Jimmy Palmer's morning started horribly. He woke up from a terrible cold and at the same time because of the heat. Headache, body and throat aches, terrible fatigue, stuffy nose and fever, pain in the ass after yesterday's conversation with Agent Gibbs were the icing on the cake. All the symptoms of a severe cold were on the face.
"Today is Friday. You need to hold out for another day at work and you can relax at home," he repeated to himself. The boy didn't want much fuss around him when Dr. Mallard found out that he was ill, and he also hated hospitals, medications and injections. Therefore, the best way to get rid of a kind but slightly annoying old man is to hide the cold. Easier said than done, the doctor was a pro in his field. But Jimmy had experience in hiding certain things from other people.
Palmer took a cool shower and washed himself. The boy put some makeup on his face to mask the painful look, then swallowed pain relievers and antipyretic drugs. He didn't eat because of the feeling of nausea that rose in his throat as soon as he thought about breakfast. Taking one last look in the mirror, Jimmy nodded satisfactorily and mentally complimented himself on his excellent work. Besides the fact that his skin was a little paler than usual, there were no outward signs that he was sick, so he went to work.
"Good morning, Mr. Palmer," the doctor greeted when the young man entered the morgue, "you're early today. Something happened?"
"Good morning, doctor. No, it's okay sir, just got up early," Jimmy lied quite skillfully. He hung his jacket on a hanger at the autopsy. In fact, he didn't need a jacket, because it was quite warm in the morning, and he was also in the car, but Dr. Mallard recently gave him another lecture on how to put on a jacket. And this time, he threatened that he would spank the boy if he went out again in mid-autumn. Therefore, Palmer decided not to risk it, at least until he again forgot to put on a jacket or coat in an attempt to get to work.
"Okay, I'm just a little worried. After yesterday, there was a big chance that you might catch a cold or flu. But I'm glad you're all right," Ducky agreed easily. And this made the boy a little ashamed of his lie, but he quickly got rid of his guilt and nodded.
"I'm fine, no symptoms of illness, sir," the boy smiled innocently.
"That's good, please take it to Agent Gibbs," Dr. Mallard says, and hands the report back. James nods again and climbs upstairs.
The first thing that the gremlin heard from the autopsy when he climbed to the top was the furious scream of Agent Gibbs. He sat at his desk and lectured two agents. When Palmer got closer, he saw that Kate and Tony looked as sickly as he did in the morning.
"I do not want to hear anything! Now you two will go down to Ducky and he will examine you, and I will call Shannon to pick you up and take you to our home," he announced menacingly.
"Boss, we're doing pretty well," Tony protested in a slightly hoarse voice.
"Yes, Gibbs. We are able to work," Kate supported him, but her argument was overwhelmed by a fit of dry cough.
"One more word and the consequences you won't like," Jethro growled menacingly.
"But boss, you don't need to bother Shannon or Ducky, we can take care of ourselves," Tony tried to convince the senior agent, "and besides, we are actually healthy ... Ouch!" the young agent screamed when his little tirade was interrupted by a resounding blow to the back of his head.
"He's right, Gibbs, ourselves ..." Keith says, but a gray-haired man interrupts her.
"Trust me, Keith, you don't want to end this sentence," Jethro growled very low, "and it seems to me that this is a little more than one word."
The two agents nodded grimly, and finally the older man turned his attention to Jimmy.
"Palmer, did you want something?" asked suspiciously examining him from head to toe. The boy tensed a little, afraid that his deception might reveal.
"Dr. Mallard asked me to give you this", the young man gives the folder with the report to Gibbs.
"How do you feel, Jimmy?" the man asks and takes the folder from the young man's slightly trembling hands.
"It's okay, Agent Gibbs, I'm fine," the guy lied again. DiNozzo and Todd glanced at him suspiciously, but didn't say a word. And the silver-haired man nodded, but Palmer noticed that he was not fully believed.
"Okay, then escort my two wayward agents to Ducky," the boy nodded without much enthusiasm and looked at the gloomy agents. They, in turn, also nodded and followed Palmer to the elevator.
"Gremlin, inject, what have you done?" Tony asked hoarsely.
"What are you talking about?" the brown-haired man asked with feigned surprise.
"That you had to get sick too," Tony explained irritably.
"Come on, Jimmy, you know you can trust us," Kate pushed him.
"Tylenol and a little makeup work wonders," the guy said calmly. There was silence in the elevator for a while.
"What did you lie, Gibbs?" Tony asked, dazed.
"And not only that," the boy whispered as quietly as possible.
"And Ducky?" Kate screamed in surprise, "you are a corpse, Jimmy," she threw a sympathetic look at Palmer.
"Not if you two are silent. What they don't know won't hurt them."
"But it could hurt you," the young girl said worriedly.
"It won't hurt me. I am still a medical student and able to take care of myself. And weren't you just two minutes ago arguing with the Gibbs about getting to work today?" Jimmy teased with a malicious smile. The two agents said nothing to this, they decided to give in to Palmer.
