Ducky looked at the covered naked man in the bed and the ex-Marine on the floor. Gibbs looked back at the ME, meeting Ducky’s eyes almost hesitantly. Ducky was struck by how much Gibbs resembled a dear caught in headlights, a look he never thought he’d see on his old friend’s face.

"Now, Anthony, what have you gotten into this time," Ducky said as he walked closer to the bed as Gibbs helped Tony settle more fully into the depths of the plush mattress.

"Boss, I love you," Tony said again.

Gibbs didn’t know what to say. He’d wanted to hear those words from the young man since that first day he’d walked into NCIS. Hell, even before that if he was truthful. He’d fallen for one Anthony DiNozzo the first time he’d seen him in Baltimore.

After Cait’s death Tony had said the words, but Gibbs had thought it was merely for the pizza he’d filched from night shift for his young agent. Abby and Ducky had insisted it was something altogether different, but he hadn’t believed them. Why would someone like Tony, young and handsome, a man who could have anyone he wanted, want a broken down ex-Marine with a bad attitude?

With Ducky looking on in amusement, Gibbs felt like he was in the spotlight in a crowded auditorium. The man he’d fallen for had now said the three magic words. Twice. And he’d kissed him. Okay, so it had been after Tony had thrown up and Gibbs had been too startled to participate, but it had still been a kiss.

"I-" Gibbs stopped and looked up at the doctor standing next to the bed, not really sure what to say, especially since Ducky had that look on his face, the look that said I know this will hurt but it’s good for you.

"Tell him, Jethro," Ducky whispered.

"I love you, too, Tony," Gibbs said, afraid to say it too loudly. He’d just said it. Out loud. He hadn’t really admitted it aloud to anyone, not even Ducky or Abby. Who would have thought three little words could make him sweat so much?

"Glad to hear it, Boss."

Tony was lying in the bed. Gibbs put a cool, wet cloth on his brow but stood up and got out of the way so Ducky could do his job.

Ducky was putting on latex gloves and peering at Tony over the top of his glasses. "Now let’s see what is the matter, Anthony," Ducky said as he got out his stethoscope.

Tony kept drifting in and out of consciousness, so Gibbs helped him sit up, propping him against the pillows.

"I’m fine, Ducky. You didn’t need to come."

"I will be the judge of that, if you please."

Tony shivered when Ducky put the cold stethoscope against his chest.

"Now take a deep breath."

Tony tried but started to cough. Ducky didn’t like what he heard in Tony’s chest.

"Again please," Ducky instructed, moving the piece of equipment over different parts of Tony’s chest, each time asking Tony to breathe. Then he moved to Tony’s back.

After he finished listening to Tony’s chest, Ducky touched the inside of his wrist to Tony’s forehead. His skin was still very warm to the touch, too warm. Ducky put a thermometer under Tony’s tongue, not even having to use a watch to know how long it needed to stay in. Tony’s temperature was back down to 102 now.

Gibbs was watching the older man’s face and the expressions he was making. It didn’t seem to be good thus far. He swallowed when Ducky took out a needle and a vial for taking blood.

Tony was semi-awake during the examination, and he became agitated when he saw what Ducky was doing. "No. No needles."

Gibbs slipped in behind Tony again, leaning him back against his own body, hand in the center of the lightly furred chest to hold him still. "Relax, DiNozzo."

His other hand began rubbing Tony’s back. The soothing circular motion seemed to help. Tony was sick, and it hurt Gibbs to see it. He couldn’t help but remember when Tony had been under the blue lamps with Y-Pestis. He’d wanted to hold Tony then but hadn’t been able to.

"Boss?"

"Yes, Tony."

"Don’t leave me."

"Not planning on it."

Tony relaxed when he heard the surety of Gibbs’ statement and put out an arm. Well it wasn’t so much that he put it out as it was that Ducky took the arm without Tony trying to fight him. Gibbs was grateful for the gentle way Ducky put a tourniquet around Tony’s arm and cleaned the area where his arm bent before carefully drawing two vials of blood.

"I will get these back to Abby and see what my young patient might have wrong with him."

"Ducky I don’t what this all over the office."

"Jethro, I will use the utmost discretion. Now, is there anything that you will be needing?"

Gibbs began moving out from behind Tony.

"Don’t go," Tony protested as Gibbs helped him lay back down.

"I’m just going into the other room to talk to Ducky. I’ll be right back," Gibbs promised, crouching beside the bed to put him on eye level with Tony as he gently wiped Tony’s brow again with the damp cloth.

"I’m not dying, am I?"

"I gave you an order a while back, and it still stands, so no, you’re not dying."

Gibbs looked at Ducky for reassurance, but the doctor was stone-faced, which worried him. He kissed Tony on the forehead before walking out of the room with the ME.

Gibbs pulled the door nearly closed before walking into the kitchen with Ducky.

"So…"

"I will know more once I get his blood work back, but for now I think he has a bad flu that might even turn into more if we haven’t caught it in time."

"Okay, now what?"

"Well, I will go back and have Abigail run the blood work for me, and then we will know more, but until then I would suggest you stay with the boy and look after him."

"Okay, sounds like a plan. I’ll just run down to the store and my place to pick up a few things."

"I am sorry, Jethro, but I cannot allow that."

Gibbs turned his patented glare on Ducky. "And why not, might I ask?"

"Well, far be it from me to judge about kissing the young man."

"I did not kiss him. He kissed me."

"Who kissed whom first is not what I’m talking about. The point is that you did kiss, and it is about time I might add."

"Ducky," Gibbs growled.

"All right, well since I am not sure what he has and you both just shared germs, I am putting you both under quarantine. You both must now stay here."

"Ducky," Gibbs said, walking over to the fridge and opening it. "If you haven’t noticed, there isn’t much to eat around here and nothing but beer to drink."

