Once upon a time in a deep dark forest...
The ground was wet, Tony's bare feet were cold and his nose continually runny as he hopped along the winding dirt road in the dark. He was going around in circles, he suspected, because those trees and that stream looked familiar for the hundredth time. With a sigh and a yawn he put down his picnic basket and flumped his butt down on a fallen tree trunk conveniently covered by a layer of soft jade moss that glowed gently in the night. He shivered in his flimsy clothing. Somewhere along the way he had lost his new shiny red leather boots and his plush hooded Zegna cape made of the finest crimsony velvet was muddied and torn.
An abrupt gust of wind tore into him with a howl and Tony wrapped the cape tighter around himself, trying not to think about the stories his mother had told him about bloodthirsty werewolves living in the woods. Surely it was all poppycock as his grandfather Ducky would say. Suddenly something rustled. Tony looked around eyes wide, clinging tighter still to his once beautiful cape. And there in the dark he saw a gleaming pair of red eyes! Tony sprang to his feet and took off like a shot.
The woods seemed to go on forever as Tony ran for his life, lungs burning and throat on fire from the cold air. He thought he heard jaws snapping at his coattails, and pushed through the pain. After a few aimless miles of hysterical panic he collapsed at the sight of a clearing. He sat a minute wheezing and coughing, taking in his new whereabouts... And there! Wonder of wonders, above the tree tops he saw smoke. Tufts of it! A short walk later he found the source. His grandmother's house. Finally! Tony could have shouted in joy. He eased the door open and called but there was no answer. He stepped inside. He checked the living room, kitchen and the basement, finding no one but a half finished boat.
"Duh. Grandmother is upstairs sleeping." Tony gave himself a headslap and started climbing the creaky stairs. At the end of the hall he found a door.
"GRANDMOTHER" it said in carved block letters. There had been something written above but had been scratched unreadable.
"Anthony? Is that my dear grandson?" a thin, shaky voice queried.
"It's me, grandmother." Tony said and entered the room.
Grandmother was hiding underneath a pile of blankets but her beautiful blue eyes peeking out from under a curly mop of silver hair made Tony gasp.
"Wuh... What's with all the blankets?" Tony stuttered feeling very confused by the feral intensity in those eyes. It was almost predatory and oh so... sexy?
"I just have a cold. Why don't you come a little closer, DiNoz... Uh, Anthony dear?"
"Grandmother? What's with the bedroom eyes?" Tony squirmed.
"Oh, I just can't believe what a handsome man you turned into, my boy. Come give grandmother a kiss!"
Tony found himself moving toward those mesmerizing eyes despite the hinkiness of the whole situation when suddenly a wolf jumped at him and started licking his face.
"Down, boy!" Someone called sternly.
The wolf disappeared and Tony found himself in bed, squinting at a silhouette of someone in the open doorway. Light was spilling in from the hall and he winced in pain. His whole body ached and his head felt like it was cotton candy.
"Sorry, babe. Jethro got a little excited. I brought ya some chicken soup Abby made." Gibbs said and sat on the bed, setting a visibly steaming mug on the nightstand.
"Thags." Tony whispered.
"She came by earlier to see you and drop off Jethro but you were sleeping. McGee and Ziva are at a conference in New York but they said to tell you get well soon. Probably afraid of impending cold cases." Gibbs chuckled.
"Mmmh." Tony smiled in relief. It had all been a dream!
"You feelin' better?" Gibbs felt Tony's forehead and brushed off some sweatsoaked clumps of hair.
"Habby you're dot by... Gragbother..."
"What's that, sweetheart?"
"Dotheeg. Just, dote ever get a perb." Tony shook his head, then grinned drowsily and his glassy emerald eyes couldn't stay open any longer.
"Sweet dreams, ya kook. No more bedtime stories." Gibbs kissed his forehead and quietly left the room, Jethro on his six wagging his tail.