Chapter Six

Isolation

As the air-locked doors slid closed behind him, Tony felt as if he'd entered a prison cell. It wasn't, of course. He'd been imprisoned in a real cell once before, and he knew for a fact the isolation chamber was more comfortable. And cleaner. The feelings it evoked were the same, however. So much so that he was having trouble forcing his feet to comply with his demands to move forward. It was as if he were dragging weights far heavier than himself.

Dr. Byun stood impatiently by the bed on the far left of the room – the same bed where Tony had lain the last time he was drowning in his own lungs. Like hell he was ever going to park himself there again. Instead, he turned and walked – dragging his heavy, leaden feet – all the way to the far-right end of the isolation chamber.

To Kate's bed.

He gingerly perched on the edge, his heart thudding painfully as he awaited the dreaded blue lights to flick on. The IV bags swung desolately on the pole. He didn't think he could do this again.

Gibbs followed mutely – that wasn't unexpected – Gibbs rarely spoke on a normal day. What was astonishing was seeing his boss wearing the blue, hospital pajamas and willingly complying with orders.

Gibbs in pajamas was blowing his mind. Gibbs being gentle and supportive of Tony, however, that had to mean Tony was really going to die this time.

There was no other logical conclusion.

Tony was well and truly screwed.

Gibbs ignored Byun and moved to the other end of the chamber with Tony. He sat on the bed next to him, the third one in the row of four, forcing the doctor to move to the other end after them.

"As we're dealing with a potential contagious biohazard, it's prudent to keep some space. Perhaps you could stay here," Dr. Byun said, indicating the second bed.

Tony didn't care for him. He was pompous and had little sense of humor. Or maybe he just didn't like Tony. He'd certainly done his best to get the stiff doctor to crack a smile while they'd conducted the X-rays, but Byun had seemed more annoyed than amused.

"Aren't I here because you're worried that we've been in close contact anyway?" Gibbs asked, quirking one eyebrow.

"Well, yes, but it's best to be cautious," Dr. Byun said, looking slightly startled. Apparently, he wasn't used to anyone questioning his authority.

Gibbs remained where he was and swung his bare feet up on the bed, staring at the doctor to see what he was going to do about it.

Byun seemed to recognize futility when he saw it. Instead, he moved over to Tony, pulling an oxygen tank beside him. Tony knew what it meant. He wasn't thrilled with the idea, but even now breathing was difficult, and he'd like to avoid any more of those alarming episodes where he couldn't seem to drag any air into his lungs.

"We're going to start you on oxygen through a nasal cannula and see if that helps. If not, we'll progress to a mask," Byun said, wrapping the tube around Tony's head.

"You know, in some cultures, we'd now be considered betrothed," Tony said, smiling brightly.

Byun ignored him and continued fiddling with the dials on the oxygen tank. Tony could feel the coolness as the tube began supplying much needed oxygen.

"Yeah, I've never been a fan of arranged marriages myself, but we'll see what happens," Tony said, leaning back on his pillow.

From the corner of his eye, he could swear he saw Gibbs fighting a smile. Without his usual coffee cup in hand, Gibbs had nothing to hide it behind.

Tony's eyes flew open wide, alarm causing his heart to thud painfully. Gibbs wouldn't have access to coffee in here.

And they were trapped.

Together.

Whether it was because he'd tried to lie flat or the earth-shattering realization of caffeine withdrawal, Tony's lungs protested, and he began to cough violently. As if summoned there by his hacking, two nurses quickly entered the chamber and hurried toward Tony's bed to assist Dr. Byun. One used the controls to partially raise the bed while the other supported Tony as Byun thumped him on the back with well-placed accuracy.

Tony expelled some of the gunk from his lungs into the kidney-shaped emesis basin one of the nurses held in front of him. The other nurse gently wiped his lips with a tissue as he slumped back. Despite his exhaustion, his eyes carefully tracked the emesis basin, relieved that he couldn't detect any sign of blood.

At some point during the whole ordeal, Gibbs had risen from his bed and now stood behind one of the nurses, watching intently. He'd aided Tony a few times after he'd been released from the hospital the last time, so he knew the procedure. Tony wasn't really certain what he was trying to glean now, but he was honestly too tired to care. His hand moved automatically to rub the painful spot in the center of his chest. If anything, the pressure felt worse rather than better.

