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Summary:

Tony and Gibbs have their hands full. On one hand, a surprise birthday party explicitly outs their relationship to their friends, to varying reactions, and with some consequences when Ducky digs his heels in, refusing to accept it and accusing Tony of crossing a line. On the other hand, Tony's ex, Zoe Keates, is several months pregnant, and having had an amicable split with Tony, is carrying the baby to term for Tony and Gibbs - and impending fatherhood has both men completely overjoyed, but also has them reacting fast and merciless to any threat to their family. Additionally, the MCRT are about to catch a new hot case; a gay couple have been murdered and their corpses desecrated, and when the bodies start adding up, there's more than one team who wants answers.

Notes:

This story is currently Unfinished. Yes that is a warning. No I cannot promise I will finish it. All I can say is that this story (all 70k words of it so far) means a Lot to me and I will do my best to complete it with time.

One last thing: this story is set in 2015 NCIS, and starts several months after Tony and Zoe break up. Alright, let's go!

Chapter 1: A Surprise

Chapter Text

 

 

Voicemail

"You have reached - Leroy Jethro Gibbs - please leave a message after the tone."

"Hi Leroy, it's your old man here. Just ringing to say happy birthday, son. You're usually pretty good about picking up, and I can't reach your boy either, so I hope everything's okay. Give me a call when you get this, will ya? I'll try again tomorrow if I don't hear from you. I love you, kid. Yeah, yeah, I know - you're a big boy now. All of sixty-one! Lord, some days I can scarcely believe it myself. Time really does fly by, son. Have a good birthday, Jethro. Don't you dare spend the whole day in the basement! Have some fun, for Christ's sake! And tell Tony I said hi! Love, Dad."

 

 

Tony

It's late when they stumble into the house and Tony kicks the front door shut behind them. Kissing Gibbs deeply, Tony crowds him up against the wall between the stairs and the living room, and Gibbs relaxes back against it, arms around Tony's shoulders, gripping his leather jacket as they rub their bodies together. Tony rolls his hips up and gets a moan for his effort, his cock hard in his jeans sliding roughly over the firm bulge in Gibbs's casual khakis.

Gibbs breaks their kiss for air, breathing raggedly, leaning his head back against the wall. Tony nibbles along his jaw, heading towards Gibbs's sensitive earlobe. "I smell like a jäger bomb," says Gibbs, a smile in his voice.

Tony laughs and licks a long line up Gibbs's bared throat. "You taste like a jäger bomb." Gibbs had spilt a glass of it all over himself earlier and Tony rather likes the distinctive sweet taste of Red Bull and the licorice-tasting undertone of jäger on Gibbs's skin. He sucks a hickey low on Gibbs's throat, beside his Adam's apple, Gibbs moaning some more and rocking his hips. They might have to buy a bottle of Jägermeister to get kinky with. But next time. Right now Tony's dick is hard again, his balls heavy, and Gibbs will still be stretched and loose from earlier, his asshole already wet with lube and Tony's cum, and Tony can't stop thinking about just sliding right on inside again.

Tony steps back a little unsteadily, but his voice comes out strong. "Turn around, marine."

"Fuck," mutters Gibbs huskily, already turning, and he braces his forearms against the wall, forehead pressed to the wall too, and spreads his legs like Tony's gonna frisk him.

"Yeah, I'm gonna fuck you alright," says Tony with a grin, running his hands down Gibbs's arched spine covered in red flannel shirt and teasingly gripping the tight ass in well-fitting khakis, and he reaches around, unbuttons and unzips Gibbs's trousers, shoving them and white briefs down, and then Tony shoves his own jeans and briefs down, his cock falling out eager and heavy under his t-shirt, leaking strings of precum and making a mess everywhere.

He shuffles in close, shoves Gibbs's shirts up, splays his hand on the hot skin of Gibbs's lower back, and God, does Tony want that hot flesh around him, want to bury himself inside of Gibbs, body and soul, have Gibbs come undone with pleasure on his cock and beg him for more, again and again.

Tony guides his dick to Gibbs's cleft, rubs his cockhead between the cheeks, pushing them apart, and Tony licks his lips, nudging his tip against Gibbs's pretty hole, moaning in desire when it flexes open and glistens with a little bit of escaping pearly white cum - oh fuck that's so hot - and Gibbs lets out low needy moan too, smacking an impatient palm against the wall-

A shrill whistle pierces the air and drills into his eardrums and Tony claps his hands over his ears. Gibbs claps his own hands over his own ears as well and then whirls around, and Tony gets an elbow to the face and jerks back, tripping over his jeans around his ankles and going down like a sack of potatoes.

"The hell!" shouts Gibbs.

"Ow," groans Tony. He landed on his ass. Hard. He's pretty sure it's gonna bruise. And his cheekbone smarts a little from Gibbs's pointy elbow. And on top of that, he knocked the back of his head on the floor.

Tony tilts his head back on the carpet and looks up into the living room. Then wishes he hadn't. Really wishes he hadn't.

Tony swallows hard. He is way too drunk for this.

"Shit," says Gibbs. Tony can hear the blood drain from Gibbs's face in that one word.

Director Vance lowers his fingers from his mouth and says in a pained tone, "I think you'll agree with me when I say I don't want to see you guys continue that course of action."

From on his back on the floor, Tony nods numbly at the upside down Vance. That's fair. He really doesn't want Vance to see them fuck either. Or have anyone else see them fuck. The usual crowd are all there: Tim and Ellie, Abby, Ducky, and Jimmy. All of them in varying states of surprise, eyes wide, jaws dropped. But Delilah is also sitting there in her wheelchair beside Tim in the armchair, though at least she looks more amused than McGonna-Catch-Flies. Breena and Jimmy are on the couch, her eyes fixed on the ceiling, Jimmy's eyes screwed tightly shut - that's polite of them, thinks Tony - and Ducky looks shell-shocked. Tony can relate.

Tobias Fornell is leaning against the mantelpiece looking like he's trying to hold back laughter, the bastard. Vance is standing beside Fornell, a glass of cola in hand. There's a lot of nibbles, snack food, and drinks, and a big chocolate cake, all on the coffee table, and hanging at the top of the closed curtains behind the couch is a big, colourful, glittery banner - Abby's work, Tony recognises - HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIBBS!!!

Tony would like the floor to swallow him whole now. He also feels sick in the stomach and kind of headachey from the visual confusion of everyone being upside down.

"Gibbs. DiNozzo," says Vance, looking like he's swallowed one of his toothpicks. "I get this is a bigger surprise of a surprise birthday party than we had intended, but I would really appreciate it if you both snapped out of it and fixed your clothing."

Right. His junk is hanging out, flashing everyone. Fantastic. Tony grunts and scrambles to his feet, swallowing down his sudden wooziness and pulling his briefs and jeans up, doing them up, and he holds back a groan as he realizes that he just showed everyone his ass again. At least his dick's gone down to half-mast instead of a full salute.

Tony scrubs his hands over his face, and when he can bear to lower them, Gibbs's clothing has been righted too. Red plaid flannel open over his t-shirt, but Gibbs looks casual, not freshly ravished, apart from his kiss-bruised lips and a hickey or two on his throat. So, kinda freshly ravished. Tony glances to Gibbs's crotch, and he almost can't look away - Gibbs is still hard, a thick ridge dressed to the left in his khakis. So, alright, Gibbs looks completely fucking ravished.

Tony jerks his gaze up to Gibbs's blue eyes and they exchange a look of mutual undiluted humiliation before Tony turns around to face the room. He feels more than sees Gibbs come up to his shoulder, half behind him, trying to hide the erection that hasn't gotten the message yet - too drunk or too panicked or too horny.

Gibbs doesn't say anything. Of course not, thinks Tony, wincing, for once in total agreement with Gibbs about not talking, and he waits for someone else to say something. Maybe start with why on Earth no-one told Tony there was going to be a birthday party for Gibbs.

No one says anything.

"Hi," says Tony weakly to the room at large, unable to stay quiet, the urge to fill up the awkward silence getting to him. His face heats up.

"Hi DiNotso," says Fornell, smirking a bit, and Tony actually goes weak at the knees, so thankful that someone is treating him normally. Or maybe he's more drunk than he thought. The floor is a little wobbly.

"Hey Jethro." Fornell nods his head at Gibbs.

"Hey Tobias," says Gibbs, and rubs the back of his neck.

"How drunk are you that you missed all the cars?" asks Fornell, his eyes laughing. "I hope you caught a cab here."

Gibbs snorts. "Yeah. And pretty drunk. Plus had Tony's tongue stuck down my throat, so." Gibbs shrugs and gives a small grin.

Tony clears his throat and eyes the floor. "Sorry everyone had to see that, I didn't know we'd be having company."

"We've been call-" But Fornell is cut off.

"Sorry," says Ducky incredulously. "'Sorry' does not cut it, Anthony," he snaps.

Tony's taken-aback. "Uh..." He glances at Gibbs. Gibbs's brow is furrowed, and he looks as confused as Tony feels. Yeah, it's embarrassing, and this isn't how they wanted to tell people and come the rest of the way out of the closet, but it's not like they'd almost fucked in front of everyone on purpose.

But Ducky is already continuing, on a steam-roller, looking more angry than Tony's ever seen him. "Jethro is straight, Anthony, and he's drunk, even admitted to being so, and here you are repaying his friendship by taking advantage of him!"

Tony's jaw drops. "Wh-what?"

"Duck," starts Gibbs.

But Ducky steamrollers over Gibbs too. "He's drunk, he's incapable of giving consent, not that he would have given it had he been sober considering that, oh yes, he's straight! It would have been rape! And as horrible as that alone would be, you had the callousness to not give him the slightest bit of preparation for it. You would have left him torn and bleeding and likely in need of medical attention, Special Agent DiNozzo!" Ducky glares furiously at Tony as he stands up from the couch, fists clenched, practically vibrating with rage.

The silence in the room rings with Ducky's words.

Tony stares at him in shock, suddenly cold and horrified. He'd never. They're drunk, but Gibbs could stop Tony if he wanted to. He'd only need to say a single word. "I- I- That- He- I wouldn't-"

Gibbs cuts him off. "Christ, Duck, you're doing a great job of being wrong at the top of your lungs." He sounds annoyed. Drunk, but not traumatised. Not raped. Tony closes his eyes and focuses on breathing, just for a moment. He's going to be sick. Jesus, how could Ducky think-

"Jethro, I know Anthony is a friend, but this cannot be swept under the-"

"Enough, for fuck's sake, Duck," growls Gibbs. Tony open his eyes as a hand lands on his shoulder, and Gibbs comes around in front of him, filling up his view, gripping his biceps.

"I'd never, Boss, I swear. I wouldn't, if you said stop, I'd stop," babbles Tony, until Gibbs's large warm hands cup his cheeks and Gibbs shushes him gently.

"Hush, Tony, I know. You haven't done anything wrong, and you weren't going to. I was willing and wanting, I always am for you, okay, baby?" Gibbs's blue eyes are serious and steady.

Tony breathes out and nods, calming down with Gibbs's conviction. He can't even bring himself to be mad that Gibbs called him baby in public, he needs the reassurance that badly. Gibbs's thumb rubs over his cheek soothingly. Tony presses a quick shy kiss to his hand and gets a pleased little grin back.

"Jethro, you're intoxicated, you can't-" Ducky.

Gibbs turns around to face Ducky. "I said enough, Duck. I get you're trying to look out for me, but I don't need or want it. I was consenting. You don't get to tell me what I can and can't do." Gibbs sounds irritated, and Tony sidles to the side to peek over his shoulder and risk seeing Ducky's reaction.

Ducky's mouth is a hard line. "In all the years I have known you, Jethro, not once have you ever shown the slightest inclination to homosexuality, and now-"

Tony can't help himself, he huffs a laugh and interrupts, "Sorry, Ducky, but your observation skills aren't the be all, end all. It's like that philosophy question: if a tree falls in the forest, does it make a sound if no-one's there to hear it? Of course it does! Just because you don't see or hear something, doesn't mean it doesn't exist! You're not exactly gonna see it when Gibbs isn't attracted to you. And seriously, 'homosexual inclinations'? It's not the sixties anymore!"

Ducky draws himself up and growls, "Anthony, apart from Jethro's sexuality, which is straight however much you might like to deny it, you can't deny that Jethro is intoxicated, and you cannot deny that you were planning on penetrating him without any lubricant or preparation, which-"

"ENOUGH!" roars Gibbs.

Tony's eyes go wide and he belatedly covers his ears, but at least finally, Ducky looks somewhat cowed.

Gibbs scrubs a hand over his flushed face and swears under his breath before looking at Ducky again.

"Our sex life is none of your business," says Gibbs firmly. "Tony has my blanket permission to fuck me and would stop if I ever said stop. That's all you need to know. You're currently an uninvited guest in our home, and if you continue to accuse my partner of a crime he hasn't committed and would never commit, you will no longer be welcome, Dr. Mallard." Gibbs's voice is cold and hard and unyielding, like gunmetal.

Ducky makes a loud scoffing noise, but he doesn't argue further.

Tony tentatively lowers his hands from his ears but he feels a bit like he's watching a wild, wild west gunslinger fight, wondering if Ducky's faking his surrender and is going to straight up shoot him when the lead cowboy - Gibbs, obviously, in this scenario, because cowboys were gay, so obviously he and Gibbs are cowboy rebels and Ducky's the pushy sheriff - no, the pushy town doctor, Vance would be the sheriff - and Tony is so, so drunk because he has no idea where this train of thought was going. He looks to Gibbs.

Gibbs is glaring resentfully at Ducky - somebody's mad he's not getting dicked down, thinks Tony, a small grin tugging at his mouth - and then Gibbs tells everyone, "We're gonna go get cleaned up. Not gonna kick anyone out for cock-blocking us, but you lot better have some orange juice and pizza waiting for us by the time we're showered and dressed and back down here."

"You're already dressed," points out Fornell with a small smirk.

"And we stink of jäger bombs because I spilled my drink earlier," counters Gibbs with a pointed stare. "Come on, Tony." Gibbs snags Tony's fingers with his own, leading Tony out of the living room and up the stairs.

 

 

By the time Gibbs closes the bedroom door quietly behind them, Tony is trembling. Gibbs is there instantly, pulling him into a hug, holding him tightly, and Tony buries his face in Gibbs's neck for a long moment. Breathing in that familiar Old Spice aftershave and au naturel Leroy Jethro Gibbs scent under the alcohol.

"You okay, buddy?" asks Gibbs, a little muffled as he buries his own face in Tony's neck, breathing in deeply too.

"A little shaken up," says Tony quietly. "Didn't expect such an aggressive reaction, even to being caught with our pants down. What about you?"

"The same," says Gibbs, just as quietly. "Think Leon's whistle catapulted me straight outta being drunk and into mid-hangover."

Tony chuckles and lifts his head to rub his cheek against Gibbs's soft silver hair, as Gibbs's hand rubs up and down his spine. Slowly the tension falls from Tony's shoulders.

"Love you, Gibbs," whispers Tony, and hugs Gibbs tighter to him, clinging just a bit. He wishes they hadn't remembered the scheduled grocery delivery that's here tomorrow morning, wishes they'd stayed the night at his apartment.

Gibbs hugs him back just as tightly, presses a kiss to his hair. "Love you too, Tony." Quiet but certain. The same way Gibbs always says it.

Tony's more relieved than usual to hear it. "God, what a mess." He blows out a long breath. "How could he think-" Tony can't finish.

Gibbs pulls back just enough so they can look at each other. "Thought I was showing my enthusiasm pretty well, but I guess Ducky didn't see it."

"I guess it was a big shock for him," ventures Tony, thinking of the various expressions of shock and anger that Ducky had displayed, that one look...

"That's no excuse for jumping straight to accusing you of taking advantage of me," grumbles Gibbs. "We could have run out of lube again. Or maybe I like rough sex. Hang on, I do like rough sex." Gibbs furrows his brow, looking confused.

"You're so drunk, babe," says Tony, snickering, even as heat spikes in his groin and now all he wants is to hold Gibbs down and push inside him again, fuck him hard and rough and without holding back, and Tony feels hazy and shivery all over with lust because he thinks Gibbs would let him, right here and now on the bedroom floor and damn everyone waiting on them downstairs.

"I'm  so drunk, babe," agrees Gibbs, chuckling, bringing Tony's desire-heavy mind back to their conversation. Then Gibbs cups Tony's face with both hands, peering at Tony with wide, worried, ridiculously blue eyes. "You alright, Tony? Physically, I mean. I knocked you on your ass. Felt my elbow connect with something."

Tony smiles broadly, pleased to know Gibbs cares, and he taps Gibbs's hand over his cheek where Gibbs's elbow had hit him. It feels tender but doesn't really hurt. "I'm alright, but I'm hoping my tailbone won't be bruised tomorrow."

Gibbs frowns and presses a gentle kiss to Tony's cheek. "Still. I'm sorry, Tony."

Tony grins cheekily. "You gonna kiss my tailbone better too?"

Gibbs smirks. "If you're a good boy for me, I might do that after everyone else has gone home. Might kiss your sweet little hole too."

Tony flushes hotly, and plans change, maybe he'll get fucked tonight too, and his  grin gets bigger, but Tony guesses it must not be as big a grin as usual because Gibbs cups his face again.

"Tony, baby, it's not your fault Ducky's mad. Once he's calmed down he'll realize we wouldn't have wanted for him to find out like this. And we were planning on telling people about us soon anyway." Gibbs gives him a small, real smile, locking their gazes, and his blue eyes are bright with happiness and excitement. "You know we had a time limit on telling them, what with everything."

Tony has to smile at that. Yeah, what with everything. Apart from getting caught with their pants down and Ducky being angry, everything is good.

Everything is good. They'll handle any challenges or problems together.

Tony leans forward and kisses Gibbs softly. "Come on, we'd better shower and wash the jäger bomb off."

Gibbs snorts. "Better wash the sex off too. Was a bit worried someone would get too close and get a whiff of your cum leaking outta me."

Tony snickers as they head to the bathroom.

They wash up quickly and thoroughly in a warm shower and then rub down with towels. The shower also helps sober them up a little more, although they really need some food in their stomachs for that, but Tony feels better afterwards all the same.

Tony pulls on fresh jeans, dark in colour, and a plain black t-shirt from his side of the drawer, some socks from the top little drawer. Gibbs dresses in a good pair of jeans and a long sleeved white cotton shirt, then fills his pockets with his personal affects.

Tony opens the drawer which keeps their hoodies and sweatshirts, and pauses. He pulls out the topmost sweatshirt and just stands there, holding it carefully. He gently rubs the faded lettering with his thumb. PAPA.

Gibbs presses up behind him, wrapping strong arms around Tony's chest and waist, and Tony likes the heat seeping from Gibbs's chest into his back as Gibbs holds him quietly.

"I was just thinking that in another couple of years you'll have a new one of these, and I'll have a matching one too," murmurs Tony softly, awed at the future he can see sprawling out in front of them.

Gibbs presses a kiss to Tony's neck. "Do you want to be called papa or daddy, Tony?"

Tony beams. "Daddy, I think. It's the classic." He peers back over his shoulder at Gibbs. "You?"

Gibbs sighs and rests his chin on Tony's shoulder, looking down at his old sweatshirt. "Kelly called me daddy. Painting papa on the jumper was Shannon teasing me. But Kelly would call for her daddy and I'd come running. Think I'd like to bring back that part of me. I want our baby to call me daddy as well."

Tony swallows hard and nods understandingly. "You don't think that will be confusing, do you? Two fathers called daddy? I could go by papa or dada, I don't mind that much, Gibbs."

Tony can feel Gibbs's mouth curling into a smile against his neck. "No, it'll be just fine," murmurs Gibbs. "Our baby will have two daddies, and we'll figure out who they mean. You're gonna wear the title well, Tony, and you'll find it becomes a name with time."

Tony nods, liking the sound of that, and Gibbs hugs Tony tighter for a moment, presses one last kiss to Tony's nape, then lets him go and grabs his red USMC hoodie.

"Now hurry up," says Gibbs with a grin, "People will think we're fucking in the shower if we take any longer."

Tony chuckles, tucks away the PAPA sweatshirt, grabs Gibbs's old grey NIS sweatshirt and closes the drawers. He slips his wallet into his pocket, glancing irritatedly at his and Gibbs's phones, plugged in and charging by the bed. They forgot to charge them last night and now the batteries are totally depleted, which is probably why neither of them got calls asking them to show up. Then Tony follows his partner down the stairs, pulling on the sweatshirt.

 

 

Walking into the living room, the first thing Tony notices is that Ducky is gone, Abby too. Vance has taken Ducky's seat on the couch beside Jimmy, and Fornell must've had enough of standing as well and dragged in a kitchen chair so he can sit down without being squished on the couch like Abby was.

Tony bites his lip as he stands awkwardly beside Gibbs. Ducky being gone isn't good, but Tony's relieved about it anyway. He wasn't looking forward to another argument. But he can't believe Abby left without saying goodbye to at least Gibbs. He'd understand if it was just him, he and Abby aren't that close.

Gibbs sighs. "Ducky and Abby?"

"Ducky left," says Vance with a slight frown and a shrug. "Ms. Sciuto offered to drive him home so he wouldn't have to catch a taxi. He had carpooled with her on the way here."

"Alright, I'll talk to Duck at work on Monday. Sort things out with him." Gibbs rubs his forehead.

"I tried telling Ducky that you two were already together," says Fornell, frowning a bit too. "To try and set his mind at ease about you guys having drunk sex, but I think he'd stopped listening. He was pissed." Fornell spreads his hands, and Vance nods too.

"But!" pipes up Jimmy, holding up a finger. "I don't think Abby was angry, just concerned about getting Ducky home alright. She left Gibbs's birthday present on the table, said to make sure he got it." He points to a purple box with silver ribbons beside a few other boxes and gift bags.

Breena nods in agreement. "I think Abby was a little upset about not knowing about you guys, but I don't think she's mad. She didn't argue with Ducky, but she had a look on her face like she disagreed with him. And from what I saw before looking away, it was pretty obvious that Gibbs was into it," she adds with an amused grin

Tony nods. That's better, not great, but at least it sounds like Abby's not mad too. However, there are still a lot of people in the room staring at him and Gibbs.

"So, uh..." says Tim, wide eyes looking between Tony and Gibbs.

"We're together," says Gibbs simply.

"We were going to tell you," adds Tony hastily, wanting to stop any more arguments before they can start. "We didn't want you to find out like this, we hadn't set a date or anything, but we were planning to tell everyone soon." He looks at Tim and Ellie anxiously. Tony's not so worried about Delilah being upset, and the others had already known.

"Okay," says Tim slowly, brow furrowing. "So Fornell said you were already together? It's not some kind of 'we had too much to drink' birthday thing?"

Tony's eyebrows shoot up and he smirks. "What kind of birthday shenanigans do you get up to, McHolding-Back-On-Me?"

Tim flushes and protests, "I don't- I wasn't-"

Gibbs laughs. "You know he's only teasing you, Tim." There are looks of surprise around the room, Gibbs doesn't laugh much.

"Don't tell me it's some kind of deep dark secret that you've been hiding for years?" says Ellie, looking amused.

Tony winces, and he and Gibbs exchange a sheepish glance. "Well, not this time around?" says Tony with a cheerful grin.

"What? I was joking!" Ellie's eyes go wide.

Gibbs rubs the back of his neck. "We've been friends for a decade and a half, but we've had some romance on and off," admits Gibbs with a small grin. "Been together the last four and a half months, been together for longer in the past, and we're staying together, going forward. Committed."

It's not like they weren't serious the previous times, but Tony doesn't know if he could explain it any better. The first time they split was entirely accidental when Gibbs had gotten blown up and lost his memory, but they've been through a couple rounds of their insecurities getting in the way.

"I would not have picked that," muses Ellie. "Though I did think you guys were surprisingly close for being so different, once I got to know you."

Tim has a thoughtful look on his face. "I actually think I would have picked it, if I'd known it was an option. Gibbs and Tony are possessive of each other in a way that I've always found hard to classify, and they really are more alike than they seem. Having a romantic element to the relationship actually makes a lot of things make more sense in hindsight."

"I wouldn't have picked Jethro for liking it up the ass. And rough at that," says Fornell dryly.

"Jesus Christ," groans Gibbs and buries his face in his hands.

"We've already had sex today," blurts out Tony. "If I was going to fuck him raw or rough I'd have given him a rim-job first. Or at least used spit."

"Tony!" yelps Gibbs, mortified eyes peeking out behind his fingers.

"Yes, I know, talking about sex is embarrassing, I'm feeling rather humiliated myself, thanks honey," snaps Tony, his face burning, his hands on his waist. He looks to Fornell, because Fornell's the one voicing concern. "We'd already had sex back at my apartment, alright? Right before we came over here. So Gibbs was already, uh, good to go. If Vance hadn't interrupted us, Gibbs would have been fine, would have enjoyed it, and would probably be a whole lot less grumpy than he is right now. No one needs to be worried that I would have hurt him, okay?"

Fornell looks both mollified and amused, and Tony breathes in and out, trying not to spontaneously combust from embarrassment.

Gibbs lowers his hands from his face and his cheeks look as red as Tony's feel. Then Gibbs gives everyone a glare and says roughly, "Tony's telling the truth, I was good for having him on my six in the literal meaning."

Gibbs looks like he'd rather drive all the way to the grand canyon than be part of this conversation, and Tony bites down on a grin. Gibbs talks plenty during sex, but get him to talk about sex outside of actually having it? Like getting blood from a stone. Gibbs gets embarrassed buying lube from the smirking college kids at the corner shop, for Christ's sake.

"Huh," says Fornell, his mouth twitching in amusement. "I just thought the shower was an excuse to keep on fucking out of sight, not because you already needed to clean up."

"I'm not having sex when I know you lot are in the house." Tony scrunches his nose up at the thought. "And now that we've got that all sorted, can we puh-lease never talk about this ever again? You said," he adds plaintively.

"Sure," says Fornell, laughing at him and obviously lying through his teeth. "Jeez, you know, I'd actually thought Jethro was the top."

Tony narrows his eyes at him and opens his mouth to bitch about stereotypes-

"Oh shut up, Tobias, Diane threw it in my face that you trusted her to peg you but I didn't." Gibbs smirks.

Tony's jaw drops and his eyes go wide and he stares at Fornell in horrified fascination, as Fornell makes a strangled noise in his throat and his face turns tomato red. On the couch, Vance bursts into laughter. And no, Tony really doesn't have to think that hard to imagine Diane riding Fornell's ass, and then Tony claps his hands over his eyes, scarred for life and joining Vance in laughing maniacally. This is as fantastic as when he found Kate's wet t-shirt competition photo!

There's a knock at the door, and Tony freezes, mid-laugh, and for a moment everyone is united in their suspicion, exchanging confused glances and looking warily towards the door. Who the hell knocks on Gibbs's unlocked door?

"Oh!" says Tony, lowering his hands and sniffing the air, smiling happily. "I smell pizza! You actually ordered some for us!"

"Wow, he's like an actual hunting hound," says Fornell with amusement, recovering from his embarrassment. "Does he prefer doggy style to missionary?" He cracks up laughing at his own joke.

"I will shoot you in the ass again, Tobias," growls Gibbs.

Tony shakes his head, grinning as he goes to collect their dinner. The rest of the night is looking up, much to his relief.

 

 

Tony hands out the pizza boxes, checking who's having what, as Tim gets up and lets Gibbs have the armchair, and by the time everyone's got a pizza with their preferred topping, Tim is sitting in another kitchen chair beside Delilah, and he's brought one back for Tony too. Gibbs actually does have a glass of orange juice - chilled from the fridge - and Tony pours himself a glass of raspberry soft drink then settles on his chair with his pepperoni and sausage with extra cheese pizza.

There's a lot of razzing from Tim, teasing Tony for being a cliché and sleeping with the boss, but also a surprising amount of support from him too, which settles the worst of the worry inside of Tony. Ellie takes the whole thing in stride, as Gibbs and Tony had both suspected and hoped she would. Delilah offers to switch places with Tony, so that he and Gibbs can sit together, and Tony takes her up on it with a grin.

Vance abruptly remembers to wish Gibbs a happy birthday as they're all in the middle of their dinner, setting off a whole chorus of people telling Gibbs happy birthday. It's not quite a birthday song, but Tony suspects that he wouldn't be able to talk everyone else into singing the song without Abby's help. Still, Gibbs is smiling and that's good enough for Tony. He borrows Tim's phone, gets Gibbs's attention and snaps a rare photo of a smiling Leroy Jethro Gibbs, texting it to himself before giving Tim his phone back. Well worth the teasing from Fornell.

After pizza, Jimmy cuts and dishes up the cake, proudly announcing that Breena had baked it, and he hands out plates to be passed around.

The chocolate brownie cake is to die for, soft and fluffy with lumps of chocolate, with thick gooey caramel in the middle, and Tony smirks as the room sounds like an orgy. "Any chance I could convince you to bake this cake again for the wedding, Breena?" asks Tony casually.

Everyone quietens down, staring bug-eyed at Tony.

Breena raises an eyebrow at him, a smile blooming on her face. "Of course, Tony, I'd be happy to, but first you'll have to tell me who's getting married?"

Tony grins teasingly. "I'll tell you later then."

"Oh my God, Tony, are you and Gibbs engaged?" bursts out Ellie, wide-eyed.

Tony shrugs and shovels another forkful of cake into his mouth and he smiles closed-mouthed with his cheeks full. They have talked about marriage but they're not engaged yet.

"Boss?" asks Tim, eyebrows raised, looking excited.

Gibbs shrugs. "I haven't asked and with three divorces under my belt, I'm not going to. If Tony really wants to marry me then he can damn well prove it by getting down on one knee and asking nicely."

Everyone's eyes ping pong back to Tony.

Tony chuckles. "But how do I know you'll say yes?" And follow through to meet me at the altar, finishes Tony in his mind, because he'll never quite be over Wendy breaking up with him the night before the wedding.

"How do I know you won't divorce me?" counters Gibbs, and fair enough, reckons Tony, they've both had people give up on them. But surely Tony's proven his staying power with fifteen years of falling back to Gibbs every time he's been pushed away?

But Gibbs is staring at him, his face a demand for answers.

Tony smiles wryly. "I can't stay married to you if you say no in the first place, Gibbs. Guess you're safe from the non-existent possibility of  divorce. Good luck trying to scare me out of your life though," adds Tony cheerfully. "It's been fifteen years, you really need to up your game." Friends or lovers, either way, Gibbs is stuck with him as far as Tony's concerned.

Gibbs gives him a grumpy look, because he hates to lose arguments. Tony smirks back at him. Checkmate, babe.

"Fine," says Gibbs with a hard stare at Tony. "If you ask, I'll say yes."

"How romantic," Tony deadpans, but the reassurance is honestly nice.

Vance chuckles. Tony gives him a wink, feeling generous, even to the Toothpick.

"Well?" demands Gibbs.

"Well, what?" says Tony with faux innocence.

Gibbs opens his mouth. Closes it as he realises that asking might constitute asking. Gibbs scowls. But there's a hint of nervousness in his blue eyes.

Tony laughs at him. It's a little high-pitched but no-one calls him on it. "Alright, alright. Alright, Gibbs. Give me a minute." Tony sets his plate down on the coffee table and quickly strides out of the room, hoping no-one had seen his fingers trembling.

Up the stairs, down the hall, into the bedroom, and then Tony pulls open the little sock drawer and pulls a little black velvet box out from behind all the socks. Checks that the ring is still inside. It is. Closes the box.

Tony swallows hard, because he really hadn't planned on doing this tonight, on doing it in front of their friends, on doing it now, but he just can't resist. He wants the future to start now, it looks so good and feels so close. Leroy Jethro Gibbs for a husband, house hunting for a new home together, and then welcoming their baby into the world. Tony breathes out slowly and smiles to himself. He wants the rest of his life with Gibbs to start right now. He heads back downstairs.

This time when Tony comes into the living room, a bunch of whispers fade to silence and he's greeted with beaming, excited faces.

Everyone except for Gibbs, who is staring warily at him.

