"Gibbs said you have to stay here, Tony." Abby ordered from her mass spec without turning around.. Because the lab was quiet, she had heard his lame attempt to sneak out of her lab.

"I can't just sit around Abby. We have a case to solve. I need to be working." He explained.

"You need to be sleeping. You were in the hospital a week ago."

"I'm fine. The doctors cleared me."

"For now. Gibbs says you have been reckless. He told me you have not been taking care of your self."

"Gibbs is nosey."

"Gibbs is worried about you. That is why he is making you stay down here. He wants you to rest so you can get better."

"I can take care of myself. I haven't needed anyone to take care of me for a good thirty years. He should keep out of it." He said out of frustration.

The comment made Abby angry. Tony had not been taking care of himself and she was worried for his safety. As a woman wise beyond her years, Abby knew why he wasn't taking care of himself. Quickly, she turned an approached her friend.

"Number One," Abby said with voice raised and finger in Tony's chest. "You obviously don't know how to take care of yourself. You are going to make yourself sick again if you don't slow down."

"Number Two, "She continued even louder. "You shouldn't have been expected to take care of yourself when you were a kid. Your parents were wrong." Abby exclaimed continuing to push the much larger man with her attitude and her pointer finger.

"Number Three," She intentionally back Tony up until he fell seated into the futon. Standing above the now sitting agent she shouted. "Don't disrespect the Bossman. He knows what is best for you. He cares about you and he is taking care of you now."

She stopped her tirade and watched quietly as Tony contemplated the statements. Silently, Tony stared at his lap. When the silence stretched on for multiple minutes, she began to worry. She slowly sat next to Tony and wrapped her arm around his shoulder. She held him in a half hug.

"You are right Abby. I just don't know how to deal with it. I don't know how to handle him taking care of me. I like it but at the same time it frustrates me." He sighed obviously confused.

Leaning closer to Tony's ear, she replied in a whisper. "That's the point, Tony. You don't have to know how to handle it. Gibbs is taking care of you, Gibbs will handle it. You just have to let him."

He sighed, and then turned to snuggle into Abby. She leaned back into the corner of the futon and wrapped her arms the rest of the way around her frustrated friend.

"You are right. But it is hard. I don't know how." He responded.

"Just do what he says. And right now the Boss says sleep and get better. Can you do that?"

"Yeah I can." He replied closing his eyes and slowing his breathing.