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Undercover

Friday

Tony walked out to his car and got inside and looked at the folder on the passenger seat. He knew that Vance did not like him, but really another undercover op? One that might kill him? Which is why he was doing this op instead of some other agent. Vance sent him on the Agent Afloat assignment because he messed up guarding Jenny Shepard. His father was right he was a failure. He would start this undercover op in a week and for now he would have time to work with Gibbs and the team. Vance said not to tell anybody about this op and he had promised. He knew also that McGee didn't respect him after he was put back on the lead of the case he first had when Gibbs was gone. Maybe it would be better if he was killed on this op. Nobody would miss him. It was not like he was useful to the team anymore. McGee was smart with the computers and each day he would say something to him about it, but he kept his mask on not showing that it had hurt him. He was good at playing the frat boy and the joker that everyone saw everyday. He had been doing it for such a long time and it was hard to stop. His op was to go undercover with one of the crime families in DC that had connections with the Navy and Marines. He had to find out who the connection was and why. This wasn't the first time he went undercover in a crime family.

The day before that he had to leave to go undercover he stayed a little late to finish his report to make sure that it was done. He handed it to Gibbs and watched as he read it and then told him to leave. He picked up his backpack after getting his gun and badge. He stood at the elevator and waited for it to open as he waited he turned around and looked at the bullpen and he hoped it wasn't for the last time.

----

Monday

Gibbs, McGee and Ziva walked into the bullpen and sat down. Gibbs had sat down and sipped his cup of coffee and looked at DiNozzo's desk. He then looked at the time. Tony was late and he wondered why.

"Do you know where DiNozzo's at?"

"No, Boss" Both Ziva and McGee answered.

Just then the phone rang and it was time to gear up and leave. They returned and McGee took the evidence to Abby, but had to leave because Gibbs wanted him back upstairs. He quickly went back upstairs and walked past Tony's desk and still he wasn't there.

"Tony's still not here?" McGee asked.

"No and I called his home and cell number. He is not picking up." Ziva said.

"McGee, I want you to see if you can find anything about where DiNozzo might be."

McGee started typing into his computer and couldn't find anything. "I can't find anything, Boss."

"Try harder." Gibbs and stopped and then grabbed the phone as it rang. "Let's go Abby has something." Ziva, McGee and Gibbs walked towards Abby's lab.

Abby turned to them as they walked in. "Where's Tony?" Asked Abby

"We do not know. I tried his home and cell number and he hadn't picked up yet." Ziva answered.

"Gibbs, I have a weird feeling about this." Abby said.

"What do you mean Abby?"

"I have a weird feeling that something is going to happen to Tony and I don't like it." Abby replied. She was worried about Tony. He was her best friend and she liked him.

Abby turned to the computer and told them what she had found. After that she turned to them. "You have to go find him, Gibbs."

Gibbs nodded and walked out of the lab. Where could Tony be? Where was he? Why was he gone? He should go to his apartment to see if there were any clues to where he might be.

"I'm going to Tony's apartment." Gibbs said as he picked up his coffee cup and his coat.

"You have his keys?" Asked Ziva

"Yes, after he had the plague and he was at home I asked for his keys to keep an eye on him." Replied Gibbs

Ziva nodded and went back to work.

Gibbs parked in front of the apartment complex close to DiNozzo's apartment. He quickly made it to his door and unlocked it. He turned on the light and looked around. It was neat and tidy almost nothing out of place, but an NCIS folder on the table. He went towards it and opened it. It was an order for an undercover op and it was about a crime family. He knew that Tony was good at undercover ops and maybe that is why Vance picked him, but after what happened in LA he wondered if Vance done this on purpose. He might get killed on this Op and he didn't think that Vance would have minded if Tony did get killed on it. He wondered about McGee too. He heard that McGee had been disrespectful to Tony when he took over that case. He wasn't sure if Ziva would care, or not if Tony was killed. He still wondered about McGee though. He knew that Abby would take it hard if Tony did get killed on this one. She wore her heart on her sleeve. She was the only one besides him that would miss Tony if he were to die. Although he never said it to Tony that he cared about him like a son. The only one that he outwardly showed affection for was Abby. She was the daughter that Kelly would have been if she were alive. He picked up the folder and made his way to the car. He went back to HQ and went to the elevator and punched the button for the top floor. He walked out of the elevator and into the Director's office.

"What is the meaning of this?" Gibbs yelled as he threw the folder on Vance's desk.

Vance picked it up and opened it. "It was need to know and you didn't." Was his reply.

"I need to know why my Senior Agent isn't were he is supposed to be. Why would you do this? You don't like him, so you send him on an op that might kill him?"

