Disclaimer - I do not own NCIS
"You doing okay there Jardine?" Tony smiled sweetly as he leaned over the cubicle divider.
"I'm fine Special Agent DiNozzo," Nikki replied narrowing her eyes, not surprisingly wary of the concern being shown by the Senior Field Agent.
"You look a little run down there...noticed your eyes kinda starting to droop a little and you don't seem your usual...uh...bubbly self."
Nikki swallowed hard, "My eyes are droopy?"
"Yeah, but hey it's okay, really, I had it too when I first started working here," Tony said flippantly.
"Had what?" she gasped as she threw him a worried look.
"Oh, it's nothing, just what we seasoned field agents call Devil Dog Disease." he replied his voice trailing to a whisper.
Nikki's eyes widened in horror and she flapped her mouth unable to get the words out.
"D..d…devil dog disease?"
Tony placed a hand on her shoulder and she flinched,
"Sorry..." he said as he whipped his hand away and wiped it down the front of his shirt.
"…yeah, it comes from being around people, that have either interrogated, or came into regular contact with serving Marines. It's to do with the level of ammunitions work that they do. You see, the chemicals kinda get onto the skin and somehow start to attack the nerve endings...it's not fatal though, all it does it make you feeling lethargic, run down...that is, if it is left untreated. Newbie Marines are vaccinated against it in Boot Camp, but we don't, you know how it is sometimes, rules, regulations, that kinda stuff."
Tony leaned in close and began to whisper,
"But, uh...listen up, don't mention it, okay, because it's a kind of unwritten rule around here, you know like Gibbs' rules….this is one of the unspoken and unwritten ones…we never, ever mention…"
Looking over his shoulder for a moment, he silently mouthed, "Devil dog disease...unless it's to Probie's...like yourself."
Nikki was visibly shaking now as she whimpered, "Is..uhm…there a cure other than the vaccine?"
Tony gave a wide comforting grin, "Jardine, do not worry your little head, of course there is, it's NCIS for crying out loud, do you think they would let this continue if they didn't have a sure fire cure?"
He continue smiling gently at her, his eyes providing her all the reassurance she needed.
"A little light therapy, which emits a red heat, kills all of the bacteria. A ten minute session is all you need about once every six months and you're fine. I promise you, works out cheaper and less painful than getting a shot."
Nikki relaxed and her eyes returned to normal focus, "Okay, well that is a relief, so...Agent DiNozzo, how do I get this 'light therapy', who do I need to speak to?"
"Listen why don't I set up a session for you in the shower block, at say 1000 hours tomorrow. I'll get Ducky to switch on the bacterial light filters and you're good to go. Ten minutes standing in the shower booth, just like you're taking a shower will get rid of all the nasty DD bugs."
With a grateful, if nervous smile, Nikki returned to her work and Tony returned to his desk unable to keep the grin from his face.
To be continued...
