Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS. I am merely playing with CBS's characters.

Hey everyone! So when I sat down to write my next story, I intended to write a Hunger Games fanfics but this is what started percolating out of my brain and into my fingers. A one-shot of a sick Ziva and nurse Tony … I did a bunch of research and such into their character histories and I refer to it but I'm not sure where in the series this would fall given what they know about each other. Just so ya know :) Enjoy!

Anthony DiNozzo sat at his desk early one Monday morning. The sun was barely up and yet he was already hard at work, catching up with some over-due paperwork. As time passed, the office slowly came to life as the elevator constantly dinged, computers were turned on, and stale coffee smells seeped from the break room.

"Morning, Tony." Tim greeted the senior field agent.

"McGee."

"You're here early." Tim placed his back-pack on the floor and switched his computer on. Tony responded without looking up.

"Reports."

Tim nodded his head to say he understood.

"Have you seen Ziva?"

Tony looked over to see the young agent's neat desk un-occupied.

"No. Have you heard from her?"

"Not since we left Friday. It's just so unlike her to be late."

"Are we talking about the same agent, McGee? Ziva is never late."

Tim's eyebrows knit together slightly.

"Should we call her?"

"Call who?" Gibb's strong voice joined the conversation as he strode into the bull pen.

"Morning, Boss." Tony said.

"Where is Agent David?"

"That's what we were wondering, Boss. She hasn't called in."

Gibbs sighed, slightly annoyed.

"Grab your gear. We'll stop by and pick her up on the way."

"Where are we going?" McGee asked as he slung his back-pack over his shoulder.

"Arlington National Cemetery. Dead Marine found there this morning."

"She's not answering." Tony snapped his cell phone closed in the apartment corridor. The three agents were standing outside Ziva's door, waiting for her to answer their knock.

"Do you have a key?" Gibbs asked.

"I don't think so, but I'll check." Tony pulled out his keys and began looking through them.

"Don't bother, DiNozzo." Gibbs took his own key ring and easily inserted one of the keys into the lock.

"Do you have my key on there, too?" Tony asked as he walked through the open door and looked around. He had only been to Ziva's once before and had forgotten how homey she had made her apartment.

"Ziva?" McGee called. Upon no answer he added, "I'll check the bathroom."

"I've got the bedroom." Tony walked down the hallway, past the guest bedroom and turned the knob on the closed door.

"Ziva? It's just me, Tony." Tony knew what could happen if he didn't give advanced warning of his entrance. The light from the hallway flooded into the dark bedroom and as Tony's eyes adjusted, he saw Ziva in bed.

"She's in here." He called out to his partners. Tony found the light switch and turned the overhead light on as Gibbs and McGee joined him. Ziva's eyes opened lazily at the light and once she saw her visitors, she allowed them to slip closed again.

"Ziva, can you here me?" Gibbs asked. She nodded slightly and closed her eyes tighter.

"DiNozzo, kill the light."

Tony flipped the switch as McGee found a lamp on the other side of the room.

"Ziva, you need to wake up."

With the softer light Ziva was able to open her eyes.

"I am sorry, Gibbs. I tried to call but my cell phone is dead and I couldn't make it to the telephone in the kitchen. I figured you would come and find me eventually."

"Well, we're predictable like that." Gibbs chuckled. "Can you tell me what's wrong?"

"I am dizzy." Ziva said. "And my head is pounding."

"Have you eaten anything?"

"No. I do not think I could hold anything down."

Gibbs laid a hand on his agent's forehead. McGee and Tony were watching with amazement at how paternal their leader was acting.

"You're burning up. Tony, get me a cool facecloth. McGee, get a glass of water for her."

The two men left the room and returned simultaneously. Ziva pushed herself up as far as she dared and took the glass with shaking hands before sipping the clear liquid.

"Thank you."

She lowered herself again, much to her relief, and sighed. Her eyes slid closed and it was clear that the little actions had exhausted the woman. Gibbs laid the compress on her forehead.

"Tony, stay with her."

"Got it, Boss."

"Come on, McGee."

Gibbs led the younger field agent out of the room and Tony heard the deadbolt click closed. He looked at his partner and sighed.

"Well, Ziva, I guess it's just you and me."

Ziva didn't respond, already haven fallen asleep. Tony crossed the room and turned off the lamp before leaving her to her fever-induced dreams.

