*Before you read the chapter*

I do NOT hate Ziva. I don't even dislike her. I'm sort of apathetic to her. She was a good character, she brought interesting things to the show and she had a lot of flaws that were addressed. She was fine. Do not take what happens with her in this chapter as indication of dislike for her. That's just where the story went. If you don't like it, that's fine. Please don't freak out on me, I'm taking way too much cough syrup to battle this cold to handle any Ziva centered meltdowns. Any other meltdowns are fine, even encouraged, emotion is wonderful. Just don't go on a Ziva inspired rampage towards me. Please.

Also, I'm aware there is a glaring flaw in this chapter. If you don't see it, that's totally okay, but if you do, I'm aware of it and it's leading to something. Don't worry. I have a plan. I may not know what I'm doing with my life, but I the story has purpose.

Proceed with reading story. Or author note. Whatever tickles your fancy.

Hey guys, do your lucky dances, I have a job interview! I graduated last month (looking back I'm kind of surprised I didn't mention that) and have been begging for any job that doesn't require me to take my clothes off.

Interview next week! Cross your fingers!

Also, I don't normally mention reviews just because I'm always on a time crunch (I always read them, they brighten my day wonderfully), but there are a couple of people I wanted to say something too.

Tiva4thewin (if you aren't mad about the Ziva thing) thank you for the offer of a dollar. It was very inspirational to get me off my butt and finishing this chapter.

Emily-I'm glad it made your day improve :) Hope you're having a better day today.

As always thank you binkeybella. You are a lovely person.

And to everyone else, I always read what you say and I really appreciate it. You make me work harder to get this done. (Even if the wait is ridiculous. Sorry!) Yes I know I'm terribly mean and this chapter will not make you happier with me. I'm very sorry, but I do love you all.

I promise!

~Renee

"Is Tony here?"

"No. He's busy. Go away."

Gibbs took a deep breath. "Tobias. Please."

Please.
Tobias closed his eyes and stepped back, allowing Gibbs to come into the apartment. The other man's eyes roved over the living room and he winced.

"He's been sleeping on the sofa."

Tobias snorted and pushed the door shut, watching as Gibbs placed a hand on the beaten pillow stuffed into the corner of the couch.

"If he has, I'm sure it's an upgrade from the desk. Why are you here?"

Gibbs sighed and rested on the arm of the couch, "My team doesn't lie to me. I remember that. I can trust them. I picked them and I trust them."

Fornell crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. "If you've come here to tell me all about your angel agents you can walk yourself right back out that door."

Gibbs shook his head. "No, I… I remember I trusted the team, but Tony...I believed in Tony. Thought he would be better. I dragged him to NCIS, I trained him, it was just the two of us. He was… he was my partner. Before McGee and Ziva and… and… Kate?" Tobias nodded, reassuring him of the name. "Before any of them, I had Tony. And I don't understand what happened."

Gibbs looked away from Tobias, off-footed by the admittance. He wasn't used to being on this side of the glass, he always understood, always saw. But now?

He didn't know.

Tobias closed his eyes for a long breath and then walked over to his old friend, plucking a photograph from a bookshelf on his way. He handed the print to Gibbs and watched as something like sorrow settled over his face.

Gibbs studied the picture of he and Tony, his fingers tracing over the glass.

"He hasn't changed Jethro."

"Then why can I only remember the bad. The negative side of him."

Tobias rolled his eyes. "I'd imagine because of those damned e-mails. You're trying to remember things your own way and you're getting bombarded with other people's opinions without hearing from the man in question. That's certainly enough to color someone in your mind."

Gibbs rested his head in his hands. "Nothing's felt right. Not since I first stepped foot into NCIS. I'm missing-"

The door suddenly swung open, cutting off Gibbs' words.

"You don't understand… No!…Listen to me! Jen- Hello?"

Tony slammed the door shut and threw his phone across the room, the protective case causing it to bounce harmlessly off the wall.

"Tony?" Fornell hurried forward and grabbed Tony's arm, pulling the young man's focus on him. "What's going on?"

Tony clenched his fists and made a noise of pure frustration. "She won't-" he stopped, the words dying in his mouth when Gibbs shifted his weight on the sofa. "What are you doing here?"

Gibbs rose from the couch and took a step to Tony, feeling something ache in his chest when the agent backed away.

"I… I wanted to talk to you."

Tony shook his head. "Gibbs, I'm not doing this."

Gibbs moved towards Tony again, his hands out. "This is important. Just listen to me."

Tony rolled his eyes and dodged both the men, heading across the room to get his phone. "I already listened to you and I think you made your opinion quite clear. And right now the amount of time I don't have for your shit is astounding."

