Chapter Two
Jethro had never felt more helpless as he watched the paramedics gently roll Tony onto a backboard and rush him toward the waiting copter. The ground underneath was tinged with red and Jethro knew that DiNozzo had been penetrated by more than men. The thought of what Tony had gone through made him nauseous and he wasn’t the only one. The entire team was shaken to the core.
“Jethro? They’ve got to take off momentarily. Are you coming along with us?”
Jethro gave Duck a jerky nod. “DiNo"“ It was so damn easy to fall into calling his second in command to the lead. “McGee. You’re in charge. Abbs, get me results ASAP. Ziva, liaise with the locals. Duck and I are going with Tony.”
“Call us as soon as you know anything,” Abby pleaded, giving him a tight hug. “You okay?” She’d been the first to arrive at his house and had seen how Jethro had been. She had been the one to insist Ziva drive, to everyone’s peril. “We need to know the hospital, Gibbs.”
“Yeah. Will do. When I know.” Jethro brushed a kiss over her cheek and followed Ducky to the chopper.
“They’ve given him light sedation, just enough to make the trip relatively painless for him. Jethro, I won’t sugar coat this. He is in very critical condition and bad shape. We should expect internal injuries, possibly closed-head injuries, broken bones, possibly a perforated colon, and…”
“Enough, Duck. Just stop.” The possibilities were too much to contemplate right now. “Duck, did you know he was…that he…”
“Liked men?” Ducky finished for him.
Jethro nodded, but Ducky was silent as they geared up and the chopper lifted off. He wasn’t going to press, Ducky would answer when he could.
“I suspected as much, Jethro, but I think he’s attracted to one single man. He’s been carrying a torch for him for a long time.” Ducky nodded and gave Jethro a significant look.
“Me?” Jethro asked, but he knew the answer. He’d heard it in Tony’s voice tonight, saw it in Tony’s eyes.
Ducky nodded. “The way he looks at you goes beyond simple hero worship and a hunger for respect. He has feelings of an even more personal nature for you.”
Jethro shook his head, upset that he’d been so blind. He might not have had the professional training, but he’d studied human behavior and body language. The fact that he’d never seen this in all the years he’d worked with Tony shook him up. “I never knew, Duck. Why didn’t he…why did he put himself in danger?”
“Why does anyone do anything? Why were you drunk tonight? Which ex were you trying to forget? I don’t know, Jethro, but I’m certain he was careful. Anthony wasn’t the type"“
“Isn’t. Isn’t, Ducky. Don’t talk about him like he isn’t here. Don’t do that! Have hope. He’s right here and he can hear you”
Ducky nodded, placing a gentle hand on Jethro’s shoulder. “Calm down, old friend. He needs us strong. Anyhow, what I was saying is that Anthony may have an active sex life, but he hasn’t been known to take unnecessary chances.”
Jethro shifted so that he was closer to the stretcher, ignoring the glare he got from the EMT. Tony was going to know someone was there and it was going to be him, Tony’s boss, the guy who had recruited DiNozzo in the first place.
This was a lot harder than Kate. With Kate it had been over in a second, the regrets lingered, but with Tony it had been agonizing and slow, from the calls, to the drive down to Richmond, to freeing him, and if Tony lived, it was going to be a long recovery with permanent scars. It was hell, and the waiting had only begun.
And then there was the guilt. Tony hadn’t called him, Jethro was sure of it. And when Abby had called his cell phone, he’d had a few too many bourbons in his system. Even now, he was a little fuzzy around the edges. One of his agents had needed him and he’d been getting drunk.
“Which hospital?” Jethro asked Ducky. “Bethesda?”
Ducky shook his head. “Far too critical for that, dear boy. There is a Level One Trauma Center nearby. Jethro, time is of the essence.”
“I know, Duck,” he said roughly. He focused on DiNozzo instead, pale and sweaty, eyes closed, breathing harsh. How was he supposed to handle this? Would needling the kid rally him or did he need a softer touch? Dammit, Jethro knew he wasn’t any good at this stuff.
