Tony had scoffed when he was presented with the baby monitors - holding the box in his hands - lips pursed. "Why?"

"Why is easy," Gibbs explained with a shrug. "When you're staying here - in my bed - you snore like a hog on heat - "

"Do not!"

"Do - Tony. You snore - which keeps me awake and so - where do I go when I can't sleep?"

"The basement."

"The basement - and when I'm in the basement - I can't hear you if you're having one of your nightmares - which - even you can't deny - have been getting worse lately."

"Yeah - " Tony admitted with a nod. "Maybe I should see someone about that."

"Working on it - " Gibbs said as he poured himself a mug of coffee.

"Working on what?"

"Finding you a therapist - help you work through whatever's going on in your head at night."

"I'm not nuts!" Tony said heatedly as he put the box down on the kitchen table.

"No one said you're nuts, DiNozzo - but it might help to talk to someone neutral - you know - might make things clearer in your own mind." Gibbs sat down opposite, hands wrapped around his coffee mug. "So - I thought these would help - one down in the basement - the other in the bedroom - and if you start - "

"If I'm horny I can just say the word and you come running," Tony leered - the smile disappearing as Gibbs merely stared back at him.

"You could try that - but that would just earn you a head slap," Gibbs chuckled finally. "You don't know how you are when you're in the throes of one of those dreams - you never remember what happened but you wake up shivering, disorientated and - most of the time - in tears - and all I want to do is help you get over it Tony, is that too much to ask?"

Tony smiled warmly and shook his head. "No, Boss - it isn't - and thanks - "

"For what?"

"Not kicking me out of bed - or out the door."

"As if I could!" Gibbs snorted.

"You mean you've thought about it?"

//Jeez.// Gibbs thought to himself. //That insecurity has got to be worked on too - he'll worry about it all night now - which means another sleepless night for me.// "No, Tony - I have not - I promise."

Tony narrowed his eyes - lips pursed as he studied the other man's face briefly. "You sure?"

"As sure as I am going to slap you if you keep on about it," Gibbs said after taking a long pull of coffee. "It's gone midnight - it's been a tough day - "

"For you maybe - it was hell for me! " Tony pouted. "You weren't stuck in a Health and Safety - mandatory I might add - conference whatsit all day - I fell asleep an hour in."

"So Ziva told me - " Gibbs grinned back. "Sleeping with your mouth open and snoring really pissed off the speaker."

"Good - I'm glad - but I think she really took offence when I realised she didn't shave her legs - I could not stop looking at them!" He grimaced with a shudder.

"Miss Taylor isn't one your biggest fans, DiNozzo - she wants prior warning next time you attend one of her study days."

"Does that mean I don't have to go?" Tony's eyes looked hopeful.

"Oh - you're going - if I have to drag you there kicking and screaming, Tony." He pointed a finger at the ceiling. "Bed?"

"Bed."

*******

They had made love slowly, sensuously - sometimes Gibbs on top - sometimes Tony - and now - an hour after some sensational post coital bliss, Tony lay sprawled across him - whimpering softly - his free hand clenching and unclenching the sheets beneath - Gibbs's immediate answer was to pull him closer but he stood no chance when Tony twisted violently onto his back - his head pressing against the pillows - his back arching as a soul wrenching moan escaped his pouting lip.

"Damn," Gibbs swore under his breath as he pulled himself into a sitting position and then angled himself onto his side - pressing himself against the younger man - a strong arm wrapped around Tony's middle - the other arm holding himself steady as he pressed his lips against Tony's ear. "Babe - it's just another nightmare - I'm here - " This wasn't the first time - and no doubt - it would not be the last - but Gibbs knew better than to startle him awake - he had to let him ride it out.

Ducky's advice had been sound - based on medical knowledge - wake a nightmare sufferer - or even a sleep walker - might lead to heart failure - and he cited a long list of people to whom such a fatal awakening had happened. Gibbs had scoffed at that in the beginning - but now - he wasn't so sure - he judged himself able to resist shaking Tony awake - but it was this bit - the actual nightmare - it tore at his heart and soul each time it happened - and all he could do was hold him - soothe him with quiet words - and wait.

