Even though it'd been almost two weeks since the day Tony had received that call about Senior being admitted to the hospital, he was still there when Tony and Gibbs arrived in New York.

Apparently he'd had a heart attack and they needed to keep an eye on him, at first! Because later it was just DiNozzo Sr. who hadn't wanted to take any risks; so he'd refused to leave the hospital until they assured him that he'd be hundred percent fine.

Tony rolled his eyes when the nurse told him about it, as Gibbs growled and called Sr. a few names under his breath. But they were there and Tony wanted to make sure his father would live.

Senior couldn't believe his eyes when Tony and Gibbs stepped in his hospital room. His face lost all color and his heart rate accelerated.

Tony eyed the heart monitor and sighed, knowing well what was going on in his Dad's head. "Dad." He greeted tiredly; the flight had taken its toll on his ailing body.

"Junior, I... I didn't think-" the older man stammered. "You are here."

"Wanted to make sure you're fine." He said coldly.

Senior stared at his son for a few more seconds before turning his gaze to Gibbs.

Forcing himself to stay calm, Gibbs glared at the older DiNozzo. "I'm still standing on my promise. You get near him and I'll make your life even more miserable."

Tony turned around and looked at Gibbs in disbelief.

But Gibbs ignored him and continued. "He's here because you've got the guts to keep his name as your next of kin, but I'd never leave him alone in a room with you."

"Gibbs." Tony growled. He knew his Boss was just trying to show his support, but they all knew that he'd leave if Tony asked him to.

Gibbs rolled his eyes and took a sit.

"I...Ah... Thank you." Senior said to his son, his voice tight. "And you have no idea how sorry I am for what I did. I'm-"

"Don't get there." Tony clenched his jaw. "I'm not here to talk about it and I don't think I ever want to hear your lame excuses."

Senior just nodded, unable to push it. It wasn't easy for him to talk about it and somehow he was glad that Tony had given him the getaway. "How are you doing? You look pale and... Well, washed out."

Tony snorted. "Like you'd know how I look when I'm worn out." He paused. "I'm fine. I talked to your doctor. What are you still doing here? They said you're going to be just alright."

"They don't know what's really wrong."

"Pussy so much." Gibbs mumbled from his seat and Tony had to suppress his laughter.

"Dad, you just had a heart attack; yeah, that can be bad, but it wasn't serious and you'll be fine if you follow your diet."

"What do you know?" Senior growled but regretted his words as soon as they left his mouth.

"Yeah, what do I know? I'm just a pathetic, worthless piece of crap." Tony growled angrily. "Or so you told me last month and many times before that." He clenched his fists. "You know what? My mistake. I shouldn't have come. Gibbs tried to change my mind, but I didn't listen, as usual. Some things never change, I guess. Huh? Anyway, I'm leaving. I just wanted to make sure you were alright and had to see it for myself. Don't call me. Bye, Dad." Tony said those words and stormed out of the room.

"Junior... Anthony." Senior called his son, but it was too late; he'd tried to interrupt his son's monologue, but hadn't found the right word.

Slowly, Gibbs stood up from his seat and glared at Senior. "Told you that you don't deserve him. After everything you did to him, he still insisted on coming here and look what you did again." He shook his head and continued before DiNozzo Sr. could say anything. "He was injured and was in hospital again. He was hit in the head by a bullet fragment and after the concussion that you gave him, this second one made his condition even worse. He almost fell into a coma; there still is a blood clot in his head; he had brain swelling and had lost his memory."

Gibbs decided not to mention that the swelling wasn't really serious and the clot was almost completely gone. "And you know what was on his mind whenever he was coherent and could remember his name? You."

He took a breath. "He was adamant about coming here to make sure you're alright, because he doesn't want to be like you: Careless and selfish. Even though it would never be viewed as a selfish act, if he didn't want to see you after what you did to him. Whatever, though. Your loss is our gain. Don't you ever dare contact him again."

Gibbs turned around to leave, but was stopped at the doorway when Senior called his name. Not bothering to turn around, he waited for Senior to talk.

Senior was more than shocked and upset about what he'd heard; his son had almost died again! But there wasn't anything he could do about it; he knew the risks when he'd chosen that job. "Tell him I'm sorry." He finally uttered.

'You're just sorry? That's it?' Gibbs thought angrily. 'Well, what else should I expect from someone like him?' Shaking his head he left the other man to live in his misery.

Outside the door he abruptly came to a halt when he found Tony leaning against the opposite wall, looking at him thoughtfully.

Gibbs knew that he hadn't talked that much since... Forever, but Tony was worth it and he didn't regret it even though Tony had heard every single word of his tirade.

Shrugging his shoulders, Gibbs walked away; Tony was hot on his heels.

"You ready to leave the city?" The older man asked.

"More than ready, but we just got here."

"So?"

"So, aren't you tired?"

That caught Gibbs' attention. He realized that the younger agent must be tired and in pain; the doctor had told him about possible headaches; what was he thinking telling Tony to get in a plane so soon? And waiting in the airport to catch a flight back to DC wouldn't be pleasant either.

"You're right. Let's find a hotel; we can leave tomorrow."

"You sure?" Tony knew that Gibbs was probably staying because of him and he knew that the older man had done him a huge favor by accompanying him. "I'm fine to go if you're staying just because of me."

"You just got out of that damn hospital, DiNozzo and probably still have that blood clot in your head. We're in no rush. We'll get a room for tonight."

"Umm, Ok. Thanks." Tony knew a lost argument when he saw one and in all honesty, he was spent.

