SquidgeWorld Archive

Chapter Text

It was at least another six hours back to the Yard, assuming the weather cooperated and judging from the fact that the wipers could no longer keep up with the water, there would be no cooperation on that front tonight. Gibbs glanced over at his passenger. McGee had been the last one standing after both David and DiNozzo succumbed to the flu earlier in the week, but now it appeared to have caught up with him. Even in the dim light of the car, the flushed cheeks and damp forehead spoke volumes as he shivered and pulled his coat tighter around him as he dozed.

Decision made when he saw an exit, Gibbs switched lanes and started to slow down. At the bottom of the ramp he saw a sign for a local motel and turned in that direction. Just the quick dash from the crowded parking lot to the office had him drenched. The elderly man reading a book behind the counter gave him a knowing smile. "Decided to ride out the storm here?"

"Yeah, something like that. Guess I'm not the only one."

"It's a wild one out there, all right." Slowly lumbering to his feet, the other man reached for the keys hanging up on the wall. "Got either a king or a couple of doubles."

Gibbs felt his eyebrow climb his forehead as he laid out his credit card. He hadn't seen actual metal keys instead of a key card for a motel in years. "We'll take a double. Got a sick man with me, is there a pharmacy around here?"

"I'll give you a room in the back, you'll see a store across the way, the only one in town." Picking a key, he handed it over to Gibbs before taking the credit card. Laughing to himself, Gibbs watched as his credit card was run through a manual imprinter, the double thump it made taking him back to summers working at his father's store.

"Appreciate it." Gibbs signed the paper and took back his card and receipt as he pocketed the key. McGee hadn't stirred when Gibbs climbed back into the car, but Gibbs was concerned enough to not slam the door or rev the engine. Finding the room, he parked in front of it and went in to kick on the heat before attempting to wake McGee.

"Tim, hey, kiddo, let's get you inside." The awning over the parking strip kept him dry, but the wind was still biting and he wanted to get them inside the room.

Unfocused green eyes opened and looked around slowly before returning to rest on Gibbs' face. "We're not back at the Yard, yet."

"Nope." Gibbs had to grin as he steadied McGee and steered him to the room. "Good to see that fever hasn't totally scrambled your brain."

"Fever? I'm sick?"

Gibbs had barely had enough time to pull the bedspread back before McGee bonelessly sprawled across one of the beds, already back asleep. Gibbs fondly shook his head and went to work getting the younger man turned around and onto the bed properly. He thought about getting him stripped down, but decided to just pull off his shoes for now before making a run to the pharmacy.

Standing outside the motel room, Gibbs paused. He had the car keys in his hand, but he quickly realized that driving might not be the quickest way as his eyes took in the one way and divided roads that meant he'd have to go blocks out of his way. Even further, he realized, as he saw the local LEO's closing an intersection that was under water. On foot, he could just hop the short fence that separated the two parking lots. Decision made, he tugged his jacket collar up around his neck and took off.

He stomped his feet and tried to shake off as much of the water from his jacket as he could before entering the store. Judging from the towels on the floor, he wasn't the first wet customer of the night. Gibbs scanned the hanging signs and found the section he was looking for before moving away from the towels, much to the relief of the lone clerk.

At one time he could gauge a temperature with a brief touch of his hand, but he was convinced that knowledge had died with Kelly. A digital thermometer took care of that, and a bottle of Tylenol went into the basket for the fever. McGee had been coughing and sniffling, so a bottle of cough medicine was the next thing added to the basket. A box of tissues was next and on his way to the checkstand, Gibbs detoured to the paperback aisle and grabbed a book to read.

The clerk was a red-head and shamelessly flirted with Gibbs as she rang him up, but he didn't pay much attention. She smiled as she handed him his bag. "If you get bored after you get your kid settled I'm working until midnight."

"You're open all night?" There was something nagging at the corner of Gibbs' mind, something he'd forgotten, so it was good to know he could come back.

She let her fingers trail across his hand as she finally let go of the bag. "Twenty-four, seven. We only close for Christmas and New Year's Eve."

It was raining even harder and Gibbs sighed as he repeated the dash across the parking lots, this time with a bag held close. He cursed as a particularly deep puddle filled his shoes with water. Then swore when he saw the door to the room open.

"McGee, what are you doing our here?"

"Boss, where are we?"

