Chapter 18: Breaking Jaws
Gibbs growled when he was relegated to the waiting room in the ER. He wanted to stay with Tony; hell, he needed to stay with Tony. A nurse stepped up to him as Tony was rolled away, her hands raised in a gentle halting motion, and smiled sadly at him.
“I know you are concerned for your friend, Agent…” she said softly.
“Gibbs. My name is Gibbs. Tony is my partner,” Gibbs choked out. “He’s under my guard; we’re federal agents. I’m his next of kin and medical power of attorney.”
The nurse, whose name badge said ‘Alice,’ narrowed her eyes just slightly. “I understand,” she said, in that same soft voice. She wasn’t going to out these two, but she could obviously see the signs of distress from the agent in the waiting room. This was more than a working relationship, and more than a protective duty assignment. “Let me talk with the doctor, let us get your partner checked in, and I’ll be right back out to get you. Just a few minutes, alright?”
Gibbs’ hand wrapped gently around her wrist as she turned to move away. “Please,” he said softly, his voice cracking. “If he’s scared…tell him he’s safe. Tell him I’m coming. Please? And please hurry.” Gibbs hated himself for the way he sounded so vulnerable, but he felt so helpless. He hated that he had left Tony, should never have left him alone in the house…
“Of course.” Alice nodded and was gone.
Gibbs began to pace, his fingers laced around the back of his neck, eyes narrowed to barely open squints, and he waited. He hoped Alice hadn’t lied to him.
A few moments later, a gentle hand rested on his shoulder and he whipped around, surprised at the sudden contact. He let out a harsh breath when he saw that it was Ducky and Abby, and not Alice.
“Where’s Alice,” Gibbs asked, looking around. “Has she come back yet? Did I somehow miss her?”
Ducky and Abby exchanged a silent look and Ducky took a gentle step forward. “My dear boy are you alright?”
“I need to find the nurse…her name is Alice. She said she was going to get me back to see Tony. She said she’d be right back. Why hasn’t she come back yet?”
Ducky nodded. “Jethro you look like you’re in a bit of shock, dear boy. Come have a seat.” The older man led Gibbs to a nearby chair and gently pushed him down into it.
“It’s all my fault Duck,” Gibbs whispered, shaky hands running through his hair. “My fault.”
“Jethro I dare say you are not the one who is at fault here. Indeed, it is that rascal Declan O’Sullivan who is at fault. He is the one who has inflicted the damage here--not you.”
“No you don’t understand Ducky,” Gibbs mumbled. “I left him alone. Your mother had gone outside and Tony begged me to go out and get her so she could stay inside where it was safe. I shouldn’t have listened…shouldn’t have done it…should have stayed with him. This wouldn’t have happened if I--”
Gibbs’ words were cut off by a sharp headslap to the back of his head. He turned widened eyes toward Abby.
“Sorry,” Abby said contritely. “I just can’t sit here and listen to you beat yourself up like this. Sure you shouldn’t have left him Gibbs, but you’re human--you had people all around the house; there was no reason to think that the bastard could get anywhere near him! THIS. IS. NOT. YOUR. FAULT.”
“I am inclined to agree with Abigail, Jethro,” Ducky said. “Under the circumstances, if you had been in the house, Declan would likely have killed you to get to Tony. Where would that have gotten you?”
“But I would have been there,” Gibbs said, a bit desperately. “I would have been with him, would have kept my promise that he wouldn’t be alone…would have kept my promise that Declan O’Sullivan wouldn’t hurt him ever again,” his voice faded to a whisper.
“Jethro…Tony does not blame you. I’m sure he--”
“Excuse me,” Alice stepped up. “Agent Gibbs?”
“Is Tony alright? Can I see him?”
“If you’ll just follow me. I’m sorry but the rest of you…”
“Oh we understand ma’am that’s okay,” Abby said. “Gibbs needs to be with Tony. The rest of us will see him whenever the doctor gives the okay.”
Gibbs was mildly shocked at the evenness of Abby’s voice and how in-control she sounded. “I’ll keep you updated,” Gibbs said. Then he followed Alice away without a backward glance.
Alice glanced surreptitiously at the federal agent walking beside her as they walked down the long hallway. The man was tense, on edge. “Agent Gibbs are you alright?”
Gibbs didn’t look at her, instead kept his gaze focused on the hall ahead of him. “I’ll be fine once I see Tony’s alright.”
“I know the doctor gave him something for the pain a few minutes ago. He may be sleeping.”
“Oh knowing Tony he’ll be shooting his mouth off in some insane prattle that will make your brain hurt,” Gibbs said with a smirk.
