Abby made herself busy, fluffing another pillow and placing it carefully behind the small of Tony's back. "Is that any better?" she asked.

Tony flashed her a bright, winning smile. "Much better," he said. "Although my butt is still killing me, but—"

"If you continue to complain about your butt, I will kick it for you," Ziva said, smiling. It was a devious smile; Tony didn't doubt her at all. "Do not think I will not."

"I'll help," Gibbs said. Tony pretended to pout, even though he didn't mind. After all, the entire team, including Ducky and Jimmy Palmer, had taken the afternoon off work to get him home from the hospital and settled comfortably into the guest room of Gibbs' house. It was nice to know they cared.

Ducky and Jimmy had left when the doctor's pager had sounded, calling the pair to a crime scene. Ducky told Gibbs to call if there was anything "young Anthony" needed. "And as for you, young man," Ducky had said sternly, although his eyes still held a twinkle, "If something is wrong—and you know full well what I mean; this is not your first concussion—you tell Jethro immediately."

So Tony had promised and the ME and his assistant had said their goodbyes and left. Now the others were getting ready to do the same.

"Anything else I can get you, Tony?" Abby asked brightly. Tony shook his head.

"I'm good. McGee set up the TV, Ziva brought Matzo ball soup, you've played nursemaid and I'm about as comfortable as I'm going to get with three broken bones, a goose-egg, a concussion, a bruised tailbone, and a nasty poison ivy rash covering a third of my body," Tony said cheerfully. He liked to innumerate the list of injuries he'd sustained; all strung together like that, it almost sounded impressive. Abby smiled and kissed his cheek.

"Okie dokie. I've got to skitter back to the lab; one of the other teams has a few things I need to run before the day is over, and I kind of promised them I would be back today. Although, technically, it will still be "today" at 11:59 tonight-that's 23:59 to you, Gibbs-so I could stall longer, but considering the nature of the case-"

"Get back to the lab, Abs," Gibbs said, kissing her temple. "Don't worry; DiNozzo and I will be fine."

"I'd better head back with her, Boss," McGee said. Tony pretended to be wounded.

"Fleeing my presence already, Probie-wan-Kenobi?" he asked. "You liked me better as an eleven-year-old, didn't you?"

Tim actually cracked a grin. "You didn't pull one prank, Tony. Never called me "Probie" or "McGoogle," never glued my fingers to my keyboard. It was a nice break, I guess. But I'm glad to have you back."

Tony made a slightly mocking face. "Aaw, Probie, I always knew you'd miss my eccentricities if they were gone. I'm touched." He clasped his hands over his heart. Tim shook his head, a grin that was equal parts fond and exasperated on his face.

"I'm sure within a week, I'll be praying another knock on the head sends you back into the early eighties," Tim said, rolling his eyes.

"Count on it, Elf Lord," Tony said with a mocking wink.

"I'm out," Tim said, gathering his things. "You ready, Abby?"

"I will follow you as well," Ziva said to Tim. "There is some paperwork I need to finish from that last case."

"Follow him?" Tony said. "More like leave him in the dust, unless your driving underwent as drastic a change as my memory!"

Ziva rolled her eyes. "I was trying to be diplomatic, Tony. Do not make me kick your hairy butt." She flashed him a smile that was equal parts sexy and menacing, and headed for the door. McGee followed her, giving a small wave to Tony as he went. Abby stopped at the side of Tony's bed and gave his unbroken hand a gentle squeeze.

"You be good, Tony," she said with chipper sincerity.

"I'm always good," he said with an exaggerated wink.

"Yeah. Good at getting into trouble," Gibbs grumbled.

Abby smiled and leaned over to peck his cheek. "Well, if you're too good I'm sure Gibbs can think of a way to keep you in line."

Gibbs smirked and signed something at Abby that made her chuckle. She signed something back. "What does that mean?" Tony asked suspiciously.

"Behave yourself or you'll find out," Gibbs said deadpan, which made Abby giggle again. And with a little flutter of her fingers and a cheerful, "See you later Tony!" she left the room.

And then it was just Tony and Gibbs in the guest bedroom, and the silence was heavy after the flurry of activity the small room had held. Tony, as usual, felt compelled to fill it. "Well, Boss, you gonna tuck me in?" Tony asked, a little grin on his face. He waited for the head slap his cheeky little comment was begging for.

