Work Text:
Tony took a sip of his beer as he studied the other patrons of the bar. The Neon Rainbow wasn’t as busy tonight as he expected, but that could be because Halloween fell on a weekday; the bar had hosted its annual party the previous Saturday evening. Still, since it was Halloween tonight, most patrons were in costume of some sort. He had chosen Phantom of the Opera for himself.
He’d known about the party but had chosen to spend the evening watching old horror movies, accompanied by his old friends beer and popcorn. He had thought he’d be okay on his own, but midway through he had felt the now-familiar pangs of loneliness. He’d shut off the tv and headed to bed, ending up spending most of the night tossing and turning restlessly.
Sunday had been spent doing laundry and shopping for the few food staples he kept on hand. He actually found himself going to bed early and had woken Monday feeling rested and ready for what life threw at him. Mostly. If only the loneliness hadn’t persisted. It’s partly what had driven him to the Neon Rainbow this evening.
‘Get a grip, Anthony,’ he had chided himself. ‘You’ve been alone all your life so why is it a problem all of a sudden?’ But he knew why. Finally there was someone he wanted to spend time with, and not necessarily sweating up the sheets, though that would be... incredible. No... this person was special. Someone he could just be himself with, and that was a rare thing. Leroy Jethro Gibbs was not just any man though.
‘No, he’s the straight man you fell in love with, dumbass!’ he berated himself. With a sigh, he took another sip of beer.
“Pardon me if I’m intruding, but you look like you could use a friend,” a deep male voice said from behind him.
Tony turned slightly, eyeing the stranger. The man’s costume looked damned authentic. He thought it might be from World War II but he couldn’t be sure. Though not Tony’s usual type, the man was undeniably good looking. He was at least six foot two, with thick blond hair and captivating blue eyes, surrounded by laugh lines.
Realizing the man was waiting for him to respond, Tony cleared his throat. “Uh, I’m probably not the best company tonight.”
The other man shrugged in a self-deprecating manner, his expression wry. “You may not believe this, but I’m not either. I just figured if we sat together then folks would assume we were... together and maybe leave us alone.”
It made sense. Wanting to be polite, Tony held out his hand to introduce himself. “When I’m not playing the Phantom, I’m Tony.”
Fly-boy grinned, shaking his hand firmly. “Richard. Good to meet you.”
Hopping off the barstool, Tony led them to a table in a less brightly lit corner of the bar. They sat in silence for several minutes, nursing their drinks. Tony was surprised to find he was comfortable in the other man’s presence.
“If I may say so, you look as if you’ve lost your best friend.” Richard took a sip of his drink.
“It shows that clearly, huh?” Tony shook his head. “Not yet, but I will if I can’t get my head together.” He lapsed back into silence, relieved when Richard didn’t push.
A few minutes later, the opening strains to a new song caught Richard’s attention and he looked surprised, then pleased. Standing, he held out a hand to Tony.
“C’mon... let’s dance!”
Tony held up his hands in surrender as he shook his head. “No way, man. I may be bi, but I sure as hell don’t swing!”
The blond laughed, leaning forward to gently take Tony’s hand in his. Tugging just a little, he urged, “Come on! It’s easy, just follow me. Please?”
He looked so hopeful and happy that Tony found he couldn’t resist. Letting the other man pull him to his feet, he followed Richard to the dance floor. The man was a natural dancer and Tony found it easy to dance with him. Not to mention fun.
The song turned out to be a medley, with a longer playing time and both men were sweaty and laughing when they got back to their table.
“Want another drink?” Tony offered. “My turn.”
“That’d be great. Bourbon, please?” He reached for his pocket, missing the pained expression on Tony’s face.
“Put it away, I got it,” DiNozzo said, quickly making his way to the bar. He didn’t want Richard to see his reaction and question him. He really didn’t want it to lead to a discussion on Gibbs.
Richard was eyeing the dance floor keenly by the time Tony got back.
“Ready for another dance?” Tony asked, only partly serious.
“What? No.” His companion shook his head. “Just enjoying the view.”
They fell into easy conversation this time, with Tony talking about his days as a cop. He purposely left out the fact that he was a federal agent, preferring to keep that private.
Richard, as it turned out, was actually a pilot. He talked at length of how he loved to fly and what it was like up in the air but when Tony pressed for details of places he’d flown, the other man simply smiled and apologized.
