Chapter Fifty-Two
They didn’t stay for the rest of the trial after Woodman had given evidence. Gibbs was worried about Tony getting so stressed out that he would give himself a seizure and that was the last thing either one of them needed, so he left Tony by himself on the bench and went back to talk to Abby.
“We’re going to go, seeing Woodman freaked Tony out big time,” he whispered into her ear so as not to disturb the trial going on around him. They were up to the defenses witnesses and to be honest he didn’t want to hear how good Kamisnski was with kids or at his job or anything because as far as he was concerned, Kamisnski was lower than the scum of the earth, he was lower than the worst thing possible and it would give Gibbs great pleasure to hurt him the way he’d hurt Tony, but only slower.
Abby just nodded and signed to give her love to Tony, Gibbs signed back goodbye and he left the courtroom, picked up Tony from the bench where he’d left him and they headed back to Gibbs’ house - well their house since they both lived there now and Tony’s apartment was more for show than anything else. Gibbs wasn’t sure how the Director would take the news that not only was he living with Tony, he was sleeping with him too, so had told Tony to keep that apartment as his address until they were able to safely broach the subject with her and not have to worry about getting fired for whatever reason she seemed to deem appropriate at the time.
It was a good thing that they’d left the courthouse when they did because when they got home there was a message on the answer machine for Tony. Gibbs pressed the play button:
‘Hello, this is the office of Natalie Smythe, leaving a message for Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo. I am the NCIS Psychiatrist and wish to make an appointment with yourself for as soon as possible as we anticipate your return to work to be within the next two weeks. Please call me at 555-555-555 to arrange an appointment. I’m available until 5pm this evening. Thank you.’
Gibbs picked up the phone and handed it to Tony, along with a slip of paper with the number on it. “Call her, the sooner you do, the sooner you can get back to work. Dr. Foster has already cleared you for active field duty so all that is standing in your way now is the psych evaluation and you know you’ll pass with flying colours,” he said, pushing the issue.
“You really think that’s a good idea after what I’ve been through today?” Tony asked, sighing. He wanted to get back to work and he had been thrilled when Dr. Foster had said that everything keeping him from active field work was healed, he only had the one more hurdle to get over and then he could forget about all that had happened over the last few months and go back to the job he loved so much.
“I think it’s the perfect idea, she’ll need to see you and discuss your problems over the past few months and this is one of them, phone her and make an appointment. I can come with you and wait for you outside and I’m sure you’ll do fine,” Gibbs said.
Tony sighed, and then dialed the number on the pad. When the receptionist answered, he arranged an appointment for twenty minutes from then. It would take them that long to get to her office so once he’d hung up the phone he told Gibbs and they headed out.
The NCIS Psychiatrist was situated on the Navy Yard, but not in the NCIS building so Gibbs had to navigate his way round until he found her building. Once they were parked, they both got out of the car and headed into the building. Gibbs stayed back while Tony approached the receptionist. “I have an appointment with Ms Smythe,” Tony said, smiling.
“One moment please, sir. Can I take your name?”
“Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo.”
“Okay, take a seat and she’ll be with you shortly.”
“Thanks,” Tony said, and turned round to find Gibbs already sitting down, so he joined him and picked up a magazine to flick through while he waited for the doctor to call him in.
“Anthony DiNozzo?” a voice called from down the corridor. Tony got up and followed it to find Dr. Smythe standing outside her room waiting for him.
“Come in and take a seat,” she said, choosing to sit opposite Tony and not behind her desk like all the other doctors he’d met with had. Maybe this one would go okay after all.
Tony said nothing as he sat down and looked round the room, it looked very similar to Dr. Clark’s office, except he didn’t have Navy ensembles everywhere.
“How are you feeling, Anthony?” she asked, grabbing a pad of paper and a pencil so that she could take notes during their session.
“I’m a bit nervous, but other than that, I’m fine.”
“I hear you were at court yesterday, how did that go?” she asked.
“I have to give my testimony, which was hard but I’m glad it’s over with. I went today to see Woodman give his testimony and I couldn’t cope with it all so we came home early, which is when I got your message and decided I might as well arrange to see you today and get it over with,” Tony replied.
“I see. Now, as you know I’ve read your notes from Dr. Clark and he seems to think you’re coming along nicely. You’re still taking the Amitrypline, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, he wanted me to stay on it for a while to see what its full effect was.”
“How does it make you feel?”
“At first, I felt a little dopey, but now I feel fine on it. It helps me get some sleep and I don’t have as many nightmares as I did.”
“Can you tell me about the nightmares?”
“Pretty simple really, I’d be back in the alley and Woodman and Kamisnski would be there raping me over and over and then I’d wake up screaming and Gibbs would have to comfort me until I could sleep again.”
“But you’re not having them anymore?”
“No, I am, just not as regularly.”
“I see. How do you feel about returning to work?”
“I’m looking forward to it, I love my job and I’ve been away now for near enough four months, so ready to get back in the saddle and start working again.”
“What about panic attacks?”
“What about them?”
“Do you have them?”
“No, not anymore, I’m okay so long as I know the people around me and so long as I don’t get too stressed.”
“Yes, because that could bring on a seizure, am I right?”
“Yes, but I take my medication everyday and I haven’t had one since I was in the hospital.”
“That’s good. How do you think you’ll cope with the stress of everyday work and cases?”
“I think I’ll be fine, I’m good at what I do and I can compartmentalise everything so it doesn’t affect me in work or outside work.”
“That’s a good trick to have, Anthony.”
“Thanks,” Tony said, smiling.
“I think that’s everything, Anthony, I see no reason why you shouldn’t be able to start work in the next couple of weeks. You’ve been signed off fit by your medical doctors and the therapy session will continue with Dr. Clark which makes me feel a lot more comfortable about allowing you back as a full time Agent. Good luck,” she told him, smiling and shaking his hand.
Tony stood up and headed out the door he’d come through and down the corridor to find Gibbs staring at his cell phone. “What’s up, Gibbs?” Tony asked.
“We need to get back to court, they’ve reached a verdict. How did it go?”
“We’ll talk on the way,” Tony replied, taking a deep breath in and out to mentally prepare himself for going back into the courtroom.
They drove fast through the streets of Washington D.C. and Tony explained to Gibbs that Dr. Symthe had agreed he was mentally ready to go back to work, now all they had to do was get through this and then they’d be home free.
Gibbs parked lopsidedly in a disabled space and left the siren on top of his car in the hope that he wouldn’t get a ticket, they hurried into the courthouse and then into courtroom one. The jury were just walking back in so they’d made it in time to hear the verdict.
“Lieutenant Commander Jonathon Kamisnski, please stand,” the judge said and Kamisnski obeyed.
“Foreman of the jury, on the count of illegal trading, how do you find the defendant?”
“Guilty.”
“On the count of attempted murder of a Federal Agent, how do you find the defendant?”
“Guilty.”
“And on the count of paying for and arranging the rape of Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, how do you find the defendant?”
Tony held his breath, Gibbs did too.
“Guilty.”
Author's Chapter Notes:
Who will catch DiNozzo when he falls?
Chapter End Notes:
As before, I'm not a lawyer so if you see any mistakes let me know and I'll change them...
Also, there's a chance there won't be a chapter tomorrow as I've not been well enough to write anything.
Enjoy!
Also, there's a chance there won't be a chapter tomorrow as I've not been well enough to write anything.
Enjoy!