How To Relate: Chapter 19
Title: How To Relate
Author: justhowthisgoes
Rating: T
Genre: Hurt/Comfort/Family
Pairing: None
Summary: Tony's been getting threatening letters and the team is worried, but Tony isn't taking them seriously. Then come the attempts on his life. Could the new girl at NCIS be involved? And will a secret from Tony's past be revealed in the search?
Warnings: Spoilers up to season 7
Disclaimer: I own nothing, not even Tony. *pouts* I bow to the genius of Donald P. Bellisario.
Chapter 19
Blood, Sweat, And Tears
If there was ever a time that McGee actually feared for his life while riding with his boss, this trip to the docks was it. He was gripping the door handle so hard that his knuckles were white, and he seemed to have left his stomach behind somewhere on the road from Frederick. It made the worst ride with Ziva seem like Driving Miss Daisy in comparison.
Not that he would have ever told her such a thing, lest she take it as a challenge.
Besides, he was almost certain there was a better film comparison to make. Tony would've known. If he were here.
But he wasn't. That was sort of the whole point. The whole reason that Gibbs was driving as though the entire Dalek Empire were on their tail.
As Gibbs turned a corner sharply, speeding up rather than slowing down, McGee grimaced and glanced over at Ziva. She, too, looked anxious, but he thought it more likely that she was worried about Tony than upset by their current velocity.
Not that he wasn't. Worried about Tony, that is. He was. They all were. The tension in the car was palpable.
If Tony were here… well, if Tony were here, they wouldn't be; but if he was and they were, he would have already been cracking jokes to ease the tension and probably making references to a movie with a great car chase. Something like The Fast and the Furious, or maybe Gone in 60 Seconds.
Well, which do you mean, Probie: the original 1974 version or the remake? A familiar sounding voice in his head asked. Personally, I prefer the original. Both are pretty good, but the chase scene in the original is much longer. And, I mean, 93 smashed cars in a 95 minute movie? You can't top that.
McGee shook his head. When on earth had he acquired an internal Tony voice? And one that spewed accurate movie trivia, at that. Clearly he was spending too much-
His train of thought was abruptly derailed as the car pulled up behind the factory and screeched to a stop next to two other vehicles already parked there. One of which, they could see, was obviously an NCIS sedan.
Gibbs was out of the car in a moment, hurrying toward the building with his gun drawn. Ziva and McGee swiftly followed suit, flanking him. Holding up three fingers, the team leader mutely counted down before yanking the door open forcefully. The trio burst inside, going through the familiar motions of each training their weapon in a different direction to give the others cover from potential hostiles.
As he took in the scene, Gibbs instantly deduced what must have happened: the positions of the guns on the floor, Giordani's dead body in the corner, and the slick trail of red leading to an almost equally motionless Tony.
"McGee, call for an ambulance!" he shouted as he rushed to the fallen agent's side. McGee was dialing before he even finished getting the sentence out.
Never assume; always double check.
"Ziva, check the body." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder and then turned all his attention back to Tony.
Blood pooled on the floor around the unconscious man as it steadily spilled out from his wound, despite Ali's desperate efforts to staunch the flow.
She turned an anxious, tearstained face toward Gibbs as he approached. "He won't wake up," she whispered, sounding for all the world like a frightened little girl.
Gibbs knelt down and began to move her hands away so he could check the damage. He wasn't expecting to meet with resistance.
"No!" Ali shook her head frantically and refused to budge, more tears slipping down her face.
"Hey," he said gruffly before softening his tone somewhat. "It's ok. I've got him now."
She just blinked at him for several seconds, as though she couldn't understand his words, but then moved back and allowed him to take over.
Tony's chest was scarcely moving as he breathed in shallow, labored pants; his face was ashen and his skin cool to the touch. All in all, his senior field agent looked so fragile that Gibbs was almost afraid to move him, but he put one hand where Ali's had been, and carefully turned Tony slightly to the side with his other.
No exit wound.
Damn.
And all that blood. Much too much blood. The makeshift bandage was already completely soaked through.
Gibbs gently lay Tony back down and took off his own jacket to cover the wound. He began applying firm, even pressure, his eyes locked onto his agent's wan features.
