"Jethro!" said Ducky in an annoyed voice, "you haven't listened to what I said."

"Sure, I have, Duck," said Gibbs, "I heard every word."

"But you haven't listened," said Ducky.

"Duck," said Gibbs wearily, "I haven't got time for this, I'm tired, we're all tired."

"Precisely my point, Jethro, you and your team have been working full pelt for weeks. You need a change of pace, some downtime."

"We'll be fine, Duck," said Gibbs.

"You may well be fine," said Ducky, "you are too stubborn not to be fine but I am concerned about your team. Timothy is jumpy and anxious after days of trying to trace the hackers: he needs some time away from a computer screen."

"Duck, you know as well as I do that if I give McGee time off he'll shut himself up in his apartment and do battle with his cyber friends till he falls asleep on his keyboard."

"Then you need to think of something that will take him away from his virtual world, Gibbs. He needs some time in the real world."

"I think he's had enough of the real world," observed Gibbs drily.

"Indeed, the case with Giovanni Pasquale was especially nasty," said Ducky, "which is all the more reason why Timothy should not spend time alone brooding over it all."

Gibbs suppressed a sigh as he feared that his own decompressing time alone in his basement might be under threat. He brightened momentarily as he thought of a way of solving the problem. Ducky was, however, skilled in the art of reading Gibbs and correctly divined the thought process,

"And don't think that telling Anthony to spend time with Timothy is the answer to this particular problem," he warned.

"Why not?" asked Gibbs, "DiNozzo will distract McGee, it's his speciality."

"Because Anthony is in no fit state to be supporting Timothy. Which is what I have been trying to tell you."

"He's fine, Duck, a couple days rest and he'll be good as new."

"Good heavens," huffed Ducky, "I despair. Anthony has been working as hard as you and Timothy these last few days while struggling through an attack of bronchitis which should have seen him resting quietly at home, not working every hour God sends and searching all those damp warehouses down by the waterfront."

"Job had to be done, Duck," said Gibbs.

"Indeed," agreed Ducky, "and now it is done and you need to have a care for your team."

"You know I don't do the touchy-feely stuff," said Gibbs barely suppressing a sigh.

"Tough love is not always the answer, Jethro, and I'm not sure it's what Anthony needs at the moment. I trust you have noticed that he seems rather dispirited at the moment?"

Gibbs nodded and in that brisk nod, Ducky realised that Gibbs had noticed and was worried.

"Anthony and Timothy will be arriving for work soon, Jethro. You need to think what you're going to do."

NCISNCIS

Special Agent Tim McGee barely had the energy to press the up button on the elevator; he wondered tiredly how he had managed to drive to work without falling asleep at the wheel. The ding announcing that the elevator had reached his floor jerked him awake so he adjusted his backpack and walked out into the squad room. He hadn't expected Tony to be at work so the cough sounding from the senior field agent's desk took him by surprise.

"Thought Ducky told you to take the day off, Tony?" he said.

"Had this report to finish. Boss-man's not going to go soft on me just because I've got a cold," said Tony.

"It's OK to admit you've got bronchitis," said Tim.

For answer, Tony just scowled and tried not to cough.

"You look awful, by the way," said Tim.

"Whereas you look the picture of health and serenity," snarked Tony.

"At least I slept for a few hours," said Tim, "did you get to bed at all last night?"

"You don't usually want to hear about what I get up to in the bedroom," said Tony with a half-hearted waggle of his eyebrows.

"Tony …" said McGee in a weary voice.

"Gloria and Khartoum have got a new friend," said Tony.

"That's nice. Um, who are they?"

"You remember. Gloria Gordon, one of my neighbours, and Khartoum her pug."

"Nope," said Tim, as he sat at his desk and tried to remember how to switch his computer on.

"Yes, you do," said Tony, "she made that peanut butter gateau the other day."

"Oh, that Gloria," said Tim, "hmmm. That cake was good." He licked his lips in a happy memory, "so, who's the new friend?"

"A yappy, annoying dog. Well, it might not be but it seems that he and Khartoum aren't exactly hitting it off. Hence noise from the Gordon apartment and no sleep for moi," said Tony.

"Why?"

"I don't know! I don't know anything about dogs; how should I know why new dog annoys old dog?"

"No, why she's got another dog?" asked Tim.

"She's looking to the future, she says. Khartoum is a bit elderly so she thought she'd get his replacement ahead of time."

"Wow," said Tim, "that's … er … practical."

"Harsh, I call it," said Tony, "although I guess one of us is Gibbs' spare."

Tim frowned at this but was too weary to begin an argument with Tony over which one of them was the spare.

"Perhaps that's why there's so much noise," said Tony reflectively, "Khartoum is probably picking up on vibes that he's on the skids and is sending out aggressive thoughts to the new kid on the block."

"Wow," said Tim again, "you been talking to Abby? All this psychoanalysis of dogs?"

"Hey," said Tony defensively, "I can do the insightful stuff."

"So," said Tim, "is that what you did when I joined the team?"

"What?"

"You know, thinking you were on the skids so sent out aggressive thoughts towards me?"

"N-o-o-h," said Tony unconvincingly. Then he rallied, "so you saying you were like the annoying yappy dog when you were our baby Probie?"

Tim decided he didn't enough energy for this argument, "so the noise kept you awake last night?"

"Yep."

"You should complain," said Tim.

