Gibbs poured himself another cup coffee, emptying the pot in the doctor’s lounge. He had no idea if the medical staff knew he was the reason their coffee pot was in constant need of refilling or who had been making sure a fresh pot was on whenever he went searching for more caffeine. He dropped a twenty in the small tin on the counter that bore a small sticky note labeled coffee fund. It should be more than enough to cover what he’d consumed.
At three in the morning, he should be sleeping, but he couldn’t seem to do more than doze off and on while he waited for Tony to wake up. Dr. Kline hadn’t been able to give him any sort of firm time. Ducky had agreed that there was no way to accurately predict when Tony would come to. The drugs would take time to work their way out of his system and the injuries he had sustained could keep him from regaining consciousness quickly.
Gibbs sighed, rubbing tiredly at his eyes. He’d sent the rest of his team off to the hotel Beaumont had recommended hours ago. They’d resisted, but Gibbs had been firm.
Without access to her usual daily intake of Caf-Pow, Abby had looked as tired as Gibbs could remember seeing her. Of course, she hadn’t looked that run down until he’d put her to work using her laptop to hack into Shepard’s medical files. He’d felt obligated to explain why; Abby always became particularly distressed whenever she had to investigate someone she knew and she wouldn’t have proceeded without asking more questions than Gibbs wanted to answer. So he simply told her, and the others everything he suspected and everything he knew for sure.
It had hit Abby hard. Not that Shepard was a close personal friend, but until the La Grenouille thing she’d been friendly, someone Abby thought she could trust. Having worked with Shepard before, Gibbs knew she was capable of cold blooded murder; Abby hadn’t been aware of that side of Shepard. Gibbs still blamed Shepard for her part in making Tony leave and no longer trusted her. Abby’s forgiving nature made it hard for her to hold a grudge, so while she hadn’t exactly forgiven Shepard, she didn’t regard her with the same instinctive suspicion Gibbs did. It didn’t hurt that Gibbs had more than a day to come to terms with the idea Shepard might be involved with Tony being hurt before getting irrefutable proof. Abby had only a few minutes. She would adjust and deal with it; it would just take some time.
McGee hadn’t seemed surprised. He seemed more disappointed than anything else. It was almost disheartening to see him becoming more cynical.
Gibbs had ordered him to check into Shepard’s personal and office phone records. He had McGee looking into her financials as well. He was hoping McGee would find a link to the burn phones, the CIA, or Nunes. Gibbs seriously doubted Shepard would be stupid enough to give them that sort of direct connection, but if it was there he knew McGee would find it.
Ziva hadn’t shown any outward sign of being upset over Shepard’s involvement. Not really surprising since she rarely showed signs of emotion…good or bad. He had her keep working on the burn phones and finding out where the ordinance had come from. It was still important to plug any leak of weapons from a Marine Corps base.
Gibbs grimaced. He couldn’t help remembering LaFiamma’s suggestion he leave Ziva out of the loop after he’d told him about Shepard’s slip up in mentioning Nunes’ name. He grimaced remembering that conversation.
He and LaFiamma had talked in the hallway, not wanting to disturb Lundy or Ducky since both mean seemed to be sleeping. Even though the only one currently within ear shot was Millard, they’d tried to keep their voices down, not wanting what they were saying to carry.
He knew LaFiamma didn’t like Ziva. The way he’d never fully taken suspicious eyes off her when she’d been in Tony’s room had made that clear.
“I know you don’t like her"“
“It isn’t about whether I like her or not, Gibbs.” LaFiamma said firmly. “I don’t trust her.”
“I trust her,” Gibbs had stated unequivocally, thinking that would settle things.
LaFiamma’s chin had come up defiantly. “Well good for you. But that doesn’t mean a thing to me.”
LaFiamma hadn’t objected to Ziva when Gibbs told him he was bringing in his whole team. Why would he start now? It didn’t make any sense.
“If this is about her killing a suspect in the elevator"“
“This is about her doing her duty regardless of her personal feelings.”
Gibbs had frowned. “Doing your duty isn’t a bad thing, LaFiamma.”
“And it wouldn’t be in this case either if her sworn duty was to uphold the constitution.” LaFiamma pointed out calmly. “She never promised to defend and serve the people of this nation, the state of Texas or the city of Houston either.”
Plenty of people who took an oath and failed to fulfill it; Shepard was a prime example of that. Just saying the words was meaningless as far as Gibbs was concerned. People had to believe it, to actually mean it. Zive might not have ever made the promise, but she sure a hell wasn’t a threat.
