Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS.

Hello, my fellow NCIS fans. First things first, thank you for all the reads/reviews/and faves! They make my day, they really do (which tells you that a) I don't have much to look forward to in a day or b) they mean that much to me! … and for the record, option "B" is right!). Anyways, I've been doing a lot of work on the story and I have big plans. So sit back, relax, and enjoy this chapter =)

Gibbs was lying on his couch, hands folded atop his chest. The ceiling, which he had been staring at for the past hour, was failing to lull him to sleep. This was ridiculous; Gibbs had not been sick in years, not since Kelly was a little girl. He was a grown man and yet here he was, plagued with such a childish disease.

And he felt like he was dying.

His head was pounding, his stomach threatening to rid itself of his morning coffees, and his back aching. To make it worse, his skin was so sensitive to touch that it hurt to lie still, much less move.

Trying not to scratch his already irritated skin, Gibbs closed his eyes and willed it all to be over.

Gibbs had finally fallen asleep but was woken hours later by Tony's voice whispering something.

"Shh! He's sleeping."

"Not anymore, DiNozzo."

Gibbs opened his eyes and sat up, bleary eyed.

"Sorry, Boss." Tony said, dropping an overnight bag on the chair in the corner.

"How are you feeling, Gibbs?" Abby asked, her own overnight bag (complete with a rather large skull keychain) slung over her shoulder and a bag of groceries in her hands.

"How do I look, Abbs?"

"Honestly? Like you were run over by a truck and I should know. I've seen what someone looks like when that's happened."

"Abby." Tony hissed in a scolding tone.

"What? He asked." She softened her tone. "Are you hungry, Gibbs?"

Gibbs shook his head.

"No."

"Do you want any meds?"

"No."

"Boss," Tony began. He knew of Gibbs' aversion to medication. He was a Marine, after all.

"This isn't going to end quickly. You're gonna be feeling under the weather for awhile. A couple of pills might help you make feel a little better, at least enough so you can get some decent sleep."

Gibbs sighed.

"Fine, give 'em here."

"I'll bring you a few with some juice in a few minutes. In the meantime, you should head up to bed."

"Why?"

"Because you're sick, Gibbs. And sick people go back to bed to rest."

"But Abby …"

"No buts, Gibbs. You're not in charge here. Think of it as a combat operation … there are rules and procedures that must be followed."

"Alright, alright. Geez, Abs."

Gibbs stood up slowly.

"You got it okay, Boss?"

Tony watched the man he most respected walk stiffly to the stairs.

"I'm fine, DiNozzo."

Abby and Tony exchanged a worried glance but neither moved to aid Gibbs; they valued their lives too much and figured something as small as stairs wasn't worth putting life on the line … there would be plenty of opportunities in the coming days when it mattered more.

Abby ventured into the kitchen and made some juice (orange, fresh squeezed) and opened a new bottle of pills.

"Coming?" she asked Tony, who was studying an intricate wood carving Gibbs had hanging on the wall.

"Nope."

"Wimp."

Following that comment, Tony had no choice but to roll his eyes and follow Abby up the stairs. No one, and I mean no one, called Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo a wimp and was not proved otherwise.

"Gibbs?" Abby called outside an open door in the hallway.

"Yeah, come in Abbs."

Abby rounded the corner.

"You too, DiNozzo."

Tony puckered his face before putting on a smile and rounding the corner behind Abby. Tony was surprised when he entered Gibbs' room. He had been expecting a room that met marine standards, right down to the hospital corners, but he was greeted by a room decorated with a woman's touch. Drapery covered the windows, lace doilies were on the dresser, and a hand-made quilt was folded at the end of the brass Queen sized bed, a plush duvet forming around Gibbs' shape. Tony continued staring as Abby went to the bedside.

"Here." She said sympathetically, handing him the juice before opening the bottle and handing him two pills.

While Gibbs winced as the orange juice stung his throat, Tony's eyes narrowed in on a wedding photo in a gold frame, sitting on what would've been a wife's bedside table. Gibbs looked considerably younger and his bride was undoubtedly Shannon. They were smiling in the sunlight, a brilliant backdrop of flowers making the dress blues and white dress stand out.

"She's beautiful, isn't she, DiNozzo?"

Tony tore his eyes from the photo and looked at Gibbs, who was wearing a small smile.

"Yeah, she is, Boss."

Gibbs leaned over and picked up the photo, stroking her cheek through the glass.

"She was always there to take care of me."

"I know we're not Shannon," Tony said after a moment. "But we're gonna make sure you're okay, Boss."

"I know, DiNozzo." Gibbs put the picture on his night stand instead of the opposite one. Gibbs kept looking at his young bride, her smile shining like the sun.

"You should get some sleep." Abby said, breaking the sentimental moment.

"Yeah, Abbs. I will. Thanks."

Abby and Tony left the room. When Tony turned around to switch off the light and pull the door closed, Gibbs had propped himself on his side, duvet pulled up close, and was still studying Shannon, a smile on his lips.

Well, what'd you think? Please feel free to correct me if I got any of the details surrounding Gibbs/Shannon wrong … I'm a fan but I haven't seen several episodes and Wikipedia only covers so much. Reviews are much appreciated (as are suggestions for some character moments … credit given, of course)!