Slipping chapter nine.
Rooting through his closet for another bag, Tony kept checking off items in his head.
“Decent comforter, check.”
“Non-crap sheets, check.”
“DVDs, check. DVD player, check.”
“TV from this century, check.”
Finally, buried under a pile of forgotten sports gear, he found what he was looking for and pulled it out. Perfect. Just the right size for his running gear and a few books.
“Hey, Tony, a bit too soon to be moving in together, dontcha think?” Abby was eyeing the ever growing pile in the hall. A large suitcase was accompanied by a box filled with DVDs and a couple of plastic bags held his bed linen and comforter.
“Give me a break, Abs. If I’m gonna survive two weeks of a coffeeless, grumpy Gibbs, I’m gonna need my stuff.”
Abby laughed, “I’ll ask the nuns to say a few prayers for you.”
“I think I’ll need more than a few Hail Mary’s to see me through this. Still, I wouldn’t wanna be anywhere else. I need this, Abs, need to be near, to take care of him. As much as he’ll let me, that is,” he sighed.
“Yeah, well…something tells me the boss may not be the world’s best patient,” Abby said wryly. “Maybe you could give him a head slap if he misbehaves,” she giggled.
“Ya think?! He’s armed with crutches, Abby, crutches!”
“Oh, right….” She seemed to ponder the problem for a few seconds. “Seduce him then. I’m sure he’ll respond well to a little Tony-loving,” she teased wickedly.
“Or, he’ll have me neutered,” Tony muttered, walking out the door with Abby trailing behind. A few minutes later, she headed over to Gibbs’ house while Tony returned upstairs to get the last few boxes.
Locking up, he took a deep breath, bracing himself for the days ahead. This would not be a walk in the park. As long as he learned to dodge those crutches, he thought wryly, he’d be fine.
******
Director Shepard looked again at the open file in front of her. Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo. Brief stints at a few precincts before settling down here at NCIS. Wealthy family, trust fund, Phys. Ed major. A major pain in the ass for the female staff. Although, she had to admit, he also made them laugh.
She was very aware of the bond that existed between him and Gibbs. The man was loyal like a dog when it came to his boss. She didn’t quite get the reason why Gibbs kept him on his team for so long, or had even recruited DiNozzo himself. Granted, he was a capable investigator, nothing less would be tolerated by Gibbs, but there were so many agents far more suitable for a place at Gibbs’ team.
Shepard turned her attention back to the file. He’d been injured in the line of duty on a number of occasions. Nearly killed a few times, not to mention being infected by the
Y. Pestis. Scanning the pages, her eyes fell upon his emergency contact. Leroy Jethro Gibbs. No contact number listed for his parents.
Suddenly she understood the bond that existed between Gibbs and his second in command. She should have seen it, and put a stop to it a long time ago. Loosing Kelly had nearly killed Jethro. He probably saw Tony as the son he never had. Being estranged from his father, she realised Tony would be very susceptible to a strong father figure like Gibbs. Well, she would not have it. It was not healthy for a team when such sentiments developed. If Tony fell apart when Gibbs was injured, he was not fit to work at NCIS.
She picked up her phone and called her secretary. “Have Dr. Mallard report to my office the moment he comes in.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
Half an hour later Dr. Mallard was shown into her office, taking the seat opposite hers.
“Dr. Mallard, as you know, I was not pleased with your decision to put Agent DiNozzo on two weeks sick leave. A careful review of the situation has made me come to a conclusion. I want a full psychiatric evaluation of agent DiNozzo when he reports back for duty.”
“What has made you decide that Anthony needs a psychiatric evaluation?” Dr Mallard looked intrigued.
“I’ve gone through his file. It has become clear to me that this bond he has with Agent Gibbs could be unhealthy, and potentially dangerous when it comes to the field.”
“What bond are you referring to?"
“His father fixation on Gibbs. If he can’t deal with him being injured without falling apart, then he has no business serving here.”
“I must remind you it was Anthony who shot Petty Officer Dunner, and thereafter saved Gibbs’ life. That does not sound like an agent who’s falling apart.”
“Then why have you put him on sick leave, Dr Mallard? If I find you are trying to withhold information…” she left the threat unspoken. Ducky did not respond.
“You may leave, Dr Mallard. I expect to be kept informed on Special Agent Gibbs’ progress.”
Ducky nodded and left the office. Shepard did not feel as triumphant as she’d expected. The team was clearly trying to conceal something. She would have to keep a close eye on them for the time being. And if the psych evaluations went as she hoped, Agent DiNozzo would not be a problem for much longer.
******
Gibbs closed his eyes and put his head back on the pillow. He had a headache from hell. Dr North had explained he was probably experiencing caffeine withdrawal symptoms. Apparently, headache, irritability and nausea were common.
At least he was going home today. Hospitals did not agree with him. He longed to be in the comforts of his own home.
The door opened, and Ducky walked in. He had a slightly puzzled expression on his face.
“What’s up, Ducky?”
“Apparently, the Director has decided that Anthony has an unhealthy obsession with you.”
“Really? Well, she might be right. I’m not sure I’m good for him.”
“We’ll see! If you use those crutches on me, I might have to agree with her.”
Without anyone noticing, Tony had entered the room, looking faintly amused. He looked closely at Gibbs, “You ready to go?”
“Yeah, as ready as I’ll ever be.”
“Good. The ambulance’s ready,” Tony said, picking up the few belongings Gibbs had at the hospital, “let’s go!”
******
The light was dimmed and the bedroom warmer than usual. The only sounds to be heard was the sound of water trickling into a bowl. A light spicy scent permeated the room. Tony had lit a few scented candles, adding to the ambiance of the place.
The afternoon had been exhausting for Gibbs, getting around the house had proved a greater challenge than he’d expected. He’d opted for the bedroom tonight, but weren’t sure he’d have the energy to move down into the den tomorrow. Tony had carried his TV upstairs and plugged it in along with his DVD player, so there was no reason for him to use the downstairs yet.
Tony’s sheets felt wonderful against his naked skin, he had to admit that. He was lying on a couple of really thick towels that Tony had put down to protect the bed from getting wet. A sponge bath, he had to smile. It was the one thing Tony had insisted on.
The mattress dipped slightly as Tony crawled into it. He had a washcloth in one hand; the other carefully smoothed away a few stray hairs off his forehead.
“Just close your eyes and relax,” Tony whispered, leaning forward to kiss him lightly. Tony’s lips were soft against his own and he opened them, inviting him in. He held him in place as he deepened the kiss, swallowing Tony’s moans as he used his tongue to explore the younger man’s mouth.
Smiling, Tony pulled back. “Close your eyes,” he repeated. “Let me do this for you. For me.”
Gibbs did as he was told, feeling himself relax into the fluffy towels. The faint trickle of water told him Tony was wringing out the washcloth. Moments later something warm and soft was sliding across his chest, the scent of Tony’s soap filling the air. Every part of his body was cleaned, minding his injured leg. Gibbs felt something inside unclench, loosen as Tony continued his journey around his body. Loved. He realised he felt loved. Tony loved him, every inch of this battered grumpy old bastard. Smiling, he let himself drift off to sleep.
******
A few minutes later, the mattress dipped again, as Tony slid in along side him, resting his hand on Gibbs’ chest as he lay there, looking at the man sleeping peacefully by his side.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Shepard continues to pry into the affairs of the team as Gibbs is released from hospital.
Chapter End Notes:
Don't own them, took them out to play.