Chapter Text
It was a normal day at NCIS. At 0900 hours Gibbs walked into the office. He had already been there for 2 hours and his team would be arriving soon. They had finished a case late the night before and Gibbs had given them permission to not report for duty till 0900, giving them the chance for some much needed rest after a bitch of a case.
Ziva was fitting into the team nicely. Even if Gibbs did not like the fact she was a member of his team now, she was being of help. She certainly gave the boys a run for her money, plus Gibbs did get a chuckle from her trying to pick up US slang.
Abby and her new assistant were not working out like the director had wanted, but Gibbs agreed to a month, and he told Abby to just hang in there and to be herself.
Tony had not been doing well lately, looking run down and pale. Ducky was still hounding Gibbs about not talking to the boy and admitting to him that there was more to their relationship than just boss and subordinate. Abby, too, had jumped on the bandwagon as well and both people were trying to get him to admit to the truth to Tony. They wanted Gibbs to come clean and admit to Tony that he loved him.
But there were more important things on his mind lately where Tony was concerned. As bad as he'd looked the last few days, Gibbs was worried about him from a health standpoint.
Gibbs walked in to find Ziva beating her computer. Tim tried to help, but the new agent continued to pound away at the hapless machine.
"McGee where the hell is DiNozzo?"
Tim jumped. After being on his team for over a year now, Gibbs still had a way of making the young man act like a puppy dog with his tail between his legs, jumping at each bark of his voice.
"Um-um-um," Tim stuttered.
"Out with it McGee," Gibbs demanded as he put away his gun and sat down at his desk.
"Tony never showed up for work, and he didn't call Boss."
Gibbs glared at him. "Has he been in the building?"
"Um."
"Then find out McGee," Gibbs barked, making Tim run back to his desk
'Ziva."
"Yes, Gibbs?"
"Go down and see if Abby has seen him."
"Could I just-"
Gibbs glared at the newest officer on his team, causing her to get up and run down to Abby's lab.
5 minutes later
"Um, Boss, security has him checking out last night at 2100 and not coming back into the building today at all."
Gibbs just glared at him, thinking, 'Tony, where the hell are you?'
"I'll try his place."
"You think McGee?"
Tim was busy dialing his phone as Ziva came back into the room.
"Gibbs, Abby has not talked to him since last night at about 2300 hours. She said something about Tony not feeling well."
Gibbs got up, grabbed his gun and walked out of the room, not even waiting for Tim to tell him about the call to Tony's apartment. Gibbs went down to the morgue.
"Jethro, how good of you to visit me today."
"Ducky, has DiNozzo said anything about not feeling well in the past few days?"
"No, but now that you mention it he has not looked his bright and cheery self. Is something wrong, Jethro?"
"I'm going to find out."
Gibbs stormed out of the morgue and went to the parking garage but was stopped by the new director.
"Jen, not now."
"Jethro, I am still waiting on Ziva's prelim evaluation."
"Jen, not now," Gibbs repeated, scowling at the director and pushing past her to get into his car. Tires squealing, he pealed out of the garage, heading for Tony's apartment.
Once he got there he punched in the code to the apartment complex to get past the gate. Gibbs whole team had keys and pass-codes for each other places for just such a case. All Gibbs could think about was that if Tony was playing some game he would have his ass nailed to the wall. Gibbs parked next to Tony's car.
The young agent had gotten a new mustang. Gibbs never asked Tony where the money he always kept buying things with came from. He didn't have to. He knew Tony had a very large trust fund and never had to work a day in his life if he didn't want to, but Tony loved being a cop. This was, in fact, the longest he'd ever stayed at one job.
Gibbs got out of the car and took the elevator to the 3rd floor were Tony lived. He lived in a nicer section of town but not the best. Gibbs phone went off as he strode down the hallway.
"Gibbs."
"Boss I tried his place about 20 times and no answer."
Gibbs hung up on McGee as he stopped in front of Tony's apartment. He banged on the door and listened but heard nothing. He kept banging on the door. When Gibbs heard a crash from inside the apartment he got his gun in one hand and the key to the apartment in the other. Gibbs unlocked the door and opened it slowly, gun drawn as he entered Tony's place. He walked in carefully. He'd only been in this place once before, right after Tony's car was stolen and smashed up.
Gibbs checked the kitchen and found nothing. The place was big but not huge, just about right and filled with ever kind of high tech equipment imaginable. Gibbs rounded the corner into the hall that led out of the kitchen and froze when he saw the rest of the place. On the floor, broken glass around him, was a naked Tony, lying face down and the dining area table was a mess. Gibbs took in the image of the man he loved on the floor, naked and sweaty.
