Special Agent Punishment

Chapter Nine

Everybody looked up at Abby shocked, but none did as Tony. Tony bolted up from the ground.

"You're telling me that somebody from the hospital is purposefully drugging me with this thing?" He was angry. His fists were clenched up into balls, his fingers white from his anger. He grabbed the tablet and smashed it over his knee. Something that shouldn't normally be possible. Ziva ran to his side, grabbing his hands.

"Tony, look at me." He wouldn't, couldn't. He hurt these people, some more than others. He couldn't look them in the eye, especially not Ziva. His chest was rising and falling with such speed, that it couldn't have been good for his heart.

"Run Ziva. While you still can. I'll only hurt you." He pulled his arm from her grasp. Ziva snatched it right back.

"I am not going anywhere. Where you go, I go. What I said this morning in my living room was not something I say with ease. It is something that means everything to me. You mean everything to me. No more walking away, Tony." She placed a sweet, delicate kiss upon his lips. She placed her hand on his right cheek, which he subconsciously melted into too. They began to get lost in each other. Abby squealing brought them back to reality.

"Oh my god!" She yelled, then launched herself towards the new couple.

"Finally! It happened! I'm so happy for you guys!" She released them when she saw Ziva's face going red from lack of oxygen.

"Alright, Alright. Let's find this son of a bitch." They all nodded. They headed back up to the bullpen. Meeting Ducky in the elevator. Tony knew he had to say something.

"Ducky, I.." Ducky put his hand up.

"Not to worry, my dear fellow. All good." Tony shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Ducky."

"It is fine, Anthony." Ducky held out his hand for Tony to shake, but he was hesitant. Eventually, Tony brought up his hand and gave Ducky a firm shake. They heard the familiar ding of the elevator and made their way to their desk.

"McGee, brief them on the case." He said as he made his way up the steps to the director's office. He needed to get in touch with some people.

"Lieutenant Nathan Sanders, married, no kids. Was found dead in his home 4 days ago. He was injected on the right side of his neck with a needle and it was discovered that Sanders had the same aggression steroid in his system that you did, Tony. Then was shot at point blank range in the chest.We believe the murderer was the same person that attacked you." He finished his report and sat back down at his desk. Tony kept standing, staring at the screen.

"I got a few punches in. Did I manage to even get a little bit of his DNA?" He looked at McGee. McGee nodded.

"We got some from under your fingernails while you were unconscious. Abby had been running it through every international database that we have access to. So far, we got nothing." He went back to typing on his computer.

"So the attacker went after Sanders. Sanders put up a fight which resulted in the gunshot wound. Attacker runs, doesn't get away fast enough, runs into Tony and attacks. We have the same attacker."

"That doesn't explain how my medication was laced in the steroid. The attacker must have some connections with staff at the hospital." He went to sit at his desk. Gibbs strolled back into the bullpen.

"You two caught up?" They nodded.

"Good. Abby's got something. Come on." He didn't wait for them, just turned and went into the direction of the elevator. They were right behind him.