Chapter 3

Gibbs laid his head against the cool wood under his hands and waited for the pain to ease. He felt beads of perspiration break out on his forehead and shakily wiped them away. Slowly the pain passed and he stood shaking slightly in the aftermath of it.

Gibbs had started to feel unwell during the day, at first it had just been a burning sensation in his throat and a mild stomach pain but as the day had turned to evening he had begun to feel worse, but this was by far the worst he had felt.

Gibbs lowered himself to the floor as he felt bile rise in his mouth, and the pain begin again. He grasped his stomach and bent over trying to lessen the pain, but nothing seemed to work. He desperately prayed that he didn't vomit, he couldn't remember the last time he had but he was sure he didn't want to try it out now.

"Damn it to hell" he muttered as the pain passed, relief flashing though his system that he hadn't thrown up the contents of his stomach.

Slowly and painfully he pulled himself up and made his way slowly to the stairs leading to his kitchen, praying he would make it up them.

Eventually a sweating and panting Gibbs emerged into the bright light of his kitchen and made his way over to the sink to pour a glass of water.

He sipped carefully at the contents before once more moving away, this time heading for the hallway and the stairs that would take him to his bathroom and medicine cabinet.

He cursed the fact that he lived in a house and not an apartment, hating just how long it took him to navigate the stairs, and how weak he felt.

After what felt like a life time he pulled open his cabinet and scanned the contents finally settling on a bottle of Alka Seltzer. He dropped two tablets in his glass of water and waited for the fizzing to stop before drinking the foul tasting liquid. As the liquid hit his stomach he gasped in pain, the glass falling from his hand and smashing on the floor. He bent over and grasped his stomach breathing rapidly and trying to hold back the contents of his stomach by sheer force of will. Slowly he fell to the floor, dropping first to his knees and then curling on his side on the floor, his knees bent tight into his abdomen, his hands grasped around him. Gibbs prayed for either relief or death, at that moment not caring which so long as the pain stopped.

He had no idea how long he lay there but slowly that pain subsided and the grip on his stomach lessened.

Gibbs felt the sweat that had beaded on his head and body begin to cool, causing him to break our in uncontrollable shivers. With more effort than he could believe, he slowly crawled the few feet to his bedroom, levering himself up with the last of his energy onto his large bed. There he fell in a heap, his clothes soaked with perspiration until finally blessed relief came in the form of unconsciousness.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Abby came out of the club, her arm around her friend Christy, a petite blonde with her hair streaked with green and blue and more rings in her ears than appeared possible. The sound of the music from the club still ringing in her ears Abby laughed at something her friend had said.

"So babe, when is the great god Gibbs going to come party with us?" Christy asked for about the tenth time, as they walked back to Abby's car.

"This year, next year, sometime never" Abby chanted happily. To anyone passing by Abby would have appeared to be drunk, and yet she had not had a single drink as it was here turn to be designated driver. The only thing she was drunk on was fun, friendship and great music.

"There is no way in this lifetime I would get Gibbs here" Abby laughed "but that's cool, cos there is no way I would go listen to any band he likes!" she informed her friend with a laugh.

"So what is so great about him then Ab?" The tall and slightly geeky Keats asked from behind Abby and Christy, his arm around his wife Zulu who was a striking vision in red chiffon and black leather.

"Everything" Abby laughed as she unlocked her car, climbing in with her friends preparing to drop them all off before she herself headed home.

The car ride was a combination of interrogation and advice from her friends, which Abby took good naturedly, enjoying their friendship and the fact that they cared enough to worry. After Abby had dropped all her friends off at home, she turned her car towards her own apartment. Soon changing her mind as she saw the turning for Gibbs's part of town, Abby smiled to herself as she patted her pocket making sure she had the spare key to Gibbs's house. Smiling as she remembered him giving it to her.

She had been out with her friends as she usually did at least once a week and had decided to visit Gibbs at 2 am, for about the forth time. Waking him up in the process, when they had gotten up the next morning he had handed her the small silver key and the code to his alarm and told her not to wake him next time.

She had waggled her eyebrows at him and asked him if he was sure he didn't want her to wake him. Gibbs had given her one of his long cool looks before winking at her. Abby grinned as she thought about just how she would wake him when she got to his house, Abby felt her foot press down slightly on the gas pedal in her haste to get to him.

Soon Abby was pulling up outside his house, frowning as she saw the lights blazing in it. Abby checked the clock on her dash board and frowned again, before a grin broke out. Perhaps he had decided to wait up for her, figuring that she would stop by after her night out. She quickly got out of the car and headed up his porch steps. She opened the door and headed to the alarm just in case he had set it, but the lights were green, indicating that it wasn't set. She skipped into the living room,

"Hi Honey, I'm home!" she called out with a laugh as she went. But she found no sign of him. She poked her head into the kitchen and noticed the light to his basement was still on. She grinned to herself as she tiptoed down the basement stairs fully expecting to find him asleep in his boat. But when she got there she frowned in concern. The room was empty, his tools left out, and sawdust strewn on the floor where he had been working. Abby stood looking around for a moment, concern rising in her stomach. Gibbs never left his tools out; he was almost fanatical about taking care of them and putting them away, unless he fell asleep whilst using them. Abby turned and flew up the stairs, fear beginning to grip her.