"Yeah," said Tony, "but I don't want to fall out with her."

"You need your sleep, Tony," pointed out Tim.

"Yeah, but I really like her baking," said the practical Tony, "they'll calm down. Won't they?"

Tim shrugged and then blinked when he realised that he hadn't switched his monitor on. It was going to be a long day.

"Besides," said Tony, "I won't be at home for a few days."

"Why not?" asked Tim.

"The security conference in Chicago," said Tony, "Boss and me will be going later today."

"Why you?" asked Tim.

"Boss always takes me," said Tony, "I add some light relief. I can taste that Italian beef sandwich already," he sighed deeply and then started coughing.

It was at that inopportune moment that Gibbs and Ducky arrived. They took up position by Tony's desk and gazed at him disapprovingly.

"I thought I told you to stay home today, Anthony," admonished Ducky.

"Had to finish my report, Ducky," said Tony, "besides, we're off to the conference today."

"What conference is that, DiNozzo?" asked Gibbs.

"The Chicago conference, Boss."

"What makes you think you're going to it?" said Gibbs.

"Boss, you always take me. I assumed … I thought … but there's a rule about that, isn't there?" said Tony disconsolately.

Gibbs grinned and was about to put Tony out of his misery when the Director arrived with Agent Fornell in tow.

"Tobias," acknowledged Gibbs, "you here for a ride to the airport?"

"I'll pass," said Fornell, "I want to get there in one piece. I'll see you there. If I can get away."

"Something come up?" asked Gibbs, "Pasquale case is all wrapped up. Your Director out for more blood? Thought you said he was gonna give you some downtime?"

"He is. Just got a loose end to tie up. That's why I came to see your Director."

"Who are you planning on taking with you to the conference, Gibbs?" asked Leon.

"DiNozzo," said Gibbs. Tony nodded a little smugly at McGee but then spoiled the effect by coughing.

"Dr Mallard told me earlier that he was concerned about your team, Gibbs," said Leon.

Gibbs glared at Ducky who just shrugged, "The Director asked me how Timothy and Anthony … and you … had coped with the recent heavy work load," he said, "and I …"

"Gave me a report," said Vance, "Agent DiNozzo, I don't think you should be going to the conference."

"Sir?" said Tony in a shocked voice, "but I'm fine."

"You're coughing so much you won't hear any of the presentations," said Vance, "and nobody else will hear them either. Not much of an advertisement for the agency to send a representative who sounds as if he's about to cough up a lung."

"But," protested Tony, "I'll be …"

"Staying here," ordered Vance, "Gibbs, take Agent McGee instead. It'll be good experience for him."

Tony looked hopefully at Gibbs to see if he would argue against this directive. Gibbs opened his mouth to do just that but then it occurred to him that this could be a partial answer to Ducky's anxieties. Taking McGee to the conference would take him away from his computers and prevent him brooding over the events of recent days. Gibbs knew he would miss Tony's company but it meant that Tony would get some rest.

"You heard the Director, DiNozzo," said Gibbs, rather unfairly implying that the Director's word was always law in Gibbs's world. "Stay here. Take it easy for a few days, get better," he added in a softer tone.

Tony's face fell at being told to stay behind.

"DiNutso could take care of that loose end for me," said Fornell.

Vance looked surprised but then nodded, "All right. You can explain it to him," and with that he was gone.

"What loose end?" asked Gibbs, unsure that he liked the sound of this. He had sacrificed taking Tony to Chicago so he could regroup a bit, not take on an FBI assignment.

Fornell grinned, one of his knowing grins. "Pasquale's dog," he said.

"What about it?" asked Tony suspiciously.

"It's simple, DiNutso," said Fornell, "NCIS and the Bureau are taking charge of all of Pasquale's belongings. Turns out he had a dog as well."

"So?" asked Tony.

"FBI is taking responsibility for all the … er … non-breathing goods. NCIS, or rather you, has the livestock. Just for a few days."

"Boss?" said Tony in something like panic, "you know I'm not good with animals. And all that hair, it'll get everywhere."

"I think it's a splendid idea," said Ducky. Tony turned wounded, reproachful eyes on him but Ducky was unrepentant. "Taking the dog for walks will get you out into the fresh air which will be good for your lungs. You won't want to leave a strange dog alone in your apartment so you will be home early which will be restful for you."

"Spending long nights in my apartment with a strange dog will be restful?" said Tony incredulously.

"Yes," said Ducky firmly, "it will be. Doctor's orders, Anthony."

"Boss?" wailed Tony.

"Suck it up, DiNozzo," said Gibbs, "may be it won't be so bad. See you when we get back. McGee, go home and pack."

"Come down to the car park, DiNutso," said Fornell who, in Tony's opinion, was having entirely too much fun, "and I'll hand the hound over to you."

"Hey, Tony," said a revitalised Tim, "I can email you a link to a site on dog care if you want."

"Hmmph," grumbled Tony.

"Or you could visit Gloria," suggested Tim, "she could give you some tips."

"Enjoy Chicago," snarled Tony, "all that alone time with the Boss and Fornell? You'll have a great time."

Tim swallowed nervously as the implications of the conference began to sink in.

"What you waiting for, McGee?" asked Gibbs, "Time's a wasting."

"On it, Boss," said McGee, "On it."

AN: Gloria Gordon and Khartoum the pug have had walk on parts in previous stories …