"Can you give him anything to make him more comfortable?" Gibbs asked the question for him.

"We need to give the antibiotics and the oxygen time to work. I've also added something to bring his fever down, but for now, we can't add anything for sleep. He needs to expel the congestion from his lungs," Byun said in a monotone voice.

"And if he doesn't?" Gibbs asked, teeth clenched.

Tony recognized the warning signs, but Dr. Byun apparently didn't. He was liable to get slammed up against the wall of the isolation chamber if he didn't give Gibbs something to occupy his mind.

"I can't thoroughly answer that until we have the blood tests back to know exactly what we're combatting. You'll know as soon as I know. For now, Nora and Vivian are the nurses on duty, and they'll take care of your needs. Patience is what's called for now, Agent Gibbs," Byun said, nodding at the two women who remained on either side of Tony's bed.

"Yeah, well I've never been particularly good with that," Gibbs said.

Byun nodded. "Understood. I'll let Dr. Mallard know you've been processed. He won't be able to come inside, but you can speak with him from the anti-chamber," he said, pointing toward the desk arranged between the two air-locked doors where the nurses' monitoring equipment was located.

Byun turned on his heel and left through the sliding glass doors. Once they closed again, the dreaded blue lights clicked on overhead. Tony shut his eyes tightly, but it didn't help. Even the inside of his eyelids glowed blue.

Gibbs gave Tony's shoulder a reassuring squeeze, and oddly enough, it did make him feel a little better.

The nurse on Tony's left adjusted his cannula and checked his temperature with a probe she inserted into his ear. The other one swept her hand towards Gibbs' bed.

"You don't have to stay in bed, but you'll be more comfortable. It is only four in the morning," she said with an ironic smirk. Like Gibbs, she had grey hair although her eyes were a much warmer brown.

"Never required much sleep," Gibbs replied, but he did get back on his own bed, using the control to raise it into a sitting position.

"Ah, the joys of getting older. You either can't stay asleep, or you can't stay awake. There doesn't seem to be a whole lot in between," she said. "My name is Nora, and lucky me, I drew the night shift. You just let me know if there's anything I can do to make this easier."

"I suppose coffee is out of the question," Gibbs said, and Tony wasn't surprised to hear the grumpiness in his voice.

"Unfortunately, that's not something I can help you with just yet. There's a water pitcher in the corner, but until we get your blood tests back, we can't risk anything else," Nora said, grimacing apologetically.

"You're not in the military," Gibbs said.

Nora shook her head. "No, but I have a son who's serving overseas. Bethesda's medical staff isn't entirely military. I am an R.N., however, so I know what I'm doing," she said, winking. "Vivian, here is a Navy Lieutenant, so you can work with her if you'd prefer."

The nurse checking on Tony's stats nodded. She was younger than Nora with light blonde hair that looked nearly white pulled back in a ponytail. Her eyes were lighter, but they didn't sparkle nearly the same way Nora's did.

Still, she was attractive, so Tony felt compelled to say something or else Gibbs would think he was already dead.

"Oh, no you don't. Vivian's all mine," he said smiling. He was painfully aware that trying to look charming was nearly impossible with several tubes attached to his body in a variety of places. If anyone was up to the challenge, however, it was him.

Vivian covered a smirk, but Nora wagged her finger at him. "You better watch it there, Sunshine. You'll hurt my feelings, and I might forget to be gentle if we have to insert a catheter."

Gibbs actually chuckled at that, but Tony's eyes flew open wide. "That won't be necessary," he said, worrying less about it actually having to be done than Gibbs being present when they did. At least Kate had no longer been in the room when they'd had to do it the last time. Of course, he really didn't think he could survive this a second time, so maybe it was a moot point.

"Try and get some sleep. Hopefully we'll have some answers when you're awake," Vivian said, lightly patting his wrist.

"Thank you, nurse Vivian," he said, his voice sounding wheezy even to his own ears. He wondered if he'd see nurse Emma again this time, or if she'd been reassigned.