Ducky fussed over his two new patients. The children had one distinct feature in common. They all hated hospitals and everything connected with them. And this extended not only to Tony and Kate, who, after injuries received in the field, did everything possible to avoid getting to the hospital, for example, hiding their injuries and escaping from the clinic, but also to Abby and Jimmy, who did not take medications and did not follow the doctor's recommendations. ... Therefore, after several such incidents, Gibbs and Ducky vowed to leave children alone during injury or illness.
"Open your mouth," the doctor ordered two agents and took out three thermometers, two agents grimaced, but obeyed. Mallard skillfully shoved two thermometers under Tony and Kate's tongues "you're Jimmy too."
"But doctor, I'm not sick, I said I'm feeling fine," Jimmy said with a little nervousness. He feared that the antipyretic was not working well enough.
"Mr. Palmer, as a future doctor, you should know that if you feel normal, it does not mean that you do not have a temperature," said the doctor sharply. He was usually a kind and gentle person, but when it came to caring for the health and well-being of his patients, he was unforgiving and strict. Knowing it's useless to argue, it would only get him a few slaps on the ass and he would still do what he was told, having no alternative, he obediently opened his mouth. When the thermometer was placed under his tongue, he patiently waited and hoped that the pills had brought down his fever. After a few minutes, the doctor took turns taking out the thermometers and frowning.
"Tony 100,4°, Keith 100,2°, and Mr. Palmer is quite good, 98,2°," after the words of Dr. Jimmy sighed with relief, but quickly erased this expression so that he would not be suspected of anything.
All of a sudden, Agent Gibbs and his charming wife Shannon entered the morgue. She was clearly alarmed, understandably, Mrs. Gibbs was always worried when one of the children was sick.
"How are they, Duck?" The senior agent asked calmly as usual. Those who did not know him might think that he didn't care, but this was far from the case.
"I haven't finished the examination yet, but I can confidently say that this is a common flu. It's good that you sent them to me. There could be complications, but after a few days of rest everything will be all right," the doctor smiled and continued his examination. After several more tests, Duck prescribed several drugs and sent the two children home.
"Bed rest, good food, drink plenty of water and take medicine on time," the doctor said at last. The children hung their heads sullenly, and the adults nodded. As the elevator door closed, James heard the characteristic slapping sounds and soft screams. He tried not to pay attention to it.
As the day went on it got worse and worse. By the evening, the nausea intensified, the headache and breakage in the body returned, apparently the action of the drugs ended, which means that the temperature also rose.
"Mr. Palmer, are you okay?" The doctor asks with a very worried face.
"Yes, Dr. Mallard, I'm fine." The boy smiled tightly.
"I think you have a fever," Ducky holds out his hand to apparently check the temperature, but the young man dodges the touch.
"I told you that everything is all right with me!" the illness fueled his usually calmer disposition, so he became a very irritated young man.
"I advise you to watch your attitude," the doctor reminded him calmly, but with a clear sentence in his voice.
"And I advise you to leave me alone," the boy snapped, the only thing he wanted was to go home and go to bed. He was very ill, and the irritation from the unnecessary care of the doctor made him a rude and capricious child. At such moments he was worse than Tony, and DiNozzo was still that king of drama.
Donald looked incredulously at his protege, usually the boy was calm and polite, but now he looked more like a child who was throwing a tantrum. Usually this behavior meant only that the young man was not all right. He frowned even more when his boy took on an unhealthy slightly greenish complexion, ran to the nearest trash can and poured out the contents of his stomach. Although there was nothing else besides bile.
After that, the doctor reacted instantly. He grabbed Jimmy by the hand and led him to the sink to rinse out his mouth, because judging by the condition of the boy, he could hardly stand on his feet. After that, the young man was seated on the autopsy table. Ducky frowned when he touched the boy's forehead, he was burning. Just in time, Gibbs entered the morgue, apparently he wanted to ask something, but as soon as he saw Palmer's pale as death and anxious face of his old friend, then all the work faded into the background.
"What happened?"
"Mr. Palmer felt bad, I think he has the same flu as the others. Jethro, I'm taking the boy to my house, could you help me? Please take Jimmy's bag." Gibbs nods and grabs the bag as the doctor leads the weakly resisting boy into the elevator. They quickly get to the car, they put Palmer in the back seats of the car, the young man doesn't even have the strength to protest.
"I assume he lied?" The gray-haired agent asks unexpectedly.
"Yes you are right. Such symptoms could not appear in a couple of hours. I think he felt bad since the morning," confirms Gibbs's guess Ducky.
"I think after he gets better, we'll have a long conversation about lying and hiding the truth."
"I'm good at lying, don't worry about it Jethro. After this boy recovers, he will greatly regret this trick," the doctor's anger began to boil, not only did the boy deceive him, he also put his life in danger.
"I know, Duck, but I'd like to make my own little suggestion. He's not just lying to you," the agent reminded him.
"Yes, I understand you. I'll leave the boy to you as soon as I finish with him myself," the doctor said and said goodbye. It hurt him that the boy lied to him and he still felt righteous anger on his protégé. But now Donald has driven all these negative feelings away from himself. His priority was to get his little boy well and then he would give him a good spanking.