"What?" Tim blinked his tired watering eyes at Tony realizing he had been talking to him for some minutes now and he hadn't registered a word he said.

Tony opened his mouth to continue his nervous ramblings wrapped around an apology then closed it with a sigh "Never mind"

Tim knew there was something wrong there and he should say something but he couldn't work out what. Had Tony said anything important? Did Tony ever say anything important? His eyes hurt less when he shut them…..

"McGee? We're here. You going to have to wake up buddy cause there is no way I'm carrying you into your apartment. You've had one too many breakfast burritos for me to attempt that." Tony shook his shoulder again and Tim groaned.

"I don't want a burrito……" Tim mumbled his eyes still closed and his head lolling forward.

"I didn't offer you one Probie. Look I need to get you into bed ok? You really don't look well."

Tim smirked to himself that Tony wanted to get him into bed and contemplated something witty to say. What to say? Why could you never think of something clever to say when you wanted to? Why was he smiling again?

Tony frowned as Tim smirked to himself without moving from the passenger seat. With a sigh Tony awkwardly hauled Tim up and out by the arms and managed to half drag him, half carry him to his apartment, using his foot to slam the car door closed as they went.

Tim's happy fevered elf lord dreams took on a rather lewd tinge as Tony was forced to rummage for his apartment keys in Tim's pants pocket when he proved to be decidedly unhelpful.

Tony threw up his hands in frustration "McGee! McGee where are your apartment keys? If I can get you inside you can have a nice sleep in bed ok? Much nicer than in the hallway… but I need to know where you keys are. Ok?"

Tim smiled his glassy eyes slightly fever glazed "Keys? Oh they are in the front pocket of my jeans."

Tony gave McGee a rather sour look "I have checked there McGee. Are you sure?"

"Oh yes I'm sure…. The left pocket in particular….. right down at the bottom."

Tony sighed and slipped his hand down Tim's tight jeans pocket and fished around searching.

"Oh Yeah. Little more to the left"

Tony glared at McGee and whipped his hand out of his partner's pants as he sloppily leaned against the doorframe.

"Are you messing with me McGee? Because if this is your idea of a joke then it is seriously not funny." Tony was on the verge of furious. Was McGee getting some sort of revenge on him for the pranks he had pulled on him over the years?

Tim pouted while Tony yammered about something and then shivered, his entire body aching as cold fingers crept over his back and swallowed, his mouth dry. Why wouldn't Tony let him inside so he could go to bed?

"I'll give you a burrito if you left me go inside to bed Tony. Please Tony let me in I just want to go inside?"

Tony just looked at him, studying him with narrowed eyes. Tim peered back, blinking a little at the bright light from the front entrance.

"Burrito?" Tim offered helpfully forgetting why he was offering it in the first place.

"I will let you in when you tell me where the keys are McGee" Tony gritted out between clenched teeth

"Oh why didn't you just ask? They're in the front pocket of my bag"

Tony cursed long and loud and an instant later Tim found himself in his apartment. Finally.

Toeing off his shoes as he went he took off his jacket (too tight) and pulled his shirt over his head (scratchy) and dropped them on the floor. Bed. Bed bed bed…… he was so tired, hot, thirsty, tired, sniffly, hot, tired. Did he mention tired?

Tony looked up from closing the door and carrying in Tim's bag to find Tim flinging his socks (itchy) into the corner of the room. Tony stood in surprise and stared at Tim now naked except for his expensive designer jeans, his creamy pale skin flushing and slightly sweaty from the temperature he was running. His silky fringe flopped over his forehead and Tony could see the slight definition of hard muscle moving under Tim's soft skin.

Tim rubbed his eyes with his fists like a toddler would when woken from a deep sleep.

"I'm hot Tony"

Tony smirked and realized Tim probably wouldn't remember tomorrow anyway.

"Yes you are McGee…. Yes you are"

Tim ignored him and ambled into the bedroom and tugged impatiently at the covers of the bed, pulling them back before flopping his six foot one inch frame down on the bed with a whomp.

Tony sighed and came into the bedroom and pulled the cover up around a now shivering Timothy McGee.

