Work Text:
After years of working in other offices around the world, Tony had asked Vance if he could be reassigned to DC next time there was an opening. It took a couple of years before a team lead position opened up, but eventually the offer was made and accepted. Not wanting to displace Tim and Delilah, Tony said he’d make other arrangements for a place to stay until he could find a decent apartment.
There was always Gibbs’ place, but Tony was hesitant to push that button. He booked a room at a cheap motel for a few days. On his first day back in the office, he stopped by Ellie’s desk when he knew Gibbs was in MTAC, and asked if he could sleep on her couch. While she didn’t want to say no, she also didn’t want to say yes. After a short pause, she asked why he didn’t stay with Gibbs. Then further explained that her apartment was so small, there really wasn't room for a guest.
Nick Torres had just rounded the corner and caught the tail-end of the conversation, and introduced himself. He liked Ellie and felt protective of her. If this guy was bothering her, well, Nick would show him the door without hesitation.
“Nick Torres, this is Tony DiNozzo. He’s been reassigned back to DC.”
Extending his hand, Nick shook Tony’s. “Oh, right! And the McGees are in your apartment.”
“With two little kids, babies really,” Tony replied, holding up two fingers. “Not really my thing, but definitely not enough room in that apartment for five people, even if two are tiny.”
“Well, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you. I’ve heard good things.”
“Likewise.” Turning back to Ellie, Tony begged, “Please, just for a month or so until I find a decent place.”
“Need a place to stay? If you don’t mind the couch, you can stay with me,” Nick offered.
“Really?” Tony looked to Ellie, who nodded encouragingly. “Okay, sure. Why not?”
~~~***~~~
That was how they came to live together. They began carpooling and going to the gym together. They often ran together and found that they shared a very similar lifestyle. The biggest difference was Nick’s penchant for starting his day with a smoothie, while Tony preferred a ‘real’ breakfast or a quick pastry if he was in a hurry. But now, that morning pastry came with a lecture from Nick.
No matter how hard Nick tried, he couldn’t get Tony to join the smoothie revolution. It was a muffin or cold cereal during the week, and a heavy, hot breakfast on the weekends.
After a few weeks, Nick told Tony he could stay as long as he wanted to, since they were getting along so well. Tony had laughed and admitted he was so happy at Nick’s that he hadn’t been looking for an apartment for weeks. One thing led to another, and before long, they were sharing the bedroom. And the bed.
Neither one told Gibbs about their arrangement, but they figured he knew. There was no escaping seeing them arrive and leave together, and often eating lunch together if they were both at the Navy Yard in the middle of the day.
Tony’s team had the desks on the other side of the wall from Gibbs’ team. All they needed to do to see each other at work was to stand up, as long as they were both in the bullpen.
Tony’s relationship with Gibbs was a bit more difficult. The unspoken issue was that they technically were equals, at the same level. But Gibbs was the alpha on campus, and everyone knew it. Tony knew better than to get in a battle with the man he referred to as The Great White. Gibbs was like a shark, and if he was determined to take a bite out of someone’s ass, there was little to stop him. So, Tony kept things on a professional level and to a minimum when it came to interacting with Gibbs.
~~~***~~~
Tony and Nick always enjoyed working out at the gym together. It was a fantastic bonding experience for them. When chatting with others at the gym, including their trainers, they’d mention they worked together, but declined to say they were living together. And people generally didn't push for more information.
Everything seemed to be going well until the day of the accident. It was pouring rain outside, so Tony and Nick opted to stop by the gym on their way home and run on the treadmills. They always chose equipment next to each other when they could. And although they sometimes listened to music, other times they’d chat. When they ran outside, Nick always liked to suddenly burst into a faster speed and see how long it took for Tony to catch up. But on the treadmills, they had to set one pace and stick to it.
Everything seemed perfectly fine until there was a loud bang, followed by the sound of breaking glass. Both men had been violently thrown from the machines they were on. Nick landed clear of any wreckage, but had to look for Tony. When the dust settled, he saw that Tony was trapped underneath one of the now-mangled treadmills.
Racing across the short distance between them, Nick was at Tony’s side quickly, kneeling beside him and touching his hand. “Are you okay?”
Pinned beneath the heavy machine, Tony struggled to breathe. “Does it look like everything is okay? What happened?”
“A car crashed through the window.” Turning around, he yelled, “Someone call 911! Call 911!”
