Chapter 46

Tony watched as they carefully put Ahmed on a stretcher to get him off the plane. While he didn't feel the guilt that Tim did, he did hate seeing someone wholly innocent in all this suffering. Ahmed's eyes opened slightly as they moved him.

"It's all right," Tony said, quickly. Then, he suddenly remembered that both Zahara and Ahmed were fluent in Spanish because they had grown up in Melilla.

Tony might not speak Arabic, but he spoke Spanish.

"Todo está bien. Estás seguro," he said. "Estás en los Estados Unidos. Te llevaremos a un hospital."

Ahmed's eyes opened a little more.

"Zahara?" he asked.

Tony didn't really want to take Zahara away from Tim while Tim was still so shaky, but Ahmed might need someone he knew to help him really feel safe and the last he had known was that his sister was forced to flee for her life.

"Espera un minuto. Te la traeré." Then, Tony looked at the agents waiting to take Ahmed off the plane and spoke in a low voice. "Just wait a minute. Tim's family is out there and I don't want the kids to see Ahmed like this unless it's necessary."

They just nodded without speaking. Tony hurried off the plane and saw Zahara hugging Tim tightly and Salma and Jonathan both there, too. He noticed Ziva was there but he had to focus on this for the moment. So he ran over and whispered in Zahara's ear as she and Tim turned to him.

"Ahmed está en el avión. Creo que te necesita, pero no creo que los niños necesiten verlo todavía."

He could see the pain in Zahara's eyes at that, but she nodded and then knelt down.

"Stay with your baba right now. I will be back."

Tim looked conflicted at that because he knew what was going on even if he couldn't quite understand what Tony had said.

"I got this, Tim. I got it," Tony said.

Then, he went with Zahara back onto the plane. As soon as she saw Ahmed, she gasped and ran to her brother and hugged him.

"Oh, Ahmed. Lo siento mucho, hermano," she said.

Then, she started whispering to him so softly that Tony couldn't hear, but he could see that she was crying at what she saw. For the first time, Ahmed moved of his own accord and hugged his sister back although he didn't speak.

She rocked him for a few seconds and then looked up at Tony and he could see the conflicting emotions about what had happened. Even though she already had known that Ahmed had been hurt, seeing it was so much harder. After a few seconds, she let him down gently and he was obviously unconscious again. Then, Zahara stood up and wiped her eyes.

"Did you get the men who did this to him?" she asked in a fierce voice.

"Yeah, we did."

"All of them?"

"All that we know about."

She nodded.

"Good." Her eyes were full of tears but they were also tinged with anger. Tony knew that he would never want Zahara truly angry at him.

"They're going to take Ahmed to the hospital," Tony said. "They'll watch him, but we think he's safe now. Do you want to go now?"

"Yes. Yes, I must..." Zahara said, but she looked torn between her brother and her children.

"Why don't you go with Ahmed and I'll go with Tim and your kids to the hospital. Okay?"

Zahara looked down at her brother again and still seemed torn. Tony gently took her hand.

"You can't be everywhere and your brother needs you. Tim can take care of the kids for now, and I'll help."

"Ziva has been helping me, too."

"You don't have to do it alone, Zahara. We're here."

Then, to his surprise, Zahara hugged him. She let him go quickly, but Tony was surprised that she had hugged him at all. She just never had really seemed comfortable with physical contact with men outside of her family.

"Thank you so much, Tony. I know this is hard for you. You are helping us so much."

"Least I can do. Now, get going and I'll tell Tim."

Finally, Zahara nodded. The other agents gently lifted the stretcher and Tony hurried off the plane ahead of them and then strode over to Tim.

"Zahara's going to the hospital with Ahmed and you can bring the kids there to wait until they can see their uncle."

"Yes, Baba!" Jonathan said, clapping.

Tim looked uncertain about that course of action, but Tony figured that keeping the family together as much as possible would be better than Tim taking the kids home and waiting. For now, close proximity would just be better.

He just hoped that Tim agreed with him.

"Baba, we have presents for Ahmed," Salma said. "And for you in the car."

"Yes, Baba. Made pictures!" Jonathan said.

Tim looked at Tony for a moment and then looked over at the plane as Ahmed was being carried off, with Zahara right beside him.

"Come on, Tim," Tony said.

Reluctantly, Tim nodded and finally, Tony let himself focus on something else. Ziva could take them over and he was happy to see her.

"Let's go, then."

Tony walked over to where Ziva was waiting, surprisingly patiently. She hugged him tightly and kissed him.

"You stayed back for quite a while," Tony said lightly.

"There were other things that needed to be done and I wasn't here to interfere with that," Ziva said, softly. "I am glad you're back."

"So am I."

"How is Tim doing?"

"Okay. He had a minor meltdown on the plane, but he's okay... for now."

"Ahmed?"

"Alive and that's pretty much the best that can be said. Nothing was life threatening, I don't think, but it was painful."

Ziva rubbed her wrists for a moment, and Tony took hold of her hands.

"He's going to be okay and you know that he'll have all the help he needs."

"Yes. I know. What now?"

"We're going to take Tim and the kids over to the hospital so that they can all be together for now."

"Very well."

Ziva took a breath and then walked over to Tim and Tony watched as she hugged him tightly and whispered something to him. He couldn't hear what she said, but there was something that she and Tim had always shared ever since his first major breakdown that allowed her to reach him as few others could.

