Tony sickfic

Chapter 5

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 than 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 placed 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 favour. 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 roadkill," 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.