Chapter 10
Later in the day after lunch, Gibbs went to the nurses’ station to call Jenny. He didn’t want Tony listening in because he knew Tony would object, but Gibbs just couldn’t bring himself to leave the younger man alone at the hospital, and if he was going to talk with the team, he wanted Jenny to come and sit with Tony while he was gone.
When Jenny arrived, Gibbs gave Tony a quick peck on the lips and then headed to the Navy Yard. Once he reached NCIS headquarters, he decided he should talk with Ducky first, since that would likely be the most difficult conversation.
When he walked into Autopsy, he could see Ducky sitting at his desk in his office having a cup of tea. Gibbs went over to the office and stood next to the desk and just looked at the medical examiner.
Ducky looked up at his visitor. “Jethro, I heard the good news. I’m so glad Anthony is going to be all right.”
Gibbs sat in the chair next to the desk. “Yeah, he’s gonna be fine.”
“I know that’s not what you want to talk about.”
Gibbs glared at Ducky. “You got that right.”
“What is it you’d like to talk about, Jethro?”
“I just want to know one thing. Why?”
“I presume you’d like to know why I asked the emergency room physician to sedate you.”
“Yep.”
“Do you have time to listen to the entire story?”
“That’s why I’m here, Ducky.”
Ducky took a sip of tea and then put the cup down. “Did you know that I haven’t always been a medical examiner?”
“No, I didn’t.”
“When I graduated from medical school, I was a family physician. I treated all sorts of ailments and gave the best treatment and advice I could, but my patients did not always adhere to their prescribed treatment regimen or listen to my advice. I lost many patients because of that. It became very disheartening to me.”
“So that’s why you changed specialties?”
“Yes.” Ducky took another sip of tea. “I decided that patients who were already beyond my help would be less discouraging.”
“How does that explain why you sedated me the other day?”
“Since coming to work here at NCIS, I’ve made many friends that I care deeply about. You are one of those friends, Jethro. I’ve watched over the years as you got hurt time and time again, and then check yourself out of the hospital prematurely, refuse to follow your physicians’ advice and always return to work much sooner than you should have. After you nearly drowned, I thought it would be best for your health, and my peace of mind, if you got some rest and stayed in the hospital at least overnight.”
Gibbs ran a hand through his hair in frustration. “I can understand that, Ducky. What I don’t understand is why you didn’t let me say what I needed to say before you knocked me out.”
“I thought if I didn’t act quickly enough, you’d get away, so to speak.”
Gibbs thought about what his friend had said. He understood why Ducky had sedated him. He might not agree with him, but he understood. In the end, Ducky had done it because he cared about him and he was worried.
He looked at Ducky and sighed. “I understand why you did it, Duck, and I’m willing to let it go, this time. We’ve been friends for too long to just throw it away.”
“Thank-”
Gibbs interrupted, “I’m not done yet.”
“Go on then.”
“It just better not happen again. I had something important that needed to be said, and Tony nearly died because I wasn’t allowed to say it.” Gibbs took a deep breath. “If I hadn’t found him when I did…”
“You can rest assured, Jethro, I have learned my lesson,” Ducky stated. “I may find the occasion that you need to be sedated again, but I will always allow you to speak first.”
“I know you were worried about my health and you were trying to look after me, but Tony needed someone to look after him, too.”
“I fear young Anthony disregards his own well being as much as you do, but I shall endeavor to do better by him in the future.” Ducky looked truly remorseful.
“I’d appreciate that. It was really close, Duck.”
“That’s what I gathered from the reports the director gave us. The fact that I was worried about you does not excuse my lack of attention to Anthony’s welfare. Even though he didn’t mention everything he’d done that day, I did know that he’d been in the cold water and I should have seen to it that he got medical attention.”
Gibbs decided it was time to change the subject and ask his friend something that had been bothering him since Tony had been admitted to the hospital. “What I don’t understand is how Tony got so sick from inhaling a little water. I know I drowned and if Tony hadn’t done CPR on me, I’d be dead right now. I inhaled a hell of a lot more than he did and I didn’t get sick.”
“Well, Anthony’s lungs are scarred and yours aren’t, but if you truly did drown as you say you did, then it’s nothing short of a miracle that you’re alive.”
“I think that’s just what it was; a miracle.”
“According to Jennifer, it’s a miracle Anthony is alive as well.”
