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"Gibbs! You have to come," Abby pleaded, batting her eyelashes at him.
Gibbs grunted.
"Everyone else will be there. You have to come too."
"I'm not big on parties, Abs."
"It's just a few drinks and some gifts, Gibbs. No one will bite you or give you speeches. I promise." Abby moved her fingers to touch the four parts of her body that symbolically formed a cross.
"No Santa?" The last time Gibbs went to a holiday party, he'd been forced to play Santa and he absolutely refused to repeat that experience.
"No Santa. It's just the team and their families."
"Fine, but I'm not coming alone," Gibbs announced.
"You're welcome to bring Jackson. He's always welcome at team events. You know that."
"I'm not bringing Jackson."
Abby blinked and widened her eyes in confusion. "Then who?"
"You'll see."
Abby shifted her face into a puppy dog look. "But Gibbs. How will I know what allergies they have if I don't know who's coming?"
"They'll be fine."
"How am I supposed to make sure there's enough food?"
"I'm only bringing one person, Abs."
Abby huffed. "It's not nice to keep secrets from Abby."
"You'll find out at the holiday party, Abs."
"Fine." Abby crossed her arms and pouted.
Gibbs shook his head and left her lab. He still had work to do and then he needed to figure out how to tell Fornell that they'd have to change their plans for that night. Normally, they kept that night reserved for their dates, which is why he'd tried to turn Abby down. Look how well that had turned out? He never could say no to her.
As he drove home, Gibbs wracked his brain for some way to make it up to Tobias. He knew Fornell really didn't like hanging out with his team. It wasn't that he disliked them. He just hated always being the butt of the jokes.
Despite Gibbs' best efforts to steer conversation to other topics it somehow always ends up being NCIS versus FBI at these kinds of events. He doesn't blame Tobias for not wanting to go. Heck if he could avoid them, he would.
He remembered Diane bribing him to go to work functions with her. He never expected to be doing the same with Fornell. There was a strange sort of irony there.
At least he knew Tobias wouldn't hold such functions over his head, unlike Diane who seemed to think that he should attend at least twice as many functions of hers as they did of his. Still Gibbs didn't want Fornell to be miserable. They needed a plan. There had to be some way to prevent it from becoming everyone else versus Tobias.
Maybe if he told the team they were dating? He didn't really like people being all up in his business, but he could make an exception this time. If it would make Tobias happy, he was willing to do a great many things.
Previously when he'd brought Fornell to functions, he'd made it seem like he was taking pity on him. Tobias hadn't liked that, but Gibbs hadn't know what else to say. Maybe if people thought Fornell was his date, which was the truth, they'd treat him better. He'd have to run the idea past Tobias and see what he thought.
He'd definitely need to plan a make up date on top of any requirements Fornell made to accompany him. Knowing the easiest way to charm Tobias involved food, Gibbs ordered his favorite pizza. As he waited for Fornell to arrive, Gibbs contemplated the best way to broach the holiday party.
The pizza arrived before Tobias did. Gibbs slid it into the oven to keep it warm while he waited. Fornell had texted earlier that the paperwork had taken longer to complete than it should and he'd be home a little late.
Gibbs didn't know how to ease into the subject. He was more of a rip off the bandage kind of man. He really didn't relish any part of this conversation. He just hoped that together they could find a solution that would make them both happy.
He hated making his partner miserable. There had to be a way for them to go to the team events and actually enjoy it, even though they'd both rather be doing anything else. Having Fornell by his side made a world of difference when it came to keeping his temper under control. Tobias just knew how to make him laugh and help him relax and have fun.
He wanted the rest of the extended MCRT to see how much Fornell meant to him. He wanted them to respect it, even though their opinions shouldn't matter in the slightest. He'd long outgrown other people's opinions and yet what the team thought of his partner mattered.
"Hi Honey, I'm home." Gibbs heard as the front door opened.
Gibbs snorted. "Are you trying to give Tony a run for his money with your movie references?"
"It's a classic, Jethro." Tobias stuck his nose up in the air in a haughty manner before freezing. "Do I smell pizza?"
"Indeed you do."
"Uh oh. What did you do this time?"
"Hey!" Gibbs protested. "Why does pizza mean I did something wrong?"
"Because it's what you buy when you want to appease me and are afraid I'll refuse whatever you're requesting."
Gibbs frowned. "Maybe I just wanted to do something nice for you."
"Sweet as that sentiment is, you and I both know that's not what is going on here. Now spill."
Gibbs huffed. "We need to reschedule our date."
"Case come up?"
"Nah. We're going to my team's holiday party."
"We're what?" Fornell gasped. "You know I hate stupid functions where you have to pretend to be polite even when everyone else is being assholes."
"You have my permission to give them hell right back. So what do you say?"
"Who all is going to be there?"
