**January 18thâ€"1645 Hours Gibbs' House**
Pulling up in front of the house, Gibbs shifted the car into park and released a quiet sigh as he sank back against the seat. It had been a long day filled with meetings with the director and reports that needed to be filed, and all afternoon, all he'd wanted was to get back home to his pregnant lover.
It hadn't been easy leaving Tony earlier that morning as he headed back to the office for the first time since the morning at the warehouse and as much as he pretended to dislike the younger agent's antics at the office, he had to admit that DiNozzo had been missed. Even McGee hadn't protested when Abby sat herself down at Tony's desk and started flinging spitballs at him and calling him 'Probie' in "honor of Tony," as she'd put it.
Climbing out of the car, he searched for the key to his front door as he walked up the stairs, inserting the key and unlocking it before pushing it open quietly. He wouldn't have been surprised to find the younger man asleep on the couch, but when he entered the living room, Tony was hugging a pillow to his chest, a deep frown on his face as he stared blankly at the TV.
"Tony?" He tried, slipping his gun into the safe next to the fireplace. A slight frown crossed his face when he didn't respond, and when he turned to face him, the Italian refused to meet his gaze. "What's the matter?"
A deep cough was forced from Tony's throat as he shook his head, choosing not to speak to the older man.
"Still pissed, huh?" He asked, sitting down and rubbing his lover's back gently.
"Nah," the younger man replied bitterly, pulling away from the comforting touch. "I love sittin' at home all day by myself with nothin' to do."
Sinking back against the couch, Gibbs released a quiet sigh and ran a hand over his face. "Don't start this right now. Until the cough is gone…"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," he spat, tossing the pillow to the floor before he pushed himself to his feet. He started for the kitchen, ignoring Gibbs when the older man called his name until he felt a large hand clamp down on his, stopping him in his tracks.
"Do not walk away from me, Tony."
"Let me go," he grumbled.
"Not until we talk. I know you're not happy about havin' to sit out for awhile, but I can't take any chances with you and the baby," he said, tugging the younger man back against his chest. "Try to see this from my side. Just this once."
For a moment, he was afraid that his younger lover was going to pull away, but after a second, he felt Tony sag against him and release a quiet sigh. "I'm bored here, Jet. There's nothin' for me to do here and I just… I'm bored."
"I know. But I'm not askin' for much longer. Just until we get that cough under control. You don't sound good and I don't wanna take any chances."
Turning in his older lover's arms, Tony released another sigh and dropped his head to Gibbs' shoulder. "This really sucks, y'know?"
"I know," Gibbs responded, resting a gentle hand against Tony's belly. "But it's not just you that you've gotta look out for now," he reminded him. "And that means you've gotta take better care of yourself."
"Which means you take the fun outta everything," he countered miserably before he pulled away.
"Where you goin'?"
"Back the couch where you left me to rot all day anyway." Offering his older lover a ghost of a smile, he pecked Gibbs' lips before he made his way back to the couch, sinking down onto the cushions with a quiet groan.
Gibbs shook his head and walked into the kitchen, grabbing a container of mint chocolate chip ice cream from the freezer, along with two spoons before he headed into the living room. Dropping down onto the couch beside his lover, he handed him a spoon and pulled the lid off the cardboard container.
"Ice cream?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow at the older man. "You tryin' to fatten me up?"
The older man shrugged, wrapping his arm around Tony's shoulders. "You gonna do somethin' about it if I am?"
"I'm pretty sure you've shown me that you can take me down without much an effort, so while I'm pregnant… no, I don't think I'll chance it."
The silver-haired man laughed, pressing a gentle kiss to his partner's temple. "Yeah. I had a feelin' you weren't gonna fight me on it."
Pulling the ice cream from the older man's hands, Tony offered him a broad grin. "You know what would go really good with this?"
"No clue, but I'm sure you're gonna tell me."
"Peanut butter. Go grab the jar from the cabinet?"
He wrinkled his nose in disgust, but rather than argue, Gibbs kissed him again and pushed himself to his feet. "Anything else while I'm up?"
