<span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#99ff99">Tony read Ziva's text, and was kind of glad she couldn't see him -- because it made him grin like an idiot.  He passed on her update to Gibbs -- they'd been reviewing the autopsy with Ducky, and so in the same room when he read the message -- before texting her back.  <i>I'm just headed up to the bullpen from autopsy, and will go drink whatever vile concoction you've got.  Can't be any worse than a DiNozzo Defibrillator.</i>  He thought about saying more -- about how it mattered to him that she cared, that he was grateful she'd stepped up when he had to step back... but he didn't know how.  <br/>
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He also didn't know how thorough her briefing about his bout with plague had been.  <i>I'll be okay, just a holdover from a bad case before your time.  If anybody ever says they're avoiding something like the plague, trust that it sucks.  BTW - did you know that Gibbs's power is so great that if he orders you not to die, you'll live?  I figure I'm good for another eight lives.</i><br/>
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* ~ *<br/>
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<i>Not really thinking about food right now,</i> Tim typed back.  <i>Was doing fine staying busy until the case hit a wall, and now I'm just... waiting.  I'm really glad you're here, Kate.</i>  He'd already said it once, but it bore repeating.  In fact, he highlighted the word sentence and underlined it, then turned it purple.  And made it really big.  Okay... maybe he did need to eat.  <br/>
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<i>I'm really worried,</i> Tim finally added.  <i>Not just about Sarah's foot, I mean.  Bethesda's docs kept Tony alive during the plague, Sarah's going to be fine, right?  But -- what happened to her boyfriend, and then whoever did this to her.  I'm scared.  And I can't tell her that because I have to be the big brother, but I can tell you.  I'm fucking terrified, because I don't know who did this and I don't know how to protect her.  And I'm here in the waiting room when I could be working the case -- but when I was working the case, I needed to be here.  Is this how people go insane?</i></span></span>