Dammit Tony! What were you thinking?
He could hear McGee giving directions to the emergency operator in the background when suddenly Tony's breathing hitched and he let out a small, choked gasp. Then the slight rise and fall of his chest ceased and he became utterly still and silent under Gibbs' hands.
"Oh, no you don't!" Gibbs snarled as he reached one hand toward Tony's throat to feel for a pulse. "Don't you dare! You don't have permission to die on me!"
There was nothing.
No life-evident cadence beat under his fingers.
"Ziva, I need you over here!"
She was next to him in a second. Gibbs' voice held a desperation that she had never heard before, at least to this degree of urgency.
He pointed and Ziva immediately knew what she was meant to do.
Tony's teasing remark about mouth-to-mouth came into her head and she had to fight back a hysterical laugh that was almost a sob, blinking hard to clear away the blurry moisture in her eyes. What she wouldn't give to hear him joking like that now instead of lying on the ground so pale and still and lifeless. His lips were already taking on a bluish tint.
She tilted Tony's head back to open his airway, pinched his nose, and sealed her mouth around his. Gibbs started his round of chest compressions and at the correct intervals she gave rescue breaths.
As she forced her oxygen into Tony's unmoving lungs, she was unable to keep a solitary tear from falling from her eye and splashing down on her friend and partner's face.
What could be taking the ambulance so long?
As if reading her mind, Gibbs called out to McGee, not for a moment breaking in his ministrations. "How long McGee?"
"Five to ten minutes."
The rhythm continued without pause.
McGee turned to look at Ali, who had stumbled away after Gibbs had taken over putting pressure on Tony's wound. She was shaking badly, her hands held out in front of her as she stared at them uncomprehendingly. Hands covered in blood.
Tony's blood.
McGee felt sick at the thought.
He made his way over to Ali and touched her on the shoulder. She flinched away, then looked up at him as if just noticing he was there. Her face crumpled and she began to weep, her whole body racking with sobs. He drew her into his arms, as much to comfort himself as her, and they stood, listening as the sirens outside grew closer.
...
Chapter 20
Author: justhowthisgoes
Rating: T
Genre: Hurt/Comfort/Family
Pairing: None
Summary: Tony's been getting threatening letters and the team is worried, but Tony isn't taking them seriously. Then come the attempts on his life. Could the new girl at NCIS be involved? And will a secret from Tony's past be revealed in the search?
Warnings: Spoilers up to season 7
Disclaimer: I own nothing, not even Tony. *pouts* I bow to the genius of Donald P. Bellisario.
Chapter 19
Blood, Sweat, And Tears
If there was ever a time that McGee actually feared for his life while riding with his boss, this trip to the docks was it. He was gripping the door handle so hard that his knuckles were white, and he seemed to have left his stomach behind somewhere on the road from Frederick. It made the worst ride with Ziva seem like Driving Miss Daisy in comparison.
Not that he would have ever told her such a thing, lest she take it as a challenge.
Besides, he was almost certain there was a better film comparison to make. Tony would've known. If he were here.
But he wasn't. That was sort of the whole point. The whole reason that Gibbs was driving as though the entire Dalek Empire were on their tail.
As Gibbs turned a corner sharply, speeding up rather than slowing down, McGee grimaced and glanced over at Ziva. She, too, looked anxious, but he thought it more likely that she was worried about Tony than upset by their current velocity.
Not that he wasn't. Worried about Tony, that is. He was. They all were. The tension in the car was palpable.
If Tony were here… well, if Tony were here, they wouldn't be; but if he was and they were, he would have already been cracking jokes to ease the tension and probably making references to a movie with a great car chase. Something like The Fast and the Furious, or maybe Gone in 60 Seconds.
Well, which do you mean, Probie: the original 1974 version or the remake? A familiar sounding voice in his head asked. Personally, I prefer the original. Both are pretty good, but the chase scene in the original is much longer. And, I mean, 93 smashed cars in a 95 minute movie? You can't top that.
