AN: Here comes chapter 4 and sorry for the long wait.. I would like to send much thanks to Teena, my new betareader! I hope you all like the story... I was thinking of eneding the story here, what do YOU think? Tell me. Thanks for all the reviews!

Chapter 4
The two NCIS agents spent the night in those chairs beside Tony's bed. Gibbs was awake for most of the time, watching over Tony and Kate. He eyed the night nurse closely whenever she came in to do her check up on Tony, who was thankfully sleeping through the whole night.
When the morning sun began to shine through the big windows, Gibbs stood up and stretched his body, it was definitely time for a coffee, he thought and started to walk towards the door. He stopped and cast a glance at Tony before he stepped through the door and closed it carefully behind himself.

The smell of coffee woke Kate up., At first she thought she had spent the night at the office but then reality came rushing back to her. She straightened up in her chair and looked up to see Gibbs holding a cup of coffee towards her.

"Thanks." she said, accepting the cup, and glanced over to Tony.
"He hasn't woken up yet. Not even made a sound." Gibbs said, sitting down, his eyes firmly on Tony. "Did you sleep alright?"
"Good enough under the circumstances, and you?"
"Don't need much sleep."
There was a knock on the door and a nurse came in. She greeted them before she walked over to Tony to check his vitals.
"Everything's looking fine," she said with an encouraging smile before she walked out again.
Relieved, Gibbs and Kate nodded. Suddenly Gibbs' cell began to ring. He checked the caller ID, it was Abby who wanted an update on Tony's condition.

Tony heard voices. They sounded strange and far away but he thought he recognised them. He strained his ears to hear them and when they came closer they sounded like Gibbs and Kate.
Oh no, he thought. Must have fallen asleep again at the desk or in the car. He hoped he could shake off the cobwebs and look alert before Gibbs noticed and went ballistic on him.
Tony tried to open his eyes, but it took a few attempts until he finally got them open. He didn't recognise the room he was in but he saw Kate and Gibbs, sitting and talking quietly. He shifted a little and pain shot through his body, making him draw a deep, hissing breath that only brought more pain.
Gibbs looked up when he heard the sharp intake of air and saw that Tony was awake but in pain. He grabbed the younger man's uninjured hand and looked him in the eyes.
"Wow, take it easy there," Gibbs said. "Breathe slowly and the pain will pass."
Tony did as his boss told him and after a few minutes the pain subsided to a more tolerable level. He looked at Gibbs and Kate with big eyes.
"What happened?" he asked.
"Do you remember the call about the break-in and that we drove down to the house?" Kate asked him. Tony nodded and Gibbs continued, "I sent you in alone because the MP's said they had checked the house. Turned out the burglar was still inside."
"I was upstairs and my cell started to ring when he hit me from behind...," Tony said as memories slowly began to come back. "We fought, the guy was pretty big and strong. Then I take it we fell down the stairs?" Gibbs and Kate nodded. "What happened to him?"
"Well, you landed on him and the doctor thinks that's why you were so lucky, but the guy died on his way here." Gibbs said.
"Oh." Tony said, feeling anything but lucky. He had killed a man, not on purpose but still he had killed him.
"It wasn't your fault," Gibbs said, sensing Tony's thoughts. "It was an accident."
Tony nodded, but the thought kept lingering in his head.
"So, when can I get out of here?" he asked, changing the topic.
"As soon as the doctor's cleared you," Kate said and, as if on cue, doctor Anderson walked in.
He examined Tony thoroughly, then told them that he wanted to run an MRI scan just to be on the safe side. If everything turned out alright, Tony could be released later in the day. Gibbs and Kate decided to wait in the room while Tony was going through the tests.
After a few hours doctor Anderson brought Tony back with the news that everything seemed alright so far and Tony was free to leave but that he should come back at the slightest sign of problems. The doctor then left to prepare the papers for Tony's release.
Gibbs and Kate stayed behind with Tony, who slowly sat up in bed, swinging his legs over the side. Gibbs handed him a bag of clothes that Kate had bought in the hospital shop while Tony was being examined.
"Very nice, Kate." Tony said with a smile as he took out a pair of sweatpants, a T-shirt and a hooded jacket with zipper. "I'm flattered that you know my size."
Kate just laughed at him, happy to see that he seemed alright. Expectantly, Tony looked at Gibbs and Kate.
"Well, are you two going to leave so I can get dressed?" he asked.
"Nope." Gibbs said with the barest hint of a twinkle in his ice blue eyes.
"But, boss," Tony said. "I'm a big boy, ya know?"
"It's still no, DiNozzo."
Tony just looked at Gibbs and then at Kate, his forehead creased ever so slightly. He was confused. Gibbs had been unusually nice to him all morning and Kate had not teased him once. And now they insisted on staying with him. Something was definitely up. He put the thought aside and moved to stand up. A wave of dizziness suddenly washed over him and he swayed slightly. Gibbs was at his side in a split-second, steadying him.
Tony momentarily felt embarrassed but at the same time relished the feeling of the strong arm holding him safely.
"Now you know why." Gibbs said in a slightly exasperated voice. "Someone has to make sure that you don't fall flat on your face."
Hearing Kate snicker from her side of the bed, Tony turned around and stuck out his tongue. She just smiled at him and something was different in her eyes. Tony inwardly shook his head, he must have hit it pretty hard because it almost seemed as if Kate was flirting with him...
He felt even more uneasy when Gibbs and Kate helped him get undressed and put him into in the new clothes. He tried to say something, but both Gibbs and Kate shot him a glare that made him close his mouth.
When he was fully dressed Gibbs carefully helped him sit down on the bed again to catch his breath. The door opened and a nurse appeared with his release papers and a wheelchair. Tony started to protest but Gibbs looked at him with his "don't mess with me" glare. Knowing better than to argue, Tony allowed Kate to help him into the wheelchair.

He was lost in thought as they wheeled him out of the hospital and bundled him into the car. Kate noticed the pensive look on his face and wondered if it had anything to do with Gibbs' and her own recent behaviour. It was not that they had treated Tony all that nicely of late. After all the criticism and standard "bastard" treatment from Gibbs and her own constant razzing, Tony had to be confused by their unusually friendly demeanour of the last few hours. They had to make sure that he knew this was they way it should be, that he was, after all, a loved and appreciated member of their little family.

She sighed when she realised how much explaining and maybe apologising lay ahead of them but for the time being she was just glad they had him back…

The End or...