Disclaimer: Still not mine dammit.
Spoiler: Episode 4.24 Angel of Death and Episode 5.01 Bury Your Dead
Boss Appreciation Day
By WCUGirl
Tony hung his head, exhausted from the recent events. After spending the last year undercover, lying to his friends, living a double life, and working under two masters, he thought he’d dealt with just about anything life could throw at him. He realized he should have known better. Last night he’d been attacked by a crazy drug dealer, and gotten bruised ribs, and that was the highlight of the last twenty-four hours. Because this morning he had been made, and then his car had been blown up, giving him more bruised ribs and the title of “person most likely to piss off everyone.” Tony simply wanted to go back to his apartment, curl up under the covers, and just shut the world out for a while.
He wondered if Jenny had gotten the message that he’d been made. Tony hadn’t had time to try more than once to get through to her. Once his car blew up, he had to explain everything to Jeanne, and then things were fully out of his control.
He stepped onto the elevator at NCIS, grateful to have made it back in one piece. He leaned against the wall as the elevator ascended, briefly giving into his exhaustion. He needed to sleep"for a month. That’d make him feel better. As the elevator dinged, signaling his arrival at the bullpen, he stood up straight"no need to advertise how shitty he felt.
Bursting into a brilliant grin"a real Tony DiNozzo Special"he laughed.
“What? No balloons?”
Tony saw Trent Kort standing in the bullpen"it appeared he was talking to Gibbs. Tony gave Kort a bitter smile as he stepped into the bullpen. “My car blew up this morning"was that intentional?”
A moment later, Trent Kort shoved him bodily back into the elevator. Dirty bastard had caused Tony a whole bunch of trouble and the senior field agent was in no mood to deal with anyone from the CIA right now. He couldn’t stop his eyes from squinting shut, nor the grunt of pain as his body impacted the wall of the elevator, hadn’t the dirty bastard done enough? Letting out a shaky breath, he opened his eyes to see his boss and all of the members of their team standing with their guns trained on Kort.
Kort, knowing he’d been beaten, shoved off of Tony and got on the elevator.
“Next time I won’t hesitate,” Gibbs promised as the elevator doors slid shut.
After a happy reunion with his friends"apparently they’d seen his car explode and thought he’d been in it"Tony followed Director Sheppard up the stairs to her office. Gibbs accompanied him and Tony couldn’t help but smile. Gibbs always had his six. If only he’d been able to tell the man everything that’d been going on for the last…eight months since his boss’ return from Mexico…maybe things would have turned out differently.
xxx
Later, Tony sat at his desk, crunching on aspirin. Thankfully, the bullpen was empty"everyone else had gone home. He glanced at his desk, smirking at the items he’d recovered from his friends"things they had pilfered as mementos when they thought he’d died. It was oddly touching. Tony still felt somewhat disconnected though. He’d sat for a long time in Jeanne’s apartment after Ziva left"just thinking about everything, wondering what he should do.
Looking around the empty, semi-lit bullpen, Tony noticed an odd assortment of items located on his boss’ desk. Slowly, glancing around to make sure no one was watching, Tony stood up and strolled over to Gibbs’ desk to see what the items were.
They were opened gifts. Tony drew pause at this"it wasn’t his boss’ birthday; that was last month. He decided to investigate the gifts a bit closer to see if he could learn what they were for. The first one had to be from Abby. It was a black stress ball adorned with the words “semper fi.” The hyper little Goth knew how stressed out Gibbs got. It was the perfect gift.
The next gift was obviously McGee’s. It was no secret around the office that Gibbs diligently read each novel that Tim wrote. In obvious appreciation of his boss’ quiet support, a new, hot-off-the-press copy of Tim’s newest book, autographed by Tom E. Gemcity himself, sat on their boss’ desk. Tony smirked.
The next gift had to be from Ducky: a bottle of very nice, very expensive bourbon. Tony licked his lips and for a moment considered tasting it. Sighing, Tony shook his head and turned to the last gift.