Tony hesitates, seeing that caution. "I don't have to ask now, Gibbs," he offers quietly, taking a few steps more into the living room. "I can save it for when we're alone." He and Gibbs are agreed that they want to be married before Zoe gives birth to their baby, wanting to be an official, legal family, and have that security in place both for themselves and their child, but they've got roughly half of Zoe's pregnancy left to get everything done.

Gibbs blows out a breath. And stands up and faces him straight on. Settles into that perfect straight-backed Marine posture, even in his red hoodie. "You can ask me anything you want, Tony," says Gibbs softly. "Anything, anytime."

Tony nods. "Right," he says faintly as he moves closer, until there's maybe a meter between them. His heart's pounding in his chest. Don't faint, DiNozzo, he tells himself. Fornell muffles a laugh behind his hand. Tony flushes, realizing he'd said it aloud.

Gibbs gives him a small sweet smile.

Tony grins back at him. "Freeze, dirtbag," says Tony clearly, harking back to the first words he ever said - yelled - to Gibbs. The living room is quiet. Out of the corner of his eye, Tony sees people looking at each other in confusion. Then Gibbs laughs, grinning delightedly when he meets Tony's gaze again. And Tony can see the instant Gibbs figures out the response Tony wants.

Gibbs's grin turns soft. "I let you arrest me," he says warmly. His first words to Tony, and God, what a truth.

Tony nods, pulls the little black velvet box out of his pocket and slowly, as gracefully as he can manage, sinks to one knee. He looks up at Gibbs.

Gibbs stares back down, baby blues wide, mouth fallen open.  Reality catching up to him.

Tony smiles winsomely. "Best arrest of my life. You were so caught up in the chase you didn't realise you'd been caught," says Tony, a little ruefully, because the words are equally true of himself as well.

Gibbs brings up a hand to cover the grin that's stealing over his open mouth, which does absolutely nothing to hide how happy and excited he is.

Tony smiles helplessly up at him and holds out the ring box, but doesn't open it just yet. "Leroy Jethro Gibbs, I know you're not a fan of people stating the obvious, but I'm kind of completely in love with you and I think it bears saying. I'm not going to leave, I'm not going to walk away or divorce you. I am going to fight like hell to stay by your side. I am going to fight like hell to come home to you. I am going to fight like hell to protect you, and to protect our unborn baby."

There's gasps and choking noises from the peanut gallery but Tony keeps his eyes locked on Gibbs's. Gibbs is smiling brightly, eyes crinkling in the corners, nodding eagerly. He looks like he's about to cry from happiness. Tony swallows hard over the lump in his throat. "I'm sorry, Gibbs, I can't fucking remember the rest of the speech I had planned, but I swear I love you, good, bad, and bastard, so will you marry me, babe? Please?" He thrusts the ring box up towards Gibbs.

Gibbs lunges into his arms, dropping heavy onto his thigh, and Tony drops the little box as he wraps his arms around Gibbs tightly, trying to keep his balance and not let them topple over backwards, but he manages, just.

"Yes yes yes, fucking yes, Tony," says Gibbs, pressing kisses to Tony's hair and temple and cheek, before seizing Tony's face with both hands and leaning down to slot their mouths together, trying to kiss him through their wide grins.

There's clapping somewhere in the background, and blood rushing in Tony's ears, and then he and Gibbs give up on kissing, grinning and giggling too hard, foreheads knocking together. Maybe they're still a little drunk. Drunk on jäger bombs, drunk on love.

"I love you so damned much, Tony," whispers Gibbs, his toothy grin splitting his face.

Tony nods enthusiastically, grinning and rubbing their noses together. "I know. I love you too, Gibbs."

It's a bit of a blur after that.

They climb to their feet, grab the ring box Tony had dropped. Tony frets out loud over whether or not Gibbs will like the ring Tony's chosen - because he hadn't even remembered to open the box when proposing - babbling that if Gibbs doesn't like it then he can get a different one or they can go ring shopping together. Gibbs shuts him up by just grabbing the box, opening it up, and sliding the ring onto his own finger himself.

Gibbs grins happily down at the simple platinum ring with a circular white diamond embedded on top, and Tony beams at Gibbs's pleasure. He'd decided on a ring with a rock because Gibbs has been married four times and Tony knows that no-one had ever given Gibbs bling to show off. Shaped like a signet ring, Tony thinks it looks masculine enough. It's not like anyone would dare give Gibbs shit for wearing something feminine, but that doesn't mean Gibbs would want a woman's engagement ring.

There's more kissing, more clapping, and lots of laughter and smiles, lots of hugs, kisses on cheeks, and a few handshakes that turn into hugs. Tim gets it all on his phone, right from 'Freeze, dirtbag', and Tony will have to get a copy of the video for himself and Gibbs later.

Tony and Gibbs hold hands as they explain. Yes, they're having a baby. No, Gibbs isn't pregnant. No, Tony's not pregnant either, Fornell, Jesus. Tony's ex-girlfriend, Zoe Keates, is carrying, and although she doesn't want children for herself, she offered to carry to term for Tony and allow Gibbs to adopt. No, it wasn't planned but Tony and Gibbs are delighted. No, Tony didn't cheat on anyone, he and Zoe really did have one last round of sex when they broke up, he didn't wrap up and the pill that Zoe was on failed. For fuck's sake, Tony, you don't have super-sperm, says Gibbs, sighing heavily as Tony laughs himself silly.

It's a long story, and a lot more stories get told, the alcohol gets flowing, more cake and snack food is eaten, Gibbs is bombarded with birthday presents, and everyone sprawls out, happily talking the night away.

It's half past two in the morning before Ellie jerks up, yelping at the time, and a round of annoyed groans and grumbles fill the room. In the end, Gibbs says everyone might as well stay over and make a night of it.

Tony and Tim carry down the two queen size mattresses from upstairs, plus the spare double that was tucked away in the basement, then Tony grabs his and Gibbs's sleeping bags, and Gibbs and Vance collect and distribute sheets, blankets, duvets, and pillows, as well as spare sleepwear. Hunkering down in the living room for the summer night, Delilah, Tim, and Ellie take one queen mattress, Jimmy and Breena take the other, Vance takes the armchair, Fornell takes the couch, and Tony and Gibbs take the double mattress.

They curl up together in t-shirts and briefs, using their unzipped sleeping bags as blankets. Smiling happily, Tony falls asleep with Gibbs spooning him, a warm hand on his stomach and even breath on his nape.

 

 

Chapter 2: A Bigger Surprise

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

 

 

The day starts with knocking. Tony groans disappointedly.

"Five more minutes, Boss," he mumbles.

The knocking stops and Tony relaxes, burying his face into Gibbs's armpit. Then the knocking starts up again, louder this time, and Tony jerks awake, looking around blearily.

Living room. Everyone sleeping on mattresses. Gibbs's birthday banner still hanging from the curtain rail. Vance snoring on the armchair under a mound of blankets. Unhappy faces poking up at the loud knocking. Ellie pulls her pillow over her head.

"Whassit?" says Tim grumpily.

"Door," says Fornell before turning over on the couch, a clear indication that he's not going to get it.

Gibbs groans unhappily and whispers, "Fuckin' groceries. Tony, can you get the door?" It's Sunday morning, their scheduled grocery delivery.

Tony could actually cry. He's got the hangover from hell. "Can't you get it, babe?"

"My head's killing me," mumbles Gibbs, his eyes squeezed shut, face scrunched up. It must be bad if he's admitting to being in pain.

Tony gets up, because he really does love Gibbs, and also Tony wants the fucking loud knocking to stop, and he stumbles to the front door, pulling it open and squinting painfully through the bright sunlight at the delivery person.

"Hi Tony, sorry, did you guys oversleep?" The usual guy. He looks concerned. Normally Tony or Gibbs get to the door before he does.

"Ken. Hi. Yeah. Come on in, just, quietly. Please," adds Tony belatedly.

Ken wheels in the stack of crates with Tony's and Gibbs's groceries. Because hell if they have time or energy for doing a full grocery shop when they're in the middle of a hot case, so Tony just online orders everything except fresh fruit and vege.

"Have a party last night?" whispers Ken, looking amused at all the people snoozing on mattresses.

"Yeah. Gibbs's birthday party turned into an engagement party." Tony smiles, even with his pounding head.

"Congrats!"

"Thanks."

Tony and Ken unload all the groceries in the kitchen, as quietly as they can, and Tony signs on Ken's little electronic doohickey, and then Ken's waving goodbye and easing the front door shut behind him.

The next thing Tony does is have some Tylenol with water. Then he goes and helps Gibbs sit up to have painkillers and water too, smiling again when he sees the diamond ring shining on Gibbs's hand. He presses a kiss to Gibbs's silver hair before Gibbs lays back down to sleep for a bit more.

Tony drops the box of painkillers and a jug of water on the coffee table - there are plenty of party cups around from last night - and he stops by the bathroom to empty his bladder and wash his hands and face, and then he puts all the groceries left on the kitchen floor away into the pantry, cupboards, and freezer - making a small trip upstairs to toss the toiletries into the bedroom.

It's a slow, relaxed Sunday morning. The sun's streaming into the kitchen through the window of the back door, warming the floor under his bare feet, and warming the backs of his legs too, because Tony hasn't bothered putting on trousers over his boxers. The birds are chirping in the hedge outside, and Tony finds himself smiling and humming happily as he cooks up bacon and sausages in the oven, whipping up a huge load of scrambled eggs. He eats breakfast and feeds the troops, people waking up and shuffling around like zombies, getting food, getting dressed. Fornell gives him a hand dishing up the food and Vance makes coffee and shares it out.

Jimmy pukes in the toilet from drinking too much last night. Breena says they don't usually drink alcohol. Ellie ends up puking in the kitchen sink when she hears Jimmy vomiting in the bathroom, the sound triggering her. Tony would roll his eyes but he's been there and he's not up for being a jerk when, despite the lingering headache, he's feeling content with life. He rubs Ellie's back with one hand and holds her long blonde hair out of her face with the other, and sends her off to shower upstairs when she's done, while he cleans up the mess without complaint.

Tony is unusually quiet, but it is a good, peaceful kind of quiet. Gibbs wakes up and joins him, hugs and kisses him sweetly. Then Gibbs goes and gets the laundry started, because they let everyone use their shirts and sweatpants as pyjamas.

People leave in ones and twos, but Tim helps Tony put the mattresses back where they belong before he and Delilah take their leave, and everyone offers more congratulations and handshakes or hugs before they walk out the door. Until finally, noon come and gone, it's just Tony and Gibbs. They lounge on the couch together with a cup of coffee each, catching up with Jackson Gibbs over the phone - telling him about the engagement but being careful not to mention the baby just yet - and then they re-watch The Princess Bride, and it's an equally slow, relaxed afternoon and night.

 

 

 

 

"God, Tony, I can't wait to have your gorgeous thick cock in my ass," growls Gibbs, and he clenches around the two fingers Tony's got in his ass, his hands fisting in the sheets.

Tony laughs, but keeps pumping and twisting his fingers into Gibbs's hot slick hole, stretching the ring of muscle. Gibbs never ceases to amaze him with the filth that comes out of his mouth during sex. Sure, Tony's a talker a lot of the time in bed, but everyone expects that of him given how much he talks outside the bedroom. But Leroy Jethro Gibbs talking dirty in bed? Tony loves it, even if he laughs long and hard at the irony.

Gibbs huffs a laugh too. "Too much?"

Tony shakes his head with a grin. "Nah, give me all the dirty talk. You could literally talk me into creaming my pants without a single touch to my cock. Don't you dare stop." He's not even kidding. Tony is unreasonably turned on by Gibbs's voice. Probably some sort of scarcity effect. It's all Gibbs's fault for being a functional mute most of the time.

"All the dirty talk, huh, baby? Tony, you're not wearing any pants," says Gibbs teasingly. "You can cream all over our stomachs with your fingers in my ass, or you can shove your pretty dick up my ass, fuck me senseless, and load me up with your cum."

"Oh God. I have to fuck you, Boss." Tony pulls his fingers out of Gibbs's ass and wraps them around his cock, lubing up with fast strokes, hips already rocking with want.

Gibbs chuckles. "That's it, baby, just like that. You ready to give me your cock now, sweetheart?" Gibbs fists his own cock, fat and veiny, the foreskin slipping up and down over the head, his wide tip flushed dark pink and drooling clear precum like a leaky faucet.

Tony stares down at him with want, licking his lips, his intentions wavering.

Gibbs's blue eyes are hungry, pupils blown wide with lust, and he smirks. "Like what you see, Tony?"

"Yeah, buddy," breathes out Tony, his dick pulsing in his hand.

"What about now?" Gibbs brings his legs up, holding the backs of his knees and pressing his knees to his shoulders, presenting his body for Tony's appraisal.

And Tony will never not find Gibbs beautiful, even if Gibbs is getting older, getting soft and wrinkly. Tony is getting older as well, even if he'll always be younger than Gibbs. But Leroy Jethro Gibbs is all confidence and cheekiness wrapped up in strong muscles and flushed skin, his hard eager cock, taut balls, and slicked up hole, and God, that wicked grin, Gibbs's baby blue eyes bright with amusement, knowing exactly what he does to Tony.

"God, Gibbs." Tony lets go of his dick to fondle Gibbs's balls and give the sack a gentle tug, making Gibbs's eyes roll back into his head. "Gibbs, you're so hot. So damn handsome. I love what I see, babe."

Gibbs grins playfully. "Come on, lover boy, you gonna give me your nice big dick now?"

Tony bites his lip, breathing faster, and guides his cock to Gibbs's ass, rubbing his cockhead over Gibbs's pink pucker. "That what you need, honey? My hard thick cock up your ass?" It's definitely what Tony needs.

"Jesus Christ, fuck yes, Tony," groans Gibbs as Tony presses against his hole and slowly pushes through and past his sphincter. "Guh," says Gibbs, his head lolling back on the pillow.

"Oh yeah." Tony gives a strangled groan, working his cock into Gibbs's tight hot hole with short thrusts. "Oh yeah. So good, Gibbs," mumbles Tony, sweat beading and dripping off his forehead. His dick is so hard in Gibbs's tight, tight ass, and Tony has to hold still, breathing hard for a moment, so he doesn't shoot his load right off the bat.

"Your cock's perfect, baby," mumbles Gibbs, groaning beneath him, arching up, his own fat cock rolling on his belly, precum dribbling all over his navel.

"Fuck," says Tony in pleasure. "So good." He leans over Gibbs, places his hands under Gibbs's armpits and braces himself above Gibbs's body. Gibbs relinquishes his knees, and lets his legs relax over Tony's elbows, his hands settling on Tony's biceps.

Gibbs gives a small toothy grin, his pupils blown wide and his gaze soft and loving.

Tony grins happily back down at him. "So hot, so tight, Gibbs," he babbles, moving gently, shifting his hips side to side, and his cock slips deeper into Gibbs as Gibbs's muscles flex around him, massaging his shaft.

Gibbs groans, "Your big dick's gonna make me loose, darlin'."

"I don't think so, you're so fucking tight, choking my cock, Boss." Tony grunts and thrusts hard, unable to hold back any longer, making Gibbs shout and grab at him as he bottoms out, Gibbs's hole flexing around his root, his balls crushed against Gibbs's ass.

Tony breathes heavily, and Gibbs wraps his arms around his shoulders, pulling him down for a kiss, and Tony slides down onto his forearms for support, catching the backs of Gibbs's knees with his elbows at the same time, folding Gibbs in half. They kiss wetly, lips and tongue, and the world quietens down to their racing hearts and ragged breathing. Tony starts to move, rocking them together, easing his cock out an inch or two then sliding back in, and it feels good, so, so good.

"Come on, buddy," murmurs Gibbs. "Give it to me."

Tony adjusts slightly, lowering his hips, and then as he pumps in again Gibbs moans and throws his head back on the pillow, silver hair tousled, eyes fallen shut and mouth open with pleasure. Tony grins down at him, thrusting steadily, Gibbs moaning and grunting with every graze and push on his prostate.

Pleasure pools in Tony's belly, spiralling out through his body, and his dick pulses as Gibbs takes his own cock in hand, fisting himself desperately as Tony fucks him. They exchange little kisses, more breathing each other's air, but Tony can't hold on at all, drawing back and thrusting harder and faster, slamming into Gibbs's ass.

"Tony," says Gibbs brokenly, and he groans low and deep, and milks his own dick, stripping himself fiercely, squeezing white ribbons of cum out onto their bellies and chests.

A glob of thick cum shoots up, hitting Gibbs on the chin.

Tony laughs at him, not slowing down in the slightest, letting instinct drive him into tight, silky heat.

"Mmm, that's it, go on, Tony," grunts Gibbs, looking up at Tony with half-lidded eyes and a teasing grin as his hand slows and he languidly strokes himself. "Fill me up with your cum, baby."

And that's all it takes, Tony loses control, hard thrusts becoming erratic, and he grinds deep into Gibbs.

"Oh God, Boss, Gibbs, fuck, ah!" gasps out Tony as the world narrows down to him and Gibbs and the pleasure tightening his body, curling his toes, fireworks going off inside him. His cock throbs and spasms, and his balls draw up as he floods Gibbs's ass with spurt after spurt of cum.

Tony pants for air and rests his forehead on Gibbs's chin, feeling cum and sweat smearing between them and Gibbs's hands rub soothingly up and down his back. Tony's body keeps pushing with subsiding waves of pleasure, and he's hot, sweat dripping off him, breathing hard, chest heaving, his heart racing, racing, racing.

"Need you to let my knees down, Tony," says Gibbs as he runs a hand through Tony's hair affectionately.

Tony nods breathlessly and lifts one arm at a time so Gibbs can lower his legs, and Gibbs sighs in relief, letting his legs fall where they will. They both groan as Tony's dick slips out with the change in position. Tony huffs and heaves himself off of Gibbs, collapsing at his side, an arm slung over Gibbs's wet stomach, his head beside Gibbs's on the pillow.

Tony grins happily and looks to Gibbs. "Good morning, babe," he says cheerfully.

Gibbs barks a laugh and leans in, kissing him. "Mmm, good morning, Tony."

They kiss again and Tony draws apart only to rub their noses together gently. "Not bad for a Monday morning wake up call, Gibbs."

"Not bad? I saw stars at the end there," murmurs Gibbs, smiling.

Tony chuckles. "You and me both."

They cuddle and kiss and give each other soft touches for awhile, talking quietly together before the alarm on Tony's phone goes off, signalling that they need to get up and start getting ready for work.

 

 

It's not until they're in the shower, the radio playing in the background, and Tony is watching Gibbs diligently clean his shiny new ring with a wet soapy flannel that it hits Tony - all over again - that they're engaged. To be married. Tony grins broadly and sings along to the next love song on the radio, belting out the Jason Aldean chorus, using his shampoo bottle as a mic. Gibbs shakes his head, smiling, but when the chorus comes around again he joins in, his husky baritone resounding through the steamy air.

Tony dresses in a sharp dark grey Tom Ford suit, crisp white button down shirt, elegant blue-silver silk tie, wanting to look particularly good today. First day back at work being Leroy Jethro Gibbs's fiancé? It'll likely be all over the agency by lunchtime and Tony wants the whole damn Navy Yard to see he's worthy of the honour of having his ring on Gibbs's finger.

Tony watches appreciatively as Gibbs, consciously or not, dresses in colours that nicely match Tony's: a light grey suit jacket, navy blue polo with his typical white undershirt peeking out at his throat, black slacks. Gibbs looks handsome, as always; clean shaven, strong jaw, straight nose, bright blue eyes, and that typical high and tight marine haircut to his silver locks, with a bit more length on top. These days Gibbs's haircut actually looks somewhat trendy, similar to the latest styles of younger generations. Although Tony indignantly maintains to himself that he liked it on Gibbs before it was cool, not that he'll ever tell anyone that.

Tony fusses over styling his own hair in front of the mirror, wanting it to look perfectly artfully mussed, wishing he could put a freeze on his own aging because he's convinced it's hitting him harder than it's hitting Gibbs, until finally Gibbs walks over, coming up behind him and taking his hands.

"Stop fussing. You look beautiful, Tony, always have, always will." Gibbs kisses him on the ear. "Let's have breakfast. Don't want to be late. I've got that meeting with Vance this morning."

For breakfast, Gibbs puts together waffles and maple syrup, half a red apple each, and a couple cups of coffee, and over the kitchen table they talk about their plans for the day.

They take Gibbs's Challenger into work, the engine needing to be run regularly as much as Gibbs might prefer to save his prized and beloved car for road trips. Going through security, they chat with Miguel, asking about his wife and kids - Carmen has started at a new restaurant, still working as a chef but the pay's better, and Diego and Enrique won their basketball game last Friday night - and in return Gibbs gets a raised eyebrow at the diamond ring.

"Got engaged," admits Gibbs.

"Again, amigo?" says Miguel resignedly. Because he's been working at NCIS for longer than Gibbs at this point and he's seen all of Gibbs's last three marriages to redheaded women and the subsequent divorces, even if it's been a long, long while since the last one.

Gibbs nods in agreement, then nods to Tony. "It's his fault."

Miguel blinks in surprise, and Tony smirks as Gibbs grins crookedly and shrugs. "Love is love, right?" says Gibbs, a little cautiously.

"That it is," says Miguel, breaking into a broad smile and looking between Tony and Gibbs. "Congratulations, mis amigos."

Tony beams at him.

 

 

"Hey Tony, who did you murder this time?" asks Tim casually.

"Hmm?" says Tony, focused on his computer and checking over the details of his report on the unsolved Collins double homicide case from last week. His head jerks up and he stares perplexedly at Tim. "Ex-cuse you, McMurder-On-The-Brain?"

Tim nods towards the elevator. Tony looks over. Four FBI agents, Ron Sacks at the lead, are heading determinedly Tony's way.

Tony groans. "And I was having such a good morning," he laments to himself.

Sacks and his ducklings come to a halt in the hallway space beside his desk, Sacks moving forward to block the entry out of Team Gibbs's portion of the bullpen.

"DiNozzo," says Sacks reservedly.

"Sacks." Tony gives him a pointedly false smile. "Come to accuse me of murder again?"

"Wait, what?" says Ellie, her head snapping up.

"Yeah, this happens like every other year," explains Tony, grimacing. "It's very embarrassing. Mostly for the FBI because they're the ones who arrest me and then the evidence always proves my innocence."

Ellie gapes at him, and looks to Tim for confirmation. Tim shoots a sour look towards the FBI agents. "This is like the fourth time, I think," Tim tells her.

Tony nods even though he's actually lost count, and turns back to Sacks. It's odd that Sacks hasn't jumped in with a sharp remark, he isn't usually a quiet guy, but Sacks is watching him, a discomforted expression on his face.

"Well?" prompts Tony. "Who have I allegedly murdered this time?"

"It's not a murder charge, DiNozzo." Sacks stares at him searchingly.

Tony leans back in his chair, giving Sacks his own searching look. "But you are here to arrest me," Tony deduces. "Are you going to tell me the charges or are we playing charades?"

Sacks grimaces, then straightens his spine. "Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, you are under arrest for suspected sexual assault and attempted rape."

Tony's jaw drops. "Are you kidding me, Sacks?" That's a new one, he thinks, a little shakily.

Sacks meets his gaze evenly and slowly shakes his head.

"Tony wouldn't, Sacks, there's just no way," interjects Tim. "He's a terrible flirt but he knows where the line is, he wouldn't cross it!"

"I'm not here to debate DiNozzo's guilt or innocence," says Sacks firmly. "I have an arrest warrant for, and an order of protection against, Special Agent DiNozzo, and I'm under orders to enforce them."

"Is it possible that you have the wrong Anthony DiNozzo?" asks Ellie quickly, standing up behind her desk and meeting Sacks eye to eye. "Tony is technically a Junior, he's named after his father, Anthony DiNozzo, and I wouldn't put something like this past Senior." She shoots Tony an apologetic glance for throwing his father under the bus.

Sacks shakes his head. "The arrest warrant and restraining order both specify NCIS Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo Junior." He blows out a breath and looks back at Tony. "I need you to put your hands up and come around your desk, slowly."

Tony swallows hard. This is real. He's actually under arrest. Again. Fuck, Gibbs is going to kill him, and Tony hasn't even committed the crimes.

"I'm calling Gibbs," says Tim, reaching for his desk phone.

"No!" says Sacks loudly.

"You have no right to stop us from calling Gibbs," retorts Ellie.

Sacks reluctantly nods. "No, I don't, but I would strongly advise against that course of action, Special Agent McGee."

Tim hesitates, his hand hovering over his phone, and he looks to Tony for direction. Tony nods. Tim picks up the phone, staring hard at Sacks as he presses the button for Gibbs's cell. Tony turns back to face the feebies. "I'd like to see the warrant for my arrest, and the restraining order as well," he says politely, hearing Tim babbling on the phone to Gibbs behind him.

Sacks frowns. "You're stalling, but I don't think Gibbs will get you out of this one, DiNozzo."

Even in these circumstances, Tony has to smile at that. "I'd bet my life he will." Because no matter what fake evidence the FBI have on him, Gibbs will hunt down the truth.

From the floor above, a demanding shout rings out, "DINOZZO!"

Tony smirks at Sacks. "You were saying?"

Sacks purses his mouth, looking uncertain.

Gibbs thunders down the stairs, Vance on his heels. They stride around and shoulder their way past the FBI agents, placing themselves in front of Tony's desk. Tony's actually rather heartened by Vance's showing; he and the Director don't particularly get on, rubbing each other the wrong way, but it's nice to know when shit hits the fan whose side he's on. Gibbs's side, clearly. But Tony will take it.

"Care to explain why you're arresting one of my agents?" snaps Vance.

Tony stays sitting in his chair, watching the by-play carefully. Even with Gibbs and the Director here, making sudden moves is probably a bad idea. He hasn't missed that Sacks brought his entire team for back-up; Sacks is taking this seriously.

"Special Agent DiNozzo is under arrest for suspected sexual assault and attempted rape," repeats Sacks.

Vance freezes, then jerks his head round to Tony, a shocked yet demanding look on his face.

Tony rolls his eyes and shrugs, spreading his hands. "Hell if I know, sir." He hasn't assaulted anyone, sexually or otherwise, let alone attempted to rape anyone. This has to be yet another frame up - although for the life of him, Tony can't think of anyone in recent times who he's pissed off enough to pull something like this.

"That's bullshit, Sacks, and you know it!" snaps Gibbs. "Who the fuck is the alleged victim?"

Sacks furrows his brow at Gibbs. "Special Agent Gibbs, I'm sorry, but, well, Gibbs, you are."

A sudden hush spreads through the bullpen.

Tony stares in flat disbelief at Sacks.

Gibbs jerks back, his mouth falling open. "Are you out of your fucking mind, Sacks?"

"Is this the FBI's idea of a prank?" asks Vance, scowling. "It's not funny."

Tony couldn't agree more, still staring wide-eyed at Sacks. This is surreal. Unreal.

"This isn't a prank, Director Vance," says another of the FBI agents; she's tall, determined brown eyes, pale skin and freckles, brunette, a hard set to her jaw. "And I'd appreciate it if you treated this situation with the gravity it deserves."

Tony splutters. "How the hell is this not a joke?" He stands up, finally having had enough of being benched. The FBI agents watch him warily, but though they place their hands on their weapons, no-one draws a gun.

"I have the arrest warrant and order of protection right here, Director." Sacks pulls out a sheaf of paper from his suit jacket, holding it out.

Vance takes it, frowning, and looks the papers over. Tony watches him anxiously, unable to stop himself from sneaking a thumb up to his mouth to suck on. Maybe Vance will find out it's all a mistake. Maybe Ellie's right and it's something that Senior's done, some mix up of their shared name.

Gibbs glares furiously at the FBI agents. "This is a fucking joke and when I find out who's behind it, I'm going to put my boot so far up their ass they're going to be choking on it."

"Special Agent Gibbs," says the brunette agent, "Anyone can be a victim of sexual  assault, it doesn't in any way make you less of a man, or less of an agent. The shame, and blame, lies with the perpetrator."

Gibbs stares at her incredulously. "Are you treating me like a victim? Is this how you treat actual victims? Are you goddamned serious right now?"

Tony covers his face with his hands and gives in to hysterical laughter. Gibbs glares at him, and Tony, with one hand over his mouth, flails his other hand around, hoping Gibbs gets it. Gibbs's eyes soften.

The brunette agent starts talking again, "Agent Gibbs, would you prefer the term 'survivor'? You're-"

"Will you shut the hell up, lady?" snaps Gibbs. "I haven't been assaulted by Tony, sexually or otherwise, and you can strike attempted rape off the charges too."

Vance sighs heavily. "It's a legitimate arrest warrant, and a legitimate order of protection. Both valid, signed by a judge, dated with today's date. Legally, DiNozzo is no longer allowed within 300 yards of you, Gibbs, and he is in fact wanted for arrest."

Tony snorts with amusement. Nothing feels real, and this whole thing is hilarious. He only just bites his tongue to stop from saying, That 300 yards is really going to make the wedding a bitch to pull off.

Gibbs growls. A literal, low and deep, angry, furious, rumbling growl that makes the hair on the back of Tony's neck stand on end. Tony shudders involuntarily, his tongue darting out to wet his lips. Gibbs sounds like pure fucking sex when he growls like that. 

But Tony glances around the bullpen and everyone else is staring at Gibbs as if they've got a snarling wild wolf standing in their midst.

"DiNozzo isn't going anywhere with you, Sacks," grinds out Gibbs, his eyes flashing dangerously. He shifts his weight subtly, closer to a fighting stance, and it hits Tony suddenly, that Gibbs is entirely prepared to waste the four FBI agents, just to keep Tony from being arrested - which, really, would only buy them an hour of time to run, and a life on the run is not what Tony wants for himself and Gibbs and their baby, and Zoe too, because they'd have to lug her around at least until she gave birth, so add kidnapping to their felonies because even he doesn't think he could talk her into coming willingly.

"I'm ready to surrender," says Tony tiredly, all amusement and hope of escape draining out of him. And he really had been having such a good morning.

Everyone jerks around to look at him.

"What? Tony, no!" Gibbs takes a step toward him.

Tony smiles tightly at Gibbs. "Stand down, Gibbs, and stand aside," he says quietly.

Gibbs shakes his head, staring at him, mouth open in disbelief again. "No. No, Tony!"

Tony looks to Vance. "Don't let him do anything stupid, sir."

Slowly, Vance nods back.

Gibbs's gaze swings back and forth between them and lands back on Tony, eyes wide and scared. "Nobody gets to take you from me, DiNozzo!"

Tony catches Sacks' eye. "I'll come quietly, Sacks, just give me sixty seconds with my family first." This is likely wrecking every inch of progress Gibbs has painstakingly made towards overcoming his fear that everyone he loves leaves him, and Tony bites back a hundred enraged curses.

"Alright, but nothing funny, DiNozzo," agrees Sacks, watching him carefully.

Tony nods shortly and comes round his desk, faces Gibbs head on.

Gibbs shakes his head, denial still going strong. "You're not going anywhere, Tony," he says fiercely.

Tony smiles and it hurts how much he loves that Gibbs loves him back. Tony aches with love. "I promised that I would always protect you, Gibbs," explains Tony gently, wondering if the FBI agents have noticed the ring on Gibbs's hand yet. "If you interfere with their arrest of me then you would be arrested for obstruction of justice."

"I don't care," snarls Gibbs, gripping Tony by the arms.

Tony nods. "I know, but I need you to get me out of this, and you can't do that if you're in a cell too, and they won't let us share one."

Gibbs hesitates, seeing the truth of that.

"I made you several promises, babe. I'm going to keep all of them, but I need your help to do that," says Tony pleadingly. He wants to reach out and hold Gibbs back but he doesn't trust that the FBI agents won't take it the wrong way.

Gibbs breathes heavily, and finally nods. Tony nods back, and then he has an armful of Leroy Jethro Gibbs, hugging him hard. Tony looks over Gibbs's shoulder at Sacks and, very carefully, he raises his hands and places them on Gibbs's back, pressing firmly.

"Gibbs," says Tony cautiously, still eyeing Sacks. "I need you to do something for me."

"Anything," breathes out Gibbs.