"Mmm… I think I'll be good," he grinned. "But I wouldn't say no to pizza for dinner."
"No, DiNozzo, I bet you wouldn't," he laughed, shaking his head as he made his way into the kitchen.
"On second thought? Pickles too."
"Of course," Gibbs muttered, shaking his head as he laughed quietly to himself.
**January 19thâ€"0715 Hours**
Rolling over in the large bed, a quiet moan escaped Tony as he forced his heavy eyelids open. While he'd felt fine most of the previous day, his cough had returned full force during the night, leaving him feeling groggy and disoriented after such little sleep.
"Jet?" He called, his voice raspy and hoarse from the abuse his throat had taken.
"Right here," the older man responded, stepping out of the bathroom as he buttoned his shirt. "Y'okay?"
"Throat hurts," he managed, turning onto his side as he allowed his eyes to close again. "Water?"
"You got it," he promised, crossing the room to drop a gentle kiss to his lover's shaggy hair before he headed into the hallway. It wasn't long before he returned, glass of water in hand, frowning when he heard the hoarse coughs escaping the younger man.
Setting the glass on the table beside the bed, he perched himself on the edge of the mattress, rubbing Tony's back as he tried to catch his breath. "Easy," he coached, patting his shoulder gently. "Slow, deep breaths."
"'M… 'm tryin'," he managed, his long fingers gripping the sheets as he attempted to regain control of his lungs. "Water."
"Right here," Gibbs responded, plucking the glass from the stand and pressing it into his hand. "Small sips. Don't wanna choke yourself."
He said nothing as he sipped the water, allowing the cool liquid to soothe his aching throat, and once he'd had enough, he sank back down against the pillows, allowing his eyes to close once more.
"You okay now?"
Tony nodded, cringing slightly as he swallowed. Gibbs didn't like seeing his lover in pain and since he'd come home from the hospital, this was the worst he'd looked.
"You… you're gonna be late, Jet," he managed, forcing his eyes open to look at the older man. "'M fine."
He was taken by surprise with his partner's words. There hadn't been a day in the last week that Tony hadn't begged to go into work, and now, he wasn't putting up a fight at all. Needless to say, Gibbs' gut was on high alert.
"You sure? I can call out if you want me to."
"No, go on," he insisted, offering the silver-haired man a ghost of a smile. "Have a good day."
Leaning over, he pressed another kiss to Tony's shaggy brown hair before squeezing his shoulder gently. "You need anything, you call. Got it?"
Waving the older man off, Tony turned onto his side, tugging the heavy blankets up over his shoulders.
"Tony." There was a slight warning in the older man's tone as he reached over, shaking him gently. "You listenin' to me?"
"I got it," he groaned, shrugging away from the touch. "Jus' go, okay? 'M fine."
A scowl darkened Gibbs' face and he hesitated, though after a moment, he nodded and started for the door. "Sure you don't need anything before I go?"
The only response he received was another loud groan before Tony pulled the pillow over his head.
**1400 Hours- Squad Room*
Stepping off of the elevator with a loud sigh, Gibbs ran a hand over his tired face as he made his way over to his desk, cup of coffee in hand. It had been a long morning filled with finishing the pile of paperwork that had accumulated on his desk since he'd been out, though try as he might, he hadn't been able to take his mind off of Tony.
He'd figured the younger man had been exhausted from a long night spent coughing and gagging as he tried to clear his lungs of the infection that still lingered, but truth be told, he'd been expecting DiNozzo to call him up once he'd rested a little longer, demanding Gibbs to let him come in.
The morning had come and gone without so much as a peep from Tony and that bothered him more than he cared to admit.
Sinking down into his chair with a quiet groan, he dropped his phone onto the desk before taking a long sip of his coffee, releasing an appreciative sigh. Grabbing a file from the stack, he dropped it to the space in front of him and opened it up when the sound of his cell phone vibrating against the table caught his attention. Snatching it from its resting place, he flipped it open and held it to his hear, frowning when he heard the wet cough on the other end of the line.