Alice pulled back a curtain and stepped inside a cubicle. “Tony? Agent Gibbs is here to see you.” She spoke a bit louder to Tony than she had to Gibbs and ran her fingers over his good arm firmly.
Tony’s eyes fluttered open and he stared blearily for a moment and then smiled slightly. “Hey ‘oss,” he said, his eyes flickering to the nurse. His words were slurred just a bit.
“We’ll be back in a moment to move you to x-ray,” Alice said and then she was gone.
Gibbs watched her go and once the curtain was closed behind her, he moved right up to Tony and ran his fingers through the younger man’s hair. “You okay?”
“Mmmh,” Tony said softly, nodding slowly. “Dey sink my jawsh boke,” he slurred quietly. Gibbs’ eyes narrowed in concern. “’m ok,” Tony said. “Noh mah firs ‘ime. Ga’ me some pain mehs.”
Gibbs nodded, but it made him sick to think that Tony was not unfamiliar with having his jaw broken. “Alice said they gave you something for the pain.” He pressed a kiss to Tony’s forehead. “I was so worried,” he whispered.
“’m ok,” Tony said again.
“Shhhh you shouldn’t try to talk. It must hurt,” Gibbs said sympathetically. Tony nodded pitifully. “They check everything else out,” Gibbs asked and Tony nodded again. Gibbs stood quietly beside his partner for a moment, running his fingers through Tony’s hair and being thankful that his lover was still alive. Tony finally dropped off to sleep with Gibbs’ gentle ministrations, just as the doctor appeared with Alice to move Tony to x-ray.
“You’re his partner?” The doctor looked at Gibbs. Gibbs nodded. “You can come with us,” the doctor said as they began to push Tony out of the room. “Heard he’s under guard.”
“That’s right,” Gibbs said, walking along beside Tony.
“I’m Dr. Bradley, attending resident.”
“Agent Gibbs.”
As they entered the x-ray theater, Dr. Bradley began barking orders. Gibbs smiled. He liked this doctor--he reminded Gibbs of himself.
“Okay people we’re going to do this quickly. Patient has symptoms of a mandibular dislocation. He also has prior shoulder, rib, knee and ankle injuries. We need to get these pictures taken as quickly as possible!”
Gibbs stood behind the screen with the doctor and watched the computer with the technician as x-rays of Tony’s jaw, shoulder, ribs, knee and ankle were taken. The doctor stroked his chin as he surveyed the damage, his eyes narrowed in concentration.
“His jaw is definitely dislocated, but I don’t see any evidence that it’s broken. That’s good. We’ll get the maxillofacial specialist to come down and reduce that as soon as he can. His ribs don’t show signs of further breakage, but I do see where they were broken not too long ago. His collarbone is going to have to be reset I’m afraid.”
“He broke it again?” Gibbs knew that having the use of only one arm had been a source of great frustration for Tony for weeks now.
Dr. Bradley shook his head. “No it merely aggravated the break he already had. He reinjured it in what appears to be the same spot.”
“Will it need surgery?”
Dr. Bradley shook his head again. “I don’t think so. Who is his orthopedist?”
“Dr. Corkran.”
“I know him. I’ll call him to come look at these films. Did he do all the work on his collarbone?”
Gibbs nodded. “His knee and ankle as well.”
Dr. Bradley looked at the screen of Tony’s knee. “This looks like it has been repaired recently.”
“He had surgery on it yesterday,” Gibbs said softly, his eyes not moving from the x-ray screens on the light bar.
“Yesterday?”
Gibbs nodded. He looked at the doctor then and shrugged helplessly. “Been a rough couple of days,” he said quietly.
“There doesn’t appear to be any new damage to his ankle but his knee…I’m going to have Dr. Corkran take a look at it also. Just to be safe.” Gibbs nodded. “In the mean time, we’re going to go ahead and set him up in a room. I don’t think I need to tell you that he’s in no shape to go home. Maybe tomorrow, depending on how he’s doing, but more than likely in a couple of days.”
Gibbs nodded again and watched as they loaded Tony back onto the gurney from the x-ray table he’d been set on when they arrived. “Is Dr. Brown working?”
“Dr. Brown? She should be. Would you like me to call her?”
“She took care of Tony when he sustained all of these…injuries,” Gibbs said quietly. “I’d like her to be involved again if it’s no trouble.”
“No trouble at all Mr. Gibbs. In fact, that’s actually better. I’m a resident in the ER, so that is typically where I spend all of my time. I’ll pass Tony’s records on to Dr. Brown for you and she will take over for me upstairs.”
“Great, thanks.”
