Jethro had never noticed just how far their house was away from HQ. Tim had insisted to drive and Jethro used the time to call people in. There was Abbot’s team on the way, Jimmy was coming, and he had called an ambulance, just to be on the save side and to give himself a bit of hope.
Tony hadn’t sounded well on the phone, far from it, but if he really was the loser he wouldn’t have called, would he? Repeating things like this were all Jethro could do to not turn crazy in the car. Twenty minutes (or 2 hours if Jethro was asked) later they arrived at the house.
Jethro and Tim draw their guns, slowly approaching the house. Jethro glanced at the younger man as he opened the door. He shut out that this was his house, that it was his husband they were looking for, and if he hadn’t he would have been paralized at the door. Furniture was turned over, pictures on the wall had fallen or were hanging loop sided. His heart was beating a bit faster as he approached the kitched door. He checked it, but apparently no action had taken place in here.
The next room was the living room and even as he was at the door he already saw two bodies on the floor. One of them, Jason, lay in a desturbing ankle. One arm was definitely broken and under his head was a circle of deep red. Next to him lay Tony’s football award.
Once he was sure Tim would check Jason Jethro went over to Tony. He lay on his back, his eyes closed and his mouth slightly open. A small trail of blood ran down his chin from the corner of his swollen lower lip and a dark bruise was already forming from under his right eye up to his temple. With shaking hands Jethro reached for his neck and felt for pulse, which he found with great relief.
„Tony?“
He asked shakingly, but as before on the phone, it wasn’t answered.
„He’s dead.“
Tim stated from the left and for a second Jethro wanted to contradict, before he realized that he was talking about Jason. If he wasn’t in deep worry about Tony he probably would have smiled, but since he was he didn’t really react to the information. He gently searched for wounds he hadn’t seen before but there were no cuts or other open wounds. It didn’t really reassure him. He knew how dangerous internal wounds could be and he didn’t know how hard the blow to the head was, which Tony had obviously taken.
Only minutes later the medics arrived, closely followed by Jimmy and then the team. It was all taken care off, evidence would be bagged and tagged, the body would be brought to NCIS. But even if nobody had been there, Jethro wouldn’t have cared, he went with Tony in the ambulance, holding his hand as the medics did what he had done but with much more experience and knowledge.
It all seemed dull. Nothing really mattered and Jethro couldn’t focus on anything else than his husband’s unmoving face. He didn’t even manage to ask the medics what’s going on. Sometime later they arrived at the hospital and a nurse brought Jethro into the waiting area. She offered him a coffee and he nodded, but then he just sat there clutching the cup. The team, all but Stan, even Ducky were there at some point. Probably they even talked to him but nothing came through. His whole being concentrated on this bond between him and Tony. This bond that told him that his husband was still alive.
The first time Jethro actually moved was when the doctor came and asked him into his office. It wasn’t a good sign. If he came to tell him that Tony would wake up in a few minutes and that he was completely fine he would have said it in front of the others. However Jethro followed silently. He sat in a chair and waited for the hammer to fall.
„What I can tell you right now is that your husband has a blunt trauma to the lower spinal cord. Right now I don’t think that he will be paralized but he will have to do some rehabilitation and physical training. Also, he could have cronical pain in that area. Apart from that he has received several blows to the head and it’s not a very good sign that he didn’t wake up yet. I’m waiting for the CAT scan, but the least he have to expect is a severe concussion.“
„Doctor, will he be alright?“
Jethro asked with a small voice, which was totally out of character for him.
„We will have to wait for the CAT scan.“
The physician answered letting every option open. Jethro nodded and bit his lip.
„When can I see him?“
„Right away. But he’s not awake.“
It wasn’t easy for Jethro to sit next to Tony and do nothing but wait. He could understand now how Tony must have felt when he was caught in the explosion and he really hoped that they would get over this better. They didn’t need another event that’s darkening their relationship.
He sat there all night, falling asleep at one point. The kids were savely with Abby and Tim, so Jethro didn’t have to worry about them, although he did. It never worked, at least not for him, to worry about one family member alone. It always was connected to the others, and if, and Jethro was praying that it wasn’t going to be, Tony was paralized the kids would be effected just as much as he was.
Tony stirred and woke Jethro as he groaned in pain.
„Tony, stay put.“
Jethro said, his voice raspy with sleep, and pushed the call button. Tony’s face was in a nasty grimace of pain and Jethro winced in sympathy. Finally the nurse came and checked on Tony.
„Mr. DiNozzo, can you hear me?“
Tony nodded but apparently already regretted it.
„Can you open your eyes?“
With a great effort Tony managed to open them only to squeeze them shut again. Jethro took his hand, and the way Tony sqeezed it hard enough to break it once more told Jethro how bad the pain was.
„I will induce a pain killer into your IV. It will be better in a few minutes.“
After more than five minutes Tony let out a breath and slowly his muscles relaxed visibly.
„Mr. DiNozzo?“
The doctor entered the room and stood next to the bed. Tony blinked his eyes open and took deep breaths.
„You’re in Bethesda, Naval Hospital.“
Tony nodded and then looked at Jethro before he looked back at the doctor.
„For how long am I here?“
„Just about a day. Do you remember what happened?“
Tony frowned and took another deep breath.
„I had a fight...Jason...“
The doctor looked at Jethro who nodded in confirmation.
„Mr. DiNozzo, you know the man next to you?“
„Jethro...my husband...“
The doctor smiled shortly.
„Very well, you will have to stay for a bit longer, and we will have to do some test with you in the morning.“
With a short nod to Jethro he left the room and Jethro looked back at Tony.
„How are you feeling?“
„As if I’m on a trip...though...probably I am...“
„What happened?“
Tony sighed and closed his eyes.
„When I was in the house...I could knock the gun out of his hand...and we fought...that’s the story.“
„We both know that that’s not true. He must have said something. He must have given you a reason for doing all that.“
Slowly Tony blinked his eyes open but stared at the ceiling.
„He said...he said that I’m not supposed to be happy...not with another man. He said that you have taken the place that should have been his. And if he can’t have it, noone should.“
Jethro didn’t know what to say to this so he just squeezed Tony’s hand. The official report would have to wait. His and Tony’s.
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