A/N: So sorry, also, no excuses. I had lost my muse. But with Tony's last ep recently, it got me writing again! It's been a journey, and at last there will be only two more chapters after this one. Just a heads up. I will be posting the second last chapter sometime tomorrow and the last one the following day. Thank you guys for reading, following, favoriting and reviewing. It's been rad!
-edancel
Chapter 17
A buzzing noise is what startles the two. Ziva has to entangle her arms from Tony in order to reach her cell phone. It is 0600.
"David."
"Hello, Ms. David. Something has come up and we need you at the hospital right away," a familiar voice addressed.
Not again. This cannot be happening.
"Is Helen all right? What is going on?" She begged.
"This matter cannot be discussed over the phone. Please just come to the hospital."
At this time, Tony is already awake as his face shows signs of worry. "Is everything okay?"
Ziva shakes her head. "Something has happened to Helen. I am assuming something bad because the lady said she could not discuss this matter over the phone."
Tony places his hand onto Ziva and rubs her arm reassuringly. "Want me to come with you?"
She smiles sweetly at him, tries her best to conceal her feelings and says, "No. Go to work. I'm sure a family needs your help today."
They briefly share a kiss before they go their separate ways. As they part at the front entrance of Tony's apartment, he pulls her in for another embrace and stated, "I'll see you later, okay?"
When Tony arrives at the hospital, he finds Ziva sitting down with Nurse Kelly. He assumes it was her that called.
Gibbs let him leave early, although he himself did not share with the younger agent his gut feeling about this matter. His gut feeling wasn't good and as always, his gut feeling is always right.
"Helen is not doing well anymore Tony," Ziva states blankly. She is staring at a wall.
As Nurse Kelly visibly turn a light shade of pink, she stands up and pipes in, "I'll just leave you two alone."
He watches her leave quickly and brings his attention back to Ziva, who is quiet. She lost in her own thoughts. Again, probably thinking about the endless results of how this day could end. Tony sits next to her in silence.
After a while the silence starts to become uneasy for Tony and so he breaks it. Tony asks, "I thought she was going to make a full recovery? Isn't that what they said?"
Ziva sighs deeply, "I don't know anymore. They will not tell me anything other than the fact that something bad happened." Ziva pauses, "She is going to die, Tony."
He's facing her now and their eyes lock. "Whatever happens, I'll be here. Just know that," Tony acknowledges.
Together they wait in more silence, hoping the inevitable won't happen any time soon.
Nurse Kelly immediately felt pity for the couple before her. Clearly, they really care for her patient. Helen Kismet to her was a frail old woman who didn't look like much. Just another elderly person who succumbed to a heart attack and then some. Nurse Kelly had seen this a million times. But to those two people she has met because of Helen, they have changed her opinion on these occurrences. If they believe that Helen is capable of fighting then she truly must be. On the other hand, when there are no miracles, death is usually the end result. Unfortunately for Nurse Kelly, Tony and Ziva, she believes that today there is no miracle.
"Ms. David, this usually isn't protocol especially since you aren't next of kin. But you basically are. Helen would always talk about you two, never about her real children." She continues, "I think you do have the right to know at least something. So let me just say, she is not doing well. At all. We all thought she would make a full recovery but something interfered. Sadly, it does not look like we can do anything about it.
"I cannot tell you what had happened exactly - Doctor patient confidentially, or unless the Doctor tells you himself- "
" -finally the man of the hour!" Tony exclaims sarcastically and stands up as the Doctor appears before them. He is anxious and worried, not caring about anything but Ziva, Helen and what the Doctor has to say.
The Doctor is middle aged, dark haired and tall. He is beginning to gray at his sides. He's the typical stereotype of a Doctor, as one can presume. Blue scrubs underneath his bright white coat, stethoscope hanging by his neck. Thin square shaped glasses, barely staying securely on his nose. If it weren't for the seriousness of this situation, Tony would have made scoffed.
For a moment he is hopeful on the librarians condition, however, by the look of the doctors sad blue eyes, the inevitable outcome prevails. Tony quickly looks at Ziva and could perceive that her hope is still there, scarcely hanging on by a very thin thread while his has vanished.
"I am assuming Nurse Kelly brought you here,'" he speculated.
The Doctor then clears his throat and looks at Tony and Ziva, his eyes delivering the message instead. Tony sits back down next to her.
A single tear falls from Ziva's face, the only sign of emotion she allows. Alas, there the last of her hope slowly deteriorates, and Tony could do nothing about it. He embraces her tightly, his arm securely around her shoulder, squeezing it. He kisses her head.
The Doctor shifts slightly and sighs, "There was nothing else we could do. I'm sorry."