2am.
Gibbs was fast asleep beside his young lover, snoring gently as Tony stared up at the ceiling â€" his mind in a whirl. He yawned, scuffing a hand over his face, grimacing as the frustration of not being able to sleep God knew he needed to get some rest - so much so â€" he’d actually asked Gibbs if it was okay if they just slept tonight â€" with none of the preamble of sex and Gibbs â€" although curious â€" agreed but didn’t pursue it.
Tony slid out of bed, grabbing a pair of sweat pants from the floor and carrying them with him through to the bathroom. Ablutions over â€" he re-emerged to see Gibbs still deep in slumber and he padded barefoot across the room â€" pulling the door to as he made his way to the kitchen â€" grabbing a tall glass and pouring himself a long drink of ice cold water. He downed it without stopping and placed the glass to one side, leaning heavily on the counter to stare unseeing out of the window into the night beyond.
Mentally, he shook his head and turned, reaching into an overhead cupboard for his favourite night time comfort food â€" Captain Crunch cereal. He stared at the box for a moment or two and then opened it, using his fingers to scoop up the flakes into his mouth. With a sigh, he realised he was nearly at the bottom of the box so he tugged out the plastic bag containing the cereal, tossed the box onto the floor near the trash bin and settled down to finish the contents - wondering if now might be a good idea to start a pot of coffee going.
Pushing himself off the stool, cereal bag in hand, he walked into the living room and collected up a pile of papers that lay next to his computer printer. He then returned to the kitchen and dropped them onto the counter â€" eyes narrowing as he sought out the one email that had shaken him as he’d initially read it only hours before. He held up the single sheet and re-read it â€" twice and then with a whispered curse, he tore it up and shoved the remnants into the trash bin. Tipping up the nearly empty cereal bag and emptying the contents into his mouth, he munched noisily as he stared at the far wall, his hands crunching the bag into a ball which he then threw over his shoulder. Coffee was a go â€" and so what if the aroma woke Gibbs? He had enough crap going on in his head right now and he really didn’t care if Gibbs woke up pissed, grouchy or even â€" and he chuckled â€" horny â€" there was just no way that he, Tony, was going to be getting any sleep tonight and if Gibbs didn’t like it â€" there was always the front door.
The minute he’d thought that latter statement, Tony regretted it. Taking it out on Jethro wasn’t fair â€" he had had nothing to do with what had transpired over the past few days â€" and if he was careful, Jethro never would find out.
Setting the coffee pot on the stove, Tony yanked open the refrigerator door and stood for a moment trying to decide what to eat â€" and his stomach rumbled right on cue. Fishing out a pack of ham and a half block of emmental together with a bottle of ketchup, he helped himself to two slices of crusty bread and threw a sandwich together â€" but even as he slapped the second slice of bread on top he realised he wasn’t really hungry â€" this was just a comfort thing â€" and the sandwich remained uneaten as he poured himself a large mug of coffee and paced to the living room â€" collecting up the pile of papers and throwing them onto the sofa and settling himself cross-legged into one corner â€" mug near to hand on a small table.
“Damn it to hell,” he cursed in a hushed voice, ignoring the papers and letting his head fall back and clamping his eyes shut. “Why now? Why? It’s been five years of silence and now the bastard is demanding to see me?”
The *bastard* being his father â€" the bane of his existence for as long as he could remember â€" he’d long gotten over the idea that the only reason he’d been given life in the first place was as some sort of trophy â€" some sort of proof that the DiNozzos’ were the epitome of a happy, normal family. But behind the closed doors of the Hamptons mansion â€" it was far from *normal* - Tony briefly recalled many nights as a child huddled at the top of the stairs listening to his parents arguing â€" his mother screaming as DiNozzo Senior, in yet another drunken rage, took out his anger and rage at yet another imagined faux pas â€" fuelled by alcohol and paranoia â€" until the day she finally packed her bags and left dragging a bewildered ten year old Anthony in her wake.
DiNozzo Senior â€" not to be outdone â€" fought for and won custody of his son â€" his mother accepting a few million dollars in settlement and a house in Bermuda to keep her mouth shut and agree never to see Tony again. She kept her side of the bargain for about six months â€" until her letters and phone calls to Tony dried up and he heard nothing more. When he finally found the courage to ask his father what had happened, he was â€" surprised â€" to say the least when he was informed matter of factly that she’d had a boating accident and drowned. He remembered his father ruffling his hair and patting his shoulder as this news sank in â€" and then leaving him alone in the study â€" no words of comfort, no hug â€" no nothing. As usual, Tony had been left alone â€" confused and upset â€" he had not liked his mother, although she had her moments which were few and far between when he actually felt there was some connection between them, but all too soon she would be back to her old ways â€" playacting the devoted wife and mother and passing Tony off onto the nearest member of their vast house staff while she was let loose with DiNozzo Senior’s credit cards â€" and her habitual dalliances with his chauffeur.