"Hell if I know, some Podunk town. Come on, let's get you back inside." Gibbs snagged McGee's sleeve and Tim meekly followed him back inside the room. Having the door open had dropped the temperature, so Gibbs nudged the thermostat up another notch to compensate as he pushed McGee into a chair.

First order of business was to check McGee's temperature, so Gibbs dumped his purchases on the bed and dug through to find the digital thermometer. He pulled it out of the box, and resisting the instinct to shake it, shoved it under McGee's tongue. After a few moments, Gibbs realized his mistake and pulled it out to press the button. There was no reaction – no sound and no flashing numbers – so he dug out the instructions. The print was way too small for him to read and that's when Gibbs discovered that he'd left his reading glasses in the car.

Sighing, he pointed at McGee. "Stay put, I'm going back out to the car. Got it?"

Still not fully aware of his surroundings, McGee looked down at his hands. "Got what, Boss?"

Sighing again, Gibbs just held his hand up. "Just don't move."

McGee was starting to tilt, so Gibbs hurried. He found his glasses in the center console, but decided to grab their bags while he was out there. The awning didn't fully cover the car and he found himself standing in the rain again as he fumbled with the trunk, McGee's earlier complaint about the trunk latch now making sense. Just as he got the trunk open and leaned in for the bags, the awning's gutter finally overflowed, dumping a stream of icy water down the back of his neck.

"Shit." Gibbs instinctively straightened up, hitting his head on the edge of the trunk. "Damn it." He dumped the two bags on the pavement in frustration to slam the trunk shut, McGee's bag falling over in the process. Gibbs stepped forward and bent down to reach the handle, his glasses falling out of his pocket at the same time. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to stop his momentum quickly enough to not kick his glasses. Gibbs swore again as they skittered under the car.

Grumbling under his breath, Gibbs carried the bags over to the walkway, dropping them in front of the motel room door. Glancing through the window, he saw the chair was now vacant. "Crap." He rushed in, expecting to find McGee sprawled unconscious on the floor. The floor was empty, as was the room, however the sound of a flushing toilet told of the younger man's location.

Crisis averted, Gibbs went back out to the car and crawled under enough to retrieve his glasses. Glasses firmly in one hand, the two bags in the other, Gibbs went back into the room just as McGee came lumbering out of the bathroom. Gibbs caught him before he could get very far.

"Come on, let's get you stripped down so you can get into bed."

Tim looked totally confused as he stared over Gibbs' shoulder. "But I was supposed to do something." He was wincing and blinking in the light, so Gibbs turned off the overhead light, just leaving the bathroom light on to give the room a very soft glow.

"It's okay, McGee. Why didn't you tell me you were getting sick?" Now that he was really looking, it was obvious that this was not the first signs of illness in the younger man. "I'm used to DiNozzo's whining and everyone knows when Ziva's getting sick." That got a smile out of McGee, as Ziva David's sneezes were louder than her snores, but Tim still wouldn't look him in the eye.

A slight pressure on his shoulder dropped McGee down to sit on the edge of the bed, but he made no effort to undress himself. Instead, he looked to be at the end of his endurance and Gibbs quietly unbuttoned his shirt for him as he considered the three younger members of his team.

Tony grew up bouncing between neglected and pampered, depending on what his father needed from him at the time. Growing up as he had, he'd learned early on how to get the attention he so desperately needed. Ziva had a similar upbringing. Weaknesses were looked down on. She would never complain, never admit to being sick, but also never hid her symptoms, allowing others to 'discover' how sick she was. Tim was his enigma. Gibbs had always assumed that he was like Gibbs, never getting sick, but now he was realizing that probably wasn't the case at all.

Dropping the shirt on the foot of the bed, Gibbs pushed McGee down onto the bed and lifted his legs up onto the mattress before reaching for the waistband of his slacks.

"No." Tim's eyes flew open and he started to struggle. Gibbs let go instantly, but leaned into his view

"Easy, Tim, easy. It's just me, you're safe."

"Boss?"

"Yeah. You back with me?" Tim was shaking, but Gibbs wasn't sure if it was the fever or something else. Tim nodded and Gibbs tried to not make a big deal out of what had happened, tugging slightly on his pant legs to make his point. "Okay, you get yourself unbuttoned and lift up. I'll pull."

