Title: Nurse Tony
Author: Jeana
Spoilers: none
Pairing: Tony/Kate OTP! OTP!
Summary: Kate gets sick and Tony has to take care of her. Yeah, yeah, there's like a bazillion of these out there now, but I just found this that I had written forever ago and forgotten to post, so here it is. Take it or leave it. AU(Twilight, what Twilight?)
Disclaimer: Navy NCIS is the property of Belisaurius, Paramount, DPB, CBS, and all that jazz...The characters just run around in my head all day long, so I put them to work.
Tony felt like banging his head against the wall. It was a Friday afternoon and he had been reading over cold case files for two days now. Finally he couldn't take the silence any longer and cried out, "Gosh! Why can't somebody get murdered or someone just come and put me out of my misery?" When Kate made no sarcastic remark, like volunteering to shoot him, Tony looked up at her and noticed the slightly pained expression on her face as she read over the case file on her desk. "Kate? You okay?"
She rubbed a hand across her forehead and met his gaze with a sigh. "I don't feel very good."
"Is it like a headache, or what?"
"No, I feel kind of nauseous."
"Here, see if this helps." He grabbed the unopened water bottle off his desk and walked over to her.
Kate stood to take it from him, but suddenly clapped her hand over her mouth and bolted in the direction of the restroom, nearly running into Gibbs and Abby, who were just coming back from the lab.
"What's wrong with Kate?" Gibbs asked worriedly as he watched her burst through the door of the women's restroom.
"She said she felt nauseous. I offered her some water but as soon as she stood up, she ran for the bathroom."
"Abby," Gibbs turned to tell her to go check on Kate, but the concerned technician was already going after her.
She emerged a few moments later. "Well, Kate is definitely sick; the bad news is that she didn't quite make it."
Gibbs raised his eyebrows, prompting further explanation for Abby's last comment.
"As in she didn't make it to the toilet. She puked all over the floor; someone should seriously get the janitor." McGee volunteered and quickly called the janitorial supervisor. Abby turned to go back and check on Kate, but Tony grabbed her arm.
"Is there anyone else in there?" Abby shook her head. "Then let me go check on her." Abby nodded and Tony entered the restroom.
He was immediately assaulted by the overwhelming smell of vomit. He observed the remains of Kate's lunch, which now covered a large portion of the floor, and said, "You never do anything small, do you?"
Kate groaned from the nearest stall, where she sat, propped up against the wall.
Tony leaned against the front of the stall and looked worriedly at his colleague; there was a pained expression on her pale face and she had thrown up a second time in the toilet. "Are you alright?" he asked.
She slowly swiveled her head around and gave him a weakened version of her usual glare. "Do I look alright?" she mumbled.
"Okay, not 'alright', like, do you think you're finished?"
Kate opened her mouth, then immediately leaned over the toilet as she regurgitated the last of her lunch.
"I'll take that as a no," Tony quipped.
Kate's vomiting soon subsided to the dry heaves, and after a moment, stopped altogether. She wiped her mouth with some toilet paper, then stood and shuffled over to the sink, where she rinsed out her mouth and splashed her face with cold water.
Tony placed a hand on her shoulder as she remained standing over the sink. "Want me to take you home?" She nodded. "I'll tell Gibbs; you go get your stuff." She nodded again and he followed her out of the restroom, receiving a peculiar stare from a female agent on her way in. The woman immediately retreated, however, when she saw the vomit-covered floor.
Kate walked slowly to her desk and began gathering her things. She also reassured a worried Abby that she would be alright.
Tony approached Gibbs's desk and placed his hands on it, leaning down, so that he was eye-level with the man. "I'm going to take her home, boss."
Gibbs grunted his approval, then looked at his watch; it was 1547. "You stay with her, DiNozzo, and make sure she's okay."
"Thanks, boss." Tony turned to Kate, who had her jacket and purse, and they started to leave.
"I'll be expecting Tony, if not both of you, back on Monday morning. Got that?"
"Yes, boss."
"Yes, Gibbs."
As they got into Tony's car and began driving, Kate said, "Bet you're terribly upset to be missing out on all those fun cold case files."
