Episode: Pre Series
Minutes passed without sound or movement and Gibbs was getting honestly concerned. Then he heard the tell-tale ding of the elevator and Gibbs turned away, greeting his reinforcement's with a sad smile. He knew he was partly to blame for this and felt an unusual twinge of guilt that he wasn't going to examine too far.
"Don't say it Duck." Gibbs spoke without looking at Ducky as he approached.
"I don't have to." Ducky gave him a disapproving look, placing his medical bag down on the floor. "I warned you on this course of action Jethro, when will you learn that not everyone will be quite so-"
"Duck," Gibbs implored closing his eyes and pinching his nose to stem the forming headache.
When he opened them again and Ducky looked his way he mouthed 'not now'. Gibbs was sure Tony was listening to every word and he didn't want him misunderstanding anything. They were there to help, that was all. Ducky nodded, looking a put out by his own reaction upon realising that Tony was likely listening.
"So what happened?" He knelt down next the Agent he'd been called up to see.
Gibbs shrugged. He really wasn't sure. They'd been working together as partners for less than six months, so far he'd learned a great deal about DiNozzo's detective methods and how he uses humour to react to stress, but this? This situation was unprecedented. It was the first naked emotional reaction Gibbs had seen in him since walking in on him at his ex-partners apartment. Not knowing him well enough yet it made Gibbs feel a little voyeuristic, like he was seeing a side of him Tony wanted no one to see and had no desire to share.
But then today's events were special, even for DiNozzo. Like a kicked puppy you push him away and he just keeps coming back for more until you give him the kind of attention he's looking for. Gibbs had become used to this. DiNozzo just had to pick today to change tactics and take on the role of arrogant little prick.
"I'm fine." Tony announced sadly, quietly.
He stood up, pushing their hands aside and made to walk away, but his butt quickly hit the floor again when a dizzy spell took over.
"Have you hit your head today Anthony?" Ducky asked calmly, crouching down in front of him while Gibbs hung back.
Tony giggled, "Only when I ran into Gibbs' hand."
Ducky looked up at him, but Gibbs shook his head, holding up the aforementioned hand. He was glad despite whatever had happened to cause this Tony still had that amusing sense of humour that even caused him to crack a smile now and again.
"So you're dizzy, obviously, any other symptoms?" Ducky tried to get him to focus, but apparently he wasn't willing and had once again fallen silent.
Running his hands over his head, then checking the rest of him out without so much as a complaint uttered from the normally vibrant DiNozzo upon standing Ducky nudged his chin towards the corner of the bullpen room and Gibbs nodded.
"Tell me what happened." Ducky insisted once Gibbs joined him.
"Told ya Duck, I don't know."
"Well you must know something." Ducky insisted.
Gibbs groaned and tilted his head back to think. He went over the evening's events but nothing stood out, he recalled slapping the back of DiNozzo's head when he was misbehaving on the ship, but nothing since then, unless Blackadder knew something he didn't.
"I hit him."
"You hit him." Ducky repeated straight faced a hint of judgement in his tone.
"Well yeah," Gibbs shouted, then immediately lowered his tone. "Kid was messing around, couldn't have him falling overboard."
Ducky folded his arms in irritation. "And you don't think simply telling him would have worked just as well?"
"No." He stressed, almost laughing at the ridiculousness of the question.
They stared at each other, a friendly understanding between them and Gibbs was sure Ducky was only just resisting the smile that wanted to break out. Also if Ducky thought for one minute he was going to start yelling like a stressed out parent at the mall shouting at his miscreant kids he had another thing coming. A headslap was much more powerful and succinct. Just like him.
"Well as painful as that may have been I'm sure the embarrassment is worse and young Anthony here is certainly suffering some kind of physical affliction right now, so something else must be to blame. Was he with you the whole time?"
"No, I sent him and Blackadder to interview the crew." Gibbs said thoughtfully, wondering what the hell else she could have done to mess up today.
"Well maybe Viv can fill the gaps." Ducky looked around, "She gone home?"
"Yes, I fired her ass." Gibbs announced, he wanted to let his anger settle before he told anyone but guessed he had little choice now.
"Good lord Jethro what happen?"
"Duck." Gibbs issued as a warning and request to discuss it later, then nudged his head in the direction he wanted him to focus, "Tony?"
"Ah yes of course." Ducky frowned and approached the ailing agent in question still sitting on the floor slumped against his own desk, Gibbs following a few steps behind.
"Anthony?" Ducky asked curiously. "Have you taken anything for your cold today?"
Tony raised bleary eyes to Ducky and this time instead of the slack jawed expression he'd been sporting Tony was trying to smile.
"Cold?" Gibbs spoke up when his curiosity got the better of him.
Ducky placed a hand to Tony's forehead. "Garden variety sniffles, a temperature," he ran his hands over Tony neck and throat, under his hair feeling behind his ears, "yes as I suspected, swollen glands and I'm betting a cough."
"He was coughing on the ship," Gibbs added absently, trying to piece it together why he didn't notice Tony was sick and then trying to work out why that was something he felt he should be noticing.
"Well I'd say that's what the matter is." Ducky seemed happy with his answer though Gibbs could swear he'd not yet provided one.
"Du-"
Ducky was apparently prepared for his confusion because he began explaining before Gibbs even got his name out.
"I've noticed Anthony has a rather odd reaction to a lot of medication, not just the strong analgesics. I'd say whatever he's taking to counteract the cold symptoms does not agree with him."
"You're trying to tell me he's high?" Gibbs asked incredulously. "On cough medicine?"
"Not trying at all." Ducky chuckled and Gibbs was happy somebody found this amusing. "Take him home Jethro, make sure you stay with him, else who knows what trouble he'll get in, I'll be over to check on him as soon as I've wrapped up here."
