Chapter 5

"Feels… like it," Tony murmured, keeping his eyes closed.

"Why didn't you tell me you weren't feeling well?" Gibbs snapped. "You don't have to hide it from me."

"Okay, Boss."

Tony went into a coughing fit, gasping and trying to control himself before leaning over and throwing up again. Gibbs gently rubbed his back until his stomach was done heaving and he leaned back against his boss. The older man wet a washcloth and dabbed it on Tony's forehead to cool him down while he waited for him to get his stomach under control. He needed to be in bed, not sitting on the cold bathroom floor in his current state. Gibbs called for McGee to come help him out. The two managed to get Tony to his feet, but quickly found that his legs couldn't hold him up and he was unstable. Tim and McGee gently maneuvered Tony towards the stairs and helped him put one foot in front of the other until he was safely in the guest bedroom and lying down. Gibbs instructed Timothy to call Ducky and let him know what happened, also to have Ziva bring him a bowl from the kitchen and a glass of water.

"Sorry Boss," Ton mumbled, resting his head on the pillow.

"Not your fault that you don't feel well."

"I should have told you."

"You better tell me next time," Gibbs ordered. "Doesn't matter if you only feel a little sick, you tell me."

Tony nodded, resting his head on the pillow. His hair was drenched with sweat and his skin was extremely pale. Ziva entered the room with the bowl and placed it on the nightstand, taking a step back when she saw how Tony looked. He glanced up at her as he coughed.

"Hey Zee… sorry 'bout that."

"It is alright, Tony. You were not feeling well; it is not your fault."

"Please go home…" he gasped before coughing again. "Take McGee with you."

"Tony…"

"Ziva, leave."

Gibbs automatically understood what Tony was trying to tell Ziva by forcing her to leave. Tony was in a vulnerable position, sick and unable to control the circumstance as he fought his body to breathe and regain health. He didn't want his co-workers and friends to see him so weak. It was unnecessary. McGee and Ziva would stick by Tony, no matter what. Even if they saw him sick and a little whiney, he would still be the annoying DiNozzo that they cared for. Tony repeated his order for Ziva to leave, closing his eyes as he rested his head on the pillow. Gibbs stood up and put an arm around Ziva, guiding her from the guest room and into the hallway, closing the door behind them.

"Gibbs, you cannot leave him in there alone!" Ziva protested.

"Ziver, he doesn't want you to see him like this. Go home and get some rest. Don't worry about him."

McGee came up the stairs and saw them outside the door. Gibbs nodded, giving him the signal to speak without saying it.

"I talked to Ducky and he said to monitor Tony's temperature and he'll come by to check on him in the morning if it hasn't improved. How's he doing?"

"He's fine. I'll keep an eye on him tonight; you and Ziva should get home."

"Are you sure, Boss? I can give you a hand."

Ziva quickly answered for Gibbs. "We should give Tony some space, McGee. Maybe we can come see him tomorrow."

McGee picked up on hint faster than Ziva did and agreed, sticking his head into the room to tell Tony good-night and that he hoped he felt better soon. Ziva gave Gibbs a look, not wanting to leave him alone, but after getting the famous stare she bid him good-night and headed downstairs. Gibbs rubbed his face and took a moment before entering the room again. He was glad that he hadn't waited any longer. Tony was standing up and about to fall over as he headed towards the door, trying to catch his breath. Gibbs caught him as he staggered.

"What the hell are you doing DiNozzo?" he demanded to know, helping the agent get back to his feet and steadying him.

"Trying to make it to the bathroom… guess I didn't make it," Tony mumbled, his cheeks turning slightly red.

"You should have just asked for help."

"I can do it on my own," Tony protested weakly.

Gibbs helped him into the bathroom, leaving him alone to give him some privacy as he went downstairs to make something for Tony's cough. He came back a few minutes later to find Tony lying in the bed, uncovered and breathing deeply with his eyes closed. Gibbs knew that he was still awake. He put a hand on Tony's shoulder and asked him to sit up, handing him the cup of warm liquid.