Gibbs glared at the younger man. “Look, LaFiamma"“
“The rest of your team answer only to you. Ziva’s got more than one master.”
“Excuse me?”
“Her daddy and the Mossad still have strings they can pull.”
“I doubt they’d be interested in this.”
“Right.” LaFiamma smirked. “An international arms dealer, even one backed by the CIA, wouldn’t be something the Israelis gave a shit about. No, of course not. Silly me.”
Gibbs’ face flushed remembering the justified sarcasm in LaFiamma’s tone. The younger man was right to call him on such a bonehead statement. Of course, Mossad would be interested…but that didn’t mean they’d do anything about it, at least not on US soil. He’d said as much getting a derisive snort in response.
“Like the borders have ever been sacred.” LaFiamma rolled his eyes. “They’ve already got one operative in this country that we know of…how many more do you think are floating around?”
“Ziva is not an operative.”
“Yeah, well she sure as hell isn’t just another agent, is she? No other agent you’ve got is allied to a foreign power.”
Gibbs had glared at him. “I trust her,” he repeated.
“Even if you are right, and Ziva is trustworthy, that doesn’t mean Shepard won’t call in a favor from her father if she thinks doing so might just save her ass. She created that nifty little liaison position in the first place. Director David might think he owes her something for that. And you know as well as I do calling in a favor could get you more than the use of a private plane or permission to work a case.”
LaFiamma held up a hand when Gibbs would have spoke. His tone was soft but intense, carrying no further than the two of them when he spoke. “Do you really think Director David would refuse to order his daughter to fuck up the investigation if Shepard told him it was in his country’s best interest? Why would he care if it meant one more arms dealer was out of the picture or a drug dealer went down? Hell, maybe it would be just as simple as ordering Ziva to kill someone. Being an assassin is what she trained for long before she started working with you as an investigator. You can’t honestly think she’d put you over dear old dad, a man she’s obeyed her whole damn life.”
Gibbs’ blood had run cold at the thought. “She wouldn’t"“
“She killed her own brother.”
“To save my life!” Gibbs snarled, struggling to keep his voice down. “Ari was a terrorist. She did the right thing--“
“I know what Ari was.” LaFiamma hissed. “And yeah, he needed to be put down. I’m not arguing that. What I’m telling you is that she did it, probably under orders, and his relationship to her didn’t slow her down one bit. You really think her liking Tony, McGee or you would make much difference?”
LaFiamma’s hands clenched into fists. “Ziva and Shepard are friends too, and she owes her a hell of a lot more than she does any of you. You think Ziva will keep that a secret if her friend calls and asks for an update on the case? What do you think Shepard will do once she knows we’re on to her? You think she won’t try to use her relationship with Ziva to her advantage?”
Gibbs had squared his shoulders, unconsciously coming to attention as he faced LaFiamma. “I am not excluding a member of my team.”
“Why not?” LaFiamma raised both eyebrows, voice deceptively mild. “Not like you haven’t done it before. Hell, you left your whole team in the dark more than once.”
Gibbs had come very close belting LaFiamma for that remark. Tony had made him fully aware of that particular mistake. Mike Franks, Maddie Tyler, and a few others immediately came to mind. Gibbs was wrong to have excluded his team, and it was part of the reason Tony left. He didn’t need LaFiamma pointing it out to him.
Gibbs knew the other man saw his struggle to control himself, but LaFiamma didn’t back down. If anything he’d seemed to welcome the challenge.
“I’ve never killed for god or country, Gibbs.” LaFiamma bared his teeth in a smile that had nothing to do with humor, eyes icy with an anger that matched Gibbs’. “So I don’t know much about being a zealot or the military mind set. But I know where to draw the line when it comes to friends and family. You can tell Ziva if you want because I can’t really stop you. We both know that. You say you trust her, fine. But do not expect me to blindly follow when the main reason you trust her is the same reason I don’t. As far as I’m concerned, she’s a threat until she proves otherwise.”
With that LaFiamma had turned and walked away. Gibbs had punched the wall hard enough to leave a dent and make his knuckles sting, earning him a bemused look from Millard.
LaFiamma had made valid points, points that under other circumstances Gibbs might have listened to. But Ziva had saved his life, she’d never shown any disloyalty, she was a good investigator and a full member of the team. LaFiamma was just being paranoid. He’d simply have to deal with it because as he astutely pointed out, he couldn’t prevent Gibbs from telling Ziva anything and everything.
