Severed Connection- Chapter 3
AN: Thanks to all that reviewed. It is greatly appreciated.
Chapter 3
Tony spent the first two days of his break holed up in his apartment. He watched DVD’s and ate takeout. His cough was worsening as well as his breathing. A few times, he used his rescue inhaler that he needed intermittently since his bout with the Plague. He briefly considered calling Dr. Pitt, but he did not want to bother him during the holidays. Tony decided that if he still had the cough when he returned to work, that he would talk to Ducky and Brad.
He showered and dressed the morning of Christmas Eve. He felt like he was suffocating being cooped up in his apartment. He needed fresh air and he did have an errand to run. As he shut his door, he felt a slight wave of dizziness and breathlessness overcame him. He grabbed the wall to steady himself as a sheen of sweat appeared on his brow. He felt hot for a moment and stood there until he felt better. When the dizziness dissipated, he grabbed the bag he dropped and slowly made his way to his car.
*
Tony arrived at the Navy Yard twenty minutes later. He had a delivery to make and he wanted to get some work done. When the bullpen was quiet, it was the ideal time to catch up on paperwork.
He walked towards the security gate and smiled when he saw a familiar face. “Hey, Charlie.” Tony greeted.
“Tony!” The man responded. He was an older gentleman in his late sixties. He was former military and now worked security for the Yard. “Merry Christmas, kid.” Tony always smiled when he called him that.
“You know, Charlie,” Tony answered with a twinkle in his eye, “I am thirty-three you know. I’m hardly a kid.” He smirked. “I am a seasoned senior field agent.”
“Ah…compared to my old bones, you’re still a kid.” He gestured for him to sit down behind the security desk.
“You could still kick my ass though.” Tony added as he handed Charlie the bag he was carrying.
“That is true, kid.” Charlie smiled as he opened the gift bag. “You spoil me with these chocolates, Tony.”
“Merry Christmas.” The agent grinned widely. “This year it’s dark chocolate.”
“Yum. I’ll have to do extra sit ups.” He walked back towards a room. “Coffee?”
“Sure. Cream and sugar, thanks.” Tony responded as he sat down heavily. Charlie returned a few minutes later with the beverage and his own gift bag.
“Charlie, you know you didn’t have to…” Tony blushed slightly. He was never good about receiving gifts.
“Hush, and open it.” He commanded.
“Anyone ever tell you that marines are pushy?” He said jokingly as he opened the bag. “North by Northwest? Classic Hitchcock!” He said enthusiastically as he turned the DVD over. “I don’t have this one. Thanks a bunch…” Tony felt a tickle in his throat before he could finish. He went into a violent coughing fit. He dropped the film as he grabbed onto his chair to keep himself upright. It took him a minute to recover.
“You okay, Tony?” Charlie asked in a worried tone as he watched Tony sip at his coffee. He handed the film back to Tony. “Maybe you should get checked out or something.”
Tony shook his head and then answered in a raspy voice. “I’m okay. It’s just a little cough.” He took a few deep breaths.
“Doesn’t seem little to me, kid.” He looked worriedly upon Tony. “Go back home. Rest. Maybe call your teammates. I’m sure they wouldn’t want you to be sick with your history.”
“They’re all with their families.” Tony answered somberly, trying to hide the jealously in his voice. “Anyway, it’s just a cold. It’ll go away soon.” The senior agent gave him a weak smile.
“I don’t know, Tony. You should call Gibbs. Maybe you should spend the holiday with someone from your team. They could keep an eye on ya.”
Tony was silent but shrugged his shoulders. He didn’t often reveal his feelings, but Charlie was different. He never seemed to judge him; he was kind and they had become friends. They had been exchanging gifts for the last four years at Christmas time.
“I don’t want to bug them and honestly, I’m not sure they’d care anyway.” Tony looked down at his coffee cup.
“What do you mean? You’re team always seemed pretty tight.”
“It’s just…” He hesitated, afraid of sounding petty. “It sounds so high school, I know, but one of my teammates had this party recently and invited everyone but me. And they all kind of rubbed it in my face, you know?”
Charlie put his hand on Tony’s shoulder, “Hey. I’m sorry, Tony. That’s pretty rotten.”
Tony shrugged his shoulders again and stood. “Anyway, forget I said anything. Just call me Scrooge. Bah humbug!” Tony tried to joke. “Thanks for the DVD, Charlie. It was awful nice of you.” Tony smiled warmly. “I’m going to get some work done.”
Charlie stared at his young friend for a time. Tony was a stubborn one. “Take care of yourself, kid. Don’t work too hard.” He patted his shoulder. “I can’t wait to eat the chocolates. Maybe one day you’ll tell me where you get ’em.”
Tony smirked. “Not a chance. Where would the fun be in that?” Tony grabbed his gun and badge, waved goodbye, and headed slowly towards the bullpen.