Dr. Bradley smiled at Gibbs. “I know it’s been a rough couple of days. I can look at both of you and tell that much. Why don’t you go find some lunch, maybe a cup of coffee. It’s going to take a while to get the specialists and everyone lined up and get Tony moved to a room.”
Gibbs shook his head. “He’s under protection detail,” he explained. “He’s supposed to have me or another agent with him at all times. I’d prefer it were me.”
Dr. Bradley nodded. “I understand. I just thought perhaps you’d like a break. We’re playing the waiting game now. Tony’s been given some good pain meds; he shouldn’t wake up or be in much pain for the next few hours. It’d be ideal for us to have his jaw and collarbone set for him by the time that medication wears off.”
“The less pain we can keep him in the better,” Gibbs said. “He’s had a rough…a rough time,” he finished gruffly. “He deserves a break from the pain.”
Dr. Bradley smiled. “Well I am not one of those doctors who believes in skimping on pain medication. If Tony needs it, he will get it. I don’t like my patients to hurt.”
Gibbs nodded. They returned to the cubicle where they’d previously been and Gibbs sat on the only chair in the room. “I won’t wake him,” he said.
“If I thought you were going to I’d make you wait outside in the hall,” Dr. Bradley said. “Shall I close the glass door and leave the curtain open? The glass is bullet resistant--not that I’m anticipating a shooter in here anytime soon, but it does provide a bit of quiet.”
“The only person who would be shooting at any of us today is in the NCIS morgue,” Gibbs said darkly and Dr. Bradley’s eyebrows rose a bit. “But that’d be good if you’d shut the door. Tony’s a bit of a restless sleeper. Noise makes that worse.”
Dr. Bradley wondered at this pair. There was something not being said and while he thought he might know what it was, he wasn’t going to ask. It was none of his business. “Of course Agent Gibbs,” he replied. “I’ll check back in a few minutes to let you know how things are going. Once Dr. Brown gets the file she may come check on Tony too and supervise the transport upstairs.”
“Thanks,” Gibbs said, and then he was alone with his sleeping partner.
xxx
Gibbs knew the painkillers Tony was dosed up with must be powerful because through all of the bustle of moving him upstairs and from the stretcher to the bed, Tony never stirred. Gibbs was glad. He nodded his silent thanks to Ducky when the elderly doctor brought Jethro a steaming cup of “the good stuff” from the nurses’ station.
“Has the maxillofacial specialist been by yet, Jethro?”
Gibbs was sitting poised on the side of Tony’s bed facing his lover. He had Tony’s good hand clasped in his own in his lap, and in the other hand he held an icepack gently to his lover’s face.
“Not yet Duck,” Gibbs said softly. “Should be here anytime.”
Ducky stood on the other side of Tony’s bed. “Seems like not very long ago we were doing this very same thing,” Ducky said softly, a sad expression on his face.
Gibbs nodded. “You’re right. Hopefully this will be the last time though.” Ducky nodded in agreement.
A few moments later, a large, burly looking man entered the room. He was wearing green surgical scrubs and looked like he could bench press Gibbs or Tony. Or both. Gibbs narrowed his eyes, and without realizing it, let his hand drift towards his gun.
“I’m Dr. McLaren,” the man boomed, his voice as big as he was. “Maxillofacial specialist and surgeon. You must be Agent Gibbs.” He held out his hand.
Gibbs shook the huge man’s hand. “I am,” he said tightly. “This is Tony,” he indicated the sleeping man, “and Tony’s personal physician and friend, Dr. Donald Mallard.”
“My pleasure,” Ducky said pleasantly.
Dr. McLaren turned on the x-ray viewing screen and began to study it closely. He had thin wire-rimmed glasses, short dark hair and a goatee and he stroked his chin thoughtfully as he studied the images of Tony’s face. After a moment, he turned away from the x-rays and moved close to Tony.
“I’d like to take a look and see how the swelling is,” the doctor lowered his voice so he wouldn’t wake his sleeping patient. With a gentleness that Gibbs wouldn’t have thought possible, Dr. McLaren carefully moved the ice pack away from Tony’s jaw.
“Oh yes I can see the dislocation,” he said. He pointed with one finger along the curve of Tony’s jaw. “Right though here, you can see how the lines just don’t look right.” Gibbs nodded.
Dr. McLaren picked up Tony’s chart and glanced through it. “I’m going to give him a bit of morphine to supplement the painkillers he was already given. I’m also going to administer a light sedative to keep him relaxed. It can actually do more damage if he struggles than if we just pop it back into place without him fighting it. By medicating him like this it will also allow him to rest a bit after the dislocation is reduced. The soft tissue around his bones needs time to tighten back up. He’ll be on a soft foods diet for at least a month, perhaps longer. Ice everyday for a week, 20 min on, an hour off. Does he have someone to stay with?”
