Ducky pulled into the NCIS parking garage. Normally he would have continued on to the fourth floor where he usually parked but right now he was more interested in getting Tony’s blood to the lab, so he parked on the ground level. He got out of his car and was walking towards the entrance when it dawned on him that he had forgotten to get a list from Gibbs of what he would need. He’d been too lost in thought when he left young Anthony’s apartment.

"Doctor Mallard."

Ducky was slightly startled by the voice behind him and turned to see Director Sheppard heading towards him.

"Oh, hello, Director Sheppard."

"Sorry, Doctor, I didn’t mean to startle you."

"No, no, my dear, how can I help you?"

"Have you seen Special Agents Gibbs or DiNozzo?"

Ducky thought for a moment. He’d told Gibbs he would use discretion about what he told to whom, and this was one person who had no need of the full truth.

"Yes, I have as a matter of fact. I was going to call you after I stopped in at Abigail’s lab."

"Oh, really, and where are they?" She glossed over the fact he needed to talk to her.

"I am sorry, but right now I am not at liberty to say."

"Really? And why is that, Doctor?" the redhead questioned coolly, walking closer to the older British doctor.

"Doctor-patient confidentiality. I will also be removing them both from active duty for the time being."

"Doctor," she said warningly.

"Director Sheppard, again I am not at liberty to talk about them, but just so you know, they are safe and are being well taken care of. Other then that I do not know when they will return back to duty. Now, if you will please excuse me, I must see someone." Ducky smiled, tipped his hat and continued to walk towards the entrance to the building.

The director just stood there for a moment, then the ME heard her walk back to her car, her heels echoing in the cavernous structure, before getting into her car and pulling away as he entered the building.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Abby was in her lab looking into one of the microscopes. Chip was, more or less, sitting in the corner.

He moved to look at something.

"Nope," was all Abby said when he went to reach for something. She didn’t even have to look up from her microscope to know what he was doing as he reached for an evidence bag.

Chip went back to sitting on the stool where she had instructed him to remain. After a moment he tried again to get up.

"Ah-ah," she said, holding up one hand with her index finger out for him not to move.

"Ma’am."

Frustrated, Abby stopped what she was doing and looked at him. "What did we talk about?"

"That I was to sit here and not touch anything."

Abby smiled. "AND?"

"To stop calling you ma’am."

"Bingo." Abby Put her finger on her nose and pointed at Chip with the other hand. "And what were you doing wrong?"

"Moving and calling you ma’am."

"Right." Abby went back to the slides she had under the microscope. She was switching slides when she heard the doors to the lab open.

"Abigail, I need you to run these vials," Ducky said, reaching into his bag.

Abby stopped, turned and looked at him, brows drawn together in worry.

"Ducky, please tell me Tony is okay. Gibbs gave me some list."

"Good. I failed to remember getting the list for the things he might need."

"Ducky, what’s going on?"

Ducky looked at her, then looked at Chip. Chip, never slow on the uptake, took the hint.

"I’ll, um, be at lunch if anyone should need me," he said, getting up and heading for the door.

"Unlikely," Abby said as new lab tech left the room.

"Okay, Ducky, out with it. What’s Boss-man up to?"

"Abigail, that would be gossiping, and I will not be part of that."

Abby pouted as she took the vials of blood from Ducky, but she didn’t move, just stood there, pouty-face in place.

"Oh, all right. Anthony is rather ill, I’m afraid. The vials you have are his blood, and we need to find out what he has. I think it is just the flu, but with Tony and his compromised immune system from the Y Pestis, it could lead to more. I did hear something in his breath sounds, so we cannot be too careful. As for Jethro, he was taking care of the poor boy and, well, Tony kissed him and said he loved him."

"Right on. It’s about time. And what did Boss-man do?"

"Well, what could he do other than return the sentiment?"

Abby grinned. "Yes! So why couldn’t he run out and get the stuff himself?"

"As I said, Anthony kissed Jethro, and not knowing what is wrong with Anthony, I have place them both in quarantine."

"Was that really necessary?"

"Well," Ducky said innocently, "perhaps I prevaricated a bit."

"All right, Duck!"

"Now, when you go out for the things on his list-"

"I gave it to McGee," Abby said. "I’d just gotten trace off a victim and had to process ASAP."

"Oh, dear."

"What, Duck-man?"

"What did you tell Timothy?"

"Just that I needed a favor. I asked him if he could pick up the things on the list, then run over to Gibbs’ place and pick up some clothing. I thought he was going to burst a blood vessel when I asked him to go to Gibbs’ house. He looked like road kill," Abby said with a smile as she changed her gloves and began working on the blood for Ducky. "I should have the results in about thirty minutes."

"Thank you. How about I help you with the test. It might go faster that way."

"Tony’s that bad?" she questioned worriedly.

"He is not doing well, no. I would like to know what we’re dealing with so I can call any prescriptions into the pharmacy." Ducky put on a set of gloves and helped Abby work on the tests.

They both worked well together, each doing what needed to be done without having to say it. Chip had not come back from lunch yet. After about an hour the door opened and a nervous McGee walked in holding a duffle bag that said NCIS on the side.

"Will someone please tell me why I just had to grab Gibbs’ boxers out of his drawers?"

Abby smiled. She loved torturing Tim. He was just too cute when he was flustered.

"I was busy," she said with a smile.

McGee looked at Ducky. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes, Timothy, just a precautionary measure."

"Director Sheppard called me saying that Ziva and I are on desk duty till further notice."

"Yes, well, Jethro and Anthony will be a little busy with other things."

"Oh, um, okay," was all Tim got out. "I’d better go find Ziva and inform her as well."

"I believe she and the director are out together right now. I thought I saw her in the director’s car when she was pulling out of the garage," Ducky said, smiling.

McGee blinked. "Oh, okay, um I better, um, get back to my desk and get that report ready for Gibbs like he asked."

"Wise lad," Ducky said as McGee left the lab.

"Duck, I think we’re dealing with a very nasty version of the flu. Looks like it might be going into pneumonia." Abby’s face showed her worry over the results.

"Not to worry, Abigail. We can fix this. We caught it in time, and Tony is in good hands right now. Now that we know what we’re dealing with, we know how to stop it from going any further. I will call the correct medication in to the pharmacy and we will make young Anthony better. Then after he is better, he and Jethro will have a lot to talk about."

Ducky went over to the phone and called in the few drugs that they might need, then called upstairs to have McGee meet him in the garage, intending to get the food he had picked up from the store as well as Gibbs’ clothing.

In the parking garage McGee pulled his car next to Ducky’s and helped him put the many bag of groceries into the doctor’s car.

"Ducky, will you be able to carry all this stuff in by yourself?"

"I doubt it, dear boy. I think I will need help. Into the car, if you please."

"B-b-b-but, Ducky."

"Timothy, please get into the car. You are correct. I cannot take them all up without having to make several trips."

Ducky put the duffel bag with Gibbs clothes in the trunk of his car. McGee got into the car and they drove to the drug store. Ducky went in to get the meds he’d called in for Tony and anything else he thought Gibbs might need to look after the young man, then they were off again.

"Okay, my boy, when we get there you will help me take the bags up and then you will come back and wait in the car. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Doctor."

When they arrived at Tony’s apartment complex Tim took most of the bags. Ducky only had to bring up the duffel bag and the bag from the pharmacy. They rode the elevator up to Tony’s floor and carried the groceries to the door of his apartment.

"Just leave them here, Timothy, and I will be out shortly."

"Got it, Ducky."

Ducky waited till McGee had gotten back on the elevator before knocking on the door. He had to knock again, but eventually he heard the sounds of a lock being turned