~*~

Jethro looked at his doctor with a scowl, "What?"

The doctor sighed as he slipped off his glasses, "Every year Jethro we go through this."

"And every year there's nothing wrong," Jethro pointed out glaring at the doctor.

"Your death glares don't work on me," The doctor slipped on his glasses. "You know the drill - 12 hours Agent Gibbs no food, no water, and especially no coffee."

"But," Jethro eyes narrowed.

"Your appointment is at noon tomorrow so as of midnight tonight - nothing!" The doctor stood up. "And be nice to the nurses when you go in for the blood work."

Gibbs grabbed his coat gave one last parting glare and stormed out of the exam room. The doctor sighed once again, and headed down to the receptionists desk. "Sammy call Agent DiNozzo tell him Agent Gibbs is up for his yearly blood work."

Sammy's eyes went wide, "Oh Doc I just remember that I have to take the kids tomorrow to see …"

"Sammy you don't have any kids," The doctor looked at her. "And don't you dare tell any of the nurses he's coming in. I hid his appointment so there won't be a sudden case of the 'flu' going around tomorrow."

"I'll call Tony, and send him some flowers and chocolate with our apologies." Sammy muttered as she picked up the phone.

"Look on the bright side," The doctor smiled at her. "He was worse before Tony came into his life."

"Oh God, do I remember! Poor Nurse Halls is still going through therapy," Sammy shook her head.

~*~

"Thanks Sammy for the warning," Tony hung the phone up and slammed his head against his desk.

"What?" Kate asked.

"Guess what time of year it is?" Tony muttered into the desk.

Kate looked at her calendar, "NO! It's too soon, I swore it was next month. I'm not ready."

Tony looked up, "Well you better get ready."

"For what?" McGee asked innocently.

"Yearly physical," Kate looked over at Tony. "Well maybe if we're lucky there will be no case and you can keep him occupied until noon tomorrow."

Tony looked up at her, "I'm not that good."

"Oh come on," Kate's eyes pleaded. "He had half the building in tears or in hiding."

McGee looked at them horrified. "What is going on?"

"Told you, yearly physical," Kate looked at McGee. "Oh wait you weren't on the team then."

"What about the yearly physical?" McGee looked confused.

"What do you have to do for blood work, Probie?" Tony asked a patient look on his face.

"Fast for twelve hours," McGee answered.

"No food," Tony acted like he was talking to a five year old

"No water," Kate continued.

"No coffee," Tony finished.

McGee eyes went wide and he paled considerable, "Oh God."

"Exactly," Tony slammed his head against the table.

~*~

Everyone was quiet as the day winded down, they had been lucky so far no cases were pending and if their luck held out they wouldn't get one till one pm the next day. As fate would have it, they weren't so lucky.

"Gibbs," Jethro snarled into the phone.

The three agents all silently pleaded that it was not a case.

Gibbs slammed the phone down and stood up, "We got a case. Dead Marine found outside Alexandria."

Three weary agents gathered their things and headed for the van. The next sixteen hours were going to be hell.

~ Midnight ~

Gibbs reached for his coffee; he turned when he felt air. "DINOZZO!"

"Boss," Tony looked at him as he dumped the coffee.

"What the hell are you doing?" Gibbs growled.

Tony flinched but held firm, "It's midnight."

"And?!" Gibbs eyes narrowed at him.

"And your doctor called me," Tony smiled sweetly. "Nothing after midnight, your appointment is at noon tomorrow."

"We are on a case," Gibbs pointed out.

"And," Tony shrugged. "Look the sooner you get it over with the sooner we get to relax until next year."

Gibbs growled and walked towards his car. Tony yelled after him, "You won't find anything there. I cleaned it out." He watched Gibbs tense but he kept walking. "He's going to shoot me."

"Distract him," Kate smirked.

"At a crime scene?" Tony eyed her.

"It will be worth it to see McGee's expression." Kate looked over at the quivering agent. "He still thinks you're chasing woman."

"He doesn't have a clue," Tony smiled.

~ 2:00 am ~

"What do you have for me?" Gibbs growled as he walked into the morgue.

"Jethro," Ducky looked over at the agent. "This can wait till morning why don't you go home and relax."

"Ducky," Gibbs took a deep breath trying to relax.

"Jethro," Ducky pointed at his door. "Go home."

"Eight am, I expect a report," Jethro left.

"Thank God it's only once a year," Ducky looked down at the dead Marine. "You're lucky, I mean it's a shame you were killed, but at least you don't have to put up with a surly Marine coffee addict with no coffee."

~ 2:30 am ~

Gibbs walked into his darkened house, tired and agitated. He closed the front door, and was surprised when he was slammed against it. He reached for his gun, but it was pulled out of his holster and landed on the hallway table.

"No way am I letting an addict like you near a gun when your going through withdrawals," Tony's voice purred by his ear.

"Damn you," Gibbs growled. "I could have hurt you."

"You were distracted," Tony nuzzled his neck. "You shaking yet? The addiction taking hold of you."

"I'm not a drug addict," Gibbs tried to push Tony away, but Tony just slammed him back using the two extra inches of height to his advantage.

"Addict by definition is to surrender oneself habitually or compulsively to something, example caffeine." Tony kept nibbling on the exposed neck.