"DiNozzo?"
It was another moment before Tony could speak, and when he could, he sounded awful. "Before you ask…" he trailed off, clearing his throat, "'m fine. Was just gonna see if you could pick up some ginger ale or somethin' on your way home."
"For what?"
"I've been hackin' up all this gooey shit and it's makin' me nauseous," he managed before he started coughing again, the sound making Gibbs wince.
"You need anything else?"
"No," was the short reply. "I… I'm gonna go, but don't forget the ginger ale, 'kay?" Before he could respond, Tony had disconnected the call.
Coffee forgotten, he pushed himself to his feet, grabbing his badge and weapon from the top drawer of his desk before nodding to McGee. "You're in charge this afternoon."
"Everything okay, Boss?" The younger man asked, a frown tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"Uh huh. Make it an early one and I'll see you both at 0800 tomorrow," he called over his shoulder as he made his way to the elevator, ignoring the concerned looks on both of his agents' faces.
**Gibbs House**
Tossing his cell phone to the floor beside the bed, Tony rolled onto his back, a quiet whimper escaping him as he reached for the blankets he'd kicked away just minutes earlier. His entire body ached from coughing and his throat was raw, making even swallowing painful. He wanted nothing more than to fall asleep and not wake up again until he was completely over the infection.
Closing his eyes, he willed sleep to come, praying for just a few hours of uninterrupted rest. Unfortunately, just as he was on the verge of slipping into what was sure to be a restless sleep, he heard the front door close followed by heavy footsteps on the stairs, pulling him back to the uncomfortable present.
"I told you I was fine," he called, his hoarse voice barely above a whisper, but he knew he'd been heard. He didn't bother to open his eyes when he heard the bedroom door open, nor did he bother to turn when the mattress sank just slightly under the weight of another body; everything hurt too much to move.
"You look like crap."
"Feel like it too," he sighed, forcing his eyes open to offer the older man a half-hearted glare. "You're s'pposed to be at work."
"I'm right where I need to be," Gibbs snorted. "Never shoulda left you here alone this morning anyway. Not lookin' and soundin' like that."
"'S just a cough."
"Sounds like someone's taken razor blades to your throat."
Smiling despite how crappy he felt, he turned onto his side, reaching for his partner. "'M glad you're home. Didn't want you to go anyway."
"Shoulda said somethin'," Gibbs growled, pressing a kiss to Tony's unruly hair before he pulled away, looking over him carefully. Though he really didn't look very well, Gibbs was pleased to see that his fever hadn't returned; according to Doctor Pitt, though the coughing was uncomfortable, as long as the fever stayed away, it wasn't an issue.
"You get my ginger ale?"
"Uh huh. Stomach still botherin' you?"
"'S'not too bad," he responded, a slight grin tugging on the corners of his mouth when he felt Gibbs' hand resting against his belly gently. "Just a little upset."
"I'll go get you somethin' to drink, see if that'll help settle it. Be right back."
He shifted against the mattress again as he watched his lover's retreating back, taking the opportunity to allow his eyes to slide shut. The moment was short lived though, and when his lover returned a few minutes later with his ginger ale, he was violently coughing once again.
"I'm here, Tony," Gibbs said, rubbing a gentle hand over his back as he coached the younger man, concern evident in his voice. "I'm right here."
The coughs subsided shortly thereafter, being replaced by heavy breathing and an erratic heart rate. "I hate this."
Not as much as I do, Gibbs thought to himself, leaning in to peck his lover's forehead. "I know, Tony. I know you do."
Pushing himself up into a sitting position, he accepted the glass of ginger ale from his partner's hand, a grateful moan escaping him as the cool liquid slid down his throat. "Thanks for takin' care of me, Jet."
Waving the younger man off, Gibbs waited until he finished his drink before he took the glass and returned it to the nightstand. "You need to get some rest."
"Can't. Feels like I'm suffocating every time I lay down."