He was tired, and his eyes kept fluttering shut despite his best efforts to keep them open. The tickle in the back of his throat had returned, and he suspected it wouldn't be long before he started coughing again.

/* /* /* /*

Gibbs watched as Tony finally gave in and fell asleep, breathing in short, shallow gasps. His pallor looked sickly, and there were dark smudges forming beneath his eyes. The nurses were both out at their desk watching the monitoring equipment, and Gibbs was bored and growing restless. There wasn't so much as a newspaper in here to occupy his mind. He supposed it made sense since it was an isolation chamber and newsprint was certainly full of germs. Still, what the hell was he supposed to do? They'd even taken his phone. What had Tony and Kate done the last time while they were awaiting their results? He supposed Tony had been growing sicker, and he was hardly ever silent, anyway, so that might've kept Kate busy.

He'd studied the lay out of the room, cataloging potential weak spots, but there wasn't much to see. He'd tried to work out what the various machines were monitoring, and his memory had been plagued with snapshots of the last time he'd been here, attempting to will DiNozzo to live.

There was no clock anywhere in sight, but eventually he noticed Ducky entering the large anti-chamber. Gibbs stood up and walked over towards the first bed, hoping his voice wouldn't wake DiNozzo. When he looked up, he was pleased to see Tony's former doctor, Brad Pitt, conversing with Ducky.

Ducky remained at the nurses' station looking at their monitors, but Dr. Pitt entered into isolation, slipping a surgical mask over his face. His eyes showed concern as he looked over at Tony.

"How's he doing?" Pitt asked.

Gibbs shrugged. "He's holding his own. I was surprised you weren't here when we arrived."

The corners of Pitt's eyes crinkled. "They do let me off on rare occasions. I'm an Infectious Disease Specialist, not a Pulmonologist, but since this looks like it might be plague-related rather than straight Pneumonia, they called me in," he said.

"Which would you prefer?" Gibbs asked. He needed the facts, despite the way his heart kept clenching when he thought about Tony having to go through either one again.

"I'd prefer we weren't here at all," Pitt replied.

"Yeah, that makes two of us, Doc. Three if you count Tony," Gibbs said.

Tony started coughing again, his body curling over with the force of it. Nora and Vivian hurried in to assist until the episode had passed. Vivian checked the nasal cannula that was helping Tony to breathe before she and Nora turned to leave the room. Ducky watched anxiously through the glass.

"Thanks… Nurse Vivian," Tony said, attempting a smile.

Gibbs shook his head, amused. Only DiNozzo would attempt to flirt when he looked like death warmed over.

Tony lay back against his pillow, panting and looking blearily up at Dr. Pitt. "Hey, Brad," he said in a raspy voice. "Long time… no see."

"What am I going to do with you, Tony? I told you that you had to take it easy after you left. I heard you were already back at work," Brad said. Although his words were stern, Gibbs noticed he was looking at DiNozzo fondly.

"Got… blown up… too," Tony said, smirking.

"Excuse me?" Brad asked incredulously.

"There was a car bomb the day he came back to work. He had to sprint to get away in time," Gibbs said, answering for Tony. He couldn't stand the way DiNozzo was struggling for breath, and it was worse when he tried to speak.

"Damn it, Tony. Wasn't there anyone else who could've done that? You certainly couldn't have been at the top of your game," Brad said, his forehead crinkling.

"Got away… though," Tony said.

"And he saved two of his teammates doing it," Gibbs added, aware of the slight glow of pride in his voice but at a loss to explain it.

Brad shook his head, unimpressed. "You had two instructions – not to over-exert yourself and not to get chilled. One week wasn't enough recovery time before returning to field duty. What would you have done if it was January?" he asked.

Gibbs winced sheepishly. "He did end up staying in the pouring rain for an extended period of time. That one was my fault. I forgot," he said. He'd been feeling guilty about it every time Abby mentioned how soaking wet Tony was, but Gibbs hadn't been thinking straight on that terrible day. Now, the disapproval in Dr. Pitt's expression was making him downright ashamed – not something he was remotely used to feeling.

Brad sighed dramatically. "I knew you were reckless, but I at least thought Kate had a better grasp of reality. Where is she, anyway? I noticed you chose her bed this time."

