Tony stared off into space, counting the dots on the far wall of the room. He felt trapped, with no means of escape. This wasn't the whole truth of the situation. He was far from trapped, in fact he knew that he was perfectly free to leave at any time. It was the fact that the last thing he wanted to do was leave that room that made him feel the way that he did. Never before in his life had Tony ever wanted anything more than what he was currently experiencing, it was almost more than he could bare.

"You want a beer Tony?" Gibbs shouted out from the kitchen.

Tony swallowed, attempting to bring some moisture back to his suddenly very dry mouth. "A beer would be great, Boss."

Tony heard the refrigerator door open and close and the sound of the tops being popped off the beers. He sighed, wondering exactly why his boss had invited him over tonight. There had been some recent tensions in the office due to the current caseload, but nothing really out of the ordinary. He was sure it would all be laid out for him soon enough, and he could always hope that the reason was more personal.

Gibbs tapped the beer against Tony's shoulder in an offering gesture, snapping him back into reality. "Sorry Boss, guess I was daydreaming again."

"You seem to be doing a lot of that lately Tony, something going on that I should be concerned about. Wouldn't do for you to go daydreaming while weren't in the field on a case, could get the team into trouble."

"No Boss," Tony said with a shake of his head, "No daydreaming in the field, just a little distracted tonight."

Gibbs sat down on the couch near where Tony was slouching on the floor. "Just what has you so distracted tonight, Tony?"

Tony sighed audibly, wishing that his boss would just let it be, not feeling the need to confess his deepest sins while sitting on his boss' rug, drinking a beer. It just wasn't his idea of a good time. "Nothing you need to concern yourself with really, Gibbs, just been having a few minor personal problems, won't effect the job. You've got my word on that."

"I don't doubt that in the least Tony, you may act like a fool on occasion, but I've never known you to actually let your personal business get in the way of you doing your job. I'm just a little concerned."

"Ok Boss, but I promise there is nothing wrong, or at least nothing you need to worry about."

"Alright, I'll let it go, but just remember, you can talk to me. If it's important, please do, talk to me."

Tony drew his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them and hugging them against him, all the while looking up at his bosses face. He could feel the pain flitting through his eyes, knowing he was doing nothing to stop it. "Maybe there is something Boss, but I don't know if I can really tell you about it."

"Look Tony, I know I'm a hard ass sometimes, but that's just my nature. If there is something going on, I need to know, want to know. I can't help you if I don't know what the problem is."

Tony let another sigh escape him. His boss was just going to keep pushing until he gave it up. He took a long draw off the beer he'd been holding since Gibbs had come back into the room to begin questioning. He just couldn't bring himself to make this confession to his boss, there was no way that Gibbs could possibly understand this one, no matter what the older man might claim. There is just no easy way to tell your boss, your male boss, that somewhere over the course of the last three years you fell for him. That kind of thing just doesn't fly well, especially within their semi-military environment.

"Boss, I really can't get into this with you, you really do not want to know."

"I think you're wrong Tony, I think I already know."

Tony laughed, the thought that Gibbs might actually know what the problem was made him laugh even harder. Just as Tony felt as though if he laughed any more his side would split open he heard the sob escape his own throat. There was going to be no hiding it, he was going to break right here, sitting on the floor in his boss' home. Before he could stop it, a second sob came through him, and then another. Gibbs was at his side almost instantly as the laughter turned into tears.

"Tony? Tony, it's okay to let it out." Gibbs sat down next to Tony on the floor, gently pulling the younger man to him. Rubbing his hand across Tony's back he continued to speak, going slowly into a whisper as he pulled him into a gentle hug. "It's ok, you don't have to hide who you are, especially from me. I know Tony, I know."

Tony let his head lean in against Gibbs' shoulder, allowing the older man to hold him as he tried to pull himself together. This was exactly what he'd wanted for a very long time now, but it was most definitely not amongst the ways he'd imagined it happening. Did he really know? How could he, unless, maybe he wanted it too. Was it possible that he was completely wrong about his boss? Maybe he wasn't the straight arrow he always seemed to portray, anything was possible. Tony sat up straighter, looking Gibbs straight in the eye. "Just what is it you think you know, Boss? And why would you invite me over here to drag it out of me?"

Gibbs gave Tony a warm smile, "Because it wouldn't be appropriate behavior to do this at the office."

"Gibbs, it wouldn't be the first time I've had a good cry at the office, you know that as well as anyone."

Gibbs slid his hand under Tony's chin, lifting his head so that he could look the younger man in the eyes. "Not the crying Tony, this," Gibbs leaned down and very gently pressed his lips against Tony's. He pressed slightly harder at Tony's gasp, then harder again when Tony's mouth opened acceptingly. After a few long moments, the two men separated. Gibbs leaned back from Tony still smiling, "Now, was there something you wanted to tell me, Tony?"

"I think you've already pulled it out of me, Boss. I'd ask if it was going to be a problem, but I think you've answered that question already."

"Tony, if it was going to be a problem it would have been one 3 years ago, most certainly not now. I was probably out of line in doing what I did, I'm sorry if you feel that way."

"Hah, I've wanted you to do that for the better part of those 3 years you mentioned, but until recently I wasn't sure if the response would be one that I could live with."

Tony looked at Gibbs with full curiosity, "What changed your mind about that?"

"Well, I talked to Ducky. You have to remember Tony, that while the man does love to talk, he likes to listen even more. I think he figured out after the first couple months you were here that the string of ‘ladies' you seem to have following you around, weren't real, second, everyone and their brother in this office has seen the way you watch me when you ‘think' no one is paying attention. Subtle isn't really your forte is it DiNozzo?"

Tony blushed a deep crimson, "I didn't think anyone paid that much attention to me, well, except when I want them to."

"That's the problem with trying to be noticed, most of the time it happens when you aren't paying attention to your surroundings or when you don't want it to happen."

Tony looked thoughtfully at his boss, then leaned towards and captured those lips he had been longing for three for long years in another tender kiss. When he released the older man's lips, he grinned at him with a smile that was all Tony, "So, what made you decide that now was the time to breech the subject boss?"

Gibbs smiled, his blue eyes meeting Tony's green with a gaze that was nearly unbreakable. "Well, my intention had been to invite you over here for beer and pizza, get you drunk, then take advantage of you, but you decided to get all sappy on me, so I opted just to get on with it."

"Works for me boss, just one question?"

"What is it Tony?"

"Well, where's the pizza?"

End