A is for Appendicitis
Pushing the bedroom door open, the silver-haired man couldn’t help but grin at the sight of his lover sprawled out on the king-sized bed, his head pillowed on his arms. He pulled off his t-shirt, tossing it into the empty hamper before he climbed into the bed next to him, relaxing against the pillows.
He wanted to wake him up, though he ultimately decided against it. Tony hadn’t been feeling particularly well the past few days and he needed all the sleep he could get. Not that he’d ever admit it, but Gibbs was starting to get concerned. Releasing a quiet sigh, the older agent shifted on the mattress and reached over, wrapping his arm around Tony’s waist.
He could feel the warmth radiating off the younger man, his skin warm to the touch. His face turned down in a frown as he made a mental note to mention it to Duck first thing in the morning and with another quiet sigh, he pulled Tony against him.
He wasn’t expecting the strangled cry that escaped Tony and the sound startled him. He pulled away, pushing himself up as he looked over his lover carefully, searching for the source of his pain. His large, calloused hands moved over the Italian’s body slowly, poking and prodding until he found what he was looking for.
Tony’s breathing hitched as Gibbs’ hand ghosted over his right side, his fingertips barely brushing his feverish skin.
“Ah hell, DiNozzo,” the former Marine growled before he climbed out of the bed, snatching his discarded t-shirt out of the hamper before he tugged it down over his head. Stopping at the dresser, he grabbed a pair of jeans for himself and some comfortable sweats for Tony before he made his way back to the bed, kneeling down beside the ill man.
“Tony.” Reaching out, Gibbs rested his hand on his partner’s shoulder, shaking him gently. “DiNozzo.”
Tony’s hazel eyes fluttered open slowly and when he lifted his head, Gibbs could see that his cheeks were flushed an angry red color and his hair was matted down with sweat. “I don’t feel so good, boss.”
“Yeah, Tony. I can see that,” he sighed. “C’mon. Need you to sit up. Gotta get ya dressed.”
Tony rolled over onto his back without protest, though as Gibbs pulled up into a sitting position, he cried out again, doubling over in pain.
The older man sighed heavily and ran his hand over his lover’s back, trying to soothe him. Pulling the pair of sweatpants closer to him, he made an effort to hold the younger man up while trying to slip the flimsy pants over his hips.
“Don’ think I should go in t’day, boss. Not feelin’ good.”
“We’re goin’ to the hospital, not work,” Gibbs said, helping his partner to a semi-standing position. His concern was growing more by the minute, and his rising fever was beginning to cause him to be delusional.
“M’kay,” Tony mumbled, leaning heavily against the silver-haired man, trusting him completely.
“It’s not a damn discussion, DiNozzo. You’re going...” He trailed off suddenly, the Italian’s words finally making sense in his brain. Tony was actually volunteering to go to the hospital. Looking him over closely, he realized that something was seriously wrong.
Every step from the bedroom to the hallway seemed to be more excruciating than the last and by the time they’d reached the stairs, Tony was gasping for air, one arm wrapped around his middle, the other hand gripping Gibbs’ shoulder in an attempt to remain upright.
“Don’t make me go any farther, boss,” he managed, his body trembling. “Please don’t make me go any farther.”
“Gotta get you to the car. It’s just a few more steps.”
Tony groaned, cleaning his jaw as they finished the walk to the car. Gibbs helped him into the back, moving him to lay down on the seat.
Driving as quickly as he could without jostling his senior agent too much, it took them about fifteen minutes to reach the hospital.
“You okay?” He asked, parking the car and climbing out. Opening the back door, he helped his lover out as best he could without hurting him more.
“Don’t wanna go to work today, boss. Make McGee come in instead, huh? I’ll work on Saturday to make up for it.”
“Yeah, alright Tony,” the older man responded with a slight roll of his eyes. Wrapping his arm around the younger man’s waist, he pulled his arm around his neck, holding him up as they made their way to the entrance of the emergency room.
“Gibbs,” the Italian man gasped, the pain in his side intensifying. It had taken every ounce of strength he had to make it from the car to the entrance of the hospital and he wasn’t sure he had it in him to go any farther. “Please… Can’t walk anymore.”
“Not gonna have to,” he assured him as he spotted the empty wheelchair in the lobby. “Come on. Just a few more steps and you can sit down. You can do it.”
