Rule 39: There Is No Such Thing As Coincidence (Tony DiNozzo Love Story)

We're Born, We Live A Little While, We Die

Ziva's POV

"How many days has it been?" I ask and look around the room of Abby's lab.

"Nine. Gibbs says that the doctor said she's fine overall, there's nothing wrong with her brain from waking her up. You know all her injuries are among her body, six broken ribs, fractured wrist, ankle, minor concussion surprisingly, and then all the cuts and burns," McGee answers. Abby winces next to me and I softly smile a reassuring smile to her as I rub a hand up her arm. She glances to me and smiles with a nod of thanks.

"How do we know she doesn't have trauma though? You know like a PTSD or something from the beating, maybe she doesn't want to wake up," Abby says and we sit quietly considering this.

"Erin has taken a lot, she is going to be okay. She will wake up. When she does we will be here to help her, help her through therapy if she needs it," I answer.

"Have you gone to see her?" McGee asks and I nod.

"Yeah, I spent a couple hours there with Tony the other day. Between him and Gibbs," I sigh and look at Tim and Abby, "those two are not risking it to be too far away from her," I admit and they nod.

"Hopefully she'll wake up so they can relax," Tim answers and I nod.

"Any news with that Novikov guy?" Abby asks.

"The Director is leading that investigation along with a few other heads along with the FBI and Homeland Security. The Director says that there's no way Novikov is getting out of anything after what he did, especially since there's video evidence along with everything else with what he did," Tim answers.

"Can't believe he survived," Abby says.

"I think Gibbs took the shot before Tony could," McGee says.

Gibbs's POV

Walking in with some coffee, I glance towards Erin's bed to see her still unconscious. Looking to her bedside, Tony is sitting in the chair and holding her hand as he's reading a book.

"Didn't know you read," I answer and he looks up from his page. He chuckles and I smile as I offer him a coffee cup. He folds the corner of the page and closes it as he takes the coffee from me.

"I don't really, but Erin kind of got me into it. Said it's a great way to pass time when there's nothing to do and you're waiting on some slow ass to get moving," he says and I laugh.

"Yeah, that sounds like her. She had me read Charlotte's Web," I say and take a seat in the other chair near the foot of her bed. Tony laughs.

"Me too," he replies and I smile.

"After all, what's a life, anyway? We're born, we live a little while, we die," a raspy voice says and we look up to see Erin looking at us, her eyes half open and she's smiling softly.

"Erin," Tony says and turns quickly to her, pulling her hand closer to him.

"Hey," she says smiling wider.

"Hey, how you feeling?" I ask. She looks to me and tilts her head a little.

"Alright," she replies.

"Feeling any pain?" I ask. She nods once and sighs as she closes her eyes and then opens them once more.

"Just wait a second and I'll go get the doctor," I say, standing and heading out.