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Tony stared at the lack of flowers or cards or anything else that would signify that someone cared that he was dying. There was only one pukka person in his life despite his attempts to change that when it came to the team. That person had been by his side every day that he’d been in this damn hospital.
Tony wanted to believe that everything would be ok that somehow he’d beat this and be out of the hospital and back to his life, but you couldn’t beat old age. Well not, unless you were Gibbs. Tony didn’t understand how Gibbs did it.
He was a good fifteen to twenty years older than Tony, but somehow he’d managed to keep old age at bay. Tony actually hated that he was going to die here in this hospital bed and make Gibbs lose another child. He wasn’t sure if Gibbs would survive it this time, but there wasn’t anything he could do about it.
He’d tried when he first found out he’d gotten cancer. He’d done everything he could to fight the disease even some things people thought he was crazy for trying, but nothing had worked. Now, he was basically only alive because of the medications and machines surrounding him.
He knew it wouldn’t be long now before his body completely failed him. Gibbs was reaching the end of his rope too, but he still came to visit Tony every day. He just hoped that when he finally left this world that Gibbs wouldn’t blame himself because Gibbs was the father he’d always wanted.
Gibbs would be here soon. Tony felt himself slipping under possibly for the last time, but he didn’t want to. He wanted to say goodbye to Gibbs and make sure he knew it wasn’t his fault.
Unfortunately, by the time Gibbs got to the hospital, Tony had already passed on. Gibbs wanted to rail against the universe for taking his son from him, but he knew it wasn’t what Tony would want.
Still when he was alone in the basement with his boat after Tony had finally been put to rest for good, Gibbs could do nothing else, but cry.