"Remember rule forty-four," says Tony. First things first, hide the women and children. Someone's out to get him, having him arrested and separated from his partner, and what better target than their unborn child?

Gibbs freezes in his arms. The same thought no doubt occurring to him too. "I'm on it," Gibbs promises.

"Time's up, DiNozzo," says Sacks briskly.

Gibbs pulls back and rounds on Sacks, getting up in his personal space, snarling, "From the second you put your cuffs on DiNozzo I am holding you personally responsible for his well-being and safety. I better not find a single hair out of place on my boy's head. Do you understand me, Special Agent Sacks?"

Sacks nods gravely. "Understood, Special Agent Gibbs."

"DiNozzo," cuts in Vance. "As soon as you've been arrested and read your Miranda rights, I want you to explicitly invoke your right - use those words - to remain silent and your right to an attorney. And then you don't say a single word until Gibbs and I get there with the lawyer. Not a single word, DiNozzo, am I clear?"

"Yes sir. And thank you sir," murmurs Tony.

There's a moment where everyone waits on Gibbs. He scowls mutinously but stands aside, standing by Vance, arms crossed over his chest.

Tony raises his hands, giving Sacks a wry grin. "Well, here I am."

Sacks nods. "Keep your hands up and turn around. I need to cuff you then frisk you for weapons."

Tony obeys and then Sacks takes his wrists, surprisingly gently - the fear of Gibbs in him, probably - and cuffs him behind his back, repeating for the third time, "Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, you are under arrest for the suspected sexual assault and attempted rape of Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can-" Tony tunes him out, focusing on Gibbs's unhappy face.

Gibbs looks back at him miserably, an edge of helpless anger to his eyes.

Sacks pats down Tony's body, quickly and clinically, removing the back-up pistol on his right ankle and the survival knife on his left, and he places both on top of Tony's desk. He misses the knife in Tony's belt, but Tony's not about to tell him that. Besides, they will likely remove his personal affects, belt included, at Hoover building, before they throw him in an interrogation room or holding cell.

Frisk complete, Tony says clearly, "I am invoking my right to remain silent and I am invoking my right to an attorney." And then Tony shuts up, because he's not a complete idiot.

"Wait!" snaps Gibbs desperately, as Sacks puts a hand on Tony's shoulder to escort him out.

Sacks waits.

Tony stands there, entirely willing, as Gibbs takes two steps forward, cups his face with both hands and presses a hard kiss to his mouth.

"I'm going to get you out of this, Tony, I promise, buddy," breathes out Gibbs, pressing their foreheads together.

Instinctively, Tony opens his mouth to talk, and Gibbs's thumb slides over his lips.

"Not a word, baby, can you stay quiet for me?" whispers Gibbs.

Tony swallows hard and nods, though suddenly he has a thousand different things he wants to tell Gibbs, right then and there.

"Atta boy, Tony," murmurs Gibbs, giving him one more kiss. Then he steps back, glaring at Sacks.

Sacks doesn't say anything, just takes Tony by the shoulder and turns him away.

Tony walks numbly. By the time they're standing in the elevator, heading down, he's breathing shallowly, genuinely scared. He hates being restrained. A dozen different bad experiences telling him that this one will end badly too.

And he's not allowed to fight this time.

Not even allowed to talk.

"Breathe, DiNozzo," mutters Sacks. "You haven't lost your bet just yet."

Tony can't bring himself to smile, but it's a nice sentiment, particularly coming from the guy who just arrested him.

 

 

Notes:

Hi everyone!

Just so you know, in general, you won't get two chapters posted so closely together, but I wanted to give you something to sink your teeth into to start with. I'm editing (as best I can, lol), fixing up, and formatting as I go, and that will take time, so updates will be semi-regular, probably one 6k(ish) chapter every couple of weeks or so (which is technically only half a chapter, but I have to break 'em up to be manageable for reading on AO3).

I'll also be trying to work on the rest of the story, so I guess I'm trying to give myself a head-start on that, while posting the beginning anyway as motivation to keep going. I do have it plotted out, there's just a bit in the middle that's giving me trouble that I need to figure out; I can say that if I do finish this story, it will have a guaranteed happy ending for Tony and Gibbs, but again, no promises on if (or when) this will get finished. No deadlines, less pressure. This is for fun.

Btw, I know I've crammed a lot into these first two chapters, but it's all set-up for the rest of the story. Everything so far feeds into what's coming next, feeds into.... yeah, you get the picture. Next update will be in a couple weeks.

Cheers,
Edmond|turningthegears.

P.S. I'll clean up the tags sooner or later. Feel free to let me know if there's something you want tagged, I'm not 100% sure how to judge some things and I've probably forgotten other things, sorry. I'll also write an actual summary at some point, but I really just wanted to get started posting before I talked myself out of it.

Chapter 3: Not Tony

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

 

 

Gibbs

Gibbs remains standing where he is and keeps his gaze fixed on his partner until Tony is in the elevator and out of sight. He shuts his eyes, head bowing, as he tries to control his breathing. His heart jackrabbiting in his chest. He feels lightheaded. Not Tony, thinks Gibbs, anyone but Tony.

A hand settles gently on his arm. Gibbs freezes and looks down at it, then glares at the FBI agent, the brunette woman, who has dared to touch him. "Get your hand off me," grits out Gibbs. "Before you lose it."

She takes her hand back with an apologetic smile. "Special Agent Gibbs, I'm Special Agent Jessica Card and this is my partner, Special Agent Terence McManners." She gestures to the man two steps behind her.

Tall, tanned, solemn blue eyes and a short blonde buzz cut; McManners looks a bit like that pretty boy from the car movies that Tony loves, Gibbs notes numbly. McManners takes a half step forward and nods at Gibbs seriously.

Card continues, "We're here to question you and take your statement, we thought you might prefer to be on your own territ-"

"Shut the fuck up," cuts in Gibbs calmly. He thinks he might actually be in a medical state of shock or outright dissociating. His rage is there, vast and seething, but somehow, it now feels disconnected, distant. Like he could snap someone's neck and not so much as blink.

She stutters at him.

Gibbs looks to Leon. "I'm not talking to the FBI until I've talked to our lawyer, and when I do talk to the FBI I'm not chatting with dumb rookies who can't read a room."

Leon nods back immediately and turns to the two FBI agents. "Agents, your presence here is not required. Gibbs will present himself for questioning at Hoover building shortly, run along and tell your bosses that we're bringing a lawyer with us."

Card protests, "Sir-"

"Shall I call security to escort you out?" Vance gives her a hard look.

McManners pulls her away with a quiet word, and frowning, the pair leave, taking the elevator.

Gibbs scrubs his hands over his face. How the fuck has his morning turned into this clusterfuck? He wants Tony. He wants his boy, his man. Why is it always Tony that this shit happens to?

"I'll get Chegwidden here," promises Vance quietly, pulling out his phone.

"I have to call Zoe and check on her and the baby," says Gibbs, fresh panic lancing through him at the thought. The baby. Their once and future child.

Gibbs pulls out his phone and then stares at it for a long moment. It's the latest Android phone that Tony had bought for him a week ago, the one with the battery that doesn't last as long as Gibbs's ancient flip phone and Gibbs hadn't wanted to modernise, but Tony had sold the new one to him with one line: You'll be able to instantly take photos of our baby, keep them in your pocket and have them automatically backed up.

Gibbs swallows hard and makes the call, ignoring everything else in the bullpen. As soon as he gets Tony free, Gibbs is going to take so many pictures of him. "Zoe, hey. It's Gibbs," he says when she picks up. "Are you alright?"

"Yes? Of course, I'm just at work, I was about to go for lunch. Has something happened?" Her voice sounds normal, surprised, but Gibbs can't hear any sign that she's under duress.

They should have already sat down and worked out code words for emergencies. Stupid, stupid, fucking careless-stupid, Gibbs berates himself mentally. He wipes a hand over his mouth. "There's some shit going down at my work. Tony's in trouble. Are you sitting down?"

"You've got me worried now. What's going on, Gibbs? Is Tony okay?"

"Are you sitting down?" repeats Gibbs, because he doesn't want her to feel faint when she hears the bad news and take a fall. He looks around the bullpen. Tim and Ellie are looking back at him worriedly. Vance is over by the window, talking on his phone. Balboa, Jardine, Yates, and their teams are watching from the other side of the partition, plenty of concern on their faces, and plenty of anger too because Tony's friendly with everyone. And NCIS looks after its own.

"Yes, I'm sitting at my desk, Gibbs, is Tony okay?"

"Tony's been arrested by the FBI. The charges are bullshit, someone's claiming that he's assaulted me. Someone's gunning for him, and if they're out for him, or even using him to get to me," because Gibbs can't deny that that's a possibility, as many enemies that he's made over the years, "then they could come after you because of- of the baby." His voice cracks.

"Fucking hell. Are you alright, Gibbs?" Zoe sounds deeply worried.

"Yeah," mutters Gibbs. "I'm still standing. I just need to know that you and the little football are okay?" He winces as soon as the endearment slips out, an in-joke he's not ready for his co-workers to hear.

"We're fine, we're both okay, Gibbs, I promise," soothes Zoe.

Gibbs nods, the vise grip on his heart easing just slightly, and he eyes Vance who is off his phone now and moving back in. "I'm going to send some agents your way, okay, Zoe?" says Gibbs, giving Leon a questioning look, and Leon nods back his permission. "People I trust. There haven't been any threats made about you or the baby, but just in case, I want you to have back-up." He doesn't have a good track record of protecting the women in his life. Shannon and their little girl. Kate. Paula. And Jenny. He's not risking losing Zoe too.

"Okay, that's- Okay," agrees Zoe, sounding stressed. "I'm at my desk, ATF headquarters.  I'll let the building receptionist know to expect NCIS agents. I won't go anywhere 'til they get here."

"Thanks, Zoe," breathes out Gibbs.

"Keep me in the loop, Gibbs. I know you'll get Tony out of trouble, you always do. Just let me know if there's anything I can do to help."

"I'll be in touch. Just stay safe, Zoe," says Gibbs firmly, and he hangs up. She's probably used to his curt manner by now anyway.

"Director," calls Balboa, leaning his forearms on the partition. "My team doesn't have any active cases. Gibbs, I'm game for a protection detail."

Vance looks to Gibbs. "It's your call, Gibbs."

Gibbs gives Balboa a long, hard look. Balboa was straight to the point, no hesitation; offering sheer unwavering support from a long time friend and fellow agent.

Gibbs bites his lip, then says plainly, "I can't lose a second child, Max." His words drop like a bombshell in the bullpen, everyone freezing and staring at him. Maybe he's overreacting, but he can't risk it. He can't. DEFCON 4 alarms are ringing in his head. Gibbs keeps his gaze on Balboa.

Balboa nods slowly. "Not on my watch, Jethro."

Gibbs blows out a breath and nods. "Zoe Keates. Tony's ex-girlfriend. She's an ATF agent, she's at her desk at work, she'll be on the second floor of their HQ. The receptionist will be expecting NCIS agents. Zoe's four and a half months pregnant, and Tony's the biological father, but Zoe doesn't want kids, offered for me to adopt and I accepted. Paperwork's already signed. She's a friend doing a massive favour for us. Keep her safe, Max." Better for Balboa to have as much information as possible going in.

"I'm on it," says Balboa, nodding to Gibbs and Vance, and he turns, giving instructions to his team, and then Balboa's gone, taking one of his agents with him - Maggie Eddings, notes Gibbs, still a junior, but a solid agent. She'll do.

Gibbs runs his fingers through his hair. He needs coffee. Caffeine. Tony. Needs to place his hand on Zoe's swollen belly and feel the firm lump that's his and Tony's baby and know that their little one is okay. How did they go from everything coming together to everything falling apart? He has to find a way to fix this.

Gibbs spins around.

"Leon," he says impatiently.

"Chegwidden's on his way," says Leon instantly. "He's coming straight here, about twenty minutes away."

"Good." Gibbs looks to Tim and Ellie. "Come here," he commands, holding his arms out and gesturing with his hands.

They jump to obey, moving in close, and start babbling at him.

"I'm sorry, Boss - I know, I know, rule six - but I didn't know what to do except call you!" says Tim, distressed.

Ellie bites her lip, arms wrapped around herself. "I asked if it wasn't Tony but his father, maybe some kind of mix up, they share the same name, but-"

"Enough," says Gibbs firmly, looking each of them in the eye. "Enough," he insists softly, seeing their anxious, self-blaming faces. Gibbs places one hand on Tim's shoulder, his other hand on Ellie's elbow, gently tugging his remaining team in close until they have one of Tony's little campfire meeting circles. "I'm not mad at you, not mad at either of you. You did the right thing, getting me and asking questions."

Tim and Ellie reluctantly nod back to him.

"We're going to get Tony back." It's a statement. Gibbs won't allow anything else.

This time Tim's and Ellie's nods are sure, their faces resolute. Gibbs gives them a small lopsided smile. "You're both Tony's probies as much, if not more than mine. Show the world some of that DiNozzo backbone and tenacity," he murmurs.

They straighten their shoulders, raise their chins. He nods approvingly.

"Now," Gibbs stares at them hard, looking between McGee and Bishop. "Find out who is messing with us and find out how I go about getting a restraining order overturned or rescinded or-"

"Deleted?" offers Tim.

"Destroyed," says Gibbs in quiet fury. How dare someone try to keep him and Tony apart? How dare they keep him from his partner and fiancé and family? His everything.

Tim nods; Ellie swallows and speaks up, "Gibbs, what if this isn't about Tony?"

"You think someone's trying to hurt him to hurt me?" Gibbs scowls. As the team lead, he tries to make sure that it's his name that's most recognisable to the public - a deliberate attempt to protect his team, and especially DiNozzo's appearance for undercover operations - but it means that every conviction for every case his team has closed potentially earns him enemies from the convicted perpetrators and their families.

"Could be," sighs Tim.

Ellie shakes her head. "It's a possibility, but not the one I meant. What if it's not just about Tony or just about Gibbs? What if it's about the both of you together?"

Tim furrows his brow at her. "A hate crime? Like, a homophobic backlash to them coming out of the closet?"

"I hadn't gotten so far as to consider the background motivations," admits Ellie. "But if all that had happened was Tony being arrested, I'd have bought that it was someone with a grudge against him. But the restraining order? That's deliberately aimed at splitting up Tony and Gibbs."

"The timing's a bit tight for a homophobic backlash," interjects Vance from where he's sitting on the edge of Bishop's desk.

Gibbs, Tim, and Ellie turn to look at him.

"The warrant and restraining order are dated today," continues Leon, holding up the papers. "To my knowledge Gibbs and DiNozzo kept a tight leash on who knew about their romantic relationship prior to this weekend. The timing's too tight for backlash when most people only found out this morning when Gibbs arrived at work with a bright shiny ring on his finger and DiNozzo strutting around like a peacock."

Gibbs nods in agreement and snorts at Leon's description because he's not wrong, but Gibbs likes that Tony is so happy and proud of their engagement.

Gibbs sighs and says, "Jimmy's known for almost a decade, told Breena with our permission when they got serious. Tobias has known for a couple of years - I told him not long after you called us on it, Leon. Plus my dad's known since not long after I reconnected with him. But I'm pretty sure no one else had confirmation." Tony still hasn't told his own father, not that Gibbs blames him there.

"So," says Tim, frowning as he concentrates, "If the people who knew could be trusted to keep quiet about it, and everyone else only found out today, then someone else found out somehow. Someone with a grudge looking for blackmail material? Or a stalker maybe?"

Ellie sighs. "How likely is that though?"

"More than you might think," says Tim ruefully, no doubt thinking of Tom E. Gemcity's past stalker and a few of his hard-core, boundary-pushing fans.

Gibbs shakes his head, smirking faintly at Tim. Then he scowls hard. "Tony is ridiculously pretty, and friendly to everyone, and he flirts indiscriminately. Wouldn't put it past someone to take something the wrong way and fixate on him. But that wouldn't lead to having Tony arrested, would it? I'd be the one the stalker would want out of the way." No, more likely it's someone with a grudge.

Leon, Tim, and Ellie all stare at him, a little amused, a little surprised.

"What?" grunts Gibbs.

"Can't believe you just called Tony 'ridiculously pretty'," says Ellie, smiling at him as if she thinks he's something cute and adorable.

"Well, he is." Gibbs rolls his eyes and shrugs. "I love Tony for far more than his looks, but I'm not blind either, he looks good," mutters Gibbs a little shyly. To think he used to get beaten up back as a teenager in Stillwater for being queer and nowadays people smile when he calls a man pretty.

Vance snorts. "Fair enough."

Gibbs eyes him but lets it go. He can't threaten everyone who finds Tony attractive, he'd be exhausted by lunchtime. Besides, Tony's not here to get turned on by his possessiveness.

"Alright," says Ellie, grinning at Gibbs, "I'll bite that Tony's ridiculously pretty, but he's not the only good-looking guy in the Gibbs-DiNozzo couple."

Tim snickers but nods. "Yeah, can't rule out that the stalker or whoever is fixated on Gibbs, and that could be the reason for having Tony arrested. Cut out the competition."

Gibbs looks between them. "You two are way too young for me and I'm taken, so stop flirting, kids." Gibbs smirks at their mortified faces. "And it's DiNozzo-Gibbs," he corrects. "For when we're gonna hyphenate."

That gets raised eyebrows, but Gibbs is starting to feel like he's running out of time. "Alright, enough. McGee, Bishop, go find out who the fuck is behind this. A stalker, someone with a grudge, someone who hates queers, whoever. Find out who filed the report, follow the paper trail. And find out what the so-called probable cause for the arrest warrant is - Tony's never raised a hand against me in anger, I want to know what the hell their evidence is. Leon and I will wait for Chegwidden in the director's office," he adds, glancing at Leon for confirmation.

Leon nods.

"Come find me when you have something," orders Gibbs. He wouldn't normally hold their hands over what they need to do, letting them work out the details, but normally Tony is here to chivvy them in the right direction if need be.

"Yes, Boss," says Tim, hurrying to his computer.

"On it, Gibbs!" Ellie darts to her own.

Vance stands and falls into step with Gibbs as he leaves the bullpen.

 

 

As soon as they get into the director's office, Gibbs leans back against the closed door, letting it hold him up for a moment.

"Can your boy take the heat?" asks Leon immediately. "Keep quiet until we get there with Chegwidden?"

Gibbs glares at him. "Of course he can." Then he sighs and admits, "But being handcuffed might throw him off." Gibbs shakes his head, and pulls up a chair at the large conference table. "He's got PTSD about being restrained."

"Shit," says Vance, grimacing. "He's certainly been cuffed and hurt enough times on the job for it."

"Yeah," sighs Gibbs. "Think he'll be alright if he can make it to the interrogation room without talking. Once he's in there, it'll be familiar enough that he'll swap it around in his head, pretend like he's the one doing the interrogation. Probably enjoy it once he figures out that his not talking is annoying to the feebies."

Vance chuckles quietly. "That does sound like DiNozzo."

Gibbs nods, plants his elbows on the table and buries his face in his hands. He hears Leon sit down beside him.

"You okay, Jethro?" asks Leon quietly.

"How would you feel if it had been Jackie they'd carted off in handcuffs?" says Gibbs, muffled behind his hands, and he resolves to headslap Leon, director or not, if the guy says it ain't comparable to what's happened.

"I'd probably be as big a mess as you are right now, but I wouldn't have been able to hold it together half as well as you did back in the bullpen, I don't think."

Gibbs nods miserably. He just wants Tony back. It really is that simple.

"I'm benching you and your team, don't argue, Gibbs," says Vance, not unkindly. "We both know you, McGee, and Bishop wouldn't be able to focus on a murder mystery if one landed in your laps right now."

Gibbs lowers his hands and glares for appearance's sake, but his heart's not in it. "Fine, Leon," he says grudgingly, as if he's got some choice in the matter. He sighs again, "I am actually looking forward to dropping down to a part-time role." It's what he and Vance had been discussing all morning, getting the details hashed out. God, is it lunchtime already? Gibbs is hungry.

"Looking forward to only working part-time and being a stay-at-home dad?" asks Leon with a small smile. "I sometimes wish I'd had more time with Jared and Kayla when they were younger, and even now, a bit."

Gibbs winces hard. "Don't waste a single second, Leon. It could all slip outta your grip in an instant." Shannon, Kelly. And now Tony's been arrested on the stupidest fucking charges.

Leon nods sombrely. "I know." Jackie.

Gibbs and Leon exchange a pained glance, and Gibbs is relieved when Vance's desk phone buzzes with the intercom.

"Director Vance, Admiral Chegwidden is here to see you and Agent Gibbs," says Cynthia.

Vance sighs, gets up and goes to open the door. "Thank you, Cynthia," he calls out. "Admiral Chegwidden, thank you for coming so quickly. Please come in." Vance steps aside.

"Thank you, Director. And AJ is fine."

"Leon, then," offers Vance.

Gibbs stares blankly at Admiral Chegwidden, the man surveying him in return. Chegwidden is tall, bald, severe as always. Dressed in a nice suit, briefcase in hand.

"Give us a moment, Leon," mutters Chegwidden.

Vance looks to Gibbs.

Gibbs shrugs and nods, watches Leon step outside. Chegwidden comes and takes a seat opposite Gibbs on the conference table.

"Jethro," greets Chegwidden simply, nodding to him warmly enough. "I'd say it's good to see you again, but I think we both wish it were under different circumstances."

Gibbs smirks faintly despite said circumstances, an idea coming to him. "You can have an invite to the wedding," he offers, holding up his left hand, his diamond platinum ring shining under the lights.

"Wedding?" Chegwidden furrows his brow.

"DiNozzo and I are engaged," says Gibbs quietly, lowering his hand and aching with the fact that he can't proudly show off his boy because Tony's just not here to be shown off. "Get him out of these bullshit charges and you can have a front row seat to when we tie the knot, if you want it."

Chegwidden sighs. "So, I take that to mean that DiNozzo has not sexually assaulted or attempted to rape you?"

"No," says Gibbs firmly. Jesus Christ, is he going to have to tell everyone he meets that, yes, he likes having Tony's cock up his ass?

"Are you sure?" asks Chegwidden, holding his gaze evenly. "I'll help get him out of these charges regardless, if that's what you want, but as your lawyer I need to know the facts."

Gibbs scowls, glaring at him. "All sexual activity between me and Tony is and always has been fully consensual. He's the man I love and the sex is goddamned fantastic," snaps Gibbs, his temper sliding in his grip.

"Okay." Chegwidden nods and smiles slightly. "Had to ask, Gibbs. His ring on your hand doesn't entitle him to your body."

Gibbs nods reluctantly, calming back down. He'd do the same thing in Chegwidden's position but that doesn't mean he has to like being on the other side of it.

"I'll get Leon back in." Chegwidden goes and recalls Vance.

Chegwidden and Vance settle at one end of the table as Gibbs gets up and helps himself to Leon's coffee, pouring a large cup and then sitting back down with them. Leon smirks at him, shaking his head. Gibbs shrugs. It's an addiction, he won't even deny it. And he really needs something to help him get through this shit.

"Alright," says Chegwidden seriously. "What's this about, Gibbs? DiNozzo getting arrested for sexually assaulting you, his fiancé? Someone catch him asking you for a quickie in the office and misinterpret it?"

Vance cuts in, "If I ever find out you two have had sex in that damn elevator, I'm putting you on cold cases for three months, Gibbs!"

Gibbs snickers. "No, we haven't, but now that you mention it..." He shrugs and gives a mock-innocent look to Leon, who scowls. But then Gibbs shrugs again, sincerely, looking at Chegwidden. "No idea who's behind it, my team's looking into it now."

Vance sighs. "As much as DiNozzo goofs off, I doubt even he would ask Gibbs for sex at work."

"I let DiNozzo goof off because he gets twice the results in half the time as any other senior agent and his light-hearted humour serves the team well for morale. Comedic relief is a goddamn lifesaver when you've got a difficult and depressing job like ours." Gibbs glowers darkly at Vance. "Maybe if you were as quick with the paperwork as he is, you'd have time to remove the stick from up your ass, Leon!"

Vance stills. "I'm going to overlook that because you're under a considerable amount of stress. But the next time you want to talk to me like that, you had better keep in mind that, friends or not, in this office, in this building, and on duty, I outrank you, Gibbs, and that's insubordination."

Gibbs glares, then relents, looking away. "That was out of line," mutters Gibbs, because he knows he's on a hair trigger right now but he still shouldn't be a bastard to someone on his side. "Sorry. Won't happen again."

Leon sighs again. "One, at some point we do need to talk, DiNozzo included, about easing your teammates through the transition, because DiNozzo can't be both comedic relief and team lead, no matter how well it may work in the current set up. And two, don't you have a rule against apologising?"

"Yeah," says Gibbs wryly, and he thinks back to a decade ago when he'd added a corollary to that rule for Ducky. "But not between friends." He smiles crookedly at Leon, and gets a nod back, they're good. Then Gibbs freezes, his gut pinging and connections snapping through his mind.

"Gibbs?" asks Chegwidden, concerned.

"SON OF A MOTHER-FUCKING BITCH!" roars Gibbs, slamming his open palm flat onto the table, sharp pain jolting through his hand and wrist.

"Gibbs, what-" Leon flinches back, startled; Chegwidden frowns, demands, "What's wrong, Gibbs?"

"I know who had Tony arrested," snarls Gibbs, shoving himself up from his chair fast, sending it skittering behind him. "And I'm going to fucking kill him!" Breathing heavily, he runs both hands through his hair. Un-fucking-believable.

There's heavy footsteps running up to the door, and then McGee and Bishop burst through.

"Director, I'm sorry for interrupting, but it's important!" says Tim, panting a little for breath.

"Gibbs, we know who's behind having Tony arrested!" blurts out Ellie.

"Ducky," snarls Gibbs, his hands clenching into fists at his sides.

Tim and Ellie stare at him wide-eyed, but start to nod vigorously even as they catch their breaths.

"Yes, Boss," confirms Tim. "FBI Special Agent Jessica Card wrote the report and had a judge sign off on the arrest warrant and restraining order first thing this morning-"

"Based off of testimony by Ducky! That's the so-called probable cause, Ducky made an accusation against Tony and provided witness testimony!" finishes Ellie, frustratedly tucking back a loose lock of blonde hair out of her face. "How did you know, Gibbs?"

"My gut," bites off Gibbs. "Just hit me now." Jesus fucking Christ. Ducky. How the fuck could he do this to Tony? To Gibbs? He'd damn near had a breakdown in front of fucking everyone when Tony was cuffed and taken away. Gibbs still feels like he's lost all control and is skidding the wheels, even though he isn't the one with his hands tied behind his back.

"Alright," says Chegwidden, standing up and getting everyone's attention. "You two-" he points to McGee and Bishop, "If you're coming in, shut the damn door behind you. And Gibbs, sit back down, going off and killing this 'Ducky' won't get your man out of a holding cell but will definitely place you in one."

Everyone looks to Gibbs, and scowling, he moves to sit down-

"No, Boss! Wait!" interjects Tim, scurrying forward. He grabs Gibbs's chair from where it had hit the floor and rights it, bringing it back to Gibbs.

Gibbs scrubs his hands over his face. Overlooking his damn chair. No, he's not in any frame of mind to be tearing after anyone right now. Reluctantly, he sits down. "Thanks, Tim," mutters Gibbs.

Tim nods and gives him a reassuring I got your back look, and grabs a seat beside him, Ellie sliding into the chair beside Tim.

"Alright," says Chegwidden. "Who's this 'Ducky' and what's his beef with DiNozzo? The name's familiar," he adds thoughtfully.

Gibbs scowls, his hands flexing and clenching into fists under the table.

Vance answers, "Dr Donald Mallard. He's the Chief Medical Examiner here at NCIS." Leon gives Gibbs a sympathetic look. "And he's one of Jethro's oldest friends," he finishes quietly.

"Was," grits out Gibbs as anger flares and sizzles through his veins. "Was one of my oldest friends. To hell with him if he thinks he still is after this."

Vance frowns. "I didn't think of him earlier, because, well, he's one of ours," Leon tells Chegwidden. "But he did accuse DiNozzo of taking advantage of Gibbs the other night."

Gibbs scowls harder, glaring down at the table. A warrant for Tony's arrest? A fucking restraining order? Instead of having a goddamned conversation with him and Tony?

But there's loud clomping footfalls outside Vance's office door and then Abby bursts in.

"Damn it, Gibbs," barks Vance. "You have got to learn to know how to knock before the entire damn agency thinks they can just barge in here!"

Abby comes to a sudden tottering halt, shooting a quick apologetic look at Vance. "Sorry, sir, but there's bigger problems at hand!" She looks to Gibbs frantically, hands flailing. "Gibbs Gibbs Gibbs! What the hell is going on! Dorneget just told me that Tony's been arrested by the FBI! For hurting you! Are you okay? I can't believe that Tony would assault you! Please tell me what's going on, Gibbs!" Abby wrings her hands, staring at him with wide eyes.

Gibbs groans and rubs a hand over his face, inwardly cursing Dorney - he's a good kid who cares and he probably thinks he was helping, but Gibbs has enough on his plate without dealing with everyone else's panic. "Take a breath, Abs, and sit down," orders Gibbs and he takes a sip of his coffee.

Abby frowns at him but obediently falls into the chair next to Ellie.

Gibbs gestures for Tim to fill her in when there's more running footsteps approaching Vance's office and then hard rapping on the door that had swung shut again after Abby's entry. "Director Vance? Agent Gibbs? Are you in there? I really need to speak to you, sir!" calls Jimmy Palmer through the wood.

Vance looks exasperated.

Chegwidden snorts. "I'm beginning to be envious of how many friends you've got, Gibbs."

Gibbs's mouth twitches, but it's Vance who calls out, "Get in here, Palmer!"

Gibbs takes another mouthful of coffee to bolster himself, then puts it down on the conference table and stands as Jimmy stumbles into the room in his haste.

"Special Agent Gibbs!" says Jimmy in a rush. "Special Agent Yates just came down to Autopsy and informed Dr. Mallard and myself that Tony has been arrested again, but the thing is, Dr. Mallard already knew, that is, I'm sorry, but Dr. Mallard-"

"Ducky is behind Tony being arrested," says Gibbs succinctly.

"What! What the hell?" yelps Abby.

Gibbs cuts her off with a sharp gesture, keeping his gaze on Jimmy.

Jimmy stares at him in surprise. "You know already. Of course you do. Gibbs, sir, I'm sorry," says Jimmy desperately, wide blue eyes earnest behind his glasses. "I swear I didn't know that Dr. Mallard was going to-"

"Easy, Jimbo, I know you didn't," says Gibbs quietly.

Jimmy heaves a sigh of relief.

"Talk to me, Jimmy. I need answers." Gibbs needs to get Tony back and then he needs to wring Ducky's neck.

Jimmy nods quickly. "When I arrived at work this morning, I tried to talk to Dr. Mallard about his reaction to you and Tony the other night-"

"What happened the other night?" cuts in Chegwidden. "Leon mentioned it as well."

"Uh," Jimmy glances at Chegwidden hesitantly then looks to Gibbs.

"The lawyer for Tony," explains Gibbs. "The former JAG, Retired Rear Admiral AJ Chegwidden. Go on, Jimmy."

"Oh right. Um, nice to meet you, sir," says Jimmy, giving an awkward wave. "Uh, well, on Saturday evening we all threw a surprise birthday party for Agent Gibbs at his house, Abby organised it last minute when we realised that we were all going to be free that night, and-" Jimmy breaks off, looking to Gibbs and pinking up.

Gibbs rolls his eyes heavenward and then looks to Chegwidden. "Tony and I stumbled in drunk, not knowing anyone was there. We were kissing and going to fuck against the wall, in front of everyone, when Leon whistled and broke our eardrums. Ducky took it badly. He didn't know that we were already together and he accused Tony of taking advantage of me." Gibbs scowls.

Chegwidden frowns. "So Dr. Mallard got the wrong end of the stick and is now attempting to protect you from your own fiancé?"

"Looks like," says Gibbs. He looks to Jimmy. "What did he say to you when you tried talking to him this morning?" demands Gibbs.