"I'm co…. co…lllddd, cold Toneee" Tim chattered out as Tony gave in to the sensation from earlier and rubbed soothing circles into Tim back as he stood beside the bed.

"McGee, what am I going to do with you, Huh?" Tony gently whispered and shook his head as Tim made tiny little pleased whimpering sounds as his back was rubbed.

Tony stared for a second. What the? He reached down and fingered the black shiny sheets between his fingers. McGee had black satin sheets on his bed. Probilicious had BLACK SATIN SHEETS on his bed?

Tony wasn't sure why he was so shocked but it just seemed something so incongruous to how he pictured buttoned up, ironed everything, towels triple folded McGee. Then again anyone who knew him well would be surprised at some of the things he had been thinking about lately so surely McGee could have his black satin sheets.

And most of those thoughts had something to do with the practically naked, sweaty, pouty lipped, young man rolled up in black satin sheets making little moaning sounds when he touched….

Woah there Tony. Tony Gibbs slapped himself. What was he going to do, take advantage of McGee and hope he wouldn't remember it in the morning??

Geez the last time he had been in this apartment McGee had screamed at him and told him what a selfish bastard he was. Tony looked down fondly at McGee who now seemed to be asleep. He had been hoping when McGee had asked if he could drive him home that they might be able to talk and at least patch up the friendship part of their relationship. McGee didn't seem to be up to much of anything right now. Tony tried to take consolation in that at least he had asked for him to take him home. That must mean something surely?

Tony left the bedroom and the now soundly sleeping McGee and filled glasses with water and juice and put them by McGee's bedside table along with tissues, aspirin, some dry crackers and some sort of PC Geek magazine he found still in its clear wrapper with the rest of McGee's mail.

Tony was about to leave the apartment and make his own way home when he heard McGee mumbling loudly and unhappily from the bedroom.

"Burrito! Coming to get me …… no! Don't want to be eaten…….sauce…….. tired….. Tony likes scrambled eggs……..No! Scrambled……….Go AWAY! Bad Burrito. Gibbs will…….stop chasing me! Tired"

Tony shook his head as McGee twisted and turned from his fever induced nightmares rapidly getting tangled up and practically choking himself in the thick silky sheets.

"Shushhh Timmy" Tony untwisted the worst of the mess and suddenly found himself sitting on the other side of the large bed with Tim's head burrowed into his shoulder as Tim still asleep instinctively nestled towards warmth and safety.

Tony decided to wait until Tim settled down again into a restful sleep before slipping out from underneath him. Tony lay there and listened to the slowly deepening breathing of his partner as Tim's warm breath played on his neck.

Tony tried not to admit to himself that really it wasn't so bad.

After waiting several more moments Tony tried to wiggle out and off the bed only to have Tim throw an arm around him and mutter his name in his sleep.

"Tony"

Tony froze.

Ok……… So was that a Tony… don't go? A Tony……I love you? A Tony… what the hell are you doing in my bed? Or a Tony….. you're nice and warm?

Tony tried to peek at Tim's restful face on his chest. Ok. Maybe he would just stay here for a while. McGee really wasn't well and he needed someone to keep an eye on him in case he did something stupid in the middle of the night.

After several hours in which Tony realized he had drifted off to sleep in Tim's sheet bundled embrace he managed to slip out and make his way back to his own apartment. He didn't think he was quite ready for any early morning conversations and he was pretty sure McGee wasn't up to it at the moment either. Tony resisted the urge to give Tim a quick kiss on the cheek as he left and instead pushed his fringe back and tucked it behind his ear. Beautiful.

Timmy really was so cute in the morning, looking all rumpled and angelic.

Tony had a quick warm shower and finally clambered into his own bed, drifting off to sleep with the feel of Tim's head on his shoulder and his warm breath on his neck.

Tony awoke with a jerk to the sound of his phone ringing and with a groan rolled over and answered it.

"DiNozzo" Tony answered with a slight croak and a sniff.

"So…. Did Timmy give you anything besides his germs last night Tony?" Abby asked smugly.

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(Ok lets here it for the awwwwwww I love this chapter makes me laugh and smirk in equal measure. Please review and let me know what you think)