"Devastated." Tony grinned. "I'm just glad he didn't make me take one with me." He reached into his backpack for his sunglasses and groaned when he saw the file his boss had stuck in there. "Gibbs…" he muttered as he put on his special-order shades.
XXXXXX
They reached Kate's apartment complex and Kate slowly made her way up the stairs with Tony following behind her. She unlocked her door, stepped into the living room, and collapsed on the couch. "Make yourself at home," she mumbled as she grabbed the flowery blanket that lay by her feet. She pulled it up to her chin and turned on her side, grimacing as another wave of nausea struck her.
Tony, meanwhile, began exploring the kitchen, looking for something to eat. It was only four o'clock, but he was hungry again. He found a pizza in the freezer and took it out of the box. He preheated the oven according to the directions, then asked, "You're not going to want any of this pizza, are you, Kate?"
Kate groaned and shook her head.
"Didn't think so. Do you want anything to drink?"
"Could you get me a soda?" came her weak request. "They're in the bottom drawer of the fridge."
"'Kay." He put the pizza in the oven, then poured her a glass of coke and brought it over to her.
"Thanks." She took a few small sips and then reached for the TV remote. After flipping through several channels, she settled upon a romantic comedy. She had seen the movie before, so she closed her eyes and just listened to it.
Tony walked over to her and put his hand on her forehead. "Wow, Kate, you're really hot."
Kate grinned weakly. "Well, thank you."
Tony chuckled. "I mean, I think you have a fever."
"If it's a virus, a fever is to be expected."
"I hope you get over this soon."
"Me, too."
After a while, the oven timer rang and Tony got up and removed the pizza. He let it cool for a while, then cut himself a large slice and returned to the recliner in front of the television. He glanced over at Kate, and was saddened to see a look of pain contorting her gentle features.
As the smell of Tony's greasy pizza reached Kate, another feeling of nausea swept over her. But this time it was stronger. When she sensed the familiar feeling in the back of her throat she covered her mouth, threw back the covers, and ran for the bathroom.
Tony looked up in surprise and a few moments later heard her vomiting; he grimaced. He had been about to take another bite of his pizza; now he looked at it and then put it back on the plate, having suddenly lost his appetite. He got up and walked down the hall. He knocked on the bathroom door and called, "Kate?"
She groaned and managed, "I think I'm done; my stomach must be completely empty by now." Even though she was through throwing up, the feeling of nausea would not leave her. Using the edge of the tub to pull herself up, she stood and opened the door. "I'm going to bed, could you get me my drink, please?"
"Sure."
He turned to leave and Kate went into her bedroom. She rummaged through the bottom drawer of her dresser and pulled out her pajamas. In her sluggish state she didn't even bother to shut the door, just removed her blouse and slacks and changed into the comfortable flannel pants and tank top. Tony returned with her glass just as she was dragging her small wastebasket next to her bed. "Thanks." She set it down on her nightstand and crawled underneath the covers.
"No problem." The last time he had been in her room, it had been dark; now he examined her decorative tastes.
Against the front wall only a few feet from the door was her dresser. Unlike his own, Kate's had no clutter on it., just a jewelry box and a few bottles of perfume. On the right wall stood a tall bookshelf. The bottom three shelves were full of books, while the top three displayed miscellaneous trinkets. A few feet away, her walk-in closet was open, displaying her colorful tastes in dresses. A nightstand was on the left wall next to her queen-size bed, which was covered by a white comforter with a blue floral design. The flowers matched the light blue color with which the walls were painted. All the walls were blue except for the back wall on which a mural was painted. The mural was about a third of the way complete and was of all different kinds of horses. Some were still being penciled in but the ones that had been painted were wonderfully done and very life-like.
"Wow, Kate, you can paint, too?" Tony was impressed.
She opened her eyes. "What? Oh…yeah. It's a hobby."
"It's really good."
"Thanks."
"You're welcome. Is there anything else I can do for you before I go?"
"Don't go…please?" Her brown eyes pleaded with him.
He smiled. "Fine. But if I catch what you have, you have to explain it to Gibbs."