It had not been long after his mothers’ death that Tony began to notice strangers entering the house to meet with his father. The driveway was frequently filled with black and dark blue sedans, BMW’s, Alfa Romeo’s along with some very expensive looking â€" obviously top of the range models. These strangers only spoke Italian and clammed up immediately on sighting either any of the staff or Tony. He had decided he didn’t like any of these big, brutish men â€" and tried to stay out of their way as much as possible but it was when, purely by accident, he overheard two of them talking out by the pool one day â€" he kept himself hidden behind the long dark drapes of the summer house doors, peeking out and watching them intently â€" when one of them pulled out a gun. Obviously a new purchase from the way the two men were admiring it, passing it from hand to hand and eyeing up the sight â€" it scared Tony to the core.
Any further thoughts of his past vanished when he realised he suddenly wasn’t alone and he opened his eyes to see Gibbs standing over him â€" a sure sign he was tired, he hadn’t even heard him approach. “Sorry,” he said swinging his legs off the sofa. “Can’t sleep.”
“Want to talk?” Gibbs asked, stepping back to let Tony stand.
“Nah,” Tony shook his head. “Nothing for you to worry about.”
“Liar,” Gibbs tapped the back of the younger man’s head.
“Jethro â€" leave it? Please?” Tony collected up his mug and took a swig, grimacing as he realised his coffee was cold. “Want some?”
“Sure,” Gibbs frowned, staring into Tony’s eyes intently. “Leave what, Tony?”
“Don’t do this, Boss.” Tony eased passed him. “I can handle it â€" really.” Gibbs stopped him with a hand on his arm, fingers digging in lightly. “Really.” He stared down at the hand and pulled away with a sigh, turning to face his lover with a small smile of apology.
“I wasn’t going to say anything,” Gibbs began, leading the way into the kitchen.
“Then don’t,” Tony replied a little too sharply as Gibbs poured two fresh mugs of coffee.
“Your father’s back.” Gibbs leaned against the counter â€" watching Tony’s profile keenly.
“No, he isn’t.”
“Tony â€" I was checking emails earlier, you have to learn to clear the screen before you leave the computer â€" I read his message.”
“So you read it,” Tony shrugged. He lifted his green eyes to capture Gibbs’ steely blue ones. “Just make sure you stay out of it, Jethro â€" it’s between me and him â€" no one else â€" please?”
“Nope,” Gibbs shook his head. “I’ve been itching to meet with this megalomaniac for some time, Tony â€" and now just seems as good a time as any.”
“Yeah, right.” Tony snorted. “And your idea of a meeting wouldn’t include a baseball bat would it?”
“Aw,” Gibbs grinned. “Give me some credit, DiNozzo â€" just a nice civilised chat â€" where I tell him to stay the fuck out of your life â€" “
“Too late for that,” Tony mused, resting his chin on an upraised hand. “He’s always there â€" somewhere â€" beavering away at some new scheme to force me over to his side,” he paused. “Wherever I go â€" whatever I do â€" he always manages to track me down and fuck things up.”
“That is precisely why I think he and I should have a talk, Tony â€" maybe I can get him to back off.”
“Boss,” Tony sighed again. “We’ve been over this before â€" too many times. He’s my problem, not yours. I can fight my own corner â€" hell I’ve been fighting the bastard all my life and bringing you into the equation will just make things a whole lot worse.”
“How’d he get your email address?” Gibbs asked before draining his mug.
Tony made to answer and then pulled in a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he got to his feet. “I’m going back to bed,” he said, deliberately avoiding the question. “Coming?”
“Not until I get an answer,” Gibbs shrugged. “How’d he get your email?”
“I said leave it, Jethro.” Tony growled, lifting his hands palms outward like a barrier. “And I meant it.”
“So did I,” Gibbs countered. “How?”
“Get off my freakin’ back!” Tony hissed. “I’m going to bed and you â€" you can do what the hell you like â€" just shut up about the fucking email!”
“Fine,” Gibbs pushed himself off the counter and walked to the door. “He’s sending you a first class air ticket by recorded delivery â€" he wants you back west in two days â€" are you going?”
“What the hell do you think?” Tony glared at the older man. “Am I fuck!”
“Which means you’re thinking about it,” Gibbs stated. “Only â€" if you decide you’re going, I’m coming with you.”
