I know it's been an unforgivably long time since I've updated this. Life has sucked and my muse was gone. Life hasn't improved much, but I'm working on it and writing is a part of that. Hopefully, you all continue to enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I own even less now than I used to...

Gibbs felt someone touch his shoulder and lifted his head from Tony's bed. Madeline was standing over him with a smile.

"Hi Mr Gibbs, I'm so sorry to wake you but there's a Leon Vance standing outside. He says he needs to speak with you. I'll stay here with Mr DiNozzo while you speak with him if you'd like. I know you don't want him left alone."

Gibbs rubbed his face and smiled at the kind woman who had been Tony's caretaker for the last two days in the ICU. He hadn't left his side except to use the restroom the entire time. Madeline had been kind enough to bring him coffee and trays of food from the cafeteria. He'd barely eaten anything, the food was terrible, but the nurse had been a godsend.

"Thank you Madeline. I won't be long."

"It's ok Mr Gibbs, take your time. Why don't you walk around the hospital and stretch your legs while you talk to your friend? I won't leave him and I have your cell number so I can call you if he starts to stir."

"No, I won't go far, I can't. I appreciate the thought but I need..."

"He's improving Mr Gibbs. These 48 hours were crucial, but every hour that passes, his chances improve greatly. He's strong and he's obviously not letting go. You need to take care of yourself too. You won't be any good to him if you don't treat yourself a little better. And just so you know, I fully intend to snitch the second he wakes up."

Jethro couldn't stop the laugh that burst out. The image of Tony scolding him was too amusing.

"That's not exactly how we work, but he can be quite the nag. Seriously, thank you. That laugh was needed."

Madeline smiled sweetly, "That's my job Mr Gibbs, I take care of my patients, but I also make sure that their loved ones take care of themselves too. Now shoo."

"Ok, I'm going. Still not going far though."

Gibbs left the ICU and saw Leon leaning against the wall opposite the entrance. He was holding a good sized cooler. He raised his eyebrows when Leon looked over to him and eyed the cooler.

"You going on a picnic Leon?"

Leon smiled, "I told Jackie I was coming to see you and she demanded that I come pick this up to bring to you. She said that she knew you weren't eating properly and she wouldn't allow you to get yourself sick waiting for DiNozzo to wake up."

"Well you tell her thank you. I'm sure whatever she sent is much better than anything they have here."

"I will."

Gibbs just looked at Leon for a moment. "Why are you really here Leon? I've been calling you with updates, I'm sure you've spoken to his doctors, so something else brought you here."

"How long?"

"How long what?"

"I'm not stupid Gibbs, I know anguish when I see it. Your team may not have seen it because of what they think they know of you, but I'm not sure about that. How long?"

"Not long. A few months."

"But with as long as you've known each other, things progressed quickly. No getting to know you phase needed."

Gibbs chuckled, "Yeah guess so. So what happens now? We were planning on letting everyone know within the next few months, but we didn't know what would happen, so tell me."

"Normally, I'd put you in different teams. Team members dating isn't allowed and for good reason mostly. But with you, I don't really have the same concerns. I know you well enough to know that you can keep your relationship away from the office. But, it would still need to be kept quiet. Not from the team, but from the other teams and Sec Nav. And I would hope you'd understand that it has nothing to do with gender."

Gibbs rolled his eyes, "I'm not stupid either Leon. I know why."

"Just making sure. I want you to know that I support you, so don't get pissy."

Gibbs laughed, "I know Leon. But you should remember who you're talking to. Tony may worry about how other people feel about him, all I worry about is keeping my team together."

"Your family you mean."

"You know Leon, I may be worried about Tony right now, but that doesn't mean I want to talk about my emotions."

Leon started laughing, "God forbid Gibbs."

Gibbs smirked. "Give Jackie my love. I'm going back in. He looks like he might wake soon and I want to be there."

"Ok, no problem. Did Dr Mallard tell you we caught the smugglers?"

"Abby did yeah."

"Good, call me when he wakes up ok?"

"Will do."

It took another day, but finally Tony started moving. It started with twitches in his hands and legs and within a few hours, his eyes were opening. Jethro had a cup of water with a straw ready for him. He knew his throat would be too dry for him to speak. When his eyes finally focused on Jethro, he lifted the bed a little so he would be at an incline and put the straw between his lips. Tony sucked in the water a little at a time before he tried to talk.