Gibbs had told her when he’d brought McGee and Abby up to speed, hiding nothing and setting them on their new tasks. LaFiamma didn’t comment, his face expressionless as he stood near Lundy’s bed. If not for their earlier conversation, and the way he never took his eyes off Ziva, Gibbs would have thought the man was completely uninterested in his team briefing.
Gibbs sighed. He could have held the briefing in the lounge, or even the hall way if need be. He had done in Tony’s room, wanting to drive home the point with LaFiamma. When it came to his team, he’d handle them how he saw fit.
Gibbs made his way to the stairwell and back to Tony’s room. His little show didn’t seem to have made much of an impact.
LaFiamma kept an eye on Ziva the entire time she was in the room. Gibbs could tell the weight of his gaze got to her. Ziva didn’t fidget or give any outward show of nervousness, but to Gibbs it was obvious she was uneasy with his scrutiny. She gave him the same measuring look that had always been so effective at getting Tony to back off---it was a look that said she could kill him a dozen ways with a paperclip. All it earned her from LaFiamma was a measuring look of his own---one that blatantly dared her to try.
Abby and McGee seemed oblivious to the silent byplay, but Ducky had looked askance at Gibbs clearly wanting to know what was up. Gibbs had silently signaled he’d explain later. He wanted that conversation to be private; he couldn’t see leaving while LaFiamma was still so hostile toward Ziva; telling Ducky about the younger man’s paranoia would just have to wait.
The team had protested when Gibbs ordered them to get some rest, but he’d made it an order. No one challenged him after that, although Ducky had asked when and where Gibbs would be getting some rest of his own.
“Right here” Gibbs patted the chair that Abby had been sitting in.
“Jethro, that is hardly"“
“It’ll do, Duck,”
The older man had sighed heavily. “It’s like wrestling with a pig in mud.”
“After awhile you realize the pig is having fun and you aren’t going to win,” Lundy said softly, once more surprising Gibbs by being awake when he was sure the man was sound asleep.
“I’m sorry, Levon, we didn’t mean to wake you.” Ducky clucked his tongue, sounding remorseful.
“Wasn’t you.” Lundy shifted his position, wincing as he did so. “Was my bum leg.”
“Time for your pain meds.”
“No it ain’t.”
“Lundy"“
“I said no, LaFiamma.”
“You’re in pain"“
“Not like I haven’t been in pain before.”
“No reason you have to suffer now, you stubborn bastard.”
“No.”
The muscles in LaFiamma’s jaw flexed. He and Lundy stared at one another. At their first meeting Gibbs had pegged Lundy as the dominant personality. He’d been able to stop his partner in mid rant with decidedly little effort and had forced him to allow Gibbs to have time with Tony when LaFiamma would obviously have preferred to just shoot Gibbs and be done with it. But this time around it seemed as though LaFiamma was the one in charge, not backing down from anything or anyone.
LaFiamma tipped the scale in his favor in a way Gibbs never would have expected. He didn’t argue his point, didn’t force Lundy to acquiesce, he never even raised his voice. LaFiamma looked at him, eyes speaking eloquently while he simply said, “please”.
Lundy had sighed. “That’s cheating.”
LaFiamma grinned, entwining his fingers with Lundy’s. “All fair in love and war.”
“Expect you to remember that when it’s your turn.”
“No promises, Cowboy.”
“I hate you.”
“No you don’t.” LaFiamma said confidently, hitting the call button.
Gibbs had eyed the rest of his team. If they saw anything amiss in the byplay, it didn’t show. He didn’t know if they knew Lundy and LaFiamma were more than just partners or not. Ducky probably did. The older man was far more worldly than most would expect. Abby might know, given her relationship to Tony it was possible he’d mentioned it. McGee didn’t seem overly sensitive to the sort of signals and cues the Houston cops put out. Ziva was sharp enough to catch on, but her wariness around LaFiamma might have made it hard for her to focus on anything else.
The doctor’s appearance had been a signal for everyone else to leave. Gibbs expected LaFiamma to bring up again that Ziva shouldn’t be trusted, taking the opportunity to press home the point once more, but the other man said nothing more about it. Evidently he’d spoken his piece and that was all there was to it. Gibbs found it to rather disconcerting.