“Look,” Tony groaned in exasperation, letting his head fall forward as his shoulders relaxed. “I will say this once â€" and once only. He’s my father and I can deal with this in my own way, Gibbs. I neither need nor do I want your help â€" given the choice â€" “
“Given the choice,” Gibbs frowned. “You can run â€" and keep running from him â€" but going by his past record â€" like you said â€" he’ll find you again or you can face him with me watching your six. Who’s to say that one day â€" he’ll find you and I won’t be there to haul your ass out of trouble. You’ve told me a lot about him â€" and the plain fact is â€" I don’t like him.”
“There aren’t a lot of people you do like are there, Boss?” Tony sounded flippant.
“No â€" there aren’t, Tony.” Gibbs admitted with a nod. “And your old man is top of that list â€" always has been.”
“Why so personal?” Tony sighed â€" brushing a hand through his hair. “Anyone would think he’d been fucking with you all these years.”
“In a way, he has, DiNozzo.”
“I’m way too tired for all this crap,” Tony shook his head and headed for the door. “Enough for tonight â€" just sleep on it.”
“Tony?” Gibbs hadn’t moved as his young lover turned to face him again.
“What? I said enough already!”
“Yeah, I heard you â€" “ Gibbs stepped up until they were practically nose to nose. “DiNozzo Senior â€" he’s fucked with you all this time, and in the five years you’ve been with NCIS, he’s still fucking with you.”
“Meaning?”
“We’ve been together for nearly four years, Tony.” Gibbs leaned in and kissed Tony gently on the mouth. “He messes with you â€" he’s messing with me.”
“And a pissed off Gunny can be dangerous for his health?” Tony nearly smiled at that and chuckled, lowering his head as he took both Gibbs’s hands in his.
“Kind of,” Gibbs flashed a grin, squeezing Tony’s right hand tightly in affection.
“I get what you’re saying, Boss.” Tony stepped back, releasing Gibbs’s left hand. “Look â€" if it makes you feel any better â€" let me go see him. I won’t be staying at the house â€" I’ll be in town â€" a hotel. If I need help, I’ll holler â€" good enough?”
“Nope,” Gibbs shook his head. “Not good enough.” Tony stared into Gibbs’ eyes, trying to read something there â€" trying to understand why Gibbs would want to even contemplate confronting his father but if he was looking for answers, he didn’t get any. He could also see that there was no way Gibbs was going to back down over this â€" and the last thing he needed was someone watching his six. Fine â€" he hated his father and the feeling was plainly mutual â€" but the old man’s demands to see him could be completely innocent. He was out of the will, he was in the wrong job, he’d brought disgrace on the family by not doing what his father had wanted. Part of him wanted to believe that the so-called *meeting* was just a chance for DiNozzo Senior to reiterate what a waste of space his son really was â€" a meeting that would descend all too soon into the usual slanging match of abuse from both sides, his father waving a cheque book in his face if only Tony would give up working for the Government and come home like a good little boy and be at his father’s side and take over if and when the inevitable happened â€" which, as far as Tony was concerned, could not happen fast enough. The other half played out a myriad scenarios â€" none of them good â€" and none of them pretty. “I’ve seen his file, Tony. It’s three inches thick, for crying out loud â€" he’s got his fingers in more freakin’ pies than Donald Trump! But dig deep, dig beneath the man with more fronts than Bloomingdales â€" he’s an intelligent, calculating bastard who has more than a third of LA under his thumb â€" “
“And it’s been that way for years, Gibbs.” Tony hitched a hip on a stool. “They don’t call him the Teflon King for nothing â€" because nothing ever sticks. You’ve no chance â€" neither have I. Just give me some time out with him â€" and then I’m turning my back on him forever â€" I’ll just walk away and get on with my own life.”
“Turning your back could be the last thing you do, DiNozzo.”
“Okay,” Tony stood up again, facing Gibbs with a determined look on his face. “When you look at me â€" what do you see? Huh? Some shmuck who can’t look after himself? Some half bit a-hole who’ll run for the fucking hills when things turn nasty? Huh? Because they will turn nasty â€" as they always do! It’s happened before, it’ll happen again â€" I’ve dealt with it all before and can do so again - *without* your help Jethro! Stay out of it!” He glared at the older agent, his jaw clenching and unclenching.
“He’s won again, Tony.” Gibbs said with a half smile.
“What?”
“What just happened â€" you going all defensive.”
“Huh?”
“Does he know about me?” The question was asked lightly as Gibbs then helped himself to more coffee.
“No!” Tony spat. “He doesn’t even know I’m â€" we’re â€" no he doesn’t.”
“And if he found out we were â€" lovers â€" what would he do?”
“What the hell does that have to do with anything?” Tony nearly laughed but the sound erupted as a strangled breath.