The last gift he came to had to be from Ziva. A knife"long and beautifully handled, collapsible so it would fit into an ankle holster if necessary. Tony noticed there was something engraved on the handle. Squinting in the low lighting, Tony struggled to read it.
“Happy…Boss…apparition day?” Tony’s eyebrows furrowed and he squinted a little harder to read it.
“You’re reading it right,” came a voice from right behind him, nearly sending Tony over Gibbs’ desk. “Ziva. I didn’t have the heart to tell her that it’s ‘appreciation,’ not ‘apparition.’ Didn’t wanna hurt her feelings. Plus, this way, I’ll never forget who it came from.”
Tony turned and saw Gibbs standing right behind him. “Boss! What are you"I mean you"I thought you had"that is…You’re still here?”
Gibbs smirked. “Yeah DiNozzo. Still here. I was up in MTAC. Question is why are you still here? Figured you’d be home by now.” Gibbs wondered what answer his second would give. He knew the truth; he just wasn’t sure Tony would tell it.
“GIBBS! Boss, it’s Boss Appreciation Day! That’s what all the gifts on your desk were for! Oh God Boss I’m so sorry, with everything going on I completely forgot that"”
“DiNozzo.”
Tony stopped talking when Gibbs cut him off. “Yeah Boss?”
“Don’t worry about it. Don’t want any gifts"got everything I need. Why are you still here?”
“But Boss I feel like a total heel"everyone else got you something!”
“Leave it DiNozzo. Already told you. I have everything I could ever need or want.” Gibbs pulled a gift bag from his trash can and began filling it with the items from his desk.
“Yeah.” Tony said softly, his eyes dropping in dejection. “Yeah, ok,” he whispered sadly.
“DiNozzo?” Gibbs let out a long breath. “Go home and get some rest Tony. Been a long day for all of us.”
“Yeah…um…you’re right boss.” Tony couldn’t tell Gibbs that he’d actually given up his apartment to move in with Jeanne"it was the only way he’d been able to afford doing it, and he had to do it to keep his cover. He’d been planning on getting a hotel room or sleeping in the bullpen…
“I’m heading out now Boss.”
“Where ya planning to sleep, Tony?”
“What are you talking about?”
Gibbs just looked at him and took a step closer. “Know you gave up your apartment, DiNozzo,” he said softly. “You moved in with the Frog’s daughter. Seeing how that all came to an…explosive halt this morning, I’ll ask you again. Where are you sleeping tonight?”
Tony took an involuntary step backwards. His ribs hurt, his head hurt, and he was exhausted. If he was being honest with himself, he wasn’t convinced he’d be able to drive"shit he had no car"nevermind driving. He let out a long, slow breath. “Dunno, Boss. Thought about just staying here and crashing at my desk. No chance of me being late that way.”
The headslap was gentler than normal, but not surprising in the least. “C’mon DiNozzo. You’re with me until you find a new apartment.”
“Boss I appreciate it but you don’t have t"” The glare cut Tony off midsentence. “Coming, Boss,” he mumbled.
Tony leaned over to pick up his backpack, and put a hand on his desk to steady himself as a wave of dizziness washed over him. “Woah,” he sighed, before he could stop himself, his body swaying unsteadily.
Gibbs was by his side in an instant, helping him into his chair. “You ok?” Gibbs’ voice had an urgent quality to it, and he grabbed both of Tony’s shoulders, giving him a gentle shake.
Tony blinked his eyes, trying to get them to focus and he nodded at the older man. “’m ok,” he mumbled. “Stood up too fast.”
“You were leaning over DiNozzo, not standing up. You need a doctor? Hospital?” Stupid question.
“N-no Boss. ‘m fine. Really.”
“You’re shaking like a leaf Tony. When’s the last time you ate?”
