Foundling

“You want me to what?” Tony practically yelled into the phone, drawing attention from the FBI agents around him especially Fornell. Tony rarely yelled and when he did it was usually an order to someone who was not responding fast enough.

“Please? It’s just for the night. If you can’t take him, we’ll have to turn him over to Child Protective Services.”

“We haven’t even had discussions about how we’re going to handle our child and you want me to take care of someone else’s kid?”

“I know you’ll be great with him. He already loves me and hey I can come by after things are wrapped up here and help you with him.”

“Gibbs.” Tony growled warningly.

“Please? I don’t want him to feel like a foundling. He has parents, but if he goes with CPS it will just confuse him and make him feel deserted or abandoned. Can you really do that to a child?” Normally, Gibbs wouldn’t beg though he’d never been above some manipulation if it got the end result he wanted, but Tony was different. Plus, he was hoping for an excuse to come over later.

“Fine. I’ll pick him up at NCIS after I get off work, but you’ll owe me.” Tony finished fiercely, a warning note in his voice.

“Thanks, Tony.” Gibbs hung up, a huge grin on his face.

Tony stared at the dial tone and shook his head. He wondered if he knew what he was getting himself into with Gibbs. He felt someone in his space and looked up, only to be confronted with Fornell’s ugly mug right in front of his face.

Tony stepped back. “Get your ugly mug out of my face, Fornell. Haven’t you heard of private space?”

Fornell ignored Tony, following Tony as Tony stepped away from him. “Gibbs is the baby’s father?” He pressed.

Nobody could say that Fornell wasn’t capable of putting two and two together, even if sometimes they disagreed about whether it equaled four or not.

Tony sighed. “Yes.”

Fornell grabbed Tony and dragged him into a conference room.

“Hey! Watch it with the manhandling,” Tony protested, shaking off Fornell's hands.

“When were you going to tell me that you were shacking up with Gibbs?”

“We aren’t shacking up. We had a one night stand that was it.”

“Pretty sure it’s more than that for Gibbs. He voluntarily shared an investigation with you. Now, he’s trying to get you to look after some kid. What’s next, marriage?”

“Isn’t that a little farfetched, even for you?” Tony pointed out.

“This is what you were keeping from me, isn’t it? Were you ever going to tell me Gibbs was the father?”

“What the hell does it matter to you who the father is? Were you planning to step up and offer to take over fatherly duties or something?” Tony demanded.

“No, but I think I have a right to know when you’re shacking up with my work rival.”

“Oh, get over yourself Fornell. We’re not shacking up. Our relationship has nothing to do with your rivalry with Gibbs. Now if that’s all, I have actual work to do since I actually have plans for the night, now.” Tony glared at Fornell.

When nothing else seemed forthcoming from Fornell, Tony turned and left, leaving Fornell gobsmacked behind him.