Jimmy stutters and babbles, "H-He was cold. Angry. He wouldn't listen to me when I tried telling him it looked consensual. I thought it would further upset Dr. Mallard if I told him that I had already known about yours and Tony's relationship, because you and Dr. Mallard are old friends whereas you and myself aren't as close, so I didn't mention it. I'm not great at standing up for myself and I remembered you had said you were going to talk to him today anyway, so I thought it best to leave him to you, Agent Gibbs. I swear, I didn't know that he had pressed charges against Tony!"

Gibbs nods, giving Jimmy a quick squeeze on the shoulder.

"I still can't believe they told you before telling me," mutters Tim petulantly.

Jimmy's eyes flash. "Well maybe if you and everyone else hadn't given Tony so much crap when Agent Gibbs had amnesia and ran off to Mexico then maybe Tony would have confided in you instead of the lowest co-worker on the totem pole!" Jimmy glares at Tim. "You lost a friend and your boss, but Tony lost his boss and his partner, and everyone was so busy taking out their pain on him that they completely overlooked the pain he was in. He needed you to step up and instead you and Ziva were busy trying to tear him down!"

Tim flinches. "I messed up back then, I know, Jimmy."

Gibbs frowns at Tim. "We've all made mistakes. We've got Tony's back right now and that's what matters. Though you and I will be having a long hard conversation before you ever become DiNozzo's senior field agent and second in command, McGee," warns Gibbs.

Tim nods quickly.

Jimmy scoffs. "You've treated Tony badly in the past too, Gibbs," he says quietly. "You're getting the shovel talk of the century from me before you marry Tony."

Gibbs eyes him curiously.

Jimmy swallows hard but lifts his chin, meeting his gaze, nervous but determined.

"Good." Gibbs smirks. "And you might not be great at sticking up for yourself, Jimmy, but you're doing a hell of a good job sticking up for your friends. Tony would be both proud and honoured."

Jimmy lets out a long breath.

Gibbs drops down into his chair again, suddenly exhausted. Emotionally exhausted, even better. What a clusterfuck.

"Um, should I stay or go?" asks Jimmy uncertainly.

"You might as well have a seat, Mr. Palmer," says Vance dryly, and Jimmy pulls out a chair.

Gibbs scrubs his hands over his face. "We should have just stayed in bed this morning," he murmurs to himself. He wishes they had, wishes he could go back to when they were making love, wishes that Tony was safely in his arms. Gibbs presses his palms over his eyes and breathes out slowly.

"Okay," says Gibbs, pulling himself together with sheer strength of will. He lowers his hands and looks at Chegwidden. "Let's get Tony back, then I can deal with Dr. Mallard."

Chegwidden nods immediately. "I need to know what we're up against. Why exactly does Dr. Mallard believe that Special Agent DiNozzo was taking advantage of you?"

"I don't know," says Gibbs frustratedly. "I was kissing Tony back, my dick was hard, I wasn't fighting or anything - we weren't playing rough like we sometimes do. It shoulda been obvious that I was good with it."

Gibbs ignores the eyebrows that shoot up at playing rough and thinks back to that night. Stumbling through the door, feeling like the only thing holding him up was Tony. Hot and horny and shaky too, buzzing on the alcohol and caffeine, trusting Tony to deal with difficult things like buttons and zippers. Simmering in pleasure from Tony's hot wet mouth and strong hands, Tony rubbing up against his cock. Eager for Tony's dick inside him again. Once hadn't been enough.

Tony had made a baby - yeah, okay, Gibbs knows Zoe is doing the hard work, but not the point - Tony had made a baby. A future son or daughter, real and alive, moving under Gibbs's hand, and Gibbs was allowed to call it his. His baby, his and Tony's, theirs. Tony could have had Zoe, could have had the perfect wife and 2.5 kids and the white picket fence, but instead Tony had chosen Gibbs, Tony wanted to share life and domesticity and fatherhood with him. Once they had gotten out of Zoe's flat that afternoon, Gibbs had pressed Tony up against the car and kissed him until they couldn't breathe.

Gibbs is certain that he had wanted Tony to fuck him again that night, for Tony to love him and make him feel good, to slide in under his skin and never leave, just like he's certain now that all he wants is Tony back, safe and sound in his arms, healthy and happy. He would rip out his own beating heart with nothing but his bare hands to make that happen. Shannon would have laughed; Gibbs has never known how to love in moderation and the attempts at poetry he'd written for her had been just as bloodstained.

"I love Tony. I wanted him. It should have been obvious," repeats Gibbs fiercely, and Chegwidden nods back at him thoughtfully.

Ellie raises her hand tentatively. "I think because Gibbs was drunk and because Tony didn't, er, prepare Gibbs for, uh, anal sex that Ducky thought that Tony was going to hurt Gibbs." She blushes a bright red.

Chegwidden raises an eyebrow. "So you were intoxicated, Gibbs? Legally that would count as diminished capacity to consent."

Gibbs rolls his eyes and spreads his hands. "Tony and I were both drunk. Anyone wants to argue diminished capacity, they oughta apply it to both of us. Not that 'forced to penetrate' is legally considered rape," adds Gibbs resentfully, remembering an ex-wife he'd rather forget. He sighs and continues, "It was my birthday, and we'd found out earlier in the day from Zoe that she'd felt the baby kick for the first time - fuck, did I tell you that we're having a baby?"

Gibbs grins, wide and happy. He hadn't thought he'd ever be ready to have a child again, but when Tony had come home in a daze, telling him that Zoe was pregnant, the old panic hadn't shown up - instead a deep hurt had filled him, because Tony's always wanted a partner and kids, the one thing that Gibbs had thought he couldn't give. But, as sorry for himself as he'd felt, Gibbs had asked if Tony needed any help moving into Zoe's house. Because Gibbs couldn't stop loving Tony if he tried, and because, of course, if Zoe was pregnant, then Tony wouldn't be staying with him.

But Tony had snapped out of his shock at the question and dropped straight into teary-eyed heartbreak that he'd tried to mask with anger. What? Are you breaking up with me again? Fuck you, Gibbs, you promised me forever this time and if you want me gone you can fucking drag me out kicking and screaming. Tony had hunched over, hugging himself, fully expecting Gibbs to do just that, because in Tony's experience nobody ever wanted to keep him, and the future had rewritten itself all over again right before Gibbs's eyes. Okay, Gibbs had said, feeling relief rush through him, figuring that if he had to share Tony with Zoe then there were worse in-laws to have, but Tony had flinched, taking that one word the wrong way before Gibbs quickly continued, starting to smile, So we're having a baby.

"Congratulations, Jethro," murmurs Chegwidden, bringing Gibbs back to the present moment.

Gibbs nods, still smiling. "Thanks. Zoe, Tony's ex-girlfriend, is carrying, four and a half months along. We visited her late that afternoon and got to feel the baby move for ourselves. So we wanted to celebrate. Went back to Tony's place and he played bartender and made us a bunch of drinks. We were gonna have a couple rounds of love-making and order some pizza for dinner, watch a movie. Had to go to my house because we remembered that we had a grocery delivery in the morning," says Gibbs with a shrug.

"And you maintain that you were consenting to have sex with DiNozzo that night whilst you were intoxicated?" clarifies Chegwidden.

"Yes," growls Gibbs. "How many times do I have to tell people that I like having Tony's cock in my ass? It's nobody's damn business but ours." 

"And the aforementioned lack of preparation?" says Chegwidden, ignoring the crass phrasing and making notes in his binder. "Was that an oversight on DiNozzo's part due to his own intoxication?"

Fucking hell. Gibbs's face heats up and he ducks his head, rubbing at his neck. "We'd already- uh, been together. Back at his place. Didn't need any prep for the second round." Just put him out of his misery already before he dies of embarrassment.

But Chegwidden just nods matter-of-factly and jots down another note. "Is there anything else that Dr. Mallard could have brought against Special Agent DiNozzo in his testimony?"

Gibbs shrugs. "Hell if I know. I was pretty drunk then, it's a bit blurry. But Duck kept going on about how I was straight and drunk, and how Tony was the worst for not lubing up first. I tried telling Ducky that I was consenting but he wouldn't listen and Tony was upset and I was pissed off - cockblocked on my own damn birthday and Ducky talking nonsense - so I told Duck to shut up or get out."

Gibbs scowls, muttering under his breath, "Nothing straight about what we did this morning either."

Tim snickers.

Gibbs shoots him an irritated look.

"Uh, sorry, Boss," says Tim quickly. "None of my business, Boss."

"Alright, Jethro," says Chegwidden, sighing. "Given that the charges rest upon your supposed lack of consent, with your own testimony proclaiming that DiNozzo had your full informed consent and that no crime was committed, there's a good chance that the FBI would be willing to drop the charges against him. However, it's also possible that they will decide to continue a full investigation, and then interview everyone who was at the birthday party at the time you and DiNozzo walked in. Either way, from the sound of things, they don't have any hard evidence with which to go to court. Dr. Mallard's eye-witness testimony would most likely be considered secondary to your own."

"Yeah," agrees Gibbs tiredly. "It's a 'he said, she said' case, and I'm on Tony's side, and we've got a whole lot of people who can back us up if need be. I just want to know what the hell Ducky was thinking, going to the FBI, filing charges?"

He runs his fingers through his hair. If Duck really had been worried for his well-being, then a simple sober conversation would have cleared everything up. Hell, there shouldn't be anything to clear up, Gibbs had made himself clear that night.

Chegwidden shakes his head, sighing. "I'm sorry I can't answer that for you, Gibbs, but let's go get your man and go from there."

"Shall we call Balboa and have him end Agent Keates' protection detail, or do you want to leave him with her for now, Gibbs?" asks Vance quietly.

Gibbs frowns. "Leave him there. I want to be sure there's not more to this bullshit first."

 

 

Notes:

The next chapter should be up in two or so weeks, same deal as with this one - no exact due date, in order to spare me the stress if irl gets in the way of working on this fic.
Thank you to everyone who left an encouraging comment! Hopefully you guys enjoy this chapter as well :)
Cheers!

Chapter 4: 300 Yards

Chapter Text

 

 

Chegwidden and Vance accompany him to Hoover building. Gibbs has been there before often enough, stopping by with coffee for Tobias, visiting about some case or another. The FBI have a nicer, much larger squad room, and it's less orange to boot, all polished steel and glass, but Gibbs isn't impressed. Just because they have a bigger budget, doesn't mean they have better agents.

They meet up with Agents Sacks, Card, McManners, and their fourth teammate in the middle of the squad room floor, beside Sacks' team's set of desks, and before the pleasantries can even start, Gibbs demands, "I want to see DiNozzo."

Sacks frowns. "There's a restraining order against DiNozzo being within 300 yards of you, Gibbs."

"I didn't file that and I'm gonna have it ripped to shreds, Sacks," growls Gibbs. "I want to see Tony and he's hardly in violation of the damn thing when he's handcuffed in FBI custody and I'm the one requesting to see him."

"Special Agent Gibbs-" Card.

"I don't want to hear another word out of your mouth!" snarls Gibbs at the agent who had taken Ducky's testimony and filed the charges.

"Why don't we all take a moment to calm down," says Chegwidden slowly, giving Gibbs a reproving glance.

Gibbs sets his jaw defiantly.

Chegwidden purses his mouth,  and turns to Sacks. "Special Agent Sacks, was it? I'm AJ Chegwidden, Special Agent DiNozzo's attorney, and I'd like to see my client immediately. Director Vance is here to make a statement pertaining the events of Saturday night, having been witness to them himself, however Special Agent Gibbs, having Special Agent DiNozzo's enduring power of attorney, will be accompanying me to see his fiancé prior to making his own statement."

Gibbs smirks at the surprised faces, suddenly incredibly glad that he and Tony have spent the last couple of weeks getting their legal affairs in order in preparation for the baby. Just to be a dick, Gibbs cheerfully waves his left hand at Sacks, Card, and their teammates, his wedding ring catching the light.

Beside him, Leon murmurs, "Their observation and inference skills are a joke, you've been wearing that disco ball all morning."

Gibbs sends a fierce grin to Sacks. "I want to see my fiancé now."

Sacks shakes his head in surprise, blinking. "Fiancé. Huh. Right. Okay then. This way." Sacks turns to go.

"How about no?" cuts in Gibbs. "How about you bring DiNozzo out here, to the middle of your squad room, where all of your fellow agents have no doubt been gossiping like old wives about my partner and trashing his rep. I'd very much like to prove them wrong." And, more importantly, get Tony out of his cell for five minutes.

"Gibbs," starts Sacks reluctantly.

"He'll be in handcuffs, won't he?" says Gibbs with a hard stare. "In the middle of FBI territory." Gibbs chuckles, "I know he's good, Sacks, but DiNozzo's not actually Double-Oh Seven, even if he does wear Tom Ford suits. I highly doubt he's going to make a daring escape, and he's not going to give me any trouble."

Chegwidden looks amused; Sacks looks constipated.

Vance sighs. "You might as well do as he says, Gibbs is like a dog with a bone when it comes to DiNozzo. Ever tried taking a bone from a dog? You'll lose your will to live before the dog drops the damn thing."

Gibbs stares at Leon incredulously, Leon who had the temerity to say that with a straight face.

"Besides, I'd like to see for myself that my agent hasn't been mistreated in FBI care," adds Vance with a sharp look at the FBI agents.

"Of course not, but fine, I'll bring him out," relents Sacks, with a quick glance towards his own director's office. "As a gesture of good will on part of the FBI." He stalks off.

Gibbs relaxes slightly.

Chegwidden quirks an eyebrow at him. "You can tell the difference between brands of suits?"

Gibbs huffs a laugh, "I'm marrying a man who has no compunctions about telling me." Gibbs smiles to himself, deliberately ignoring Sacks' team and the other FBI agents milling about. Everyone is passionate about something, or several somethings, and God knows his own woodworking obsession requires a lot of tolerance. At least Tony doesn't force him to go shopping, even if new articles of clothing turn up in Gibbs's wardrobe on a semi-regular basis. He even wears most of them, makes no difference to him what brand of polo shirt he wears.

"Here," says Vance quietly, getting Gibbs's attention and nodding to the side.

Tony. Escorted by Sacks.

Gibbs runs an eye over his boy. White button down shirt, a little wrinkled and unbuttoned at the neck, grey slacks, sharp black leather shoes. Tony's lost his jacket and tie, belt, and watch. His hands are behind his back, presumably cuffed like that. Tony looks tense, hackles up, jaw tight, ready for a fight. Then Tony's eyes light up when he spots Gibbs and the stress falls off his shoulders. Gibbs is impressed when Tony beams at him but doesn't even open his mouth to talk - still staying quiet for him.

Gibbs grins and wraps his arms around Tony. One hand reaching around low to find Tony's hands and intertwining their fingers, squeezing, and his other arm wrapping around Tony's shoulders, and he pulls Tony in for a tight hug, burying his face in Tony's neck in relief. Tony doesn't say anything, but Gibbs feels a kiss dropped to his neck and then Tony face-plants against his shoulder, sighing in relief. Feeling the heat Tony puts out, rubbing his nose into Tony's soft skin and smelling his usual cinnamon and leather scented cologne, and a bit of sour stress-sweat, Gibbs breathes in and out, and lets the world roll off his shoulders. Stealing just a moment for them.

Until the quiet gets to Gibbs. He pulls back - not letting go - and Tony raises his head too, just enough to look each other in the eye. Tony pouts at him. Gibbs gives him a small grin, leans in and kisses Tony softly, easing Tony's mouth open with his lips and kissing him deep and wet and lovingly. Tony gentles their kiss, managing Gibbs with little kisses, and a nip of teeth, no doubt meant to be a reminder that they're not alone. After all, they are still in the middle of the FBI's squad room. Reluctantly, Gibbs pulls back with one last sucking kiss to Tony's pouty lower lip.

Tony looks back at him, amused and adoring simultaneously. And still faithfully quiet.

Gibbs strokes Tony's soft, dark honey hair and says, "Alright, Tony, you can talk now."

"Are Zoe and the baby okay?" asks Tony worriedly.

Gibbs nods. "They're alright, both okay," he murmurs. "Balboa's on protection detail."

Tony breathes out. "Once I calmed down and started thinking, I had a feeling they would be alright, but I had to check. Are you okay, Gibbs?"

Gibbs nods again, gives him a tight smile, says nothing. They have a personal rule against using the words I'm fine.

Concerned green eyes look at him searchingly, and Tony nods slowly. "Right." Tony purses his lips, and Gibbs knows that Tony gets him.

Gibbs smiles indulgently, hopelessly in love with this man. They need to talk to Chegwidden, they need to make statements, but first, "Come on, Tony. Talk to me." Three, two, one...

"Oh thank God!" says Tony with a strangled groan, and he starts babbling excitedly, "I was going crazy keeping quiet, I don't know how people do it, you should try it sometime! Staying quiet, not a single word for two hours - oh wait, that wouldn't really work, would it, Boss? You're a big fan of not talking! Okay, well let's put this in an a scenario that you can relate to: Gibbs, imagine having to talk for two hours! Just constantly talking for two hours straight, could you do that, two hours of yabba yabba, Boss? No? No, that's what I thought. It hasn't been easy, ya know, I've had Agents Queen of Spades and McNot-That-Well-Mannered asking me all kinds of questions for the last two hours and I couldn't even tell them that Spades needs to lose the shaft and McNo-Manners actually has a little reddish-brown something stuck under his fingernail!"

Tony takes a breath.

Gibbs cuts in. "You done, DiNozzo?" he says mildly.

Tony deflates. "Well, no. But I can tell you the rest later." And there, recognises Gibbs, is the hint that suggests Tony actually has something important he needs to say in private.

"You alright?" asks Gibbs quietly.

Tony cricks his neck, left and right, rolls his shoulders, and nods with a grin. "Surviving, babe."

Gibbs snorts softly, leans in and gives Tony another kiss, sweet and chaste. "I love you," he says simply, cupping Tony's cheek with one hand.

Tony nods solemnly. "I know."

Gibbs rolls his eyes. "Every time. Every damn time, Tony. This is why I never say it first, you always gotta Han Solo me."

Tony bursts into laughter, loud and delighted.

Gibbs shakes his head, but he can't help the small smile that steals across his face.

"Alright, let's get this over with," says Sacks firmly. "McManners, Wiggins, escort DiNozzo to interrogation. DiNozzo, your attorney and your fiancé will join you shortly, I'd like a quick word with them first."

 

 

The inside of the FBI's interrogation room is similar to NCIS's interrogation rooms, ugly and claustrophobic, although the lights are much brighter. Harsher. Probably a design feature intended to discomfort suspects and perpetrators. They've been promised that, while there will be FBI agents guarding DiNozzo from the attached observation room, the interrogation room's audio will be muted and unrecorded per DiNozzo's right to private legal counsel. Gibbs isn't sure he believes it, but there's nothing he can do about it either way.

Chegwidden sits down and busies himself with reading his binder, giving Gibbs the illusion of privacy with Tony, and Gibbs waits impatiently as Tony leans against the wall and does some stretching, bending down and bringing his cuffed hands down under his legs - lifting one foot at a time - and up in front of his waist.

"So much better," sighs Tony, rolling his shoulders and stretching this way and that.

Gibbs goes in for another hug, and Tony lifts his arms and Gibbs ducks into the circle of them, this time getting hugged back, if a little awkwardly. He keeps it brief, even though he wants to curl up in Tony's warm strong arms all afternoon long, and separates reluctantly.

"We brought you some food, Tony," says Gibbs roughly, embarrassed at the amount of affection he's been both giving and needing, especially in front of other people.

"You're the best, Boss," sighs Tony. "I'm starving."

Chegwidden opens his briefcase where they'd tucked away a wrapped chicken and lettuce sandwich and a water bottle for Tony, setting them on the table. Gibbs and Tony sit down together on the same side, opposite Chegwidden, and Tony swipes up the food and water.

"Thank you, Admiral Chegwidden," says Tony politely.

"Jethro bought 'em, I just ensured they'd get here," says Chegwidden, glancing up with a kind smile. "And AJ or Chegwidden is fine, Special Agent DiNozzo. Congratulations on your engagement and the baby."

Tony beams. "Thank you! And please, call me Tony." He rips into the sandwich and takes a big bite.

Gibbs smiles, but falters as Tony's white shirt cuffs slide down as he eats, revealing reddened, sore-looking raw skin around the handcuffs. Gibbs sets his jaw. Tony's been fighting the handcuffs. Something went wrong. Gibbs should never have let Sacks take his partner away.

"So," says Tony after chewing and swallowing, looking at Gibbs searchingly. "Do you know what this is about yet?"

"Ducky," says Gibbs simply, knowing that Tony will put it together. He still can't believe it, but he can interrogate Dr. Mallard once he's got Tony out of this mess.

Tony stills, sandwich halfway to his mouth. He opens his mouth, closes it. Winces.

"You already knew before I told you, didn't you?" says Gibbs quietly. There is no surprise on Tony's face.

Tony nods unhappily. "I, uh, I may have had a slight panic attack on the way here." Tony gives an embarrassed grimace, then continues quickly, "But after I'd calmed down, Sacks explained a bit more about what was going to happen, like the process, and about the charges, including that Ducky was the one who had made the report. I think Sacks had clued in that I'm innocent. At the very least, he said something about you killing him if I actually ended up needing to see a doctor."

Gibbs scowls hard. A panic attack. No wonder Tony had fought the handcuffs.  Jesus fucking Christ. Gibbs scrubs his hands over his face, then looks at Tony. "How bad was it, sweetheart?" asks Gibbs softly, reaching out and placing his hand on Tony's nape - both of Tony's hands occupied with the sandwich, unavailable for holding - and he squeezes gently, trying to be comforting.

Tony shrugs and looks away. "It wasn't that bad. Everything just got a little overwhelming. The cuffs and being in a car, thinking Zoe was in danger and worrying about the baby. Plus not being able to talk and no immediate danger to do something about. But Sacks and his probie - the quiet girl with the Harry Potter hair and glasses? Wiggins, I think her name was, be nice to that one, Boss - they actually pulled the car over and took the time to talk me down before I hyperventilated myself unconscious. And I didn't say a word, Boss, I promise!" adds Tony earnestly.

Gibbs flinches, regretting his order for Tony to stay quiet, because Tony never realises that he's allowed to put his own well-being first. But they can talk about that once they get him out of here.

"You doing okay now, Tony?" Some days Gibbs is tempted to wrap Tony up in bubble wrap in order to keep him safe from the world, but Tony would only cheerfully pop the damn bubbles and then continue to throw himself headfirst into danger.

Tony nods, taking another mouthful of chicken sandwich. He chews and swallows quickly. "I didn't want to believe that Ducky was behind it, but given he'd made similar accusations when he found out about us at your birthday party..." Tony shrugs discontentedly. "It made sense," he finishes softly. He looks miserable, hurting at knowing a friend has done this to him. "Ducky's involvement was only confirmed to me by Agents Card and McManners when they tried - and failed - to interrogate me," adds Tony with a sigh.

 Gibbs doesn't know what to say, he doesn't know why or want to believe Ducky would do this either. "We'll get through this, Tony," says Gibbs eventually, because that's the truth, and the only thing that matters in the end. Gibbs strokes Tony's hair, feeling useless but wanting to make Tony feel even slightly better. Tony gives him a shadow of a smile.

"Alright, Tony," says Chegwidden quietly. "Director Vance is currently giving a statement to Agent Sacks right now, backing up FBI Special Agent Tobias Fornell's account of Saturday night. Fornell gave a statement testifying to your innocence this morning when he arrived to work and heard they were planning to arrest you."

"I was wondering if he was around," admits Tony, frowning slightly.

"Sacks said Tobias was kept out of the case," says Gibbs, furrowing his brow. "I haven't seen him either, yet. But the FBI are keeping Tobias away from you, Tony. First because they thought he would shoot you for assaulting me, and then because they were worried he'd cover up for you when he said you were innocent." He rolls his eyes.

"Sounds like the FBI are all over the place," remarks Tony, taking a sip from his water bottle.

"One federal agent accused of sexually assaulting and attempting to rape another federal agent? This would be a high-profile case with a lot of attention if it went forward," says Chegwidden with a shrug. "They're trying to prevent any kind of conflict of interest and cover their asses at the same time, you know how it goes."

Chegwidden focuses intently on Tony. "Now, Tony, once Sacks has finished questioning Vance, it'll be Gibbs's turn. I'll be with him as Jethro makes his statement. You have nothing to worry about there. And then once we're done, I'll come back and sit with you as you make your statement and answer questions, and I'll make sure the FBI agents stay on track."

Tony nods slowly.

"AJ thinks you'll be free to go, after that," says Gibbs with a tight smile. "There's no reason to continue the investigation, and every reason to drop the charges, in this kind of case, when the alleged victim is declaring that there wasn't a crime committed."

"And Gibbs and I are here to argue for your release until the FBI get their act together," adds Chegwidden, smirking.

Tony gives a faint smile. "What about the order of protection? Preventing me from being within 300 yards of Gibbs?" Tony sets the remainder of his sandwich down and defiantly takes Gibbs's hand, the chain of the handcuffs clinking softly on the table. "Will I be able to go home?"

Gibbs squeezes Tony's hand, and Tony grips back tightly.

Chegwidden answers, "We have a hearing booked with a judge for later this afternoon, at sixteen hundred hours. With any luck we'll finish up the interviews in time and get the restraining order overturned then. If not, I'll pull some more strings and get us another hearing first thing tomorrow morning."

Gibbs nods and looks to Tony.

"Okay, thank you, AJ," breathes out Tony in relief, and then he looks back at Gibbs with a hopeful smile. "A bit of a hassle, but we'll get through it. Let's get it over with."

 

 

Gibbs, unlike Tony, gets a conference room with a large glossy table and comfortable chairs and warm sunlight from the broad window, in order to make his statement and answer questions. Chegwidden sits beside him, and keeps a beady eye on Sacks, but Sacks remains professional and serious, asking the most personal questions clinically. Gibbs is reluctantly given to admit to himself that Sacks is a decent agent, though Gibbs can certainly see why Tony enjoys winding him up. Sacks is even more serious than Leon.

Still, the experience is only half as bad as Gibbs had thought it would be, embarrassing at points when he has to give details, but it's easier somehow, with Sacks' perfectly neutral face, that refrains from any kind of judgement about their sex life. Sacks questions him repeatedly, going back, going forwards, and through it all Gibbs promises that he'd wanted Tony, been willing, been happy. It's true after all, right up until Leon had whistled and Ducky had started making accusations.

And as Sacks asks about the birthday party and engagement, and even about the baby, slowly Gibbs finds himself loosening up and actually chatting with the man. Chegwidden doesn't put a stop to it, so Gibbs figures it's either helping or not doing any damage.

Sacks chuckles, "Getting down on one knee in front of all your friends, even I've gotta admit, DiNozzo's got guts."

Gibbs smiles crookedly. "Tony's never lacked courage. But it mighta helped I'd just told him I'd say yes if he asked. 'Sides, marriage was already on the cards. Tony likes the romance of it, I want a chance to do it right, and we both want to have a shared family name to give to the baby."

Sacks nods with a smirk. "You and DiNozzo as fathers. Your kid's either gonna be the perfect little soldier or an absolute hellion of a troublemaker, you know that, right?"

Gibbs rolls his eyes. "DiNozzo's charm and danger-magnetism, and my recklessness and stubbornness? We're gonna be pulling our hair out."  But Gibbs grins happily, because he genuinely can't wait to get his payback for all the trouble he gave his own dad. They haven't told Jack just yet, wanting to drive up and tell him in person once Zoe's past the worst of the risk of miscarriage, but Gibbs hopes his dad will be happy to have a second grandchild.

"Hoping for a boy or girl?" Sacks quirks an eyebrow.

Gibbs shrugs. "Might be easier with a boy, us being two men, raising the kid through the teen years, and... I'm kinda worried if it's a girl then I'll see my little girl instead," he admits, his heart aching. Gibbs hasn't felt able to confide this in Tony yet, scared that Tony will be mad at him - he knows he's being irrational, probably sexist, and that Tony likely won't have anything but compassion, but, well, what if Tony thinks Gibbs loves Kelly more than their baby?

Gibbs doesn't know how to tell Tony that he's already in love with their little football, with all its potential, a once and future child with Tony's green eyes and soft heart and Gibbs's shy smile and blunt manner. A little prince or princess for Gibbs and Tony to adore and teach and protect. A pianist or a dancer. Something fun and safe, Gibbs hopes, although he knows his hope is probably in vain, if their child grows up to be anything like them.

But Gibbs is terrified of losing his second baby.

Sacks is staring at him quietly, something like pity in his brown eyes.

Gibbs scowls and looks away. 'Poor Gibbs and his dead daughter',  he thinks mockingly. Fuck off with your pity.

But Chegwidden says gently, "I don't think you'll see any ghosts, Jethro. Children are noisy and in your face and constantly demanding, needing, attention. Girl or boy, when you're sleep-deprived at three A.M., trying to get your baby to just go to sleep, you're not going to see or hear anyone but the present child screaming their little lungs out."

Gibbs huffs a small laugh. "Good point."

"Gibbs," says Sacks carefully. "I have two children. Charlotte is three, obsessed with Batman and drawing on the walls. Mark's just turned one and babbles my ears off worse than DiNozzo. And you could put a gun to my head and I swear to God I couldn't choose between them."

Sacks meets his gaze evenly. "Gibbs, I really don't think that you'll see anyone but yours and DiNozzo's baby when she or he is placed into your arms, and if it brings back memories of your first child, then I think that's okay too. I don't think you have any less love to give than I do, which means you have room for two kids in your heart as well. "

Gibbs nods, swallows hard and looks away, blinking back sudden tears. "Thanks, Sacks," he mutters.

Sacks smirks faintly. "Just don't tell DiNozzo I got all sappy on you. He already gives me enough shit."

Things wrap up quickly, after that.

Before long, Gibbs is standing in the observation room, him and Vance and Fornell on one side, and Sacks' team, Card, McManners, and Wiggins on the other side. All of them watching Tony in the depressing little interrogation room, giving his own statement and answering Sacks' questions, Chegwidden at his side.

Gibbs frowns as Sacks starts off tough - professional and serious again, but with an additional edge of hard-assed - however Sacks lightens up on his grilling of Tony, when he realises that DiNozzo isn't even going to try giving him a run-around. Sacks runs Tony through the events of Saturday night, then backwards, forwards, jumping around the middle, much the same as he had with Gibbs. Then Sacks questions Tony on his relationship with Gibbs, asks if Tony had had any doubts to Gibbs's consent that night.

Chegwidden frowns a bit, jumps in once or twice, but Tony keeps calm, doesn't become flustered, and answers each question calmly and accurately, if a little snottily on occasion.

Gibbs is slightly impressed at the amount of derision Tony can fit into a single word.

Tobias snickers. "Jesus, you'd think they'd be able to bury the hatchet. It's not as though they're actually arch nemeses."

Leon smirks and drawls, "Careful, Tobias, they might just bury that hatchet in each other's back."

"That sounds gay," says Gibbs, scowling, a little jealous as he considers the tension between his boy and Sacks, and he glares at the back of Sacks' shiny head.

Tobias wheezes laughter. "I really don't think you have anything to worry about there, Jethro, Ron's straighter than a plank and happily married to his wife."

Across the room, Wiggins chuckles, and is nudged and glared into quieting down by Card and McManners.

There's quiet for a bit as they watch the interrogation finally wind down, and then Tobias muses teasingly, "But then again, how straight is a plank? Archery bows are made out of planks and they're rather bent. I tried my hand at archery back in college, you know, and DiNozzo looks like a man who knows his way around all kinds of long range weapons. Should I ask him for a reminder lesson on nocking an arrow?"

Tobias gives a faux innocent look of inquiry.

Gibbs glowers at him and refuses to answer as Leon snickers. His friends are all assholes.

 

 

The FBI do drop the charges, and they do release Tony from custody, returning all of his personal affects, too. From there, Vance shakes their hands and heads off back to the Navy Yard, needing to get back to work, and Gibbs, Tony, and Chegwidden head straight for the courtroom, getting there just in time for their 1600 session.