"I never said I didn't like him." Replied Vance even thought that wasn't entirely true.

"He better come back alive, or else." He said as he stormed to the door.

"Is that a threat?"

"It can be." He slammed the door shut as he walked out of the office. He was furious. Furious at Vance for putting Tony in this situation.

"McGee, I need you to pull up anything you can on the Capri family."

"I know that they are a mafia family."

"Find out more, McGee and now."

"What's the matter, Gibbs?" Asked Ziva

"Vance put Tony undercover with the Capri family."

"What?" Both agents said at the same time.

"You need to go to Abby's lab and have her help you, McGee. Make sure that she knows what's happening."

"Yes, Boss." He said as he got up and picked up his laptop and make his way towards Abby's lab.

"Ziva, I need you to call any of your contacts and ask them about the Capri family."

Ziva grabbed the phone and started dialing. Gibbs stared at the desk of his Senior Agent and hoped that Tony can make it out alive. Two days later they got a call about a man who fit Tony's description at the hospital with a gunshot wound.

McGee, Abby, Ziva and Gibbs hurried to the hospital and hurried to the information desk. Gibbs took out his badge and flashed it.

"NCIS, Special Agent Gibbs. I'm here to find out where Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo's room is. He's one of mine. Listed under the name John Doe."

"Let me see. He's in Room 245."

"Thank you." Gibbs said before he walked towards the elevators. He walked into DiNozzo's room and saw that the Doctor was there.

"Who are you?" asked the man

Gibbs pulled out his badge again. "NCIS, Special Agent Gibbs." He then pointed towards Tony. "He's Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo. He's one of ours." He looked at Tony and back to the Doctor. "How is he?"

"He got out of surgery an hour ago and is under sedation. It will take a couple of minutes until he comes around. We got the bullets out." The doctor said as he wrote down Tony's vitals and made a couple of notes and walked out.

Tony woke up a minute later and looked at Gibbs not seeing the others. "Sorry, Boss."

"Sorry for what?"

"For being a failure. My father said I was always a failure and I just proved it again. He always said I'd end up in the gutter. Said I'd be better off dead. He was right." He said as he slipped back into unconsciousness. Gibbs wondered if Tony knew what he was saying and then he looked at the three people that were on the other side of Tony's bed. Each of them had a surprised expression.

"Why would a father say that to his son?" Asked McGee surprised that a father would say that to his child. He always got along with his family and couldn't really see his father, or mother saying that to him, or his sister.

"I've always wondered. I mean he tries so hard for everyone to make sure that they like him. He hides behind a carefree mask, but I seen it slip sometimes. Like when Ziva didn't invite him to the dinner party he quickly covered it up. He tries hard to make you proud of him." Abby said as he stared at Gibbs.

Gibbs stood there and looked at Abby. "What did I do?"

"What do you mean?" Asked Abby.

"Remember when the Marine was missing? When he came back I said that he was irreplaceable and McGee who was sitting at his desk and said to McGee something about Tony being alive and you can't have his job. I meant it as a joke, but when I saw his face. I never realized it. I also remember saying good job lately to McGee and have seen Tony's face when I said it and his face fell, but as you said he quickly covered it up by joking. No wonder he's so good at undercover jobs."

"He has to get better, Gibbs." Said Abby

"I will make sure that he will, He'll listen to me." Gibbs replied

"I don't know, Gibbs. Maybe he's given up?" Replied Abby

"He can't give up. I'll make sure of it."

"You better. Make sure when he gets better and he goes back to his job to praise him too."

"I will Abs."

She nodded to Gibbs and the Doctor who was there came back in.

"He woke up a few minutes ago and went back to sleep." Gibbs said.

"Sorry about not introducing myself. My name is Thomas Franklin." He said to Gibbs and then checked Tony's vitals and his eyes. "He's still not out of the woods yet."

"I understand. This is Special Agent McGee, Officer David and our forensics tech Abby Sciuto."

"Hello, everyone. I'm glad he has friends here. He's going to need them." Replied Thomas. "I have to check up on my other patients. If he wakes up again push the call button." He said as he left the room.

A couple of minutes later Tony woke up again. "Tell McGee I'm sorry for teasing him. He's a good agent. I was only trying to toughen him up. Tell Abby to stay strong and don't cry for me I'm not worth it. Tell Ziva sorry for teasing her too. I'm sorry that I was never good enough for you." He said as his heart stopped. They were quickly pushed out the door and the team quickly went to work. Abby broke down and started sobbing.

"He can't die, Gibbs. He just can't. Not Tony."

