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Tony opened his eyes and blinked around blearily. He noticed the hospital room he was in was smaller. The weird black/blue lights were gone and he was no longer in an enclosed clear room with its own filtration system. He inhaled deeply and coughed harshly. He winced as he felt the pain spread throughout his chest. His lungs felt on fire. No, scratch that. They felt like he’d swallowed gasoline, taken a lit match to his breath, and was constantly breathing an inferno in and out. He grimaced and closed his eyes, leaning his head back against his pillow. He tipped his head up a bit to make his throat more comfortable.
Comfortable. If he wanted to be comfortable, something was missing. He knew it. It was on the tip of his tongue. On the edge of his thoughts. But it wasn’t pizza or a beer. He opened his eyes slowly and looked around the room analyzing everything he saw. There was a television hanging from the ceiling in the corner of the room near the window. The remote wasn’t within reach and he didn’t feel it was worth the effort. A little rollaway table was next to him with a pitcher of ice chips and an empty glass with a straw. He tried to swallow and ended up coughing again. The ice sounded good. Just one cube to melt on his tongue and relieve his throat a bit. He stared longingly at the ice before letting his eyes roam to the two empty chairs against the wall. He frowned when he noticed he was alone. Surely Boss wouldn’t have left him alone? Abby would be nearby too right? He frowned deeper and swiveled his head carefully. The door to his bathroom was wide open and the room empty. He sighed heavily and laid back against his pillows fully, trying to relax. The bed he was in seemed too big. He moved a hand slowly over to the rollaway table and gripped its edge with two fingers. He tried to urge it forward, but it wouldn’t budge. He dropped his hand in frustration. All he wanted was a cube of ice. His longing gaze caught something on the edge of his vision. He turned his head some more and noticed the phone on the end table by the bed. His eyes lit up and he smiled softly. He slowly lifted his hand towards the phone just out of reach. If he could just get to it, he could be comfortable. He’d feel like he was home. All he had to do was make a call. He felt the edge of the phone and slowly tried to pull it closer. This was more urgent than the ice cubes. His fingers made it across the midway point of the phone and he was barely able to grasp it tightly enough to pull it off the charger and into the bed. He found he was breathing hard from just that bit of motion. His eyes fluttered like they wanted to sleep, but he was a DiNozzo and if he was anything… it was determined.
He turned the phone over and slowly punched in a memorized number. He clicked the speaker option as it rang. It only rang twice before being picked up.
“Hello?” a feminine voice asked over the line.
“Layna?” He whispered into the room.
“Anthony?” Layna asked confused, “Are you okay?”
“Bethesda Hospital,” he managed to gasp out.
“On my way,” she said not asking anything further.
He heard the audible click of the line disconnecting and he closed his eyes in relief. Home. Home was coming to him. Comfort and love in one appealing package. Someone who understood him.
He clicked the phone off, but left it where it was. She’d be here soon and she’d worry and fuss. In the end they’d get each other to smile and they’d both feel better. He found himself falling asleep at the thought with a gentle smile on his face.
*
Layna made record time to the hospital before marching to the admittance desk. She patiently waited and graced the tired nurse behind the desk with a large smile. She asked for Tony’s room and nodded thanking her before heading off in the right direction.
When she left the elevator she headed to the nurse’s station. She asked for the doctor treating Tony and said she didn’t mind the wait. The nurses were relieved to have someone patient for once.
Dr. Brad Pitt, at first, protested releasing any information about Tony until Layna showed him papers stating she was his power of attorney and the only ‘family’ Tony trusted 100%. He related the details of the Plague with the assurance that the information would travel no further. He showed her to his room and she entered quietly, closing the door behind her. She smiled softly seeing he’d fallen asleep after calling her.
She picked up the phone and put it back on its cradle. She softly touched his arm and leaned over him to kiss his forehead. He smiled and murmured a bit before scooching over in the bed. She shook her head and rolled her eyes. His eyes opened enough so he could see her. He tried to clear his throat to talk and coughed harshly instead. She immediately filled his empty cup with ice chips and helped him get a couple into his mouth. He greedily sucked on the ice, letting them soothe his throat. He swallowed a bit before murmuring something about being heaven sent. He opened his mouth a bit making her chuckle quietly. She offered him a few more ice chips and set down the cup. He raised his hand just enough to pat the spot next to him. She knew exactly what he wanted. He’d been in the hospital before. It seemed so routine, but it was a routine that meant something to both of them.
