Tony held onto Gibbs tightly and let the tears fill his eyes. His heart felt like it was been stabbed with a thousand knives. He tried to hold the tears back, not let them fall and seem weak in front of his lover but as hard as he tried the tears would not stay back. He couldn’t stand it anymore; he let the tears go, let them flood onto the older man’s shirt.
Gibbs’s heart broke when he felt Tony’s tears of pain fall onto his shirt and soak through, touching his skin. He rubbed the younger mans back, whispering soothing words in his ear. He didn’t want to let go of Tony until he was ok. They stood in the embrace for a long time.
“I’m sorry,” Tony struggled to whisper.
“You don’t have to be sorry for anything, you’re allowed to cry,” Gibbs said as Tony pulled away and looked Gibbs in the eye.
“It’s been an hour,” Tony said through a slightly shaky voice. Gibbs nodded and picked up his bag.
“I’ll drive you to the airport,” Tony said as he walked out of the bedroom. Gibbs wanted to ring Vance back and tell him to put the assignment where the sun doesn’t shine but he knew that if anyone should be on this assignment he would be the one to do it.
“Jethro,” Tony yelled from the hallway. Gibbs walked into the hallway and gave Tony an apologetic smile.
The drive to the airport was speechless. The only noises to be heard were the tyres on the road and cars speeding past them. They pulled up and sat there in silence for a few minutes. Tony got out of the car and waited for Gibbs. Gibbs came around and took Tony’s hand. They walked into the terminal.
“Well, I guess I’ll see you in a week,” Tony said as he tried to keep his voice at a normal tone.
“Yeah, no longer than a week, but certainly less,” Gibbs said as he looked into Tony’s hazel eyes.
“I’ll miss you,” Tony whispered almost inaudibly, almost but not quite.
“I’ll miss you too,” Gibbs said as he saw Tony’s eyes fill with those tears again.
“You don’t want to miss your flight, now go,” Tony ordered even though his heart screamed at him to say stay forever, never leave my side.
“I love you,” Gibbs said as he kissed Tony’s lips quickly before turning and leaving.
Tony’s tears overflowed and he stood there watching his lover walk away on his birthday.
There is a reason.
Tony thought as Gibbs stepped out of his sight. He turned his back and walked to his car. When he got in he slammed his fists on the steering wheel. He put the key in the ignition and drove to NCIS. He swiped the tears off his face and walked to the elevator, once inside he hit himself up the back of the head but he really wished that it was Gibbs’ hand slapping him up the back of the head. The elevator stopped and the doors slid open, he walked to his desk.
“Agent DiNozzo, I’m glad you’re here,” Vance said as Tony stood up.
“Director, how can I help you,” Tony asked.
“You can lead Gibb’s team until he gets back,” Vance said then walked off.
“Great, here we go again,” Tony mumbled to himself. He felt a little better about been leader this time. He knew that when Gibbs came back in a week he would still have his memory. He knew Gibbs would still remember him and love him. He knew Gibbs wouldn’t have scary facial hair.
Tony headed down to Abby’s lab but stopped just before the door when he heard voices.
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