"Then I guess we need to fix that, huh?" Tossing his own pillows to the floor, Gibbs kicked off his shoes and shifted on the bed to rest against the headboard, patting his chest in welcome.
"Gonna hurt your back sittin' like that," Tony frowned, though he allowed the older man to pull him closer.
"You let me worry about that," he responded, smirking when he felt Tony settling against his chest. "You just rest."
Breathing in the comforting scent of his older partner, Tony released a quiet sigh and allowed his eyes to close once more. "Love you, Jet."
"Love you too, Tony." Leaning his head back against the wall, Gibbs closed his eyes as he rubbed his hand over Tony's back comfortingly until he felt the younger man's breathing deepen, signaling that he had finally fallen asleep.
**January 24thâ€"1930 Hours Gibbs' House**
"Look at you!" Abby squealed as Tony pulled the front door open, a slight grin tugging on the corners of his mouth as she practically leapt forward, wrapping him in a tight hug. "Ugh, I feel like I haven't seen you in forever! Glad you decided to finally crawl out of the hermit cave."
"Blame him," he responded, gesturing to Gibbs who stood in the doorway of the living room, his arms crossed over his chest as he watched the pair. "He vetoed all my visitors."
"Had to get that infection cleared up first," the older man grunted, offering Abby a slight smirk. "Told you he was still alive and well."
"Well, the 'alive' part is right anyway," Tony responded. "The 'well' part depends on whether or not you remembered to bring the pizza."
"Like I could really forget with all those texts you sent me today," she snorted, slipping past him into the house. "Ziva's picking it up on her way over and Timmy's bringing the movies."
"You left McGeek in charge of the flicks? Are you nuts?"
"I gave him a very specific list," she assured him, a knowing smirk on her face. "And don't you dare think I missed that little belly you're sportin'. What are you tryin' to hide it for? I better get some pictures soon."
"I'm not hidin' anything," he responded, resting a hand gently against his stomach as he followed her into the living room before he sank down onto the couch with an appreciative groan. He grinned broadly when the slightly younger woman sank down next to him, cuddling up against his side, resting her head against his shoulder.
"I've missed you at work, you know. Timmy doesn't come down to see me during lunch like you do and Gibbs has been in a bad mood and I really can't wait until you come back. When are you coming back?"
"Monday," Gibbs responded. "I'm tired of comin' home and finding my fridge empty after work," he teased, smirking at the playful glare Tony threw his way.
"I can't help that your kid is always hungry."
"Sure, blame it on the baby."
Tony couldn't help but offer his lover a small smile, tugging Abby closer. "I haven't missed anything important, have I?"
"Of course not," she reassured him, reaching over to pat his knee gently. "You know I would have called if anything cool happened."
He grinned, opening his mouth to reply when there was another knock on the door, signaling McGee and Ziva's arrival.
He had to admit that he was happy Gibbs had suggested hosting a movie night for their coworkers, even if he had given him a hard time about cleaning the house up. The older man had been concerned about his senior agent's health and because of that, he'd made it clear that until the infection was gone, he was to have no visitors, much to the dismay of the younger, more sociable man.
He'd just started to push himself up to get the door when Gibbs waved him off. "You stay put. I've got it."
"Don't you try to confiscate that pizza, Jet," he warned, narrowing his eyes at his lover as the older man made his way to the front door, laughing quietly. "He's been threatenin' that all day."
"He wouldn't do that to you. Not while you're pregnant anyway," Abby grinned, reaching over to poke his side gently. "Just think about it… until you pop that kid out, you practically own Bossman. I hope you're taking advantage."
"Would I be me if I wasn't?" He asked with a smirk, dropping an arm around her shoulder before he pressed a kiss to the side of her head as McGee and Ziva stepped into the room, pizza and movies in hand. "Ah! Finally!"
"We have missed you too, Tony," Ziva greeted, offering her partner a bright smile.
"Yeah, yeah. I was talkin' about the pizza," he teased. "Open that baby up! I'm starvin'!"