Chegwidden takes point. He makes a clear, sound argument to Judge Brand-Worthington that the charges brought against Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo had been a mistake of perspective and lack of knowledge on Dr. Mallard's part and have since been investigated and dropped by the FBI, and that therefore the order of protection is unnecessary, and also unwanted, that Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs would very much like to take his fiancé home.

Gibbs mostly just sits there, holding Tony's hand tightly, getting up briefly to agree with Chegwidden, and lets Chegwidden do all the arguing for him and Tony. Tony spends the whole time looking anxious and scared, and he slouches down and presses his shoulder up against Gibbs's, as if he can hide under Gibbs's jacket. Gibbs bites his lip, looking at Tony, wanting to just take him home and wrap him up in his arms.

Eventually the judge rescinds the order of protection and he and Tony stagger out of there, Chegwidden stepping away for a moment to give them privacy as Gibbs hugs Tony to him. Gibbs isn't ever going to let Tony go. But they pull themselves apart and pull themselves back together, even if Gibbs keeps firm hold of Tony's hand. He thanks Admiral Chegwidden, promising to send him an invitation to the wedding, which gets a smile and nod, "I'll be there."

Tony insists that he'll pay for Chegwidden's legal fees and help, instead of letting the cheque go to NCIS, and Tony adds, a little sheepishly, "Perhaps later, if you're amenable, we could talk about maybe having you on retainer? For a federal agent, I kind of get arrested more than you might think..."

Gibbs snorts, and Chegwidden outright laughs and then agrees, before saying he'll be in touch and heading off, having to get back to his law firm and his own life.

Gibbs looks at Tony, and Tony looks back, and then they're hugging again, just for the hell of it, just because they can. 300 fucking yards, thinks Gibbs, pressing a kiss to Tony's hair, No fucking way in hell.

Eventually, they pull apart again, and Gibbs is never, ever, going to forget the way Tony's eyes are lit up, full of love and relief and happiness, the way his cheeks are flushed from feeling, the way he's smiling, a big toothy grin. Gibbs manhandles Tony to his side and then pulls his phone out, fumbling with the damn thing and its touch screen, trying to figure out how the fuck he's supposed to take a photograph of both Tony and himself when the screen's on one side and the camera's on the other- and then Tony is laughing and taking Gibbs's new phone from him.

Gibbs is scowling fiercely at the camera in the first photo ("It's called a selfie, babe, and Jesus, we have got to get you up with the times, even your dad knows how to do this!") and Tony's the one holding the camera but he's got his eyes squeezed shut, the little shit's still laughing, forehead pressed against the side of Gibbs's head, and the whole photo is off center and slightly blurred... but Gibbs likes it anyway, even if the second photo, after Tony has mostly recovered his breath from his giggle fit and Gibbs has shrugged off his technological failure, is of a better technical quality.

He calls McGee, and Tony calls Zoe, getting everyone up to speed, and they all agree to meet back at the Navy Yard, because Gibbs knows that Tim and Ellie, Abby and Jimmy, and probably even Leon and a few other agents are hanging around, hoping to clap eyes on Tony sooner rather than later. Gibbs tries not to think about Ducky. He doesn't know what he's going to do about that yet.

It's after 1800 by the time they finally get back to NCIS, a little more worn out and tired than when they'd arrived that morning, but Gibbs has a small relieved grin on his face as he escorts Tony into the bullpen, keeping his hand on Tony's lower back.

Abby claps her hands together and barrels into Tony, tackling him into a hug, exclaiming her happiness and relief. Gibbs's grin widens as he watches Tony hug Abby back, then when she steps back, Tony accepts a slightly more macho, back-patting hug from Tim, and then Ellie's squeezing in too, while Tony and Tim are still hugging, wrapping her arms around Tony's middle.

 "Team hug?" asks Tony over his shoulder with a grin, as he settles an arm around Ellie too.

Gibbs chuckles and plasters himself against Tony's back, wrapping his arms around to reach Ellie and Tim, holding them all together.

Once they break apart, Tony gives Jimmy a handshake that turns into a hug, and Vance comes down for a brief pit-stop, checking that everything at the hearing went okay before he ducks out again, and Gibbs leans against the filing cabinet behind Tony's desk, watching contentedly as Tony fills in everyone on how the FBI treats arrested federal agents. Though Tony leaves out his panic attack, Gibbs notes, most likely not wanting to be thought of as weak.

Everyone crowds around Tony at his desk, asking questions and dissing the feebies, and Tony thrives under the attention from the team and Abby and Jimmy, needing an extra bit of TLC after the day he's had. Gibbs runs a hand through Tony's hair and squeezes his nape every now and again, getting a bright smile for every soft touch. Gibbs smiles back gently, and ignores the amused little smiles that everyone else exchange whenever they think he and Tony are being cute.

It hasn't escaped Gibbs's notice that Ducky isn't here, hasn't shown up to apologise or explain, and he doesn't think Tony or anyone else has missed such a conspicuous absence, but it helps that other agents drop by, Jardine and Yates, and Dorneget, all checking in on Team Gibbs, offering condolences for Tony's arrest or giving congratulations to Tony and Gibbs for their engagement and the future baby.

Then the elevator dings and Zoe Keates walks into the bullpen, coming into Team Gibbs's desk area, Balboa and Eddings following her along. Tony practically leaps out of his chair and rushes around, only to  slow down and hug Zoe carefully and gently - her belly is protruding yet not particularly large, but it's obvious that Tony is worried about being too rough.

Zoe hugs Tony back, and Gibbs smiles wistfully. He sure doesn't want to be pregnant, nor would he wish that on Tony, but he does wish that there was a way for he and Tony to have this child without involving another person. Gibbs had loved being able to touch Shannon's pregnant belly whenever he'd wanted, having had Shan's blanket permission up until she'd started getting achy and over-sensitive at the very end, and, even knowing how kind and generous Zoe is, Gibbs has to watch as Tony requests with a look and word and gesture to touch his ex-girlfriend's belly to feel their baby.

Zoe nods and smiles kindly as Tony beams back at her, and then Tony drops to his knees, right there in front of her, in the middle of the bullpen, placing his hands on her swollen belly.

Gibbs swallows hard over the sudden lump of emotion in his throat; Anthony DiNozzo won't ever bow to defeat, but he'll kneel for love.

"How's my little basketball?" coos Tony to the baby bump, cupping it with his hands and gently stroking with his thumbs. "Were you worried about your daddies? We're okay, sweetheart, we're sorry if we gave you and Auntie Zoe a scare."

"Feels like a watermelon to me," says Zoe with a smirk.

"Football," asserts Gibbs determinedly.

"Don't listen to them, honey," says Tony firmly to the baby. "You're my little basketball."

Gibbs and Zoe roll their eyes at each other, but Gibbs grins too. He has no doubt that Tony is going to be exactly the attentive, fun, and head-over-heels-in-love dad that he wants to be. Their baby hasn't even been born yet and the little DiNozzo-Gibbs ball already has Tony wrapped around their thumb.  And Gibbs is more than a little in love already, too.

Gibbs comes around Tony's desk, shuffling closer, feeling awkward. "May I?" he asks Zoe, catching her eye then glancing at her belly.

Zoe smiles warmly. "Go on, Gibbs."

"Yeah, come here, babe, and say hello to our baby," says Tony with another grin, standing up and shifting out of the way.

Gibbs moves forward, raises his hand and presses a kiss to his fingers before lowering his hand and settling it onto Zoe's swollen belly.

The baby bump feels like a firm lump, warm under his palm, but there doesn't seem to be any movement. Even so, Gibbs finds himself sighing and relaxing, the tension falling from his shoulders as he rubs his thumb over his baby. His baby. Safe and sound. Gibbs can't wait to meet the little football come to life.

"Any more kicks since Saturday?" he murmurs to Zoe. Saturday feels like such a long time ago now.

Zoe shakes her head. "Nothing definite. Some sort of fluttering yesterday? But to be honest I think that was probably the Chinese I had for lunch," she admits.

Tony snickers, but he places his hand on Gibbs's shoulder, squeezing gently.

Gibbs grunts softly. He can't bring himself to get down and talk to the baby the way Tony does so easily, not in front of so many people. If it was just him, Zoe, and Tony, he'd have managed after a little while - the three of them have ended up sharing a lot of intimate details, given that two of them used to date, two of them are now partnered, and one of them is carrying an actual, real, body-changing pregnancy and baby for the other two. But Gibbs contents himself with another moment of holding the baby bump, then steps back.

"Sorry for all the fuss, Zoe," says Gibbs with another sigh.

Zoe shakes her head. "Better safe than truly sorry," she says firmly, placing her hands protectively on her belly. "I can handle a bit of fussing if it means my safety and the baby's safety, and I'd much rather you make a fuss and then find out it was unnecessary, rather than let it pass and wind up in trouble."

She adds softly, "Tony's let slip a few of the things you guys have been through, I don't blame you in the slightest for being overprotective."

Gibbs nods his thanks to her and heaves a deep breath. He looks to Balboa. "Max, I know I've asked a lot-"

"You haven't asked for anything you wouldn't be willing to give, Jethro," cuts in Balboa with an easy smile. "You'd do the same for me and mine."

Gibbs gives a small smile. "Yeah, I would," he says simply. "I need you to stay with Zoe and Tony for just a little longer. I have to go check something."

Balboa nods. "I'm not going anywhere 'til you give the word, hermano."

"Graciás, Máximo," murmurs Gibbs, knowing his pronunciation is terrible but hoping the sentiment carries across just the same.

"Wait, where are you going, Gibbs?" asks Tony worriedly.

"To find out if it's safe for Zoe to lose her body guards. Stay here, Tony." Gibbs cups Tony's face with both hands and presses a kiss to Tony's forehead, then walks off with purpose.

 

 

Autopsy's doors automatically swish open in front of him as usual as Gibbs strides forward, depriving him of the pleasure of slamming them open.

He stops just inside, straightens his shoulders and raises his chin, staring hard at Ducky.

Sitting at his desk, Ducky swallows, looking back cautiously but with a flicker of hope in his eyes. He opens his mouth to talk.

Gibbs cuts him off. "I only have one thing to ask you. Are Zoe and the baby safe?" he grits out.

"I- What?" Ducky blinks. "I'd heard that Anthony's ex-girlfriend was pregnant, but I hadn't heard there was any danger towards her."

"I currently have agents on protection detail for her," growls Gibbs. "Because when Tony was arrested our minds jumped to the worst case scenarios and we assumed someone was gunning for our family. Seeing as how you're the one who had Tony arrested, I'm asking you, are Zoe and the baby safe?"

"I- Me- Jethro!" Ducky pales and gapes at him. "Of course Agent Keates and her baby are safe! I would never harm her or her unborn child!"

Gibbs narrows his eyes. "You just had Tony arrested on false charges. I have no idea what you would or wouldn't do, Doctor Mallard." Gibbs is only half exaggerating, lashing out to hurt Ducky in return; but the other half of him is terrified for his family's safety, wondering just how well he knows his old friend.

"Jethro," says Ducky breathlessly.

Gibbs shakes his head, turns to leave. "I really don't care what you have to say for yourself right now," he says angrily, not looking back. Zoe isn't in danger, his baby is safe, and Gibbs will keep Tony safe himself; he's gotten all he needs from Ducky.

"Jethro, wait!" calls Ducky.

Gibbs sets his jaw and keeps walking, but he hears Ducky get up, footsteps clattering behind him as Ducky chases him into the corridor, and then there's a hand pulling on his elbow. Gibbs whirls around, seizes Ducky by the lapels of his sports coat and slams him up against the wall. Hard enough to hurt, not hard enough to harm; it's an old, well-trained skill of his.

"Jethro," gasps Ducky, clutching at Gibbs's wrists, staring up at him with wide pale blue eyes, pupils dilating in fear behind his glasses.

Gibbs leans in, getting right up in Ducky's face. "No," breathes out Gibbs, promising wrath with his eyes. "I. Don't. Care."

Ducky flinches back, face crumpling, breathing hard.

Gibbs snorts dismissively, shoves and lets Ducky go in a single move.  This time when Gibbs walks away, he's bitterly pleased to not be chased, and his fear eases as he gets closer to Tony with every step forward.

 

 

Chapter 5: Real and Alive

Summary:

The emotional aftermath of Tony's day in FBI custody.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

 

Gibbs

When he finally gets Tony home - to Casa de Gibbs, as Tony likes to call it - Gibbs tugs his partner upstairs to their bedroom. Another summer evening has left their bedroom warm, and Gibbs goes and cracks open the windows to let the fresh breeze saunter through, and then he turns his attention back to Tony.

Tony is standing still, staring into space - nothing of consequence on that beige wall, nothing but whatever is playing out in Tony's numb gaze.

Gibbs steps up to Tony, reaches out and gently turns his chin until Tony meets his eyes.

Tony smiles wryly, the usual spark in his vibrant green eyes there yet dimmed by depression,  and says nothing.

Gibbs huffs softly. Well, if that's how Tony wants to play it, Gibbs will back his play. He doesn't trust that he can fix this with words anyway.

He strips the suit off Tony, careful but efficient - with both Tony and with Tony's valued clothes, folding them neatly - and then Gibbs pulls his own clothes off carelessly, leaving the both of them only in their socks, briefs, and undershirts, and leaving their gear in a pile on the floor. He doesn't bother to lock up their guns, he'll get to it later, and he bundles Tony onto the bed for a cuddle session.

Gibbs plasters himself on top of Tony, wanting to put himself between Tony and everything else, as if he can make a shelter of his body and the strength of his shoulders can hold the whole world at bay.

It's not about sex - at least, not yet, though Gibbs thinks he might need that later if Tony's up for it - but for now, he just needs to have Tony close, safe in his arms. Feeling Tony's warmth, the beat of Tony's steady heart under his palm, the perpetual rise and fall of Tony's chest. Gibbs hugs Tony tightly to him, and Tony hugs him back, and Gibbs squeezes his eyes shut, fighting back the urge to cry, burying his face in Tony's throat and feeling the tears leak out anyway.

It's been a long day. It's the sharp turn-around that's doing Gibbs's head in. The exhilarated high of the weekend, even of the lingering ache and pleasure from their love-making before work, only to have the ground yanked out from under his feet. The sick fear of losing Tony, when Gibbs had finally believed he never would.

Gibbs breathes harshly. Today was meant to be a celebration, he thinks miserably, rubbing his nose into Tony's soft throat, breathing in Tony's comforting scent. I was happy.

Tony shushes him softly, runs hands up and down his back, presses kisses to Gibbs's hair. "It's okay, babe, we're okay. I'm here, cucciolo, I've got you, Gibbs," murmurs Tony.

Gibbs nods slightly, doesn't say anything, tucks his face closer against Tony's warm skin. He should be holding strong and comforting Tony - that was his intention. Tony's the one who got arrested and had a panic attack and got sucker-punched by a long-time friend and co-worker.

But Gibbs can't help feeling like he almost lost Tony today and he can't bring himself to do anything but lay here, safe in Tony's arms, and let his man comfort him, needing exactly the reassurance that Tony is giving him.

"I love you," mutters Gibbs, pressing a kiss to Tony's Adam's apple.

"I know," answers Tony quietly.

And, maybe, Gibbs finally understands why Tony says that, not just a movie quote, but like Tony loves him so much that Tony's more concerned about Gibbs's feelings than his own.

Gibbs swallows hard, raises his head, looks Tony in his green eyes. Tony looks worried and loving and hurting for him.

"I love you, Tony," repeats Gibbs helplessly, hoping that will be enough. He's never been good with words, but it's true, his feelings, his choice, his love for Tony.

Tony smiles warm and soft and happy, eyes crinkling at the corners. "I love you too, Gibbs."

Gibbs nods, feeling just a little bit better now, and he relaxes, putting his head back down and holding on to Tony, but not so desperately as before. The ache in his chest soothed a little bit. But the easing only reveals a little pebble of guilt sitting under his ribs, scratching at him.

"I gotta tell you something, Tony," mutters Gibbs into the hollow of Tony's throat. It's easier somehow, not looking Tony in the eyes, yet safe in his arms.

Tony tenses under him, his arms tightening slightly around Gibbs. "What it is?" Tony sounds apprehensive, a thin edge of fear to his voice.

Gibbs takes a deep breath. "I'm scared that if our baby is a girl, I'll see Kelly."

Tony huffs a soft laugh, relaxing under him. "Jesus, Gibbs, is that all? I thought you were going to dump me or something."

Gibbs raises his head and looks at Tony incredulously.

Tony winces sheepishly at him, but he's smiling, and he hugs Gibbs tighter for a moment. "You're always going to love Kelly, babe," says Tony understandingly. "And having another child is probably going to bring back a lot of memories. There's nothing wrong with remembering her, and I'm pretty glad at least one of us will have some idea of what we'll be doing. I have no doubt that you're going to be an amazing daddy for our baby, Gibbs."

Tony grins broadly. "You already are. Protecting Zoe, protecting our baby today, sending Balboa on protection detail. Honey, did you even think of our little basketball as Kelly once today?"

"Our little football," corrects Gibbs automatically, staring at Tony. Then Gibbs blinks. "Huh." He hadn't, he really hadn't.

Tony smiles at him gently. "See? Nothing to worry about."

Slowly, Gibbs smiles, relief flooding him. "I was really worried," confides Gibbs. "To the point I even mentioned it in the interview. Chegwidden and Sacks both told me I was being an idiot."

Tony snickers. "Well, I can understand why you didn't listen to Slacks but Chegwidden's a pretty clever guy, Gibbs, you should have listened to him."

Gibbs rolls his eyes, but he's still smiling. It feels like Tony has taken the world off his shoulders. "Sacks ain't so bad, Tony," murmurs Gibbs, thinking of the kindness the FBI agent had shown him.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, I just like giving him grief, he certainly gives me enough," huffs Tony.

"How are you doing with all this, Tony?" asks Gibbs worriedly. Arrested on false charges, a panic attack, Ducky's betrayal - because Gibbs does think it's a betrayal.

Tony shrugs and looks away. "We've got a rule against saying 'I'm fine'," he mutters petulantly.

"Only because we're always lying when we tell each other that," says Gibbs dryly, but he drops a kiss to Tony's nose. He's as guilty as Tony on that count.

Tony snorts. "Yeah," he admits. Tony breathes out a long breath and raises his hand, running his fingers through his hair. "I'm pretty hurt that Ducky assumed the worst and - what? Decided you were covering for my drunken bad behaviour? - and then ran all the way to the FBI with it."

Gibbs winces hard. "If anyone's an idiot, I think it's Ducky at this point," he grumbles. Fear-laced rage surges through Gibbs, gripping his heart, and he tightens his grip on his boy. Gibbs wants to shove Ducky away again, wants to shake him hard and scream at the man. A headslap just wouldn't cut it.

Tony hums, sounding noncommittal, as he moves his hand from his own hair to Gibbs's, stroking Gibbs's hair soothingly.

"You better not be blaming yourself in that thick skull of yours, DiNozzo." Gibbs scowls, even as the hair stroking calms his angry-hurting heart. That would be just like Tony, to take the entire damn world onto his shoulders.

Tony chuckles lightly. "No, not  this time." He sighs tiredly, then looks up at Gibbs with anxious eyes. "Just... tell me you love me?"

Gibbs narrows his eyes at Tony. "Did you hit your head when I wasn't looking? I told you I love you just a moment ago. Twice! Stop thinking I'm gonna leave you, Tony. I'm never breaking up with you ever again. I hate that I ever let you go, and I'm so fucking thankful that you walked back through my front door. I love you to hell and back, Anthony DiNozzo," growls Gibbs, staring into Tony's surprised, awed eyes.

He'll say it every day if he has to, but Gibbs was kind of hoping that Tony would know it, would trust him, and have faith in his love, by now.

Tony smiles softly for a second, then smirks. "Damn, babe, do you know how sexy you sound when you get all growly like that? Nearly gave me a hard-on at work today when you were growling at the feebs."

Gibbs rolls his eyes at the obvious change of topic, then relents. They both have painful pasts. And Tony is only asking for confirmation of what he already has. "I love you, Tony," says Gibbs quietly, cupping Tony's cheek the way he always does and meeting Tony's gaze evenly and surely.

Tony bites his lip. "More than anything?" he asks in a hushed whisper.

Leaning down, Gibbs gently rubs their noses together. "More than anything or anyone, baby. Well, okay, first equal with Shannon and Kelly and our little basketball, but first equal is alright, right, Tony?" asks Gibbs worriedly, pulling back to look Tony in the eye. He can't stop loving his girls, but he loves his boy just as deeply, and he loves the little ball of potential growing in Zoe's womb.

"Yeah," says Tony with satisfaction, tinged with relief, smiling happily. "That's perfect." Then Tony barks a laugh, crowing, "You just called the baby our little basketball!"

Gibbs rolls his eyes at Tony again, but can't bring himself to say anything that might dampen Tony's good cheer, and he's more than a little relieved, with every time Tony accepts first equal as being good enough. Shaking his head and smiling, Gibbs lays back down and cuddles in close, pulling them onto their sides so he doesn't keep squishing Tony the way he has been.

Tony allows the manhandling, snickering quietly and muttering to himself that he's finally won as he hugs back, pressing their bodies together, only insignificant cotton t-shirts and briefs between them, and Gibbs strokes his hand over Tony's warm body, smoothing over t-shirt to count Tony's ribs, fingertips tracing Tony's jutting hipbone, palming the curve of Tony's ass, and then Tony is letting out a quiet giggle, smiling adoringly at him and flushing pink, as Gibbs walks his fingers up the vertebrae of Tony's spine.

Tony feels real and alive, and - Gibbs smiles back - good.

As Tony touches him too, large warm hands mapping his skin and scars and freckles in return, pleasure pools in Gibbs's gut, settling in his balls, in his cock, and Gibbs strokes the short soft hair at the back of Tony's head, slides his hand along Tony's jaw and tilts his face, aligns their heads for a loving kiss, nudging his nose against Tony's. Tony kisses him back sweetly, and Gibbs slips his tongue out, swiping at Tony's closed lips.

Tony pulls back to look him in the eye, an eyebrow raised.

Gibbs grins and kisses his boy - his fiancé - again. He wants Tony, and he wants to ease the wounds today has inflicted on both of them, and there's a dozen ways they could do this, but Gibbs has something he wants to prove now. He's half tempted to sling a leg over and ride Tony cowboy style, but that's hell on his thighs and they have work in the morning.

He pulls back to breathe in the air Tony breathes out. "You're gonna give me your cock, baby," says Gibbs huskily, watching with smug approval as Tony's eyes go wide, the pupils blowing out immediately with desire.

Tony swallows heavily - hesitating, where any other day he would have surged forward and taken what he wanted, done as he pleased, and Gibbs would have laid back and enjoyed every second of it.

"We don't have to," says Tony quietly, his deep green eyes solemn and serious, and he adds gently, "You have nothing to prove to me."

Gibbs smiles even as his heart aches. How does this man know him so well? He grips Tony by the head, tangling his fingers in that soft, dark honey hair, and Gibbs pulls Tony in, surging forward, pressing a hard kiss to Tony's soft lips.

Tony moans and the last of the stress-tension relaxes from his frame, shuddering and pressing the length of his body up against Gibbs.

Gibbs's eyes fall shut and he smiles into their kiss as Tony's warm, hairy leg slips between his own, sliding sensually against his own, and he urges Tony's mouth open with his lips, until they're kissing open and wet and sloppy, sharing spit and warmth and love- and Gibbs loves this. Loves the way Tony touches him gently, and a little rough, then gentle again. Like something precious, and something that Tony trusts to bear his strength, and something that Tony can't bear to let go of, but will, if Gibbs ever asks for it.

Gibbs never wants Tony to let him go.

He breaks their kiss, and they share breathing air, breathing hard together, noses nudging and rubbing affectionately.

"Hold on to me, Tony," murmurs Gibbs roughly, his eyes still closed, his heart skipping a beat, taking a leap of faith - the hundredth, the thousandth, he's long since lost count.

"As you wish," whispers Tony, his grip tightening on Gibbs, each word a hot puff of air against Gibbs's lips, a ridiculous movie quote and a sincere promise, sharing an old joke that has Gibbs huffing a quiet laugh, leaning in. Like Indiana at the gaping chasm, or Armstrong first landing on the moon, and the one giant leap turns out to be as simple and easy as taking one small step.

Their foreheads knock together gently, and Gibbs blinks his eyes open, to watch Tony do the same thing.

Tony smiles at him, warm and loving.

Gibbs smiles back. Hopes Tony can see the same things reflected back to him.

"Why do I always gotta be the princess?" says Gibbs, not caring in the slightest, complaining only for complaining's sake.

Tony bursts into giggles. "Because you're bossy," squeaks out Tony, his happy grin so wide it looks like it's hurting his cheeks.

At that, Gibbs's grin is so wide it hurts his cheeks. "Well duh, baby, I'm the boss."

Tony laughs hard, delighted, wrapping his long limbs around Gibbs. "I want to see you wear that on a t-shirt!" he gasps out.

Gibbs snorts amusedly and skims his hand down Tony's spine, slipping his hand into Tony's briefs, grabbing a handful of one lightly furred ass cheek and squeezing and pulling Tony against him, making Tony let out a loud gasp for an altogether different reason as their groins collide.

"I want you, sweetheart," growls Gibbs, staring into Tony's eyes - eyes that roll back into Tony's head when Gibbs slides his other hand under Tony's neck and then up to gently tug on Tony's hair - a known weakness.

Tony moans obscenely, and his little whimpers go straight to Gibbs's belly, heat pooling in his guts, curling and twisting like a snake, seeping lower, that hot arousal sinking into his balls, shooting into his cock. Gibbs swallows at the sight of Tony's bare throat and gives a wet, open-mouthed, sucking kiss there.

When Gibbs lets up and Tony's head falls forward again, his eyes are dark with desire, and his breathing is fast.

"I want you inside me, Tony," says Gibbs softly, sincerely, shifting and cupping Tony's cheek and stroking his thumb over the soft skin. Because they've had a shit day and he needs this, needs something good that's stronger than the bad. This, this talking and touching and reconnecting has been good, but Gibbs needs more. Needs to eradicate Ducky's words from Tony's mind.

And Gibbs wants Tony and he wants pleasure and he wants the second from the first. That's about it; Gibbs is a simple man, at heart. He wants to have his cake and eat it. "I want you, Tony," murmurs Gibbs, at Tony's lack of response and lack of movement. "How much more obvious do I have to be?"

Tony's breath hitches and he licks his lips - and the very tip of his tongue slides over Gibbs's upper lip.

Gibbs groans at the unintentional tease, his cock twitching and starting to fill, and he presses his body up against Tony. "God, sweetheart, I need you. Need your cock in my ass, filling me up with your spunk. Remind me that you're mine and I'm yours, DiNozzo." It's a command.

Tony grins, wide and delighted, all hesitance forgotten- burned to a crisp by the heat building between them. "Come on then, grab the lube," he demands, slapping Gibbs's ass.

Gibbs rolls his eyes as he climbs off of Tony, hiding a smile as he crawls on the bed and stretches for the bedside table. Digging the lube out, he tosses the small tube back to Tony, chuckling when Tony fumbles the catch.

He gets off the bed to yank his socks off and strip his briefs and shirt off to Tony's leering gaze, and Tony crooks a finger at him. "Come here, babe. Hands and knees."

Gibbs shrugs again and does as he's told, not holding back his amused grin - it's adorable how Tony's acting like this was his own idea - and he gets on his hands and knees in the middle of the bed as Tony snickers at him and climbs off the side.

"Love how obedient you get when you need a good fucking," says Tony, sounding utterly thrilled.

"Make up for bossing you around at work, does it?" says Gibbs with more amusement, letting his neck relax and his head hang between his shoulders.

Tony laughs, pulling off his own underclothes. "Nah, that's got nothing to do with this. I like having you as the boss at work. As much as I'm looking forward to taking over as Team Lead in a few months, it's a lot of pressure to weigh on the shoulders. Second in command is that sweet spot of authority, responsibility, and privilege."

Gibbs nods to himself. Losing that pressure is one of the things he's actually looking forward to losing, when he  drops down to a part-timer on what will become Tony's team.

Tony's hands smooth up and down his back, and Gibbs arches into them. "Come on, Tony."

A moment later, Gibbs flinches at the cold as a lube-wet fingertip circles his asshole.

"Just relax, babe, it'll warm up quick," says Tony soothingly.

The fingertip slips inside his hole, in and out, in and out. Gibbs doesn't say anything, not a fan of how utterly naked he feels, how vulnerable he is, in this in-between moment. After admitting to wanting Tony's cock yet before being given it. Not so much a physical vulnerability, for all the damage that could be done to him when his back is turned, but an emotional one. After all, if you admit to wanting something, then it can be refused. Or given, only to be taken away from you.

Gibbs can't help but think of Shannon, in this moment, hurting with how much he misses Shan, and sickly scared of losing Tony the way he lost her.

But Tony's first knuckle becomes the second knuckle, the cold is warmed up by Tony's hand, and one slick finger becomes two, and Tony gradually opens Gibbs up with patient determination, until Gibbs is pushing back onto his hand, wanting more, his ass feeling-

"I'm plenty relaxed, get your cock in me already, boy," growls Gibbs, feeling shivery all over with arousal, his own cock hard and aching with need.

"You're the boss, Boss," agrees Tony breathlessly.

Gibbs snickers at how eager Tony sounds, and then there's the slick, plush tip of Tony's cock sliding up and down his crack, and Tony's cock slaps against his ass cheek, and then one hand pulls that ass cheek to the side and Tony's cock slaps against his hole, again and again - and Gibbs pants for breath as anticipation builds, his dick drooling precum excitedly, fuck he loves - hates - loves - when Tony teases him. He could goddamn explode before Tony just gets inside him. "Come on, sweetheart!"

Tony's cockhead pokes into his ass and Gibbs loses his breath.

"Uhh," says Tony, moaning.

"Uh-huh," agrees Gibbs dazedly, his mouth falling open, and he bears down, feeling the crown rub against his rim before the slipping in, the fat cockhead settling inside him.

Tony groans. "Oh my God, Boss, so fucking good, Gibbs."

His dick pushes in, slick with lube, one long smooth thrust going in deep, and Gibbs grunts and moans in pleasure at the slow drag of Tony's cock through his hole, the thick root holding him open, a slight burning stretch in his ass muscles that feels uniquely good.

"Is this good, Gibbs?" asks Tony abruptly, sounding worried. "Are you- is this okay?"

Gibbs furrows his brow. Why on earth is Tony babying- Ah hell. He'd actually forgotten for a moment. Tony was arrested for sexual assault and attempted rape. On false charges, but Gibbs reckons any decent man would be cautious the next time he fucked someone after that.

Gibbs looks over his shoulder.

Tony looks back at him anxiously.

"Tony," says Gibbs gently. "You know me. You know I want you, that I love you. And you know that right now, all I want is for you to goddamned fuck me, baby."

Tony blinks at him in comical surprise, before relaxing, chuckling, laughing a little at himself. "Yeah, I know. I just, wanted to check, ya know." He gives a sheepish grimace.

Gibbs grunts and looks down again, not wanting a crick in his neck, instead reaching back and giving Tony's forearm a squeeze. "I love you, Tony. I want you  and I'm one hundred percent willing. Don't let Ducky's dumb bullshit stay in our home and push into our relationship. I don't want him in our bedroom, ruining what we have."

Tony snorts in amusement. "Yeah. DiNozzo-Gibbs men allowed only." Thankfully, he starts rocking his hips, slowly fucking into Gibbs.

Gibbs moans in response, his mouth watering, Tony's cock feels good.

Tony breathes out through his mouth. "I'm not gonna last long, honey," he gasps out, taking a moment to grind in, pushing his cock in deep. "Need you too badly, Gibbs."

"Ditto, Tony," says Gibbs reassuringly, and then he groans and faceplants, forearms and forehead pressing into the mattress, as Tony makes a home for himself inside his body, that long thick cock rearranging his guts.

"Oh yeah," says Tony, that silly grin in his voice. "You feel amazing, Gibbs. You like my cock in your ass, cucciolo?" Tony sounds as eager as he does cocky.

