Will You Take Care of Me?

Conversations

Before her mom could answer, Ellie was receiving a call from Gibbs.  "Mom, Gibbs is calling.  This could be important."

"Call me later, El." She said and Ellie ended the call to answer Gibbs.

"Gibbs?"  He took no time to greet her.

"Torres is awake."

"Is he..."

"I don't know.  I'll meet you at the hospital."  She agreed and they quickly hung up.

***

Gibbs and Ellie arrived at nearly the same time, both hurrying inside. After talking to the person at the desk, they hurried to the room number they were given. Before they could enter the room, the doctor pulled them aside. Ellie immediately tensed.

"Is-Is he okay?" She asked him.

"Nicholas is fine. While his recovery will take some time, he has very little paralysis and will definitely walk again." Ellie let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding and looked at Gibbs, her eyes conveying her relief.

"Can we see him now?" She wondered.

"Of course." The doctor nodded. "Just try not to stay too long. He needs as much rest as he can get." The two agents nodded and headed into the room.

"Hey, Torres." Gibbs greeted him. Nick looked up and smiled at the two, especially Ellie who he hadn't seen since before she was kidnapped.  She slowly walked over and sat in the chair beside his bed.

"El, you're okay..."  She laughed a little when he said that.

"That's what I should be saying to you."

"I'm fine.  Sloane, is she alright?"  Ellie nodded.

"Yeah, she'll be fine."  Gibbs glanced away when she said that, hoping she was right.

***

Jack had spent the morning since her husband left deciding whether or not to call Grace. She knew that she needed to talk to someone, and she knew that it couldn't be Jethro. She just wasn't sure if she was up for a therapy session. Finally, she decided to dial the number anyway. Grace wasn't just her therapist, she was her friend. What's the worst that could happen?

"Hey, Jack," Grace began when she answered. "I hadn't expected to hear from you so soon."

"I didn't expect to be calling, but here I am." There was a hint of sarcasm in her voice that she didn't really mean to put there. "Are you free to come over and talk for a while this morning?" She tried to ask in a kinder sounding tone.

"Sure, Jack." Knowing how worried Gibbs had been, she was glad Jack was reaching out to her. "Are you at home?"

"Yeah. Jethro went to the hospital to see Nick so it's just me here."

"Okay. I'll be over soon." They hung up soon after and Jack paced around, wondering if she would actually be able to open up to Grace. She knew that if she didn't talk to someone, she wouldn't be able to heal. Still, the thought made her nervous. Eventually, she decided to go down to the basement, unlocking the door and quickly scribbling a note for Grace.

When Grace arrived and read the note, she walked down the stairs to find Jack sanding the boat. Maybe her and Gibbs are more alike than I thought, she thought to herself. "Hey, Jack." She walked towards her with her arms out to hug her but Jack brushed her off, continuing what she was doing.  "You wanted to talk?"  Jack hesitated.  "Jack, why don't we go upstairs and sit?"  Eventually she nodded slowly and laid the sanding block on a table, following her friend up the stairs.