"Timmy?"

"He's fine. Had some cuts and bruises and a slight concussion, but he didn't get hit. You protected him."

"Good. You?"

"Me? I'm a hell of a lot better than you. How do you feel?"

"I'm not feeling much right now, just woozy. You look like hell. Have you slept?"

"Yeah, I've slept right here. And thanks for the compliment, luckily my ego can stand it."

Tony smirked, "You're welcome. You haven't left here have you?"

"Of course not. I couldn't leave you here alone."

Tony blushed. "You weren't worried about what everyone would say?"

"When have I ever worried about what people say? Leon knows. Figured it out. Don't know if anyone else has and to be honest, I just don't care... Tony, when they called me, I... I couldn't breathe. And then, when they told me how badly you'd been injured, my heart, it just, I couldn't..." Gibbs dropped his head into his hand.

Tony didn't think he'd ever seen Gibbs like this. He was trembling and couldn't get his thoughts together properly. He'd told him that he loved him, but it wasn't until this moment that it really hit him. This wonderful, strong, stoic man was falling apart because of him. That wasn't possible, he couldn't love him this much, Tony wasn't that special.

"Jethro, please look at me." Tony could hear the emotion in his own voice. He tried to hold himself together. "I'm so sorry that I did this. I was distracted and didn't notice that we were made, and then all I thought of was protecting Tim. The last thing I remember thinking before everything went black was how sorry I was that I would be hurting you and I'm so sorry, please Jethro..." The tears were running down from Tony's eyes and he was gasping for air.

Jethro jumped up and grabbed Tony's face so he could look into his eyes.

"Shh Tony, stop it, don't." His voice was also thick with emotion. "I'm not angry with you, what you did was exactly what I would have done. Of course you protected Tim, you wouldn't be who you are if you hadn't. I was never upset, it was just the thought of losing you that nearly killed me. I love you more than I've loved anyone since Shannon and losing you just, I wouldn't have recovered again and it just made me a little crazy. I was planning on asking you to officially move in with me and I know that I want that more than ever now. I don't want to lose out on anything that we can have. And I, I don't usually talk this much and now I'm not sure I can stop..."

Tony was still crying, but now he laughed. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, but he could see the honesty and love in Jethro's eyes and he was blown away.

"I love you too, so much. I was so scared that you would pull away from me after this, and when I woke up and saw you all I could think was that I was about to lose you. Thank you for not pushing me away. I was hoping you would ask me to stay with you and now you're stuck with me you know that? I am sorry for scaring you though. I'm not going anywhere I promise. I'm as hard to kill as you are, it seems. I'm staying at your side Jethro."

Jethro claiming his lips stopped him from saying any more. The kiss was softer than he was used to from this man, but he knew it was because he was injured. He wanted the hard, demanding, drugging kisses he was used to, but this was wonderful because before he didn't know if he would survive to kiss the man he loved ever again.

Jethro pulled back to look him in the eyes "You know we're going to have to tell the team about us right? You ready for that?"

Tony grimaced, "Well I'm not looking forward to the ribbing I'm gonna get from the Elf Lord and the Autopsy Gremlin. And let's not even mention the butchered jokes that Ziva is bound to try, but yeah I'm ready."

Jethro laughed, "That's why I like everyone being too scared of me to tease me."

Tony pouted, "That's just unfair!"

They laughed together and Jethro leaned in and kissed him again.

"Mr Gibbs are you molesting my just recently conscious patient?"

Hearing Madeline scolding him, Gibbs pulled back quickly looking like a naughty child. Tony's eyes widened in surprise.

"Umm, well I was just happy that he woke up and I just wanted a small kiss. I didn't move him or anything."

"Jethro, am I dreaming or do you actually sound sheepish?" Tony wasn't sure if he should be more amused or shocked.

"Shut up Tony, she's taken very good care of you, I'm being respectful."

Madeline laughed, "Well, a small kiss is ok. No heavy petting and I'll let you stay. I'm going to get his doctor. Behave yourselves." As the nurse walked away, Tony's smile and Jethro's blush were both stronger.

"I like her!"

Jethro laughed, "Yeah me too. Now stop laughing at me."

Tony would deny for the rest of his days that he giggled, but Jethro insisted that he did.