The Death of Anthony DiNozzo (A NCIS fan script)

Another fan script of one of my favorite TV shows. Before reading, please be advice that I have a great imagination but terrible penmanship when it comes to actual writing. The following story is basically a cliff note version.

The scene begins as a patient is rushed into the emergency room as doctors and nurses are all talking in medical terms. In time as they continually work on the patient a small but faint voice is being heard as it gradually increases in volume. Before long the name Tony is clearly heard as the sounds of the hospital activity is starting to fade away. As the name ‘Tony’ is clearly the only sound being heard, the eyes of Tony DiNozzo, who is the patient, open up and sees Kate Todd looking at him. She then states; ‘Ready to go?’ Then the opening music begins to play.

The rest of the team is returning to NCIS headquarters with a few prisoners and dead bodies for autopsy. They are met by Vance who wants a preliminary report of what happened. Gibbs gathering himself together starts explaining. Report of an AWAL solder led the team to not only finding him but also part of a sleeper cell. A group they learned was getting ready to become active. The team made a plan to raid the place as everything was going according to plan. A major shoot out took place but after two of the terrorist are killed and two more are too injured to fight on, the rest are quickly apprehended. The place is secured as local police show up for support when Tony knocks Ziva down as a shot is heard. Gibbs and McGee turn with their weapons and kill the terrorist.

Ziva starts complaining to Tony about how he didn’t have to push her like that but stops as she notices a lot of blood around an unconscious Tony. Gibbs begins to treat him as best he could and works to stop the blood flow. Paramedics arrive and treat him before carrying him to the hospital. Vance wants him and his team to interrogate what’s left of the terrorist cell while he contacts the hospital for any updates. Tim and Ziva looks a bit shock at having to continue to work while Tony is in the hospital but Gibbs clearly states that they have to find out if there are any more of this cell out there.

By then as Ducky and Palmer start to carry the bodies to autopsy Abby rushes out of the elevator asking what happened. Gibbs grabs her as she is talking so fast it becomes inaudible. Eventually she stops talking and begins crying. Gibbs says that he’s at the hospital and if anything changes he would let her know. He sends McGee with the electronic evidences to work with Abby as he and Ziva will interrogate the cell members. The final scenes are of everyone working but noticeably thinking about Tony.

As Tony appears to be standing around a hospital room, Kate is trying to have a conversation with him but Tony just can’t get the words to come out right. Kate finally grabs Tony, stares right at him and states, ‘You’ve been shot. The Doctors are working on you but there is a long way to go. You really need to focus here.’ He looks at her, finally understanding what is going on. Smiling he believes that this is it. He starts saying things like, “Of all the women in my life I get stuck with you”. ‘‘Thanks Tony, that means a lot coming from you” Kate fires back at him. “What I mean is that I always thought of you like a little sister rather than a gorgeous woman that you are.’” “Why thanks Tony, I think.” Kate puzzling says.

As Tony begins asking Kate many questions about what is going to happen next she stops him and begins to thank him for avenging her death and for helping so many other people. Tony feeling that there is nothing else to live for begins talking about the type of funeral he always wanted to have. Wishing he had a chance to say the things he always wanted to say. To which Kate interrupts him by mentioning Ziva’s name. He looks on giving a subtle yes. She is the perfect girl to keep you in line Tony. One slipup and she would put you in the hospital, if you’re lucky. But I can never say that to her now. Say what I wanted to say for years now. For that matter to the rest of the team as Tony begins speaking out his true feelings before Kate.

McGee is like the friend who owns a pickup truck, always there when you need him the most. He was more than a Probe, he was my friend. Of course I tormented him at times but seriously I really did enjoy it. Abby, the strange relative you were happy to see once a year at Christmas but I got honor to see her almost every day. Ducky is the loveable Uncle who’s more like the energizer bunny of trivia facts. Palmer is like the weirdest cousin ever but is smarter than most people really give him credit for and Gibbs. Gibbs has been more like a father to me than my old man ever has. At times I wanted to say dad just to see what he would say. And Ziva. After a long pause his eyes get all watery as he tries to get the words out. Kate begins to speak softly saying, “I know Tony.”

In Abby’s lab Abby is working at a really fast pace to process the evidence so those responsible for Tony being shot can be brought to justice. She starts knocking stuff down including her Caf Pow to where Tim grabs her and in a very long hug, she finally breaks down crying. Even he has a few tears in his eyes. They look at each other as they are about to kiss when her instruments start going off leading into the next scene. Gibbs and Ziva are interrogating the AWAL soldier. The soldier breaks down a bit revealing that it was the plan to have many young al-Qaeda members join the military, working their way up the ranks. The main reason he went AWAL was when a member of his unit who spoke Arabic figured out he was a traitor.

As Gibbs and Ziva pressed for more information about other members of the terrorist cell Abby calls to say she found an address to a house outside the DC area. Gibbs gets the team plus a few more agents together and arrives at the house just catching the rest of the cell leaving. A firefight breaks out with the entire terrorist cell choosing in being killed rather than captured. Inside the house and van are a treasure trove of information and a list of other service men in different branches with one who is ranked a colonel and currently serving at the Pentagon. As Gibbs and others look around the house he gets a call from Vance saying Tony’s condition has turned for the worse. A scene at the hospital shows Doctors working frantically to stabilize Tony’s condition.

