a/n - This one is short, so it's a double dip day. Thanks for all the great reviews, you guys rock.

The sound of the shower woke Fornell. As he rolled off the sofa with a groan he realized that it was still dark outside. After fumbling around for his reading glasses he saw that it was only 0530. Rubbing his face and muttering about Marines and how they train their agents, he found his keys and made a run out to his car. He was back with the new bulletproof vest just as the shower was turned off.

Both men left the apartment at the same time, but in separate cars as Fornell kept a close watch on the other man. They were only a few blocks from the main gate of the Navy Yard when his phone rang. He fumbled to answer it while keeping up with McGee's Porsche. The big agency sedan would be no match for the sports car if they hadn't been on the same side of the law. Sacks was on the line and not happy, judging by his tone.

~I'm sitting at the Metro station across from the main gate and David is watching the gate from the other side.~

"Damn, has she made you?"

~No, I was in position before she arrived. I assume you don't want her to see you following McGee.~

Fornell pulled off to the side of the road and waved McGee on. "No, I don't want her to see me. That means yours are our only set of eyes on McGee right now."

~I've got a visual on him… turning… and he is through the gate with David following him now.~

"All right, he should be at the Yard for the rest of the day. Let's get started on the list of names he gave us last night." Fornell made a U-turn and headed to the Hoover Building for his morning 'jog' with the Director.

---NCIS---

Ambassador Haddad had, of course, left very little of his family's affairs open to investigation, but McGee's overnight searches had uncovered enough to keep the agents busy for several days. By the time the rest of the team arrived, he had everything sorted out and the important finds printed for each of them. He kept sipping on the extra hot coffee, hoping his voice would hold out.

Gibbs arrived, a little surprised to find McGee already at his desk, hard at work. McGee looked up briefly before returning his attention to the files he was assembling. The Senior Agent decided to try a little levity to get him to open up. "McGee, when I let you go an hour early yesterday, that doesn't mean you have to come in an hour early today." He got a smile in return and started to relax until McGee answered him in a raspy voice.

"Hey, Boss, I've found some links between the Staff Sergeant's girlfriend and a suspected terrorist. It looks like she was dating them both at the same time."

"You sound like hell, McGee," Gibbs studied the younger man. He didn't look feverish, but there were dark circles under his eyes and he was pale, "and you don't look much better. You're taking a sick day today."

"I'm not that sick. There's still lots that needs to be gone through."

Gibbs thumped the stack of files McGee had assembled for the team. "It'll take DiNozzo and David at least a day to go through the info you've already put together. I'd rather you take one day now than spend two weeks out with pneumonia because that's what you're starting to sound like."

Behind Gibbs, Ducky had walked into the squad room with a stack of interoffice mail that was delivered to him by mistake. He'd been listening and instantly backed up Gibbs' concern.

"Yes, indeed, it's not very often I hear someone sounding quite so rough. You need to take better care of yourself, Timothy. Follow orders like a good lad and get some rest."

Gibbs made some quick calculations in his head. "Today's Friday, I don't want to see you back in the squad room until Monday. We'll just have to muddle through on our own. It might be good for Tony to see just how much you do around here."

Recognizing both a losing battle and an opportunity to continue with his other case, McGee agreed and handed over the rest of his search results. He passed DiNozzo on his way out of the squad room.

Frustrated, Gibbs rubbed at the sides of his face as he turned to Ducky. "The more we try to get him to rest, the worse he looks, what is going on?" Behind him, DiNozzo walked in and tossed his backpack under his desk.

"Well if he spent his time actually resting instead of with his new boyfriend… "

*Whack*

"Boss, I just call 'em as I see 'em." DiNozzo rubbed at the back of his head, surprised at the anger in Gibbs' tone.

"You don't have a damn clue, DiNozzo. He's got it hard enough right now without you causing him anymore problems with baseless accusations. You hear me?"

"Yeah, sure boss." Gibbs was already on his way out, so Tony wasn't sure if he heard him or not. He looked at Ducky, hoping for an explanation. Unfortunately, there was very little the Medical Examiner could tell him.

"He's worried about him, Tony."

DiNozzo shook his head. "No, no, Boss doesn't do worried. There's nothing wrong with McGee. He just has a cold."