"Gibbs?" Abby called out as she reached the kitchen, her eyes scanning for signs of him, she raced into the living room, pushing open the door to his study come den. But again there was no sign of him. She raced over to the stairs and pounded up them, her heart pounding as she called his name again, fear strangling her as she got no reply. Gibbs was a light sleeper, if he was here and unhurt he would have answered or come running, gun drawn thinking she was under attack.

Abby flew into his bedroom, skidding to a halt as fear pounded in her veins at the sight of him lying in a heap on the bed. Her mind noted that there was no blood but it did little to alleviate the terror gripping her. She moved slowly to the bed, terrified that she would touch his cold lifeless body.

"Gibbs?" she called quietly before suddenly propelling herself at the bed, her hand reaching out to try and find a pulse, relief coursing through her when she felt his chest rise and fall in steady breaths. She sat beside him, concern replacing the absolute terror of before. She noted the pale clammy skin, the damp sweat staining his t-shirt.

"Gibbs?" She called as she tried to roll him over, trying to get a better look at him. His reply was a deep groan of pain. "Gibbs" She called with more force, "come on Gibbs wake up" she demanded. She was rewarded with another groan and a fluttering of his eyes. Abby stroked his damp hair away from his face, and peered at him for a moment before reaching for the bedside table.

She punched in a number she knew by heart and waited impatiently for the sleepy response on the other end.

"Ducky? You need to come fast, Gibbs is really, really ill" She said quietly, fear evident in her voice as her hand stroked Gibbs's face gently, a single tear falling unheeded from her eyes.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Abby lay on the bed next to Gibbs, a cold cloth pressed to his head, her hand constantly touching him, talking to him. She prayed Ducky would get here soon, Gibbs had briefly opened his eyes, and the sight of the bloodshot pain filled blue eyes had Abby nearly crying out in physical pain. He had grasped her hand and held it tightly since then.

"Abby" she heard him groan and whisper at the same time.

"I'm here Jethro" she whispered back, brushing a kiss on his lips, tasting the salt of his sweat. Not realising that it was the first time she had called him by name.

"I'm ok" she heard him whisper "just stomach flu" she heard him try to reassure her, always the protector, the capable ex marine.

"Yeah sure you are boss man" Abby retorted gently "and tomorrow I'm coming to work in a Channel power suit" Abby teased him, pleased to see a small smile reach his lips if not his eyes.

Gibbs shifted slightly, his hand still grasping hers tightly, pulling her with him. Abby settled herself into the curve of his body, listening to the beat of his heart, reassured by the steady and strong beat under her ear.

She looked at the clock beside his bed and wished Ducky would get here soon and tell her Gibbs would be just fine.

No sooner had she thought that than she heard the door knocker downstairs being beaten rapidly. Abby pushed herself away from Gibbs, having to pull her hand from his with some force.

"That's Ducky" she told him bending to brush a quick kiss on his mouth before crossing the room to go downstairs and let him in.

"Abs" Gibbs called out as she reached the door, Abby turned to look at him a question in her face.

"Thank you" he said softly his eyes closing at the energy it had taken him to speak.

Abby looked at him for a moment then nodded, knowing what that had taken him, not just in strength but personally, knowing that it was the closer she would ever get to an admission that he was really ill.

Abby sprinted down the stairs and let a worried and harried looking Ducky in.

Sometime later Ducky gratefully accepted the tea that Abby offered him, the normally impeccably dressed ME was looking very ruffled and scruffy. He was wearing the crumpled clothes he had worn earlier at work, the buttons done up haphazardly, a shadow marking his weathered face and his normally smooth hair ruffled and un-brushed.

"Thank you my dear Abigail" he told her gratefully before taking a sip of the warm brew. "Jethro is sleeping at the moment" he told her, his eyes taking in the pallor to her normally pale skin. "But he will be fine in a day or two" he told her, his hand reaching out across the table and taking her cold hand in his warmer one.

"What is it?" Abby asked, her normally vivacious face drawn and tired.

"I think just a bad case of stomach flu" Ducky said running a hand through his hair. "I wanted him to go to hospital for a full check up, but Jethro is nothing if not stubborn" he said with a gentle smile. He noticed the flash of concern in Abby's eyes at the word hospital and patted her hand. "Just as a precaution my dear, to get some blood samples to rule out food poisoning. But Jethro was adamant he was feeling better." He continued with a rueful laugh. "He reminds me of a patient I had in Jakarta" Ducky started, famous for his ability to spin a simple explanation into a trip down memory lane. "But that is perhaps for another time" he told her softly, standing and crossing to Abby. "I think that perhaps it would be wise for you to go and get some sleep as well" he informed her gently as he pulled Abby to her feet. "I don't think Gibbs will be an easy patient, and you my dear will need your strength" he warned her with a soft smile that did nothing to hide his own concern. Abby smiled and threw her arms around the older man

"I love you Ducks" Abby said as she hugged him tightly. Ducky patted her back gently, his arms a soothing and comforting place for Abby, her presence equally soothing for him.

"I know my dear, just as I do you" Ducky said softly a sparkle in his eyes "But it never hurts an old man to hear a beautiful young woman say it" he told her with a smile, gently pulling her away from him.

"Now go upstairs and go to sleep" he warned her sternly "I will lock up after me" he said as he gently pushed her towards the door way, watching as she left. His eyes dropping to the floor, the look of worry returning as he turned to wash up their cups. Ducky had never seen Gibbs this ill before; in fact he couldn't remember having ever seen Gibbs ill at all.