After only a moment Gibbs put the gun away and bent down
"DiNozzo."
When Tony didn't reply, Gibbs checked for a pulse. He was still alive, thank God. Now he just had to get him out of this spot. Gathering himself, Gibbs bent and picked Tony up, causing the younger man to stir a little.
"Boss," Tony mumbled.
"Quiet, DiNozzo."
Tony's skin was very hot, almost burning to the touch. Tony started to cough. It sounded bad, and Gibbs couldn't help but remember what both Ducky and Dr. Pitt had said after Tony had had the plague, that Tony would be more prone to sickness than others and would possibly develop a worse case of whatever he succumbed to.
"Boss," Tony said weakly, "I'm-"
"Tony, save your strength. I'm putting you to bed and calling Ducky."
"No."
"This is not up for debate, DiNozzo."
Gibbs walked through his place and put him in the master bedroom. The bed was huge, and the room was filled with even more high tech gadgets. Gibbs put a now-sleeping Tony in the bed and pulled up the down comforter to cover the man. Gibbs noticed there was a pail next to the bed and it reeked. Gibbs looked up. Tony had been vomiting. Not good. Going into the bathroom, he found a thermometer and put it under Tony's tongue. Gibbs watched his watch, and after a minute took it out.
"102.3," he muttered. Damn, that was not good at all.
It killed Gibbs to see this man like this again. He left the room, leaving the door open a crack as he called the morgue.
"Morgue," he heard in Ducky's British-accented voice.
"Ducky."
"Jethro. Did you happen to find young Anthony?"
"Yes. I need you to get over to his place now, and bring your bag."
"Oh, dear."
"He has a temp of 102.3 right now."
"I will be right over, Jethro."
Both men hung up, then Gibbs then dialed McGee.
"McGee."
"McGee you're in charge till I get back. I want reports on my desk by end of day and tell the director that we are not on any cases till further notice."
"B-b-b-but-"
"Out with it, McGee."
"What if she insists?"
"Then tell her to talk to me about it."
"You found Tony?"
"Yes," Gibbs answered, hanging up the phone without elaborating.
He walked into the kitchen and looked around for some fluid to put into Tony. He opened the fridge and only found take out food boxes. No food and nothing but a few beers and out of date milk.
Gibbs heard something from the bedroom and walked calmly towards the sound. When he got closer he heard Tony again vomiting but nothing coming up. Gibbs walked into the bathroom, got a damp cloth and a glass of water. He then walked into the bedroom and found Tony bent over the side of the bed, trying to vomit what was not in his stomach.
Gibbs sat on the bed behind Tony. Tony leaned back on Gibbs. Gibbs wiped his brow with the cloth. Tony leaned over till his head was in Gibbs' lap.
"Here, you need to drink something," Gibbs said, holding out the glass of water.
"Why? It'll just-" Tony didn't even finish the thought, instead leaning over again and vomiting.
Gibbs was rubbing his back and steadying him this time. Tony was still very warm to the touch. Warmer now than he'd been a few moments ago when he'd carried him into the room.
When Tony was done his head once again found its way to Gibbs' lap. Gibbs put the cold cloth on his brow this time and took his temperature again, frowning when he saw it was now up to 103.
"Damn it, Tony, if this doesn't go down I am taking you to the hospital."
"No, Boss, please not the hospital. I hate them."
"Tony your temp is 103."
"I'm fine," Tony insisted faintly.
Gibbs took the cloth and wiped Tony's face.
"You sure don't look fine to me," Gibbs muttered, but Tony was already sleeping again.
Gibbs put Tony's head on the pillow and went and got a basin of cold water and another washcloth. Ducky should be there any moment. Gibbs had left the front door slightly open. Going back to the kitchen, Gibbs got another glass of water for when Tony woke up again. This would have to do for now.
He went back to the bedroom, and Tony was dry heaving, since there was nothing left in him to vomit. Gibbs put the basin of water on the floor next to the bed and was wiping Tony's back. When Tony looked up, Gibbs face was right there.
"Boss."
"Yes, DiNozzo."
"I love you," Tony said dreamily, reaching up and kissing Gibbs.
Gibbs was more shocked then anything. He didn't fight the kiss but neither was he able to get into it. Not now. Not when Tony was so sick and nearly delirious.
"Um."
Tony fell to the bed again and Gibbs saw Ducky in the doorway with that I told you so look on his face.