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Peja's Wonderful World of Makebelieve Import
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Published:
2020-11-05
Completed:
2009-05-25
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3,811
Chapters:
4/4
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It started with a sneeze

Summary:

Summary: Post Scene to Model Behavior.  What if it wasn't the flowers that made Tony sneeze

Chapter 1: Chapter 1

Notes:

Permission to archive: Yes to WWOMB, anybody else, please ask first.
Genre (general, hetero or slash): Slash
Pairing/Characters: Gibbs/Tony, team
Rating: T/PG-15
Warnings: SLASH.  Set mid way through S3.
Disclaimer.  I don't own the NCIS characters, I'm only borrowing them, and I promise to return them in minty fresh condition when I'm finished.
Notes: Started writing this a few years ago, figured I'd better get around to posting it.

Chapter Text

It started with a sneeze
by Ceindreadh

 

It started with a sneeze.

For most people, that would have been the end of it, but most people hadn't barely survived a brush with Pneumonic Plague which had left their immune systems a lot less healthy than before.

At first Tony thought it was just the flowers.  He sneezed three more times in the elevator, and briefly considered binning the bouquet, but he knew he'd never be able to look Abby in the eye again if he threw away her gift to him.  So he wiped a bead of sweat from his brow and headed for his car.

By the time Tony arrived home, he was sweating a lot more and his hands were shaking as he pulled out the key to his apartment.  He leaned against the doorway, trying to catch his breath, knowing that his next step should be to get to a phone and call the hospital.

During his last check up before discharging him, Brad had warned Tony that this could happen.  "I don't want to worry you, Tony," he'd said as he scribbled a few notes on the chart.  "But there's still a lot we don't know about the potential long term effects of the Y-Pestis."

Tony sat on the edge of the exam table swinging his legs.  "But Gibbs said the Y-Pestis was dead."  He could feel a chill down his spine that had nothing to do with the paper gown he'd been wearing.  "It's gone, right?  I'm not gonna die from plague."

"The bug is dead, Tony, but the damage it did to your body.  That's going to take time to heal fully.  And until that happens, you're going to be more vulnerable to respiratory infections.  Cold's, flu, you're going to have to be very careful with your health over the next few months."

Brad had warned Tony to stay away from anybody suffering from colds or flu and to call him immediately if he started feeling ill.

But at the moment, all Tony wanted to do was lie down for a little while.  He made his way to the couch, clutching Abby's bouquet to his chest.  "I'll just rest for a bit," he told himself, even as he lowered his aching body to the soft cushions.  "Then if I'm not feeling better I'll phone Bethesda."  He kicked off his shoes and lay back, breathing heavily.

------------------------

Tony woke to a pounding headache, made worse by the sound of somebody banging on his door.  He tried to sit up, but couldn't summon up the energy.  "Go away," he muttered under his breath, shivering slightly as he curled up.  But the banging continued until finally Tony couldn't stand it any more.  He pushed himself to his feet, only to collapse to ground, petals from Abby's flowers scattering themselves around them.  "Help...please..." Tony croaked out as he pushed himself to his hands and knees and tried to crawl towards the door.  Where minutes ago he had been hoping for the unknown caller to get fed up and leave; now he prayed that they had more patience.

But the knocking fell silent and Tony collapsed again.  "Help me," he whispered.

 

end part 1
To be continued
Ceindreadh