“Please don’t make me,” he pleaded, his voice strained. “Please, boss.”
“DiNozzo!” Gibbs barked, hating the way the man flinched. Contrary to popular belief, he wasn’t always the raging bastard that the rest of the team believed him to be, but right now, he was being exactly what Tony needed.
As expected, the younger man gritted his teeth and allowed his boss to guide him over to the wheelchair before he helped him into it.
He pushed him over to the nurses’ station and explained his lover’s problem. They sent an orderly out from the back to collect the Italian, though when Gibbs tried to follow him, the head nurse stopped him.
“Only family allowed in Emergency,” she said, her tone dull.
“I’m his next of kin. Says so in his file.”
“I’m sorry, sir.” She turned back to her paperwork and Gibbs started to argue with her when he felt Tony’s phone vibrating in his hand.
He flipped it open without looking at the caller ID. “Yeah, Gibbs.”
The caller hesitated, pulling the phone away from her ear and double checking the number she dialed. “Hey Gibbs! Why are you answering Tony’s phone? You two switch again on accident?”
“Abby? What’s goin’ on?”
“Nothing at all. Just calling to see if Tony was still coming out with me. We were supposed to meet up an hour ago.”
Gibbs hesitated, unsure of how much to tell her. He had a pretty good idea of what was wrong with his lover, but he wanted to be sure before he told anyone.
“He’s not gonna be able to make it tonight.”
“Aww, Gibbs! C’mon! I understand you wanna keep him tied to the bed all night and work out your frustrations on him, but�"“
Gibbs sighed loudly, interrupting her. “He’s in the hospital.”
She stopped, gasping. “He… what happened?”
“He’s just sick, Abby. Gettin’ him checked out.”
She released a sigh of relief, though when she spoke, the concern was still evident in her voice. “How’d you con him into going to the hospital? You know how much he hates that place.”
“Didn’t have to try too hard. He wasn’t exactly protestin’,” Gibbs responded, running his fingers through his hair. “I gotta go, Abs. Don’t worry about him, alright? He’ll be fine.”
He sighed, snapping the phone shut between his fingers quickly before he reopened it, dialing Ducky’s phone number. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other as he waited for the Medical Examiner to answer, sending a glare in the head nurse’s direction.
“Jethro!” Ducky greeted after a moment, his tone surprised. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”
“I need a favor, Duck.”
“Of course! What can I do for you this evening?”
“Had to bring DiNozzo down to the Emergency Room and apparently, being listed as the next of kin isn’t good enough for Nurse Ratched down here,” he said, narrowing his eyes at the bored look the nurse threw his way. “Need you to call one of your buddies and get me back there.”
“What on Earth is going on with Anthony?”
“Not sure yet. Just get me back there, huh?”
“I will certainly see what I can do. Is there anything else I can do for you?”
“We’ll be alright. Just see what you can do with the doctors.”
“Of course, Jethro. Keep me posted, will you?”
The agent grunted in response before he snapped his phone closed, offering the nurse another glare before he turned and stalked off for the waiting room.
The doors to the ER flew open about twenty minutes later, and Gibbs barely got a look at the flash of black and red before she was on him, wrapping him up in a bear hug. “Oh, Gibbs! Have you heard anything? Is he okay? I mean… he has to be okay, right? He’s Tony! He can’t die… oh my God… he’s not dying, is he?”
“Abby,” he sighed, peeling the Goth girl off of him. He offered her a tired look, rolling his eyes when she continued talking.
“I mean, I know he’s been a little sluggish the past few days, but he can’t just go getting sick like this! He has to ask your�"“
“ABBY!” He snapped, grabbing her by the shoulders to shake her lightly. “Sit! Be silent for just one minute. Please.”
“He is quite right, Abigail. You need to calm yourself. I’m sure the doctor will be out to speak with us soon enough.”
The both looked up as the Medical Examiner entered the waiting room, making his way over to them.
“Didja get a hold of anyone, Duck?” Gibbs asked, cringing at the needy tone in his voice. He was finding it more difficult to maintain his stone faced demeanor the longer he sat in the waiting room anticipating news about his lover.