"Deal." She smiled. "Can you get me a book from the shelf?"
"Which one?"
"Oh, surprise me."
He grabbed a thick one and handed it to her.
She smiled; The Hobbit was one of her favorite books. She opened it up and began reading. After only a few seconds she closed it and said in an exasperated tone, "Forget that; it makes me nauseous."
"I could read it to you," Tony offered.
Kate was surprised. "Would you?" she asked sweetly.
He perched himself on the edge of her bed and took the book from her. "Sure. Where shall I begin?"
"Mmm…'Riddles in the Dark'. M'favorite part."
Tony smiled and began reading. "When Bilbo opened his eyes, he wondered if he had…"
He read to her for a while. When she made no attempt to answer the next riddle, Tony looked at her and realized she was asleep. He smiled and closed the book. Then he slid off the bed, trying his best not to disturb her. He left the bedroom, shutting the door behind him, and then went into the kitchen to make himself some dinner.
XXXXXX
After eating a bowl of Ramen noodles(it was one of the few things Tony knew how to cook), he relaxed in the recliner and watched TV for a couple of hours. Then he heard the bedroom door open and looked up to see Kate coming down the hall with her empty glass. As she refilled it, she looked at the clock; it was eight fourteen. She bit her lip. "Hey, Tony…you wouldn't mind staying overnight, would you? I hate being home alone when I'm sick; I just feel so…defenseless, you know?"
"No problem. My backpack is in the car. I'll sleep on the couch."
She smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Tony. But you don't have to sleep on the couch. I have a spare bedroom, remember? I'll get you some blankets and a pillow that hasn't been contaminated."
"But if you get them and bring it to me, won't that contaminate them?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Probably. Extra pillows and blankets are in the hall closet. I'm going back to bed." She grabbed her glass and retreated into her bedroom.
Tony got his bag from his car and changed into a t-shirt and blue jeans; he could make the sacrifice of sleeping in jeans for Kate. He retrieved a pillow and a heavy blanket from the closet and prepared the bed in Kate's spare bedroom. Then he returned to the living room and lay down on the couch in front of the TV. Around nine thirty, he heard Kate's door open and feet slowly shuffling down the hall. When he heard no loud vomiting he figured she was just going to the restroom, but when eight minutes had passed and she had not returned to her room, Tony decided to check on her.
As he neared the bathroom, he heard a faint sniffling sound. He knocked on the door, which was ajar. "Kate?" he called gently, "Are you alright in there?"
Kate quickly wiped her eyes. "Well, I'm alive…" Tony slowly pushed the door open. He saw Kate, small and pale, leaning against the edge of the bath tub. She had brought her pillow on which to lay down, and had her comforter wrapped around her. She looked up at him, her brown eyes dull. "I'm not throwing up; I just feel incredibly nauseous." She curled herself into a tight ball and lay down as another wave of extreme queasiness hit her.
Tony sat down on the edge of the tub and rubbed her back. "You know, Agent Matthews was sick like this last week. He said it only lasted twenty-four hours."
"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" she mumbled.
"Well if you have the same bug he had, then you're about halfway through it," he said cheerfully.
She half-smiled at his optimism. Uncurling herself, she sat up and leaned against the tub, his legs on either side of her. She reached for her drink, which was on the floor and took a sip. She immediately regretted her decision as she felt her stomach object. She grabbed the side of the toilet bowl as her body purged itself once again. When she was through, she fell back against the tub with a groan.
Tony grabbed a hair elastic from the shelf above the commode. Then he gently combed his fingers through Kate's hair and secured it with the elastic in a loose ponytail so that her hair wouldn't be in the way the next time her stomach rebelled. He rubbed her shoulders as she sat there, leaning against his leg.
After a few minutes, he felt her relax completely, and he smiled; she was asleep. Doing his best not to disturb her, he stood up and grabbed her pillow, which he placed under his arm. Then he gently picked her up and carried her light, sleeping body into her bedroom, laying her carefully on the bed. He placed her pillow under her head and pulled the covers up over her. Brushing a few strands of auburn hair from her face, he then kissed her cheek. "Sweet dreams, Kate," he whispered.