Gibbs looked back and forth, trying to find something, anything he could grasp to. "You changed my status. You hacked Jenny's computer."

Tony paused, his head bowed. His voice was tired, hoarse. Worn thin. "What do you want from me Gibbs?"

The man didn't answer, he just stepped forward and placed his hands on Tony's shoulders. "The truth."

Tony shook his head. "No you don't. You just want to be told you're right. That I screwed up and you can sweep in and save the day. Well that's fine Gibbs. I screwed up. I thought I could count on this team. And I can't. My mistake. So fly in, take your throne back," he leaned closer to Gibbs so the older man could see his eyes. "I. Don't. Want. It."

"Tony-"

"No. Just. Please go. I can't do this right now. Just… leave. Please."

Tony pushed him off and snatched the phone, before disappearing down the hall.

Gibbs turned to Tobias with anguish on his eyes. "Tobias-"

Fornell gestured towards the door. "Go. Something's happened." He started to follow Tony but paused, not looking at Gibbs. "I'll talk to him. If he doesn't want to talk to you, you need to face that. You screwed up Jethro. You came in guns firing before you had the facts. You hurt someone who cares about you. And it's your own fault. But I'll talk to him."

Gibbs looked like he was about to say something, but stopped and nodded. "Okay. I- thank you Tobias."

"Hey Gibbs?"
He stopped from opening the door and looked back at Tobias with hope. "Yeah?"

"The next time you try to talk to Tony, I'd suggest starting with an apology before you give him your justifications. You'd be surprised how far that will get you."

Gibbs nodded and closed the door behind him while Tobias dashed down the hall. He stepped hesitantly into the bedroom and waited for Tony to get off the phone.

"I know it's late Jimmy but- yeah I know. Thanks."

Tony dropped the phone on the bed and let himself fall next to it moments later.

"Tony?"

"Hey Tobias. Is he gone?"

"Yeah."

"Not for long. Any particular reason you two were hanging out in my living room?"

"I like to bother you. He showed up and wanted to talk."

Tony nodded and was quiet though Tobias could hear a rattle whenever he took a breath in.

He took a long step forward and put his hand on Tony's forehead. "You have a fever."

"Palmer's on his way. He'll get me set up with something. And this is the least of our problems."

Tobias set on the bed next to Tony's sprawled form. "What happened?"

Tony rolled his head so he could look up at the man. "He knows something's wrong. That I'm not… what Jeanne thinks. He knows something, I just can't figure out what it is. Whether he's just suspicious of my motives or if the entire case is blown, I don't know. But Shepherd's not going to let me out of this. I'm in trouble Tobias."

Xxx

"Where were you?"

Ziva continued to stare out the window, a smile bright on her face.

"Excuse me?"

McGee crossed his arms and approached her slowly. "Today. You left and didn't come back until Gibbs showed up. Where did you go?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I was just out. Meeting people. Looking at the sights."

His eyebrows furrowed together. "Sightseeing. Really?"

"Did you know Tony's been seeing a woman?"

McGee snorted. "Did you think he was seeing a man?"

She ignored him and turned so she was leaning against the glass. "He has been seeing a woman for months. A real relationship."

"Okay. No offense Ziva, but why do you care?"

"I don't. I just find it curious."

Tim blinked in confusion. "Right. Ziva… where are you going with this?"

"Did you know he's lying to her?"

Xxx

Jimmy pulled the stethoscope from his ears and glared down at Tony. "You are an idiot."

"Yeah, I'm told that quite often. So, can I pop some pills and get going? I really have things that need to be taken care of."

Palmer put his hands on Tony's shoulders, keeping him on the bed. "Tony. Listen to me. This is bad. There's a rattle in your lungs and your breathing is strained. You need to go to the hospital and get on some antibiotics or this is going to turn into pneumonia."

Tobias raised a hand from where he had been banished to the corner after refusing to leave the room. "Wait a minute. I wasn't around much a couple years ago but I distinctly remember the plague being mentioned. Pneumonia would be something to avoid."

Tony laughed quietly which devolved into a coughing fit. Jimmy gripped his shoulder and hit his back repeatedly to loosen the grip in his chest.

Taking a shaky breath Tony looked over to Tobias.

"Pretty sure everyone is supposed to avoid pneumonia."

"The point," Jimmy interjected, raising his voice, "is that Tony, you, are on the verge of being in a lot of trouble."

Tony rolled his eyes. "You have no idea."

"I'm being serious."

Tony gently removed Jimmy's hand and stood. "So am I. Palmer, I understand this is bad. Trust me. But there's something more important I have to take care of. I can't afford to be sick."

