Tony, with one hand to his bloody shoulder, use his other hand to jerk open the back door of the NCIS sedan.
"DRIVE!" Tony commanded Tim, as soon as he climbed into the car. Tony then turned his attention to the back window. He was checking to see if whoever had shot him was still coming after him. There didn't seem to be anybody following. He sighed in relief.
Tim and Ziva both jumped when they heard the door open and heard Tony's command. They had not been listening to Tony's wire tap. They had not heard the gunshot. They had not heard him plead for help. They had not heard him running, stumbling along, panicked; afraid something had happened to THEM. And that was why they had not answered his calls or come to his aid.
"Where the hell were you two!" Tony asked. "You couldn't hear the gunshot? Damn thing was loud enough." Tony paused. He was feeling dizzy and leaned back against the seat.
Tim and Ziva just looked at one another. Tim stepped on the gas as they raced to the nearest hospital.
Despite the fact Tony had lost a lot of blood as he ran through several of the back yards of the neighborhood they had been investigating. He did not miss the look that passed between Tim and Ziva.
Tony asked again. "What happened to you two? I can hear static on the damned wire. I know its working."
Tony looked at the two of them again, but neither answered. Ziva had pulled out her phone to call, he assumed, Gibbs. Tim just continued to look at the road, clinching and unclenching his jaw. Tony groaned from the pain as he tried to reposition himself in the back seat. His shoulder was bleeding heavily. He had had to remove his jacket and press it to his wound to try and control the bleeding.
Tony waited, listening to the conversation between Gibbs and Ziva before he asked again. "I asked you a question!" Tony demanded.
"Tony …." Ziva started. Her tone was apologetic.
"We didn't hear you." Tim blurted out.
"What!" Tony leaned forward and immediately regretted the movement. The intense pain stopped him from speaking for a moment. Tony groaned loudly and immediately leaned back against the seat. He closed his eyes, then opened them again. "Why didn't you hear me?"
"…turned the radio off." Tim continued.
"What!" Tony asked, stunned.
"Tony, we…." Ziva started.
"You TURNED the radio off?" Tony asked, confused. "What…WHY…Why would you do that?"
Tony's question was met with silence, for just a moment.
"We…we got tired of listening to you." Ziva stated.
Tony was in pain, and he had lost a lot of blood. BUT now he was being driven by pure anger. "You were my back up! What the hell? You weren't listening! What the hell WERE you doing?" It was then that Tony noticed the crossword puzzle still lying on Ziva's lap. "You were doing a damn crossword? I was getting shot, and YOU were doing a damn crossword puzzle! What the hell were YOU doing, Probie? Checking your DAMNED email?"
Tony leaned his head back against the seat and closed his eyes. He was so angry he could not speak, and the blood loss was quickly sapping his strength. He passed out seconds later.
Tim pulled up to the emergency room entrance. He then went in to get someone to help Tony. Ziva got into the back seat with Tony to try and apply pressure to his wound. He and Ziva were very shaken, by Tony's display. They had rarely seen him upset, and they had never seen him like this. He was beyond angry.
"Get away from me." Tony muttered.
Ziva just looked at him for a second.
"Get the hell away from me!" Tony said, loud and clear this time.
By this time Gibbs and the nurses and an ER doctor were at the car. They got Tony quickly onto a gurney and wheeled him into the ER.
"I will deal with the both of you, later!" Tony replied angrily as he was wheeled inside.
"WHAT was that all about?" Gibbs asked, looking from Ziva to Tim and back. Tony's anger concerned him greatly and he needed to find out what had caused the outburst.
TBC
Static by jackilee71
Story Notes:
AN: I had been toying around with writing what Tony would have done, on Dead Air, if he returned to the car, injured, and 'caught them in the act.' I am not at all sure where I am going with this, so bear with me.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Alternative look at the period of non-communication.
Chapter End Notes:
AN: I had been toying around with writing what Tony would have done, on Dead Air, if he returned to the car, injured, and 'caught them in the act.' I am not at all sure where I am going with this, so bear with me.