Tony smiled as he left her room, knowing that she was sleeping peacefully. He then turned off the T.V., brushed his teeth, and went to bed.
XXXXXX
Tony awoke to the sound of music playing. It had a driving beat, and could only be classified as "punk rock". Suddenly, his nose picked up on a delightful aroma that was wafting in from the kitchen. 'Mmm…sausage,' he thought to himself. He rubbed his eyes, stood up, and stretched. Then he walked to the edge of the kitchen.
Kate stood by the stove in her pajamas and bunny slippers, the ones Tony had given her for Christmas. She was cooking things in two different pans, and enjoying the song that was playing. She bobbed her head and swayed her hips in time with the music. She was also singing, and apparently oblivious to the fact that Tony was watching her. She danced over to the fridge, retrieved a coke and spun back around. She nearly choked on her beverage when she saw Tony standing there, grinning at her. "How long have you been standing there, Tony?"
"I take it you're feeling better?"
"Yes, much. But you didn't answer my question." She returned to the stove and, declaring the eggs to be done, scraped them to a bowl.
"Long enough to know you really like this song."
"Yeah, I get into my music." She placed the steaming ground sausage into a bowl as well, and placed both containers on the table. Then she grabbed a bag of shredded cheese from the refrigerator and tossed it onto the table. "I hope you're hungry," she said as she heated several tortillas in the microwave, "because there's no way I can eat all that."
She grabbed her drink and the tortillas and sat down. Tony got a drink and sour cream from the fridge and joined her.
He covered the entire surface of his tortilla with sour cream, and then heaped sausage and egg onto it. He topped it off with a layer of cheese, and took a big bite. "Mmm…thif if weally goo, Kay."
Kate rolled her eyes and smiled. "Glad you're enjoying it," she said as she constructed her own breakfast burrito.
When they had finished eating, Kate said, "Hey, you wanna go see a movie or something?"
"Sure."
"Okay, you pick one," she handed him the newspaper, "I am going to take a shower real quick." Thus saying, she left the table, leaving Tony to decide upon a film.
The shower made Kate feel even better; that morning she had still felt slightly nauseous, but now, she felt great. When she finished, she opened the door and stepped into the hall, smacking straight into Tony.
'You've got to stop running into him,' she chided herself as she looked up him.
The sight of her in just a towel affected Tony's speaking ability. "I--uhh…S-sorry, Kate. I was…j-just going to go to the bathroom…"
She was aware that her breathing was speeding up, and she slowly backed up. "No harm, no foul," she said, and turned to walk to her bedroom. It was all she could do to keep from running. When she was in her room with the door shut, she looked in the mirror and saw how low her towel had slipped. She groaned. 'No wonder he was stammering.' She got dressed quickly and met him in the living room.
When Tony saw Kate, he did a double take. He was so used to her in work attire, he was caught off guard when she entered wearing a light blue t-shirt, and capris. Her hair was pulled into a loose bun and was still wet. He grinned when he saw her shoes; they were white tennis shoes and the shoelaces had ducks on them. "I like your shoes," he commented.
"Thank you. So what movie did you pick?" 'Please not a horror flick…'
'I hope she didn't want a mushy chick flick…' "'Mission: Impossible 3' sound good to you?"
Kate's face broke into a wide grin. "Sounds great. I've been wanting to see it since it came out."
"I was actually going to see it on opening day with Abby, but Colonel Jackson decided that that was a good day to be murdered."
Kate laughed and went to grab her purse. That retrieved, she followed Tony out the front door, and locked it. "Thanks for staying with me, Tony."
"No problem, Kate."
She smiled and slipped her hand into his as they walked down the stairs and out to Tony's car.
Finishing off their box of popcorn just as the end credits began rolling, Tony suddenly groaned. "What's wrong?" Kate whispered.
"I don't feel so good," Tony muttered. Realization dawned on him as he clutched a hand to his stomach. "Oh, you're gonna pay for this Kate," he half-joked, quickly standing up and dashing for the bathroom.
"Never you fear," Kate murmured to herself with a smirk. "Nurse Katie is here."