“Come on, DiNozzo. Free helicopter ride and you’re sleeping on the job.” Duck grasped his arm and Jethro fought the urge to shake it off. Duck was his oldest and best friend and had everyone’s best interests at heart. Jethro knew that but in the absence of anyone else to strike out at, his friend was going to get the brunt. Who knew, maybe Duck expected it.
“Don’t, Duck. Just don’t.” Jethro glared at the arm until Ducky removed it and then he leaned in, talking softly to Tony. Jethro closed his eyes and listened to the patter of the pilot and hospital, but when they turned to Tony’s condition, he yanked the headset off. He didn’t want the cold hard facts, not yet. Not yet. Not when they had to help DiNozzo fight to live.
“Jethro?” Ducky tried again. “We’ll find a way to help him. Do you have his medical power of attorney? There will be decisions that have to be made… And though I am his personal physician, I am unable to make those decisions. If you don’t have it and Abigail or the director do, we must get them to the hospital and"”
“Enough talk, Duck. I’m it. And I want you to consult.”
Ducky winced and Jethro saw Ducky struggling for words and he knew what his friend was going to ask. “Don’t ask it, Duck! We’re not discussing that.” Jethro reached over and grabbed a handful of Ducky’s jacket. “Don’t say a word, Doctor Mallard. He’s going to be okay.”
* * * * *
Abby was rarely on scene and the gory nature of it and the fact that it was Tony had shaken her up. She wrapped her arms around herself, cold now that Tim had stepped away. They had gloves and Tim was already bagging what he could. She should try to help.
“Do we need some bigger bags and stuff, Tim?” Abby had to feel useful for Tony’s sake.
“Yeah.” Tim looked over at the knot of local police. “Abby, get their crime lab involved. We’ll need some evidence bags for the big stuff.” She noticed he didn’t call them what they were"pitchforks. Instruments of torture.
Abby stumbled off to where Ziva was speaking animatedly to a plainclothes guy. At least Ziva was showing emotion, though Abby was worried about Tim…and Gibbs…and all of them. Tony was the heart of the team and they couldn’t take losing him.
Suddenly, her dark clothes seemed out of place and she gathered her hair, pulling it into pigtails, remembering how she’d comforted herself when Kate had died. Kate. Gibbs and Tony had been acting as if she was here. It made Abby shiver and shake.
Come on, girl. Get yourself together. She could almost hear Kate telling her to get her mind on the business at hand and she nodded, silently thanking her friend before she spoke to the local CSIs.
Tim had seen a lot of crime scenes but this was their friend"well, maybe not his friend. But he’d worked with Tony for a few years now and despite his cracks and sarcasm, Tim respected him. And nobody deserved to have this happen to them.
Some of the cops were asking Ziva if this was a hate crime. The Black Cat was a gay pickup joint. Tim had no idea Tony was bisexual. He knew Tony had a hero worship thing for Gibbs, but he would have never expected that any of his coworkers were bisexual. Well, maybe Abby, but nobody else. It was clear that Tony had come down to Richmond to make sure he wasn’t discovered. Tim was learning a lot about Tony today.
He gathered what he could and waited for larger bags to arrive, trying to stay calm and focused, but it was so hard. Tim finally stepped back and let the local team finish bagging the material. His hands were shaking too much and he didn’t trust himself to keep the evidence untainted.
Tim mechanically answered what few questions were directed his way, formulating their next steps. They had to go to the club and question the staff, they had to get answers for Tony. And they were two men down now, Tony and Gibbs were out of commission. Tim looked around, then called the director. He wanted another agent here on site.
“Tim? Is that about Tony?” Abby had come running over when she saw him on the phone.
“No, I’m calling the director, getting another agent down here.”
“Oh,” Abby pressed her lips together and nodded. “Good plan, Boss.”
Boss? Tim just looked at her for an endless moment. “Yeah…I…okay.” He finished dialing the number and filled the director in. She was horrified and wanted to be kept informed, offering to send Agent Lee along. Tim appreciated that. It was going to be a long night and he wasn’t used to being the leader. This was too important to be screwed up.
“Ziva?” Tim called, gesturing her over. “You take one of the locals and start questioning people at the club. I’m going to stay here, with Abby. The director is sending Agent Lee to assist.”