Tony would have continued to voice objections, he’d have kept looking for proof to justify or explain his stance. LaFiamma clearly had written off arguing with Gibbs as a lost cause. But he hadn’t given up by any means. His reaction to Ziva made it painfully clear that LaFiamma’s opinion hadn’t been swayed by Gibbs any more than Gibbs had been swayed by him. Unlike Tony, he had no reason to trust Gibbs’ gut or accept anything he said at face value. He wasn’t looking for approval or seeking guidance from Gibbs.
Gibbs found himself wondering if Tony would be more like LaFiamma now than the man he remembered. Gibbs wasn’t his boss any more. Tony didn’t have to work to meet his unreasonable expectations or demands. He didn’t have to trust Gibbs’ gut more than he did his own. His theories could get equal weight and respect rather than being belittled or dismissed out of hand. It didn’t sound like he had to seek approval or go to great lengths to get acknowledgement.
LaFiamma had called him because he said Tony would want him to know he’d gotten hurt. But that didn’t automatically mean Tony would welcome his presence in Houston. Yes, they were on much better terms, forging a genuine friendship, but that didn’t mean he’d want Gibbs in Houston in an official capacity. Would he be pissed finding Gibbs and his old team messing around with his case? Would Tony see it as assistance or interference? Would he understand Gibbs wanted to help and was trying to do that the best way he knew how? He was trying to cover Tony’s six the way he should have been doing all along.
Would Tony be glad to see Gibbs when he found out Shepard had once again fucked with his life? That their continued efforts to see Shepard answer for Rene Benoit’s death might have played a role in Tony and Lundy nearly getting killed? He couldn’t see Tony thanking him for that bit of bad news.
Uncomfortable with where his thoughts were taking him, knowing it wasn’t productive, resenting LaFiamma for making him doubt himself, Gibbs had gone for coffee…again and again.
Gibbs took another sip of his coffee, letting the familiar heat and bitter flavor relax him. He could try to sleep a little, but he doubted he’d have any luck.
Gibbs nodded to the uniformed officer on duty. He didn’t know this one’s name, and hadn’t asked, thinking the less he said the better. This one didn’t regard him with suspicion or animosity, and Gibbs would like to keep it that way.
Gibbs tapped softly on the door, even though LaFiamma had been sleeping on Lundy’s bed when he left. The first time Gibbs had come back from a coffee run, LaFiamma had woken in an instant reaching for his gun when Gibbs had tried to slip silently back into the room. It had fostered a new respect for the younger man’s reflexes and awareness.
Stepping into the dimly lit room, Gibbs wasn’t surprised to see LaFiamma’s eyes open. Once he recognized Gibbs, his eyes closed, breathing evening out almost immediately in a tell tale sign of deep sleep.
“Boy is part cat,” Lundy whispered, startling Gibbs.
“He’s not the only one,” Gibbs returned with a wry smile. Lundy was as full of surprises as his partner.
“You bring an extra cup?” Brown eyes stared at the cup in Gibbs’ hand.
“You aren’t supposed to have any.” Lundy had asked for a coffee several times. Dr. Kline had vetoed the idea.
“So?”
Gibbs chuckled. “Don’t think LaFiamma would approve of me sneaking you some.”
“He doesn’t need to know.”
“You really think he’d sleep through me coming over there?”
Lundy rolled his eyes. “Thought you were some super Marine sniper dude.”
“I can take out a gnat at five hundred yards,” Gibbs smiled, “but hitting a target from that distance isn’t the same as getting coffee to you past your over protective partner.”
Lundy laughed quietly. “You’re just chicken.”
Gibbs sat down, not rising to the bait. Lundy sighed, a sound laced with disappointment. Gibbs could, unfortunately, empathize. He hated going without coffee.
He was half way through the cup when he noticed Tony showing signs of waking. His right leg shifted, his hands flexed, and his eyelids fluttered. Gibbs quickly stood, dropping the unfinished beverage in the trash as he grabbed Tony’s nearest hand. Somehow it made sense that Tony would wake up at three in the morning. He is a night owl after all, Gibbs thought inanely.
“DiNozzo,” Gibbs called softly, “can you hear me?”
LaFiamma was next to the bed a second later, holding Tony’s other hand. “Lundy hit the call button,” he said over his shoulder.
“Already done, Joe.”
“Tony…time to get up now.” LaFiamma cajoled. “You’ve been sleeping long enough.”
