**Ice Queen/Meltdown**
**April 23, 2003 -- NCIS Headquarters**
Tony sank down into his desk chair and sighed heavily, dropping his head into his hands. They had just gotten back from their failed op in Cadiz, and he wasn't exactly feeling 100%. He didn't even see the blur of black and white until it was nearly on him, turning his chair just in time to catch it.
"Tony, you're home!" Abby cried, jumping into his arms and hugging him tightly.
"Yup. Sure am." He said, forcing a bright grin for the Forensic Scientist.
She pulled back slightly at the sound of his strained voice and frowned, looking him over closely. "You didn't get him, did you?"
Gibbs walked into the squad room and sat down at his desk, taking a sip of his cup of coffee. "Nope."
"Viv made sure of that." Tony grumbled, wrapping his arm around Abby's back when she perched herself on his lap.
"Well, that answers my next question then." The Goth said, looking over at the redhead's former desk. "Cleared her out fast."
"Had Dobbs clear out her desk." Gibbs said, glancing over at his agent. "Tony, you look like shit. Go home and get some sleep."
"I'm fine, Boss." He argued half-heartedly.
"Abby."
The Scientist reached up behind the Italian's head and slapped him, smirking when he jerked forward slightly. "Always listen to the Bossman, Tony."
He rubbed the back of his head, glaring at the woman on his lap playfully. "I'm fine! Just a little tired, that's all."
Abby cocked an eyebrow at him and shook her head. "Everyone gets sick, Tony. Except Gibbs. There's nothing wrong with admitting it, especially after the trip you guys just got back from."
"I'm not sick." Tony explained, frowning when his body let him down, releasing a deep-seated cough. "Okay, so I have a little cough. I'm fine though."
"DiNozzo. Home. Medicine. Am I gonna have to get Ducky involved?" Gibbs asked, fixing the younger man with a stern look.
"No..." He whined, nudging Abby gently off his lap.
"Abs." Gibbs said, motioning her over to him. Pulling a $20 out of his wallet, he handed it to her before signing. *Take him home, make sure he takes his meds. Buy some dinner for the two of you...something healthy, Abby. No pizza or Chinese.*
*Of course!* She grinned at him, leaning down and letting him kiss her cheek. "Come on, T. I'll drive you home. We can pick up some dinner on the way."
"Abby..." He said, resting his head on his desk. "I don't need a babysitter. Come on, Gibbs! Don't you trust me?"
"Nope."
Tony frowned at the simple response, watching as the older man started on his paperwork.
"DiNozzo!" Gibbs barked. "Go. Home. I'm not tellin' you again. You wanna be on desk duty for the next week?"
"Y...you wouldn't do that to me, Boss!"
Gibbs shrugged, looking back down at his paperwork, smirking to himself when Tony sighed and stood up, letting Abby help him into his jacket.
"Come on, Tony-boy! It'll be fun! We can watch a movie, eat some dinner..."
"Goody." He said, giving the silver-haired man a defeated look as the Goth pulled him out of the building.
**Later That Night -- Tony's Apartment**
"This is the worst movie ever." Abby complained as she elbowed Tony in the side. "I mean seriously. It's just a bad movie. Not even funny."
"It's not a bad movie." He argued, his voice slightly hoarse from coughing. "If you'd just give it a chance, then..."
"Give it a chance? Tony, it's almost over! It's a bad movie!"
Tony coughed deeply, rubbing his throat as if to alleviate the pain. "Evil Dead is a classic."
She snorted, pushing herself off the couch and heading into the kitchen to pick up his medicine. "Yeah. Classic crap."
"You...have no idea what you're talking about."
She shrugged, returning to the couch and sitting next to him again. "Maybe not. But I do know it's time for your medicine."
"I'm not taking that stuff. I'm fine."
"Yeah...'Fine' is your middle name." The Goth pushed the bottle into his hand and smiled sweetly at him. "Drink up."
"Abby, I swear to you, I am nothing more than a little jet lagged. I'll be good as new in the morning."
She frowned, looking up at him with her puppy-dog eyes. "You would really have me get in trouble with Gibbs because you didn't wanna take a sip of some medicine?"
Tony sighed, looking down at the bottle. "Just so you know, I'm doing this under duress." He tipped the bottle back and took a long drink before re-capping it.
"Aw, you want a safe word?"
"Very funny. Think I need one? You're the one into the bondage and stuff." He chuckled, coughing once again as he set the bottle on the table.
"You saying you wanna be tied up, T? I think that can be arranged."
"Re-he-eally?" He smirked, cocking an eyebrow at her.
She grinned. "Yeah. But...you still owe me dinner and I don't tie boys up on the first date without dinner first."
"Good thing we've had our first date already then, huh?"
Abby punched his shoulder gently, smiling when he cried out playfully. "I'm not sure that counted as a date."
"Well, then why'd you tie me to your headboard?" He smirked.
She leaned close to him and whispered in his ear, her breath tickling his neck. "Because you liked it."
He smiled, turning on her quickly and pinning her to the couch, her head resting against the pillows. "I did like it. But next time...it'll be your turn to get tied up."
She leaned up, kissing his lips quickly, surprising him into moving back. She chuckled, patting his knee. "There won't be a next time unless you take all your medicine, Tonyboy."
Standing up, she walked into the bedroom, glancing over her shoulder as she reached the door, winking at him. "You coming? I'm tired."
Tony stood up quickly, following after her before turning around halfway and going back to the living room, picking up the bottle of cough medicine.
Author's Chapter Notes:
A series of one-shots set between Nothing Like You and I and Forever and Always. Will go through episodes up to and including season 7.