When Ziva next woke, she had the strange sensation that she was not alone in her apartment. She had no recollection of retrieving a face cloth and she vaguely remembered Gibbs standing over her like a father did his daughter. Ziva slowly sat up, taking a deep breath as she closed her eyes momentarily. Collected, she swung her feet to the floor and stood up unsteadily. Tip-toeing to the door, she opened it a crack and listened. She could hear someone in the kitchen, banging cupboard doors and opening and closing the fridge. Out of habit, Ziva reached into her bedside table and retrieved her gun before creeping down the hallway. Her heart pounded in her chest, amplifying the pulse she felt in her temple. She paused at the corner and took a deep breath, trying desperately to gain control of her blurry vision.

"Who's there?" She demanded, turning the corner and holding her gun out in front of her. Tony spun around and put his hands in the air, surprised to be looking down the barrel of Ziva's firearm.

"Ziva, it's just me."

"Tony, what are you doing here?" Ziva exclaimed, lowering her weapon. Tony was standing in the middle of the kitchen, an apron tied around his waist and a towel over his shoulder. There was a frying pan on the stove, an egg in his hand, and a pot of black coffee brewing.

"Gibbs told me to stay with you. You weren't looking so hot this morning … and you're not looking much better now. Come, sit down."

Tony put down his raw breakfast and walked to her, taking the gun and switching on the safety before putting it down on the counter. He led her to the couch, where she sat and cradled her head in hands, her brown hair showering around her face. He sat in the armchair facing her.

"How're you feeling?"

Ziva smoothed back her hair.

"I have been better."

Tony grinned.

"Yeah, I bet you have. How long have you been sick?"

"Since Saturday night."

"Don't you think it might be time to call a doctor?"

"No. No doctor." Ziva's voice was firm. "I will be fine."

"Are you sure? Not even Ducky?"

"No."

Tony sighed, knowing he was not going to win this battle, at least not at the present moment.

"Are you hungry?"

Ziva shook her head.

"Thirsty?"

Again, Ziva refused.

"Do you want to take something?"

Finally, Ziva nodded and Tony stood up.

"In the bathroom."

Ziva answered the question before Tony had even asked. He nodded and ventured into the bathroom. He returned with a bottle of pills and a thermometer.

"Here." Tony handed the bottle to Ziva before getting her a glass of water.

"Open."

Tony held out the thermometer and Ziva accepted it and the two sat in silence while waiting for the device to signal its completion. Ziva pulled the small tube from her mouth, glanced at and groaned as she handed it to Tony. He whistled when he saw the number.

"You don't mess around, do you? 103.6. Ziva, you must feel awful."

"That is an understatement." Ziva said with a sigh. "I am going back to bed."

"Do you want anything?"

"Is it too much to ask you to shoot me and put me out of my misery?"

Tony chuckled.

"I'm afraid Gibbs would have my six if I did that. But I am going to call Ducky if your fever is still that high in a couple of hours."

Ziva just nodded and shuffled off to her bedroom, closing the door behind her.

Tony stood in Ziva's living room, thermometer still in hand. He wondered what he should do … call Gibbs? Call Ducky?

His problem ended up solving itself when the phone clipped to his belt began to vibrate. He set the thermometer on the table and answered it.

"DiNozzo."

"How is she?"

"Hard to say, Boss."

"Is she dead?"

"No."

"Then how is she, DiNozzo?"

"She's running a good sized fever. I gave her some meds but she won't eat or drink. She just went back to bed."

"Doctor?"

"Refuses to go to one. She didn't even want Ducky to come by."

"Well, she'll have to deal with it. I'll send Ducky over as soon as he's done the autopsy."

"Good call."

"Keep me updated."

"Will do, Boss."

Tony flipped his phone closed and sighed before going back to his breakfast.

Ziva tossed and turned under her blankets, throwing them off and pulling them back on and getting horribly tangled in the process. Her dreams were controlled by her raging fever and she soon found herself as a child, in the middle of a forest with her sister, Tali, holding her hand. Ziva looked up at the sky and then all around her, seeing nothing but trees.

"Are we lost?" Tali asked, gripping Ziva's hand.

"No. I'll get us out, don't worry."

Ziva began walking and she continued doing so for a long time. Unsure of what prompted the action, Ziva looked behind her and saw that Tali was no where to be seen. Panicked, the young Ziva began running back the way she had just come.

"Tali! Tali, where are you! Tali! TALI!"

Tony heard Ziva screaming her sister's name from the bedroom and set his coffee down in a rush, burning his hand in the process. He burst through the door and turned on the light. Ziva was thrashing around in her bed, hair sticking damply to her neck, still calling her sister's name.

"Ziva, wake up."