Tony only cried out wordlessly in answer - trying to struggle himself free of his lover but Gibbs's hold was firm and Tony soon stilled - but he was shivering. The moonlight lit the room as though it were almost day - and Gibbs watched the play of emotions crossing Tony's handsome face - grimacing - fear ridden - as though whatever he was seeing in his head was real.

Tony was still - five minutes passed - and he hadn't moved. Was that it? The end of another night terror?

Gibbs lifted his arm from Tony's waist - not taking his eyes off him - and then, once he judged Tony was sleeping peacefully again, he slowly turned onto his back to stare unseeing at the ceiling. Now he was wide awake - wide awake and needing the bathroom - with a sigh, he clambered out of bed and paced barefoot across the floor, snapping on the light - stopping to examine his appearance in the mirror over the sink. He looked done in - and fleetingly remembered his team were not on call as of midnight and would not be for another 24 hours - maybe he'd sneak in late - he'd already told Ziva and Tim they didn't need to show till 9am - and the chances of Gibbs getting a good night's sleep with Tony sharing the shack? He snickered to himself as he washed his hands - drying them quickly on a towel before heading back into the bedroom.

And the sight that greeted him had his heart thudding in his chest.

Tony, lying on his side - curled into a foetal position - pillow in his arms - sobbing his heart out - sobbing - but sobbing silently.

Gibbs said nothing as he climbed back into bed, snuggling down until he was level with his young lover - gently easing the pillow from him and tossing it to the end of the bed. "Hey," he whispered gently. "Just another night terror - it's over Tony - it's all right." He reached up with a hand and softly wiped away the tears that seemed to fall in torrents from those so green eyes, leaning in to kiss the tip of Tony's nose.

"You died, Jethro." Tony hiccupped.

"No - I didn't - it was just a dream."

"We were after Ari - on the roof only - there was no Kate - just you and me - "

"Ari's dead, babe - he can't hurt you or me - ever again." Gibbs soothed - draping his arm over Tony's waist and moving in closer.

"No - one minute - you were talking to me - the next I saw the back of your head blow apart and you hit the floor - he killed you." Tony looked genuinely terrified - staring wildly into Gibb's eyes - not quite seeing him. "I was covered in blood - I didn't know what to do - you were just lying there - not moving - I just stood there - frozen."

"Tony," Gibbs breathed. "Listen to me - no one is dead - I'm here with you now - it was all a dream - a nightmare."

"But - " Tony sniffled. "It was real - I felt every drop of blood hit my face - I heard the sound of you hitting the ground - I could hear Ari laughing - it was real!"

"I know what you thought you saw Tony - maybe you've been thinking about Kate - I do - all the time - she's the one Ari murdered not me - and he's dead too - "

"I miss her." Tony whispered.

"I know, babe - I know." Gibbs shifted about until he was almost sitting up - a smile lighting up his face as Tony snuggled instinctively closer. "Are you okay now?"

"I don't want to sleep - " Tony protested softly. "I'll see it again - and again."

"Then - " Gibbs tilted his head and grinned again. "How about - you and me head downstairs and raid the refrigerator - and watch one of your movies? How's that sound?"

"What about your boat?" Tony looked up at him questioningly.

"What about it? You're a hell of a lot more important than some boat, DiNozzo."

"You mean that?"

"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't, would I?"

*****

After much deliberation - Tony had finally settled with a Bond movie - Gibbs didn't remember the title but it had something to do with a woman found covered in gold paint in some fancy Caribbean hotel - with Connery as Bond.

He sat on the sofa - feet on the coffee table, Tony lying the full length with his head on Gibb's lap - both men happy with this arrangement - and a bowl of popcorn in easy reach -

"Comfy Tony?" Gibbs asked, carding his fingers through his spikey hair. "Mm?"

Tony's answer - he began to snore.

"Oh hell - now I'm stuck," Gibbs whispered to himself. "Tomorrow - he's seeing a therapist." With a mental shrug - he managed to hook the popcorn from the table and placed it beside him - settling in to enjoy the movie - until either he fell asleep - or Tony woke up - ten minutes later - he was asleep too.

END