In an instant Gibbs was filled with dread. He should have known that because it was Tony, this injury would end up being anything but easy. He should have known that Tony would endure complications but he had prayed that he would be spared. Gibbs had endured the same operation after being blown up on that ship. Of course he was in a lot worse conditions and he had survived. He would use that to hold on hope for Tony.
"Mr. Gibbs!" Dr. Fowler called.
"What?" Gibbs asked.
"Do you give your permission to preform the operation?" Dr. Fowler asked.
"Of course! Do what you can to save my boy! Go!" Gibbs demanded.
Holly shifted nervously in her seat. Her dad was being rushed off to have brain surgery. God, why did stuff like this happen to her family? Why couldn't anything just be simple for them? Why could her dad not even do something as simple as going to the grocery store without getting into trouble? Who had done this to him and why hadn't Gibbs found him and kicked his or her ass?
"Gibbs?" Holly asked.
"What is it, Holly?" Gibbs questioned.
"Is he going to be OK?" Holly asked.
"He is going to be fine." Gibbs assured.
"How do you know?" Holly asked.
"He knows better than to die on me." Gibbs hissed.
Noah was struggling to make sense of what was happening. The day before they had told him that his dad was going to be just fine. Now all of the sudden he had to have brain-surgery. God he wished that Holly would come over and make this make sense for him but even she seemed to be concerned and afraid.
"I don't get it." Noah said aloud.
"Don't get what?" Jimmy asked.
"Yesterday they said that he was going to be OK." Noah replied.
"He is going to be fine. They have to do this a lot to patients with similar injuries to your dad." Jimmy assured.
"Are they usually OK?" Noah asked.
"People in far worse shape than him have come through just fine." Jimmy replied.
"Like who?" Noah asked.
"Well Gibbs, he had the same surgery after he got blown up and he came through just fine. In fact it saved his life." Jimmy replied.
"And he's totally OK now?" Noah asked.
"Well as OK as Gibbs can be." Jimmy whispered.
"Watch it" Noah reminded.
The last thing Tony remembered was a horrible pain in his head. He heard somebody screaming to call 911 but they sounded so far away, he couldn't tell it if was a male or a female. Not that any of that really mattered. All that mattered was that somebody was calling for help. He heard the rhythmic beating of a heart monitor and the hiss of a ventilator. People were yelling medical terms over him but they sounded as far away as the person crying for somebody to help him. When he opened his eyes he was not in an operating room but in a white room. Everything was hazy and he was completely alone. Was he dead? What had he done to deserve for his life to end this way this soon? He was too young. What would happen to the twins? Suddenly the whiteness in front of him separated slightly and Kate appeared in a solid white robe.
"Kate?" Tony asked.
"IDIOT!" Kate cried.
"Idiot? I was attacked." Tony argued.
"I know that but I just wanted to take this opportunity to remind you." Kate replied.
"Why are you here anyway? Am I dead?" Tony asked.
"Not dead just having brain-surgery." Kate assured.
"So I am going to be OK?" Tony asked.
"You better be." Kate replied.
"Why are you here?" Tony asked.
"I wanted to tell you it was OK." Kate replied.
"What was OK?" Tony asked.
"To move on." Kate replied.
"I can date Ziva?" Tony asked,
"She seems lovely and I am sure that you two will be very happy together." Kate replied.
"Me too" Tony replied.
"Just promise that you will never forget me." Kate replied.
"That goes without saying." Tony assured.
"And if you have more children with Ziva. Please never forget about the twins." Kate added.
"I will never forget about my twins. They are my links to you and no matter how happy I am with Ziva. They will always be part of me." Tony assured.
"Good now get your ass back down there." Kate ordered.
"Goodbye Kate, I love you and I always will." Tony said as Kate faded back into the whiteness.
Holly and Noah walked back up to the surgical waiting room. Gibbs had insisted that they go downstairs and get something to eat. They had each got ramen out of the machine and hastily ate it before walking back upstairs. For the first time in her life Holly was not worried about getting her homework done early enough that she could take advantage of any extra credit opportunities and still be able to enjoy herself before dinner. She was worried about her dad and what was going to happen to her family. They got back to the waiting room and saw Gibbs talking to the doctor. They stood back until the doctor left and Gibbs went over to address the group. They slowly walked over to the rest of the group and sat on the small couch in the corner.
"Just in time." Gibbs commented.
"How is he?" Holly asked.
"There is good news and bad news." Gibbs started.
"Good news first." Noah requested.
"The good news is that the operation was a success." Gibbs explained.
"And the bad news?" Holly asked.
"The bad news is that they still don't know for sure when he will wake up." Gibbs explained.
A/N: I originally had written Tony waking up in this chapter but I wasn't sure if that would be realistic or not. The good news is I have the wake up written and it will happen at the end of the next chapter. New chapter will be up soon. Please review and thanks for reading.