Ducky sat down next to his oldest friend and patted his shoulder comfortingly. “I spoke to the doctor. Apparently, his appendix burst and now the infection is seeping into his abdominal cavity. That’s why he was in so much pain.”
The silver-haired man closed his eyes tightly, cursing his partner. “Damn him. Never takes care of himself until it’s too late.”
“Well, Jethro, you should not sound so surprised. You already knew this about him, though you are quite right. This could have all been treated with a course of antibiotics, though unfortunately, he’s going to require an appendectomy.”
Abby gasped, covering her mouth with her hands as she looked to Gibbs sadly. He pulled her close to him and tucked her head against his chest, listening to her quiet sniffles. Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to her head and whispered that everything would be just fine, though he wasn’t even sure he believed that himself. Relaxing as much as he could in the plastic chairs, he settled in with his two co-workers, waiting for any more news on Tony.
::::::
The second floor waiting room was quieter than downstairs, Abby observed as she leaned back in the chair, counting the ceiling tiles. Wasn’t as much traffic, especially this late, though the Goth found that she didn’t quite mind. To her left, the Duckman was snoozing, his glasses sliding down on his nose, his soft snores filling the otherwise silent room.
They’d been made to wait downstairs in the busy ER waiting room for one hour and forty six minutes before one of Ducky’s doctor friends had poked his head into the waiting room and assured them that Tony had made it through surgery just fine. He’d directed them to quieter waiting room upstairs where they only had to wait six minutes and fifty three seconds before a nurse came out to get Gibbs.
She tapped her feet impatiently on the linoleum floor, her heavy boots making a sound that reminded her of a bass drum. She couldn’t help but grin at the sound until the sound of the elevator dinging echoed through the hallway outside, effectively stealing her attention away from the rhythm her shoes were making. She watched as Kate, then McGee, stepped off the elevator and headed for the nurse’s station.
“Timmy!” She cried, jumping up from her seat and running toward him, startling the medical examiner awake. “What are you doing here? It’s late! You should be at home, in bed!”
The Goth hadn’t expected her boyfriend to show up, much less with Kate, who he must have called after she’d gotten off the phone with him nearly three hours earlier.
“I… uh, well…” He stuttered, searching for the words as Kate rolled her eyes.
“What did DiNozzo do to himself this time?” She asked, her voice irritated.
Abby turned and crushed herself against her friend in a hug before she pulled away, scowling at her. “He’s really sick, Kate! Don’t you care about him at all?”
The other woman faltered slightly, looking between McGee and Abby before she sighed. “What’s the matter with him?”
“His appendix ruptured! They had to do emergency surgery and take it out!”
“Is he alright?” McGee asked, running his hand down Abby’s pale arm reassuringly.
“The doctor said he made out okay in surgery, but we haven’t been allowed back there to see him yet. Gibbs is, though, and you know as long as he’s back there, Tony has no choice but to be okay. Gibbs would kick his ass if he wasn’t.”
“Hello Timothy… Caitlin,” Ducky greeted as he stepped out into the hallway to join the trio. “I was not expecting to see the two of you down here tonight, though I am most certain that Anthony will be pleased when he wakes up.”
----
“G… Gibbs?” Tony managed, his voice thick with sleep.
“I’m here, Tony,” he said, squeezing his lover’s hand gently. “How ya feelin’?”
“Tired. Where are we?”
“Hospital.”
“Wh… What happened?” He asked, the hesitancy in his voice making Gibbs frown.
“Your appendix burst. You had emergency surgery to take it out. You don’t�"“
“Excuse me, Agent Gibbs?” The doctor interrupted, poking his head inside the room with an apologetic smile. “Can I speak with you for a moment?”
The silver-haired man nodded before he turned back to his partner. “I’ll be right back, okay?”
“Please, don’t go. I don’t wanna be in here alone,” the Italian begged, gripping his partner’s hand tightly. “Please.”
The older man sighed, running his free hand through his hair. “I’ll see if Abs will come in and sit with ya.”
Tony eyed him sleepily for a moment before he reluctantly released his hand, dropping it back to the bed. “Okay,” he mumbled, watching as the agent left the room. He closed his eyes briefly, resting his head back against the pillow, when he was hit with a gentle hug that smelled faintly of gun powder. “Abby?” He asked, a slight smile forming on his lips as he forced his heavy eyes open.