Once in the hotel, Tony couldn't help but bring up what he'd heard in hospital. He needed to acknowledge it. "Gibbs, thanks. You know, for what you said to my father in the hospital. It means a lot. I know I haven't been easy to be around, for the past month, I just... Well, thanks."

Gibbs took his eyes off the book he was reading and gave the younger man a knowing look before opening his mouth. "I meant everything I said. I'm not sure why you think you can't trust me anymore; I know that I haven't been fair to you lately, but never realized that I'd gone that far."

Tony interrupted him. "Whoever said I don't trust you?"

"Not talking about the job."

Tony looked away.

Gibbs chose not to address it. "Just want you to know that I've got your six and that you can count on me."

Tony sighed and nodded, a flash of pain crossed his face.

"You taken your pills yet?"

"In a bit." Tony shook his head and started to speak before he could change his mind again. "Gibbs, why do you keep putting me down in public and praise me when we're alone?"

Gibbs blinked in surprise; he didn't expect Tony to get to the point and open up like that; maybe that head trauma hadn't been that bad after all.

Tony was right, though. He seemed to be doing that more often lately, now that he was thinking about it.

Taking Gibbs's silence wrong, Tony said, "You remember what you wrote in your performance appraisal review? That I talk too much? I know you're right, I do talk too much, but why did you have to keep interrupting me after that, saying that whatever I said was Yabba yabba?... You later told me that you depend on it, but..." he shook his head. "You insult me in front of everyone; how can I expect them to respect me when you don't have any respect for me?"

Gibbs blinked, he hadn't thought about it that way and well, he'd been a bit too cruel anyway and he knew it. And that wasn't the only example. Sadly, he, himself, could remember more than one case when he'd done that to Tony. And here he expected the younger man to trust him and come to him when he had a problem.

Tony shrugged when Gibbs again didn't say anything. He hadn't really expected an answer, anyway. That was 'Leroy Jethro Gibbs' he was talking to; he never expected an answer from that man. And it wasn't just because the man was a functional mute; no one ever dared to ask Gibbs a question. Well, Tony would question him if he felt that the older man was making the wrong decision, but he'd never ask anything in any other situation.

Getting up from his seat, Tony walked towards the room's door but Gibbs' voice stopped him.

"Does it make any difference if I say I screwed up?"

Tony looked back with a raised eyebrow.

"I know; it doesn't matter since we're alone again." Gibbs said quietly.

Tony was still bewildered by Gibbs' first statement; he really was at a loss for words. Yes, in private it didn't really matter, but the fact that Gibbs had admitted to his mistake meant a lot.

"I'll try to fix it." Gibbs added, thinking that after the recent events if he talked better to Tony at work, he might start coming to him again. "I know it's late now; everything you said is right, but I'll try." He was afraid of losing Tony; especially since the younger man was almost over the edge.

It really had been a long time since he'd seen Tony in his basement and it was still bothering him that the younger man didn't feel comfortable enough to enter his house without knocking first.

He had to fix it.

It wasn't just that Tony was really alone and needed someone to talk to; Gibbs, himself depended on Tony's presence. Yes, he'd been having another company, lately. But Samantha Ryan didn't really mean that much to him. He liked her, but his friendship with Tony was different, it was special and deep.

Nodding his head, Tony smiled. "Thanks, Boss. It means a lot." He sighed and walked towards the door.

"Are you gonna be alright?" Gibbs didn't mean physically, because they both knew he'd be fine and back to work in no time.

Tony's hand rested on the door knob.

That was a good question that he'd been asking himself a lot recently. "Yeah, yeah. I'll be alright." He replied eventually and surprisingly felt totally calm all of a sudden and that was then that he realized that he really was going to be fine, again.

It seemed like he'd be able to keep going for a while longer and suddenly the weight on his shoulder didn't feel that heavy. He could still carry it.

He'd thought that his father had brought him down for good this time, but at that moment he figured that it might've changed things for the better. Smiling to himself, Tony opened the door and left the room, murmuring another 'thank you, Boss' before closing the door behind him.

Inside the room, the ex-marine smiled broadly in return.

He hadn't been sure their trip to NY was such a good idea, but in that moment he knew that it was one of the best things that could've happened.

He wasn't happy that Tony's father had hurt his son so bad, but it'd served him well.

If they hadn't come here, he wouldn't have said those words to Senior and Tony wouldn't have overheard him, so he wouldn't have realized how the ex-marine really felt and wouldn't have opened up to him.

It all had turned out pretty good; great actually.

The moment that Tony opened the door and left the room, Gibbs could see that his steps were lighter than they had been in the past few months.

Yes, Tony was going to be alright; he was going to be fine for at least a while longer now and that meant that the rest of them would be fine, too.

Tony was the heart of their group. They needed him more than any of them would ever admit to it and definitely more than what Tony gave himself credit for. They were going to be fine, one way or another, as long as Tony was there and was able to handle the situation.

Just like he'd said in the hospital, Senior's loss was their gain.

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-The End-

A/N: AND that's it! Tell me what you think, please. :)

I know; it was probably a bit OOC in Gibbs' part; but what can I say? It was necessary and I'm tired of seeing Gibbs always being so cold and mean to Tony on the show! At least in the FanFiction world things are still nice and interesting!

Thank you all for sticking with me. Your comments always make my day. ^_^

And thanks for all the PMs, alerts and favorites. A special thanks to all the anonymous reviewers because I can't thank them one by one. :)

Sorry for any mistakes.

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