“It’s classified, Tony. Can’t go into it.”
Before the moment got uncomfortable, the DJ switched to a slow song. This time Tony was the one on his feet, extending a hand to his partner.
Richard let him take the lead, and they danced cheek to cheek, arms wrapped around each other. It felt so incredibly good that for a few minutes Tony was able to forget what had driven him here tonight. The man holding him wasn’t his first choice, just as he knew he wasn’t Richard’s first choice. But sharing company definitely beat staying home wallowing.
As the song was drawing to a close, Richard whispered, “May I kiss you?”
Tony found himself charmed by the request. In his experience, very few guys asked. He nodded, even as he moved to accept the kiss.
It was almost chaste. Richard opened his mouth to deepen the kiss but didn’t take it further than that. It had been too long since Tony had been with someone and while he knew he wasn’t going home with Richard, there was a part of him that wanted to explore anyway.
He licked Richard’s bottom lip and the other man groaned, sucking Tony’s tongue into his mouth and stroking it with his own.
Aware that they were getting a bit too intense, Tony backed off, resting his forehead against his companion’s.
“Wow,” Richard whispered. “That was--”
Tony nodded. “Yeah.”
“Whoever he is, I envy him.”
DiNozzo didn’t try to play coy. After all, it had been clear from the start that he wasn’t here to pick someone up, suggesting his heart was already taken.
He couldn’t tell with Richard though. The man obviously wasn’t on the prowl, but he seemed to want companionship. Tony decided he could happily provide that tonight, for as long as the other man wanted him to stick around.
He and Richard retreated to their table once more, and as they were getting settled, Tony heard a yell from the back of the club by the restrooms. He saw a man with one hand clutching his bloody chest and the other hand holding a black mask. Out of the corner of his eye, Tony caught sight of a dark-haired man with a strawberry birthmark on his left cheek, quickly making his way down the hall. Never truly off duty, Tony recalled the bulletin they received from local LEO’s just yesterday regarding a serial rapist/murderer working the gay bars.
‘Just my luck I have to find him on my time!’ But DiNozzo pulled out his cell phone and tossed it to Richard.
“Speed dial #1,” he instructed. “Tell the guy who answers that I need back-up and give him our location.” Without waiting for his companion’s acknowledgment Tony took off after the suspect.
Tony poured all his focus on the chase. Years ago when he’d been playing ball there was a place he’d go in his head where he could just focus on the game, on the objective. That place still existed, and he used it to tune out all the distractions, knowing that right now he was the only one who could bring this creep down.
He heard running footsteps behind him but didn’t turn to see who had joined the chase. That was a surefire way of losing the suspect and Tony wasn’t about to do that. Then he heard Richards voice calling out a street location. He grinned ferally, realizing the other man had to be on the phone with Gibbs. Good... that meant that someone knew his location.
The knowledge gave him a burst of adrenaline and he poured on speed, tackling his prey to the ground. The man rolled, coming easily to his feet and Tony saw the glint of light off metal. Shit. Rule #9 was in effect 24/7 and he had one of his own knives on his person but he didn’t think it would be much help in this situation.
Calling on his years of sparring practice with both Gibbs and
Ziva, Tony feinted and dodged and got in as many good hits as he took. He felt the bite of the knife a couple of times but knew they weren’t serious.
Still, the intense fight after the long run had him winded and tiring fast. If Gibbs didn’t get here soon, Tony knew he’d be in serious trouble. He didn’t know where Richard was but found himself glad the other man was staying well back.
*** *** *** ***
Gibbs cursed DiNozzo’s ability to get into trouble just by breathing as he backed his Charger out of his driveway. Luckily Trick-or-Treat was long over at this hour but there were plenty of adults out and about, slowing his progress through the neighborhood. He honked his horn at a couple of them blocking the street, ignoring their yells and one-fingered salutes.
As he sped through the dark streets towards the bar in Dupont Circle, Tony’s friend - date? - was still on the line, giving him updates. Sounded like the man was running, following behind Tony.
Taking every shortcut and totally disregarding any speed limits, Gibbs’ only slowed for cars he couldn’t pass and intersections where he couldn’t see approaching traffic. As he got closer to the bar, traffic picked up and he was forced to slow down. Last thing he needed was to be delayed by a cop. His heart was threatening to hammer out of his chest. Tony had obviously seen someone, likely a suspect, and taken off in pursuit.