The sudden and deafening silence alerted the doctor that something was wrong, and he stared warily between the other two men. Tony looked down, refusing to meet the doctor's eyes. Gibbs placed a hand on the younger man's shoulder, giving a brief squeeze, realization dawning on why Tony had chosen that particular bed.

"Kate was killed a little over a week ago by the same man who planted the car bomb," he said.

Even the words hurt, but Gibbs felt as if he owed it to both Kate and Dr. Pitt. The two of them were the ones who'd been with Tony while he was off on a wild goose chase. Now, it turned out he hadn't protected either of his agents.

"She was… brave… until the… end, but… she… deserved… better," Tony said with difficulty.

Gibbs knew exactly what Tony was thinking without having to hear it. He thought if this damn illness was going to take him anyway, why did it have to be Kate instead of him on that rooftop. Gibbs planned on slapping that thought right out of his head when he was feeling better, maybe even before if he had to, but not when he was already looking so vulnerable.

"I'm sorry," Brad said, looking stunned. "I know you two were close."

Tony scoffed. "I didn't… even know… she liked… me… until she… stayed," he said.

Gibbs wasn't going to let that one go. "Yes, you did. You were a good team and good partners. She'd be sorely disappointed to hear you giving up now."

DiNozzo visibly flinched.

Good. Gibbs needed him to fight back.

"No one is giving up," Brad said firmly. "Tony, I know the coughing keeps waking you up, but you really need to try and get some sleep. You're going to need all your strength. I'm going to work with Dr. Byun no matter what the tests show, and when we release you the next time, you're going to follow my instructions to the letter. Are we clear?"

Tony remained quiet, so Gibbs answered for him. "He will. I'm going to make sure of it."

/* /* /* /*

McGee left the bullpen and headed down to Abby's lab. He needed a break. He'd spent the entire morning looking over the handful of cold cases they hadn't been able to solve since he'd started at NCIS.

He was frustrated.

He couldn't find anything that stood out, any hint of a lead to follow. When Gibbs had told him that he and Tony wouldn't be in today and McGee was to work on cold cases in the meantime, he'd hoped this was his chance to finally prove himself and get out of Tony's overbearing shadow.

It's not that he wasn't worried about Tony's potential relapse – he was, but he also knew that Tony could be incorrigible.

McGee needed to do something to shine his own merits in Gibbs' eyes, because so far, it was always Tony coming up with the missing lead. He feared that Gibbs lack of technology knowledge was hindering his ability to appreciate what McGee did.

He thought if he could solve a case on his own, that would open his difficult team leader's eyes.

Unfortunately, he hadn't found a damn thing. To make it worse, the new Director kept staring down from the balcony above the bullpen, and he had the uncomfortable feeling that she was staring at him.

The music from Abby's lab assaulted his ears before he'd even reached the entrance. Cringing, he hurried inside and tapped Abby on the shoulder.

"Abby, turn it down," he shouted, his final word echoing around the laboratory as she'd already hit the button on her remote silencing the Acid Zombies.

"Hi, McGee. How are the cold cases going?" she asked brightly, her eyes already wandering back to her computer screen.

"Slowly. What are you working on?" he asked.

"I'm just finalizing the tests on Balboa's case. It was a suicide, so there's no one to prosecute, but I want to at least give the family some answers," she said, her mouth turning downward.

"That's tough," McGee said sympathetically.

"Have you heard from Tony or Gibbs yet?" she asked.

"Not a word. I didn't want to call in case they were resting. Do you think I should've called?" McGee asked, his insides clenching. Would his boss think he didn't care if he hadn't checked up on them already, or would he be angry if he disturbed them? Everything seemed to make Gibbs angry, though. He didn't know how Tony was handling being stuck alone with him for an entire day, unless Tony was pretending to sleep. No - Tony couldn't keep quiet that long. Tony was never quiet.

"Stop fretting in your head, McGee. You're giving me a headache," Abby said, knocking her shoulder into his own.

"Oh! Sorry, I – wait a minute. What?" he asked.

Abby smirked. "We can go over to Tony's apartment after work and bring them some dinner," she said.

"That won't be necessary and entirely futile, Abigail," Ducky said, entering the lab with his hat in his hand.