Sitting beside Tony, Nick did his best to keep him calm. He watched for flashing lights and listened for sirens. When the firefighters arrived a few minutes later, Nick was annoyed that the first ones raced to check on the driver of the car.
“Hey!” he yelled above the din. “We need help here! He’s trapped under the machine. He’s hurt!”
“Am I hurt?” Tony asked weakly.
“You’re probably just trapped. But I think we’ll get help faster if they think you’re hurt. Just keep holding on.”
Nick had done his best to assess the extent of Tony’s injuries, but until he was freed from the equipment, there was no way to tell. So far, all Nick could see were a few scrapes and mild bleeding, which didn’t seem too bad. At least he’d been able to have Tony wiggle his fingers and toes, and they all seemed to work. But he was concerned about the weight on Tony’s chest, and that he was complaining about having issues trying to breathe. Speaking wasn’t easy for him.
“Hey! Over here!” Nick called out again. “He’s trapped. We need help! Please!”
As more firefighters poured into the space, two of them came over to assess Tony’s condition and relayed the information to their captain, calling for help to move the equipment. A paramedic team also arrived and did their best to advise on Tony’s condition. Eventually, the firefighters used enough power tools and manpower to remove the weight pinning Tony down.
The paramedics warned him not to move right away. “Keep lying down. We need to check you out.”
As much as Nick had wanted to stay right at Tony’s side, he was pushed a few feet away, being ordered to give the rescue teams room to work. But he watched everything very closely.
A gurney was brought in, and Tony was loaded onto it. “Is he going to be okay?” Nick asked the paramedics.
“He will be okay, but does need treatment. The treadmill hit him pretty hard on one side, so he’s got a broken arm, fractured ankle, and two or three cracked ribs. They’ll heal in time.”
“What about his lungs? He said he was having trouble breathing.”
“His lungs seem fine, but a doctor will check him out at the hospital. When he was pinned down, there was pressure on his chest, but I don’t think it caused any damage. He could just be feeling pain from the cracked ribs when he’s trying to breathe.”
Nick was glad he’d driven that day, but had parked at the edge of the lot. His car wasn't damaged by the accident. He got the name of the hospital and drove himself there. Then was annoyed because the hospital made him wait for information, but they did take his name. Three hours later, he was called up to the desk. They allowed him to go into the back to sit with Tony for a bit.
Tony appeared slightly groggy, but explained they’d given him pain medication. They set his arm, taped up his ribs, put a boot on his ankle, and cleaned up the additional scrapes he had.
“You look like hell,” said Nick.
Tony chuckled, although it clearly caused him pain. “You should have seen the other guy.”
“Well, whether it was the car or the treadmill, I’m sure they’re both headed to the junkyard.”
“Is that what happened? A car?”
Nick stepped closer and reached for Tony’s hand. “Yeah, we were running on the treadmills, and a car came crashing through the window at the front of the gym. It took out part of the front desk and several treadmills.”
“Was anyone hurt?” Tony asked, concerned.
“I… I’m not sure. I was focused on you. I think they took the driver in an ambulance, too. I’m not sure if anyone else at the gym was hurt. I was next to you, and I just got a couple of scrapes and bruises.”
“Next time, let’s find something to do away from the windows.”
They were both surprised when Gibbs suddenly showed up to expedite Tony’s release. They asked how he knew, and Gibbs rolled his eyes, then explained that, being Federal Agents, their names are flagged whenever they show up at a hospital.
~~~***~~~
Due to his injuries, Tony had to take some time off from both work and the gym. After a couple of weeks, his doctor approved him for very limited duty, meaning cold cases and paperwork only. Vance even approved for Nick to bring files to Tony to work on at home, so he didn't have to struggle with traveling to the Navy Yard.
The first few days were the worst as Tony hadn’t quite acclimated to moving around well with the boot, cracked ribs, and his arm in a sling. The first few days after the accident, Tony didn’t want to get out of bed. A physical therapist came to the apartment three times a week, which forced the issue. And slowly, after some time and lots of PT work, Tony began improving.
Nick felt that Tony needed company during the day, so one day he stopped off at an adoption center and came home with a cat. She was a young cat, mostly gray, but had a few white patches, including one on her head that almost looked like a little white cap.
“Even you have to admit you’re getting stir crazy being home alone all the time. You need another living thing around,” Nick said as an introduction. “Her name is Lovely Rita, like the Beatles song. But I’m told her friends call her Rita.”