Gibbs looked at him for a moment, gave a little shake of his head, and grabbed the quilt from the foot of the bed. Tony felt his face heat when Gibbs matter-of-factly drew it up to his shoulders and settled it there with a rough pat. "There. Sleep," he ordered.

"I was kidding, Boss," he muttered sheepishly, burrowing under the blankets. He saw the sparkle in his boss' eye.

"I know," Gibbs replied mildly. He turned towards the door. "I'll wake you for supper."

"Pizza?" Tony said hopefully. Gibbs turned back, rolling his eyes.

"Only if you feel well enough to take Ducky's wrath for both of us. I got a stern lecture this afternoon about the role vegetables play in proper nutrition."

"Tomato sauce is a vegetable," Tony protested half-heartedly.

"Funny, this afternoon Duck made it clear that tomato sauce isn't a vegetable," Gibbs said dryly. Tony opened his mouth to protest but the look Gibbs shot his way changed his mind. He sighed and sank back into the covers. But after all that hospital food, a couple of slices of his favorite sure would have hit the spot.

"Now sleep," Gibbs ordered. His hand shot out and flicked the light switch, so the room was bathed in the dimming light filtering through the curtains.

"Boss?" Tony asked.

"You want the light on?" Gibbs asked, his hand hovering over the switch. Tony chuckled; that hadn't even occurred to him.

"No," he said. Then he paused. This was going to be awkward as hell. Gibbs hated apologies, and he wasn't big on expressions of gratitude, either. But he'd started, and Gibbs had turned now to face him, waiting with an indecipherable expression on his face. He plunged ahead.

"Thanks," he said softly, his voice serious. "For everything."

Gibbs' eyes roved over his face before connecting with his own. Tony could read the fondness Gibbs had for him in their depths, as well as a dose of exasperation. The former marine stepped to the side of the bed once more and briskly smacked him upside the head.

"Ow," Tony said, rubbing at his head for show, though it hadn't truly hurt. "What was that for?"

"You don't have to thank family for being family, DiNozzo," Gibbs said. "You know I've got your six. Now go to sleep before you find out what I signed to Abby."

"Okay, okay. Don't have to tell me twice." Tony closed his eyes. He sensed Gibbs leaving the room on silent feet.

And though he would have sworn he wasn't tired, it took mere minutes for him to drift into slumber.

They sat side by side on Gibbs' battered couch in companionable silence. Tony still looked tired to Gibbs' eagle eye, and he was sure that the man would sleep not long after dinner. Good. Ducky always did say it was the best medicine.

The doorbell rang. Gibbs stood.

"Is that Ducky?" Tony asked. "Because really, Boss, he looked me over like four hours ago. I'm fine."

Gibbs rolled his eyes as he headed for the door. He paid the pizza boy in silence and added a decent tip.

He carried the box into the living room and set it on the coffee table. Tony's face lit up. "I thought you said-"

"One more night of pizza won't kill ya," Gibbs said by way of explanation. "Not after 48 hours of nothing but green Jello." He sat at his teammate's side.

"But what about Ducky?" Tony asked, grabbing a slice from the cardboard box and taking a huge bite. "Mmmmm."

"You don't seem all that concerned," Gibbs pointed out dryly, taking a slice for himself. "Anyway, I'm not gonna mention it." He bit into the hot, cheesy slice and wondered if he had any Rolaids left in the house.

Tony took another bite and chewed. "I always knew you loved me Boss," he commented around the mouthful of melted cheese and tomato sauce.

Gibbs shook his head and forced back the smile trying to break through. Never doubt it, DiNozzo, he thought.

"Wouldn't want to have to train up a new senior field agent," he said, deadpan. "Barely got you housebroken after all this time."

"I resent that remark!" Tony said with a mock-glare.

"More like 'resemble' it," Gibbs countered. "You did break my boat."

"I was eleven, Boss. And Abby never said the basement was off limits."

"Blaming Abby? Bet she'd have something to say about that," Gibbs said, arching his eyebrow. Tony's eyes widened.

"You aren't gonna tell her I said that, are you Boss? Boss? You know if she kills me, you'll have to train a new senior field agent AND hide my body, right? Boss?"

Yeah, it was good to have Tony back.

THE END