Chapter 13
AN: Got a little ‘friendship TIVA’ going on, but don’t get too excited.
Tony sighed. “It’s time, Emma.” He said, standing in front of her.
Emma had been able to convince Gibbs to allow Tony to stay for another couple of days. Tony’s condition improved, having his friends around him. Now it was time for Tony to go home, back to his life. Tony had been able to fill Emma in on his life, as he remembered, with Gibbs filling in the holes. She realized, very quickly, that Gibbs looked at Tony as family more than as an underling. She was glad Tony had Gibbs in his corner.
Emma nodded. She then turned to Gibbs. “You will look after him?”
“Yes, Ma’am.” Gibbs said, smiling and nodding.
“Keep him out of trouble?” Emma asked Gibbs, but smiled and winked at Tony.
“My full-time job, Ma’am.” Gibbs replied.
“Hey!” Tony pouted.
Emma looked up at him, putting her hands on his chest. “I’m gonna miss you. Promise me you won’t forget this old lady and her dog.” She said, referring to herself and Buster.
“I could never forget you.” Tony said, bending down and lightly kissing her check. “You saved my life. I will never forget you.”
Emma put her arms around him. “You’ll come back to see me?”
Tony nodded hugging her back.
“It may be awhile. He’s going to stay with me.” Gibbs said. “We have to get him ‘officially’ back into the land of the living. He’s going to see his doctor, and then take it easy for a few days.” Gibbs said, making a point of looking at Tony.
Tony groaned at the prospect.
Gibbs gave him ‘the look’, and Tony stopped immediately.
Emma looked at the interaction between the two men and laughed. “He’s got your number, Handsome.
Tony looked at Gibbs. “Yep, I’m afraid he does.”
“Handsome?” Ziva addressed Emma. “You called him handsome?” Ziva shook her head. “He will be an armful all the way back to D.C.” Ziva, however, was absolutely looking forward to that. She realized, after he was ‘dead; how much she and the team needed and missed him.
“Its handful, Ziva.” Tony corrected, smiling at her. “And ‘Yes, I will.’”
NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS
Over the past couple days Ziva and Tim had had moments of ‘alone time’ with Tony. They had been able to just talk and sort of reconnect. And it had been one of the things that had help speed Tony’s recall and recovery.
Ziva sat on her partner’s bed. She just sat, staring at him and holding his hand. Everybody else had stepped out for a few moments, leaving them alone.
Tony opened his eyes when he felt someone touch his hand. He squeezed her’s back. Ziva seemed to have drifted off somewhere.
“Hey.” Tony said, concerned when he saw tears in her eyes.
Ziva took her other, trembling hand and touched his face.
“Ziva?” Tony asked. He still had not been able to reach her.
“You were…gone.” Ziva’s voice trembled. “You were just...gone.”
Tony took her hand and held it to his chest. “I’m here, Ziva. I’m okay.” He said softly.
Ziva nodded, tears streaming from her eyes. “I…I still see that car…going over the bank… and….” Ziva bowed her head and stopped speaking.
Tony sat up, despite how painful it was. He gently pulled Ziva into his arms and held her for just a moment.
Ziva hugged him back, crying on his shoulder.
“I’m here, Ziva.” Tony said in a whisper. “I’m here. I’m okay.”
NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS
“Hey Tim.” Tony said, in a rare moment he and McGee had alone.
“You okay?” Tim asked, sitting down on the bed.
Tony nodded.
“Emma’s quite a character.” Tim replied. “She took good care of you?”
“Excellent.” Tony replied. “She and Buster have been great.”
“Emma said Buster thinks you are his master.”
“Nah, he’s just establishing his territory…another male in the house.”
“Think so?”
Tony smiled and shook his head. “Not a clue.”
“Funny, Tony, very funny.” Tim replied. “I…I am just really glad you’re okay.
“Me, too.” Tony stated. “Me, too.”
Tim and Tony fell silent for a few moments. It was Tony who broke the silence.
“So…you missed your older, annoying brother?”
“Absolutely.” Tim said, smiling.
NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS
“They’re gone…they’re dead.” Tony said in anguish. “I’m…sor….”
“Don’t you dare apologize, Tony.” Gibbs replied, squeezing Tony’s hand. Gibbs moved from the chair to the bed. “Look, I shouldn’t have told you. But…but you kept asking. You are too damned persistent for your own good. We will talk about this a lot more, when you’re better, but right now….”
“If….” Tony started.
“No, Tony.” Gibbs insisted. “No, if’s…there are no ‘if’s’. There was nothing you could have done. There was nothing I could have done.”
“But….” Tony looked at Gibbs, his eyes pleading.
“Sometimes, Tony, all you can do in a situation is survive it. That was all you could do here. And you did a damned good job.”
“I….”
“Believe what you want, Tony. But it’s true.” Gibbs stated. He then leaned on close and whispered. “It’ll be okay, Tony. I promise you, it will be okay.”
TBC
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