*** F L U ***

Summery: Someone gets sick, someone takes care. Story takes place around Abby's birthday.

Rating: K+ mostly ;-) ... and more T-ish towards the end

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story. Never did, never will.

A/N: This past winter sucked. I actually like snow, but this was a bit too much... so why not share it with our favorite characters, even though it means dragging out the nasty cold weather for a bit?

I know I have like too many open construction sites, but I'm giving this story a first priority, because it is written as a Birthday Prezzie for KellyRoxton. Happy Birthday, Kelly!

Beta: doomprincess01

Chapter 1

End of March.

Thursday morning, 5:30 a.m. 25°F.

When was this lousy winter going to end? They did have some nice warm days earlier this March, but a few days ago it had started freezing again at nights.

The chance of spending another weekend on surveillance made even Gibbs grumpier than usual.

Special Agent Gibbs had taken over all the nights and most of the days, with the other agents taking turns, being his partner during the different shifts. Vance had gotten impatient already, but Gibbs wasn't willing to give up. And he would eventually be proven correct.

The trap snapped shut. Finally. After eight days of stakeout, that also ruined a weekend, out in the cold, with much too little sleep and far too much coffee - for everyone but Gibbs, who never thought he was having too much coffee - the suspect had turned up at the only place he better should not have.

Guilty.

It had only been a question of time.

Having the guy confess wasn't a big deal and after everyone had finished their reports, Gibbs told them to call it a day and head for home. At that very moment, Director Vance entered the team's bullpen. After congratulating everyone on their patience and dedication, he noticed how everyone hesitated to follow Gibbs's permission to leave.

"You may go now," Vance confirmed their dismissal. In addition to that he told them, "Tomorrow is off as well."

"You mean..."

"A long..."

"Weekend...?" Three agents incredulously asked.

"I do," Vance told them, never taking his eyes from Gibbs.

"Yesssssssss!" Tony hissed and everyone quickly gathered their stuff to get out as fast as possible before Vance could possibly be able to change his mind.

"You look as if you need a day off as well, Special Agent Gibbs." Using Gibbs's official title had been the Director's full intention so as to underline his statement.

Gibbs gave Vance one of his famous stares, but it did not come across as convincing as it was meant to be. A dull headache was building up and he didn't even know where it was coming from. Nor was he able to remember when it had started.

That, along with the stiff neck from sitting in the damn car all day and night, was indeed making him wish to get away from the noisy busy office for a couple of hours.

He nevertheless shook his head. It wouldn't be as noisy now that his agents had left for home.

"Can't force you," Vance shrugged with resignation. Before leaving, he however told Gibbs, "But bear in mind that I won't assign you to a new case, either."

Half an hour later, when Director Vance left his office, heading toward MTAC, he noticed with satisfaction that Gibbs apparently had left as well. The stack of paper-work was gone, too.

-x-

Before heading home, Gibbs had paid a visit to Abby's lab to bring her a double dose of CafPow! caffeine. She was already working on some evidence from another team that was running short of a lab tech.

"Hey Gibbs! Looks like I'm not painting my walls next week," Abby greeted him.

She had repeatedly complained about how she didn't like the lusterless black color of the walls in her apartment. It absolutely needed refreshing. Maybe she would even choose a color other than black. One day, Gibbs had had enough. He finally succeeded in talking her into taking a week off. Abby, however, had continuously managed to find excuses and postpone her holiday.

"Paint 'em!" Gibbs was determined to not let it happen again this time.

"Can't." Abby shrugged.

"Can't?" Gibbs raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Sue...," Abby started to explain. Sue was the lab-tech Abby was filling in for.

Gibbs cut her short by giving her his famous "Gibbs-stare", making Abby wince. This time, it obviously had turned out exactly the way it used to. She didn't get this stare very often, so she knew he was absolutely serious.

"You take next week off and paint your damn walls or I'm not setting foot in your lab ever again."

She didn't really believe that he would be able to carry out his threat on her, but with Gibbs one could never be sure.

"You look like you could use some sleep, Gibbs," Abby tried to change the subject. She knew he could go with little or no sleep for days. They were sort of alike in that way and it wasn't just because of the caffeine. Their job was keeping them awake. Yet - on seldom occasions - even their systems called for a little rest.

He grinned back at her.

"I could give you an aroma-massage to relax from sitting in that car all night long for days. Or, 'all day long for nights'," Abby teased, enjoying her play on words. She loved to tease him all sorts of ways, but he always charmingly turned down her offers. It was just playful teasing. Neither of them was ever serious about it.

"See you Saturday night at eight," he said, kissing her cheek and leaving.

Saturday night was the night before Abby's birthday and the night of their annual ritual, when Gibbs would take Abby out for dinner. And he would take her out for dinner this Saturday night as well.

But for now, he would head home to spend the next hours reading through the reports. Afterwards, he would settle down in his basement, with a bottle of fine whiskey, to work on his boat.

For Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, working on his boat was tantamount to sleep.

So much for his plans...

tbc...