Gibbs realized being in his home was not all that was needed. So, after a week he decided to take Tony into work with him. Gibbs had used some of his accrued time off to stay with Tony since his accident. This was his first day back to work. Kate and Tim had been reassigned to other teams until Gibbs returned. So, today was their first day back on the team also.
The elevator dinged and Gibbs and Tony stepped off. Gibbs breathed an internal sigh of relief. He was glad to be back. It felt right. The ride over had been uneventful. Tony had remembered none of the city scenery. He had remembered nothing of the Naval Yard. Being in the building had triggered nothing for him either, except when he got to his own desk. He paused for a moment.
"This is mine right?" Tony asked, pointing to his own desk.
Gibbs smiled.
"Okay, I got something right, you're smiling." Tony observed. "So this is my desk.
Gibbs nodded.
Tony went and sat down. He started randomly opening drawers pens, pencils, office supplies, nothing there. He then opened another drawer and stopped. There was a gray metal box in the drawer. He took it out. It was locked.
"Gibbs, would you know where the key is to this?" Tony asked.
Gibbs nodded. He recognized the box as the one containing his medals and citations. He produced the key, it was on Tony's key ring with his car keys and he opened the box.
Tony sat quietly looking at the medals. He asked. "Why would I hold your medals in my desk?"
Gibbs turned and walked to his desk. He opened a draw and took out a similar sized and colored box. "Because I keep yours." Gibbs opened box and inside were 3 velvet cases. He picked up the first case and opened it. He handed it to Tony.
"Bravery above and beyond the call of duty." Tony read. Tony handed the medal back to Gibbs and Gibbs put it take in the box.
"The other two are for the same thing." Gibbs said as Tony took out the other two boxes and opened them up.
Tony put the boxes back into the lock box. "I'm sorry. I don't remember." Tony said shaking his head. He put his head in his hands.
Gibbs put his hand to the back of Tony's neck. Tony cringed. He didn't know why. But he then relaxed almost instantly. "You have nothing to be sorry for. You are trying to remember, Tony. I know you are."
Tony opened another drawer, shoved in the back was a supply of plastic forks in a large plastic bag. Tony smiled, shaking his head. "Kate."
Gibbs looked at him confused.
"Kate throws away the forks when she orders Chinese." Tony explained.
Gibbs nodded. He knew this to be a fact because he had seen her do it himself. She loved to torture Tony that way.
Gibbs patted Tony on the back. "See, you're remembering."
Tony looked at Gibbs. "Don't tell her about those." Tony shoved the forks back into the drawer and closed it.
Gibbs nodded and smiled.
Tim and Kate showed up at this time. They did a double take and stopped in their tracks, seeing Tony sitting at his desk.
Tim was the first to speak. "Good to see you, Tony. Glad you're back."
"Aww, you missed me, Probie." Tony said.
McGee turned and looked at him, mouth open.
"What?!" Tony asked.
"You called me Probie." Tim answered.
"Yeah, you're a probationary agent." Tony answered.
"I'm glad you're remembering me." McGee said.
"Glad you're back, DiNozzo." Kate said putting her coat and purse away at her desk.
Tony smiled at her. Aside from the thing about the forks, he didn't remember anything else.
"Let's go see Abby, Tony." Gibbs said after inspection of the contents of Tony's desk produced no more memories.
Tony looked at him for just a moment.
"Goth girl." Gibbs added.
Tony nodded. He thought she was someone special to him, but he didn't exactly know why. Tony walked into the lab with the same bemused look on his face he had seen her a few days ago. He braced himself, but he was not sure why.
Abby turned and ran to Gibbs throwing herself into his arms when she saw him. "I'm so glad you're back, Gibbs. It has been a really long, boring week."
Abby let go of Gibbs. She noticed Tony was no longer standing beside him. He had wandered over and had picked up Bert. She walked over to him and took Bert out of his hands. "Nobody touches Bert." She squeezed him and put him back in his accustomed place.
Tony was unphased. "I gave you Bert. It was in New Orleans, a convention. I was working...not here...I don't know where." Tony smiled. "I finally figured it out...Bertram...my alias. You named him after...me, but you didn't know it was not my name at the time."
Abby nodded, tears streaming down her face. She hugged Tony tight. Tighter than she had hugged anybody before. "You remember me. I love Bert. He's the best present ever, Tony."
Tony smiled. "I could never forget my Goth Girl. And I never told you, but Bert didn't come with his spiked collar. I stole it off a bulldog in the gift shop and put it on Bert. It just seemed to fit better. It fit you."
Abby released Tony. She fingered the collar. "I always wondered where the collar came from. I couldn't imagine Bert had came that way."
Abby hugged Tony again, another monster hug. "I've missed you so much. I know you don't remember everything, but you will. Give it time." Abby whispered in his ear. "I love you."
"I love you, too." Tony whispered back.
Abby released Tony again. "I have work to do. You too scoot." Abby said smiling as she wiped her eyes and turned back to her computer screen.
"Where to now, Boss?" Tony said.
"Autopsy." Gibbs said. He was thrilled at Abby's and Tony's interaction. He was so glad Tony was coming back to him. Even if it took months and it was only bits and pieces at a time. He would take it.
Ducky looked up when the doors slid open. He smiled when he saw Tony.
"Anthony, my dear boy, good to see you again." Ducky said, stopping his work.
"Hello, Ducky." Tony replied.
"So, Jethro, is your little field trip jogging Tony's memory?" Ducky asked.
"A little bit, he's remembering some things. He's not doing bad." Gibbs stated.
Ducky nodded. "This reminds me of a time when I was a child. A neighborhood boy, a friend of mine was hit...." Ducky was starting to get animated, pointing to his head.
Tony seemed to have wondered off and was looking around the room. "Gerald. I wanted to see him."
"Anthony, Gerald no longer works here. He may never come back to work here, his injuries. He has a lot of physical therapy to go through yet."
Tony looked at Ducky, confused. He opened his mouth go speak, but didn't know what to say.
"Mr. Palmer is here now. Jimmy Palmer, he is my new intern, medical student. He is a good lad." Ducky reflected. "A little misguided at times, perhaps...."
"Ducky." Gibbs said, bringing Ducky back to the present.
"Oh, yes." Ducky invited Tony to sit on one of tables and he hoped up on one. "I assume you would like me to examine the boy while you are here."
"Yes, I would, Ducky." Gibbs agreed.
Ducky concluded his exam in moments. "Anthony, your ribs are healing well. The bump on your head had gone down. Your bruises have disappeared. You still need to take your meds though. You winced when I probed your ribs, so they are still sore."
Tony hopped down off the table and buttoned his shirt. He nodded at Ducky's results. "Ducky, what happened to the boy from your childhood?"
"It ended well, my boy, he remembered all except the incident itself. It took him a year, though." Ducky noted Tony's expression and spoke again. "It will not take you that long, Anthony. You have started remembering sooner than he did." Ducky patted Tony's shoulder reassuringly.
Tony looked at Ducky and Palmer in turn. "I'm trying. I really am." Tony then shook his head.
"I know, Tony." Palmer said. "And I didn't take offense. I know you and Gerald are good friends. He's a really good guy from what Dr. Mallard says. I know you want to remember, just give yourself time. It'll come."
Ducky nodded. "I echo Mr. Palmer's sentiments. Give it time, Anthony."
Tony nodded and he and Gibbs left Autopsy.
TBC
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