McGee shook his head. When on earth had he acquired an internal Tony voice? And one that spewed accurate movie trivia, at that. Clearly he was spending too much-
His train of thought was abruptly derailed as the car pulled up behind the factory and screeched to a stop next to two other vehicles already parked there. One of which, they could see, was obviously an NCIS sedan.
Gibbs was out of the car in a moment, hurrying toward the building with his gun drawn. Ziva and McGee swiftly followed suit, flanking him. Holding up three fingers, the team leader mutely counted down before yanking the door open forcefully. The trio burst inside, going through the familiar motions of each training their weapon in a different direction to give the others cover from potential hostiles.
As he took in the scene, Gibbs instantly deduced what must have happened: the positions of the guns on the floor, Giordani's dead body in the corner, and the slick trail of red leading to an almost equally motionless Tony.
"McGee, call for an ambulance!" he shouted as he rushed to the fallen agent's side. McGee was dialing before he even finished getting the sentence out.
Never assume; always double check.
"Ziva, check the body." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder and then turned all his attention back to Tony.
Blood pooled on the floor around the unconscious man as it steadily spilled out from his wound, despite Ali's desperate efforts to staunch the flow.
She turned an anxious, tearstained face toward Gibbs as he approached. "He won't wake up," she whispered, sounding for all the world like a frightened little girl.
Gibbs knelt down and began to move her hands away so he could check the damage. He wasn't expecting to meet with resistance.
"No!" Ali shook her head frantically and refused to budge, more tears slipping down her face.
"Hey," he said gruffly before softening his tone somewhat. "It's ok. I've got him now."
She just blinked at him for several seconds, as though she couldn't understand his words, but then moved back and allowed him to take over.
Tony's chest was scarcely moving as he breathed in shallow, labored pants; his face was ashen and his skin cool to the touch. All in all, his senior field agent looked so fragile that Gibbs was almost afraid to move him, but he put one hand where Ali's had been, and carefully turned Tony slightly to the side with his other.
No exit wound.
Damn.
And all that blood. Much too much blood. The makeshift bandage was already completely soaked through.
Gibbs gently lay Tony back down and took off his own jacket to cover the wound. He began applying firm, even pressure, his eyes locked onto his agent's wan features.
Dammit Tony! What were you thinking?
He could hear McGee giving directions to the emergency operator in the background when suddenly Tony's breathing hitched and he let out a small, choked gasp. Then the slight rise and fall of his chest ceased and he became utterly still and silent under Gibbs' hands.
"Oh, no you don't!" Gibbs snarled as he reached one hand toward Tony's throat to feel for a pulse. "Don't you dare! You don't have permission to die on me!"
There was nothing.
No life-evident cadence beat under his fingers.
"Ziva, I need you over here!"
She was next to him in a second. Gibbs' voice held a desperation that she had never heard before, at least to this degree of urgency.
He pointed and Ziva immediately knew what she was meant to do.
Tony's teasing remark about mouth-to-mouth came into her head and she had to fight back a hysterical laugh that was almost a sob, blinking hard to clear away the blurry moisture in her eyes. What she wouldn't give to hear him joking like that now instead of lying on the ground so pale and still and lifeless. His lips were already taking on a bluish tint.
She tilted Tony's head back to open his airway, pinched his nose, and sealed her mouth around his. Gibbs started his round of chest compressions and at the correct intervals she gave rescue breaths.
As she forced her oxygen into Tony's unmoving lungs, she was unable to keep a solitary tear from falling from her eye and splashing down on her friend and partner's face.
What could be taking the ambulance so long?
As if reading her mind, Gibbs called out to McGee, not for a moment breaking in his ministrations. "How long McGee?"
"Five to ten minutes."
The rhythm continued without pause.
McGee turned to look at Ali, who had stumbled away after Gibbs had taken over putting pressure on Tony's wound. She was shaking badly, her hands held out in front of her as she stared at them uncomprehendingly. Hands covered in blood.
Tony's blood.
McGee felt sick at the thought.
He made his way over to Ali and touched her on the shoulder. She flinched away, then looked up at him as if just noticing he was there. Her face crumpled and she began to weep, her whole body racking with sobs. He drew her into his arms, as much to comfort himself as her, and they stood, listening as the sirens outside grew closer.
...
Chapter 20