“Nothing,” Gibbs replied levelly. “But it would only add to the, no doubt, long list of shit he’s invented about you.”
“Fine!” Tony growled. “That’s it â€" end of conversation. I’m going to bed.” With that, he turned and stalked out of the room, leaving an amused Gibbs staring after him. The sound of the bedroom door slamming hard made the older man wince but he settled himself on a stool at the breakfast counter and sipped his coffee slowly.
“Why the hell do I put up with him?” he asked of the room in general. “If it’s not his wise ass comments, his dumb jokes and movie crap â€" the day you can answer that question, Jethro â€" will be the day you â€" “ He placed his mug down and scuffed a hand over his face. A glance at the clock on the wall told him it was way past 3am â€" and he was grateful his team weren’t on call that weekend â€" and with no boat to occupy him â€" a lie-in would be very welcome and he made a mental note not to push Tony on the subject of his father tomorrow â€" there was plenty of time for that â€" but he would make Tony see sense.
As he reached up to turn off the light, he smiled to himself as he looked around the living room â€" the floor littered with DVD empty covers, the discs lying in front of the TV set, copies of GSM and a pair of trainers lying on their side underneath the coffee table. “You know full well why you put up with him, Gibbs,” he head-slapped himself. “Because you love him more than life itself â€" and always will.”
Opening the bedroom door, Gibbs could see Tony sitting on the end of the bed with his head in his hands.
“Am I on the sofa or what?” he asked, not moving from the threshold.
“Please yourself,” Tony answered almost petulantly. “Just don’t start lecturing me again.”
“Sofa it is then,” Gibbs paced to the bed and tugged off the top sheet and collected up two pillows before turning and retracing his steps. “Night.” He hooked the door with a foot and retreated to the living room once more. A few minutes later, makeshift bed made â€" he picked up a copy of GSM and began leafing through it â€" although he kept half an eye on the bedroom door and found he had to lift the magazine in front of his face to hide the grin as Tony opened the door and leaned against the frame, arms folded.
“I meant it,” Tony said.
“So did I â€" I chose the sofa.”
“Now who’s being an ass hole?”
“As I see it,” Gibbs threw the magazine to the floor and linked his hands behind his head. “In the past hour â€" we’re about equal.”
“You more than me,” Tony replied with a ghost of a smile on his face.
“I beg to differ,” Gibbs said â€" stretching his arms above his head and yawning expansively.
“Come to bed, Jethro.”
“I’m comfortable enough here, thanks.”
“No, you’re not. You always get back ache sleeping on that thing.”
“If I get back ache, who’s fault is that?” Gibbs shot back.
“Have it your way then.” Tony turned and slammed the door shut again.
“For fuck’s sake!” Gibbs muttered under his breath, and then he frowned. “Thing is, he’s right â€" and it’s always cold in here first thing in the morning.” He stared at the bedroom door and pulled in a deep breath. “But like hell am I apologising!”
In seconds, he threw open the bedroom door only to find Tony lying on his back in the middle of the mattress staring up at the ceiling. “Hey!” He threw both pillows â€" one after the other at the younger man. “Get over your side!”
Tony glowered at him for a moment, licking his lips and narrowing his eyes as Gibbs stepped up beside the bed. “You wanted the sofa,” said Tony as he raked his eyes up and down Gibbs’ body.
“You want a kick up the ass, DiNozzo â€" now shift over before I decide I really do want to sleep on the damn sofa.” He then dropped the sheet deliberately over Tony’s head, making him yelp and reached across, rolling the younger man to one side. “And stay there!”
Soon enough, both men were finally in bed â€" and it didn’t take long before Tony was snuggling up close as Gibbs’s arms surrounded him â€" Gibbs planting a light kiss on the top of his head.
“Am I really an asshole?” Tony murmured sleepily.
“You have your moments, Tony. Believe me.”
“I’m about to have another *moment*, Boss.” Right on cue â€" his stomach rumbled.
“Let me guess â€" it’s round, it comes with sausage, pepperoni and extra cheese â€" and you’re hungry.”
“Yeah.”
“Just as well we’re not working this weekend isn’t it?”
“Yeah â€" “
There was silence for about five minutes and then Tony rolled onto his back. “I can’t do it!”
“Do what?”
“There’s a pizza in the refrigerator with my name on it â€" and I can’t sleep till I’ve eaten it.”
Gibbs eased himself onto his elbows as he watched a very naked Tony padding out of the room, to hear him banging about in the kitchen. He snickered to himself, shaking his head.
“My gut will play hell in the morning â€" but what the heck â€" suddenly I’m hungry too.”
TBC….
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.