His blood ran cold, remembering the conversation with Tony just that morning about the serial rapist/murderer wanted by DC Metro police. The guy had been stalking bars and restaurants in Dupont Circle, and the first address given by Tony’s companion had been just off the Circle. What if Tony had stumbled across the suspect? That would be DiNozzo’s luck, and he was alone.
Okay, not totally alone since the guy on the phone was providing cross-street updates but Gibbs was willing to bet he was no cop or any kind of law enforcement official. And Gibbs couldn’t take the time to hang up and call for back-up either.
“You’d better be okay, DiNozzo,” he growled to the car. “‘Cause if not--”
The sentence went unfinished as he heard his unknown navigator shout out a street name even as he roared around the corner onto the block. His headlights picked out two figures grappling together further down the street.
Two revelers in garish costumes took that moment to step into the street mid-block and Gibbs had to stand on his brakes in order to avoid hitting them. They stared at him in shock and he rolled down his window to wave them on.
“Get the fuck out of my way!” he yelled. They were barely past his car before he hit the gas again.
He swore as he drove down the street. He no longer saw Tony and the suspect and that gave him a bad feeling. Slowing, he caught a glimpse of a man huddled on the pavement and he threw the gear shift into ‘park’ and bolted from the car. As he hit the sidewalk the breath left his body in a rush. He knew it was Tony because of the tux. His still unknown navigator had told him about it and he wondered at the time. Now it made sense.
“Tony,” he whispered harshly. Looking the opposite direction, he saw a man duck into an alley about a block away.
“Go,” Tony urged, moving to push himself to a sitting position. “Go, dammit! I’ll be okay. I swear to God, Gibbs... if you lose this guy--”
Figuring if Tony was able enough to yell at him, he wasn’t hurt too seriously, Gibbs ran back to the Charger and took off after the perp. The man had a head start and it was dark, but Gibbs was a former Marine who was pissed as hell at having his night disturbed, not to mention the injury to his Senior Field Agent.
In the end, Gibbs couldn’t say how he found the man. His gut led him down a dead-end alley where he parked and cautiously got out to look around. Spotting a door just barely ajar leading into an abandoned building, he could almost swear he heard someone behind him whisper “He’s through that door” but that couldn’t have been possible.
Trusting more in his gut than voices in his head, Gibbs went through the door. Only his well-honed reflexes kept him on his feet as the door was pushed back against him. He ducked and rolled into the room and just for a second, there was enough light in the room for him to spot his opponent and he took the shot.
Though Gibbs was trained to shoot to kill, he was well able to make a wounding shot. Part of him wanted the bastard dead for hurting Tony but he had no idea why DiNozzo had been chasing the man so he needed him alive, for now.
Ignoring the verbal insults being hurled his way by the man, Gibbs cuffed him and read him his rights before hauling him to his feet and marching him out to the Charger. His gut was screaming at him again, and this time it was tied in with DiNozzo.
*** *** *** ***
Tony blearily watched as Gibbs’ car sped away. Damn, he hadn’t even had a chance to tell the boss why he was chasing the guy. Well, when Gibbs caught the bastard and saw the strawberry birthmark, he’d know. They had discussed the case earlier that day even though it wasn’t one of theirs.
The fire in his side made him catch his breath. He knew he had mislead Gibbs about the severity of the wound, but he didn’t think he’d outright lied. At least, he hoped not!
Still, remaining conscious took effort he wasn’t sure he had left. He looked around for Richard, wondering when his companion had disappeared. God, I hope he’s okay! He liked the man, and wouldn’t mind seeing him again.
Tony closed his eyes, finding it harder and harder to fight the rapidly growing weariness. He knew it was a sign of dangerous blood loss. If he had his phone, he might have called for an ambulance. But Richard had his phone. Dammit.
‘Hold on, Tony... can you do that for me?’ It was a woman’s voice, soft but strong. For a half-second he thought it was his mother, but her voice had been less melodic. Wasn’t Kate either, nothing soft about her.
He opened his eyes, looking around. He blinked lazily, trying to focus his gaze on the nebulous haze next to him. Tony reached out, but he didn’t have the strength to maintain and gravity reclaimed his arm, pulling it back down.
