--------

Gibbs stepped up to the curtained off area soundlessly, peeking in before actually entering. If Tony was genuinely asleep, he didn't want to disturb him. A moment later, however, half-lidded, half-aware green eyes met his.

"Boss?"

"Yeah, Tony. I'm here." Gibbs answered softly, moving inside and claiming the single chair beside the gurney.

"Not her fault..."

Gibbs chuckled, not at all surprised that his co-worker was the first thing Dinozzo thought about. The rest of the office, men and women, all bought Tony's Academy Award worthy "Look at me, I'm arrogant and self-involved" act, but Jethro knew better. Tony was an expert at keeping others at a distance, thereby protecting his tender heart and ensuring it remained a secret.

"I know. Kate and I already talked."

"She won't... won't believe it. You've gotta... talk to her... face to face..."

"I will. You're top priority right now."

"No... I'll be fine. You can't let Kate... beat herself up..."

"Kate has Abby and the others. My place is here with you right now."

Tony looked as if he wanted to keep arguing, but the exhausted way his head dropped back to the pillow clearly said he didn't have the energy.

"How bad is it?"

"Your leg is pretty messed up, but it's nothing that won't heal. Like you said... you'll be fine."

"You're not telling me everything." Tony accused sleepily.

"Shhh. Rest, Dinozzo. That's an order."

"Bastard..." the younger man mumbled sullenly as the pain medication claimed him and he slipped unwillingly into sleep.

"You only think you've seen that side of me, Tony. Wait 'till I find the driver who hit you..."

Knowing he probably had some time to kill before the staff came to transfer Tony to an actual room, Gibbs slid down a little, got as comfortable as he could in the plastic chair and closed his eyes; not to sleep, but simply to rest and focus his mind. When Kate arrived with whatever information she had been able to gather he needed to be ready, willing and able to make use of it.

------

TWO HOURS LATER:

Reminding the others to stay quiet, Gibbs led the way into the room where Tony lay, still and pale. Abby was the first to see Tony and, though she couldn't suppress her shocked gasp completely, it came out as only a tiny sound of distress. Kate's hand moved immediately to rest in the center of the young woman's back. Abby leaned into her and dropped her head on Kate's shoulder.

"Easy, Abs. It could've been a lot worse than a broken leg. He'll come through this just fine." Gibbs told her, touching her hair briefly in a gesture of comfort that surprised noone. Despite what he preferred the world at large to think, his team knew Abby had stolen his heart and become a surrogate daughter to Gibbs; the child that fate or circumstance, or perhaps simply his own choices, had placed beyond his reach.

"Can we...get closer? I mean, is he in a lot of pain, or..."

"Trust me, Abs..." Tony croaked from the far side of the room. "... I'm so doped up right now you could punch me in the face for a week straight... and I wouldn't feel it."

Abby ran full tilt to Tony's bedside, screeching to a halt an inch or two away and leaning in to gently hug him.

"Tony! You're okay! I'm so glad..."

"Yeah... so am I."

Gibbs, Ducky and McGee approached more slowly with Kate trailing behind the three men. Discreetly, she sniffed, wiped a tear from her cheek and composed her face into the ' bratty-little-sister' look she knew Tony would expect. As she stopped at the foot of the bed, she threw out the first snide remark that popped up in her brain, praying that he'd respond in kind. Only then would she be positive he really was going to be alright.

"So... since Abby didn't take you up on the face punching offer, can I do it?"

"Katie... eternal noudge and bane of my existence. Come to finish me off have you?"

"Hey, I tried to warn you about the car..."

"Five minutes too late..."

The familiar bickering deeply relieved Gibbs' heart as well, but he still felt the need to put in a token protest.

"Okay, Dinozzo..."

"I'm surprised you weren't driving the car, Kate." Tony continued, the exchanges driving off his pain better than any narcotic ever could.

"After all you've put me through, if I had been, you'd have more than a broken leg, believe me!"

"Oh, I do, Kate, I do. By the way; you might wanna remember this moment. It's the last time you'll ever hear a man say "I Do" without a hunting rifle shoved in his back..."

Kate growled low in her throat and stepped forward, but McGee was there to hold her back. Despite wanting to laugh out loud, Gibbs schooled his face into his most serious expression and ended the fight.

"Dinozzo, Todd, knock it off!"

"Yes, boss." Tony replied, his voice dripping with false contrition.

"I hear you, Gibbs." Kate added quietly.

"Good."

Over the next half hour, the other members of the team all took a few minutes to talk to Tony one-on-one and cement their certainty that he had survived the accident relatively intact and would be coming back to work eventually. When Gibbs noticed the young man's eyelids drooping, however, he began to shoo everyone out. Kate lingered, reluctant to leave, and Gibbs smiled.

"Five extra minutes, okay? No more. He really does need his rest."

"Five minutes. Okay."

Once the rest of the team vacated the room. Kate moved hesitantly to the bed and sat down in the chair. When Tony turned his eyes to her, he immediately read what she was going to say and he spoke first.

"Don't you dare."

"Tony..."

"No. I was being my usual immature, stupid self in that crosswalk. If I'd been paying attention... instead of teasing you I wouldn't have been hit. You didn't cause this, Katie. Hear me? It wasn't your fault... and I'm nobody's responsibility but my own. I'm the big brother. I'm supposed to take care of you... not the other way around. We clear? You done beatin' yourself up?"

Kate nodded, struggling to stave off the tears that were suddenly filling her eyes. It was the first time Tony had ever acknowledged that their diverse team had become family and the power of that revelation momentarily struck her dumb. "Good. Now... you and the rest of the dysfunctional clan go home so I can get some sleep. And keep an eye on our youngest sib 'till I can get back, okay? Don't let him get himself kidnapped or blown up or anything."

"I'll watch over McGee, I promise. Feel better, Tony." Kate said as she rose to her feet and began to walk away. In the hallway, she found the others waiting, Grinning she moved to Abby's side and whispered in her ear. As Kate walked toward the bank of elevators, Ducky questioned the confused look on the younger woman's face.

"What is it, my dear?"

"I think Kate hit her head somewhere between the office and here. Why else would she call me crazy Aunt Abby?"

---------