Tony’s eyelids fluttered open briefly before closing again. Gibbs squeezed the hand he held. “Enough napping on the job, DiNozzo,” he murmured, letting some exasperation and annoyance leach into his tone knowing it was what Tony would expect from him. “Wake up now.”
Cloudy green eyes opened to half mast. Tony blinked again, eyes clearing as he became more awake and aware. His brow furrowed as he looked at Gibbs. He tried to speak, panic flaring almost immediately when he realized he couldn’t. Gibbs knew first hand how waking up with a tube shoved down your throat, being unable to draw air around the obstruction, having a machine forcing you to inhale and exhale whether you wanted to or not, was terrifying. Gibbs found himself not just holding Tony’s hand but actively holding it down, trying to prevent the instinctive need to pull whatever was block his throat out. LaFiamma pinned Tony’s other arm, holding it in place.
Tony whimpered, and began to fight harder to escape. Gibbs hated how helpless he felt. He had no idea what to do or say. Ducky should be here. He’d know what to do.
LaFiamma used his free hand to cup Tony’s chin turning his head. “Look at me. Look. At. Me.” The command was sharp, forceful, and Gibbs nearly found himself complying with it even though it wasn’t directed at him.
Wild green eyes met calm blue. “Relax. You are in the hospital. You’re on a respirator. You are not dying. You can breathe. Don’t fight the machine. That’s it. Good. You are okay, Tony. It’s all right.”
Gibbs could feel Tony trembling, but LaFiamma’s voice remained rock steady and reassuring. “Relax, Tony. Just relax. The doctor is coming. We’ll get the tube out as soon as we can. Just take it easy.”
LaFiamma kept up a steady stream of babbling reassurance, keeping Tony quiet. Gibbs had expected to see Kline walk in when the door opened, and was surprised to see a petite woman in a nurse’s uniform. He didn’t want some damn nurse who looked more like a teenage candy stripper.
“Get a doctor in here. Now.” Gibbs snapped at her when she didn’t move fast enough to suit him.
She fled, returning a moment later with another, older, heavier black woman in tow. Gibbs nearly snarled at her as well, until he remembered being introduced to her earlier as the doctor on duty for the graveyard shift, Brenda Iddings.
“What seems to be the problem?” She asked.
“Tony’s awake.” LaFiamma told her.
And he’s scared, Gibbs wanted to shout at her, do something.
“He’d like to have the respirator removed,” LaFiamma said, making it almost sound like a polite request. It was an impressive display of control given his eyes revealed as much angst as Gibbs was feeling.
Iddings approached, moving with an easy grace of someone comfortable in her own skin. She smiled at Tony. “Okay, Sweetie, I know waking up like this isn’t any fun, and I’m going to make you more comfortable, but I need you to hold still for me. Can you do that?”
Tony’s looked to LaFiamma, green eyes wide, clearly seeking some sort of guidance.
“You can do it, Tony. It’ll be just a few more minutes. You can hang tough for that long. I know you can.”
Tony looked at Iddings. He jerked his head in a sharp nod.
“Good man.” Iddings’ smile got warmer in obvious approval. She patted LaFiamma on the shoulder. “Could you step back, please?”
LaFiamma stepped away from the bed but stayed within Tony’s line of sight. Gibbs started to step back as well, but Tony’s grip on his hand tightened, holding him in place.
Iddings must have seen it quickly offering reassurances to Tony. “That’s fine, Baby, he can stay if you want him to. I just need one of them to give me a little space.” She winked at him. “A lady of my pleasantly plump size needs room to work.”
She started checking on the various machines Tony was connected to. “Now don’t worry, Sweet Pea, I’m just making sure you don’t need this thing. Once I know you are okay without it, I’ll get rid of it. We don’t want to take it away too soon. Okay?”
Her decidedly motherly bedside manner was exactly what Tony needed. Gibbs could tell her gentle touch, the causal endearments she used while explaining everything, her deliberate, careful approach made it easier for Tony to stay relaxed. She had what Abby would have called a ‘caring, non-threatening aura’.
Even though she wasn’t wasting time, Gibbs still wanted to tell her to hurry the hell up. Tony was no longer panicking but he was still unhappy with the situation. Gibbs couldn’t tell if that was because he was still scared or if he was in pain.
“Okay, Honey, I need for you to cough as I remove the tube. You ready?”
Tony nodded. He watched her every move anxiously.