"That might be the case, but you are not going anywhere. If you make a list myself or someone else will stop and pick up the things you need and drop them off at the door. I do NOT want either of you to leave the apartment or have contact with anyone else for the time being. I don’t think it’s life threatening, but with Tony’s recent aliment it could lead to something a lot worse. I refuse to take any chances with either of you."

Gibbs was almost growling as he said, "And what do you plan on telling Jen?"

"I will inform our new Director that I have given you both medical leave till I feel that you’re well enough to come back to work."

"And how long is that?"

"Well, again I can’t say for sure till I get the blood work back and see what we are dealing with."

Gibbs was glaring again, but Ducky was not affected by it at all.

"I might also suggest that you use rubbing alcohol. It might help cool young Anthony down a bit."

Both men could hear Tony dry heaving again. Gibbs walked calmly back into the bedroom, even though he wanted to run to Tony’s side. He wouldn’t let his emotions for this man - the man he’d just told he loved - to overwhelm him while trying to look after the ill agent.

Damn, Leroy Jethro Gibbs had just told Tony DiNozzo that he loved him. He never thought he’d say that again, let alone to another man, but after three wives he thought he might have found the one person on this earth who could make him truly happy.

He wasn’t new to male love, but it wasn’t what he ran out and looked for. The only other time had been in boot camp with one of the drill sergeants. That man had introduced Gibbs to how much fun male love could be. Yes he’d participated in the standard circle jerks in high school but nothing had ever gone further than that. He’d thought about it with a few of them, but he’d never acted on those thoughts. Good Southern boys didn’t do things like that.

When he entered Tony’s room again, he saw the younger man moving slowly back against the pillows and lying down. Ducky was right behind him. Moving to the side of the bed, Gibbs took the pail from Tony and took it into the kitchen, quickly changing the liner, just in case. He didn’t think Tony had anything left in his stomach, but he didn’t want to take any chances, so the pail went back next to the bed.

"Boss."

"Yes?"

"Boss?" Tony said again, faintly.

Gibbs could see the unvoiced fear in the younger man’s green eyes and sat on the edge of the bed. "Tony you’re going to be fine. Ducky will take your blood back to the lab. Abby will run it and find out what’s wrong with you, besides the fact of never shutting up."

Gibbs smiled to soften the words. Tony smiled, too. It wasn’t often Gibbs said something like that teasingly.

"I’m not going anywhere. Ducky will take a list of things we might need and have someone drop them off."

"Good. I don’t want you to leave me."

"Not now, not ever."

Tony took Gibbs’ hand, curled up and fell asleep again. Gibbs tried to pull his hand free, but it wasn’t happening. Tony had it and wasn’t letting go.

"Okay, Ducky, now what?"

"Be there for him, Jethro. He needs you and always has I would venture to guess."

"Three ex-wives," Gibbs reminded him.

"Yes and only one Anthony to set you right. Now I am off, back to the lab."

"Thanks, Duck."

"Well it was my pleasure. It’s nice to work on a living person for once. I will see myself out." Ducky walked out of the room, put on his hat and coat and let himself out, locking the door to the apartment behind him.

Gibbs phone went off about 5 minutes later.

"Gibbs."

"Boss-man, you found Tony?"

"Yes, Abby, I did."

"And?"

"He is fine or rather he will be. I need a favor, Abs."

"Anything it’s yours."

"Good. Ducky left without getting a list of things I might need. I need you to make a list for me and please bring the things over to Tony’s. Seems I won’t be leaving for a few days."

"Gibbs, tell me the truth, is Tony okay?"

"Ducky will be there shortly and we’ll find out. For now take this down."

"Sure thing."

Gibbs gave her a list of food, adding rubbing alcohol since he wasn’t sure Tony had any. He then asked her to go by his house and pick up several changes of clothing for him.

Tony started to shake, his skin becoming clammy and sweaty.

"Abs, got to go."

Gibbs hung up the phone in his usual abrupt way, making Abby worry a little, but she would get the low down from Ducky when he returned to the lab.

Gibbs could hear Tony’s teeth chattering.

"Cold," Tony mumbled.

Gibbs knew Tony’s fever was finally breaking. Tony released his grip on Gibbs’ hand, instead wrapping his arms around himself in an attempt to get warm. Gibbs remembered seeing a throw in the living room, so he went out and got it, putting it over the thick comforter already covering Tony.

"Boss."

Tony was thrashing around, his breathing becoming erratic. If Gibbs hadn’t known better, he would have thought Tony was having a nightmare. What did he do now? He wasn’t used to caring for someone who was ill.

Gibbs put his hand on Tony’s forehead. It was cooler and sweaty. Tony was still shivering. Gibbs was still unsure what to do. The extra blanket didn’t seem to be helping. There was only one thing he could think of to warm Tony up. Undressing to his boxers, Gibbs lifted the covers and crawled into bed, pulling Tony back against him. Body heat was the best way he knew of to warm up someone, and Tony needed to be warmed up quickly. A survival trick he’d learned in the military.

Putting one arm under Tony’s neck and the other on Tony’s chest, right over his heart, Gibbs said, "I’m here, Tony."

That was all it took for Tony to stop thrashing about and relax. He was still shivering but he was more relaxed now, and Gibbs could almost feel the heat being leached off him.

"I’m not going anyplace, DiNozzo," Gibbs said, softly kissing the nape of Tony’s neck.

Being in such close proximity to the man he’s wanted for so long made Gibbs harden, but this wasn’t the time to act on that. There would be time for that later. First he and Tony would have to talk once he was better. For now his senior agent needed comforting.

Talking about the future would have to wait. He wasn’t about to have a conversation with Tony that would change both their lives until he was coherent. This was too important to him, to both of them.