A/N: I'm back from a one-week trip to Sardinia and ready to continue this story. It was a wonderful week, but on my flight back I caught a little cold... . Well, having a look at Gibbs, I'm glad it's not the flu ^-^

Here's the next installment.

Chapter 4

-x-

Some time later, Abby had taken care of the most important things. She had replaced his blanket with those from the guest-bedroom and she had also somehow managed to change the sheets. She had changed his shirt and wiped the sweat from his skin.

She had even found a traditional thermometer in a drawer in his bathroom. She had never expected him to have one, but she was glad he did.

Almost 104°F. Abby took a sharp breath. She hoped he hadn't been running this fever for too long. She had last seen him on Thursday morning and he had looked fine.

Fine? No. Not really. If she remembered right, he had looked tired. Worn out. He had tried not to let her see it, but she had. Maybe it had been worse already. She had put it down to the 10 day long stake-out though. Besides, no-one would have thought it possible that Gibbs would be the one to catch the flu.

Abby took up residence at Gibbs's bedside, dabbing his forehead with a cool cloth, moistening his lips and praying for the fever to break.

While sitting there, surrounded by the darkness of the night, with only a small lamplight from the chest of drawers breaking the heavy darkness, Abby started trembling. Although it had gotten warmer outside the past two days, it still was quite cold indoors; especially inside Gibbs's house, since he didn't have an electric heater. He had given his to Abby years ago; he had said he didn't need it. He still had his fireplace though, and he had actually made use of it a couple of times this past winter.

-x-

It was late at night already, when Abby dialed Tony's number.

"Huh?" Tony didn't sound delighted, fearing this call was about an upcoming case which would end his weekend too early.

"Tony," Abby nervously spoke up, ignoring his exaggerated yawning. "Gibbs is ill and I need you to fetch my electric heater from my apartment and bring it over..."

"Whoa... wait! What did you say?" Tony was suddenly wide awake.

"I said, I need you to fetch my electric heater and bring it over to Gibbs's place."

"No, no, no. Before that." He needed to hear it again.

"Tony! Move your ...," Abby suppressed a curse, knowing Tony had well understood her. She even wished it hadn't been necessary to call Tony, but she was by no means going to leave Gibbs alone.

-x-

"Is he really ... sick?!" Tony incredulously asked, after Abby had opened the door. "I have to see that!" He tried to push past her.

"No way!" Abby blocked his path. No, never would she let any of the others see their bossman being ill.

"Come on, Abby," Tony kept begging.

But Abby didn't allow him to enter. Pointing outside determinedly, her door keys dangling from her forefinger, she silently ordered him to leave and do what she had asked him to do.

Disappointed, Tony eventually gave up

Abby hurried back to Gibbs's bedroom to find that he was lying uncovered again, tossing and turning in a feverish dream. Abby renewed the cooling compresses and was relieved to see Gibbs calm down a little within a couple of minutes. His breathing was shallow now, but even.

Then she heard rumblings from down in the hall.

Tony.

Leaving Gibbs's side, she got out of the room to find Tony carrying the heater upstairs. Abby cautiously closed the door behind her. She staid standing in front of it, back pressed up against the door like a guard, protecting what was behind it.

"Thanks, Tony,"

Tony noticed the sad and worried expression on her face and felt for her. He was deeply regretting his previous poor behavior. Abby and Gibbs -- that was something special; something, no-one really was ever able to understand.

"How's he doing?" Tony carefully asked.

"He's got the flu, Tony." Abby spoke in a very low voice, which showed her sorrow even more clearly. But she didn't want to tell him how bad it really was.

"Ewww!" Tony automatically backed away a step. If a flu-thing had managed to enter Gibbs's insusceptible system, it had to be a very nasty bug.

"You better leave now." She looked as if she needed to be hugged, but he didn't try to step closer again, knowing she wouldn't let him.

Nodding, Tony started to leave. He took a step downstairs, then turned around once more. He had noticed her black and blue evening dress and remembered it was her birthday. He knew, Gibbs used to take her out the night before. He probably had not told her he was feeling sick.

"Happy birthday, Abby."

"Thanks." Abby nodded, biting her lip.

It was way past midnight already.

-x-