With many thanks to betas Mirth and Jay
Author notes: As always this is just a snapshot, a small snippet of a potentially bigger whole. There will be nothing more added. See notes at end of fic.
"Tony?" the voice was quite, filled with concern and tinged with worry.
"I'm fine, Abs," DiNozzo replied, with a tired smile "it's just a cold."
"But…," Abby paused, chewing her lip, uncertain of how her next words would be received. "But that marine used you as a punch bag last week and the week before that you got hit by a car and now you've got a cold and you know what Dr Pitt said about your lungs and….." she paused to take a breath, letting it out in a rush as Tony gently squeezed her hand.
"Abby, I'm fine," Tony smiled up at her, "truly," he reassured her.
"I'm afraid I must disagree with that self-diagnosis, Anthony," Ducky suddenly said as he walked into the squad room and stepped behind DiNozzo's desk, placing a hand on DiNozzo's forehead, the other wrapping around his wrist. "Not the most efficient way to take a temperature, I admit, but still, you are overly warm Tony and your pulse is somewhat elevated," Ducky removed his hands and stepped back to the other side of the desk, "I think you should come down to autopsy so that I can check you out properly. A chest infection would be most problematic," the older man stated.
"Ducky, I'm fine. It's just a cold, honest," DiNozzo protested, trying to gain his feet, but Abby leant forward, placing her hands on his shoulders, keeping him sitting.
"Duck?" Gibbs questioned as he descended the stairs from MTAC, quickly making his way into the squad room and DiNozzo's desk.
"Young Anthony appears to have developed a mild upper respiratory tract infection," Ducky replied as Gibbs came to stand beside him, "although not necessarily dangerous at this point but with Tony's history….."
"He's got a cold?" Gibbs interpreted, finally deciphering Ducky's long-winded description.
"That's what I told them, Boss," DiNozzo exclaimed, finally outfoxing Abby and getting to his feet with a self-satisfied smirk.
"But the marine beat him up, Gibbs," Abby injected, a slight whine to her voice.
"He got a couple of punches in, but nothing…." DiNozzo defended, before being cut off by Ducky.
"And he did get hit by that car the previous week," Ducky added.
"It was a glancing blow, boss. You were there, you saw," DiNozzo protested with a quiver of desperation in his voice.
Gibbs looked at the mismatched group in turn before heading to his desk. "It's just a cold, Ducky. I'll keep an eye on him," he promised.
"Gibbs!" Ducky and Abby objected in unison.
Gibbs sat down and looked up as they approached his desk. "I'll keep an eye on him," Gibbs repeated, he made a shooing motion with his hand, "I'll let you know if he gets worse," he stated, as he gave them a hard stare.
"Promise?" Abby queried.
"I promise," Gibbs assured them both with a quirk of his eyebrows. Abby looked uncertainly at DiNozzo, who was now standing beside his desk, before leaving the squad room. Ducky walked out behind her after exchanging loaded glances with Gibbs.
"Thanks, boss," DiNozzo smiled as he took a step closer to Gibbs desk.
"Let's get this straight, Tony," Gibbs warned as he looked up at the younger man, a stern look on his face. "You look like crap and you sound worse. If you don't improve in the next couple of days I will drive you to the hospital myself, understand?"
DiNozzo gave him a rebellious look, before huffing out a hoarse sigh. "Yes, boss,"as he turned and went back to his desk, wishing people would mind their own business.
It was only a damn cold.
Author notes: Okay folks that's it. My very last NCIS fic.
Sorry I didn't go out in a blaze of glory, but I've really lost touch with the characters voices.
Many thanks to all the wonderful reviews on all my NCIS fics and to those of you who have read everything from "The Only Thing Necessary" to this fic. Thank you so much for your support.
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