Work Text:
***
(Gibbs Hospital Room)
Gibbs was silent after he was left alone while Franks headed toward the waiting area to talk to the Director and Ducky about the status case and about the fact that Gibbs was going to be joining him in Mexico for his recovery. He was confused to everything that he had encountered since he had awoken and he could tell that they were keeping something from him, and whatever it was, was causing his gut to churn in agitation. What could be worse than the loss of Shannon and his daughter, nearly 15 years prior?
“Agent Gibbs?” an unknown nurse ducked into his room, with a hurried glance over her shoulder toward Gibbs’ talking doctors and nurses.
“Yes?” he frowned, as he wondered at her appearance in his room.
“I’m Becka, I’m Tony’s nurse,” she hurriedly explained, “he was worried about you since no one would tell him about your status.”
“Tony?” Gibbs frowned at the unknown name.
“Agent DiNozzo,” she replied absently, “he got concerned when the Doctor’s started talking about him going to a rehab facility.”
Gibbs found himself in a sticky situation, if he revealed he didn’t remember, then she wouldn’t tell him anything about the other agent, “Rehab facility?” he frowned as he wondered why that would’ve gotten an adverse reaction from the other man.
“Yes,” she smiled sadly, “he had a distal radius fracture of his left arm, a compound fracture of the femur in his right leg, not to mention a punctured lung,” she listed off with a practiced ease.
Gibbs softly swore, as he realized that the nurse was treating him as the agent’s, Tony, he corrected himself, as Tony’s next of kin. Which meant that his medical team as well as the Director and NCIS team had been lying to him since he woke up. Because he knew one thing for certain, the only way he would’ve agreed to be anyone’s next of kin after the loss of his family would of been because he considered them family, “Why would he go into a facility?” Gibbs guessed based on her comment, that wasn’t a normal situation for the agent.
“That’s why Tony asked me to come find you,” she replied, “he was worried that you were injured more seriously than he had been informed of.”
Gibbs caught sight of Franks heading back toward his room, “What’s his room number?”
“403,” she supplied, as Franks entered the hospital room.
“Probie?” he looked between the duo in mild interest.
“Tell him, I’ll be there and that he is not to go anywhere,” Gibbs ordered as she headed back to Tony’s room in order to relay Gibbs’ order.
“What’s going on?” Franks questioned after the nurse left the hospital room.
“What I want is for you to tell me the truth,” Gibbs demanded as he forced himself to unclench his hands and focused a questioning gaze at his former partner.
“About what?”
“Tony.”
***
(Tony’s Hospital Room)
Tony was beyond confused; his arm was currently secured in a sling while his leg was in a walking boot. He frowned at the site of the black contraption on his leg, his Doctor had come in with a couple of nurses and they had helped him change into a set of work-out clothes and put the sling and boot on him. He couldn’t get an answer out of any of them either, his Doctor looked more stressed than normal.
“Kid?” an unknown male called out from the entrance to his room.
“Who are you?” he frowned as he entered his room and grabbed his packed duffel bag that the Nurses had packed which contained everything that he had collected during his hospital stay.
“Mike Franks,” growled the brusque former agent as he shifted slightly to allow a nurse enter the room with a wheelchair.
At the name Tony’s eyes widen slightly, “Gibbs’ Franks?”
“Yep,” Franks wasn’t at all surprised that the younger agent knew who he was. If the two were as close as Gibbs thought then it made since that he would recognize his name, “Probie’s getting your discharge paperwork,” he shifted the duffel that he had carried, “I already made a run to your place as well as Probie’s to get your gear and passports.”
“Passports?” he questioned, as he the nurse helped shift him into the wheelchair.
“Mexico,” he supplied as he led the way to the counter where Gibbs was just finishing signing Tony out and collecting his medication from the doctor, “Probie figured you wouldn’t have an issue with joining us south of the border.”
Tony frowned slightly at the facial appearance Gibbs had on his face, something major had happened, and not just the explosion but he kept his questions to himself since he didn’t want to delay their departure from the hospital any more than necessary.
“Hi boss,” he called out with an ease that he hadn’t felt since before the explosion, the last time he had seen the gruff former Marine.
“Tony,” Gibbs countered with a nod as he shot a quick glance over towards the hospital staff which Tony recognized immediately; he didn’t want him to say anything else until they were successfully out of the hospital.
“Bye, Doc,” Tony waved as he was pushed towards the waiting elevator, as his thoughts wandered what had happened and why the Director or the team didn’t tell him but judging from the look on Gibbs’ face, he had been kept in the dark as well and the Boss wasn’t happy about it either, “Are you alright, boss?” he questioned once they were clear of the hospital staff.