Then, she took Jonathan's hand while Salma clung to Tim and they walked over to Tony.

"Let's go," Ziva said.

"Sounds great. You lead the way since I don't know where the car is."

Ziva smiled and took his hand as if to physically lead him, but underneath the forced lightness, she really was holding his hand tightly.

They were all home and all safe, but it wasn't really over yet. It never was.

However, Tony was glad to note, if only to himself, that the thought wasn't as enervating as it had been in the past. It was just the way things were sometimes. He wasn't overwhelmed by knowing that there was healing to be done even if everyone was safe.

Ziva led them all back to the car and they got in. Tim sat in the back with his kids, letting Tony and Ziva sit in the front together. Ziva drove, but for a moment, she grabbed Tony's hand and squeezed it tightly. Then, she let him go and drove them to the hospital. They were directed to a waiting room and they walked in together and sat down.

Jonathan and Salma showed Tim the presents they'd made for him. Tony listened to make sure that Tim could handle what he was doing. So far, it was fine.

"This the pyramids, Baba," Jonathan said. "You lift up the pyramids and throw them!"

"I don't know if I could lift the pyramids, Jonathan," Tim said.

"You strong, Baba!" Jonathan said and grabbed Tim's bicep. "See? You strong!"

"Not that strong."

"Yes. Lift me up, Baba!" Jonathan said. "Like at home!"

Jonathan started hanging on Tim's arm and Tony wondered if Tim would give in or not. And could he actually lift his son just with his arm as Jonathan seemed to want?

Tim smiled.

"Okay, Jonathan," he said and stood up, allowing Jonathan to dangle from his bicep.

And Tim could do it. Tony was surprised. He knew that Tim wasn't a wimp by any means, but he was much stronger than Tony would have expected.

Jonathan giggled happily as he dangled from Tim's arm.

"See, Baba? You strong!"

Tim actually laughed a little.

"Jonathan, I don't think you weigh as much as a pyramid does."

He lowered Jonathan to the floor and then sat back down. Salma leaned on him and the silence fell for the moment.

Just waiting.

Ziva leaned against Tony.

"I'm glad you're back," she said.

"You said that already," Tony said.

"I mean it."

"I'm glad you do."

"What now?"

"We wait, I guess," Tony said. "I don't see what else we can do. Where is everyone else?"

"Waiting... but not here," Ziva said, keeping her voice very soft. "They knew that Tim would not want so much attention right at the beginning and so they are waiting until he's ready."

"It may not be for awhile," Tony said.

"It probably won't, but letting Tim get home and be with his family was the most important thing. The rest can wait."

Tony nodded, hoping for the best from this. Tim was managing for the moment, but could he keep it up until Zahara came out?

They all sat quietly for a while. Salma and Jonathan relaxed and started to droop. Tim was not relaxed, but he was sitting with his kids, his arms around them, even though he was mostly staring at the door the doctor or Zahara would be coming through when it was time to see Ahmed. Tony and Ziva sat together as well. The door to the waiting room opened and Tony was surprised to see Dr. Hicks limping in.

Tim didn't seem to notice, but Dr. Hicks smiled at Tony and shook his head as Tony started to get up. Dr. Hicks just limped over to where Tim was sitting and sat down beside him without saying a word. Tim never looked away from the door.

"What is he doing?" Ziva asked.

"Your guess is as good as mine. I guess we just wait and see. Like usual."

Ziva smiled a little and leaned against him again.

They waited.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x

Zahara sat beside Ahmed. She knew that she needed to go out to her family, but it was so hard to see him like this and she wanted to be right here when the results came back and she wanted to see Ahmed awake and aware again.

So she was sitting silently, praying that all would be well, that her brother would heal, that her husband would be fine and that her children would not be afraid.

That all would be well.

But she was afraid that it wouldn't be. She was desperately afraid that she would lose everything now that they were home and safe again.

Please, heal us.

Finally, the door opened and the doctor came in. He smiled at her.

"Will my brother be all right?" she asked.

"Yes, he will. We were able to repair the damage to his legs and the tests aren't showing any internal bleeding. His injuries were extremely painful, but they were not fatal. He'll probably need some physical therapy and he'll definitely need some psychological help after what happened to him, but physically, there should be nothing to prevent complete recovery. We'll watch his wounds to make sure that the infection resolves, but other than that, you have nothing to worry about on that score."

"Will it still hurt him when he wakes?"

"It shouldn't. We've given him some painkillers and now that we have the injuries treated, the pain should be much less."

"Thank you," Zahara said. "May I stay until he awakens?"

"Of course. It will be good for him to have someone he knows close by. I'll tell your husband if you'd like?"

Zahara nodded and then looked back at Ahmed and gently took his hand. For a moment, it was just silent in the room, but then, she started to hum softly. It was a lullaby that their mother had sung to them when they were young. After she finished, she leaned over and whispered very quietly.

"Estoy aquí, manito."

Then, Ahmed squeezed her hand and his eyes opened. He looked a little afraid and Zahara knew that her brother didn't like to show any weakness like that.

"Estas seguro," she said quickly. "Todos estamos seguros."

"¿Dónde estoy?"

"Los estados unidos."

"¿Cómo?"

"Tim y los demás te salvaron."

Ahmed closed his eyes again, but his grip on her hand didn't slacken.

"No estás solo," Zahara said.

She stayed with Ahmed until he fell asleep.

What else could she do?