"I don't know. Abby made me go and I don't want to go alone. Please?" Gibbs begged.
Tobias closed his eyes and sighed. "Does she know I'm coming?"
"She knows I'm bringing someone. I didn't say who."
"Ok. Go get the pizza. I need a beer."
Gibbs followed Fornell into the kitchen. He let the other man grab a couple of beers from the fridge and only once he was out of the way did Gibbs pull the pizza out of the oven and carry it into the living room with plates. He set the pizza on the table and handed Tobias a plate. Fornell handed him a beer in exchange.
"So what's in it for me?"
Gibbs hummed. "What do you want?"
"A favor that I can call in, no questions asked, and you have to do whatever I want."
Gibbs raised an eyebrow. "That seems awfully specific. Just what are you planning, Tobias?"
"Don't worry about it. Also I pick the location of our next date, but you pay."
"Done." That was a lot cheaper than he expected to pay for the party.
"That was too easy. What's the matter, Jethro?"
"I've been tying myself in knots all day trying to figure out a way to make sure you're not ostracized at the party and that didn't even enter your mind, so I'll take it." Gibbs shrugged.
"Eh. I'm used to it by now. Though it would be nice if it wasn't everyone else versus me."
"I'm on your side. You know that," Gibbs assured.
"But your team doesn't."
"Do you want me to change that?"
Fornell narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"
"I could say you're my boyfriend. We could enter holding hands or with our arms wrapped around each other's middles or something."
"Oh God. You mean exchange hatred of me because I'm FBI for shovel talks from literally everyone? Yeah. No. I'll pass."
"Are you sure? I don't want you to feel like I'm ashamed of you."
"Look. Neither of us need to deal with the kind of career suicide that would result from the fall out of being considered gay. So unless you want to scream it to the world, I'm quite happy keeping our relationship just between the two of us and our friends."
"Fine by me. So what do we do about the holiday party?"
"It's just your team. You can side with me for once. You're not afraid of them, are you?"
"Of course not."
The day of the holiday party dawned and Gibbs nursed a beer as he waited for Fornell to appear. Abby had already pestered him a couple of times about where his date was. He kept telling her it wasn't a date, that it was just a friend, but she wasn't listening.
He kept his eyes glued to the door, barely responding to anyone who tried to talk to him. When he had to answer, he simply grunted. He smiled when Fornell finally stepped through Ducky's door.
"Thank God you're here," Gibbs murmured in Fornell's ear.
"What happened?"
"Everyone wants to talk to me and Abby is convinced I'm bringing a date."
"Aw. Can you not even handle your own team?"
Gibbs glared. "I'm still the boss."
"Uh huh. Keep telling yourself that."
"Abby one o'clock," Gibbs whispered.
Fornell raised an eyebrow and turned around to face the incoming Goth whirlwind.
"Gibbs! Gibbs! Gibbs! Where's your date?"
"I told you he was just a friend. He's right there." Gibbs tilted his head towards Tobias.
"You're dating Fornell?" Abby gasped.
Gibbs shook his head. "Still just friends, Abs."
"Mm. I don't think so. You brought him last year too. You tried to convince us you were taking pity on him, but no way would you pity someone two years in a row. You're totally dating.
Gibbs exchanged a rueful look with Tobias. He shrugged his shoulders as if to ask, "What can you do?"
Fornell huffed. "Clearly the cat is out of the bag now, but keep it quiet. We don't need the whole team to know. We're not exactly out."
"What?" Abby froze and stared at Tobias with a "deer in the headlights" look. "You mean I'm right?"
"Shh. We're not telling anyone, Abs," Gibbs reiterated.
"But why not? This is a joyous occasion, is it not?" Abby pouted.
"Just because you don't care about us dating, doesn't mean no one does, Abby." Fornell pointed out.
"That's stupid. If you're happy that's all that should matter." Abby huffed.
"I wish more people thought the way you did," Tobias muttered.
"Just keep in mind if you hurt Gibbs, I'll kill you and leave no evidence." Abby towered over Fornell in her six inch heels.
Tobias sighed. "I know."
"See that you don't hurt him." Abby stalked off towards Ducky.
Turning to Gibbs, Fornell wondered, "Why did I agree to come to this? Now I'm going to be hated for being in the FBI and dating you."
"It's not that bad. You still have me."
"I do, don't I?" Fornell grinned.
Gibbs shook his head. He knew he'd have to make it up to Tobias when they got home. It pleased him to know that at least one of the people he considered family knew the truth about him and Fornell.
He suspected it would make it around the rest of the party goers soon, but that was only for the better. They always complained when he kept secrets from them anyway. It would be nice to have it all out in the open. Maybe in the future these functions would be for his family and his team would invite Fornell on their own without him needing to bring him as his plus one. He looked forward to it.