“Um…” They’d been heading out to brunch this morning when everything went to hell and he was feeling sick at lunch so he had skipped that as well. Not to mention having missed dinner last night because of the hostage situation at the hospital, and the day before had been so busy he’d missed lunch there too. “Breakfast? Yesterday? I think?”
“Christ Tony,” Gibbs mumbled. “Sit right there. Do not get up. I’ll be right back.”
Tony leaned over and rested his head on his arms on his desk. He really felt like hell. A moment later a hand shaking his shoulder roused him.
“C’mon DiNozzo. Sit up. Gotta eat this, c’mon.”
Tony forced himself to sit back up and looked at his boss. The older man set a pack of crackers and a bottle of orange juice down in front of him. “Gotta get your blood sugar back up. I want Ducky to take a look at you too.”
“Boss really I’m"”
“If you say you’re fine I will headslap you into next year. Christ DiNozzo, you have any idea what all went down today? And you’re gonna question me on watching your six tonight? Now. You are coming to my house and staying until you find a new place. You will see Ducky tonight, or I will take you to the ER at Bethesda. Your choice. You will not argue with me on this Tony. Not tonight.
Tony crunched on a cracker and drank some juice. After a moment he nodded to himself. After all, Gibbs was right. It was the least he could do after he’d made them all worry so much.
“Sorry you worried about me Boss.”
“You’ve been on this side before DiNozzo; you know what it’s like. This…was even worse because you didn’t have anyone watching your six. You should have read me in DiNozzo.” You should have let me watch your six.
“Technically the director was watching my six"”
“She was doing a fantastic job of that when she let your car be bombed,” Gibbs said hotly.
“Boss?”
Gibbs shook his head. He needed to calm down"this mess was not Tony’s fault, but knowing his senior field agent, Tony would shoulder the blame for the whole operation without a second thought if Gibbs wasn’t careful. “Forget it. Come on. Let’s go.” Gibbs picked up Tony’s backpack and steadied the younger man with a hand on his elbow when he swayed slightly when he stood.
Tony resolutely did not look at Gibbs as they walked to the elevator and gently shrugged out of Gibbs’ grasp once inside to lean against the wall. “Can’t believe Kort showed up here this morning,” Tony said softly.
“Can’t believe you showed up here this morning either, DiNozzo…not after everything we saw…”
“You really thought I was dead?”
Gibbs thought for a moment. “I didn’t want to believe it. None of us did. And we refused, I refused, to confirm it, until Ducky finished the autopsy. Thankfully Ducky figured out that you weren’t the victim in the car.”
“Really? How’d he manage that?”
“The victim’s lungs weren’t scarred. He’d never had the plague"his lungs were too healthy.”
“Guess that paid off in the end, then, didn’t it, Boss?”
“You should have never gotten the plague, DiNozzo.”
“My car should have never been bombed either, Gibbs. But in case you haven’t noticed, bad luck seems to follow me around.”
The elevator dinged and the two men headed towards Gibbs’ car. Gibbs quickly unlocked the doors and Tony sank gratefully into the seat.
“Man I have so much stuff to do. I’ve got to find a new apartment, call the insurance company"think they’ll reimburse me for a blown up car, Boss?"should go to Jeanne’s apartment and see if she burned all of my clothes and movies…and I’ve got to pick you up something for Appreciation Day. Know you said you don’t want anything, but now you’re letting me move in with you! I mean, I know it’s temporary and all that, but Boss…I…I want to get you something.”
Gibbs stopped at a red light and turned to face Tony. He made sure to tone down the glare, but it still effectively stopped his second.
“Sorry boss,” Tony whispered, eyes returning to his lap. The lead agent let his second’s voice drift over him, relishing in the simple fact that he could"DiNozzo, Tony, was alive.
xxx
When they arrived at Gibbs’ house, the older man got out of the car and started towards the front door. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Tony rising slowly, a slight grimace of pain on his face.
