and him were strangers tell they met up years later at the start of the Dearing ordeal. At least now Jason treated him decently but if Carly died and Emily hated him. He would never get that chance with Dylan. Who was he kidding. He was going to die in this fire and that would be it. He would die as he lived as a loser who couldn't do anything right. He heard a small cry from under the table. He knelt and saw Carly hiding underneath.

"Tony" Carly whimpered.

"You're alright. I am here." Tony assured.

Tony didn't even hesitate. He grabbed Carly and ran with her towards the back door. There was a horrible crack and a beam crashing down. Sending the pair to the ground with it. Somehow Tony managed to roll away before they became trapped. He heard a soft cry of pain from Carly followed by choked out cries that her arm hurt. Tony closed his eyes and held her close fearing the worst. That her arm was crushed and would have to be amputated. Relief washed over him when he noticed a fireman approaching them. Naturally his relief was short-lived. When he realized that the fireman could only take one of them. Without even considering himself he handed Carly off to the fireman. He was glad that the smoke was thick and the fireman had covered Carly's face. Because they were only a couple of steps away when the darkness overtook him. This was a lot easier before his lungs were screwed up by the plague.

"Just be OK." Tony coughed before giving in to total unconsciousness.

Dylan sat on the lawn and watched the whole scene in horror. He mindlessly rocked baby Jack in his carrier. Wondering if he even had a baby sister anymore. Tony hadn't even thought. All he had done was tell him to watch Jack. While he ran back into the burning house after Carly. Maybe Tony wasn't so bad after all. Nobody as heartless as he had made Tony out to be would run into a burning building after a little girl. He wondered what had possibly made Carly stay in the house. He knew that they had fire safety in Pre-K and Kindergarten and even if they didn't. The family had practiced what to do in a fire numerous times. Nothing seemed to make sense in this moment. Some of his neighbors had come out and tried to move him away but he had refused. He just sat by the tree and waited. Finally the firefighter came out and loaded Carly into the ambulance. He tried to run over and see what was going on but he was stopped by another firefighter. At least one of the neighbors was checking things out for him. The firefighter who stopped him started towards him and Dylan got excited. Thinking that he would finally know about his sister but before anyone could tell him anything. Another firefighter came tearing out of the house, screaming for help, and every first responder that was there ran to his aid. Out of the corner of his eye. He saw what all the commotion was. Lying on the grass completely unconscious. Was Tony and he wasn't breathing.

"Dylan come on. You and the baby are going to my house." His neighbor Dan told him.

"Will they be OK?" Dylan asked.

"Carly is going to be fine but she has a broken arm and smoke inhalation." Dan explained.

"What about Tony?" Dylan asked.

"He wasn't breathing. When they brought him out of the house. I am sorry." Dan replied.

Emily Lewison hadn't worried about leaving her children in the care of Tony. She was so confident that after she dropped her mom off. She ran to the grocery store and then stopped off at her favorite diner. She was just getting ready to leave when she saw Gibbs enter but before she had a chance to talk to him. His phone rang and he ducked out to answer it. She watched him from the window beside her booth. He was pacing back and forth, suddenly he stopped, threw his arms up in the air, jumped back in his car, and sped off so fast he literally burnt rubber. She made a mental note to ask Tony if he had any idea what was going on. When she got back. Before she could do much else. Her own phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Yes this is Emily Lewison?"

"Wait what happened?!"

"How are my kids?!"

"How bad?"

"What hospital is she at?"

"DC General? What about the boys?"

"Yes I trust Dan."

"I will be right there. DC General correct?"

"Thank you"

Emily burst through the doors of DC General. She had just faced every mother's worst nightmare. Receiving the call that her children were in a fire and her house was gone. At least they would be OK. Carly had a broken arm and smoke inhalation but she would live and Dylan and Jack had made it out OK. Both boys were brought to the hospital as precaution but they would likely be treated and released. Carly on the other hand would be kept at least overnight maybe even a couple of days. Since she would want to be with Carly. Dan had offered to watch Dylan and Jack but she figured somebody from Tony's team would take care of him. Tony what had happened to Tony? Suddenly Gibbs's outburst outside the diner, how he looked like he was going to be sick. Before he tore out of there. She really wised that she could get information on Tony.

"May I help you?" The receptionist asked.

"Yes I am Emily Lewison. My children Dylan and Carly were brought in here after a fire." Emily replied.

"Oh. Well Dylan has already been released. He is in the cafeteria waiting for you with somebody named Dan and Carly is getting X-Rayed." The receptionist explained.

"OK when can I see her?" Emily asked.

"As soon as she is out." The receptionist replied.

"Was a man named Tony DiNozzo brought in as well?" Emily asked.

"A baby named Jack DiNozzo was brought in but he was transferred to another hospital." The receptionist explained.

"Thank you. I will be in the cafeteria with my son. When Carly is ready for me." Emily replied.

"MOM!" Dylan cried throwing himself into Emily's arms as she entered the cafeteria.

"Oh Dylan I am so glad you are OK." Emily replied.

"Carly's hurt." Dylan whimpered.

"She will be OK." Emily assured.

"Tony wasn't breathing. They took him to the naval hospital and they took Jack there to get observed overnight." So that he could be close to his dad I guess." Dylan explained.

"It's OK. I am sure that everybody will be fine and we will be OK." Emily assured.

A/N: Tony's fate will be revealed in the next chapter. I may even post Gibbs's side of the story through flashback. New chapter should be up Wednesday. Please review and thanks for reading.