Chapter 2: Break Away
Tony told Declan that he had been called to DC for a work related meeting. He also told him that the department had rented only single hotel rooms and no accommodations had been made for partners. Declan didn’t like it but he agreed to let Tony go, stating that he’d better call every time he got a break in the meeting and each night. Tony found a hotel room in Baltimore. He emailed his resignation to his chief at BPD and then got on the phone and found himself an apartment in DC. He called Gibbs and told him that he was still interested in the job and that he’d resigned from Baltimore. Gibbs told him to come down to DC and they’d do the paperwork together.
So Tony hopped on a train--he’d sold his car at the local used car lot and pocketed the cash he’d gotten from it, and headed down to Washington DC. He carried one duffle bag and a backpack with him. He decided to go straight to NCIS. His superintendent at the apartment said that it would be a day or so before his place was ready. That had been last night. He’d check on it this afternoon and if need be, get a hotel room for the night.
He was stopped and nearly tackled by security when he entered NCIS carrying a duffle bag. Honestly that hadn’t even crossed his mind about being a problem, but he wasn’t used to working in federal agency offices. He told the security guard who was pinning him to the wall that he was here to see Leroy Jethro Gibbs about a job. The guard sneered at him, and Tony pleaded with the man to call Agent Gibbs and he would explain everything.
Finally the guard picked up the phone and Tony straightened his jacket--realizing in that moment that he was wearing jeans, a long sleeve t-shirt, and a windbreaker. Great outfit for a job interview, Tony, he snorted to himself. The guard on the phone was nodding his head, the voice of cooperation. A moment later he hung up and turned to Tony. “He’ll be down here to get ya in a few minutes.”
A few moments later, the elevator dinged and there stood his new boss, coffee cup in hand, looking like Tony’s own personal Savior. “Hi Boss,” Tony called with a cheeky grin.
“DiNozzo when I told you to come by so we could do the paperwork, I didn’t mean ya couldn’t go home first,” Gibbs said, smirking at Tony’s luggage as the younger man joined him on the elevator.
“My apartment isn’t ready yet, and I don’t wanna get a hotel room if I don’t have to, so I figured it’d be easier if I just brought it with me.”
“Couldn’t you have left it in your car?”
“I um…yeah, I sold my car, Agent Gibbs.”
“Just Gibbs. Why’d you sell your car?”
“To cover moving expenses,” Tony lied flawlessly.
“Or to keep someone from tracking you,” Gibbs countered.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about Gibbs. Who would want to track me? Everyone I know is glad to be rid of me when I leave.”
Gibbs eyed him carefully but didn’t say anything. There was something about Tony that didn’t sit well with him--oh he liked him--great cop, intelligent investigator, and definitely good looking--but there was something about him…Gibbs took Tony up to the bullpen, showed him where his desk would be, took him upstairs to meet the Director, downstairs to meet Abby and Ducky (he’d met Ducky at the crime scene, but was formally reintroduced for good measure). He got Tony set up in HR to get his badge and ID ordered, and took him out to do his firearms qualification. Tony was instructed that the next two weeks would be spent in Norfolk at FLET-C--the Federal Law Enforcement Training-Camp, and after that he’d be back at NCIS where he’d be formally assigned to Gibbs’ team.
“If you make it,” Gibbs snarked.
Tony then called the apartment office to see if his new home was ready and was told it’d be another day. Tony sighed and picked up the phone to call a hotel when Gibbs shook his head.
“I have an empty guest room, DiNozzo,” Gibbs said.
“Aww Boss you don’t have to do that, really it’s no big deal for me to--”
"Stay at my house. Don’t waste your money on crappy hotel rooms when you don’t have to.”
“Yes Boss, thank you Boss,” Tony said.
xxx
He’d been completely shocked, when they arrived at Gibbs’ house, to find the front door unlocked.
“Boss you leave your door open,” Tony asked, with no small amount of uncertainty in his voice.