“Baltimore,” Gibbs stated suddenly, as his eyes widen at the memory that had just came to him. He remembered Tony, but why? And why didn’t anyone from NCIS tell him about the other Agent? Did they not want him to recover his memories or was there something more sinister at play here, he wondered to himself.
“Where we first met,” Tony laughed at the memory, “also, where I keep ending up in the ICU, thank god you handle HR about my sick days,” he paused at the comment when he spotted the hazed look entering Gibbs’ eyes, something was wrong with the Lead Agent, and whatever it was, he was going to have his back, just like Gibbs had his since the day the met.
***
(Reception Area of Hospital)
Tim, Abby, and Ziva all arrived together at the hospital after they got off work in order to check in on their two team members.
“I’m going to go see the Bossman,” Abby commented as she started to head toward the team leader’s room without waiting for a response.
“Remember!” McGee called out.
“Don’t mention Tony!” she called back over her shoulder as she turned the corner.
“I’m going to see Tony,” Ziva stated as she and McGee came to a stop at the nurse’s station.
“I’m going to check to see if someone from the rehab facility has been in contact with the hospital,” Tim replied as he waited for the nurse to get off the phone.
He had been standing at the desk for only a few minutes when Abby came running toward him, “Gibbs’ gone!” she gasped as she rested her hands on her knees.
“What?” Tim was completely stunned at the news, “Are you sure?”
Abby’s only response was to hand him the NCIS badge she had in her grasp, “he left his badge on the nightstand.”
“Boss…” Tim was stunned at the news, he had known that the seasoned agent was dealing with his trauma, but to leave NCIS? He couldn’t believe that Gibbs would leave them, but on the other hand, Gibbs didn’t remember any of them, so could they really blame the man for leaving them without a goodbye? He was interrupted in his musing by the arrival of a frantic Ziva.
“Tony’s gone,” Ziva stated as she was followed by Tony’s doctor at a more sedate pace.
“AMA?” McGee wasn’t overly concerned about Tony leaving without notifying them, he had the bad habit of signing out whenever he was in the hospital.
“Like I just attempting to explain to Agent David,” the doctor stated as he glanced between the three, pausing at Abby and her choice of clothing for a moment before continuing his explanation, “Agent DiNozzo was signed out by his Next of Kin, not AMA.”
“What?” Abby frowned at that news, “Tony doesn’t talk to his dad and his mom’s dead.”
“A sibling?” Ziva proposed.
“Not unless you count his Frat brothers,” McGee countered as an impossible thought crossed his mind, as the memory of Tony’s stay in the hospital when he had contracted the plague, “Gibbs.”
“Gibbs?” Ziva repeated, “What about Gibbs?”
“Yeah, Timmy Gibbs’ is gone,” Abby revealed to Ziva whose face darken in worry at the news that they now had two missing agents.
“No,” Tim shook his head, “Gibbs is Tony’s Next of Kin,” he glanced toward Tony’s doctor to see him nodding in agreement at his statement, “Gibbs signed out DiNozzo.”
“How?” Abby commented as she glanced around at the group gathered around them, “Gibbs has amnesia, he doesn’t remember any of us at NCIS.”
“Well, he remembered Agent DiNozzo,” the doctor stated as he handed over his clipboard to the charge nurse, “he was able to fill out the paperwork with no one helping him.”
“What?” Abby’s face darken slightly at the news that Gibbs remembered Tony but not her.
“Impossible,” Ziva joined in Abby’s disbelief as she glanced over at the silent McGee, “Tim?”
“Muscle memory,” Tim offered after he thought back over his time on the MCRT over the past couple of years, “if we talk to Ducky, we’ll probably find out that Gibbs has always handled the paperwork.”
“That may be true,” Ziva interrupted with a wave of her hands, “but why would he take Tony home with him?”
“Oh, Bossman has always brought Tony home with him,” Abby revealed as she thought over past hospital visits since Tony had joined NCIS, “but wouldn’t Tony have said something about Gibbs’ amnesia?”
“Tony doesn’t know,” Tim revealed as he groaned when at his revelation Abby head-slapped him.
“McGee!” Abby’s attention was drawn to the entryway at the sound of the door opening, “Ziva, Tim,” she gestured toward the approaching NCIS Director and Medical Examiner.
“Director,” Ziva nodded her head in greeting, “Ducky.”
“Hi,” Abby waved as she glanced worriedly between the two new arrivals.
“Director, Ducky,” McGee acknowledged the pair as he exchanged glances with Ziva and Abby, as they started to inform the pair on the situation. Needless to say, neither the Director nor Ducky were pleased at the news about Gibbs’ quitting NCIS nor about the fact that DiNozzo had left with both Gibbs and Mike Franks for parts unknown at the moment.