“He’ll be with me,” Gibbs said quietly.
Dr. McLaren nodded. “I’ll give you some information on mandibular dislocation, so you’ll know more about his recovery and what he needs to do to take care of himself.”
“Thanks,” Gibbs said softly.
“I’m just going to step out and get those medications. I will be right back in a moment.” The door shut behind him and the three men were alone again.
“Easy Jethro,” Ducky said softly. “He’s going to be alright. And this man certainly seems to know what he’s doing.”
Gibbs nodded. “I just hate this,” he muttered. He felt helpless. He hated feeling helpless.
The door opened and Dr. McLaren was back with Dr. Brown in tow. “Dr. Brown told me about the needles to use on Mr. DiNozzo,” he said.
“Tony,” Gibbs said softly.
“What?”
“He likes to be called Tony,” Gibbs said.
“Ah, of course! Tony it is then!” The doctor smiled at Gibbs. “The morphine can go straight into his IV port, but this sedative I want to administer intramuscularly so that it will take effect just a few moments quicker,” he said, deftly injecting the medication into the sleeping man.
Gibbs watched, fascinated by this man. He was a big guy--with a big personality--but he seemed to be a gentle giant. Tony didn’t even stir when he was given the shot. Gibbs would have sworn that Tony was completely relaxed before he was given the additional medication. However, the instant it started working, it was visibly obvious--Tony all but melted into the mattress. His body was completely limp, and his jaw hung open at a slightly wrong angle.
“We’ll give that just another minute to work and then I’ll reduce that dislocation,” the doctor said, replacing the ice pack on Tony’s jaw.
A soft knock at the door drew everyone’s attention and Dr. Corkran poked his head in. “Well I’m glad I was invited to the party,” he said softly with a smile. “Though I wish it were under better circumstances.”
“I was just about to reduce this dislocation and I will be out of your way,” Dr. McLaren said.
“Take your time,” Dr. Corkran said. “Tony here is my priority for this afternoon. I’ve cancelled all my other patients. They can wait. This may be an urgent situation and deserves my undivided attention.”
Gibbs suddenly found himself blinking back tears as heavy emotion filled his throat and rattled in his chest. It was reassuring to have all of these wonderful medical professionals taking Tony’s condition so seriously. The relief that Declan was gone, coupled with the relief that Tony was going to be alright, was nearly Gibbs’ undoing. He swallowed hard and took a sip of coffee. He kept his eyes fixed on the swirling brew in his hands and listened to the doctors talking to each other.
“Agent Gibbs,” Dr. McLaren called, drawing the agent’s attention from his cup of joe. “I need your help please,” he said kindly.
Gibbs set his coffee down and turned to Tony’s bed. “What do you need me to do?”
“Just hold his hands down for me please. Despite the medications this could still be slightly uncomfortable.”
Gibbs nodded and sat on the edge of the bed. He pulled Tony’s good hand back into his lap and gently wrapped his fingers around the wrist on Tony’s injured arm.
“Are you ready?” The doctor had rolled Tony’s bed out from the wall slightly, so he could get behind the head of the bed.
Gibbs nodded. He watched as Dr. McLaren carefully removed the pillow from beneath Tony’s head and then gently tilted his head back slightly. He slid his thumbs into his mouth--in between Tony’s back teeth--and wrapped his fingers around the outside curve of Tony’s jaw.
“On three,” the doctor said. “One…two…three!”
If Gibbs lived a hundred more years he’d never forget the two sounds that came directly following that moment. The sickening crunch of Tony’s jaw sliding back into place was coupled with a pitiful whimper of pain from the unconscious man on the bed.
Dr. McLaren gave Tony a moment to rest after putting his jaw back in place and then carefully opened and shut his jaw. “Hmm,” he said. “that right side isn’t as even as I’d like. I’m going to reduce it a bit more. Just like before Agent Gibbs,” he said.
Gibbs resumed his position, as did the doctor. On the count of three, the doctor adjusted the joint ever so slightly and this time Tony didn’t whimper--he groaned. Loud and miserable sounding, it nearly ripped Gibbs’ heart out to hear it.
Another check by the doctor and the large man smiled. “There we go.” Dr. McLaren turned to Dr. Corkran, “He’s all yours. Agent Gibbs I’ll bring that information by for you.”
Gibbs, still staring at Tony’s face, nodded silently.
TBC...
Chapter End Notes:
Warning: Some OOC behavior