As Tony starts to look more and more depressed, Kate tries her best to cheer him up. Tony ignoring everything she is saying by yelling out “What’s the use? I’m dead.” “No you’re not Tony” and with that she grabs his hand and instantly they are in the same room as the Doctors are working on Tony. “You’re still alive Tony. And there is something else. This may be the only time to say this and we don’t have much time.” A puzzled Tony looks at Kate as the images around them fades away to where they are alone. Kate looks at Tony and says “Thank you for everything. I really have learned a lot from you.” A woman’s voice is heard from behind Tony saying “You always knew how to make me smile Tony.” It’s Paula Cassidy. Next to her is Agent Lee. With tears in her eyes she thanks Tony for saving her sister.

Before long more and more people appear around Tony and Kate. Young, old, men, women and children and all of them are thanking Tony for helping them by solving their deaths and bringing the real criminals to justice. As what appears to be a stadium full of people surrounding Tony as he continually turns around and recognizes many of these people. He starts to focus in on one voice that he hasn’t heard in a very long time. As the huge crowd of people quiets down Tony slowly turns to a woman who appears about the same age as him.

“Mom” a watery eye Tony softly says. She acknowledges and they embraced. Tony begins trying to speak as the tears are flowing and his words are almost inaudible but his mother understood every word being said.

She looks at Tony saying how proud she is of him. Proud of the fact that even though his father wasted so much time trying to get rich instead of being there for you that you turned out really great. I am proud of you son. To which a speechless Tony continues to cry but this time with a huge smile. As everyone around Tony fades away leaving only Kate, Tony and his mother who begins tells him not to give up, that there is so much to live for. As Tony is more composed now but is taken aback when she states that she approves of Ziva.

Tony denies any involvement with her but she places her hand over his mouth saying’ “Don’t lie to your mother. It’s obvious to everyone but you. Just tell her.” She fades away leaving Tony and Kate alone as Kate breaks the silence by saying it was very heroic the way he saved Ziva’s life. He brushes off the complement looking embarrassed saying that it was nothing. Kate wanted to know how Tony could have seen that guy who was well hidden. Tony is trying his best to change the subject but he finds himself along with Kate at the very scene where he was shot at. This is your life Tony, the scene where you saved Ziva. With that the scene begins playing out. As Gibbs and team shows up, the shootout and as the scene plays out of Tony knocking down Ziva so she wouldn’t be shot, Kate angrily stops the image.

In Gibbs basement, Gibbs is working on his boat. He stops, throws down his tools. He goes over and pours himself a drink. He is thinking of Tony when he raises his glass and offers up a toast to him. Holding back the tears he says something like, “To a guy I would be honored to call my son. Get well soon.” By then his phone rings but he ignores it. But the person calls back and Gibbs finally answers it. The scene cuts to Abby and Tim having a late dinner together. She is starving but as she begins to eat she can’t do it. They plan to go to the hospital afterwards to visit Tony. As Tim tries to calm Abby’s nerves, he states that Tony wouldn’t stop eating for anything. Recounting the numerous times Tony has been eating in her lab. More at ease, Abby and Tim start eating. Tim then receives a phone call.

As Kate looks at the man who is preparing to fire on the team, she notices Tony is looking out into the crowded street. And she notices the real reason Tony knocked down Ziva. In the crowd of people is a young woman wearing a very short tight dress looking like a Playboy centerfold model. She angrily rants away at Tony as he smiles back at her. She stops herself stating, “I should have seen this. I do not see how she could ever love you but you do have your moments. Even if you did see that guy you would still try to save them”. As Tony looks deep into Kate’s eyes, he thanks her for giving him hope, for not giving up, regrets and that his life does have meaning.

As he says farewell to Kate, he smiles at her stating he still has the wet t-shirt picture. She looks on saying “I know. I also know you fantasied about me being naked after Ari killed me.” Tony looks embarrassed now as Kate begins laughing at Tony’s expense. The next scene is in a hospital room. He is standing before his body with all the tubes and wires hooked up to him. Saying how it looks scarier than going through the plague. He looks over and sees Ziva sleeping in a chair. He stands before her, calling out her name. She doesn’t move so he figures on saying what needs to be said.

Without holding back he lets out his heart to her. All of his feeling of love and respect for her including those embarrassing times together. By the time he has finished he feels more relaxed and at easy as if a big weight had been lifted off of him. He glances over at his body and proceeds to almost curse himself for waiting so long to say all those things he just said to Ziva. For living like a spoiled teenager on spring break with women, alcohol and no regrets about tomorrow. Now this is possibly the last chance to fix everything. He feels with this being the second time he almost died while in the hospital, he might never get a third chance to continue the DiNozzo family line. Then he realizes with Ziva being Jewish wonders about what her father might say. But feeling cocky he makes a joke that everyone loves him and proceeded to fade back into his body.

Tony begins waking up. Looking tires and exhausted, he sees Ziva sleeping in a chair by the bed. The nurse enters the room and begins talking to Tony as Ziva wakes up. The doctor comes in and after removing the breathing tube tries to speak but finding it a bit difficult. The doctor advices him to keep quiet until his throat can heal from having the tube inserted into it. Ziva leaves the room happily crying that Tony is OK and begins calling the others as the doctor and nurses clean up Tony and check to see if everything is OK.

Ziva reenters the room as Tony is smiling but is too week to speak clearly. She thanks him for saving her life and tells him that he needs to rest as he holds out his hand. She grabs ahold as they look into each other’s eyes. She tells him about all the events taken place since he was shot. Relieved he presses on her hand as she stops talking. As Tony clearly wants to say something, Ziva moves real close to Tony. As he is speaking into her ear so only she could hear Ziva begins to smile. Scene fades.