The new plan was successful and Gibbs tactfully didn't acknowledge how tightly McGee held onto his boxers as his slacks slid down his legs. Once that was accomplished, he tucked the bedding tightly around McGee, adding in the bedspread from the other bed. He touched the top of McGee's head. "I'll be right back."

Retrieving his reading glasses, the instructions and the new thermometer, Gibbs retreated to the bathroom where there was enough light to read. After washing the oily water off his glasses he found the printed reminder to pull the plastic tab before turning the digital thermometer on. It took a half dozen attempts before he could snag the tiny piece of plastic and tug it free, but then the battery made contact and the device lit up.

"Finally." Gibbs returned to the main room and shoved it under McGee's tongue, using his thumb to make sure the younger man didn't open his mouth. He still had his glasses on, so when it beeped he could read it – 103.9 – "Well crap."

Gibbs returned to the bathroom for the Tylenol, cough medicine and a glass of water, but this time he kicked off his wet shoes and socks, setting them in front of the heater. With luck, they'd be dry by morning. That done, he returned to McGee, nudging him upright. "McGee, you need to take some medicine."

McGee didn't fight him as he was lifted into a sitting position, but he didn't really help or fully open his eyes either. However, when Gibbs put the plastic cup of red liquid to his lips, he obediently swallowed. The pills were next with enough water to wash them, and the taste of the cough syrup, down.

Mission accomplished, Gibbs started to make a pot of coffee with the supplies from his go-bag. It was just about finished when McGee's phone began to ring. Not wanting it to wake the sleeping man, Gibbs grabbed the phone. He was going to stuff it under the mattress, but the caller ID showed Abby. Pressing the green flashing button, Gibbs hurried into the bathroom and partially closed the door. "Yeah, Abs."

~Gibbs? Why are you answering McGee's phone? Is he driving?~

"No, but he's sick and finally asleep."

~So, you're driving and talking on his phone? In this weather?~

"We're in a motel room to wait out the storm, Abby. I've got McGee medicated and tucked into bed, he'll be fine. Same cough medicine that DiNozzo had, he'll sleep like a baby and be fine in the morning." Gibbs glanced out at the sleeping agent, noticing that he was becoming restless.

~Cough medicine?~

"Yeah."

~Liquid cough medicine?~

"Well, yeah."

~Was it red?~

"Yeah, why? Isn't it all the same?"

~Gibbs! He's allergic to the red dye.~

"Crap." Moving instantly, Gibbs turned on the bedside light and tugged at the neck of McGee's t-shirt to see tiny red welts forming across his chest. "He's breaking out in hives."

~You need to give him an anti-histamine, like Benadryl, and get a hydrocortisone cream to stop the itching. Otherwise he's going to be miserable for days, Gibbs.~

Gibbs looked at the pot of coffee that was finished and waiting for him, and sighed. "Anti-histamine, hydrocortisone, got it, Abs."

~Gibbs, you need to take care of him.~

"I will, Abs."

~I mean, he's been running himself ragged covering for Tony and Ziva while they were sick, and...~

"I know, Abs." She bulldozed right over his assurances.

~And he's really, really bad about admitting when he's sick and that means that he's probably sicker than...~

"Abs, I already figured that one out. I've got it."

~You've sure? I mean, I could drive to wherever you are and...~

"Abby! I've got it." Gibbs was already putting his shoes back on, his bare toes curling at the chill. "Pharmacy is right across the parking lot. I'll be there and back before he even knows I'm gone." Not giving her a chance to argue any further, Gibbs ended the call as he slipped his coat back on.

The rain was still coming down in sheets as Gibbs jogged across the parking lot again. The clerk was thrilled to see him, but he paid her no attention as he went straight to the necessary aisle. Another customer was there and she made small talk as they reached around each other. "You've got a sick one at home, too?"

"Sick and having a reaction to the dye in the cough syrup." Gibbs opted for the liquid Benadryl, deciding that the fewer pills he had to shove down McGee's throat, the less the likelihood the younger man would choke. This time he read the ingredient list for the offending dye, but the grape flavor kept it pretty safe. A hanging display of ear thermometers caught his attention and the other parent nodded her approval.

"We use one of those now. It's so nice not having to wake them up to take their temperature." Recognizing the wisdom in that, Gibbs added one to his collection. Taking one look at his expression, the clerk rang him up without a word and less than ten minutes after he'd walked into the pharmacy the second time, Gibbs was on his way back to the motel. He did remember the location of the large puddle that soaked his shoes on the last trip and managed to avoid it, only to discover an even deeper one.

