CHAPTER THREE: LOVELY NEWS
Thankfully, Tony fell asleep at around eleven o'clock that night. Aislynn collapsed into the bed directly beside his and put her head into her hands. It had been a long eighteen hours, and she was terrified that it would become much worse before, or even if, it got better. Rubbing her eyes, Aislynn wondered why she was so concerned about the man she had spent two weeks married to. He wasn't anything special, surely not one to call home about. Tony wasn't overly handsome, although if asked, he would claim that he was. He was egotistical and full of himself. Aislynn snapped herself out of her thoughts. Why was she thinking like that? Tony was a co-worker. She had a rule about falling in love with co-workers. It applied to all co-workers, even those that were as funny, and sweet, and understanding as Tony was.

Aislynn sighed and glanced over at Tony. He looked so helpless, tangled in the hospital's imitation cotton sheets. He was sweating profusely while tossing and turning. He began to cough, and immediately he was awake. Aislynn helped him to sit up, and she held a piece of cloth up to his mouth. Tony leaned back. "I know you're not sick, Ace," he whispered hoarsely. "You don't have to stay here with me."

She silenced him by placing her finger to his lips. "Save your strength, Tony, you'll need it."

He smiled weakly and coughed again. This time, it was much more volatile. He didn't stop coughing until Doctor Pitt rushed in the room. The doctor checked Tony's vitals and shook his head slightly. He left the room and reappeared with an oxygen machine. He hooked the tubes up to Tony, and immediately, he was breathing slightly better. Aislynn watched from the corner of the room wearily, fearing the worst. Tony's worsening condition was now making her sick to her stomach; the possibility of losing him was almost too much to handle.

"May I speak to you?" Doctor Pitt said to Aislynn, motioning her out of the glass room. Aislynn stood and followed him out. She saw that Ducky was standing outside the doors with a grave expression on his face.

"Ducky, what's-" she was interrupted by Doctor Pitt.

"Agent Rivers, I recommend that you go back to NCIS with Doctor Mallard."

"What? Why?" The panic in her voice was very evident. While watching was difficult, the thought of leaving him while he was so weak seemed much worse.

Ducky put a comforting hand on Aislynn's shoulder. "Very soon, he will get much, much worse."

Aislynn looked back to Tony. He was staring blankly at the glass. Aislynn couldn't help but think that he looked extremely pitiful, and she couldn't possibly leave him. "No, I'm sorry. I can't leave him here."

Ducky looked at her. "Aislynn-"

"No, Duck. I understand completely what I'm getting myself into. I'm staying here."

He nodded and smiled. "Okay." Aislynn turned to go back into the room with Tony. "Aislynn, wait."

"Yes, Duck?"

"Gibbs found the person who made the virus."

"And?"

"The virus has a suicide gene. If he survives the next hour, Tony will be fine."

Aislynn sighed with relief. "Oh thank God." She turned to leave again, but stopped. "Duck?"

"Yes, Aislynn?"

"Gibbs put this guy away, yes?"

"Of course."

She nodded. "Sweet."

Aislynn walked back into the glass room. Tony was coughing pitifully; she hurried over to him. She stood beside him and rubbed his back gently. "What did the doctor say?" he managed.

"He wanted to tell me Ducky was here." She smiled and ran a hand through his sweaty hair gently. "He says you'll be fine."

"Really?" He smiled.

"Yeah. And since you're not going to croak, I don't really have to be here anymore." Aislynn stood and attempted to walk out even though she really didn't want to leave him. Tony grabbed her wrist, preventing her from moving.

"No," he said softly. "Nurse Emma isn't here."

"That doesn't mean I have to stay here." She turned back to face him.

He stuck out his bottom lip. "You wouldn't leave poor, pitiful Tony here all alone, would you?"

"I would." He stared at her, and she knew that she wouldn't. "Fine. I'll stay."

"Good!" Tony pulled her into a sitting position on his bed, snuggly fitting her beside him. The size of the bed was small, requiring them to sit extremely close. He started coughing again, and Aislynn handed him a paper towel.

Over the next few hours, Tony slowly became better. He began to cough less, and his fever slowly went back down to normal. His muscles were sore from coughing, and he couldn't take very deep breaths, but Doctor Pitt said that it was nothing Aleve and sleep couldn't fix.

Tony was discharged from the hospital at around five the next morning. Mysteriously, Aislynn's Mustang was in the hospital parking lot.