‘Fight, Anthony,’ she insisted, her only sign of agitation in the wringing of her hands. ‘You have to fight this. You’re so close to the edge, and the timing--’
“Who-- who are you?” he whispered.
She smiled, and her features became a little clearer. ‘You know me, even if you think you don’t.’
Tony struggled to place the voice -- he paid attention to voices usually, but this one escaped him entirely. Blinking again, he took another look and could just make out long red hair. He didn’t know any redheads-- Wait. Not HIS redhead! But someone close to him...
“Shannon,” he gasped, adrenaline sending a rush through his system.
She nodded. ‘Couldn’t leave you on your own, Tony. Too many souls would be only too happy for you to cross over, and not all of them welcoming. But Jethro needs you. So you can’t give up, you hear me? You have to fight. I know you’re tired but you just have to hang on a little longer. He’s on his way back now.”
Tony swallowed thickly. He wished he believed her but he wasn’t convinced that this wasn’t some addled delusion brought on by blood loss.
His eyes popped open when he felt a whisper of touch at the back of his head. It almost felt like... a Gibbs-smack? That couldn’t be possible.
‘Tony, it doesn’t matter whether you believe I’m real or not,’ Shannon said. ‘What matters is that you know you have something, someone, to hang on for. And you do. I promise you that if you just give Jethro a little more time that your patience will pay off. Can you trust me on that?’
DiNozzo curled around the pain in his side, unable to answer. The blood was pounding in his ears and he knew he was about to pass out. A familiar bark kept him just this edge of consciousness.
“DiNozzo!” Strong hands moved the tuxedo jacket aside and a gruff but welcome voice swore a string of curses that might have impressed Tony if he had been more aware.
He drifted, aware of hands on him, moving him and he fought them, not sure now where he was or who had him.
A familiar gruff voice whispered in his ear to relax, take it easy, and he knew he trusted the speaker with his life. He recognized the feeling of breathing through an oxygen mask and realized he must be in an ambulance. A hand squeezed his and he looked over to see Gibbs seated next to him.
"Shannon," Tony whispered, pulling at the mask.
Gibbs grasped Tony's hand, holding onto it and with his free hand, re-settling the mask. "Don't talk, Tony."
DiNozzo shook his head, clearly agitated. "S-she told me to hold on. For you."
The words were so slurred, Gibbs wasn't sure he understood them but he knew he'd heard his beloved wife's name. If Tony had seen her--
“Hey, DiNozzo... she was right. You don’t have my permission, ya got that?”
“G-got it, boss.” The struggle to stay awake overwhelmed him and he closed his eyes again.
*** *** *** ***
Gibbs stretched out his legs, shifting in the uncomfortable plastic hospital seat. He suspected they made them that way to discourage visitors from staying. Didn’t make a difference to him. He’d been in worse places as a sniper. And nothing short of a nuclear blast was going to move him from DiNozzo’s side.
According to the doctor, Tony was out of danger. The knife wound had missed vital organs but he had lost a lot of blood before help got to him. They had given him a transfusion and stitched him up and now he was resting in a private room, getting IV’s of saline and antibiotics. So long as he showed no sign of infection when the doc did rounds, the plan was for him to be released by afternoon.
It had been close... too damned close. Part of Gibbs wanted to berate DiNozzo for not telling him he was more seriously injured but he was equally proud of the younger man for spotting the guy and nearly bringing him down on his own.
It was well past midnight, and Gibbs found himself fighting the urge to nod off. He knew it was irrational but he felt a strong need to keep guard over Tony in a way he hadn’t since the younger man had the plague.
“What is it about you?” he whispered, shaking his head. Damned if he knew why, but Anthony DiNozzo Jr. brought out all his protective instincts like no one else since... Hell, since Shannon and Kelly.
‘You know exactly why. You love him!’
Jethro started, blinking his eyes rapidly. Damn, he must have dropped off and not realized it. But then he felt just the barest whisper of touch against the back of his skull.
“Shannon?” He kept his voice low, not wanting to disturb Tony.
Again, the whisper of a touch, this time against his cheek. He could almost believe he imagined it, except this wasn’t the first time she’d appeared like this. Knowing she wouldn’t or couldn’t say more, Gibbs settled back into his chair, resuming his contemplation of his Senior Field Agent.