"Well, crap."

Arriving back at the motel room, Gibbs discovered that while McGee had not awakened, his sleep had been anything but peaceful. The bedspreads were on the floor on one side of the bed, while the rest of the bedding was on the other. McGee was on his stomach, sideways on the bed, his head hanging off the edge.

Gibbs shucked his dripping coat and draped it over a chair before toeing off his shoes, unable to stand the squishing sound he made as he walked in them. Next, he put one knee up on the bed and wrapped his arms around McGee, lifting and turning him until he was properly laying on the bed.

Tim's face was flushed, but Gibbs chalked it up to having his head hanging down, even though he was certainly warm to the touch, Gibbs' hands too chilled to tell more than that. Now that McGee was back on the bed properly, Gibbs took his new purchases and his reading glasses into the bathroom where there was better light.

The pharmacy only had the Benadryl in the children's version, but with more math than he'd used since his days as a sniper, Gibbs figured out the proper adult dose and poured it into the little cup. Returning to McGee, he shook the other man's shoulder.

Confused green eyes slowly opened. "B'ss... wh't?"

Lifting him slightly, he pressed the plastic cup against Tim's lips. "Drink."

Once that was accomplished, he laid McGee back down but nudged him again, needing him awake and somewhat aware. Holding the tube of ointment in front of McGee, he kept the explanation simple. "You've had an allergic reaction. I'm going to put this on the spots so they won't itch."

"Spots? Itch?" The eyes closed again, but there was a slight nod. Becoming more worried, Gibbs tugged Tim's t-shirt up and coated every spot on his chest and stomach before rolling him over to repeat the process on his back. By now the anti-histamine was starting to work and some of the smaller spots were starting to fade. It took a while, but by the time he was finished, Gibbs was certain that McGee was even warmer than before. A quick glance at his watch showed that it was almost time for his next dose of Tylenol so after washing the cream off his hands, Gibbs brought back another two pills and a glass of water.

Once that was done, Gibbs was ready for a cup of his now cold coffee and the book he'd bought earlier. All that was left to do was to check McGee's temperature again. Tim had settled on his stomach, buried in the blankets, but the side of his face was exposed. Pleased that he'd thought to buy the different thermometer, Gibbs padded back into the bathroom, barefoot. Picking up the box, he noticed the printing under the picture that he'd failed to read before

"Ah, hell." Resisting the urge to chuck the box through the window, Gibbs set it down and instead took the 'under the tongue' model he'd bought earlier. He tried to roll McGee over onto his back.

"Come on, Tim. Work with me here." He eventually got him rolled over and touched McGee's face to open his mouth. Instead of the placid response he'd been getting the last few hours, Tim's eyes opened in a state of panic and he began to fight, clamping his teeth down tight.

"No, no, no."

"Tim?"

"I won't... can't make me..."

Remembering the panicked reaction when McGee had awakened to Gibbs undressing him, the older man backed off for a moment. "Easy, Tim, easy. You're safe, nobody is going to hurt you, I promise." It took a moment, but McGee settled back down in the same position – on his stomach, buried in the blankets, his arm up around his face.

Resisting the urge to slam his head against the wall, Gibbs eyed his soggy shoes before trying to slip his feet into McGee's dry ones. Until that moment he'd never realized how much smaller McGee's feet were than his. Gibbs sat there for a moment, his feet partially wedged into McGee's shoes, looking between the heavy rain still coming down and the increasingly sick man on the bed. Sighing, he kicked off the dry shoes and forced his feet back into his wet ones before standing.

At this point he really didn't care about trying to avoid the worst of the puddles and just ran straight across the parking lot. The thunder and lightening were just the perfect topper to the day, but not a terrible surprise.

With the worsening storm, Gibbs wasn't as careful as he had been going over the fence and felt a tug. The wind and rain were too loud, even between the bursts of thunder to hear the fabric rip, but Gibbs was pretty sure this pair of pants had just been sacrificed for the cause.

It was after midnight and there was a new clerk at the register – one that wasn't impressed when Gibbs slammed the package of batteries on the counter. Half shaved head, Gothic clothes under the pharmacy vest, he snapped his gum as he rang up the item. "Anything else you need?"

Gibbs took the batteries and shoved them into his pocket. "If there is, I'm sure I'll be back again."