"Yeah, yes, fuck, Tony, harder, come on," whines Gibbs, and Tony starts pumping his hips, that cock rubbing perfectly back and forth over his sweet spot. God, Gibbs loves his prostate. And Tony's dick.

"Right there, baby," mumbles Gibbs into the mattress, hazy with pleasure, slack jawed and revelling in sensation as Tony fucks them both six ways to Sunday. "Harder, hard as you can, Tony, fucking give it to me. I love your cock so fucking much."

"Fucking take it, Gibbs. Take my cock," grunts out Tony, fingers flexing on Gibbs's hips, and Gibbs moans, his cock pulsing with Tony's demanding words. Tony's voice sounds rough. Like he's been choking on Gibbs's hard fat cock. Gibbs whimpers at the thought of Tony's pretty lips and hot wet mouth wrapped around him and he rocks his hips, fucking himself on Tony's hard dick and whining wordlessly at the lack of anything soothing his own aching cock.

"Tony," pleads Gibbs, not even knowing what he's begging for, trusting Tony will give him what he needs.

"You want my spunk, babe? You're gonna get it. Gonna get your boy's cum up your ass. That's what you really want, right? You're always calling me your boy, even your friends call me that - Fornell, and Vance, calling me Gibbs's boy - the whole damn world knows I'm yours, Boss, and I'm happy with that, you know I am."

Tony's babbling is interspersed with pleasured grunts and high-pitched moans, and Gibbs pants for air, grunting and groaning as Tony fucks him hard and rough, the force behind Tony's thrusts making Gibbs's cock slap up against his belly, spattering precum there, Tony's balls slapping against his own, each smack a sharp pleasure. It's not enough yet, but it's getting there.

"And you're mine, Gibbs," gasps out Tony, sounding like he's near sobbing. "You're my man. My partner, my fiancé, my family. Just all fucking mine. You're mine, because you want to be, because I want you to be, because you're wearing my ring, and because you take my cock, you take my cock so fucking well, so damn good, God, babe, I'm so deep in you, can you feel me, Gibbs? You're so hot and tight for me. Fuck, shit, I'm gonna blow, Boss, gonna cum so hard, give you my spunk just like you asked, give you everything I've got."

"I feel ya, sweetheart, I'm all yours, Tony," says Gibbs roughly, dragging the words out from where they were hiding under his breastbone, thumping in his chest. "Come on, take me, have me, give it up for me, baby," he demands, pushing back hard for more even as Tony's hands pull him to where Tony wants him.

Tony pulls out entirely, until the tip of his dick is just kissing Gibbs's flexing, grasping hole, and Gibbs could fucking cry with how much he needs, and then he's yanked back by the hips, Tony's cock slamming back into his ass, thick and long and throbbing.

Gibbs shouts and swears as he's stretched all over again, brutally impaled, but the edge of pain is only heightening the pleasure, making his cock even harder. Tony keens, loud and needy, his rhythm fractured, his thrusts becoming frantic and desperate, his cock powering into Gibbs with abandon, and Gibbs can't hold back any longer, he braces himself on one forearm and wraps a hand round himself, gives his dick two long squeezing pulls and then he's cumming hard.

"Tony," gasps Gibbs, because it's the only word that matters, as his eyes screw shut and he sees stars, hot pleasure rippling through his whole body. His balls tighten, his dick throbs in his grip as he strokes himself fiercely, spilling cum all over the sheets under his belly. His ass tightens around Tony and then Tony's crying out behind him, his cock shoving in and staying in, and Tony's collapsing on his back, and Gibbs collapses under the weight, moaning in pleasure as Tony's cock jolts against his prostate again when they bounce on the mattress.

"Jesus, fuck, boy," grits out Gibbs, fisting the sheets and rocking his hips, grinding down into the mattress, desperately clenching hard around Tony's cock to press it firmly against his prostate, milking out the last ebb of pleasure from both of their orgasms, milking out the last few spurts of cum from their dicks as Tony hugs him tightly around the chest and humps his ass hard, pumping into him like it's do or die.

Gibbs breathes harshly, overwhelmed with feeling. Open and loved, sated and claimed, and utterly exhausted by pleasure.

"Fuck fuck fuck, Gibbs." Tony groans, mouthing sloppily at Gibbs's neck, and then Tony slowly drags his arms out from between Gibbs's chest and the mattress, bringing his arms up to where Gibbs has got his head buried in his arms, giving him a now gentle hug.

"Think I blacked out for a sec," mumbles Tony, nuzzling at Gibbs's hair.

Tony is heavy, but he's a good heavy, hips still rocking, cock still hard and insisting on gently fucking Gibbs's ass as his body slowly catches up to the fact that he's already staked his claim.

Gibbs grins, feeling wild, breathing hard, his heart thumping in his chest. "You can blackout on me any time you like. That was fucking fantastic." He's hot and sweaty, cum smearing under his belly and chest. His dick is wrung out, his balls are empty, his ass is full and wet and well used, and he feels so fucking good, floating happily on a buoyant sea of pleasure.

Gibbs likes wall sex, and boat sex, and car sex on a rare kinky occasion, but he has to admit to himself that making love on their high-thread cotton sheets in the simple comfort of their bedroom - here in the house or over in the apartment - is the best sex of all.

He teasingly clamps down on that perfect cock one more time and Tony whines noisily, grinding in hard for a moment before relaxing in equal exhaustion.  Gibbs sighs contentedly, fucked hard and put away wet. Fantastic.

He barks a laugh, remembering, "I fucking told that to Chegwidden."

"What?" says Tony, not even lifting his head, pressing little kisses to Gibbs's neck.

Gibbs snickers. "I lost my temper a bit when he first questioned me about the arrest charges. Told him that you're the man I love and that the sex is goddamned fantastic. I fucking love telling the truth," adds Gibbs, smiling to himself, thinking of an old rule that he once had to live by. But some rules are made to be broken and sometimes rules change. Fate can be rewritten.

Tony snorts. "So long as you never tell Fornell that I really do like doggy style."

Gibbs dissolves into laughter, muffling it in the mattress. Tony snickers into his neck, and they lay there for a long moment, just hugging, Tony keeping him warm and safe, like a weighted blanket. Tony's hands find Gibbs's fingers and squeeze.

"You really are my boy," says Gibbs roughly, squeezing Tony's fingers back, suddenly overcome with love and affection for Tony - the feeling so strong he could choke on it, his eyes pricking with tears. He loves when Tony stays inside him after sex, there's something unbearably intimate in sharing the aftermath. Holding on to each other, their sweat cooling together, their skin sticking together, Tony's cock softening inside him - an instrument of pleasure relaxing into a vulnerable extension of Tony's heart, keeping them connected.

"You're my man," answers Tony softly, breath tickling Gibbs's neck. "Love you, Gibbs." A tender kiss is pressed to Gibbs's nape.

"Love you too, Tony," says Gibbs, smiling where he's buried his face in his arm.

Then his stomach rumbles.

Tony gives another amused snort. "Ugh, yeah, we need dinner," says Tony, gently knocking his head against Gibbs's. "I'm starving."

Gibbs frowns. "I can't be fucked cooking now," he tells Tony. "I'm all fucked out."

Tony snickers, and slowly eases up off Gibbs, pulling out his softened dick carefully.

Gibbs winces at the soreness and at the empty feeling, and also at the sloppy cum that gushes out of his ass, dribbling down onto his balls, but he takes a breath and then rolls onto his side, off his own wet spot.

Tony beams at him, reaches out and runs a hand through Gibbs's sweaty hair.

Gibbs is fairly sure that Tony has momentarily forgotten the drama of today and he gives a small grin back. "That was good, Tony, intense, but really good," says Gibbs quietly, wanting to reinforce Tony's trust in his consent, just in case Tony worries again later. Good is inadequate to describe how it always feels to have Tony inside of him, to be had and held, physically and emotionally, but good is the most sincere word Gibbs can think of.

"Yeah," agrees Tony, beaming and nodding, and he asks, "Chinese for dinner? I've been craving it since Zoe mentioned it - and I swear to God, babe, I better not get any actual sympathetic pregnancy symptoms or I'm gonna lose my shit, I do not want her cramps, thank you very much - but yeah, dinner. I'll change the sheets if you make the call, Gibbs?"

Gibbs groans in despair and flops onto his back on the bed. "I need a shower first. I'm not having your cum dripping out my ass all damn night." But he doesn't want to move, too comfortable and too well-fucked. Gibbs could just about fall asleep now. Christ, he's getting old.

Tony pokes him in the ribs with a pointy finger. "Come on, up you get, marine. You'll feel more energetic after a shower and some food," he says cajolingly. "And I'll put the coffee on for you."

Gibbs huffs but dutifully rolls out of bed, landing on his feet with a thud, then heads for the bathroom. "Fine. But I want so much food, Tony, like a feast," he calls back over his shoulder.

"Uh huh," says Tony with amusement.

Gibbs rolls his eyes where Tony can't see, and wonders when the hell he started letting Tony get away with patronising him.

 

 

Tony

It's a good thing that Tony finishes the last touches to his progress report of last week's unsolved case and hands it in to the Boss within the first ten minutes of sitting down at his desk, and is therefore completely all caught up on his paperwork, because Tony is, maybe, possibly, just a little bit, completely unbearable that next morning back at work.

He can't help himself. Drumming on his desk, shooting paper balls at Tim through a straw, using McAnnoyed's waste bin as a basketball hoop for his own rubbish, chattering on and on about various movies with prison escapes until even Ellie is looking at him disbelievingly, wondering what the hell has gotten into him. Tony can relate, he has no idea.

Gibbs sends him irritated glares, and tells him to calm down, but Tony feels on edge, antsy, energy zinging under his skin, and he compensates for a slow-rising shame at his own behaviour, and insecurity that maybe he's actually going to push everyone away for good - and is this why Ducky hates him now? Because Tony out-talks him too much? But no, he's pretty sure that Ducky's- no, don't think about that, DiNozzo - by raising his bar even higher for yabba yabba.

"Enough, Tony! You're driving me crazy!" snaps Tim finally.

"Sorry," says Tony, wide-eyed and wincing at the anger in Tim's voice, and he bites his lip. "I might be a bit off today."

"No kidding!" grumps Tim, shaking his head. "Just take a deep breath, Tony, nobody's coming to arrest you today."

Tony blinks. Huh. Is that why he's on edge? He considers the way he's been glancing at the elevator every five minutes all morning. Yeah, he's slightly paranoid and waiting for the other shoe to fall. God, he's such an idiot.

"Honestly, I don't know why Gibbs hasn't head-slapped you yet," says Tim with a sigh.

Good question. Tony looks quizzically at Gibbs.

Gibbs shrugs. "Figured you'd earned a morning of being a 'bit off', given everything." Gibbs looks to Tim, furrowing his brow. "Tim, if he was still bugging you after lunch, I'd have called him on it and reigned him in. Just 'cause you know we're together now doesn't mean I'm going to let him get away with more than the usual amount of shit at work."

Tim blinks in surprise. "I know, Boss," he agrees easily. "I've got no worries on that front. I just thought that Tony's endless chatter must've been annoying you as much as it has me. You do play favourites but you also tend to cycle it around so we all get a turn."

"Better not let Abby hear that," interjects Tony, grinning. "She thinks she's Gibbs's solo favourite amongst all his kids."

Tim looks amused. "Tony, you do realise you just included yourself in Gibbs's 'kids', right?"

Tony waves a hand dismissively. "I have daddy issues, Gibbs has kid issues - he's like the ultimate Dad Friend, hadn't you noticed, McGibbs Junior? Anyway, it works out."

Tim snickers, and Gibbs shakes his head, looking grumpily amused - like he's amused but grumpy about it.

Ellie quirks an eyebrow. "I thought we weren't talking about the age difference?"

Gibbs stills and glares at her. "What age difference, Bishop?"

Ellie's eyes go wide and she looks desperately to Tony and Tim for help.

Tim ducks behind his computer and hides muffled laughter behind his hand.

"No age difference, Boss!" says Tony cheerfully. "Gibbs isn't considerably older than forty-seven, right, ProBish-Nozzo?" He doesn't want Ellie to feel left out after all.

"Right, Dad-Nozzo," agrees Ellie quickly, looking to Gibbs for approval.

"Oh, nice!" Tony grins broadly, loving his new nickname.

Gibbs grunts and focuses back on his computer.

"He's sensitive about his advancing old age!" hisses Tony quietly across their desks to Ellie, as Gibbs pointedly ignores him. "About as sensitive as I am about losing my hair," adds Tony mournfully.

"You are not losing your hair, Tony!" scoffs Tim.

"I am!" bemoans Tony, patting his hair gently. "It's thinning and it's starting to recede!" He's still finding more hairs in the shower drain catch after his morning shower than he used to.

Ellie sighs. "Tony, did your grandfather have a full head of hair?"

"Hmm?" says Tony, thinking hard, trying to remember childhood memories through the sudden pain of nostalgia - la famiglia that he lost to time and distance. "Nonno Lorenzo was bald." Tony grimaces, and hopes his obvious hurt will be assumed to be about his vanity.

"No, Tony, sorry, I meant your maternal grandfather," says Ellie kindly. "Male pattern hair loss is carried through the mother's genes - don't ask me why, I don't know!"

"Oh!" Tony brightens, genuinely cheered up. "Seriously? Grandfather Edward died of old age with lots of white fluffy hair! Yes! Thank God, I thought I was going to wind up looking like Fornell!"

Tim and Ellie burst into loud peals of laughter, all but drowning out the ding of the elevator in the distance, and Gibbs slaps a hand over his own face and covers his eyes, possibly horrified at the image Tony's just shoved into his brain.

Tony beams. It's good to be able to make his team happy, it makes him happy too.

"What's all this then?" calls a familiar voice. Tobias Fornell saunters up to the Team Gibbs area of the bullpen.

For one moment, Tony, Tim, and Ellie manage to hold it in, staring at Fornell in shock.

The next moment, they're falling apart laughing at him.

Gibbs rolls his eyes. "Ignore them. All three of them are being brats today." He stands up and comes around his desk. "What are you doing here, Tobias?"

Tony smirks to himself as Fornell surveys the team and clearly decides not to ask about the lingering snickering. "Coffee run, Jethro? And I'll even bring back a cup for DiNotso, seeing as it was my agency that arrested him yesterday." Fornell nods to Tony with a slight smile.

Tony grins at him and decides to milk it. "Are you going to the usual truck vendor? Can you bring back some cookies for me too?"

Fornell rolls his eyes. "I'm not your sugar daddy, DiNozzo, ask Jethro."

Tony's eyes go wide but he recovers quickly and turns to Gibbs with a smirk. "Cookies, Boss? The chocolate chip ones? Pretty please, daddy?"

Gibbs splutters briefly, turning bright red, before clearing his throat and glaring furiously at Tony. Tim makes choking noises and Ellie slaps a hand over her mouth in the background.

Tony looks at Gibbs patiently, offering a quirked eyebrow and inviting grin - share the joke with me, Gibbs? - and after a moment, Gibbs concedes, muttering, "Fine, baby. Chocolate chip cookies." He quickly strides past Fornell, heading to the elevator.

Fornell gapes after Gibbs, then turns to gape at Tony.

Tony winks at him.

"Come on, Tobias!" calls Gibbs over his shoulder. "I haven't got all day!"

"Jesus, just when I think I have you two all figured out," says Fornell, shaking his head, and he walks off looking flabbergasted.

"Oh my God, Tony!" gasps out Ellie once Fornell's gone.

"Holy shit!" says Tim, snickering.

"So worth it! Please tell me you saw the look on his face!" crows Tony, not knowing or caring if he means Fornell or Gibbs.

All three of them burst into laughter again.

 

(Later, Fornell comes back with Tony's promised coffee. Gibbs comes back with a tray of coffees, giving Tim and Ellie one each and keeping two for himself, and Gibbs also hands over a box of chocolate chip cookies to Tony, but insists it's for the team to share. Tony's more than happy with that.)

 

Notes:

hey everyone! sorry for the massive hiatus, work and family drama etc got a bit much and i just couldn't deal with editing and updating this story with something going wrong literally every week for months on end. life's a lot calmer now (touch wood!), and has been settled down for a while, so i thought i'd get back to this.

i'm very excited to finally be updating, i hope people enjoy this chapter, yes i'm exactly aware of how unrealistically dramatic the sex scene was, no i don't care that the scene in the bullpen is so-called filler ep, i love the comedy of this chapter, you're welcome to disagree but ur wrong lol.

alright but seriously, feel free to talk to me in the comments, what you like in this chapter or if there's anything you think i need to tag, etc.

next chapter will be a bit longer (breaking my story parts into ao3 sized chapters is a bit awkward with scene lengths), and it'll be up in a few days: woodworking, gibbs on top (this fic really will earn that shameless smut tag, lmfao), a serious conversation with friends, and a new hot case drops.

thank you very much to everyone who has read this far!
all the best, edmond|turningthegears

Chapter 6: A Break, Conversations, And A New Case

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Gibbs

That evening, it only takes Gibbs and Tony a few words to agree that they need to decompress, take a little alone time each, and that they can deal with the heavy stuff later. So after a quick shared shower to wash off the work day, Gibbs changes into jeans, a t-shirt, and he nabs Tony's new, navy blue NCIS sweatshirt - with DINOZZO emblazoned across the upper back - to wear as well. 

"I'm gonna be in the basement if you need me," says Gibbs, sitting on the edge of the bed and pulling on his socks. "Working on the cradle." It's coming along nicely. There's a lot of finicky aesthetic chip-knife carving involved, but he should have the wood work completed within a week. Gibbs isn't sure yet if he wants to paint it or give it a simple glossy varnish. He'll see what Tony thinks later.

Tony nods and flashes him a smile, pulling on sweatpants and a white t-shirt that Gibbs suspects is one of his own undershirts from how it hugs Tony's chest and shoulders.

"I've got research to do tonight for music history, before I can blob out and watch a movie or something," says Tony, pulling a grumpy face and gesturing to his study desk in the corner of their bedroom. Music books, textbooks, and art pad on the left, his study laptop in the middle, and his headphones, pencil case, and lamp on the right. Various still life sketches and photographs of Gibbs, the MCRT over the years, musical instruments, and Italian architecture are tacked to the cork board above his desk, and Tony's electric keyboard is on its stand against the wall beside the desk, under the window.

Gibbs chuckles as he does the laces on his casual boots. "You're the one who wanted to go back to school, sweetheart." He knows Tony's enjoying his music degree, even if the reading involved in his compulsory music history course is a bit heavy, but Gibbs is worried about how Tony's going to handle the workload once Tony is team lead and they have a baby, it's going to be difficult and stressful enough even though they'll both be taking paternity leave for at least six months. "No use complaining unless it's bad enough you want to stop."

Tony blows out a long breath. "Tempting," he mutters. "But no, I'm not dropping out just yet. I just hate when Flores tells us to choose our own assignment question, you end up having to do twice as much reading just so you can figure out what's a good idea." Tony drops down into his chair.

Gibbs shakes his head. "Better you than me, baby. I'm sure as hell never going back to college." Gibbs goes over and drops a kiss to Tony's head and runs a hand through Tony's soft hair. "Come yabba yabba to me if you want to, alright, Tony?"

Tony tilts his head back and smiles up at him. "I'll probably get you to help me decide between a few choices once I've got them narrowed down to specific questions I can research instead of just a whole bunch of musicians and movements I like."

"Alright," agrees Gibbs. He leans down and cups Tony's face, pressing an upside down kiss to Tony's lips. "You've got an hour or so before I come get you for blowjobs and then dinner."

Tony smirks. "Shouldn't dinner come before dessert, babe?"

Gibbs smirks right back. "Thought you'd appreciate having something to tide you over until dinner's on the table."

Tony laughs and opens up his laptop. "Get out of here before I get completely distracted, Gibbs."

Gibbs heads out with a grin, calling over his shoulder, "Get to work, DiNozzo."

In the basement, Gibbs sets an alarm for an hour on his new phone - knowing that he'll get lost in his woodwork until the cows come home otherwise. The damn smart phone is surprisingly useful, although he makes a mental note to swear Tony to secrecy before he admits that to his partner.

He pulls the white cover sheet off the cradle and surveys his work so far. He's made another boat. A boat-shaped cradle of cherry wood, red in colour, that will hang from ropes attached to a frame, allowing it to rock side to side. Although the frame currently sits separately beside the table while he works on the boat itself.

The boat is sleek, an S-bottom hull, a low flat deck on the inside ready for a baby-sized mattress to be fitted in, and the stern and bow curving up on either end. On the outside of the hull, below the waterline on the boat, he has already carved waves to mimic the ocean, and above the waterline, Gibbs gets to work with his chip knife, continuing to carve small planks into the portside, giving a more life-like appearance to it.

Gibbs carves steadily away at the red cherry wood, quietly happy. Though the baby will only use the cradle until they're capable of rolling over, likely only getting about four months' use out of it, this will be their child's first bed and sanctuary - aside from his and Tony's arms - and while the baby won't appreciate the time and intricate details that he's putting into their cradle, Gibbs is content to know that his baby will have the nicest cradle he can make for the little football. And the safest too, as he'll be fixing some eye hooks along the keel and threading through some strong yet fine rope that will be fixed to the frame in order to limit the range of motion.

Gibbs smiles to himself as he works and considers all the other things, big and small, that he's planning on making for his baby. A bedside sleeper sidecar that will attach securely to their bed so he and Tony can take turns sleeping next to their little one. A full size standing crib for when the baby has grown a bit bigger. A name plate for the nursery door once they know the gender, and a set of lettered squares to hang on a wall in the nursery room itself.

We really need to step up the house-hunting, muses Gibbs. A world globe, toy building blocks, model cars and boats and trains, a set of animals - he's got a whole long list, and plenty of practice at making toys from making them for the children in need every Christmas - there's going to be plenty of toys to fill up his child's nursery room. But he doesn't want his second child to feel second best, to live in the shadow of Gibbs's first child, growing up in what will always be Kelly's bedroom. This - a new home for their family - will be Gibbs's first gift to his unborn child, a wedding boon of sorts for Tony, and a kind of declaration to live in the present for himself.

Deep in his thoughts as he carves, Gibbs is genuinely surprised when the alarm buzzes on his phone, but he dismisses it with a swipe. He finishes the little plank he's on, blows off the sawdust, and nods to himself, satisfied with his progress, the portside two thirds finished. He cleans up and puts his tools away, covering up the cradle again. There's no rush to get it all done tonight, and now that he's thinking about it again, Gibbs really does want some food and sex. And not necessarily in that order.

Gibbs jogs up the basement stairs, aware but unselfconscious of the dumb grin on his face. He loves fucking and love-making with Tony, all of it and all of its variations, but most of all Gibbs loves the reassuring regularity of it, the way he can expect frequent pleasure and reconnection and loving touches with Tony.

Gibbs washes his hands in the kitchen first - because he can still remember Tony's righteous sulk the one and only time Gibbs accidentally gave him a splinter on his dick a decade and a half ago. He heads upstairs, going right up to Tony, still sitting at his desk, hunched over his laptop - Wikipedia up on screen from the looks of it - and Gibbs leans down and nuzzles into Tony's neck, wrapping his partner up in a loose hug.

"How's it coming, Tony?" asks Gibbs, and then he enthusiastically sucks on Tony's earlobe.

Tony chuckles and tilts his head to give Gibbs better access. "Are you asking because you want to know, or because you want to know if I'm ready for a break?"

Gibbs presses a smile into Tony's hair. "Both," he answers honestly.

"I've got two potential questions," says Tony with satisfaction.

Gibbs hums. "That's a good start."

Tony continues, "Did you know that Pyotr Tchaikovsky was gay? He got sent off to boarding school when he was young, and his mom died when he was young too, he was only fourteen. I'm thinking I'll write something about him and how he contributed to and changed Russian music."

Gibbs can understand why Tony might relate to that, Gibbs can too just a little. "You've played some of his stuff for me, right? Something about sleeping beauty?" says Gibbs, then he tongues Tony's ear. "Ready for that break now?"

Tony laughs delightedly. "Yes, yes, and yes," he answers all three questions with a big grin, closing his laptop, and turning around for a proper kiss.

Gibbs kisses Tony eagerly, open-mouthed and sloppy, sucking on Tony's tongue, and then he pulls Tony up to standing and walks him backwards to the bed. He breaks their kiss, smirking as Tony chases his mouth, and then Gibbs crouches and puts his shoulder in Tony's guts, catches him by the backs of his knees, and tosses Tony onto the bed.

Tony giggles as he bounces, hands already reaching for him, and Gibbs kicks off his boots and climbs up on the bed, happily inserting himself between Tony's splayed legs, laying down on Tony, taking his mouth for another perfect, just right kiss, feeling arousal build and thrum through his body.

"You should fuck me," says Tony breathlessly in the liminal spaces between their kisses, a big goofy grin on his face.

"Oh yeah?" grunts Gibbs, pleased and agreeing even as he moves to suck and bite at the meaty juncture of Tony's neck and shoulder, uncaring of the cotton t-shirt that's half under his tongue, in the way and getting damp with his saliva.

"Yeah," sighs Tony and he cups Gibbs's nape and head, petting his hair affectionately, and bucking up under him, the long line of his hard dick in sweatpants begging for Gibbs's attention.

Gibbs slides a hand down between them, giving Tony's hot cock a squeeze, rubbing and massaging. He loves how responsive Tony is for him, cock jerking under his palm.

Tony continues, a sales pitch punctuated with soft moans, "For your optimal satisfaction and health you should fuck your man at least once a week and have him provide his cock for your anal penetration and prostate stimulation every day. And you can recharge his batteries quickly by providing a daily dose of your own semen, to be administered orally."

Gibbs laughs at Tony's ridiculousness, burying his face in Tony's throat. He pushes himself up and to the side, looking down at Tony.

Tony grins roguishly, clearly pleased with himself. "I'm your man, in case you had any confusion or doubts," he adds with serious nod.

Gibbs smirks. "Yeah, you're my man. My boy. Hands and knees, Anthony. You're gonna get fucked."

"Yes Boss!" Tony scrambles to obey, pulling off his t-shirt as well.

Gibbs rolls off the bed, getting the lube from the bedside table and tossing it onto the bed, and stripping off his own clothes.

He climbs back onto the bed and kneels up behind Tony. Drags down Tony's sweatpants, scraping his blunt nails over Tony's ass - Tony gives a deep rumbling groan - then Gibbs drizzles lube down between Tony's ass cheeks and pries into his asshole with two fingers, the tight ring of muscle squeezing and trying to push his fingers out.

Tony sucks in a harsh gasp.

"So fucking tight," murmurs Gibbs, reaching deeper to jab at Tony's sweet spot, smirking to himself as Tony squirms and lets out long whine - but his good boy doesn't try to shift away from the fingers that have roughly invaded his body, instead Tony is spreading his knees to try and open up for him. Gibbs sighs and pets Tony's flank approvingly with his free hand. "Gonna feel like taking your virginity all over again, baby."

"Fuck, Gibbs, you can't just say stuff like that, I'll cum," gasps out Tony, laughing at himself and shuddering in arousal, tilting his ass up a little more in offering, as if Gibbs's gaze isn't already ensnared by the pretty little hole that's lube-slick and hot and flexing around his unmoving fingers, giving Tony a half minute to get used to the burn, but- "Please, Boss."

"Gonna give it to you hard, baby," says Gibbs, groaning with pure want, and he begins relentlessly pumping his fingers in and out, his cock hardening up fully at the gorgeous sight of Tony's bare cheeks, his sweet little hole stuffed, and his perineum and sack flushed a deep red with arousal, balls hanging low and heavy.

Tony moans soft and high-pitched with want. Drops down onto his forearms, forehead pressed to the mattress, pushing back onto Gibbs's fingers.

"I need it, Gibbs, need you," mumbles Tony into the sheets, always a little shy to be so open and vulnerable and needy, physically and emotionally.

Gibbs sighs again, feeling full to bursting with love and affection for Tony. "I know you do, buddy, I'm all yours, gonna give it to you. I need you too." He pulls his fingers out, twisting as he does it - getting a gasp from Tony - then lubes his cock up, stroking himself lightly because he's already fired up.

He eases in slowly, Tony squirming and whimpering with every inch, and Gibbs adds a little more lube, knowing that Tony likes the burning stretch but likes it to be smooth. A smooth burn like hard whiskey sliding down your throat, Tony had once laughingly told him.

"So fucking tight, good boy," rasps Gibbs, as he works in with shallow thrusts, groaning as Tony's muscles flex around his shaft, tight and hot. It's been weeks since he's fucked Tony, despite Tony's joking around, because Gibbs usually prefers to catch - and Tony usually prefers to pitch, so they're well matched - but this? This is good too.

Tony moans, short and high-pitched and ending on a breathless gasp, sounding like he's found God. "So good, gonna kill me, Boss, feels like your fat cock's ripping my ass in two."

Gibbs holds back a laugh, not wanting to ruin the mood, and knowing that when they get going he's gonna be the one talking silly nonsense.

"You're taking it so well, baby," murmurs Gibbs, rocking a little harder now, hands gripping Tony's hips.

He thrusts steadily, Tony just starting to push back onto him, an easy languid love-making to get them started, and their bedroom could be Gibbs's whole world. Tony's pleasured whines and moans as Gibbs unwaveringly rubs over his prostate, the supple muscles of Tony's back stretched out in front of him, hot smooth skin under his roving hands, and Tony's ass muscles rippling around his cock when their bodies press and grind together. The bed creaking under their rocking, the late summer sun glinting off Gibbs's diamond ring, the sound of their skin slapping together as Gibbs speeds up, his pelvis smacking against Tony's ass, his balls slapping against Tony's.

"You're a natural at this, Tony, fucking made for me, born to take my cock," growls Gibbs, his brain to mouth filter broken by the need charging through him.

Tony grunts and snakes a hand under himself, tugging on his own cock.

"Nah-uh, stop that." Gibbs smacks Tony's ass, leaving a red handprint behind on his right cheek. "You cum on my cock or you don't cum, boy." And he's teasing, because Gibbs would never actually leave Tony hanging, but that level of control over Tony in the bedroom makes for one helluva fantasy.

Tony lets go of his dick but stiffens up, gasping, his ass squeezing tight around Gibbs. "Oh God, Gibbs," he whimpers.

Gibbs's eyes go wide. "Are you...?" He pulls Tony up to lean back against his chest, peering over Tony's shoulder.

Tony's head lolls back over Gibbs's shoulder, his long pretty dick barely touched yet saluting and throbbing, spurting pearly white ropes of cum into the air to fall onto the bed sheets.

"Jesus Christ," breathes out Gibbs, awed. "Such a good boy for me, Tony, baby," he murmurs appreciatively, hugging Tony to him with one arm around his shoulders and rubbing over Tony's chest with his other hand, feeling Tony's racing heart beneath his fingers.

A shudder runs through Tony at his words and Tony moans, hips thrusting back and forth, fucking himself on Gibbs's cock. A fist clenches in Gibbs's guts, a tight, hot, visceral reaction, and he shoves Tony back down, facedown onto the mattress, fucking into him hard and fast.

"You ready for that dose of cum, baby?" growls Gibbs, pounding into Tony, his whole body tightening and tingling in preparation.

"Yes yes yes, Boss," gasps Tony, nodding frantically into the sheets.

"Good boy. My beautiful good boy. You're mine. I'm gonna brand your insides with my cum, Tony. You're gonna take it up your pretty little hole," Gibbs tells him, one hand on Tony's shoulder, holding him down. "And then you're gonna turn right around and clean my cock with your mouth."

Tony groans and spreads his legs wide, reaching back with both hands and holding his ass cheeks apart, and Gibbs will never get over how eager Tony is to please him, and then Gibbs is screwing his eyes shut, seeing stars as an explosion of pleasure ripples through him, balls seizing up, his cock swelling and throbbing in Tony's tight, hot ass. His whole body clenches tight as he surges forward and buries himself into Tony, grinding in deep and hard.

"Fuck," grunts Gibbs, breathing hard, collapsing down onto Tony. But Tony's wriggling out from underneath him, and Gibbs hisses as his cock slips out sooner than he'd like - he's still cumming, for fuck's sake - as Tony's movements shrug him off, rolling him onto his back. "Tony, what-?"

