A/N: Sorry it took a while to update I was really busy recently and haven't gotten much sleep…Well, here's the chapter!~

Tony woke up several times during the night, covered in sweat from his latest nightmare, and each time: Gibbs was there beside him.

Tony didn't know when Gibbs first came in to watch over him, but he knew he'd been there for all the times he woke up. He even suspected that Gibbs had come and ended his nightmare a few times.

Tony at first was embarrassed by his boss witnessing him crying and during the worst nightmares – shouting out; terrified. Then he began to realize part of what Gibbs was doing.

He noticed it the first time he awoke in the night. He had immediately reached for the bottle of vodka he had placed beside him, but his hand just hit solid wood. He then opened his eyes and saw the bottle was gone and instead, Gibbs was there.

He had at first been annoyed but after a few seconds he realized what Gibbs was doing.

Gibbs was trying to stop Tony from relying on alcohol for his emotional problems, and to speak to him instead.

The first few times he had just turned over and pretended to be asleep and eventually did fall asleep.

The last time, which was the worst, he had awoken with Gibbs' arms around him. Instead of pushing him away, embarrassed, he had wrapped his arms around Gibbs and just laid there holding Gibbs and letting Gibbs hold him.

Tony actually fell asleep into a blessed, dreamless sleep after that.

Tony awoke the next morning to his phone's alarm blaring in his ear. He fumbled for his phone and found it next to his pillow.

"I wonder how that got there." Tony mumbled bitterly.

"Hey, watch your tone, DiNozzo."

Tony jumped a little when he saw Gibbs smirking in the doorway.

"Oh…uh, didn't see ya there, boss…" Tony flushed slightly.

Gibbs' smirk just turned into a small smile as he chuckled and left.

Tony sighed.

He was still exhausted, both mentally and physically.

He was never one to admit to injuries or weaknesses, but (to himself at least) he did at least acknowledge how shitty he felt now.

He couldn't prevent the groan he emitted as he stood up. His head felt as if there was a tiny marching band with machine guns shooting his skull to an annoyingly catchy rhythm.

He knew he looked terrible and he silently hoped that wouldn't have a case today. He was not in the mood to be in any vehicle with either Gibbs or Ziva behind the wheel. He knew he'd vomit about all the food he'd eaten in the past few days. Which wasn't much, actually.

Since he showed up drunk at Gibbs' that night, he hadn't had much of an appetite.

I wonder why? Tony thought sarcastically.

Tony then made his way to the kitchen and he was overwhelmed with the smell of coffee and…toast?

Oh god.

Tony felt his stomach flip unpleasantly at the thought of trying to eat something – anything.

Gibbs looked at him knowingly and handed Tony a glass of water and his pain medication from Ducky.

"Duck, says that if you don't take them this time that he'll sedate you instead."

Tony smiled wryly. He hated taking painkillers. They made him act…more immature than he usually did, and that's saying something. When he was on painkillers…he couldn't control how he acted. Basically, what ever frame of mind, or mask he was wearing, if you will, would be multiplied out of proportion.

Knowing this, he knew that if he took it now, he'd be acting super depressed and quiet. That would require answering the questions of his very curious teammates.

He didn't feel like answering anyone's questions today, let alone his friend's questions that tried to pry every – last – detail out of him.

Gibbs watched as Tony hesitantly picked up the pill and popped it in his mouth, leaning his head back as he did so.

Tony very discreetly, had just tapped the pill against his teeth to make the noise actually throwing it back would make, and had leaned his head back the way he had seen a certain doctor do almost every episode of his show. Tony then hid the pill in his palm and stuffed his hands in his pockets, gently dropping the pill in his right pocket for later.

Tony laughed. "I feel just like Dr. House from House M.D., you know, the Vicodin-addicted yet brilliant diagnostician who's always popping back pills…" Tony trailed off with a goofy grin on his face, pretending to be entering a drug-induced state.

Tony was actually finishing his sentence in his head: "I just pulled a variation of House's technique in season 8's first episode 'Twenty Vicodin' where he pretended to swallow the Vicodin but gave it to his inmate instead."

Tony then grabbed the glass of water and drank it all in one big sip. He sighed appreciatively as he set the glass down.

"'K, boss, I'm gonna get goin' see ya at work." Tony turned around and began walking to Gibbs' front door when said boss' hand to the back of his head stopped him.

"I can't let you drive under the influence of painkillers, DiNozzo. I'm driving." Gibbs smiled as he shook his keys playfully in front of Tony's face and Tony's smile dropped.

When Tony and Gibbs made to NCIS, Tony felt as if his whole stomach was trying to exit his body through his throat at the same time.

Gibbs seemed to notice his discomfort so he silently offered Tony a hand out of the car.

Tony genuinely smiled.

He knew that a lot of people will offer you a hand out of a car if you don't look well, but it made him happy nonetheless. Gibbs was acting like a father caring for his son.

Tony would (probably) never admit it out loud, but he really did see Gibbs as a father. He didn't think Gibbs would ever consider him as a sort-of son, but he was content thinking of Gibbs as a father figure.

Tony accepted Gibbs' offered hand and followed Gibbs into the building with a smile on his face.

After a few seconds of standing in the elevator, Gibbs pulled the emergency stop and turned to face Tony. At Tony's raised eyebrow, Gibbs elaborated.

"I'm not stupid, DiNozzo, I know you didn't take your medication."

Tony sighed. He should have known he couldn't pull one over on Gibbs.

"Fine." Tony then actually swallowed the painkiller.

Gibbs indicated for Tony to show him his hands which Tony promptly did (after rolling his eyes, of couse).

Gibbs then nodded and started the elevator back up again.

Tony didn't realize how late they were until he walked into the bullpen and saw Ziva and McGee's heads shoot up and stare questioningly at the two agents who happened to arrive at the same time.

Tony just smiled as the effect of the drugs began to take hold of him.

"'ey guys," Tony giggled. "how was yoooour night?"

After Tony spoke, the two questioning looks changed from two to one as Ziva remembered a similar version of Tony. When he was high.

Ziva laughed a little and a few seconds later McGee remembered, too. They both exchanged glances then looked back to Tony as they watched in amusement as Tony attempted to unlock his desk drawer.

Ziva spoke, "Tony, you are aware that you lock that drawer, correct?"

Tony looked up at her in confusion and then grinned.

"Oh, yeah…aha!" Tony pulled out a key from his pocket and opened the drawer.

Suddenly, he forgot why he wanted to open that drawer in the first place. He just shrugged and started turning on his computer.

Somewhere in the recesses of his mind, he was aware of how annoying and long this day would turn out to be…

TBC

A/N: How was that? And okay, maybe I am just writing this (and probably the next) chapter because I find drugged/high!Tony SOFRICKINADORABLE…