"I think you'll live," Gibbs retorted dryly, accepting the pizza boxes from Ziva's hands before he motioned her to join her coworkers in the living room. "Go on. I'll grab a couple plates and then we'll eat."
"Hurry it up, Bossman. Your child is demanding food," Tony called, a playful grin on his face as Ziva settled onto his other side, leaning in to peck his cheek.
"It is good to see you back to your normal self. We have missed you."
"You have? All of you?" He asked, grinning over at McGee. "You too, Probie?"
"Yeah Tony… as much as I hate to say it, me too."
His grin widened as he shifted just slightly on the couch. "Well alright then. For that, I'll let you pick the first movie. Fix us up, McGeek!"
McGee rolled his eyes, though he didn't bother to hide the slight grin on his face as he deposited the movies onto the coffee table before selecting one. Setting it into the DVD player, he made his way back over to the chair and sank down into it as Gibbs returned, pizza and plates in hand.
**2345 Hoursâ€"Gibbs' House**
Tony groaned as he made a feeble attempt to shift against the pillows on the bed, a slight cough escaping him. Poking his head out of the bathroom, Gibbs cocked an eyebrow at his pregnant lover.
"Don't go makin' me change my mind about you goin' to work tomorrow, Tony," he teased, sticking his toothbrush back into his mouth and returning to the sink.
"I'm fine!"
"Your middle name is fine, DiNozzo."
"Hurry up in there so you can come back to bed and I'll show you just how fine I am."
"Trust me…" Gibbs smirked, walking back into the room and over to the bed. "I know how fine you are."
A playful growl escaped Tony as he reached for Gibbs, pulling him down against the mattress. He didn't wait for Gibbs to settle himself before he pulled him close, pressing a kiss to his lips. "Mmmm… Thank you for lettin' them come over tonight. I needed that, I think."
"I know," Gibbs responded, turning on his side to wrap an arm around Tony, pulling him closer. "Ya didn't have to ask though."
"I just wanted to make sure it was okay with you."
"It would have been. I know we haven't exactly made it official or anything, but I want you to think of this as your house too," Gibbs said, pressing feather light kisses along Tony's neck gently, one hand resting against his stomach. "Because it is… if you want it to be, anyway."
"Jet… are you…?"
"Shoulda done it awhile ago but I know how you are about needin' your space. Didn't want you to think I was rushin' things along because of this one," he grinned, leaning down to press a kiss to his slightly swollen belly. "But I want you here. All the time."
"Really? You… you really want me to move in here?"
For a brief moment, Gibbs debated headslapping his younger lover until he caught the completely bewildered look on his face. "Of course I do. I wouldn't have asked if I didn't really want it. Don't feel obligated, but I wanted you to know it wasâ€""
"I do," the younger man responded, and Gibbs was slightly surprised to hear the quiet waver in his voice. "I'm just… wasn't expecting that."
Leaning over, Gibbs captured his lips, smiling when he felt Tony wrap his arms around his neck, holding him tight. "Meant it when I said I love you," he mumbled against his lips.
"I love you too, Jet," he responded, pressing his face against his lover's neck, slightly embarrassed when he felt tears welling up in his eyes. "Damn hormones."
A quiet laugh escaped Gibbs as he pulled away, shifting slightly on the bed before patting his chest in welcome. "C'mon. You're gonna have a busy day tomorrow and you need to get some rest."
"Yes mother."
Reaching up, he tapped the back of Tony's head gently, laughing when he felt Tony laughing quietly before the younger man settled against him, resting his head against his chest. "Sleep well, Tony."
"You too, Boss," he said quietly, a grin on his face as he closed his eyes, willing sleep to come.
Chapter End Notes:
A/N: I'm back with another chapter! Thank you so so so much to everyone who's been reviewing. You guys have been so so amazing and it makes writing feel so much more fulfilling, knowing that people are you reading! Amazing! A big thanks to Kelley for all her help with this chap! I know you guys are probably gettin' tired of sick!Tony but you won't have to put up with much more, I promise! Please just don't forget to let me know what ya think when you're done reading!