Author's Note:

Thank you for all the reviews. I really appreciate your feedback...

Here's the next chapter... Enjoy and review soon... Thanks!

ooooOOOOoooo

Gibbs stepped into the room as the nurses stepped out.

Tony was quiet and calm, his blankets back in place, his moans gone. He looked at Gibbs and smiled.

"I'm okay." He lied.

"Yeah. The meds taking effect already?" Gibbs asked.

"Ahem." Tony replied, despite that fact this his stomach burned and the fever made him feel weak and grimy with sweat.

"Okay." Gibbs said as he took a seat.

"You don't have to stay, Boss." Tony started saying but paused as Gibbs glared at him.

"I mean, I'm okay now and you've done a lot already. I'll be okay the rest of the night and you aren't getting any younger so sleeping in that chair can't be good for your back. Besides you haven't been eating well and Abby will kill me if you collapse from hunger or something. So it's okay. You can go home and get some shut eye." Tony's voice got softer and more strained as he spoke.

"You done?" Gibbs asked.

"Ahem." Tony replied. Pain jabbed through his stomach and he felt very hot.

"Good. Now can you pipe down so I can get some sleep?" Gibbs said. "After all we old bastards need our rest."

"Boss I didn't mean..."

"Go to sleep Tony. I'm exactly where I want to be tonight." Gibbs said, leaning back in the uncomfortable chair and closing his eyes.

Tony sighed and tried to settle down. It was no use trying to get Gibbs to leave because he wouldn't. Indirectly Tony was glad his plan hadn't worked, because Gibbs was the one person he wanted at his side, watching over him.

Thanks Boss.

ooooOOOoooo

Tony's fever spiked to 104 degrees during the night causing him to become delirious. Gibbs stood at his side, sponging his face with a cool cloth while trying to calm him down.

"Boss... Shhh... Shhh... so cold." Tony's body trembled.

He was hot and sticky to the touch, but he was shivering at the same time.

"Easy Tony. They're going to give you something stronger to help with the fever." Gibbs said.

He was about ready to pull his hair out. Tony'd been moaning and mumbling for the last 20 minutes and the doctor still wasn't back with any meds.

Just then the door opened and Ducky walked in.

"Anthony, Jethro I am so sorry for not being around and for misdiagnosing your condition. How are you, dear boy?" Ducky asked rounding the bed and placing a hand on Tony's forehead.

"His fever's getting worse." Gibbs said.

Ducky noted the rings under Gibbs eyes, the tension in his jaw and shadow of concern across his face. Then he looked at Tony and saw his wild eyes, flushed skin, trembling body.

"I'll just go and speak to his doctor. I'll be right back." Ducky said as he left the room.

Tony mumbled turning away from Gibbs, "Dad, please ... don't... I'm sorry... I didn't ... knock that vase over... Argh... please Dad..."

"Tony, it's okay."

"No ... please ... don't ... Argh ... don't hit me... Dad..." Tony sobbed.

"Tony, listen to me." Gibbs tried to get through to him.

"I'm sorry... Please don't ... no ... please ... not in there ... please ... don't ... lock ... me ... in there! No!! Dad... Please!!" Tony sobbed hysterically now and he was lifting off the bed.

"Tony!" Gibbs shouted trying to snap him out of it.

But Tony just sobbed and tried to pull away, begging not to be locked away in the dark cellar.

Gibbs reached out to him, holding him down on the bed and wrapped his arms around him.

"I won't hit you again Tony. And I'm not going to lock you up in that room."

"Please Dad... Please..." Tony sobbed

"Listen to me Tony, I'm not going to hurt you. Never again." Gibbs said, his hand holding the back of Tony's neck, his mouth near Tony's ear, his forehead against the side of Tony's head.

"Dad... Dad ..."

"I'm here, Tony." Gibbs replied.

"You promise? You won't... hit me?" Tony asked, calming down marginally.
"I promise." Gibbs said, anger at Tony's father making his blood boil.

"I love you, Dad. I love you." Tony murmured, settling down.

Gibbs' breathe caught. Yes he knew that Tony was delirious and he knew that he was reliving an old, painful memory. But to hear him call him 'Dad' it was almost too much for Gibbs.

"I ... aaammm ... I love you too, Son." Gibbs whispered, pulling away from Tony to look at him.

Tony's eyes were close, his breathing easing up.

"Dad... don't ...mmm ... leave me. Afraid ... of the ... dark." Tony murmured.

"I'll be right here. Go to sleep now." Gibbs whispered.

Two minutes later Ducky and Tony's Doctor walked into the room. The Doctor hooked up a third bag of IV fluids to Tony's existing line.

"This will rehydrate him and bring his fever down." The Doctor said before leaving the room.

"Jethro, are you okay?" Ducky asked.

"Ducky, he started with hiccups and ended with having his stomach cut open. Next he suffered an allergic reaction and had to be stitched up again. Now his fighting a fever from hell. So no! I am not okay and I want to get him out of here." Gibbs replied.

"What else happened? Tell me." Ducky urged.

"We ... he ... "

"You admitted your love for each other. He now knows that you see him as your Son and ... he's accepting you as his father?"

"Yes... It's amazing ... but terrifying. We need time to work through it. But right now my emotions are running rampant and I can't stand to see him like this." Gibbs growled turning away from the bed.

Ducky walked up to Gibbs and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Go home and rest Jethro. I'll stay with him." Ducky said.

"No. I promised to stay. Did you know his afraid of the dark?" Gibbs asked.

"No, I didn't know that." Ducky replied.

"Ducky, I'm staying. You go home and be back here at 7am." Gibbs ordered.

"Okay. Call me anytime, even if it's just to talk." Ducky said before leaving the room.

Gibbs sat down in his chair, placed him hand in Tony's and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

ooooOOOOoooo

Author's Note:

That's it for this chapter...

The next sees Tony feeling a bit better and the team arriving for breakfast.

So stay tuned and please review ASAP. Thanks.