She eased the side rail down on her side and slid onto the bed. She curled into his side, careful not to put pressure on his chest. He wrapped his arm around her and they both drifted off to sleep. His head turned so he could bury his nose in her hair enough to catch the scent of cocoa butter that always wafted off her. Her golden blonde hair made a nice pillow too.
*
Abby entered Tony’s room in a decidedly unquiet manner. She smiled widely and turned to Tony’s bed preparing to gift him with one of her overly zealous hugs. She paused mid-stride when she noticed a woman curled against Tony’s side in the bed. She frowned. Abby did not know this person. Who did this woman think she was, barging in here and curling up against a hurt Tony? Not that Abby thought her hug would’ve hurt him. No, Abby could do no wrong.
She walked closer and poked the woman in the shoulder with a stabbing motion. The woman hissed in pain, her eyes popping open and her body turning as if defending the pain filled Tony.
She saw Abby standing there glaring at her and she glared right back. She knew who this woman was from Anthony’s description. The goth lab technician who thought she was God’s gift to the world and who strung poor Timothy along like he was a male praying mantis begging for attention.
“Who are you?” Abby asked harshly before crossing her arms across her chest and posing in what she thought was an intimidating manner.
“Anthony’s friend,” Layna said simply.
“Well he’s never mentioned anyone of your description,” Abby sneered at her.
Layna smirked, “He keeps me a secret.”
She said just to rile Abby up.
Abby pointed a finger at her sternly, “My family does not keep secrets from me.”
Layne sat up a bit and quietly clapped her hands together, “Skippy for you, but Anthony’s my only family and we don’t keep secrets from each other Ms. Sciuto.”
Abby’s glare intensified, “We’re his family. You’re probably just another booty call. The flavor of the week.”
“Reeeally?” Layna said sarcastically, “How many flavors of the week have you actually met? And if he had a long line of floozies running around… do you really think he’d call them to see him in the hospital when he’s at his worst? He trusts me to watch his back.”
“That’s our job,” Abby stated pointedly.
“Well, I’VE never let him down Ms. Sciuto. I never intend to.”
Layna flicked her hair back over her shoulder and laid back next to Anthony, cuddling back into his side. She waved a hand towards Abby.
“Feel free to come back later, visiting hours are over in five minutes. Took you long enough to begin with.”
Abby felt white hot rage fill her at the blunt dismissal. She stomped out of the room and down to the waiting room, pulling her cellphone out. Gibbs was SO gonna hear about this.
*
Anthony opened one eye before whispering, “Is she gone?”
“Yep, she came in looking like she was going to pounce on you with her super duper hug of power.”
He chuckled lowly before wincing, “That wouldn’t have been good for my lungs. Or my chest. Or any part of me really. They hurt when I’m at full strength.”
“I don’t understand why you let her get away with it.”
“She’s got Gibbs backing her. She’s the surrogate daughter thats allowed to get away with murder.”
Layna nodded in understanding. She leaned up and kissed him on the lips gently before settling back down.
“So how many floozies have you supposedly been with since you started NCIS?” she asked amused.
“A new one every week or month or so,” Anthony whispered quietly.
“You haven’t told them about me at all?” Layna pouted comically.
“The less people that know there is a Mrs. DiNozzo the better,” he said before trying to clear his throat.
She grabbed the ice chips cup. She let him sip at the cold water in the bottom and steal a few more melting ice chips. He moaned in appreciation making her smile lightly.
“Does that mean that not even HR knows about me?” she asked raising a brow.
“Delores knows, she just keeps it close to the vest. Sorry you had to wait this time for a call tho. Delores was out sick so she didn’t know what happened.”
“You found a way to let me know,” she said looking over at him, “That’s the important part.”
“They said I’m going to be more susceptible to the flu and pneumonia,” he said quietly after a few moments.
“So we make sure you take better care of yourself.”
“That’s what I got you for right?” he said winking with his signature boyish grin.
“When you get the all clear from the doctor I’ll show you a very nice way to take care of you,” she promised with a saucy smile.
“Now I wish I was all better,” he said pouting as his eyes started to flutter tiredly.
“We can still cuddle.”
“Yeah, any reason to keep you in my arms,” he said before his eyes slunk closed, “You’re my home. My own portable home.”
They smiled in their sleep as Anthony truly rested having his home in his arms. Neither noticed Gibbs in the open doorway slowly backing away after hearing their conversation.