"The nurse and the Doctor came out. "It was touch and go in there. We started his heart again, but he's still not out of the woods yet as I said earlier. You can go back in." Doctor Franklin said as he went to the desk and wrote something in a file. Abby went to the bedside.

"Listen to me, Tony. You won't die. You can't die because I won't let you." She said as she held his hand. Tears were slipping down her face and one landed on his hand.

"Tony, I am so sorry for not respecting you when you were team leader for that case. I'm sorry for everything that I said to you after it and for thinking that I was better than you because I know more about computers."

"My little hairy butt. You better not die on me. Don't you dare die, or I will haunt you." A tear escaped her eye and she quickly brushed it away.

"Listen to me Tony, You will not die. Remember me telling you that when you had the plague and you obeyed my orders then. You better follow them again. You Will Not Die. I'm sorry for ignoring you and not praising you when you deserved it. I never realized what I was doing. You are a good Agent, Tony. I am so proud of you, son." He said and looked at Tony. He was so still. Too still. Tony was never this still, or quiet. He was always going on about some movie. He missed that. "Come on Tony pull through for us. We are your family." He said to him.

Gibbs told everyone to go home and he would stay there. During the night his heart stopped again, but they restarted it. He went back inside after the nurses came out and sat down on the chair that was in the room. He went to sleep and when he woke up in the morning he looked at Tony who was still asleep. He wanted to get a cup of coffee, but wanted to be here for Tony when he woke up. He didn't have long to wait a minute later Tony woke up and looked around. His eyes settled on Gibbs and was surprised that he was there.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I was shot." Replied Tony wondering why Gibbs would be here.

"Welcome back, DiNozzo." Replied Gibbs as he pressed the call button. The Doctor came in and checked his vitals and his eyes. "You gave us a scare there Mr. DiNozzo."

"Call me Tony."

"Okay, Tony. Your heart stopped twice and had to restart it. You are a lucky man, Tony. I heard that you also had the plague."

"Yes, I did,"

The Doctor then wrote something in his folder and then walked out of the room, but before he left he turned towards Tony. "If you need anything call the nurse. I will tell the nurses to give you painkillers."

Tony nodded and then turned to Gibbs. "What are you doing here?"

"Because you were shot. We tried to find you and found that a man fitting your description was at the hospital and we came."

"You came here for me?" He said surprised.

"Of course, DiNozzo. Why wouldn't I?"

Tony shrugged and turned away from Gibbs's stare. He watched as an attractive nurse came inside and started flirting with her. He swallowed the pills and settled back down on the pillow. He was tired and he was fighting a battle with his eyelids.

"Go to sleep, DiNozzo. I'll be here watching your six."

Tony opened his eyes with a surprised expression and then closed them. He knew that he wasn't allowed to use his phone in the room, but he couldn't leave Tony's bedside after he said that to him. He called Abby first and told her the news that his heart stopped once more, but he was okay and awake now. He then called McGee and David and told them the same thing. They were coming over now. Gibbs watched Tony sleep and smiled.

Abby was the first to show up and came in. She looked at Gibbs with a question in her eyes.

"He's alright, Abs. He's just sleeping." She nodded and sat down in the other chair in the room. She was followed by McGee and David. Sometime later Tony woke up and saw that McGee was there along with Abby and Ziva.

"What are you guys doing here?"

"Where here for you, Tony."

"You are?" He said with another surprised expression on his face. "You're here because of me?"

"Of course, Tony. You're our family and we take care of our own." Replied Abby.

Tony looked at McGee, Ziva, Abby and Gibbs and they all nodded to him. He smiled at them. "Thank you."

"You're welcome Tony. Don't ever, ever scare us like that again, Tony." Said Abby.

"I'll try."

"You better do more than try, Mister." She said as she grabbed his hand and squeezed it. He squeezed back and then turned to Gibbs. "I messed up, Boss."

"What do you mean, Tony?"

"I was on an undercover op on Vance's orders and I messed up."

"No, you did not mess up. It was Vance's fault. Not your fault. I went to your apartment when you didn't come into work on Monday and found the folder on the table. We tried to find you and got a call from the hospital that there was a man there with your description and we came running."

"Why?"

"You are important to us, Tony. I know I only said this once when I pulled you away from the case when you were team leader. I'm proud of you, Tony. You are a good Agent."

"I am?"

"Yes, Tony you are."

"Thank you." Replied Tony as he smiled at Gibbs.

He was back to work a couple of weeks later and Vance was gone and another Director was in his place. They found out that he was paying people to do some dirty work for him and he was in prison now.

The End