Resurrection: An NCIS Fanfiction [Book Two]

Chapter 33 - Glass Half Full

"I love you, too." Carter leaned over and kissed Tim. He looked down at the iPad and began typing again.

"Hot damn." the robotic voice said.

"Oh my god! Tim!" Carter said, softly punching his shoulder as everyone laughed.

"At least he still has his sense of humor." Abby smirked at Tim. He shrugged and typed while he looked around the room.

"Thank you for being here for me." the speaker from the iPad played. Tim gave a half smile, before wincing in pain from the stitches in his throat, "Ow."

"Careful!" Carter said.

"What happened?"

"The men who were holding you captive slit your throat. They cut open your trachea, carotid artery, and sliced your vocal cords... That's why you aren't able to speak." Gibbs explained. Tim looked at Carter scared.

"Don't worry, I'm alright." Carter smiled, trying to hold back tears.

"Please do not cry." Tim typed. He raised his hand up and wiped a tear drop off of her cheek.

"I'm sorry. I was just really scared. I thought you were going to die." Carter wiped her other cheek with the palm of her hand, "They were evil, evil people."

"We arrested all of the suspects, so they won't be coming back for you." Ziva said.

"Wait. You did?" Carter turned around to look at Ziva.

"We did. Yesterday." Tony grabbed Carter's shoulder, "We've got your six, little sis."

"Thank you." Tim mouthed, trying to speak again.

"The more you rest your vocal cords, the more likely they are to heal fully... So I definitely recommend using that iPad as much as you can." Dr. Ellington said, "I will come in every few hours to see how you are healing up, and have you try to speak. You're going to be here for at least another week."

"Thank you." the iPad said.

"You are very welcome... Now, as much as I wish I could let you all stay, we can't have this many people in here for extended periods of time."

"That's alright... We need to give the two of them some time to catch up." Gibbs motioned his head towards Carter and Tim.

"Bye, everyone." the robotic voice spoke once again.

"Bye guys, feel better Tim!" Lexi waved as they left the room.

"Thanks, Tony." Carter ran up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck before he left the room.

"Anytime." Tony hugged her back. He left the room and sighed.

"What are you thinking?" Gibbs asked Tony as they walked down the hallway.

"He's awake. I guess that's something." Tony said, "Carter still seems uneasy. Probably focusing on the negative... That worries me a little bit."

"I agree... We need to figure something out to get her to think positive. He needs her to be positive." Ducky piped up from behind them.

"Why don't we bring them lunch tomorrow?" Jimmy asked.

"That could work..." Tony looked over at Jimmy.

"I wouldn't be so fast as to assume that." Ducky interrupted, "Seeing as Timothy just had major surgery on his throat, I highly doubt he will be able eat solid food for quite some time."

"Damn." Jimmy said, "Well... That was the only idea that I had."

"She is a DiNozzo... We could send them a bunch of movies? Carter would like that." Ziva said.

"I mean, we DiNozzo's do like our movies." Tony laughed, "Ziva and I can go to the store later to pick some out."

"Just no comedies." Gibbs said, "He shouldn't be laughing too much... We don't want him to slow down the healing time."

"I wish he could talk.... All because they cut his damn vocal cords." Tony clenched his fists.

"It is also really difficult to speak after being intubated, anyways. Maybe he is completely fine, just needs time to let his throat adjust to not having the tube in it?" Abby speculated, hopefully.

"I wouldn't be too optimistic, Abby. That's almost as bad as being too pessimistic." Gibbs said.

"Sometimes, optimism is what people need to get better, though, Jethro." Ducky said.

"Yes, but it can also be detrimental if that outcome doesn't come to fruition... We don't want Carter to get her hopes up so high that she gets depressed if it doesn't happen. We need her to be a little on the optimistic side, just not too much."

"I guess that is true..." Abby sighed as they walked out of the hospital.