The rush of affection he felt didn’t surprise him. He’d had a soft spot for Tony from the day the younger man tackled him in Baltimore. The memory made Gibbs shift position and he froze. Was he attracted to Tony?
Gibbs wasn’t one for introspection, being more a man of action. But he admitted there were occasions where thinking a problem through provided the only solution. He couldn’t help grinning as he imagined Tony’s squawk of indignation at being termed a ‘problem’.
Knowing he was avoiding the question, Jethro sighed heavily. There was no doubt he loved Tony. Also no doubt in his own mind that the love went far beyond that of a mentor, or even the love of a good friend.
He’d have to be blind not to notice Tony’s good looks. Even a couple of years ago when repeated bouts of bronchitis had required high doses of steroids, causing Tony to gain weight, the man had still been damned handsome.
But wait a minute, even if he loved Tony, that didn’t mean the younger man loved him!
This time the brush of air against the back of his skull definitely resembled a head smack. He put it down to being tired and on edge, preferring that over the alternative.
Almost as if sensing something, Tony shifted in the bed, his eyes blinking several times until he managed to force them open.
“Jethro?” His voice was surprisingly strong considering the trauma he’d been through earlier.
The sound of his first name startled Gibbs slightly but since Tony was on some heavy duty pain meds, he put it down to that. Getting up, he leaned over the bed so the younger man could see him without having to strain. “Right here, DiNozzo. You need something?”
“You okay?”
The question floored Gibbs, even though he should have expected it. Trust Tony to have been worried about him. Grasping DiNozzo’s hand, he squeezed gently.
“I’m fine and so are you. Go back to sleep.”
“You’ll stay?”
“Not goin’ anywhere, Tony.”
The grip on Gibbs’ hand lessened but didn’t release. Without thinking, he reached with his free hand and brushed his knuckles lightly over Tony’s cheek. The younger man turned toward the touch but didn’t wake and the amount of trust that implied made Jethro swallow hard.
Unwilling to lose contact with Tony, he hooked a foot around a leg of the chair to draw it to him. Once he got it closer he sat down again still holding the other man’s lax hand in his.
Jethro realized the answer had been there all along. There was definitely the potential for more between him and Tony than friendship. And while now wasn’t the time to pursue anything, he was a patient man, despite what other people thought.
Knowing Shannon somehow had a hand in keeping Tony alive, Gibbs sent her a silent thanks then settled back to watch Tony sleep.
*** *** *** ***
To Gibbs’ relief, Tony was released mid-afternoon the following day. The doctor wouldn’t allow him to return to work until the stitches were out and even then it would be light duties for ten days. He knew Tony would be trying to wheedle his way back into the office much sooner but he had long years of experience in dealing with an injured DiNozzo.
Tony had refused a dose of painkillers just prior to being discharged. Now as Gibbs drove him home there were fine lines of pain pulling at his eyes and drawing his mouth into a tight line.
“Reconsidering those pills?” Gibbs asked, reaching one hand into his pocket to pull out the bottle.
“No.” Tony shook his head emphatically. “Need to stop somewhere and I want a clear head.”
Gibbs didn’t insult the younger man by asking if he was up to it. Obviously he wasn’t, but that wouldn’t stop him.
“Where to?”
Tony hesitated just a bit before answering, “The Neon Rainbow. I need to thank someone.”
The older man nodded and turned the car toward Dupont Circle without comment. He found the bar easily, remembering the directions from Tony’s … companion last night. After he pulled into the alleyway and parked, he turned to his second in command.
“Want company?”
Tony nodded and opened his door, He swung his legs around but before he could move to stand up he found Gibbs already there, helping without making a fuss. He was grateful when the other man backed off and let him walk into the bar unaided, if at a much slower pace than normal.
It felt odd, entering a building with Gibbs a few steps behind but Tony reminded himself this wasn’t work. No reason for Gibbs to walk through the door first -- they weren’t on a case about to apprehend a suspect.
As he approached the bar Tony happened to look up. His keen eyesight caught one of the smaller pictures and he froze, almost forcing Gibbs to walk into him.
“Tony? You okay?” Gibbs looked in the direction DiNozzo was staring but couldn’t see clearly enough to make out details.
“That’s him,” Tony whispered. “That’s Richard. The guy who helped me last night. But... that’s not possible.”
“What’s not possible?” A hint of Gibbs’ usual impatience made his tone sharp.
