Killer Cold
It was blistering cold and Anthony DiNozzo was not a happy person. He had gone out for his morning run, only to have to stop after a mile because he couldn't breathe.
"Damn pneumonic plague," he thought to himself as he jogged back to his apartment, his chest tightening with every breath.
When he got to his apartment, Tony headed straight for the shower and turned the water on. He breathed deeply and let the steam fill his lungs and warm his body. He shed his running clothes and stepped under the hot water, wincing slightly as it pelted his body. That was when he started to cough. It was a deep, bone wracking cough that left Tony doubled over gasping for air. Once the coughing subsided Tiny gingerly stood up and shut the water off. He stepped out of the shower and dried himself off; making sure that he rubbed his hair vigorously. He debated on whether or not he should call in sick, but he knew that there was a slim chance of Gibbs believing that he was sick.
"Damn Jenny and her undercover assignment," Tony thought to himself as he dressed and then he shook his head. He had damned something twice already and he wasn't even at work it. It was shaping up t be a wonderful day for Tony DiNozzo.
Tony was late for work due to two more coughing attacks he had had while driving. They had been so bad that he had been forced to pull over and wait them out before he could drive again. Armed with a bottle of water and a pocket full of cough drops, Tony stepped off of the elevator. Ziva and McGee were already at their desks when Tony walked into the bullpen.
"You're late," Ziva commented without looking up.
"Had car trouble," Tony said, his voice sounding scratchier then he would have liked. "Where's the Boss?"
"MTAC," McGee piped up as he eyed Tony. "Are you okay, Tony?" McGee asked.
"I'm peachy, Probie," Tony snapped. "Back to work." McGee turned back to his computer but continued to watch Tony out of the corner of his eye.
"You're late, DiNozzo," Gibbs said as he walked down the stairs from the loft.
"Sorry, Boss," Tony said as he signed into his computer. "Car trouble." Gibbs just looked at Tony as he walked past him. "Honestly, Boss," Tony insisted as he took a sip of water. This was what alerted Gibbs that something wasn't right.
"Tony, my office, now," Gibbs said, walking back out of the bullpen. Tony sighed and grabbed his water. When he sighed he felt his chest contract and he heard himself wheeze a bit and he grimaced. He followed Gibbs to the elevator and stepped inside after him. Gibbs waited until the elevator began to move and then he flipped the emergency switch. The elevator jerked to a halt and the lights dimmed.
"Boss, I really did have car trouble," Tony began, but Gibbs held up his hand, stopping Tony.
"Relax," Gibbs said. "I wanted to make sure you were okay."
"I'm fine," Tony liked. Gibbs looked pointedly at the bottle of water in Tony's hand. "I really am fine, Boss, just a tickle."
"If you say so," Gibbs said, flipping the switch to turn the elevator back on.
"That's it?" Tony asked in amazement. He had been expecting to get reprimanded.
"That's it," Gibbs said as the elevator doors opened and he stepped out.
Ten minutes later, the bat signal flew. Gibbs's phone rang and he answered it. When he was done he tossed the keys to Tony who caught them and began gearing up.
"Dead sailor at a park in Georgetown," Gibbs said. Tony groaned internally, he had to go back outside. He had barely been able to run a mile and now they had to work a crime scene outside. His lungs were going to hurt.
When they reached the crime scene, Tony tried to stay in the truck as long as possible before Ziva came and rapped on the window.
"Tony, are you going to get out anytime soon?" Ziva asked. Tony rolled his eyes; made sure his bottle of water was in his pocket and hopped out of the truck. He was hit by a wall of freezing air and his first breath was painful. He stood there for a few moments, struggling to catch his breath. Ziva eyed him warily.
"Tony, are you okay?" Ziva asked. Tony nodded, unable to speak. When he finally caught his breath he grabbed his bag and camera and headed over to where the rest of the team was standing. Ducky was attempting to tale a liver temperature.
"I'm sorry, Jethro, but it's freezing out here. I can't seem to get a time of death," Ducky said, looking up at Gibbs from his squatted position over the body.
"It's okay, Duck. Can you tell me how he died?" Gibbs said, bending down next to Ducky.
"It appears that our sailor was shot, twice, double tap to the heart. Whoever did this knew what they were doing," Ducky said. McGee was standing above them snapping pictures. Tony continued to struggle with every breath for air as he took pictures of the surrounding area. Ziva was right behind him when he started seeing spots. Tony stopped and swayed, and this did not go unnoticed by Ziva.
"Tony, are you okay?" Ziva asked once again. This was the last thing that Tony heard before he gave into the blackness, still struggling for every breath.
Ziva watched as Tony swayed where he stood.
"Tony, are you okay?' Ziva asked. Tony didn't answer and then all of the sudden he fell backwards into Ziva. Ziva caught him and lowered him gently to the ground with hi head in her lap.
"Gibbs!" Ziva yelled. Gibbs came running over, took one look at the scene before him and whipped out his cell phone.
"This is Special Agent Gibbs. We have an agent down at Garden Park, ambulance requested," Gibbs said into the phone. "What happened?" Gibbs asked when he hung up the phone.
"I don't know. He didn't get out of the truck right away and when he did he looked like he couldn't breathe," Ziva said as she kept her fingers on Tony's barely beating pulse.
"Boss," McGee said jogging over. "The ambulance is here." The EMT's came up behind McGee and immediately began working on Tony. They put an oxygen mask over his face and took his vitals.
"Is anyone riding with him?" one of the EMT's asked. Ziva looked at Gibbs for permission.
"Go ahead," Gibbs said. "I'll lecture you later about rule number 12." Ziva looked at him funny but allowed the EMT's to lift Tony off of her lap and onto the stretcher and she followed them without so much as a backward glance.
A/N: So, once again, I had a beautiful brain child in class. This is seriously what I do to keep myself awake during lecture. Hope you like it! Chapter 2 will be up soon!!! Please press the little blue button!!!