“Yep.” Gibbs could have elaborated, but that was a story he was only willing to share with Tony.
“You and Anthony must have a devoted guardian angel watching over you both.”
Gibbs smiled. “Maybe even two.”
“Jethro, what about the rest of the team?”
“I wanted to talk with you first.” Gibbs stood up to leave. “Can you call up to the bullpen and get Ziva and McGee down to Abby’s lab?”
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Gibbs expected several things when he walked into the lab, but what in actually happened wasn’t one of those things. As soon as he walked in the door, Abby held out her hand to McGee and said, “Pay up.”
McGee reluctantly fished his wallet out of his pocket, took out a few bills and placed them in Abby’s hand.
Abby turned to Gibbs and said, “Thanks, Gibbs.”
This wasn’t the reception he’d been expecting at all. “For what?”
“For showing up today,” Abby said as she tucked the money away in her pocket. “I bet McGee that Tony would talk you into coming today, and McGee didn’t think you’d show up until tomorrow.”
“Glad I could be of help. Wait a minute, you two knew Tony would talk me into coming here to talk to all of you?”
“Of course,” Abby said. “We knew once Tony explained to you that we didn’t know what happened at the dock, he wouldn’t rest until nobody was mad at anybody else. We just disagreed on which day you’d show up.”
And just like that, it seemed things were back to normal.
“How is Tony doing today, Gibbs?” Ziva asked.
“He’s fine, Ziva,” Gibbs answered. “He’s gonna be discharged tomorrow.”
McGee did shuffle his feet uncomfortably. “We really are sorry, Boss, we-”
“There’s no need for any of you to apologize. Tony and I had a long talk and he told me he hadn’t mentioned to anyone what he did that day, and like he said, none of you are mind readers. I really had no right kicking all of you out of the hospital.”
Abby came over to Gibbs and took hold of his arm. “You don’t have to explain, Gibbs. Ducky told us all about your displacement problem.”
“Displacement problem?”
“Yeah, he said you were really angry at yourself but couldn’t admit it and so you took it out on whoever else happened to be there, which was us. We understand.”
Gibbs thought he might have to have another little talk with Ducky, but he supposed there was a grain of truth in that idea. Maybe subconsciously he did blame himself for what happened to Tony, and had lashed out at the team as a convenient target for his anger.
“Okay, listen up everybody,” Gibbs said. “I’d like to tell you about a plan so nothing like what happened last week happens again.” He then went on to explain the buddy system Tony had come up with. “So what do you guys think?”
“That’s a great idea, Gibbs,” Abby said enthusiastically. “No offense, but I know you didn’t come up with that idea yourself.”
“It was Tony’s idea,” Gibbs admitted.
“We can call it Operation Team Devotion,” Abby said, so excited she was practically bouncing up and down.
Gibbs rolled his eyes.
“What?” Abby said. “That sounds way better than the buddy system. Besides, that name’s been used before. We need a new name for it.
“I think it is a good idea. No one will be forgotten or overlooked again,” Ziva stated.
“Tony wouldn’t have gotten so sick if one of us had checked on him when he didn’t show up to the hospital,” McGee commented.
“Everyone one of us, including me and Tony, had a part in that,” Gibbs said. “One of you could have checked on him, Ducky could’ve checked him out at the scene, I could’ve taken backup with me when I went to find Maddie and Tony could’ve told someone what happened at the dock, or called for help when he first started feeling sick. With this system, nothing like what happened to Tony will happen to anyone on the team again.”
“So, we can go see Miracle Boy now, right Gibbs?” Abby asked.
Gibbs raised an eyebrow. “Miracle Boy?”
“Well, the director said that you said that the doctor said that it was a miracle that Tony woke up with his brain okay, so, yeah, Miracle Boy.”
Gibbs head spun trying to decipher what Abby meant, but he managed to get the gist of it. “I guess that’s fitting.” He shrugged. “He’s gonna be discharged tomorrow, but you can go see him tonight. He’s looking forward to seeing all of you.”
“You’re not mad at Ducky any more, are you Gibbs?” Abby asked anxiously.
Gibbs gave her a peck on the cheek. “No, Abs, I’m not mad at Ducky.”
TBC
Chapter End Notes:
Thanks for all the emails, reviews and alerts. I usually respond individually to emails and reviews, but I just got off the train from a 30-hour trip, and I couldn’t - so THANKS EVERYBODY!!!