“No DiNozzo, I don’t leave my door open; I leave it unlocked,” Gibbs replied.
“But why Boss?”
“I figure anyone who wants to get in here bad enough will do it whether the door is locked or not. This saves me a door and a lock. Besides. Would you want to break into my house,” Gibbs asked with an evil grin.
“No way Boss. Anyone who comes in here unwanted is fair game for whatever he gets,” Tony said confidently, but his eyes gave away his anxiety.
Gibbs noticed, but decided to not make a huge deal out of it. “Usually when I have guests I lock the door at night. So the boogeyman won’t get you, don’t worry.”
“Wasn’t worried Boss. You have my six, after all, right? Isn’t that what you said?”
Gibbs smiled. “That’s right Tony. Come on, I’ll show you the guest room.”
xxx
Tony moved into his apartment and was just getting his things settled when he heard the knock on his door. He wondered who it could be, and checked his gun before he unlocked the door. It should have surprised him more than it did. There at the door stood Declan.
And boy, did he look mad.
xxx
Two years later:
Declan was pissed. Actually, he was livid. He was so angry he could put his fist through Tony’s face. He was supposed to be home hours ago. Declan had specifically told Tony that he should be home no later than 6pm. It was going on 8:30 and there was still no sign of Tony. Where the hell was he?
Declan wondered how many people Tony had told about him. He was willing to bet very few, if any, knew about him. Tony never asked to go out with anyone from work, and he never went for drinks or dinner with them unless it was set up in advance. When Tony did go out, he always drove, never got drunk, and he never stayed out past his curfew. Tony had made that mistake once, back in Peoria, and he’d never made that mistake again. Until tonight. Tony had broken the cardinal rule by not phoning and letting him know he was going to be late.
He was willing to bet that Tony knew the consequences. Declan smiled. He’d make sure Tony never forgot the rules again.
xxx
Tony had never told anyone at NCIS about his relationship with Declan. He hid the abuse well; he always had. Declan punished him regularly for any reason he deemed necessary. Tony made sure to be careful on the job and try not to get hurt. If he got hurt and needed to go to the hospital, then his secret would be out and everyone would know what was going on. Occasionally he’d get bumped or banged up, but he’d always shrug it off and assure Gibbs that he would take care of himself and stop by his doctor on the way home. He never did, but Gibbs didn’t need to know that.
Life was beginning to feel normal here. Tony was making friends. It was finally starting to feel like home. It had been just over two years since Gibbs had hired Tony. Throughout the two years, Tony had learned more than he had ever imagined. There were some times though, when Declan would be especially rough with Tony, that Tony wanted to tell Gibbs. He wanted to tell him what was happening and ask him for help, ask him to watch his six, but he just couldn’t bring himself to do it.
Flashback:
One thing Tony loved about being at Rhode Island Military Academy, was the difference in the lifestyle compared to being at home with his dad. After all--at least the beatings he got at RIMA were verbal and not physical. He spent most of his time at RIMA hearing how bad he must be--why else would a kid as rich as Tony be in military school?
End Flashback
Once Tony met Declan, it didn’t take Declan long to convince him that he needed Declan’s help him--to teach him to be a better person--even to discipline him if necessary. Declan was doing this to help Tony be a better person--and Tony needed all the help he could get! His father had told him so when he was a kid, along with his RIMA instructors and classmates. Now, Declan easily inserted himself into the role.
Gibbs knew that Tony had a history of moving around every couple of years. He watched his younger partner, and dare he say it--his friend, closely as the time drew to a close on his second year, but Tony showed no signs of wanting to leave or of being unhappy. Gibbs hoped the churning in his gut would relax once the two year anniversary passed and became concerned for his young agent when it didn’t. Something was going on with Tony. It had been going on since before Gibbs hired him, and he just couldn’t put his finger on what the hell it was. But there was something not right here--something Tony was hiding. Gibbs wanted to know what it was.