“Y’know Boss,” Tony called out as he started slowly across the lawn. “More I think about it…I’m gonna call a cab and get a hotel room. I appreciate you offering to help and all, but I really don’t wanna put you out any. Thanks for the ride.”
Tony started walking down the street away from Gibbs’ house, reaching for his new cell as he did. There were some nice hotels in Alexandria. He’d be able to find a comfortable place to sleep tonight, surely. He heard footsteps behind him, but forced himself to not look back. He knew it was Gibbs. Knew that the older man wasn’t going to let this go without a fight.
“Hey! We already discussed this. No arguments, remember?”
Tony nodded. “I remember, Boss,” he said quietly. “I just don’t want you to think that I’m"”
“DiNozzo I know you’re a big boy and you can take care of yourself.” Gibbs wrapped an arm around Tony’s shoulder and began leading him back up the street toward his house. “But the lesson I want you to learn is that sometimes you don’t have to take care of yourself. Sometimes other people can take care of you too.” He cuffed Tony lightly on the back of the head. “No more arguments. I want to do this. Wouldn’t have offered if I didn’t want to. C’mon, let’s go inside.”
Tony nodded, “On your six, Boss.” He let himself be led back to the house and once they were inside, Gibbs pointed at the couch. “Have a seat, Tony.”
Tony shook his head. “No…no I’m filthy Gibbs. I’m not sitting on your couch. I’ve got hospital ick, mud, blood, and God only knows what else all over me. I’m okay to stand for now.”
Gibbs put a hand on each of Tony’s shoulders and gently, but forcibly, guided him to the couch where he gently shoved the younger man down on it. “Sit. Relax. I’ll be right back.”
Gibbs disappeared down the hall toward the kitchen and Tony let out a sigh, before carefully leaning against the couch. He’d figured Gibbs would be pissed off at him for lying all this time; he couldn't understand why his boss was being so nice. Yes, the older man thought Tony had died, but…still. This was Gibbs. He closed his eyes and finally felt the muscles in his back and shoulders starting to relax. Tony didn’t understand it, but he knew as long as he was under the older man’s roof, Gibbs would have his six. Absolutely and without question.
xxx
In the kitchen, Gibbs hurriedly fixed his second something to eat and got them both a beer. While the leftover spaghetti was heating up, Gibbs realized he’d neglected to call Ducky. He’d been so busy making sure Tony didn’t collapse on him in the bullpen that the phone call had slipped his mind. Pulling out his phone, Gibbs called Ducky and asked him to come check their boy over. Ducky agreed, saying he’d be there shortly.
Gibbs hung up the phone and picked up the food and beer. Entering the living room, Gibbs smiled sadly when he was met by the sounds of deep, steady breathing and the sight of a very relaxed, very exhausted, very alive senior field agent. Gibbs quietly set the plate and bottles down on the coffee table and then sat beside Tony.
“DiNozzo,” Gibbs said quietly. Tony didn’t even flinch.
“Tony,” Gibbs tried again. A bit louder. The senior agent didn’t want to yell at Tony, didn’t want to risk scaring him. Tony, however, didn’t wake up.
“Hey. DiNozzo.” Gibbs shook Tony’s shoulder gently and Tony groaned in pain and pulled away. Gibbs narrowed his eyes. Ok. Time for the big guns.
“DINOZZO!” This time Tony’s eyes snapped open as he jerked awake. Tony quickly curled in on himself as he moved his bruised ribs too much.
“Hey, easy,” Gibbs said, eyeing his agent carefully. “You take anything for the headache and the ribs?”
Tony stared at Gibbs in surprise. “How do you do that?”
Gibbs smirked. “I’ve been blown up before Tony"up close and from a distance"I know what it feels like. And you had the altercation in the hospital last night on top of everything else. So, again, did you take anything?”
Tony nodded. “Took some aspirin at work.”
Gibbs nodded and handed Tony the plate. “Here. Eat up. Then Ducky’s coming over to make sure you’re alright. He can give you something stronger if you need it.”