"Tea with honey?" Tony asked, sniffing the mug.

"Yep, seems to always help when Kelly or Shannon was sick. Thought you might like it."

Tony nodded his appreciation, taking a small sip and finding that he liked the taste. Gibbs turned on the bedside lamp and flipped off the overhead light. He went into his bedroom and came back wearing a NIS t-shirt and sweat pants, holding a worn book in his hand. Neither man spoke was Tony finished his tea and settled down in the bed. Gibbs pulled up a chair from downstairs and sat in the dim light, reading his book. After a while he glanced over at Tony and saw that he had fallen asleep with his mouth partially open and he could hear his slightly labored breathing. The older man set down the book and gently placed his hand on Tony's forehead, checking his temperature like he had done so many times with his daughter. Tony was still too warm. Gibbs put the cloth in the bowl of water that Ziva had provided and softly dabbed Tony's forehead to lower his fever. He was worried about the younger man, not that he would ever admit it. Tony moaned in his sleep. Gibbs gently lifted the light blanket and tucked it around his agent, making sure that it wasn't too hot or constricting. He settled back in the chair with his book and picked up where he left off.

Gibbs found himself dozing in the chair a few hours later, not sure what had woken him at first. Tony was coughing harshly, and Gibbs realized that it wasn't a dry cough any longer. It sounded wet, full of mucus and very painful. The young agent continued to sleep through the coughing spell, but he was clearly uneasy and agitated in his sleep.

"You're okay Tony," Gibbs murmured, running the damp cloth across Tony's forehead and putting a hand on his shoulder. "It's gonna be okay."

As if sensing the tender care, the coughing eased and Tony rested peacefully again. Gibbs continued his ministrations. He doubted that DiNozzo Senior had even taken care of his son like this, staying vigil by his side as the young man slept. Tony needed this, though he was too stubborn to ask for it.

Tony woke up the next morning, feeling worse than when he went to sleep. His arms were aching and his chest was sore from coughing all night long. At least it felt like his fever was gone. Looking around the room, he realized that it was after eight and Gibbs was no longer there. He tossed the blanket off him and put his bare feet down on the carpet, testing his strength before standing up and slowly walking downstairs. He could hear Gibbs in the kitchen and smelled the strong coffee that his boss drank. Another person was talking to him and he figured out it was Ducky as he got closer. Tony coughing into his hand as he entered the dining room, alerting them to his presence.

"Good morning Anthony," Ducky greeted. "How are you feeling?"

"Alright," Tony lied. "I feel like I ran through a burning house and breathed in a ton of smoke."

"I'm afraid you did. Some soreness is to be expected, but Jethro tells me that your cough is developing to be quite harsh."

"I've been through worse."

"Exactly, that's why you should let me check you out before it gets any worse. Your lungs can't handle a lot, due to the damage you suffered from your bout with plague. Let's get this done and then you can have some breakfast."

Tony waited quietly at the table as Ducky listened to his chest, monitored his pulse, and checked his blood pressure and body temperature. His face didn't give away anything as he listened to Tony's cough. He checked the burns on the man's arms, determining that they weren't infected and would heal fairly well if he cared for them properly. Gibbs prepared some pancakes in the kitchen, observing the check-up from his location and not interrupting. He didn't realize at first that he made them into the shape of Mickey Mouse ears until he put them on the plate for Tony. He shrugged, bringing the food and a bottle of syrup to the table, setting them in front of his agent, along with a glass of orange juice. Tony smiled as his boss and picked up his fork.

"So, what's wrong with me Doc?"

"I believe you are developing bronchitis."

"That's not bad. I had that a few times as a kid."

Ducky took a worried look at Gibbs before responding. "For you, bronchitis could be deadly with the condition of your lungs. This is not good, Anthony."

Tony felt his stomach drop as Ducky's words sunk in and even the childish pancakes couldn't cheer him up. Just great…

Sorry for the long wait! I've been pretty busy, hope this longer chapter made up for it! :)

Thanks for reading! Please review!

Emma