“Of course it’s me, silly. Who else would hang out in a hospital all night for you? Besides Gibbs, of course,” she said, offering him a smile as she sank down in the recently vacated chair beside his bed, grasping his hand in hers. “You had us worried. How come you didn’t tell anyone that you weren’t feeling well?”
He didn’t respond as his eyes fluttered closed again, his hand still gripping her pale fingers in his. Settling back in the chair, Abby released a quiet sigh, watching her friend as he slept.
“Ah, Tonyboy. What the hell are we gonna do with you?”
::::::
**Three Days Later**
“Home sweet home,” Tony grinned as Gibbs pushed the front door open, helping him inside. “Man, I can’t tell you how great it is to be out of that damn hospital bed.”
Gibbs rolled his eyes, guiding his younger lover into the living room, though the slightest of smiles was tugging at the corners of his mouth. Though he’d never admit as much out loud, he was glad to have his partner back home as well. The house had been a little too quiet for his liking without the Italian around.
“Yeah well, you set one foot off the couch and you’re goin’ right back,” Gibbs warned as Tony lowered himself to comfortable cushions, groaning quietly as he pulled on his stitches.
“You wouldn’t really send me back, would ya boss?”
“Uh huh.”
“I’m hurt!”
“No, but you’re gonna be if you don’t stay put.”
Rolling his eyes at his boss’ threats, Tony leaned back against the arm of the couch, stretching out before he gazed up at the silver-haired agent expectantly.
“What?” Gibbs asked, cocking an eyebrow at him.
“Don’t I get a bell or something?”
“A bell?”
“Yeah! So I can ring if I need something! You know, like a pizza or maybe some help going to the bathroom or�"“
“No bell.”
“No bell?”
“Nope.”
“But boss! What am I supposed to do if I need something? You just told me I’m not allowed off the couch.”
“You need somethin’, then you ask.”
“But that would mean…” The Italian’s eyes lit up. “You’re gonna stay in here with me?”
“Uh huh.”
He watched Tony closely as he sat down on the couch next to him, allowing the younger man to rest his head on his lap. “So,” Tony grinned, glancing up at Gibbs. “Wanna watch a movie?”
“Whatever you wanna do, DiNozzo. We’ve got a few days.”
“You took off from work? For me?”
Gibbs cocked an eyebrow at him. “Well, I got all those vacation hours saved, who else am I gonna use ‘em on?”
He grinned brightly again, feeling better than he had in days, just knowing that someone cared. That Gibbs cared. They had been together for a few months, but no one outside of the immediate team knew about their relationship.
He didn’t exactly have a great track record when it came to feeling secure in his relationships, so to know that his lover was willing to take time off for him meant everything. Flipping through the channels until he found a movie he knew that Gibbs might actually enjoy, he closed his eyes and tried to make himself comfortable.
“You alright?” Gibbs asked, threading his fingers through the younger man’s hair slowly.
Tony turned into the touch, a small smile spreading across his face. “I’m fine. Just a little tired. And maybe a little hungry.”
“Not surprised,” Gibbs responded dryly, smirking down at the younger man.
“What are you hungry for?”
“You,” he grinned, stretching out lazily on the couch. “But I can’t imagine you’re gonna go for that right now, so I guess I can settle for a pizza. That okay with you?”
“Whatever you want, Tony,” Gibbs said, a genuine grin forming on his face. “Whatever you want.”
Story Notes:
A/N: After receiving such great reviews for our previously co-written fic Breakdown (posted under ShadowKitten701), we decided to try our hand at co-writing again and this was the outcome. This is the first of twenty-six one shots, all featuring everyone's favorite whumpee, Tony DiNozzo. Just don't forget to show your love after reading, as reviews make us want to write faster ;) -ShadowKitten701 & LizzieDiNozzo
Author's Chapter Notes:
A series of one shots, wherein Tony is whumped over and over and over and over again.
Chapter End Notes:
A/N: After receiving such great reviews for our previously co-written fic Breakdown (posted under ShadowKitten701), we decided to try our hand at co-writing again and this was the outcome. This is the first of twenty-six one shots, all featuring everyone's favorite whumpee, Tony DiNozzo. Just don't forget to show your love after reading, as reviews make us want to write faster ;) -ShadowKitten701 & LizzieDiNozzo