Jimmy moved so he was directly in front of Tony's face. "I don't really care what you think is important DiNozzo, because I don't know if your system can handle this again and there is no way in hell I'm going to sick back and watch you kill yourself through lack of medical attention."

Tony blinked and Tobias found himself smiling widely. Bought time someone told the kid to get his priorities straight.

"Jimmy. There's more going on here than just me."

Palmer closed his eyes and sighed. "Tony. Please-"

Someone knocked on his door.

Xxx

"What do you mean, 'he's lying to her'?"

Tony would do a lot of things to get a date, but he wouldn't lie. That wasn't his style. And if he was in an actual steady relationship, then the first things he would do is be upfront and honest. Well maybe not completely. He was only upfront about things you didn't want him to be, but he would be honest. No question.

So why would he lie...

"I met this man today and we got to talking. Turns out Tony's dating his daughter."

McGee put up his hands. "Wait… Just, wait. You met a random stranger who turns out to be the father of Tony's girlfriend? The girlfriend Tony is… lying to."

She nodded. "He was very surprised to hear that Tony and I worked on the same team. I believe he was under the impression Tony had a different career."

Something cold and hard settled in the pit of McGee's stomach. "Ziva. What did you tell him?"

She looked surprised at his tone. "Nothing he shouldn't have already known. Tony is the current lead agent for the MCRT. We'd been on the same team for a couple years. Harmless things."

McGee's throat tightened. "Oh Ziva. What did you do."

He spun on his heal and ran to the director's office.

He pushed past the secretary who has closing her desk for the night. "Agent McGee?"

He ignored her and burst into the director's office. She looked up, startled, but otherwise very put together for the late hour.

"Agent McGee?"

"Is Tony undercover?"

Please. Please just let him be acting like a jerk to a random girl. Don't let this be an undercover assignment. Please.

The director's eyes shuttered. "Excuse me?"

That was a yes. McGee wrapped his arms around his chest.

No. Oh no.

Xxx

Tony slipped past the two men and moved to the hall. "Okay. We'll discuss my hospitalization after I go let Gibbs in and then all three of you can mount an offensive. Ew. Shouldn't use the word mount while standing in my bedroom in reference of all of you."

Tobias' head jerked back. "Gibbs?"

Tony sighed. "Who else would be here at this hour. I'm amazed he left in the first place. I'll be right back."

He pulled the door mostly shut behind him but could still hear Tobias approach Jimmy and the hushed question of "how bad is it?"

He pursed his lips and shook his head. Palmer could handle that one. He'd tackle Gibbs. Pulling his shoulder's back he walked purposely to the door and opened it in one smooth movement.

"Hello Mr. DiNozzo."

Tony inhaled sharply and slid his hands into his pockets, giving no indication that there was anyone else in the apartment.

"Hello. I don't think I've had the pleasure?"

The stranger smiled at him and gestured to the hallway. "Mr. Benoit would like a word."

Tony nodded. "I'm sure he would. But if he wants to talk, he can come to me."

The man chuckled quietly. "And he would be delighted. But he's in the company of a new friend doesn't wish to be pulled away, that would be rude."

Tony smiled but there was no warmth. "Then I shouldn't disturb him at all, should I? Excuse me."

He started to step back into his home, feeling nothing but the desire to get to his weapon and warn Tobias and Jimmy. Or at least keep Tobias and Jimmy from venturing out to see what was taking him so long.

"Mr. Benoit insisted. He said you would have an 'invested interest' in coming along."

Tony tilted his head back. "Invested interest? You should know I have that in very little."

"Very little except your friends? Mr. Benoit does so enjoy meeting new people."

He really did expect Gibbs to be back by now. He should have been. He never let things go until they were settled.

"Mr. Benoit's new friend… he doesn't happen to be an old friend of mine does he?"

The man smiled.

And said nothing.

Xxx

"It was miracle he survived the first time. If Agent Gibbs wouldn't have been there, all but forcing him to live, I don't know what would have happened. And if he doesn't get this treated it can degrade until it reaches that point again. I don't know if he can handle that."

Tobias bit the inside of his cheek and nodded.

Silence gripped the room for a moment while the each thought over the implications of the illness.

"He's been out there for quite a while."

Fornell glanced up to the cracked door. "Yes. And it's been suspiciously quiet."

They looked at each other in confusion and moved to the door, Tobias automatically moving in front of the doctor. He pushed the door open and crept down the hall, not wanting to disturb any potential moments Tony and Gibbs may be having. They stepped into the living room.

The front door was open.

And Tony was gone.