It was time for an intervention. Gibbs invited Tony over to help with the boat so they could go over the week’s cases. Tony hesitated for a few moments, and Gibbs looked at him pointedly before snapping at him.
“You got somewhere better to be, DiNozzo?”
“Uh…no Boss. Nowhere else better to be. I uh, just need to make a quick call, is all.”
Gibbs narrowed his eyes a bit at Tony’s strange tone, but didn’t say anything, nodding his consent. Tony quickly headed off down the hall where he could make the call in peace and hopefully avoid the thrashing he’d get later if he was late. But Declan didn’t answer--Tony’s call went straight to Declan’s voicemail. He didn’t know that during the day Declan kept his phone turned off so Tony couldn’t call. Tony nearly panicked when he couldn’t get through; he knew that not phoning would guarantee him a punishment. Tony sighed. He didn’t know what to do. He looked up and saw Gibbs standing there expectantly. Tony figured it’d be better to just go and get it over with, than to put it off. The sooner he went, the sooner he’d be home and the less late he’d be.
He hoped.
Thankfully, in true Gibbs fashion, he got right down to business, exactly one and a half cups of bourbon into the evening. “So Tony, you still liking NCIS?”
Tony took a sip of his drink and nodded. “Yeah, Boss. Love my job. Why do you ask?”
Gibbs took a sip of his own drink and thought about his answer. “Well I know from your CV that…well that you move around a lot.”
Tony’s gut rose to his throat. Shit, was he going to get in trouble for this?
“Boss you know how it is; I was young and stupid and had some wild oats to sew. I’m settled now though; I’m here and I like it.”
Gibbs smiled. “That’s good DiNozzo.”
“Am I in trouble or something?”
“No, not at all. I just noticed that there was a pattern. Every two years you left town and switched departments--usually with very short notice.”
“Well Boss, like I said, wild oats,” Tony said, grinning weakly.
Gibbs eyed him carefully. “That all it was?” Tony felt the panic growing in his gut. Did Gibbs know about Declan?
“That’s all it was,” Tony said, hoping Gibbs would buy it. He’d be fired for sure if Gibbs ever found out about Tony’s…lifestyle.
Gibbs handed Tony a sanding block. “Go with the grain DiNozzo,” was all he said, turning back to his work. Tony smiled weakly and began to sand. He loved one-on-one time with Gibbs. He felt smart and cared for with the man, along with the wonderful feeling of being safe. Tony knew he’d pay for it when he got home, but dammit he was his own man and this was a work-related meeting. Tony liked it here.
He’d only stay a few minutes. After all, he was already late.
xxx
The next morning, Gibbs noticed Tony moving a bit slowly.
“You alright there, DiNozzo,” he asked.
Tony’s eyes widened slightly. “I’m fine, Boss. Just not used to sanding so hard. Feeling kinda tight in my arms and shoulders is all.”
Gibbs smirked. “Well if you stick around long enough to help me finish the boat you’ll get used to it.”
Tony smiled. “Will you show me how you get the boat out of the basement?”
Gibbs chuckled. “I’ll show you lots of things if you stick around long enough.”
Tony smiled again, but it was a dim comparison to the other one he’d given Gibbs. Gibbs noticed the difference but he didn’t comment on Tony’s sad smile.
“Gonna head down to Abby’s for a bit Boss,” Tony said.
Gibbs nodded. The team was working on cold cases--there was nothing exciting going on. He didn’t mind if Tony went and entertained Abby for a while.