“Agent McGee, Officer David,” the Director glanced between the two junior members of the MCRT, “check out both Agent Gibbs’ house and Agent DiNozzo’s apartment. If they are not there, return to NCIS and run a background check their passports and banking history.”
“Yes ma’am,” the pair replied in unison.
“Find them,” she ordered as the pair rushed out of the hospital as though the hounds of hell were closing in after them.
“What about me?” asked Abby.
“Ms. Sciuto,” Jenny paused as she studied the forensic scientist momentary, “you should head back to NCIS and start a search for our missing Agents.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Abby replied as she hurried out of the hospital doors.
“Director,” Ducky frowned slightly at the NCIS Director, “Jethro would never harm Anthony.”
“The Jethro we both know wouldn’t,” she paused before plowing forward, “at the moment, Jethro is in the middle of Desert Storm and he has just lost his wife and daughter. We don’t know what he’s capable of at the moment.”
“But…”
“Combined with Mike Franks,” she shook her head at the mere thought of the former NCIS Agent, “Agent DiNozzo, may be in more danger then even he can handle.”
“Be that as it may Madam Director,” Ducky interjected hotly, “With or without his memories, there is no way Jethro is going to place Anthony in danger.”
“I hope that your right doctor,” Jenny conceded with a nod as the pair headed toward the exit and to the Director’s awaiting vehicle.
“So, do I,” Ducky agreed as he followed her out of the hospital with a growing worry within his heart, “but I beg to question, Madam Director, why call in Mike Franks if he happens to be such a large problem?
“Because at the moment, Mike Franks is the only person Agent Gibbs’ knows that I could contact for help,” Jenny revealed as they got into the back of her SUV, “Franks is a wildcard, and will not respond to anyone in an authority position.”
“Oh dear,” Ducky muttered as he realized the cause of the Director’s worry, “how will Mike Franks react to Anthony’s interference in his and Jethro’s partnership?”
“I don’t know,” Jenny countered swiftly as she grabbed her cell that started to ring, “Director Shepard.”
Ducky was silent on their journey back to the Navy Yard as he contemplated the information that the Director had just provided to him about the former NIS Agent Mike Franks. He prayed that there was enough of the man who was his friend in this newer version of Jethro in order to watch over young Anthony. But the question did remain, why did Gibbs take DiNozzo with him? No one had bothered to check to see if Gibbs remembered the Agent, was it possible that in some way he did remember the Agent and feared that the reason no one had told him meant that DiNozzo was in trouble with the Agency?
“Doctor Mallard?” the Director interrupted the Medical Examiners internal musing, “is there something you want to tell me?”
“I’m sorry Director,” Ducky replied as he gave voice to his musing, “is it possible that Gibbs remembers Anthony?”
“But how would he?”
“We know that he doesn’t remember the rest of the team,” Ducky paused before pushing through, “but I don’t know how he and young Anthony meet, do you?”
“No, I don’t,” the Director grabbed her phone and sent an email to her Assistant demanding to have Agent DiNozzo’s file on her desk upon her return to NCIS.
***
Flash forward 3 months
Tony laughed as he watched Gibbs attempt to pull in his fishing line, so far, the former Marine had fallen into the ocean twice and he refused to permit either Tony or Franks to help him, “Come on boss,” he called out, even though Gibbs had told him to call him Jethro, Tony had opted to keep using the nickname instead.
“Come on Probie!” Franks called out as he joined Tony on the beach, the younger Agent had finally gotten his casts removed and was now attending weekly physical therapy in town, “how are you doing DiNozzo?” the former NIS Agent questioned as he spotted the ice pack on his leg.
“Sore,” Tony shrugged, “Maria said to take it easy and to rest it for the rest of the day.”
“Is that so?” Franks nodded his head slightly, he was pretty sure that Maria had gotten those orders from Gibbs, who watched over the younger man’s recovery process like a hawk.
“Yeah,” Tony replied with an ease which informed Franks that he was aware of Gibbs interference and was fine with it.
“Memories?” he asked softly.
“Yeah,” Tony replied as he glanced away from Gibbs for a second before returning his attention back to the former Marine, “he has good days and bad days.”
“Has he remembered anything else about your team?”
“Nothing new,” Tony replied, “just their names and general information, nothing else.”
“Damn it,” Franks cursed, “but he remembers everything about you?” he smirked slightly.
Tony laughed at his question, “We’re pretty sure that’s because NCIS hide any knowledge of me from him during his recovery, which when he started to get bits of information forced his mind to supply the information that he needed.”
“He never would have been able to sign you out if he didn’t remember you.”
“Agreed,” Tony nodded as he remembered when he was told about Gibbs’ amnesia but that he had correctly filled out all the necessary paperwork and answered all the questions correctly in order to depart with DiNozzo. Which had caused the former Baltimore Detective to look at his boss in stunned disbelief.