"Are you distracting me?" Gibbs voice softened as Tony's hand unbuttoned his shirt slipping it off along with his coat.

"Is it working?" Tony dropped to his knees kissing Jethro's stomach his hands working on his belt and pants.

"I'm just switching addictions," Gibbs moaned as Tony pulled out his hard and leaking member, swallowing it whole.

~ 7:00 am ~

"TONY!" Jethro yelled as he stood in his kitchen.

Tony walked into the kitchen buttoning up his shirt, "Hidden."

"What?" Jethro turned glaring at his lover.

"You were going to ask where the coffee maker and coffee were right?" Tony leaned against the wall, "Hidden."

"Tony, we're on a case…." Jethro hated the pleading tone in his voice.

"Five more hours," Tony held his hand up all fingers and thumb extended, "just five."
Jethro growled as he headed for the front door, "And I'm driving, don't want you stopping by anywhere to pick anything up."

~ 8:30 ~

"How much longer?" Kate asked frustrated beyond comprehension.

"Three hours and thirty minutes," Tony banged his head against the wall.

"Will we make it?" Kate leaned against the wall.

"We did last year," Tony closed his eyes.

"You also had kept him in bed till practically his appointment time," Kate glared at the agent.

"Don't yell at me," Tony glared back. "Not my fault some Marine got killed."

"Oh God here he comes," Kate stood away from the wall shoulders back. "Gibbs I got that report, it seems that our Marine was out with friends…"

"Anything useful, Agent Todd," Gibbs stood in front of the agents.

"He was last seen at a Starbucks," Kate informed him.

"Let's go," Gibbs headed for the elevator.

"Boss," Tony hesitated. "Maybe Kate and I should take this one."

"Get in the car DiNozzo!" Gibbs glared at them.

"I hate yearly physicals," Kate groaned under her breath.

~ 9:30 am - Starbucks ~

McGee looked at Tony, "This is just wrong."

"Yeah," Tony agreed. "Might as well take a drug addict to the dealer and hand him the needle."

"How much longer?" Kate asked as she walked by.

"Two and a half hours and counting," McGee answered.

"Hi, welcome to Starbucks can I take your order?" A chipper twenty year old college kid asked.

"Agent Gibbs with NCIS were you working two nights ago?" He asked tersely.

"No, but the manager was, let me get him for you," She smiled and called for the manager.

"Thomas Kenny, how can I help you?" Thomas asked with a small smile.

"Have you seen this man?" Gibbs asked holding up the autopsy photo.

"No," Thomas shook his head.

Gibbs eyed him, "He was in around closing time two days ago."

"Sorry, we get a lot of people around here," He smiled warmly.

"You sure," Gibbs stepped closer. "Take a closer look."

"Nope, sorry," Thomas stepped back. "Can I get you some free coffee?"

"NO!" All three voices rang out. Gibbs turned and stalked out of the store.

~ 10: 30 ~

"How long?" Kate asked as they sat at their desks.

"One hour thirty minutes," McGee answered as he slumped into his chair. "Where are Gibbs and Tony?"

"Shit," Kate ran off towards the break room, McGee a few feet behind her.

Tony stood between Gibbs and the coffee pot, and Gibbs had his weapon out pointing it at Tony. "Move Tony."

"Only one more hour," Tony pleaded.

"I can't concentrate on the case," Gibbs growled.

"Jethro put the gun down," Director Moore stood in the doorway.

Kate and McGee turned in shock, "Director Moore."

Gibbs dropped his arm, "Sir?"

"God I hate yearly physicals," Moore massaged the bridge of his nose. "Agent DiNozzo take Agent Gibbs to the doctors make him wait there tell they get their blood work done. Make them take extra just in case. Then for God sake get the man some coffee and find out who killed Captain Johnson."

~ Noon ~

"Oh God," The nurse looked at Gibbs. "If I had known you were coming I would have taken the day off."

Gibbs just growled as he threw his coat onto the chair and rolled his sleeve up, "Get this over with."

"You know you should consider a treatment program," The nurse pulled out the vials to be filled. "This addiction isn't healthy."

Gibbs squeezed the little ball and growled.

~ 12: 15 ~

Tony held up a Venti Starbucks coffee up to Gibbs as he walked out of the doctor's office. Gibbs took a deep whiff of it, and gulped down a few swallows. Tony shook his head and sighed with relief.

"Thank you," Gibbs gave him a small smile.

"It's nothing boss, self-preservation," Tony smiled at him laughing slightly.

"No, for putting up with me," Gibbs cocked his head slightly.

"I'm only here for the sex," Tony smirked.

Gibbs smacked him on the back of the head, "Let's get back and catch us a murderer."

~ 5:00 pm ~

"I can't believe it was the manager of the Starbucks that killed him," McGee shook his head, "Over a cup of coffee."

"Don't get between an addict and their drug," Tony smiled at Gibbs.

"Okay, everyone go home," Gibbs sipped his coffee as he walked out of the bullpen.

"He's going to be wired tonight," McGee turned off his computer. "Night guys," He walked off towards the stairs heading for the lab.

"He's right," Kate smiled at Tony, "Gibbs is going to be wired."

"I know," Tony smirked. "I love yearly physicals."