"Hi, Ducky. Where have you been? I went down to Autopsy earlier, but Jimmy said he hadn't seen you yet," Abby said.

"Why is it futile?" McGee asked, narrowing his eyes.

Ducky placed his hat on Abby's table and turned to face them. "Because they aren't there," he said wearily. "Gibbs took Tony into Bethesda last night, and they're currently both being held in isolation until they determine if Anthony's Pneumonic Plague has relapsed."

"What?" Abby shrieked.

"Both of them?" McGee asked, feeling stunned.

"Yes, they're worried that if it is plague, Anthony could've infected Jethro through coughing. If it's true, I wouldn't be surprised if all of us are called in for testing," Ducky said.

"But Tony was asleep when we went over last night, and my desk isn't right next to his," McGee said, his panic rising. He'd seen how Tony had barely survived it the last time, and although he hated to admit it, with his asthma, he wasn't sure he had it in him to do the same.

"Is Tony all right?" Abby asked, her eyes filling.

McGee felt like kicking himself for worrying about his own health before asking about Tony.

"No. He isn't. I'm hoping it isn't the plague, but I do think his pneumonia is back, at the very least," Ducky said.

"Poor Tony. I'm glad Gibbs is with him, anyway," Abby said, biting her lip.

"Yes, I am, too. Anthony will fight harder because he doesn't want to let Jethro down. That boy's admiration might just keep him alive," Ducky said, giving a weak chuckle.

"When will we know? Can we go and see them? Abby asked.

"Dr. Pitt was there when I left, and I asked him to keep me informed. I'll let you know when I hear something, but for now, they're not allowing visitors," Ducky said.

Abby looked crestfallen and her lower lip stuck out.

"Don't worry, Abs. Dr. Pitt took really good care of Tony the last time," McGee said, hating to see her disappointed.

"Who is Dr. Pitt, and where is the rest of the MCRT today?" Director Shepherd asked, entering the lab behind them, her tailored suit fitting impeccably.

"Didn't Gibbs call you? He said he was going to let you know that he'd be out today," McGee said quickly, his stomach fluttering.

"No, he didn't, and he hasn't been answering the numerous messages I've left on his cell," the Director said.

"That's probably because his phone was confiscated," Ducky said.

"Confiscated? By who? Where is Agent Gibbs?" she asked sharply.

"He's at Bethesda Naval Hospital with Agent DiNozzo. Anthony became ill over the weekend, and he was re-admitted last night. The hospital is concerned about a potential relapse of the plague, and they've quarantined both him and Agent Gibbs until their blood tests come back," Ducky said.

"Plague?" she asked, her finely penciled eyebrows raised.

"Yes, the Pneumonic Plague, to be precise. Agent DiNozzo was infected by a rogue letter sent to NCIS shortly before you became Director here," Ducky said.

"I believe I read something about it. They think it's back?" Director Shepherd asked.

"They're concerned, yes. Since Jethro brought Anthony in, they're looking them both over," Ducky replied.

"How did Jethro happen to bring DiNozzo into the hospital?" she asked, frowning.

"Gibbs was staying with him once he realized Tony was sick," Abby said.

The Directors eyebrows shot upwards again. "He was staying with him? Why is that?"

Abby shrugged. "Just taking care of him. Tony was really sick, and he doesn't take care of himself at all. He always says he's fine, especially when he's not. We all know it, but Tony always thinks he's fine until Gibbs makes him slow down or take some medicine or something. Tony gets really loopy on most drugs. He's really funny when he takes them, actually–"

"Abby!" McGee said, attempting to reign her in. The Director was looking at her as if she'd lost her mind.

"What? Oh! Sorry. What was the question?" Abby asked.

"I didn't realize Agent Gibbs and Agent DiNozzo were that close," the Director said, looking thoughtful.

"Oh, Gibbs loves Tony. He just doesn't like anyone else to know it – especially Tony," Abby said, grinning.

"How… interesting," the Director said.

Something about her eyes made McGee's stomach clench again. If he didn't know better, he thought she looked rather predatory.

Author's Note:

Melinda's NCIS rule #1 – Review

Thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter. Very much appreciated. It motivates me but no matter what, I promise this story will be finished.