“C’mon Boss, it’s late! I’m"”
“Getting checked over by a physician, Anthony,” Ducky finished Tony’s sentence for him as he stepped through the door. “Good evening Jethro.”
“Hiya Duck.”
Tony ate everything Gibbs offered him, but pouted through dinner. He pouted even more when Ducky told him he couldn’t drink the beer Gibbs had brought for him, instead having to settle for a glass of water. Finishing his dinner, Tony yawned deeply, but didn’t stretch too hard for fear of pulling his ribs.
Ducky checked Tony over carefully before sitting on the coffee table in front of him. “Anthony,” Ducky said, not unkindly. “I would like to give you something for the pain, lad. I know you must be hurting, and you’ve had quite an eventful few days. I think some good, restful sleep would help you more than anything this evening.”
Tony looked from Ducky to Gibbs. He knew they were just worried about him. But really, he was fine. “Just something mild, Ducky? Don’t wanna be knocked out so much that I have a hangover tomorrow.”
“You’re taking tomorrow off, Tony,” Gibbs interjected. Tony sat up to protest, but a raised hand stopped him. “The whole team is off. After today…hell after today we need it. You can use the day to get some rest.” Gibbs would let Jenny know if she called, but wasn’t going to extend any courtesy to her right now.
“Boss I don’t need a day off,” Tony protested, wincing as Ducky’s needle made its injection into his bicep. “What I need is for people to be normal and not treat me any…” his vision swam as the medicine quickly took effect, “any…any dif’rent,” he finally finished. He raised a heavy hand to his face and rubbed his eyes.
“C’mon DiNozzo. Up we go. Gotta get you to bed.” Gibbs pulled Tony to his feet, and almost immediately Tony leaned all his weight on Gibbs, his head rested on his boss’ shoulder like a sleepy toddler.
With Tony between them, Ducky and Gibbs helped Tony up the stairs to the guest bedroom. “Duck…next time…wait’ll…we’re upstairs…before you…give him the shot,” Gibbs forced out, straining under the weight of the man he was supporting. Arriving in the room, they gently lowered Tony to sit on the bed. Gibbs’ senior field agent was still awake, but just barely.
“If you have everything you need, Jethro, I’m going to take my leave. Goodnight my friends,” Ducky said quietly.
“Night Duck.” Gibbs threw a hand up in a casual wave as Ducky left the room, and a few moments later he heard his front door click shut. “Ok Tony…gonna get you changed, then I’ll leave you alone and let you sleep. How’s that sound?”
Tony didn’t answer. When Gibbs and Ducky had sat Tony on the edge of the bed, he’d still been partly awake. Now that wasn’t the case, and Tony had slumped to one side, his eyes closed, deeply asleep, and snoring lightly. Gibbs smiled and set about helping Tony change. He gently unbuttoned the tattered dress shirt"the day had been so busy that Tony hadn’t even taken the time to change out of the clothes he’d been wearing since the day before.
Gibbs gently pushed the soft, well worn t-shirt over Tony’s head, then slipped his arms through the sleeves, taking care not to strain Tony’s bruised ribs. He pulled the t-shirt down, then unbuckled Tony’s belt and pulled it off. He smiled when he saw the belt-knife safely tucked inside of it and carefully set it aside. He pulled off Tony’s shoes and socks, frowning when he thought of the number of bruises that undoubtedly adorned his agent’s body. Leaving Tony in his pants and t-shirt, Gibbs carefully maneuvered Tony so he was resting with his head on a pillow and Gibbs helped Tony stretch his lean frame out onto the mattress. Tony let out a contented sigh, burrowed a little deeper into the pillows and didn’t move.
Gibbs set Tony’s tattered shirt aside and turned back to his second. Shaking his head slightly, he sat down on the edge of the bed. He ran his fingers lightly through Tony’s hair, glad when the ball of fear and anxiety residing in his gut finally dissipated. It left Gibbs feeling old and worn, wrung out in a way he hadn’t felt in a long time.