Ignoring him, DiNozzo headed to the bar and leaned over it to get a closer look at the old black and white photo. There was no mistaking the man in uniform was the same one he’d seen --hell, danced with and kissed, last night.
“Bartender, who’s that man?” he asked, pointing.
“Which-- Oh that’s Richard Walton.” The bartender carefully removed the framed photo and handed it to Tony.
Gibbs looked over Tony’s shoulder, frowning. The photo was obviously old and worn, not one of those pseudo-period ones you could have taken in tourist areas. The man’s uniform was regulation WWII, Gibbs had seen his grandfather’s often enough to recognize the similarities.
“W-when did he die?” Tony asked, unsure he really wanted the answer.
“Richard died when his B-17 was shot down over France during World War II.” The bartender’s expression turned sad. “He was engaged to a girl, but only because his parents pressured him into it. But he finally found someone he could really love, just months before he flew the mission that killed him.”
“Quite a story,” Gibbs said. “How do you know so much about him? Was he a relative?”
That got a quick, wry smile. “Near as makes no difference. You see, the man he fell in love with was my grandfather, Nelson Rogers. There were a lot of letters written between the two of them and before my grandfather died he gave the letters and this photo to me. Told me Richard would always keep an eye on me.”
Tony blinked, trying to take in what the bartender had said. He was a skeptic at heart, needing to have things proved rather than taking them on faith. This was no exception.
“But I saw him last night. In the flesh. We danced together. We...” he trailed off, looking at Gibbs. Wanting to get it all out in the open, he rushed on, “We kissed. And when I saw that guy and took off after him, Richard was right behind us. Using my cell phone, even! Never heard a ghost could do that.”
The bartender nodded. “I’m not surprised. Have a seat, guys.” He nodded to a nearby table. “Want something to drink?”
Tony requested water while Gibbs chose his usual bourbon. Normally he wouldn’t drink this early in the day but for this he was willing to make an exception.
When the other man joined them, he introduced himself. “I’m David Rogers. In addition to being the bartender, I also own the joint. But I like to keep a low profile about it. I get a better read on the customers that way.”
Tony quickly introduced himself and Gibbs, then said, “You were saying you weren’t surprised about me seeing Richard last night. How so?”
“First you have to know that no one in my family ever accepted me once I came out. Except my grandfather. I didn’t know he was gay until just before he died, when he handed over Richard’s letters, gave me a small fortune and told me to follow my dream.”
“And so you bought this place,” Tony said.
David nodded. “I had the sign up already and I had Richard’s picture behind the bar but the place needed a lot of fixing up. One night I was here on my own and a couple of homophobes got in. Damned near killed me, but as I was about to pass out I realized I wasn’t on my own and that someone else was there, beating the shit out of my attackers. It was Halloween night. And every year since, Richard pays me a visit. Not everyone sees him. I do, but he’s not interested in me for obvious reasons.” He grinned.
DiNozzo shook his head, trying to wrap his mind around what he’d heard. He looked at Gibbs, sure the other man would think all of this was crazy. To his surprise, the older man looked more intrigued than disbelieving.
“Richard always seems to zero in on the person who seems to be in the most need,” David explained. “Need for companionship, need for contact. Whatever. And somehow for those few hours just before midnight on Halloween, he’s here in the flesh in all ways. I don’t understand it, but at least I don’t think I’m crazy anymore.”
“He saved my life.” Tony held the framed photo reverently. “I don’t think I would have made it if I hadn’t known he had called you.” He looked at Gibbs, blinking rapidly.
"Called..." David's voice trailed off and he began searching behind the bar. "Ah hah. Knew I put here somewhere! Found this under Richard's picture when I came in this morning. You wouldn't happen to have lost a cell phone last night?"
Tony stared unseeingly at the cell phone then up at the photo. A full body shudder went through him. This was all so surreal.
Seeing the younger man was close to reaching his limit, Gibbs took the cell phone and got to his feet. Holding out a hand, he said, “Thanks for taking the time to tell us. Wish there was a way to repay Richard.”
“Come back next year on Halloween,” David grinned, returning the handshake. “You never know... maybe you’ll get to thank him in person.”
Following Gibbs’ lead, Tony unsteadily got to his feet and both men shook hands with the owner before heading out to Gibbs’ car.