Tony sat on the edge of the bed and reached over to his co-worker, touching her shoulder with no avail.

"Ziva, it's only a dream. Wake up."

Tony shook her shoulder and Ziva jumped, her eyes flying open and her breathing heavy. She looked around and met Tony's concerned gaze.

"It was my sister. I lost my sister."

"It was only a dream."

"No, it was not. I was supposed to take care of her, Tony. My baby sister … I lost her."

Tony didn't know what to say. He knew how much Tali's death effected Ziva and he didn't have the words to comfort her. Yes, it was only a dream now but Ziva really had lost her sister one time in reality. Tony lowered his eyes to his hand, which was throbbing painfully.

"Tony, what did you do?"

Ziva had also looked at Tony's hand.

"I spilled my coffee when I heard you screaming."

"I am sorry. I think there is some first-aid cream in the bathroom."

"It's alright, I'll be fine."

Tony stretched out his good hand and laid it against Ziva's cheek.

"You, on the other hand, should drink something. Ducky will be by later and I can guarantee you he'll insist on liquids."

Ziva sighed.

"I will try but I make no promises as to if it stays down."

"I'll take my chances." Tony said with a smile before retrieving a glass of cool water. Ziva eyed it suspiciously but sipped at it and slowly drank most of the glass.

"Good." Tony said encouragingly, taking the cup from her. "You gonna try and get some more sleep?"

Ziva slumped back against her headboard and shook her head.

"I can't sleep anymore."

"Then what do you want to do?"

Tony's question caused a small smile to form on Ziva's lips.

"What?"

"I was just thinking. When I was sick as a child, my mother would sit with me and read me books. It was always book after book until my father came home. Then being sick became even worse."

"What do you mean?"

"Our father had no patience for illness. He was training me to be a Mossad agent, even as a child. Mossad agents do not get sick so neither did I, according to him. He expected me to do everything like I did when I was well. It usually was the source for loud arguments between my parents."

"That sounds rough."

"It was." Ziva admitted. "But I learned to ignore pain and illness. This is the first time I can remember calling in sick as an adult."

"Wow, that's quite a record."

"I suppose you can call it that." Ziva smiled before looking at Tony. "How did your parents make you feel better when you were sick?"

"Before my mother died, she would bundle me up on the couch and we would watch cartoons together. But after she died, I started looking after myself."

"You father never took care of you?"

"Let's just say he didn't have much of a bed-side manor. While I was still at home I just pushed through whatever was wrong with me. The less involved he had to be, the better. It wasn't until I went to boarding school that I started being sent to a doctor when I was sick but by that point, I was an expert at hiding it."

"I am sorry, Tony."

Tony shrugged.

"Like you, I learned to ignore pain and sickness."

There was a comfortable silence in the room that was broken by a doorbell.

"That must be Ducky." Tony got up and left, returning with Dr. Mallard in tow.

"Hello, Ziva."

"Hi, Ducky."

Ducky set his bag on the bed and opened it, looking for his thermometer. Tony cleared his throat.

"I'll be in the living room if you need me."

Ducky nodded as he uncapped the device and handed it to Ziva.

Tony sat in Ziva's living room, bouncing his foot as he waited for Ducky. After what felt like forever, Ducky came down the hall and Tony stood up.

"Well, Miss David is suffering from quite a case of the flu. The good news is that is should pass soon, if it is true she's been ill since Saturday."

"Is there anything we can do?"

"I'm afraid not. Only rest, fluids, and time will cure this. Are you going to be staying with her?"

"I thought you said it was just the flu."

"Oh, it is." Ducky assured the slightly panicked Tony. "I just don't want to leave her alone until her fever has broken."

"Well, I plan on staying."

"In that case, she requested that you go and see her before she goes to sleep again. I'll show myself out."

"Thanks, Ducky."

"Anytime, Anthony."

Ducky made for the door as Tony walked down the hallway to Ziva's bedroom.

"Can I get you anything?"

Ziva shook her head.

"No. I just wanted to say thank you for staying with me."

Tony smiled.

"I couldn't say no to Gibbs. Besides, there could be worse assignments."

"Like what?"

"He could've had me staying with McGee. Or worse, Abby. Between her coffin-bed and my fear of vampires, I'm not sure who would feel sicker – her or me."

Ziva chuckled.

"Get some sleep, Ziva. I'll be around if you need me."

"Thanks, Tony."

"Sweet dreams."

Tony turned off the light and quietly closed Ziva's bedroom door.

What do you think? A review is always appreciated …