Ziva looked up at Tim, a grim but resolute expression on her face. “We will find out who did this and get them, McGee. We will.” She was every bit as lethal as he had always imagined her being and if he could only have one field agent with him now, he was glad it was her.
“I hope so,” Tim answered to her retreating back. He took a moment to mentally gather himself before he continued his work.
Jenny stared at the phone in shock. All Tim had said was that Tony was beaten by some thugs in Richmond. There had to be more to the story. It was the middle of the night and this was Jethro’s team. Why was Tim calling her anyway?
Jenny contacted Agent Lee and gave her McGee’s number and instructions to get to Richmond ASAP, then tried Jethro. She got his voice mail and left a terse message before she scrolled through the numbers. Ziva would be a good choice, but Ziva was also quite remote and Jenny needed answers and a gentler touch. Ducky? No, he’d be busy with Tony.
Abby! Jenny depressed the ‘send’ button on her phone and called Abby’s number. When the other woman picked up, her voice sounded so lost.
“Abby? Have you heard anything? What can you tell me?” Jenny’s heart was racing and she poured herself a Scotch, neat.
“Oh my God, Oh my God! Director, it was awful. Some guys jumped Tony and they…” She broke off in a sob. “I think they tortured him. He was stuck to the ground. And I think they…raped him.”
Jenny closed her eyes and made sure she finished every drop of her Scotch. “Was it a hate crime?” she whispered.
“I think so. It’s awful. Gibbs was crying. And Ducky…”
“Gibbs was what?” That was just as shocking as the event itself.
“Yeah, well, he was drunk when we got him, so Ziva had to drive and that would be enough to scare anybody and…” Another sob. “Tony!”
“Abby, do you know what hospital they took him to. Can I speak to Jethro?”
“No. They Medivaced him out. I think he’s too critical for B-Beth-Bethesda. Gibbs and Ducky went with him. They’re going to call soon. Director, we might lose him.”
Jenny wiped away some tears she wasn’t even sure she’d been shedding. “Abby, you and McGee, and Ziva just work on the scene. Get everything you can. We’ll find a way to help Tony.”
“I hope so,” Abby whispered and disconnected the call.
Jen went to her closet and grabbed a blouse and comfortable pair of pants. She dragged a brush through her hair and pulled it into a messy ponytail, then shoved flats on. In less than five minutes, she was out the door. One of her agents was hurt and she was damn well going to be with his team. She’d start down 95 toward Richmond and if she needed to turn around and go to Bethesda, so be it.
Tony was drifting, still in agony but he didn’t much care right now. There was a lot of noise and he had the impression that Gibbs or Ducky were around. He didn’t want to open his eyes, they hurt too damn much. But a voice was talking to him softly, a voice that kind of sounded like Gibbs, but couldn’t be. There wasn’t any heat or fire in it.
“Gibbs?” His mouth formed the word but it came out a croak.
“DiNozzo? Tony? Hey, you’re almost at the hospital. See, I knew you wouldn’t miss riding in this bird.”
Bird? He was being coptered in? Things must be real bad. “Kate…”
“Kate can’t have you, dear boy.” That was Ducky, trying to be extra cheerful.
“No. Kate said…could come back. Tell Gibbs…secret.”
“You don’t need to tell me anything, DiNozzo. Just get strong. I know about it. It’s okay, DiNozzo.”
Tony tried to swallow around the oxygen mask. “Mad? Fired?”
Gibbs choked off a small bark of laughter, but it sounded really upset to Tony. “No. We’ll talk it all out when you’re better. Just rest.”
They couldn’t be talking about the same thing, but Tony was drifting again, embracing the darkness. “Done, Kate. I can go with you now.”
Author's Chapter Notes:
Tony's condition becomes more clear.
Chapter End Notes:
Warning: Angst, not for the faint of heart. Earlier chapter has torture and rape elements.
Thanks to Cat and Ange for rescuing this chapter!!
And thanjks to everyone for your incredible feedback.
Thanks to Cat and Ange for rescuing this chapter!!
And thanjks to everyone for your incredible feedback.