"Make sure you take it easy for a few days," the nurse cautioned as Abby lowered herself into the wheelchair seat. "You've been fever free for twenty-four hours, but that doesn't mean you're ready to resume normal activities yet."

"I feel loads better already," Abby insisted, covering her mouth just in time to muffle a harsh cough. Really, the wheelchair was entirely unnecessary in her opinion, but when she'd tried to argue minutes earlier she'd been dismissed with claims that it was "hospital policy".

The nurse raised an eyebrow knowingly. "No work for the rest of the week, at least. Drink plenty of fluids, get plenty of rest, and listen to your body. If it tells you to slow down, then slow down."

"That won't be a problem," Tim assured the nurse as he entered the room.

"Here are the prescriptions Dr. Rathford wrote for you. She wants you to take oral antibiotics for seven days to make sure the pneumonia doesn't come back, and continue with the cough syrup as needed."

Abby gave a slight nod to indicate her understanding, but silently she was cheering. While she held no objections to the antibiotics, the cough syrup was a completely different matter. However, the nurse had clearly said 'as needed.' As far as Abby was concerned, that made it completely her decision when (or when NOT) to take the offensive medicine.

McGee reached out to take the slips of paper from the nurse. "We're stopping at the pharmacy on the way home. Thank you."

They made their way down to the entrance, where McGee had parked his car. Though the trip had been relatively short, even at their slow pace, sitting upright was taking its toll on Abby. She was beginning to rethink her protests against the wheelchair. If she was this tired just sitting, she would have probably had a hard time walking, she conceded.

Tim opened the front passenger door for her, and Abby pulled herself to her feet so she could slide into the seat. She allowed her body to melt into the fabric, paying little attention to McGee and the nurse as they chatted another moment. Leaning her head against the cool window, Abby began to drift off.


Her own bed had never looked so inviting as it did as she entered their bedroom an hour later. She didn't even care that she'd spent days in bed already. Abby couldn't wait to crawl under the covers and cuddle up with McGee. There was just one thing she needed first: a shower.

The warm water felt like heaven on her skin, and the steam provided a bit of relief to her clogged sinuses. Abby felt herself growing sleepy again, but still she took her time, washing her hair, shaving away the stubble that had grown while she was as the hospital, and just breathing in the moist air. She had to hold onto the railing every so often, her body far weaker than she would have liked, but she managed to remain upright. The thought of slipping in the shower and having to call for McGee was mortifying enough to give her the strength to stay on her feet. She could only imagine how much more overbearing he'd become if that happened.

Once done, she decided to skip blow drying her hair in favor for just pulling her hair back into two casual braids. However, by the time she'd finished braiding, she was feeling cold, even with her favorite oversized t-shirt on. Grudgingly, she pulled out the dryer, warming her head and removing the dampness. Finally, she brushed her teeth before shuffling back out to the bedroom. She found Tim sitting on the edge of the bed in a t-shirt and a pair of sweats, pouring a familiar liquid into a small plastic cup.

Abby groaned. "McGee…"

"Did you think somehow that I didn't hear your coughing fits in there?" he asked her calmly, replacing the cap on the bottle.

"I'm already sleepy," she argued. "I don't need medicine to help me sleep."

"You know the purpose of this syrup isn't to help you sleep, though it's certainly an added benefit." Setting the bottle on the nightstand, Tim held out the small plastic cup to Abby. "Take the medicine, Abs."

She shook her head softly. "'As needed,'" she quoted. "Even the doctor didn't say I had to take this stuff on any particular schedule… just the antibiotic."

"And if you're coughing like you were in the shower, you need it." McGee paused, arching an eyebrow at Abby. "I'm getting the impression you need a little extra motivation to take care of yourself properly."

Abby stared at Tim with a mixture of disbelief and unease. "You wouldn't," she said, though she wasn't fully sure of herself. "I'm still sick."

Wordlessly, he held the plastic medicine cup out to her once more.

With much more drama than was necessary, Abby huffed and all but stomped over to Tim, taking the cup and gulping down the liquid before she could change her mind. She thrust the cup back toward him, which he readily took from her. "Happy?"

He stood and leaned in, kissing her tenderly. In spite of her frustration, Abby melted against him, wrapping her arms around his neck. She allowed him to pull her toward the bed, waiting patiently as he stretched out before sliding over and curling up against him, laying her head on his chest. She sighed softly as she felt his fingers trail up and down her back. Closing her eyes, Abby succumbed quickly to sleep.


"If you're going back to work, I'm going, too."

Tim rolled his eyes. He wasn't exactly surprised by her protests. On one hand, it was a relief, because it meant she was on the mend. On the other hand, it was infuriating at times how much disregard she held for her own wellbeing.

"No work for the rest of the week," he reminded her as he pulled on and fastened his slacks. "Doctor's orders. You know Gibbs doesn't want to see you back at NCIS until Monday, at least. Even if I didn't have any objections, do you really think he'd be okay with you coming back before you're ready?"

"I am ready," insisted Abby. "I've got loads more energy now, and I'm tired of being cooped up. I need to go back to work."

"Feeling cooped up doesn't mean your body is ready to get back into the normal swing of things."

Abby shook her head stubbornly. "Once he sees how much better I'm feeling, I know Gibbs will agree with me."

McGee paused in buttoning his shirt to walk over and kiss Abby, wrapping his arms around her waist to pull her closer. "I'm sure he'll agree with you… next week."

It was Abby's turn to roll her eyes. "You're so damn stubborn," she muttered.

"I'm the stubborn one?" he questioned with a chuckle. "I thought you'd be thrilled to not have me hovering over you all day, reminding you to take your cough syrup."

She had to admit that the thought had crossed her mind. Still, she felt so antsy being home alone all day when she could be at work. "I could go in anyway," she mused, ignoring the rather displeased look that settled on McGee's face. "You're not my boss, so you couldn't send me home. Only Gibbs or the director could do that."

Tim leaned in so his lips were an inch from Abby's ear. "You're right. However, if you decide to act against medical advice, I personally promise to see to it you don't sit comfortably for the rest of the day."

Abby placed her hands on McGee's chest, pushing him away before smacking him lightly on the arm. "You're a brute."

Not the least bit fazed by the smack, Tim pulled her back into a hug, pressing a kiss to her hair. "I'm a brute who loves you and doesn't want to see you back in the hospital."

Sighing, she wrapped her arms around his torso and leaned into his chest. "I love you, too."


I only expect there to be one more chapter after this one. Thank you to anyone who has stuck around with this story!