The Life Of The Daughter Of NCIS

Chapter 23: Perfection

DiNozzo

My leg bounced nervously.

Five hours.

Five hours since Gibbs went into surgery.

"What's taking them so long?" I demanded, walking over to McGee, he looked up from the glossy magazine he was studying. "Tony, I don't know, it's the same answer I gave you twenty minutes ago." He replied, flipping over the page and scanning through it half heartedly. I snatched up the car magazine and slumped back into the uncomfortable leather seat, briefly looking up at the pale yellow fluorescent strip lights.

"McGee? Tony?" A voice floated down the corridor minutes before we saw its owner. I tossed the outdated issue to the side and got to my feet. Abby's worried face rounded the corner, closely followed by Ducky, I opened my arms and Abby wrapped her arms around me "I'm sorry Tony, for Ziva." She apologised, I squeezed her slightly so she knew that I was thankful for the gesture.

Abbs pulled away, "how's Gibbs?" She asked, I looked at McGee for help "he's in surgery still Abbs, he had some pretty serious internal bleeding. It could go either way." Tim explained gently, Abby let out a small sob. "And young Azalea?" Ducky added, enclosing a comforting arm around her shoulders. "She's awake, she had an operation to reconstruct her shattered ankle and severed Achilles' tendon, and also to remove a bullet from her chest. Az also has some broken ribs, a fractured jaw and cheekbone along with some bruised organs." I told them. Ducky nodded "can we see her?" He asked.

I walked into the bright white room, the windows were open as well as the curtains, providing a cool breeze and much needed sunlight.

The person who laid in bed was a far cry from the teenager that he sat with at dinner nearly two weeks ago, her skin was pale and taunt over her body, detailing the bones underneath, her eyes sat in the large sunken sockets, glancing around nervously.

Azalea was propped up with pillows, her plastered ankle was raised by a hanger and cuts and bruises littered her exposed skin, but none compared to the large gashes in her back. I cleared my throat. She had positioned her hair so you couldn't see her swollen cheek.

I had already warned Abbs and Ducky about Azalea, and McGee was waiting outside with them.

"Hey Az, it's Tony?" I called softly, slowly approaching the bed and the wildly staring girl, holding out a hand in reasurance.

"Tony?" she repeated, furrowing her eyebrows, her body started to shake.

"Yeah, Tony, do you remember, I came in yesterday with Tim?"

I moved closer, my hand still outstretched, she flinched away, as if expecting a blow. Going by the bruises inflicted over her body, it was a reasonable assumption for her. "Tony DiNozzo?" I tried again.

A look of recognition flashed in her eyes "Tony!" Az giggled. Her voice held a childish quality I hadn't heard in a while "Azzie, is it okay if you meet some people. Nice people." She chewed on her lip but nodded.

I stepped to the side so everybody could file in, Azalea pushed herself up further as she inspected everyone, her face took on a desperate look as she tried to pair the faces with names. They look familiar." She mumbled. "It might take a moment." I interjected, she frowned, and whispered "Abby?" Abbs smiled and nodded "hi Az." She said, barely holding in her excitement. Azalea smiled "I've missed you." Az muttered while giving Abby a hug. "And... Ducky?" Turning to gather him into a hug as well.

It had only been a few moments before Az spoke again, she was rifling through the covers  "has anyone seen the butterflies?" She asked suddenly, looking up from her searching, I exchanged a look with McGee before moving over to the bed "there's no butterflies here, Azzie." I told her quietly, she frowned, "but they were there." She protested. Shaking my head, "it's just us." I promised, her lip jutted out but she nodded "they left me, like Dad."