TBC…
Continue to Chapter 4
Chapter 3
Tony spent the first two days of his break holed up in his apartment. He watched DVD’s and ate takeout. His cough was worsening as well as his breathing. A few times, he used his rescue inhaler that he needed intermittently since his bout with the Plague. He briefly considered calling Dr. Pitt, but he did not want to bother him during the holidays. Tony decided that if he still had the cough when he returned to work, that he would talk to Ducky and Brad.
He showered and dressed the morning of Christmas Eve. He felt like he was suffocating being cooped up in his apartment. He needed fresh air and he did have an errand to run. As he shut his door, he felt a slight wave of dizziness and breathlessness overcame him. He grabbed the wall to steady himself as a sheen of sweat appeared on his brow. He felt hot for a moment and stood there until he felt better. When the dizziness dissipated, he grabbed the bag he dropped and slowly made his way to his car.
*
Tony arrived at the Navy Yard twenty minutes later. He had a delivery to make and he wanted to get some work done. When the bullpen was quiet, it was the ideal time to catch up on paperwork.
He walked towards the security gate and smiled when he saw a familiar face. “Hey, Charlie.” Tony greeted.
“Tony!” The man responded. He was an older gentleman in his late sixties. He was former military and now worked security for the Yard. “Merry Christmas, kid.” Tony always smiled when he called him that.
“You know, Charlie,” Tony answered with a twinkle in his eye, “I am thirty-three you know. I’m hardly a kid.” He smirked. “I am a seasoned senior field agent.”
“Ah…compared to my old bones, you’re still a kid.” He gestured for him to sit down behind the security desk.
“You could still kick my ass though.” Tony added as he handed Charlie the bag he was carrying.
“That is true, kid.” Charlie smiled as he opened the gift bag. “You spoil me with these chocolates, Tony.”
“Merry Christmas.” The agent grinned widely. “This year it’s dark chocolate.”
“Yum. I’ll have to do extra sit ups.” He walked back towards a room. “Coffee?”
“Sure. Cream and sugar, thanks.” Tony responded as he sat down heavily. Charlie returned a few minutes later with the beverage and his own gift bag.
“Charlie, you know you didn’t have to…” Tony blushed slightly. He was never good about receiving gifts.
“Hush, and open it.” He commanded.
“Anyone ever tell you that marines are pushy?” He said jokingly as he opened the bag. “North by Northwest? Classic Hitchcock!” He said enthusiastically as he turned the DVD over. “I don’t have this one. Thanks a bunch…” Tony felt a tickle in his throat before he could finish. He went into a violent coughing fit. He dropped the film as he grabbed onto his chair to keep himself upright. It took him a minute to recover.
“You okay, Tony?” Charlie asked in a worried tone as he watched Tony sip at his coffee. He handed the film back to Tony. “Maybe you should get checked out or something.”
Tony shook his head and then answered in a raspy voice. “I’m okay. It’s just a little cough.” He took a few deep breaths.
“Doesn’t seem little to me, kid.” He looked worriedly upon Tony. “Go back home. Rest. Maybe call your teammates. I’m sure they wouldn’t want you to be sick with your history.”
“They’re all with their families.” Tony answered somberly, trying to hide the jealously in his voice. “Anyway, it’s just a cold. It’ll go away soon.” The senior agent gave him a weak smile.
“I don’t know, Tony. You should call Gibbs. Maybe you should spend the holiday with someone from your team. They could keep an eye on ya.”
Tony was silent but shrugged his shoulders. He didn’t often reveal his feelings, but Charlie was different. He never seemed to judge him; he was kind and they had become friends. They had been exchanging gifts for the last four years at Christmas time.
“I don’t want to bug them and honestly, I’m not sure they’d care anyway.” Tony looked down at his coffee cup.
“What do you mean? You’re team always seemed pretty tight.”
“It’s just…” He hesitated, afraid of sounding petty. “It sounds so high school, I know, but one of my teammates had this party recently and invited everyone but me. And they all kind of rubbed it in my face, you know?”
Charlie put his hand on Tony’s shoulder, “Hey. I’m sorry, Tony. That’s pretty rotten.”
Tony shrugged his shoulders again and stood. “Anyway, forget I said anything. Just call me Scrooge. Bah humbug!” Tony tried to joke. “Thanks for the DVD, Charlie. It was awful nice of you.” Tony smiled warmly. “I’m going to get some work done.”
Charlie stared at his young friend for a time. Tony was a stubborn one. “Take care of yourself, kid. Don’t work too hard.” He patted his shoulder. “I can’t wait to eat the chocolates. Maybe one day you’ll tell me where you get ’em.”
Tony smirked. “Not a chance. Where would the fun be in that?” Tony grabbed his gun and badge, waved goodbye, and headed slowly towards the bullpen.
TBC…
Continue to Chapter 4