“Glad you’re alive, Tony. Glad you’re ok,” he whispered softly in the darkened room.
As though sensing the older man’s presence, Tony shifted in bed. “’m sorry I f’rg’t t’buy you…gift for…Bosssssss day,” Tony slurred softly, without opening his eyes.
Gibbs leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to the side of the young man’s head"the young man he loved as though Tony were his own son"his own flesh and blood. No one in Tony’s actual family would even bat an eye if Tony died. He also knew, that the team"Tony’s real family"had all gotten a firsthand glimpse of what life without Tony would look like. Grim.
“Don’t need you to buy me a gift, son,” Gibbs whispered softly into the young man’s ear. “You’re safe"nothing else matters.”
“Boss?” Gibbs turned when he heard the new voice in the room. There, in the doorway, stood McGee, Palmer, Abby, and Ziva. No doubt Ducky had informed them of Tony’s whereabouts.
“Is he alright?” Tim took a step into the room, eyeing his partner carefully.
Gibbs nodded. “Got some bruised ribs and a headache, but he should be fine. Ducky gave him something for the pain. Think he’s sleeping pretty good. You can come look in on him, but don’t wake him. He’s exhausted.”
The four young people in the doorway all crept closer to see their friend. Abby moved in closest, brushing the lightest of kisses across Tony’s forehead.
“I am glad he is safe,” Ziva said. “I am confused about why he lied to all of us, but I am glad he is safe.”
“He lied because he felt like he had no choice,” Palmer spoke up in Tony’s defense. The autopsy gremlin’s confidence surprised Gibbs. “Tony wouldn’t hurt any of us intentionally"maybe he thought that if he told us what was going on he would somehow put one of us in danger.”
“Could be,” McGee agreed.
Gibbs knew why Tony had lied"because Jenny had all but blackmailed him into it"but he wasn’t telling the team that information tonight. That would be Tony or Jenny’s story to tell when the time was right. Thoughts of the director still caused fury to wash over Gibbs. He couldn’t believe she’d acted so carelessly"so nonchalantly about his agent’s safety. There would be hell to pay for that, if Gibbs had anything to say about it.
The sound of a ringing cell phone suddenly pealed into the room, startling all of its occupants. Tony stirred and pushed himself up on an elbow, but Gibbs gently eased him back down, whispering quiet reassurances to the younger man, while shooting a glare over his shoulder to tell the owner to quiet the cell phone.
McGee stepped out into the hallway to answer his phone, and Gibbs straightened Tony’s blankets, smiling down at him gently when his senior field agent blinked his eyes open and looked up at him through confused, owlish green eyes. Gibbs then soothed Tony back to sleep by running his fingers lightly over the boy’s hair. Gibbs watched as Tony’s eyes slid shut again and his body relaxed into sleep.
“Get some rest Tony,” Gibbs whispered softly. He turned to the rest of the team and gestured for them to move out of the room. Gibbs pulled the door partially closed but left it cracked so he could hear if Tony needed him. Together the team walked back down the stairs.
“Well?” Gibbs asked McGee when the young agent closed his phone a moment later.
Tim let out a long breath. “That was Legal. We got the warrant to search La Grenouille’s boat.”
Gibbs nodded. “Okay people. We’ll conduct the search in the morning. In the mean time, go home and get some sleep.” So much for taking tomorrow off.
Once the team left Gibbs returned to Tony’s room. He stood in the doorway for a long time watching the young man sleep. “I will keep you safe Tony. You’re not going to get hurt again if I can help it.”
With that, Gibbs turned and descended the stairs. He then went down to the basement and pulled out his sniper rifle. That night, Gibbs spent hours cleaning his gun, vowing to protect his family, regardless of the cost.
End.
Story Notes:
One shot. Father-son Pairing.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Tony forgets an important day after the events of Bury Your Dead...
Chapter End Notes:
One shot. Father-son Pairing.