EASTER IN STILLWATER

Jackson was surprised when Abby insisted on him taking everyone that was left shopping but didn't offer too much resistance. Ziva shrugged her shoulders and decided to check out what the sudden commotion was about. McGee pointed out a little shop that was open. Not many of the stores around were open.

"There doesn't seem to be too much here," Jackson responded as he cut off the car's engine.

McGee and Abby strolled quickly into the store while Ziva and Jackson sat on the bonnet of the car. He looked at her with questioning eyes. "I have no idea what is going on," Ziva answered the questioning look. "All I know is that McGee suggested shopping… Abby agreed and we are here. I do not know why. I only came because I was as curios as a puss," Ziva continued.

"I swear that you lot are so difficult to work out," Jackson smiled and looked oddly at the bags that McGee and Abby were carrying out. "Where to now?" He asked. It didn't matter that he was kind of acting like a chauffeur but it wasn't bothering him. They seemed to be much more relaxed since they were carrying out whatever they had planned.

"Back to your place. We have some cooking to do," Abby explained.

"We mean if that's ok with you," McGee replied after looking at Abby. He knew that Abby's mind was working too fast for her mouth to keep up.

"Step inside," Jackson said. "I was heading to that part of town anyway," he said so seriously that Ziva laughed as she shook her head.


STILLWATER HOSPITAL

Gibbs almost let out an angry grunt when Tony began to stir again. "You're still here?" Tony sounded sickly and surprised.

"Where else would I be DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked him.

"Enjoying Easter," Tony answered as he attempted to sit up. He wasn't sure if he wanted to be sick or cough or just get the hell out of here. "You should be," Tony said to him. "It's a time to spend with your family," why couldn't they see it? He coughed a few times. Even though he hated to admit it, he was glad to have Gibbs by his side.

"I am spending it with my family DiNozzo," Gibbs said. "I'm right by my family's side," he said with such conviction that Tony thought he was about to burst into tears over it.

"Thanks," Tony choked out. Fortunately he was able to blame it on trying not to hack up a lung to than to say he was getting soft. "For being here," he eventually said.

Gibbs massaged Tony's hand. "You can relax Tony. I won't leave," he assured the younger man. "Tony?" Gibbs said softly to get his attention he looked as if he was on the verge of sleeping again.

"Boss?" He asked. All day he'd been ordering him to go back to sleep as soon as the damn coughing started and NOW he was preventing it?

"Who'd ever thought a tough marine like me could have such a calming influence on you?" Gibbs asked. "Why's that DiNozzo?" It was a question that had plagued him for a long time.

"You never bullshit Boss," Tony looked up at the older man standing next to him. "If you say I'm going to be ok… I know I'm going to be ok. If you tell me I'm not going to die I know it. I trust you boss," he said.

"Go back to sleep DiNozzo," Gibbs swallowed the lump forming in his throat. "I'll be here when you wake up," he said to him.

"I know Boss," Tony responded.

Tony's heart almost stopped when he opened his eyes. There was a huge bunny standing next to him. Smiling a menacing smile since no human sized bunny looked cute unless she belonged to playboy. Tony looked it up and down… No, they weren't wearing sexy black bikinis. His vision came to focus and he looked around.

"He's awake!" A voice squealed.

"Abs?" Tony asked with his eyebrows slightly raised. "McGee? Ziva?!" He had to blink his eyes a few times to adjust to the sight of the three wearing bunny ears and cute little noses with whiskers.

"If you can't come to Easter… Easter's coming to you," McGee said.

"Thanks," Tony managed to say as he looked around the room.

"Don't look at me," Gibbs said. "I had no idea," he stated.

"Actually it was Tim's idea," Abby said. "Jackson drove us all around. Ziva agreed to join in," she explained everyone's role in it.

"See I can let my hair down," Ziva said as she played with her bunny ears. McGee, Abby and Ziva handed eggs to everyone.

"It's alright if you don't feel like eating them Tony… No. Uh uh. Not yet," Abby said as she checked her watch. "Dinner would be coming soon," she said.

"Not hospital food," Tony sighed.

"The hospital food'll make you sicker than any sickness could," Jackson said.

They heard a trolley being wheeled in and Tony thought he could smell something but the damn nasal cannula was playing around with his sense of smell. "What's that?" He dared to ask.

"Now we don't usually do this… But it's Easter and you have very persuasive friends," Ian said to him. "So they brought the cooked food in and we reheated it in our kitchen," the doctor said.

Tony caught a glimpse of the doctor's name badge and sighed. How could he have missed the name before? "Doctor I Rack," he said with a raised eyebrow.

"I get enough of that every time I fill out a script," Ian said with a smile. "Enjoy your meals. My shift is over," he added.

Tony looked at the food with such longing eyes after Abby had gently raised the bed so Tony was half sitting up. Unfortunately, he just didn't feel like eating it. "You know it looks really good," Tony used the fork to push around the couple of sausages. It did look inviting.

"Want me to chop it up for you DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked.

Tony gave him a disgruntled look. "It's alright if you can't eat Tony," McGee said in between mouthfuls. For the short time they were there they seemed to talk about nothing at all and Tony forgot about being sick or ruining anyone's Easter weekend. Tony had to admit that seeing a Mossad Officer in cute pink bunny ears really made his day.

It was clear that Tony needed to get more rest. Everyone said their goodbyes and left. Jackson put a blanket over his son before leaving. "I'll see you in the morning," he said as he looked over to the young man on the bed.

"Thanks," Gibbs said without turning his head.

"We should do this for fourth of July," Jackson laughed.

Tony's eyes shot open and gave such a shocked look. No way in hell that he wanted to come back to Stillwater anytime soon. "Next time DiNozzo, I'm leaving you home," Gibbs smiled as he said it.