Resurrection: An NCIS Fanfiction [Book Two]

Chapter 28 - Normal

"Tim?!" Carter shouted, sitting upright in her bed. Her forehead was drenched in sweat. She looked around the dark room. "Tim!" she called again.

"Carter! Calm down, it's alright." Tony said, rushing to her bedside.

"Tony, where is Tim?" Carter asked, leaning over to give him a hug. As she leaned, she winced in pain.

"What is it? Are you alright?" Tony asked, worried.

"Yeah... My stitches just pulled." Carter said, reaching up to the gauze taped on her neck, "Where is Tim?"

"He's in recovery." Tony looked away.

"Tony? Is something wrong?" Carter began to get worried.

"Uhh..."

"Is he dead? Did Tim die?!"

"No... He didn't die..." Tony said.

"Then what is wrong?" Carter asked, trying to stand up. Tony put his hands on her shoulders.

"You have to stay here." Tony held her back.

"If you don't tell me what is wrong, then I'll go find someone else to tell me." Carter pushed against Tony, but made no progress.

"Do you want the news from me, Ziva, or Gibbs?" Tony let go and backed up.

"I really want it from you, Tony... You are my brother after all."

"Can I at least get them, so we have them here to comfort us?"

"Yeah, that is fine." Carter leaned back. Tony left the room without another word, and returned a few minutes later.

"Hey, Carter." Ziva gave her a half-smile.

"Hey..." Carter looked down.

"You ready?" Gibbs asked. He walked up next to Carter's bed, and sat on the side of it, putting his arm around her shoulders. Carter looked over at him and nodded, and then back to Tony.

"I'm ready." Carter gulped.

"Tim is alive... But he got hurt pretty badly." Tony looked into Carter's eyes and took a deep breath, "Carter... Tim's trachea and carotid artery were both cut open... As a result of this, his vocal cords were severely damaged. He may never be able to speak again."

"What?!" Carter looked at Tony with her eyes swelling up from tears.

"He may never speak again, Carter... There's a possibility of it, but no guarantee." Gibbs said. Ziva wrapped her arms around Tony's waist as he broke down in tears. Carter began to get frustrated, pulling at the blankets on her bed. She pulled the pillow out from behind her head, and pressed it up against her face and screamed into it. "You can go see him if you want, but be prepared, he will be intubated for at least the next week. He won't be awake until they can take the intubation out."

"Can you take me to him?" Carter looked at Tony.

"Yeah, I can do that for you." Tony said as he wiped his face with his sleeve.

"If I talk to him, do you think he might be able to hear me?" Carter asked.

"There's no telling, but you should act like there is just in case." Gibbs said, helping Tony get her into a wheelchair. Once she was in the wheelchair, Tony pushed her down the hallway and into the ICU. He stopped in front of the door to Tim's room and took a deep breath.

"Are you ready?" Tony asked.

"Yes." Carter took a deep breath. Tony pushed the wheelchair through the open doorway, and up to the side of Tim's bed. Carter looked him up and down, before leaning her head over and kissing his hand. She grabbed his hand in hers and squeezed it tight. "Hi, Timmy... It's me, Carter... Your wife... I just wanted to let you know that I am alright, and I am here for you... I won't leave your side." Carter rested her chin on top of the hand that she had wrapped around his.

"As much as I wish you could stay here with him, Mrs. McGee, I can't let you stay all of the time." the surgeon said from the doorway, "You will have to go back to your room once visiting hours are over, and when we do our check-ups... You are more than welcome to be here any other time, though."

"Thank you, Dr... I'm sorry... I didn't catch your name?"

"Miles Ellington... Sorry about that, I should have introduced myself." Dr. Ellington reached his hand out to shake hers, "I promise that we did everything that we could to make your husband return to normal." 

"How unlikely is it that he will be able to talk again?" Carter looked up at him.

"Well... It is hard to say until he wakes up. His vocal cords may heal up perfectly fine... But it really just depends on how they heal. I did everything that I could, but vocal cords can be tricky and there is no telling until he actually tries to speak."

"I understand." Carter looked over to Tim.