Lips wrap around his cock, and Gibbs's words, the dumb bonehead filth he'd said in the heat of the moment, come back to him as he moans and thrusts up into Tony's sweet perfect mouth, Tony's tongue wet and hot and curling around his tip. Cleaning the lube and cum off his cock.

"Goddamn, that's dirty, sweetheart," gasps Gibbs, staring incredulously at Tony. He hadn't intended to hold Tony to the dirty talk he'd said.

Bright green eyes laugh at him and Tony gives him a particularly hard suck and a deliberate flick of tongue over his piss slit.

Gibbs's head falls back and he grabs Tony's head and pulls Tony down his shaft at the same time as he digs his heels into the mattress and thrusts up. His cockhead hits the back of Tony's mouth hard, and Tony gags, starting to instinctively jerk back, and Gibbs has to hold Tony in place and force his cock past the slight bend in order to get his cock down Tony's tight, hot, wet throat.

Gibbs groans with pleasure as Tony noisily gags and chokes on his cock, that throat convulsing tightly around him, and he can feel spit drooling out the side of Tony's mouth, pooling around the root of his shaft- but Tony stays pliant under his hands and swallows around him, breathing heavily through his nose nestled in Gibbs's pubic hair, and Gibbs rides out the resurging waves of pleasure by fucking Tony's throat, staying in deep, thrusting shallow and fast, grinding his groin into Tony's face, spilling more spurts of cum, until his vision is greying out around the edges and his dick's raw and sensitive and softening.

Gibbs breathes in, releasing Tony, his entire body sprawling out, his limbs loose and heavy. "Fucking hell, Tony," says Gibbs dazedly, spread-eagled and blinking up at the ceiling. Sated in a rare, once in a blue moon way. Flying on cloud nine.

Tony pulls off carefully but quickly, and laughs and coughs then laughs some more at him. "You're welcome, buddy," says Tony huskily. He sounds like he's been choked. Probably because he kind of has been. Tony shuffles up the bed to collapse beside Gibbs, breathing hard.

Gibbs looks at him worriedly. "You alright, Tony? Didn't hurt you, did I?" He reaches out and takes Tony's hand, squeezing. That had been insanely intense.

Tony grins with amusement at him. "I'm good, babe," he says reassuringly, his voice still husky yet cheerful, squeezing Gibbs's fingers back. "I'd have tapped out if I needed you to lighten up."

Gibbs sighs in relief, because he'd been rougher than usual, even for their occasional roughhousing, but maybe after the events of the last few days Tony had needed Gibbs to take the lead - take control - in the bedroom and once again prove his enthusiastic consent. Or maybe that's just wishful thinking on Gibbs's part.

"That was so goddamn hot," adds Gibbs quietly, trying to convey his depth of gratitude, because Tony should know that Gibbs appreciates everything Tony does for him, big and small, and even sexual. "You feel how hard I came? Felt like you sucked my soul out through my dick. Felt so good, sweetheart," says Gibbs earnestly.

Tony laughs again, and it's a slightly softer laugh, Tony's eyes full of warm love as they look at Gibbs. "Yeah, I did feel it, babe. Couldn't really taste it, but I could feel your cock pumping in my throat. But it wasn't entirely altruistic, Gibbs, I liked it too." Tony's eyes flick to his own cock, hard and thick again between his legs.

Well, damn. Gibbs quirks an eyebrow. "Do you want...?" he trails off, hoping it's clear that it's an open-ended offer for whatever Tony wants.

"Cuddles, kisses, and a blowjob?" asks Tony hopefully.

Gibbs grins broadly and holds out his arms, instantly getting an armful of his boy. He hugs Tony tightly and presses kisses to his soft hair as Tony starts talking - babbling - about how he wants a real blowjob, with actual sucking, not just fucking your face, not that what we just did wasn't real, but-

Snickering at the ridiculous yabba yabba, Gibbs thinks, I'm the luckiest bastard in the world.

 

 

"I'm gonna go read downstairs," Gibbs tells Tony, because he's halfway through re-reading The Hunt for the Red October. Tony has finished re-sheeting the bed and is dumping their clothes in the laundry basket, whistling happily to himself, and Gibbs grabs his phone off the bedside table where Tony's placed it.

Tony grins at him. "You're ordering dinner, right, babe? Can we have Chinese again? I know, I know, but I really feel like some spicy hotpot and pork wontons - pretty please? Oooh, and some veggie spring rolls? Please, Boss?"

Tony gives him the most pleading puppy dog eyes that Gibbs has ever seen.

Gibbs rolls his eyes. "Save the puppy dog eyes for when you really need them, baby. Like I'm gonna order anything except exactly whatever you want after everything we've done tonight."

Tony blinks, and then he smiles shyly, cheeks pinking up.

Gibbs smirks, because he'll never be over the fact that he has the power to make DiNozzo - of all people - blush, and he slides his phone into his sweatpants pocket, kisses Tony's cheek, and ambles out, just a hint of swagger to his gait. He pads down the stairs, one hand hovering over the rail-

Then Gibbs comes to an abrupt halt as he walks into the living room.

"This surprise ambush thing you've got going on gonna become a regular thing?" asks Gibbs mildly, quirking an eyebrow and surveying the three pink faces that turn sheepish at his words.

Abby, Tim, and Ellie are sitting on the couch. Gibbs does not want to know for how long they've been sitting there or what they may have heard. Tony babbles like he's going for the Olympic gold in babbling - an ebullient mess of English and Italian and, oddly enough, a little bit of Greek - when Gibbs sucks his cock. And Gibbs hadn't shut the bedroom door. Maybe it's time to start using the lock on the front door.

Abby stands up, moving forward, wringing her hands. "I wanted to catch up with you and see how you and Tony were doing! I already had plans with the nuns on Sunday and then Monday was, well, Monday, and today I hardly saw you at work, and I missed your surprise birthday party on Saturday even though I'm the one who planned it- and it was apparently amazing and lasted all night and included Tony proposing, and I am so sorry I missed it, Gibbs!"

"Not mad, Abs."  Gibbs shakes his head, smiling, and he adds, "We're okay, we're good, and we're sorry you missed Tony's proposal too when everyone else got to see it, it wasn't planned." He's glad he actually bothered showering and putting on sweatpants now, because this get-together is a surprise too.

Abby nods vigorously. "I figured, but I'd have felt bad making Ducky get a taxi since I drove him here that night, so I had to drop him home and then I thought you'd probably kick everyone out anyway, since it was late-ish when you got home - and you probably wanted to get back to, you know, with Tony - and I figured that even if I did return then it would be even later by the time I got back! But then Tim filled me in- Oh! Yesterday Tim showed me his video of Tony's proposal! Tony did beautifully, I thought, and I almost can't believe you guys are together, but I'm so happy for you, Gibbs! I know I told you when you brought Tony back to the Navy Yard, but I am so, so happy for you guys! And you and Tony are having a baby, too!"

Abby beams at him, radiating happiness and excitement - and this, this is the reaction that Gibbs had been hoping for if he and Tony had gotten the chance to come out of the closet on their own terms - and Abby adds, "I kind of want to hug you, but you're not wearing a shirt - would that be too hinky?"

Gibbs huffs a laugh, not knowing how Abby even breathes but not having had the heart to interrupt her, and he opens his mouth to answer- and the front door opens.

Tobias Fornell walks in, a six pack of beer in hand. "Oh," says Tobias, blinking at Gibbs's bare torso. "Sorry, am I interrupting?"

Gibbs smirks. "Not this time. I already got mine." He ignores the choking and blushing from the living room.

Tobias snorts. "Did DiNozzo get his too?"

"You might as well come in, Tobias," says Gibbs, his mouth twitching as he holds back a grin. "Make yourself useful and order us all some Chinese while I go get dressed." He doesn't wait for a response, turning around and heading back upstairs. He needs mouthwash, Tony needs to know they've got company, and Abby can have a hug after he's got a shirt on.

"I'm not your damn butler, Jethro!" calls Tobias after him.

Gibbs snickers and bets that Tobias will still make the call. "Tony wants spicy hotpot, pork wontons and veggie spring rolls, and I want beef dumplings and chow mein, Tobias, we're starving!"

Tobias mutters indistinctly behind him.

 

 

Dressed again in layered shirts and jeans, with socks and shoes on, and sitting on the end of the couch, shoulder to shoulder with Tony on one side, and Tobias on the armchair on his other side, digging into his beef dumplings and chow mein from Mrs Zhang's place (because Tobias really is a good friend), quietly listening to Abby and his team chatter about weddings and how Tony, you and Gibbs have to do this, and Tony arguing that no, we really don't, Abby, Gibbs is content and enjoying himself.

"Sorry for not giving you a heads up before coming over," murmurs Tobias.

Gibbs looks at him. Tobias is looking down at his own stir-fried chicken, looking tired and a bit depressed. Gibbs frowns.

"Nothing to be sorry for," says Gibbs, giving Tobias' arm a small nudge with his elbow. "Door's always open for you, Tobias."

Tobias looks up and gives him a wan smile. "Just needed some company and Emily's out at the movies with her friends. Had a rough afternoon at work," he admits. "Little girl got kidnapped. We got her back quickly, and we caught the bad guys - some bastards who wanted the parents' money - but, well, kidnappings are always rough."

Gibbs nods understandingly. Tobias is FBI, and the FBI specialize in kidnapping cases amongst other things, it's just part of the job, but the job doesn't ever get easy. "You got the girl back, that's the important thing," says Gibbs firmly. "Focus on the good."

Tobias nods. "So has your boy gotten an apology from Ducky yet?" he asks curiously.

Gibbs grimaces but respects Tobias's need for a change in topic. "No," he answers curtly. He'd deliberately not stopped by Autopsy today, even though he normally goes down and says hi to Ducky and nods to Palmer at some point. He's still, rightfully, pissed off.

Tobias raises an eyebrow. "Would have thought Ducky would have come 'round by now, seeing you defend Tony so strongly."

Tony interrupts with an amused grin, "Gibbs is giving Ducky the cold shoulder, so Ducky hasn't had the chance to apologise to him, but honestly, giving someone the silent treatment would work better if Gibbs was the talkative type."

"It's not me that Ducky needs to apologise to, Tony," says Gibbs frustratedly. "It's you!"

Tony shrugs and takes another bite of his pork wontons, and Gibbs huffs, exasperated with himself, wishing he knew the words that would convince Tony of his own worth. It's not entirely Gibbs's fault, he knows, Senior had laid the groundwork, but Gibbs has made things worse with one too many backhanded compliments over the years. He's trying to do better.

Tim and Ellie exchange a concerned glance, and Abby purses her mouth as she looks at Tony.

"Tony," says Ellie cautiously, "You do know that Ducky owes you an apology, right? Misunderstanding your actions on Saturday night was one thing, but actually going to the FBI and making a statement, having a report filed, getting you arrested? That's a completely different level. I was scared you were going to end up in jail, Tony."

Tim nods fiercely in support of Ellie's words, his cheeks full of sweet and sour pork, but Tony shrugs again.

"Bishop's got a point, DiNozzo," offers Tobias. "Ducky could have talked to Jethro on Monday at work. Could have called or dropped by on Sunday to check on Jethro once he'd sobered up. Hell, if the man really thought that you were assaulting Jethro on Saturday night and he didn't trust any of us to put a stop to it, then he should have pulled his phone out and called the police on the spot, let them sort out jurisdiction later."

Tony swallows hard. "Ducky thought he was protecting Gibbs," he mutters.

Gibbs rolls his eyes. "He sure as hell went about it the wrong way."

Finally, Tony nods in agreement. But then he looks up, eyes pleading. "Can't we just move on? I didn't do anything wrong and Ducky just made a mistake. I just want to forget about it."

Gibbs scowls. "I'm not forgiving him. Not forgetting what he's said and done. And you deserve an apology." At the least, Gibbs finishes in his head. He still wants to rip Ducky's balls off for the stress Ducky had put him and Tony through.

Tony huffs. "You've got a rule against saying sorry," he points out.

"Yeah, because sorry is a weak pathetic word that doesn't erase the damage done and it's better to not do shit that requires apologies in the first place," snaps Gibbs, angry not at Tony but at Ducky, yet unable to control his tone. "It's a rule because it's an expectation of a high standard of behaviour. But Ducky can man up and apologize to you. It's the only goddamn way I will even consider remaining his friend, is if he fucking owns his fuck-up and does something to make up for it."

Tony's eyes go wide. "I don't want to come between you and Ducky, Gibbs! He's one of your oldest friends! You've known him even longer than you've known me!"

Gibbs stares at Tony incredulously, because somehow his boy's managed to get the entire damn thing backwards. "Tony. Sweetheart. There won't be a me and him, if he doesn't accept that there's an us." Gibbs gestures between Tony and himself, making clear the us he means.

Tony bites his lip  and shrugs helplessly.

Gibbs sighs again, because Tony's always too fucking self-sacrificing for his own good, and he puts his takeaway container down on the coffee table. He wraps his arms around Tony, pulling him into a sideways hug, being careful of Tony's own dinner. He buries his face in Tony's hair, inhaling his sweet conditioner.

"Tony, I am always going to choose you. I don't care who the choice is between, I choose you, every time." Gibbs presses his forehead to Tony's temple, letting his eyes fall shut. "I love you, darlin' boy, and Ducky needs to get head-slapped by reality." Gibbs doesn't know the words for how he feels. He can only hope that I love you is enough.

Gibbs feels Tony give a small nod and he sighs in relief. A second later, Tony turns his head, nuzzling at Gibbs's cheek, pressing a quick kiss to his mouth.

Gibbs gives him a kiss in return and then pulls back, leaving his arm around Tony's shoulders. Gibbs is a little flushed with embarrassment at being so affectionate in front of their friends, a lingering fear in his psyche that he'll wind up bullied for being queer, and he looks around the room warily, but no-one is mocking them. Everyone looks somewhere between unhappy with the situation and pleased that he's comforting Tony.

"I still can't believe Ducky actually had you arrested, Tony," says Tim quietly. He purses his mouth, his grey-blue eyes serious. "I mean, I get it, you know? It was a big shock finding out that you and Gibbs were together, and finding out like that, when you guys were about to have drunk sex, wasn't great either. I really wish you had both told me earlier even if I can understand why Tony might not have felt like he could confide in me, and why you both maybe wanted to keep it quiet in the first place, you guys being, well, two guys. But it never crossed my mind that you weren't consenting, Boss. It was clear to me that you were happy with Tony's attention."

Tim chuckles softly, and adds, "My first thought when I saw you guys kissing that night was that this actually explains so much. I felt like an idiot for not seeing it earlier. Tony's always been crazy about you, Gibbs, and crazy about making you happy."

Ellie nods beside him, biting her lip. "I would have pulled my gun on Tony, friends or not, if I had thought that you weren't willing, Gibbs, even if you are a big tough marine who can look after himself."

Gibbs nods his approval, giving Tim and Ellie a small smile.

"Good," says Tony roughly, clearing his throat. He looks at Ellie. "That drive to do the right thing is one of the reasons why we hired you, ProBish, although you may want to keep in mind that pulling a gun on someone who has a potential hostage within arm's reach is a risky move." Tony smiles at her gently, to curb the sting in his criticism, before he smirks at Tim. "But clearly you need to check your assumptions, McOblivious, if you think we're that obvious in hindsight."

Tim rolls his eyes. "Yes, because it's reasonable to think all of my co-workers are hiding secret romances, Tony."

Tony laughs, and Gibbs smiles and grabs his dinner again. He doesn't want the last of his noodles and dumplings to get cold.

"So what's Ducky's problem then?" interjects Tobias, his brow furrowing a he takes a sip of his beer. "Bit of an overreaction, much? Wouldn't have taken him for a homophobe."

Gibbs shrugs and scowls, taking a large mouthful of noodles. He doesn't particularly care, except for the part of him that really hates not knowing everything. He's been betrayed by one of his oldest and most trusted friends - because an attack against Tony is an attack against Gibbs, and Gibbs sure as hell doesn't buy that Ducky was trying to protect him. He's not willing to let go of his anger until Duck's apologised to Tony, and even then he might just decide to stay pissed off for a while.

Tony grimaces and doesn't say anything.

Gibbs sighs, he doesn't want Tony to blame himself. "Ducky's not homophobic. He's probably pissed at me for keeping the relationship a secret from him and lashing out at Tony because that's the most obvious way to get at me now," he offers as a potential explanation, remembering that Ducky had been angry with him for keeping Shannon and Kelly a secret, back when that had come out, too. Gibbs had apologised back then, not wanting to lose his friend, but now he's got to wonder if he had set a bad precedent, letting Ducky think that he's entitled to knowing his secrets.

Tony quirks an eyebrow at him.

Gibbs shrugs. "Duck and I are old friends, as everyone keeps reminding me. He probably thinks he had a right to know." But even after times and rules had changed, Gibbs and Tony had needed to take their own pace, needed room to themselves, and space between their work life and their personal life in order to develop a relatively healthy romantic relationship, so keeping quiet isn't something Gibbs is willing to feel bad for.

"Maybe we should just let it go," murmurs Tony. "The charges were dropped, no harm done."

Gibbs gives him a disgruntled look. "I damn near had a panic attack in the middle of the bullpen when you were arrested and taken away from me," says Gibbs firmly. "You did have a panic attack in Sacks' car. And then you spent the day handcuffed and in distress because of it, in FBI custody, worrying that even if the charges were dropped that you wouldn't be able to come home because of the fucking restraining order. Tony, there was plenty of harm done because of Ducky's goddamned accusations, you just can't see it because you're the one who had to stay strong and bear it. Sweetheart, you never count the cost when it's coming out of your own flesh."

Tony stares at him in surprise.

Gibbs meets his gaze evenly. "We probably have a case to sue for defamation of character and emotional distress. Not that you'll want to take that option," he grumbles, knowing Tony will still want to let things slide, but mentioning it might help show Tony how far wrong Ducky was.

Tobias clears his throat quietly. "Jethro's right, kid. Your lawyer could argue, probably successfully, that the number of eye witnesses who support that Jethro was obviously consenting means that Dr. Mallard had knowledge of the falsity of his claim when he gave formal testimony and made the complaint against you. I think a judge would look favourably upon your side, especially since Ron showed me the photos he took of how red and raw your wrists were from struggling against the cuffs in your panic attack."

Gibbs grinds his teeth, even as Tony's face flames red with embarrassment and the kids look even more surprised - not having known about Tony's panic attack until now - but Gibbs had noticed yesterday that Tony's wrists were red and chafed, and they look to be healing well, yet somehow it's worse to hear that Sacks had thought it bad enough at the time to be worth documenting as possible evidence. Gibbs ain't going to be forgiving Ducky for this any time soon, even if Tony does.

Tony swallows hard and turns to Gibbs. "I don't want to make an even bigger deal out of this, babe," says Tony softly. "I just want to marry you, have our baby, and live our lives. I don't want Ducky to be the focus of our time, I want us to focus on us, Gibbs. Maybe that's selfish, and, and cruel, but it's what I want."

It's Gibbs's turn to swallow. "Okay," he agrees, because Gibbs really can't say no to Tony, especially when Tony's put it like that. "But don't expect me to forgive Ducky for hurting you. And it's not selfish, Tony, or cruel, to want to focus on your partner and child. Jesus." Gibbs shakes his head. He really doesn't understand how Tony ties himself in knots up in that clever brain of his some days.

Tony nods and sighs. "Yeah, I can't quite forgive Ducky without an apology either. I just don't want to dwell on this mess and I really do think his heart was in the right place." He runs a hand through his hair tiredly.

Abby lets out a long breath and blurts out, "I know why Ducky overreacted, but I can't tell anyone."

Gibbs looks past Tony to her and frowns. He's tired of this shit at this point. Tony makes a good point about rearranging their focus. Gibbs wants to prioritize their family, too, and doesn't ever again want to fall into the trap of single-mindedly hunting down the bad guy to the exclusion of all else. So Gibbs looks at Abby, and doesn't ask.

Abby fidgets nervously, bringing her hands up to bite her nails. "I really can't tell you, Gibbs, I'd be breaking Ducky's confidence, but I think you should talk to him."

Gibbs growls, "I don't want to hear anything he has to say unless it's to do with work or he's telling me he's gonna apologise to Tony."

"Gibbs, I agree that Tony deserves an apology," says Abby firmly. "But I also know that Ducky had his reasons. We got to talking when I was driving him home, and I did try to talk him down, because Ducky was really, seriously upset, but clearly I failed. Look, Gibbs, Ducky's reasons don't make his actions right, and I'm pretty sure you won't be overly happy with his reasons either, but he's been your friend for a long time and you know he cares about you a lot, and maybe that earns him a second chance?"

Abby looks at him with pleading eyes.

Gibbs sighs. "Fine, I'll talk to him tomorrow and see if he's up to apologising to Tony. But that's as far as I'm willing to go. Whatever Tony decides to do about his friendship with Ducky, Duck sure as hell doesn't get a second chance with me if he's not willing to admit he majorly screwed the pooch on the first one."

That's one bridge Gibbs isn't willing to rebuild, Ducky can make the goddamned effort if he wants to keep Gibbs's friendship. Whereas Tony, Gibbs knows, is willing to swim for his friends, even if he drowns doing it, and Gibbs loves him for it, and hates himself and everyone else for taking advantage of it.

Finally Abby shrugs unhappily. "I hate when my friends fight," she mutters to herself, wrapping her arms around herself in a hug.

Tim wraps a comforting arm around her.  "We all do, Abs, but that doesn't mean we can fix things for them, and Ducky really screwed up this time. He needs to be the one to try and make things right."

Gibbs sighs and glances to Tony, but Tony's staring at Abby and Tim with a pensive look on his face. "You alright, Tony?"

Tony's head jerks around. He scrubs his hands over his face. "Just thinking," he mutters. "I should stop before I hurt myself."

Gibbs snorts and presses a kiss to Tony's hair, giving Tony a one-armed hug. "You're not even half as dumb as you pretend to be, Tony." But if it's important he'll get it out of Tony when they don't have people around to make Tony throw up masks. For now Gibbs is determined to take his own advice: focus on the good, enjoy their friends' company, and have a good night.

"Are there any new movies out that Tony and I should go see?" asks Gibbs, smirking at the surprise on everyone's faces. "What, you didn't think Tony would ever marry a guy who doesn't like movies, did ya?"

 

 

Tony

"Gear up, we got two dead bodies," barks Gibbs as he strides into the bullpen, heading for his desk and his badge and gun.

Tony looks at Gibbs curiously, even as he grabs his own SIG, badge, and backpack. "Two dead bodies, boss? Second week in a row?" The Collins case has seemingly gone cold, no one with the motive to kill the brothers that they have been able to find so far. Tony is a bit disappointed with his failure to discover anything substantial, because it's not often that Team Gibbs don't get the bad guy, but it's been a strange case.

Gibbs pauses as he rounds back out of his desk, pursing his mouth and cocking his head. Ellie and Tim join him in the middle of the floor space.

"Yates had a double homicide two months back, too," says Gibbs, frowning. "Went unsolved."

Tony quirks an eyebrow. "Coincidence?" he asks doubtfully.

"Rule thirty-nine?" offers Tim, taking the extra time to strap his bag on properly.

"'If you feel like you're being played, you probably are'?" says Ellie in confusion, tying her hair back out of the way and slipping her NCIS cap on.

"That's rule thirty-six," corrects Gibbs, not unkindly. "Rule thirty-nine is..." He trails off, heading towards the elevator, not looking back, and the team follow along like puppies.

"There's no such thing as coincidence," finish Tony and Tim in unison, grinning at each other. Tony and Tim are well-trained to Gibbs's rules, for better or worse. And Ellie will get there, thinks Tony. He's determined to be a different kind of team lead to Gibbs's tough-love authoritarian approach, but he's definitely going to keep the high standards skeleton of it. And that's something else he and Gibbs need to talk about. Parenting styles.

Ellie nods her thanks and presses the button for the elevator as she asks, "So, do we think that Yates's case, and the Collins brothers' murders, and this new double-homicide are possibly all related?"

Tony shrugs. "It is a large reach," he concedes. There hadn't been any evidence to suggest that the Collins brothers' murders had been part of a serial killer's line-up, but then you couldn't expect that unless a pattern had already been established by the killer and discovered by the investigating LEOs. Although the overwhelming lack of evidence had made it clear they were dealing with some kind of professional or another, someone who at least knew how to not leave evidence behind; not as easy as it's made to look by the crime shows that Tony watches with Gibbs.

The elevator dings and they all pile in, Tony hitting the button for the garage.

Gibbs grunts. "We'll see what we find at the crime scene. Dispatch said it's a bad one, so consider that your heads-up. Check in with Yates when we get back."

Tony nods and starts whistling quietly but cheerfully, filling up the elevator with soft melody, some country song he can't name from Gibbs's choice of radio station this morning whilst they had showered.

Tim and Ellie both give him amused looks.

"What?" asks Tony suspiciously, put off by the way they both look like they're trying not to laugh at him.

"You know you only whistle music when you've gotten laid, right, Tony?" says Tim, his mouth twitching. "Like, not every time, but only when you've had sex."

"I do not, McMind-In-The-Gutter!" says Tony, glaring at Tim. "I'm just in a good mood," he adds, but then he regrets the defensive words, because he might as well have told them that he woke up with Gibbs's lips wrapped around his cock and Gibbs's finger up his ass. They both have high sex drives, and Tony doesn't think that's something to be ashamed of, but he doesn't necessarily want his co-workers - his friends - knowing when.

Tim and Ellie exchange a knowing look and then smirk at him without saying a word.

"I do not," insists Tony, huffing. He turns and faces the doors, deliberating ignoring them and the heat crawling up his neck.

"You really do, Tony, but I'll take it as a compliment," says Gibbs, smirking too, just as the elevator dings, the doors open, and he strides out.

Tony stares blankly after him in disbelief, unable to believe his partner made that comment in front of the probies, and then Tony looks to Tim and Ellie, and they've both flushed bright red, mortified embarrassment etched on their faces. He barks a laugh as it dawns on him why Gibbs owned up to it: nuclear deterrence. "You can't tease me for getting laid anymore without involving Gibbs!"

Chuckling to himself, Tony strides out after the boss, his cheerfulness returning, and he starts whistling again.

 

 

His good mood lasts only until the crime scene, wherein Tony nearly upends his stomach like the rookie he hasn't been in 20 years. White picket fence encloses a nice green yard strewn with kids' toys and bikes, a typical suburban family house, with soft glittering fairy lights dangling from the porch railing, and the interior is a messy, well-loved home.

With a bloody and gruesome tableau decorating the dining room table. The two adult male corpses have been desecrated, arranged in an obvious mockery of sex, with metal rods thoroughly impaling the naked bodies to maintain their poses.

Tony's stomach silently roils but his breakfast stays down. It's been a long time since he's seen such gross theatrics up close in person.

"Is that-" Ellie breaks off, swallowing hard, staring at the bloodied flesh bits on the floor before the dining table.

"Two sets of testicles," says Ducky crisply, crouched down and inspecting the cut offs. "Yes, unfortunately. The poor men were likely alive when they were removed, judging by the blood." Jimmy, sitting on his haunches beside Ducky, looks pale and disgusted.

Gibbs grimaces.

Tim tries surreptitiously to cover his groin.

Tony's fingers twitch but he refrains from checking that his own testes are still attached - he knows they are, paying attention to feel them as he subtly shifts his stance, but looking at the mess on the dining table, Tony really does want to cup his balls protectively.

"Someone's been watching too much Hannibal," he mutters, scrunching his nose up at the staged corpses and trying not to look too closely at certain areas. This might give him a bad dream or two.

"I don't recall anything like this being in Silence of the Lambs," says Tim, finally getting around to taking crime scene photographs with the camera.

"I was thinking more of the TV show Hannibal," corrects Tony. "Lots of grisly overdramatic displays like this in that."

"Don't you get enough crime scenes at work, Tony?" asks Ellie, stepping around the table to get a different view of the corpses.

"Focus, people," cuts in Gibbs, and Tony bites back an inappropriate smirk, because Tony likes movies, new and old, and Gibbs is the one who likes to watch shows. Drama shows, monster-of-the-week shows, and crime shows- and bitch about the inaccuracies while getting overly attached to the characters. Tony just watches with Gibbs to provide moral support for his partner when all the women and gay guys are killed off - that kind of thing hits close to home.

Gibbs continues, "Bishop, what do we know about the victims?"

Ellie nods to herself and looks down at her notes.

"Navy Ensign Henry Pratchett, just back from deployment on-board the USS Seahawk two weeks ago. And his husband, Cameron Anderson, he's a self-employed artist. Does quite well, that's one of his paintings hanging in the living room, the canvas with the milky way galaxy over the mountains. Anderson, Pratchett." Grimacing sympathetically, Ellie gestures to the respective corpses, Anderson's body on his back on the table, Pratchett staged above him.

"Where are Pratchett and Anderson's kids?" asks Gibbs quietly, brow furrowing, glancing at the family photos on the walls. Two dads and three young children.

Tim answers as he snaps photos, "One of the detectives said they'd rung the school, all three children are accounted for, the eldest two are still in class and the youngest is in the attached kindergarten. Social worker's on the way there now, Boss."

Tony winces. Hell of a way to find out you're orphaned. He knows the kids won't be given the gory details, but even so.

"Is it just me," says Jimmy curiously, recovering somewhat from his revulsion, "Or is it strange that the killer has cut off the testicles but left the penises? Why not just remove both if you're going through with all the bother of amputation anyway?"

Tony frowns. "Jimmy's got a point. It's an obvious hate crime, so if whoever's done this doesn't like men having sex together, why not remove their penises?" The body parts they use for sex, Tony doesn't say, wanting to preserve some dignity for the victims.

"The removal of their testicles is likely an attack on their masculinity," says Ducky, sighing heavily. "Framing gay men to be less masculine than straight men."

Gibbs scowls. "That doesn't answer DiNozzo and Palmer's question, Doctor Mallard."

Tony and Jimmy exchange nervous looks at the use of Ducky's title and the ice in Gibbs's voice, and Tim and Ellie glance at each other too. Gibbs's anger hasn't thawed any in the brief time since Ducky had had Tony arrested.

Ducky scowls right back at Gibbs. "Possibly the killer deemed castration to be humiliation enough, or possibly he wanted it to be abundantly clear how much he despises homosexuality through debasing these men to their sexuality, given the metal rods inserted through the men's penises to simulate erections. I'm just the Medical Examiner, I'll leave investigating the killer's motives up to you, Special Agent Gibbs."

Tony winces hard, he'd been deliberately not looking at the private parts of the staged corpses, but now he can't help glancing over, and yep, could have done without that image in his head. And Tony could do without Ducky being snarky, too.

Gibbs glares at Ducky.

Tony looks between them worriedly, seeing out of the corner of his eye as the others watch with bated breaths as well. Tony's not sure how long before the old friends have it all out, but here at a crime scene, in front of the team, on duty and working a case, is not the time or place for it.

Finally, Gibbs looks away - to Tony. "DiNozzo, take Bishop and interview all the neighbours, find out if anyone saw anything. And Tony, if anyone asks or even so much as hints at asking, you're straight and looking forward to your girlfriend giving birth to your baby. Got it, DiNozzo?"

"Yes, Boss. Come along, Bish," says Tony obediently, because that's a good point Gibbs has accidentally made in his attempt to protect Tony - the killer is likely someone who knew Pratchett and Anderson, could possibly even be one of their neighbours - and at the very least, interviewing the neighbours will get him and Ellie out of being accidentally caught in the middle of Gibbs and Ducky's no-man's land.

The sick feeling in Tony's stomach increases as he shoves away thoughts about Ducky. Focus on the case, DiNozzo, he tells himself.