Nick set the cat down next to Tony, and she immediately went over to sniff him. She turned out to be a good companion, and for now, Nick took care of her litter box and fed her. Although he did tell Tony that he’d definitely be helping out once he healed up. Even though Nick had picked her out, he insisted she was Tony’s emotional support cat.
Nick kept plenty of ready-to-eat food on hand for Tony, but also tried to cook as much as possible. On longer days, when he was stuck at the office late, he'd often bring something home with him, usually pizza or Chinese takeout. Tony enjoyed some meals and complimented Nick's efforts. However, he got upset when Nick tried to serve him Pea Soup, declaring that no green soup should ever be fed to a sick or injured person. Having Nick insist it was healthy didn’t help matters any.
As the days passed, and Tony got more comfortable with his physical therapy, he began to cook both for himself and for Nick. Things seemed to settle down a bit with a new routine. The doctors said Tony could return to limited duty (no running or physical altercations) in January, but should take it easy until then.
It was Tony’s first Christmas living with Nick, so they went out together to buy a tree and spent an evening putting up holiday decorations. Tony insisted on hanging stockings over the fireplace.
And then they got an unexpected surprise. There was a knock at the door one evening, and Nick got up to answer it.
“Senior!” he said. “What are you doing here? Did Tony invite you?”
The older DiNozzo pushed his way into the apartment, dragging his suitcase behind him. “I’ve come to spend the holidays with my son.” Facing Tony, he said, “You told me you were back in DC, so I checked your apartment, and the McGees were there. They gave me this address. Is this where you live now?”
Nick closed the door and went into the kitchen to make himself an eggnog with plenty of non-alcoholic rum. It might not have the same kick, but it was still comforting in times of stress.
Tony struggled to his feet. “Yeah, Dad, I live here now. You really should have called. Didn’t we agree to no more surprise visits?”
“It’s Christmas! I wanted to spend the holiday with you.”
“And you were afraid that if you asked, I'd say no. So you decided to just show up. Again.”
What’s wrong with your arm? Why is it in a sling?” asked Senior.
“Dad, it’s nothing really. We were at the gym, and a car came through the front. I’m okay.”
“You look like hell.”
“You can stay for dinner, but we don’t have room to put you up.”
Senior glanced around. “Only one bedroom? Where do you sleep?”
Groaning, Tony rolled his eyes. “In the bedroom, of course.”
“You guys share? Twin beds or bunkbeds?”
“Oh my God, Dad! We’re living together. And it’s a king, if you must know.” Shaking his head, Tony picked up his phone, stepped away, and made a call. “Gibbs, I hate to put you out, but my Dad showed up. We don’t have room for him here. Can you put him up for a few days? Please? You’re welcome to come over for dinner tonight and for Christmas if you can pick him up.”
It was settled that Senior would stay with Gibbs, but could come over and visit with Tony during the workday.
~~~***~~~
On Christmas day, Nick woke up first and set the radio to a station that promised commercial-free Christmas music all day. Then Tony and Nick worked together to prepare plenty of food, as they’d invited the Gibbs and Senior over for Christmas dinner and wanted to be prepared. They opened their gifts early, before their guests arrived.
Rita meandered around the tree, but didn’t climb it. Since she’d spent so much time home alone with Tony, she’d pretty much accepted that he was her person. But she liked Nick, too, since he fed her.
They'd gotten her a cat stocking, filled with toys, catnip, and treats. She also got her own heated cat bed.
Outside, snow began to fall, giving them a white Christmas to enjoy.
“What a wonderful holiday,” Nick commented. “It’s so nice having you here.” Placing his hand on Tony’s thigh, he added, “I never realized how lonely I was before you moved in. I can’t imagine you not being here now.”
Leaning over, Tony kissed him. “It has been great. Other than my injuries.”
“I’m glad we’re having a white Christmas, but we’ll have to enjoy it from inside. I wouldn’t dare take you outside in this. I can’t risk you falling and hurting yourself again.”
“Hey, now! I didn’t hurt myself the first time. The treadmill attacked me!”
“Yeah, it got you good. This is going to be a great day, though. It’ll be nice to have your dad and Gibbs over for dinner.”
“There’s only one thing that will be better,” Tony mused.
“What’s that?” asked Nick.
“When they leave, and I have you and Rita all to myself!”
~The End~
12/10/2025
© 2025 by Jacie