Gibbs had expected more effort to be involved, but Idding’s removed the tube with one, smooth pull. She was obviously no novice, and for that Gibbs was grateful. Tony coughed weakly a few times.
“You okay?”
“Yeah.” The word was little more than a hoarse whisper.
Iddings reached for a cup of ice chips on the nightstand. The cup had been refilled regularly in anticipation of Tony’s return to consciousness. In spite of the regular attention, it was still more water than ice. She used a nearby spoon to fish out the floating ice.
“How about a few ice chips? It’ll help you throat.”
Tony took the small spoonful she offered. He took three more before signaling he’d had enough.
“What’s your name, Honey?”
“Tony.” His voice so quiet Gibbs had to listen hard to hear him.
“Tony what?”
“DiNozzo.”
“Do you know where you are?”
Tony nodded. “Hospital.”
“Do you know where the hospital is?”
“Houston.”
“How old are you?”
“Thirty-eight.”
The routine questions and Tony’s quick answers helped Gibbs relax. No one had said anything about a head injury but it was good to know Tony was playing with a full deck just the same. His breathing wasn’t as steady as when he was on the respirator, but Gibbs thought it looked and sounded far more natural.
Tony shifted and then gasped, eyes closing as his face drained of what little color it had. His hold on Gibbs’ hand went painfully tight. Gibbs glared at the doctor.
“He’s in pain.”
“I know, Mr. Gibbs, and I’m going to do something about that.” She patted Tony’s shoulder. “Sugar, on a scale of one to ten, how’s your pain?”
Tony swallowed and then opened his eyes. “I’m fine.”
“That’s not the answer I asked for.” She gave him a firm look that would have been right at home in a grade school class. “Scale of one to ten, how is the pain?”
“Four.”
“That’s better.” She nodded and fiddled with something on his IV stand. “I’ve increased your painkiller.”
Tony shook his head. “No…Please…I don’t want"“
“I told them you don’t do well with painkillers, Tony. It’s okay.” LaFiamma gave him an understanding smile, reaching out to touch him, long fingers curling around Tony’s ankle. “Dr. Kline made sure you’re not going to get anything that will mess you up.”
Tony gave his cousin a tired smile. “Thanks.”
Gibbs knew about Tony’s occasional bad reactions to painkillers, but he’d never thought to ask if it were related to certain types or all of them. He added that willful ignorance to the list of things he needed to make up for. He’d been Tony’s medical proxy. It was the sort of thing he should have made a point to find out.
“I’ll be back to check on you in a little while.” Iddings told Tony. She moved the cable the call button was on so it was with in easy reach of his hand. “If you need anything you just hit the button.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, Sweet Pea.” She laid a hand on his forehead in a brief caress. “You get some rest now.”
She hesitated by Lundy’s bedside. “You doing okay, Sugar?”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
“All right then.” She nodded. “You get some rest too now, you hear?”
“I hear.”
Tony turned his head, eyes seeking out his friend. “Levon?”
“Right here, Tony.”
“You…okay, Cowboy?”
“Getting there, Slick.”
Tony’s eyes shifted to LaFiamma. LaFiamma’s lips curled upward in wry smile. “He’s telling the truth….for once.”
Tony grinned. “First time…for everything.”
“So they tell me.”
“The others"“
“Bit battered and bruised but otherwise just fine.” LaFiamma assured him.
“Good.” Tony looked at Gibbs. He frowned. “Gibbs?”
“Yeah, Tony?
“What are you…doing..here?”
“Watching your six, DiNozzo.” Gibbs squeezed the hand he was still holding trying to convey how relieved he was Tony was awake, how grateful he was that Tony would be okay.
“You came…all this way…for me?”
“Just for you.” Gibbs confirmed.
Gibbs had forgotten how bright and joyful Tony’s smile could be. He realized just how much he’d missed seeing it, and being the reason for it. Tony was happy to see him. He might not be later, when he found out about Shepard and everything else, but for right now, Tony was happy.
“S’nice to know…Boss.”
Tony’s eyes drifted closed. He was asleep a second later. Gibbs flexed his fingers, preparing to let go of Tony’s hand, only to have the younger man’s grip tighten.
Gibbs smiled. He had no problem with hanging on for as long as Tony wanted him to.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Gibbs talks to LaFiamma about what he now knows and his team. Tony wakes up
Chapter End Notes:
Because of how the most recent season ended, I felt like including a few of the issues raised in Aliyah. Not really spoilers per se, but fair warning just the same.