“As soon as he found out about you, there was no way he was leaving DC without you,” Franks commented as Gibbs finally managed to pull in his fishing line, “he was worried that he had been the one that had injured you,” Franks admitted as they were joined by Gibbs and his collection of fish, “about time Probie, we’re starving here!”
Later that evening after Tony was passed out on the couch, Gibbs gestured for Franks to join him on the porch, “What’s going on Probie?”
“Got a phone call,” Gibbs revealed as he glanced through the window at the sleeping Agent, “from a Ziva?”
“Ziva David,” Franks nodded in immediate understanding, “the junior most member of your team.”
“She’s accused of murdering someone,” Gibbs sighed as he turned his attention toward the ocean.
“Why call you?”
“She want’s me to help her clear her name.”
“You don’t even remember her,” Franks was stumped at that news.
“I told her to talk to the Director,” Gibbs countered as his attention was drawn back towards the sleeping Tony who had shifted slightly in his sleep, “even if I did remember her, I couldn’t abandon DiNozzo.”
“What am I? Chopped liver?”
“I promised him when I brought him into NCIS, that we were different,” Gibbs paused before pushing forward, “and that I wouldn’t abuse his trust.”
“Damn Probie,” Franks muttered under his breath as he glanced back at the younger Agent before turning his attention back towards the recovering Marine, “you can go…”
“Mike…”
“Let me finish Probie,” Franks interrupted, “me and the kid can go with you.”
“I thought that you would never return to DC?”
“I hate DC,” Franks agreed but he nodded toward the still recovering DiNozzo, “but I can suck it up while you take care of business while I take care of the kid.”
“But…”
“Would you really focus on the case if you were worrying about the kid?”
Gibbs laughed as he realized that Mike had hit the nail on the head and had successfully removed all the obstacles that were remaining in him for returning to DC in order to help out Ziva, “Fine,” he replied as they watched the sunset form the porch as they discussed the necessary steps that they needed to complete so they could catch a flight out in the morning.
***
“Welcome back Agent Gibbs,” Jenny stated as she joined the gathered members of the MCRT in the bullpen as they congratulated Ziva in being cleared of the murder charges.
“I’m not back,” Gibbs countered as he gazed around at the gathered Agents and support staff, the MCRT was now made up of McGee, David, Lee and they were being led by Burley, who was a former member of Gibbs’ team but he didn’t remember the Agent despite claiming too.
“Director, Agent Gibbs,” Stan smiled as he approached the Director and Lead Agent, “it’ll be great to work with you again,” Stan commented as he came to stand next to them and Ducky.
Gibbs frowned at his comment, “Again?” he questioned as he glanced over at Jenny in confusion, if she wanted Gibbs back so much, wouldn’t she be offering Tony his position back as well when he was cleared by medical?
“Agent Burley will assume his former position as your Senior Field Agent,” Jenny stated as both Abby and Ducky held back their arguments on the situation.
“No,” Gibbs shook his head in denial as his attention was drawn to his cell and the text message that he had just received from Franks, apparently the duo had just finished Tony’s follow-up appointment at Bethesda and were heading back to the Navy Yard in order to pick-up Gibbs.
“Agent Gibbs,” Jenny started to argue, frustrated that he wasn’t going to agree to her changes to the MCRT, “As the Director…”
“And I’m out of here,” Gibbs interrupted her to the shock of the gathered NCIS personnel, no one had ever gone against her in front of her people, “got a flight to catch.”
“You’re leaving us again?” Abby whispered, stunned that Gibbs would dare to leave her again.
Gibbs frowned slightly at the whining tone coming from the forensic scientist, why would his leaving affect her? From what he had been able to learn during his time there, she wasn’t a member of his team and they had no interactions away from NCIS, so why was she upset? “Like I said when I left, I’m not coming back to NCIS.”
“Boss,” McGee approached slowly and reached out his hand in order to shake hands with him, “it was an honor to work with you again.”
“Thanks,” in order to prevent people from realizing just how much of his memory was still gone, he had stuck to titles only, no names at all.
“Thank you, Gibbs,” Ziva stated from her position next to McGee.
“Stay out of trouble,” Gibbs countered harshly, “I won’t come back to rescue you again,” he needed to nip that thought process in the bud now. He had other priorities at the moment and the top item was to get Tony back to Agent status and that was going to take at least another ten to twelve months. A proposed future return to DC would be dependent upon what Tony wanted to do.
The one thing this journey back to NCIS had shown him was that he was no longer the angry young Marine who had joined in order to get revenge for his fallen wife and daughter. No matter what happened in the coming months, Gibbs would be there for DiNozzo for as long as he needed him and he would help to ensure that he got either his position back at NCIS or at another law enforcement agency.
Hooyah.
***