*** *** *** ***
As they pulled out of the alley, Tony reflected on what David had told them. He almost found it impossible to believe except for the fact that it made sense in a weird way.
Though he had been too young to realize at the time, his mother had been a firm believer in the paranormal. His father had kept several of her journals and passed them on to him a couple of years ago. It had given him his first real glimpse of who his parents were and just how deeply they had loved each other.
He had thought himself incapable of having that kind of love. He had tried with Wendy and to a lesser degree with Jeanne. What he’d felt for the two of them combined didn’t hold a candle to his feelings for Gibbs.
Something had shifted between them in the hospital, Tony knew. But he couldn’t pinpoint what, nor was he willing to risk their friendship if it wasn’t what he thought. There was one way to find out and Tony vowed he’d do so if he got the chance. He wasn’t going to waste any more time when he and Gibbs could possibly be so much more to each other.
Gibbs thoughts were following the same line. He and Tony had instantly connected all those years ago in Baltimore. Okay, so it wasn’t a physical, intimate connection but it was based on friendship and trust and grew deeper every year. Given the right circumstances, he had a feeling the physical and intimate relationship wouldn’t be far behind, these days.
His only doubt was himself. Could he step far enough outside his bastard personality to let Tony know what was really in his heart? Could he?? ‘Damn it, marine! Buck up and just do it!’
*** *** *** ***
Tony was far slower getting out of the car at Gibbs’ house, and the former Marine didn’t wait for his companion to stumble, instead half-supporting his weight as they walked inside. To Tony’s credit he didn’t once complain. Gibbs suspected it was because he was too tired.
Maneuvering Tony to the sofa, he sat him down and lifted his legs to rest on the cushions before taking a seat on the coffee table sitting opposite.
“Hungry?”
DiNozzo made a face. “Not really. Just want to sleep for awhile.”
“No can do, DiNozzo.” Gibbs shook his head. “You need pain pills, and for those you need food.”
“Whatever.” Tony waved his hand in a vague gesture of dismissal, closing his eyes and turning his head away just slightly.
Gibbs recognized the gesture for the dismissal it was intended to be. He couldn’t blame the younger man. He’d had a hard couple of days, after all.
Opening a can of chicken noodle soup he poured it into two bowls and heated them in the microwave. Pulling out an old tray table top, he filled it with napkins, spoons, a nearly full glass of water and Tony’s pain meds. When the microwave timer dinged he carefully pulled out the bowls and set them on the tray then returned to the living room.
Tony’s eyes were closed but Gibbs knew the younger man wasn’t asleep. His posture held too much tension.
Putting the tray on the coffee table, he perched on the sofa near Tony’s hip.
“Sit up,” he commanded. “You’ll feel better once you’ve had some food and your pills.”
One green eye opened and glared at him but it didn’t really hold much heat and Gibbs nearly laughed. He reached out a hand with the unspoken offer of assistance. Tony accepted it, allowing Gibbs to do most of the lifting to get him to a seated position. But once he was upright he didn’t let go, instead locking gazes with Gibbs.
The older man sucked in a breath at the range of emotion in DiNozzo’s eyes. Confusion, hope, desire and maybe more than a little fear shone through.
Knowing he was taking the biggest risk in recent years, Jethro leaned forward, cupping Tony’s face with his free hand. He moved in slow, giving the younger man time to deflect, to refuse. Instead he caught a glimpse of a blinding smile just before he felt warm lips meet his own in a chastely searing first kiss.
When they pulled back, Tony winced as he tried to settle into a comfortable position. He instantly tried to cover with one of his smiles but knew by Gibbs’ expression he’d failed.
“You need to to eat, take your meds and get some rest, Tony.” Gibbs held out the bowl and spoon, urging DiNozzo to take it.
Tony wanted to argue on principle, but in truth, he hurt like hell right now and he wanted nothing more than to escape into oblivion for a while. Well, almost nothing more...
“And when I wake up?” He looked at Jethro through lowered lashes, obviously unsure of the other man’s response. “Will you still be here?”
“Yeah, Tony. I’ll still be here and when you wake up we’ll talk.” He rolled his eyes at DiNozzo’s disbelieving look. Seriously, how did people think he got four women to the altar anyway? Willing to cut Tony some slack, he leaned forward for another, quicker kiss.
“Promise?” Tony asked.
“Yeah, Tony. I promise.”
~fin~