Ducky smiled and left, Gibbs could hear him laughing all the way back to the elevator. He looked down on Tony, still dazed and openly staring straight ahead. Now he knew he wasn't ignoring him and he was actually oblivious to the trouble he was causing Gibbs didn't feel so bad. This wasn't his fault after all. He knew Tony had thicker skin than to be so easily upset by him balling him out in public…
"Nothing but baby aspirin from now on DiNozzo," Gibbs bent and lifted Tony up.
Keeping hold of his arm, making sure he didn't damage himself further Gibbs grabbed his rucksack and they walked together to the exit.
…
Tony rolled over and seemed to hover for all of a second before the fact that there was no bed under him registered and he crashed to the floor. Coming to with a start was not a great way to start his day, though looking around with sleep tired eyes 'day' wasn't how he would describe the darkness that greeted him.
"DiNozzo?"
Someone shouted his name and it had him spinning around looking for the source. Confusion had his heart racing, fear of the unknown taking hold. He couldn't see a damn thing and having no idea where he was or how he got there he forced calm to come over him, on the outside at least, inside he was still in full on panic mode.
"Boss?" Tony found his mouth opening and issuing that call of its own volition.
He clamped his jaw shut immediately, not wanting to risk another shaky shout. Footsteps he heard approaching him made his heart beat even faster and he really hoped the calm exterior he believed he was holding together was as good as he thought, because right now he was extremely vulnerable and concealing his fear was the only power he had at his disposal. The footsteps quickened, seemingly matching his breathing, and the closer they got the quicker he breathed, air not reaching his lungs fast enough making it harder to concentrate.
Hands were on him without warning and despite still being unable to see, Tony fought off his would be attacker. They said something, he thought maybe his name again, but he didn't get a chance to think about it because suddenly the lights switched on and the shock of seeing who had been trying to restrain him sent Tony careening forward. He wanted to run as far away as possible, but Gibbs was a fast mover and was already standing in front of him as soon as Tony could launch himself off the floor. Unfortunately his legs weren't working as well as he hoped, which meant he fell head long into Gibbs, succeeding in not leaving, but being completely reliant on Gibbs to hold him up, kind of the opposite of what he was trying to achieve really.
…
When Gibbs had walked in to find Tony on the floor, he hadn't thought, he'd acted. His intent was to merely wake him and check he hadn't hurt himself. Now however he was stood in the middle of his living room, holding Tony tight in his gasp wondering how the hell to get out of this intimate moment without scaring the crap out of him again.
Ah hell, its tough. Gibbs realised he was doing something strange for him - he was actually caring about someone else's feelings for a change. Ducky was stood just within the doorway, looking quite relaxed with his cup of tea. When Gibbs looked over at him, eyebrows raised in question his friend merely shrugged and encouraged him to keep doing as he was. Gibbs looked heavenward for a minute, paused for thought then with begrudged determination and a head shake grabbed Tony by the shoulders.
"Come on DiNozzo," he pushed him back, sitting him down on the sofa. "You good now?"
He crouched down to be on his eye level, hoping to make it clear nothing was weird or out of place.
Tony stared back at him, a question in his worried green eyes and Gibbs was once again seeing that strange vulnerability in him that normally hides in plain sight, but today thanks to some flue meds was visible for all to see.
"I'm good," Tony nodded, "Just confused, where am I?"
"My place"
"I get hurt?"
"No," Gibbs answered though he purposefully made it sound ambiguous.
"Cold" Tony blurted, eyes rapidly moving from side to side in thought. "I took something…"
"What you took my boy did not react with you the way it does in most." Ducky walked further into the room announcing his presence. "I'm afraid you seem to have a very low tolerance for analgesics."
By the confusion on his face Gibbs determined Tony didn't know what they were talking about.
"You're a light weight is what he's trying to say."
"A little more politely" Ducky added with a begrudged huff.
"I'm betting you're not a good drinker either." Gibbs added with a smile when Tony looked downright terrified.
"No, left that up to my dad, he drinks enough for both of us, why am I here?" He said the whole thing so quick normal people who weren't dissecting his every word would have missed it, but neither man did and so they shared a brief look before turning their attention back to their charge.
"I wanted to work in my basement." Gibbs said succinctly, aware it didn't explain much but it was all he was going to offer regardless.
…
Tony stared a little bewildered at both Gibbs and Ducky. Both older than him and both looked worried for him. Not expressions he was used to being aimed at his way. He wished he'd kept his mouth shut about his dad, but it slipped out before he could stop it. Thankfully after Gibbs less than helpful explanation as to why he woke up on his sofa Ducky offered to make him a hot drink and explained the whole thing while Gibbs went back downstairs to finish whatever it was he was doing down there.
He ended up stopping over that night instead of forcing Ducky to drive him home to his newly empty apartment. Thing was he only took the stupid cold medicine because the last thing he wanted was to be sick and sent home to his cold apartment alone. Since Wendy left him he'd been avoiding going there at all, preferring to stay working late at the office and sleep in the break room, which is probably how he ended up with the bloody cold in the first place since they turned the heater off at night, and winters in Washington, just like they were in Baltimore, were very, very cold.
Suffice to say, since that night Tony had stopped sleeping in the break room, choosing instead on especially lonely nights to drop by his boss' place since he was so accommodating and more importantly vowed to everyone who'd seen him high, lolling on the floor of the bullpen out of his mind to never ever touch another over the counter flu medication again. He rarely got sick in any case, so long as he took care of himself – and he promised Gibbs he would - what could possibly go wrong?
..
End.
A/N: Thanks for reading! ttfn ;)