Chapter 45
Tony walked around the body, surveying the scene. It always helped him to get the best vantage point from which to sketch. He then noticed something about Gunney Sergeant Arnold Crammer that was unusual.
Tony knelt down. He thought he was imagining things, that was, until he put his gloved hand to Crammer's face.
"Ducky, we have a slight…problem here."
"And what would that be, Anthony?" Ducky said as he knelt down beside Tony.
"Our 'corpse' is alive." Tony replied.
The rest of Team Gibbs looked on in shock. They had heard Tony's pronouncement.
"Are you certain, Anthony?" Ducky asked, he too looked at the body closer, but had not yet seen what Tony had found.
Tony pointed to the lone tear that was running down the gunney's check.
"My word!" Ducky said as he and Tony started frantically searching for a pulse.
Ducky sent Jimmy out to the van to get the needed supplies as he and Tony continued to work.
"Got a pulse." Tony said his hand pushed deep into the man's elbow, pressing hard against the brachial artery.
"Respirations are 4 a minute." Ducky said, watching the almost invisible rise and fall of the man's chest.
Jimmy returned and Tony instructed him to take his place, showing him were to press to feel the man's pulse. Tony, Ducky, and Jimmy continued to work on the gunney as the rest of Team Gibbs sprang into action. Gibbs called 9-1-1. He then sent Kate and Tim outside to wait for ambulance. He called the director to inform him of the change in the gunny's condition. He then sat back and watched his SFA at work.
Within moments the gunny's heart rate had increased. He was being ventilated mechanically by hand, the emergency technicians taking over care as soon as they arrived.
"Good catch, Anthony." Ducky said to Tony as they watched the gurney as it was wheeled out of the house.
"Good job, DiNozzo." Gibbs said, grinning. He moved his hand to the back of Tony's neck and gave it a gentle squeeze.
"Ah, you do like me." Tony replied.
"Let's not get carried away, Tony." Gibbs replied. "Besides, you get any more of a swelled head…."
"I seem to recall an incident in medical school." Ducky began. "It was my first year of residency and I was observing my first autopsy. I was not sure this was my chosen branch of medicine at the time. I had observed many surgeries. But autopsies are so very different. We were all in shock when our instructor just stopped. He said, 'He's alive,' and we all froze. Then we began to laugh."
Tony nodded and smiled. He was very familiar with the movie 'Frankenstein'.
"But then, when the instructor put his instrument down. It…it dawned on us all. The man was indeed alive. I heard the man lived for many more years and died of natural causes at the age of 83."
Tony nodded. "Hopefully this man will have that chance too."
"Hopefully?" Tim asked after he and Kate had rejoined the group. Then they followed the men out the door.
"Brain damage." Ducky nodded. "We have no idea how long the man was without sufficient oxygen. And we have no idea what caused the injury."
"It would have been kinder to let him die." Kate stated.
Tony nodded. "Maybe, but it's not my decision."
Tony's answer startled them. They stopped in their tracks, then turned and looked at him.
"Life is valuable." Tony explained. "I can't tell anybody if or when they should end theirs."
"Do no harm." Gibbs said.
"That is correct, Jethro." Ducky replied.
NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS
"It's Doctor Tony, Mama!" An adorable little girl said, holding her mother's hand. She was pointing to one of the men who had just gotten out of a black sedan.
It had been almost 2 years, but Alison had not forgotten the green-eyed doctor. Alison Bartlett and her mother, Angela, had just witnessed a deadly hit and run. Angela knew that she would be asked to attest to what she saw. She held her daughter's hand tightly to keep her from running off after this 'stranger.'
Angela was confused. She looked in the direction her daughter was pointing, but didn't see anyone who looked like a doctor. She just saw several people dressed in black jackets with black hats on.
"Doctor Tony, Mama! There he is!" Alison pointed again, excitedly.
Everyone heard the little girl talking very loudly. But no one could make out what she was saying. Gibbs made his way over to the little girl and her mother.
"Not him!" Alison said, shaking her head. "Him!" Alison pointed at Tony again.
"I'm not sure, sir…" Angela started.
"Agent Gibbs." Gibbs offered.
"I'm not sure, Agent Gibbs, what's gotten into my daughter."
"He's over there, Mama." Alison pointed.
"Who are you talking about, Sweetheart?" Gibbs asked, bending down to her level.
"Doctor Tony, he's over there."
Gibbs smiled. "Yes, he is. You want to see Dr. Tony?"
Alison nodded enthusiastically.
Gibbs called out to Tony.
"Yeah, Boss…What?" Tony stopped in his tracks when he recognized the little girl.
"Well, hello, Alison." Tony said, kneeling down to catch the little girl flying towards him. Tony scooped her into his arms.
"Hi, Dr. Tony!" Alison said, hugging him tightly around the neck.
"You have made quite an impression on my daughter." Angela stated. "She even named her favorite teddy bear after you."
"Jake, don't take my candy no more." Alison told Tony shaking her head. "I tell him Dr. Tony said not to."
"You did!" Tony replied.
"Uh, huh." Alison nodded. "He didn't listen the first time, so I whacked him with my teddy."
Tony bit his lip, trying hard not to laugh. Gibbs ducked his head and Angela turned a very unflattering shade of red.
"You've got to be nice to Jake, Alison." Tony replied, after he composed himself.
"Jake is mean." Alison replied, crossing her arms over her chest. "Boys are mean."
"They get nicer when they grow up." Tony replied.
Alison seemed to consider what Tony said. She hugged Tony again. Tony talked to her quietly as Gibbs interviewed Angela. Soon it was time to go. Alison said goodbye to Tony and held her arms out to her mother.
Alison was still waving when the black sedan disappeared from view.
TBC
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