 

 

Notes:

hey everyone!

i am giving up on a posting schedule for this story, it feels like every time i try to set a date for the next chapter's release, something gets in the way! so i'll get new chapters up when i can, hopefully every few weeks or so.

what do you think of this chapter? starting to get interesting? and we've finally gotten to the case! it's not too gory for people, is it? i tried to tag to cover that kind of thing, but feel free to let me know if you think it needs more specific tags.

up next: continuing in tony's pov, the team working on the new case, personal issues threaded through-out the case issues, with a decent amount of humour thrown in. and the inevitable showdown with ducky is looming in the background...

cheers, edmond|turningthegears

Chapter 7: Lack Of A Connection

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Tony

Cassie Yates is wearing a deep blue suit jacket over a white blouse, with a matching blue skirt, the overall outfit nicely complementing her warm brown skin and her new sharp haircut- what? Tony's allowed to look, he's just not allowed to touch. Not that he wants to, he loves being Gibbs's boy, Gibbs's man, and getting to call Leroy Jethro Gibbs his man, his partner and fiancé. But Tony appreciates good fashion choices, especially on good looking people- Anyway, Cassie is slightly hunched over her work desk, tapping away on her keyboard.

Tony's eagle eye spies expense reports on her computer screen. Yucky. Boring. Tony hates doing those, always does them as quickly as possible so they don't loom over his head like a guillotine.

He grabs one of her teammate's empty chairs and plops himself down in it, wheeling over to her desk, setting his elbow on the edge of it and propping his chin up as he gives her an obnoxiously cheerful smile. "Hi Cassie! Looking beautiful today! I love the new haircut, looks great!" He's sincere, if annoyingly exuberant about it.

Cassie grins with amusement, shaking her head at him. "Hi Tony, you're looking quite handsome yourself. Armani suit today, is it?"

Tony beams. "Yes it is. Thank you." A navy blue Armani suit, a sleek burgundy button down shirt, no tie - he's not showing off the love bites under his collar that Gibbs gave him this morning, but he likes to take a peek at them in the men's room every now and again.

But Cassie gives him a quizzical look. "Hang on, should you be flirting with me?  You're an engaged man now. With a baby on the way, even."

"What, I get engaged and I'm not allowed to flirt with people anymore?" asks Tony, both amused and indignant.

Cassie laughs at him. "Well, Gibbs does strike me as the possessive type."

"Oh, he is," Tony assures her with a grin. "It's really hot when he gets all jealous and starts putting his hands all over me to show off that I'm his."

Cassie claps a hand to her mouth, laughing, before pointing at him. "You keep in mind that jealousy is rooted in insecurity. Gibbs hasn't had the best run of luck in the romance department. Don't you go breaking his heart, DiNozzo."

"I only flirt for fun and to get information on cases these days, Gibbs doesn't have anything to worry about," Tony promises her, because Cassie really is a wonderful person for thinking of his partner instead of just going along with his flirting.  And if Gibbs has any doubts, Tony will tell Gibbs what an idiot he's being before Tony shows his idiot how much Tony loves him.

"And I'm absolutely over the moon with happiness that we're having a baby," adds Tony shyly, thinking of their baby. Still in development in Zoe's womb, but all of Tony's thoughts circle back to Gibbs and our baby now.

"If it's a boy, I'm hoping Gibbs will let us name our son after him, his middle name for our son's middle name - I really like the sound of 'Indiana Jethro' and we could call him Indy for short - I know, I know, naming him after Indiana Jones is kind of silly, but Gibbs and I are both big fans - and did you know Ford's a carpenter? Gibbs actually knows the guy through woodworking circles, blew my damn mind by bringing home a signed Star Wars poster for me one day - and I really do like the name Indy. Or if it's a girl, maybe name her after our moms, 'Ann Elizabeth', and call her Annie. I want our kid to have a good name for formal stuff, but a sweet nickname, you know?"

Tony makes himself stop impulsively babbling with a lot of effort and an apologetic smile, but Cassie doesn't seem to mind that he talks too much.

"I'm sure you can convince Gibbs to name the kid whatever you want, Tony, the man's only been mooning over you for forever," says Cassie, smirking. "Now, what do you want, DiNozzo?"

"He has not been mooning over me," says Tony, rolling his eyes. "Gibbs doesn't moon," he adds firmly, unsettled by the thought that perhaps they hadn't been as subtle at work as they'd thought they had been. But Tony puts it out of his mind, instead putting a hand to his heart, giving Cassie a mock-tortured face. "And you wound me! I can't come here just to say hello?"

Cassie scoffs, snickering. "No. I'm genuinely surprised you and Gibbs have time for a personal relationship with how much time you both spend working."

Tony smiles wryly. He and Gibbs are both accurately well-known for being workaholics. And there, that's another change to come, just around the corner, the whispers of it riding in on the summer breeze. "You're right," he admits with a sigh. "I'm here about a case."

"Not often Anthony DiNozzo needs help on a case." Cassie raises an eyebrow at him.

Tony smirks. "Actually, I'm here to possibly solve one of yours."

"Bite your tongue, DiNozzo!" Cassie wrinkles her nose at him.

Chuckling, Tony says, "Gibbs says that two months back, your team had a double homicide that went unsolved." It's actually pretty rare for Cassie to not get the bad guy - she's competitive, determined, and she and her team are all highly skilled, hyper competent agents. Team Yates and Team Balboa leap-frog each other every year for second place in the rankings of the highest case solve rates. Team Gibbs always comes in first - they're the MCRT and flagship team for a reason - but Cassie and Max make them work for it.

Cassie shrugs and lets out a long sigh. "Yeah, a marine and his wife, killed in their bed, no witnesses and no leads. It happens, unfortunately."

Tony nods understandingly. "Well," he says with a grin, "The MCRT just got our second double homicide inside of two weeks."

Cassie purses her lips. "That is a bit unusual," she allows. "But it doesn't necessarily follow that all three cases are related. I'd be very surprised if they were."

"Uh-huh," agrees Tony. "And even if you follow the popular school of thought that there's fifty or so serial killers operating in the US at any one time, serial homicide still only accounts for one percent of all annual murders, so they don't actually kill all that often. Well, by the FBI's count." Tony has his own suspicions about that, taking into account the high number of missing persons, but that's probably just paranoia and it's certainly nothing he could prove. But who knows, people are stupid, maybe they just wander off into caves.

Cassie narrows her eyes at him. "But you still want to check my case files, just to be thorough, right?"

Tony grins charmingly and flutters his eyelashes. "Have I mentioned that you have the most exquisite dark brown eyes? They remind me of galaxies, really, they do!" he says mock-earnestly.

"Oh shut up, Tony." Cassie snorts, swatting him on the arm. "Your lines are the worst! You can have the case files if it'll get me some peace and quiet."

"You're the best, Cassie," says Tony sincerely.

"Yes, I am," agrees Cassie, smirking. "Let me just save this expense report and get the files up for you. I swear, the guys in Accounting get more and more stingy and pedantic every year. Do want me to email things over or send it to the printer?"

"Bo-oh-oth, ple-e-ease," sing-songs Tony cheerfully. Easier for him to read on paper, but easier to share with the rest of his team through email. He picks up one of her ballpoint pens and starts tossing it up in the air and catching it. "Can you tell me your impressions of the  case, Cass?"

Cassie sighs, eyeing the rotating pen. "I don't know how Gibbs stands your hyperactivity, Tony, I really don't."

The answer is by sublimating Tony's high energy into lots of highly enjoyable sex, but Tony's not about to tell. He grins sheepishly and puts her pen back in its upright holder, instead tapping his fingers on knee.

Cassie nods approvingly at him and continues, "Like I said, the husband and wife were found murdered in their bed after his CO reported that he hadn't turned up for work. Billy Winchester was your average jarhead, his wife Sue was by all accounts a lovely, kind woman but thick as two planks. It was very clearly a double homicide, each one being blasted in the chest by a shotgun, and no shotgun in sight."

Cassie sighs, reading over her notes. "Winchester was cheating on his wife with their son's phys. ed. teacher, Rebecca Patterson. When we found that out, we thought that maybe Winchester's girlfriend had killed them in a crime of passion, possibly the jealous 'if I can't have him, nobody can' kind, but she was a heartbroken mess over Winchester's death, didn't own a gun, and she had a solid alibi to boot. Some cake bake at the school where she was stuck behind a stand all day. Plenty of eye witnesses and receipts from sales prove she was there, and the school's own security cameras caught her coming and then going. Patterson was accounted for at the time of death."

Tony frowns. "And you had no other suspects? Nothing else to go on? "

"No and no, not a thing." Cassie spreads her hands. "Billy and Sue Winchester were both white, mid forties, and ordinary. Winchester wasn't working on anything sensitive, was just another military grunt, and Sue was an orderly at a retirement village. Nothing unusual out about them, no money problems, neither had any enemies, no-one with any grudges. The Winchesters' seventeen year old son, Ryan, was away on a school camping trip, and Billy Winchester's mistress was accounted for."

Cassie looks at him and shrugs. "I've sent my case files and notes to the printer, and emailed you a copy. Good luck, Tony."

Tony blows out a breath and stands up. "Thanks, Cassie. I'll let you know if I find anything."

 

 

"Alright, let's get everyone up to speed on both cases, then we'll break for lunch," says Gibbs, standing up behind his desk. "Put it up on screen, McGee."

Tim taps at his keyboard and one military ID and one driver's license pop up on the large screen between Tim and Tony's desk, before Tim selects the portrait photos and increases their size.

Tony stands from his chair, leaving behind Cassie's case files on his desk, and stands in front of the screen, looking curiously at Henry Pratchett - white male, early thirties, blue-eyed brunet - and Cameron Anderson - black male, early thirties, amber eyes and a short dark afro. Ellie comes and joins him, Gibbs standing to the side behind her, and Tim rounds off their little half moon.

"Okay," says Tim, clicker in hand. "Our current case with victims Navy Ensign Henry Pratchett and his husband Cameron Anderson."

"The next door neighbour said Henry went by Harry," interjects Ellie, frowning at the screen. "Harry and Cam."

Tony nods agreement but frowns, unable to get the horrible image of their staged corpses out of his head. The neighbours had all liked the couple well enough and been shocked by the sudden deaths.

Ellie continues, "Harry Pratchett is thirty-three years old, his parents are alive, living in Texas, but he's estranged from them." She grimaces, "When I spoke to them on the phone, his mother literally said 'good riddance'. Beatrice and Michael Pratchett are Catholic and incredibly anti-gay. Pratchett has a bunch of siblings, but none of them have spoken with him since their parents kicked him out at fifteen. The whole family struck me as unpleasant, but I don't think they had anything to do with Pratchett and Anderson's murders. Too hands-off for it."

"On the other hand," says Gibbs, nodding to the picture of Anderson. "Cameron Anderson is thirty-one, he and Pratchett got together a decade ago, got married when the law change went through. Anderson has no siblings, but two parents who are utterly gutted to have lost their son and son in-law. They were in tears on the phone," adds Gibbs quietly. He sighs, and says, "I've been going through Pratchett and Anderson's bank statements-"

"You mean you've actually been working?" cuts in Tony, smirking teasingly, deliberately asking to be put in place, wanting to distract Gibbs from feeling sad.

Gibbs glares at him.

Tony backtracks. "Not that you don't normally do work, Boss, it's just that normally you delegate and supervise and drink coffee and, and, and I'm going to shut up now, Boss," says Tony, holding back his grin. Mission successful.

Gibbs rolls his eyes, his mouth hinting at a smile, and continues, "Nothing unusual in their bank statements. Just repeats of groceries, pizza every Wednesday, filling up the petrol tank, bills, a couple of bars and nightclubs they hit on Friday and Saturday nights, and regular payments to Anderson's parents." At Tony's querying look, Gibbs clarifies, "Anderson insisted on paying for the time his parents spent babysitting the kids, his art did well enough they could afford it."

Gibbs shrugs. "Melissa and Jeremy Anderson were fairly involved, considered Pratchett a second son, and dote on their three grandchildren. Nothing they said made me think they'd pushed their way in or were overstepping their bounds. Anderson was still late twenties when he and Pratchett adopted the three kids. The young men probably appreciated the help," adds Gibbs.

Tony frowns, thinking of his own father currently running around New York, probably conning people out of their money right as Tony works this case. "Better to  have involved parents than ones who don't give a shit," sighs Tony. Then again, "Could money have been the motive? Exactly how well did Anderson's art do?"

Gibbs shakes his head. "He sold enough paintings that they lived comfortably, but not enough that they have much in the way of savings. Three kids is expensive." Gibbs winces. "We're only having the one, DiNozzo," warns Gibbs, looking a little wild around the eyes.

Tony nods frantically. "One's plenty, Boss!" Tony cringes just thinking about having to run around after two or more hyperactive and trouble-making little DiNozzo-Gibbs children.

Ellie laughs at them, and Tim smirks but clicks the clicker, getting everyone's attention by bringing up a few pictures of the whole family.

"I've been going through Pratchett and Anderson's social media and I've also looked into the kids' history," says Tim, pursing his mouth. "Both Pratchett and Anderson were on Facebook, and they posted a lot of pictures of their hiking trips, Anderson's art, and their family. Jamie and Gracie are five year old twins and George is three. All three kids are biological siblings that Pratchett and Anderson adopted two and a half years ago. They didn't have the heart to adopt just one child and split the family up even further after the original parents died in a driving collision - a truck with a drunk driver crossed the center line and wiped them out on the way to the day-care to pick the kids up."

Tony bites his lip, staring at the one picture of the kids happily piling on their fathers. He's not generally a fan of kids, had a major freak out when Zoe first told him she was pregnant before he came round to the idea - not because he doesn't like children but because it's hard to relate to kids who've had a normal upbringing when Tony was dumped in hotel rooms, made to hold the poo bucket at Civil War re-enactments, and belted just because Senior's business deal fell through or some other nebulous excuse. But it's not hard to see that these three kids have had the worst luck, losing two sets of parents to violent ends.

Tim sighs. "Nothing I found indicates that Pratchett and Anderson's murders have anything to do with the original family, and both Pratchett and Anderson kept their Facebook profiles locked to their friend groups, nothing online indicates anyone with a grudge, and they haven't received any homophobic hate in the last three months."  Tim spreads his hands in a got nothing gesture.

Ellie clears her throat delicately. "There was one thing out of the norm that I did find as I was going through their phones," admits Ellie, pursing her mouth. "I just don't know if it's relevant or not."

Tony waits a moment, looking at her.

"Are you going to tell us?" says Gibbs, frowning.

Ellie opens her mouth, closes it. Blurts out, "They had a girlfriend."

Gibbs stares incredulously.

"A girlfriend?" asks Tim, raising an eyebrow.

"They," says Tony, taken aback. "As in both Pratchett and Anderson were dating someone else? The same someone else?"

Ellie nods, eyebrows raised high, biting down on a grin. "I think they were trying to keep it quiet," she says with amusement. "But I found texts to and from an Olive Carter. Regular phone calls. A few, uh, explicit photos on Pratchett's phone. Definitely a woman, definitely in a relationship with both men, at the same time." Ellie blushes a bright burning red.

Tim smirks, shaking his head.

Tony snorts and grins wickedly. "Nice."

Gibbs gives him a grouchy look.

Tony rolls his eyes. "Don't give me that, babe, at this rate the only love triangle I'll ever be part of will be in the afterlife."

Gibbs, Tim, and Ellie stare at him.

"What?" says Tony in confusion.

"Have you got some kind of weird ghost fetish that I don't want to know about?" asks Tim, face scrunched up.

Tony gives Tim a pitying look. "I don't even know what that means, McGhostbuster."

"Is it some obscure movie reference?" says Ellie, brow furrowing. "Because I don't get it. 'In the afterlife'?"

"What? No, no movie reference. I mean, I'm not swearing that 'until death do we part' crap," says Tony, huffing. "It's taken me a decade and a half to get Gibbs to commit to me, I'm not giving him up just because he's going to cark it at some point. Shannon's just going to have to learn to share when we die and join her and Kelly in whatever afterlife there is."

Ellie beams at him. "That's really sweet, Tony."

Tim nods, smiling. "Weird but sweet," he agrees, sounding a little amazed that Tony's capable of 'sweet'.

Gibbs stares at him, then breaks into a broad grin. "Oh, Shannon is gonna adore you, Tony."

Tony rolls his eyes, not wanting to get emotional in front of Tim and Ellie. "You're just looking forward to weird hot threesome ghost sex," he mutters.

Gibbs huffs but looks away to the screen again, saying, "We'll need to talk to Carter, make sure she didn't have anything to do with Pratchett and Anderson's murders."

Tony's mouth twitches, because that diversion might as well have been agreement, coming from Gibbs. Gibbs could have shaken his head. But he hadn't.

"Olive Carter is Anderson's best friend from college, Boss, she shows up on their Facebook pages," says Tim, going over to his computer and tapping on the keyboard. Another picture pops up on the big screen, a close up frame of Pratchett and Anderson, with a woman in the middle. The trio look happy, their arms around each other. Tony smirks, seeing that Olive Carter is a redhead - Gibbs's type of woman.

"Ouch," yelps Tony, more out of surprise than anything, the slap up the back of his head hadn't stung.

"Get your mind out of the gutter, DiNozzo," says Gibbs exasperatedly.

"Wasn't in the gutter, Boss," says Tony sulkily. 

"Uh-huh," says Gibbs knowingly, a small smile playing on his mouth.

"I don't think the girlfriend has any motive to commit murder, Gibbs," interjects Ellie, focusing on the photo of the three lovers. "I mean, we should talk to her and verify it, of course, same as with their friends and co-workers, but the way Pratchett and Anderson were murdered sort of screams homophobic hate crime and Olive Carter would have known for years that they were gay - or, well, bisexual, I guess. And the messages I found on Anderson and Pratchett's phones - there was no indication of any problems in the love triangle. Prior to their deaths, her last text to their group chat was a reminder to Cam to pick up more eggs, milk, bread, and maple syrup, so she could make French toast for the kids on Thursday morning."

"That sounds very domestic," says Tony, wincing, because it's sounding more like Carter's been widowed rather than having lost some friends with benefits.

"Yeah," says Gibbs with a sigh. "Sounds like the three of them were close."

Tim sighs too. "Which means we have no leads to go on," he says gloomily.

Gibbs scowls and looks at Ellie. "You didn't find anything else on their phones that could hint at who was behind this? No threats or strange messages?"

Ellie shakes her head. "No, there was nothing that stood out to me."

Gibbs makes a grumpy face, and Tony wonders if Gibbs has any idea how expressive he is without saying a word, because Tony has no trouble reading Damn it, no leads, and I'm hungry but we still have Yates's case to look at. Tony's hungry too, now that he's thinking about it. They've left lunch pretty late.

"Alright," says Gibbs grumpily. "We'll come back to this case after lunch, but first, DiNozzo, get us up to speed on Yates's double homicide."

Tony nods obediently and makes grabby hands at Tim, demanding, "Clicker!"

Tim hands it over with an eye-roll. "You're worse than a five year old, Tony."

Tony blows a raspberry at him just for the hell of it - Tim shakes his head, but his mouth is twitching, holding back a smile - then Tony turns back to the screen, clicking the clicker to bring up his own line-up of photos. Billy Winchester, white male, mid forties, brown eyes, brown hair in that typical marine cut. His wife, Sue Winchester, white female, mid forties, blue eyes, long bottle-blonde hair.

"Okay!" announces Tony. "For Yates's case, the victims were Billy and Sue Winchester, he was a marine master sergeant and she was an orderly. They were found murdered in their bed." He clicks the clicker, and a crime scene photograph of their corpses replaces the ID photos, showing the two victims in their pyjamas, sprawled in their bed, shotgun blasts to their chests.

Tony continues, "Cause of death was a shotgun blast to each victim's chest, time of death was determined to be ten hundred hours on Thursday the forth of June, earlier this year. No defensive wounds, no murder weapon on scene, no witnesses - all the neighbours were out at work."

"That's odd," says Tim, his brow furrowing. "Why were they still in their bed at ten in the morning on a work day?"

Tony shrugs. "No idea," he says cheerfully. Tony loves the weird and difficult cases, it just makes solving them even more gratifying. "But it gets odder. Cassie had no leads for this case whatsoever. The Winchesters' son was off camping in a different state, a school trip, and while Billy Winchester was  being a naughty boy and cheating on his wife with the son's sports coach, Rebecca Patterson, Ms. Patterson was held hostage by the numerous people buying her baked goods at the school's cake bake sale all morning, her actions fully accounted for."

"And there was no-one else that could have had a motive against them?" says Ellie disbelievingly.

"Nope!" Tony pops the p. "No money problems, no drug problems, the other woman had a rock solid alibi, the son is still upset about their deaths - Ryan's with his cousins in Colorado now, we had a chat over video call - and no one in their social lives or work lives had any grudge against either Billy or Sue. Cassie described them as ordinary, but she probably could have just called them boring."

Gibbs sighs. "So you haven't found anything following up on Yates' work, Tony?"

Tony shakes his head, smiling delightedly at actually having a challenging case.

Tim scrunches up his face. "So we have two separate double homicides and no leads for either case."

"Actually," says Ellie, grimacing, "We have three."

Tony points the clicker at her. "Ten points to Ravenclaw! Ellie's right, McGryffindor, don't forget about the Collins brothers from last week." Tony presses the clicker and brings up a photo on screen, Brandon and Rocky Collins leaning back on Rocky's black Chevy Silverado.

He restates the facts, "Navy Lieutenant Commander Brandon Collins and his brother Rocky Collins. We know they shared a house and were found dead in their respective beds last Monday afternoon by their weekly cleaner, although Ducky said the time of death was actually around 0800 Sunday morning. Both Collins brothers were fully dressed but tucked into their beds, under the covers."

Tony grins and looks to Gibbs. "It actually reminds me of that very first Hannibal episode where the cannibal returns the girl to her bed because there was something wrong with her organs and-"

"I don't think we're dealing with a cannibal, DiNozzo," interrupts Gibbs dryly.

"No, I don't think so either," agrees Tony, pouting  but looking back to the screen. "So, cause of death for both Brandon and Rocky was carbon monoxide poisoning, likely over Saturday night while they were sleeping, as there were traces of it lingering in their bedrooms, but we couldn't find sources for the gas."

Tony purses his mouth, pondering the strange circumstances of the Collins brothers' murders, staring at their photo. The fraternal twin brothers are both tall, slouching against the pick-up truck with their hands in their pockets, and wearing identical yellow Boston Bruins hockey jerseys and blue jeans, but that's where the most obvious physical similarity ends. Brandon had brown skin, with dark brown eyes and curly brown hair, a slim and wiry build, and his brother Rocky was white with freckles, blue-eyed with wavy blond hair, packing serious thick muscle - he was a personal trainer at a gym.

Tim shakes his head. "I still find it hard to believe they're brothers, let alone twins."

"They have the exact same face down to the smile," says Gibbs, giving Tim a what the fuck look.

Tony waves his hand dismissively. "Fraternal twins are genetically just like normal siblings who happen to be born at the same time, so unlike identical twins they can look similar or different - or even be different sexes, like Jamie and Gracie - but McProsopagnosia is half face-blind, Boss, he always scores badly on those 'which famous celebrity is this?' quizzes."

Tim gives him a dirty look. "No, that's because I don't watch as many movies as you, Tony."

"At first glance Brandon and Rocky Collins do look very different for siblings," concedes Ellie with a thoughtful face. "But my eldest brother and I look completely different too, even though we've got the same skin tone and hair colour, so I can't really judge."

"Maybe you're adopted." Tony smirks at her.

Ellie rolls her eyes. "Maybe I'm adopted," she echoes sarcastically.

Tony snickers, and Ellie laughs too.

"So," says Gibbs, looking grumpy. "Do we have any reason to believe that these three cases are related?"

Tony scrunches his nose up. "There doesn't appear to be any connection between the Winchester family, the Collins brothers, or the Pratchett and Anderson family," says Tony with disappointment. "But I would have to look through the details you guys have got on Pratchett and Anderson to be sure, and we still have their friends and co-workers to interview."

Tim purses his mouth. "So we have three double homicide cases, all with no leads, and seemingly no connection?"

"Well," says Ellie slowly. "Maybe the lack of a connection is the point?"

Tony looks at her, brow furrowing. "Like, by design?" His mind flashes to Will Graham, the main character in NBC's Hannibal who asked his FBI trainees to imagine their own design for murder as a homework exercise. He and Gibbs really do watch too many crime shows for working in law enforcement.

Ellie shrugs. "If I was a serial killer who didn't want to get caught, I'd choose my victims randomly and use different methods, too."

"Or you could just join the military. It's what I did," says Gibbs with a nonchalant shrug, a small smirk playing on lips.

Tim and Ellie pause and stare at him, a little freaked around the eyes.

Tony holds back  his own smirk because Gibbs really can be a bastard who loves messing with people's heads and Tony enjoys that a little too much. "Can you please pretend that you're not a cold-blooded killer? I don't mind, Boss, you're more Dexter Morgan than Hannibal Lecter, but you're scaring the kids."

Gibbs snorts in amusement, then says abruptly, "Lecter had a rolodex." He looks at Tony expectantly.

"What?" says Ellie in confusion.

Tony explains, "Hannibal Lecter, in the TV show, he had a rolodex, one of those old-fashioned rotating card holders. He'd store people's business cards in there-" and Tony grins, nodding as he realises where Gibbs is going with this, "-and he'd come back to them months, or even years later, when he needed a victim to satisfy his cannibalism."

Tim frowns. "Surely most real life serial killers aren't that detail-orientated over years."

Tony winces, because no, they don't get a lot of serial killer cases - they're actually very rare, especially for NCIS that already focuses in on a narrow proportion of crime - but McProbie should still know better by now. "Tim, serial killers only succeed at getting away with serial murder if they're highly detail-orientated, insanely obsessive, and persistent as all get out. Otherwise they're just one-shot weirdos who wind up in jail."

Tim nods sheepishly, and Ellie nods thoughtfully along with him, but Gibbs scowls.

"So we could have a serial killer on our hands then, and simply not have enough of the details to understand how he's choosing his victims," says Gibbs quietly.

Tony shrugs. "Could be, it is strange to have three double homicides in a relatively short timeframe and not have any clues for any of them. But it could be that they really are all separate. Each set of victims was murdered differently. The Winchesters by a shotgun, the Collins brothers by carbon monoxide poisoning, and Pratchett and Anderson had their throats slit before they were impaled on the metal rods."

Tony throws his hands in the air, almost losing the clicker. "The only thing the three double-homicides have in common is the sheer level of drama! The Winchesters were still in their pyjamas in bed at ten in the morning on a work day, the Collins brothers were slowly poisoned while they were sleeping in their bedrooms - which means they were probably in their pyjamas and someone went to the trouble to re-dress them in clothes and then tuck them back into their beds! And then you have Pratchett and Anderson, their throats slit and their balls cut off while they were in bed, presumably while they too were sleeping, and then their corpses were displayed like a particularly gruesome sculpture on their kitchen table!"

Gibbs snorts. "Maybe we've got an English teacher for a killer."

Tony stares at him in confusion, letting his arms fall to his sides again.

Tim asks, "Don't you mean 'drama teacher', Boss, because they're dramatic?"

Gibbs shakes his head. "My high school English teacher could make a mountain out of a molehill. Mrs. Price was just as thick as Othello when confronted with Desdemona's handkerchief. She wrote a bunch of romance novels that sold pretty well but they were the most dramatic sappy drivel you can imagine. My mom loved them."

"Yet it sounds like you paid attention in her class, Gibbs," says Ellie with amusement.

Gibbs shrugs. "Shakespeare was fun. My class nearly went to war over whether Othello was just stupid or if Iago was a genius."

Tony grins. "I always liked Iago, smart and deadly, but I always thought he had a thing for Othello."

Gibbs gives him a wry smirk. "Iago certainly professed his love for the guy often and loudly."

Tim looks between them with bewilderment. "Iago thought Othello had slept with his wife, that's why he was after revenge."

"There sure was a lot of cockblocking involved in that revenge," says Tony, smirking.

Gibbs shakes his head. "We're getting distracted." He rubs his forehead with his thumb.

"I can't think over my stomach complaining," admits Ellie, wincing sheepishly when all three men look at her.

"I'm pretty hungry too, Boss," says Tony quickly, supporting Ellie in the hopes that Gibbs will cave to a majority, because his own stomach is grumbling too.

Tim nods vigorously, looking eager for a break as well.

"You're always hungry, Tony," sighs Gibbs. "But we've had a long morning. We'll break for lunch now." Gibbs looks to his wrist-watch, "I want everyone back here by fifteen hundred hours, ready to work." He turns around and heads for his desk.

Tony frowns, checking his own watch. "Boss, it's only thirteen hundred forty. An hour-twenty for lunch?"

Gibbs shrugs and says nothing, a small secretive smirk playing on his lips. Gibbs looks between Tim and Ellie, "Do either of you want to come for the ride or have us bring you something back?"

Tim breaks into a wide smile. "Actually, Delilah made me pastrami sandwiches and a fruit salad for lunch today, but thanks anyway, Boss."

Ellie grins too. "And I managed to get up early and go to yoga and make a packed lunch today."

"Nice work, Bish," says Tony and he holds his hand up and gets a high-five off her.

"Thanks, Tony!" Ellie wrinkles her nose, "I hate getting up early but the pay-off's worth it."

"I'm used to it, comes with being a marine. But Tony hates getting up early too," says Gibbs, smiling slightly. "Always buries his head in my armpit and begs me for five more minutes, no matter what the time is."

Tony, Tim, and Ellie stare at him.

"What?" says Gibbs, staring back at them and furrowing his brow.

"You don't usually make comments  about your personal life, Boss," says Tim, raising his eyebrows. And Tony knows what he means, not the odd story of something from his past that relates to whatever they're talking about, but actual personal details that matter to Gibbs currently.

"We're on lunch break," says Gibbs with a shrug. "Even if we are still in the bullpen. And everyone knows Tony and I are together now."

Tony smiles fondly at Gibbs. It's nice to not have to hide anymore. Though they had had their reasons for keeping quiet, ranging from DADT in their early years, back when Gibbs was still in the Reserves, to needing privacy to build a strong relationship, and then later on simply enjoying clear delineation between their work and personal lives. But Tony can't bring himself to mind this new normal where his fiancé casually acknowledges their relationship. And fiancé. Tony is slowly getting used to that, liking it more and more each day.

Gibbs looks back Tony, a grin tugging at his lips. It's that same secretive one from before. "Well, if we don't have the kids tagging along... Lunch date, Tony?"

Tony narrows his eyes at him, glaring playfully. "I can tell you're up to something, Gibbs."

Gibbs gives him a teasing grin, and repeats, "Lunch date, Tony?"

Tony rolls his eyes, though not without amusement. "Fine, be devious, but don't think I won't figure out whatever it is you're doing a poor job of hiding your excitement for."

Gibbs smiles shyly as he looks up from grabbing his gun and badge. "I just thought we might go find you a ring."

Tony blinks. A ring? Oh. A wedding ring. "I had the shop hold a ring identical to yours for me," offers Tony eagerly, his gaze darting to Gibbs's hand where the diamond sparkles under the lights, set in its platinum band.

"That'll do," agrees Gibbs, coming back around his desk, and he grins and ducks his head, glancing up at Tony from under his lashes.

How the fuck is he both utterly adorable and drop dead sexy? thinks Tony, grinning, beaming, and he beams and beams at Gibbs, feeling jittery with excitement. A ring. For Tony. He'd been fully expecting to wait until they got an actual wedding organized before picking up the ring he'd had set aside for himself, but if Gibbs wants him to start wearing it now, Tony is a-okay with that.

 

Notes:

time is wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey,,,, it might have gotten away from me, for a bit. god, you have no idea how embarrassing this is. (sorry.)

more importantly, thank you very much to everyone who dropped a line to let me know what they think of this story, i'm thrilled that people are still enjoying it, and i hope you all like this new chapter.

this chapter is a little shorter than usual, and i think the next chapter will be a little longer than usual. in hindsight i really wish i'd just drowned you all in long wordcounts, because finding good cut-off points for chapters instead of the parts i wrote in is a real pain.

also, just in case anyone is getting impatient (story-wise, not posting-wise), yes, gibbs will be confronting ducky in the next chapter or two (like i said, difficult to find good cut-off points!), but yes, that's going to happen. anyone wanna take bets on how it goes down?

cheers!