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McGee is silent until they make it back to the sedan and Tony decides to wait him out.
It only takes a moment once they're both belted in, "Did you just say 'my husband?'"
"If I'd said my fiance I would have had to make another comment indicating I'm engaged to a man and it would have ruined the rapport I was trying to create."
"And lying doesn't?"
"It's not a lie, it's just a bit premature."
At a stop light he risks a glance at McGee and laughs at his shock, "Weren't you one of the ones pushing about this like five weeks ago?"
"And you basically told me I was crazy. It drove Abby right up the wall."
"And I knew if we didn't announce it I'd get to the bottom of the oh so subtle prodding about it."
McGee is silent for about a block before asking, "Who proposed?"
Tony laughs but doesn't answer.
~
Ziva checks that the master sargeant's partner is out of ear shot before asking, "Did you just say 'my husband?'"
Tony wants to laugh at the fact that McGee hasn't told her yet. Instead he shrugs, "He will be soon enough."
She forgets herself for a moment and demands, "Since when?"
"None of you nosy busy bodies need to know that."
A chuckle just behind her keeps Ziva from answering.
"I thought investigators were always nosy, Very Special Agent DiNozzo," Mr. Williams comments with amusement.
"It's the busy body bit that seems unique to my coworkers," Tony asserts as he leads Mr. Williams to the waiting car.
~
Abby's smirk tells him it's coming before she speaks. "Did you just say my husband?"
"As it happens no, I didn't."
"But you have been saying it."
"Sounds like you've got it all figured out."
"All except who proposed to who," Abby hints broadly.
He kisses her cheek as Gibbs often does, "I'm not telling you that, sweetheart."
"Aw, why not?" Abby demands with an edge of petulance.
"Because you're too gossipy. If we wanted the whole world to know the details I'd share, but we don't."
"We care about you so we care about the details."
"And your bet with Ducky?"
"A bet? Who said anything about a bet?"
Tony laughs as he leaves her lab.
~
Fornell chuckles as he walks up behind Tony and asks, "Did you just say my husband? You move fast."
Tony, after checking that they're alone, shrugs sheepishly, "Torrance and I are under cover on an identity theft scam that's turned violent."
"What did Jethro have to say about that?"
"I think he told Torrance that if he didn't have my back he'd be lucky to get a job as a mall cop afterwards."
"I meant about you marrying someone else."
"Given our engagement I doubt he's worried about it."
Fornell laughs, "He finally found his courage then?"
"Why are all of you so interested in who proposed to who?"
Fornell shrugs, "I enjoy winding Jethro up. As for your entourage I honestly don't know."
"I trust you can keep it to yourself that I did the proposing actually."
Fornell's curious expression amuses Tony into revealing, "He didn't want me to feel pressured and I got tired of waiting shortly before you all decided to butt in."
"Why all the denial then?"
"It's no one else's business," Gibbs declares matter of factly as he joins them.
Tony lets a quick smile stand in for the kiss he'd usually respond with, "But getting Bobby out of custody is your business boys, if we could move this along."
~
Before the nurse can respond to Tony's near frantic query Senior steps up behind him and asks, "Did you just say my husband?"
Tony spins around quickly, "Dad! What the hell happened?"
"Your partner was driving like a madman when some kid side swiped us. We hit a tree. I lost consciousness though the doctor says aside from the rather deep cut on my leg I'm alright."
Tony forces himself not to raise his voice, "How is Jethro?"
"Even if I'd thought to ask they wouldn't tell me anything."
He returns his attention to the nurse who smiles kindly, "What's your husband's full name?"
"Leroy Jethro Gibbs."
She glances from the file on her screen to his ID and back before responding, "He dislocated his shoulder and they want to rule out a concussion so he's in imaging on the fifth floor. First left and then the second right when you exit the elevator. They may keep you in the department's waiting room but you'll be allowed to sit with him as soon as it's safe to do so."
He doesn't notice Senior following until he asks, "So I missed the wedding?"
Tony startles, "What? No, we haven't even started planning yet. 'Husband ' is just quicker and easier to say than 'domestic partner whose medical power of attorney I hold' while also yielding better results."
"And this happens often enough that you know that?"
"We're both fairly likely to be hospitalized regularly, yeah." He almost sags with relief when he spots the orderly waiting for him. "Have a seat Dad, I may be a while."
~
"Did you just say my husband?" Gibbs asks without so much as opening his eyes.
"Close enough for government work," Tony mumbles before pushing his phone back across the bedside table. "Just that last little bit of paperwork to go."
Gibbs shifts his undamaged arm to pull Tony close, "You're the one insisting on all the pomp and circumstance."
"I'm only getting married once and I'd like to look back on it as a lovely celebration of our love and commitment to one another, not a mad dash to beat some ticking clock."
"As you wish."