Gibbs sat down at his desk and watched as Tony walked toward the elevator. The pain wasn’t in his arms--the pain was in his back and legs--obvious from the way he was walking. When Tony came back up a while later, the slight limp was gone and his grin was back in place. Gibbs didn’t realize and Abby didn’t comment on the fact that Tony had taken a two hour nap on her futon. No one noticed that Tony wore all black for several days to hide the blood that would have stained his colorful shirts because he had no one to help him bandage his still seeping back.
xxx
In other news, NCIS Senior Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, along with his partner, Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo made a landmark arrest today in a twenty year old case that had left law enforcement officials baffled for over two decades…
Declan’s eyebrows shot up at the news reporters comments. He’d told Tony more than once that under no circumstances was he to be videotaped, nor was anyone--other than Declan--allowed to touch him. Right there on the TV was a shot of DiNozzo being videotaped, and being patted on the shoulder by some gray headed guy. “Bet that’s Gibbs,” he muttered to himself, eyes glued incredulously to the screen.
That’s when he saw it. When Tony looked at Gibbs, Declan realized that he wasn’t the one Tony was in love with.
And he vowed to make him pay for it.
xxx
Tony was sitting at his desk, thumbing through a cold case file when his phone rang. He figured there would be some backlash from the news crew showing up; normally he managed to duck inside the NCIS truck before he was taped, but today he and Gibbs were the focus of the media--they’d cracked that decades old cold case wide open and there was no avoiding the media circus.
Flashback:
Gibbs had rolled his eyes at Tony’s reluctance and gave him a pat on the shoulder. “C’mon Tony, I got your six. No one is going to notice that you didn’t style your hair to match your tie today,” he had snarked at his senior field agent.
For one split second, Tony forgot that he would get in trouble; he forgot that Declan was probably going to watch the news. In that moment, all Tony could focus on was Gibbs--this man saved him every day; he just didn’t know it. The look of admiration, love, respect and affection on Tony’s face was picked up by the camera, but went unnoticed by Gibbs and Tony.
End Flashback.
“DiNozzo,” Tony answered absent-mindedly, still looking over the evidence logs. Maybe they’d get really lucky and crack open two cases in one week.
“Hey babe,” the voice on the other end said casually.
Tony nearly dropped the phone when he recognized the voice. “Why are you calling me? I’m at work,” he croaked, his voice nearly gone with the shock of the caller.
Gibbs’ attention was caught at Tony’s sudden tone of voice. The face of the normally easy-going special agent was an unhealthy shade of gray, and Gibbs was glad his agent was still seated. Gibbs chose not to say anything at that moment, would wait until Tony was off the phone.
“I know where you are Tony. You let your worthless ass be videotaped after I specifically told you to avoid that. And then…oh and then you let your boss touch you! You broke two rules inside of ten seconds! That has to be a new record for you!”
“You uh,” Tony swallowed and forced his brain to focus. He needed a plan NOW. Shit he was in so much trouble…“You saw the broadcast?”
“Well I was watching the news and imagine my surprise when I see my partner on the television, with some old guy, and you’re just cleaning the streets of all the bad guys. I should be proud of you I suppose, but you had to go and break all those rules. You always break my rules Tony. You need to be punished. You deserve to be punished. You are stupid, after all.”
Tony swallowed again. “No, no I didn’t. I don’t. I’m not.”
Tony felt the mood on the phone drop by a couple of degrees. He glanced up and saw Gibbs and Kate watching him, clearly concerned. He quickly looked away. His whole world was falling apart, right before his eyes--everything he’d worked so hard to put back together was going to be destroyed, he just knew it.
“Are you really trying to grow a spine now? Now of all times? I think you would know better than to try that again. You remember what happened last time you tried to back talk me, right?”
“I remember,” Tony mumbled. God what was he going to do? If he went home and Declan wailed on him, like Tony was fairly certain he would, then there would be no way for him to come to work tomorrow. If he took a sick day, Gibbs was sure to come looking for him--that’s just the kind of guy Gibbs was. If he ended up in the hospital…Tony didn’t want to think about that.
“Yes I thought you might,” Declan growled, “You have plans tonight Anthony. Tonight we are going out for drinks. Meet me at the Adams House Hotel at eight. Alone. We’ll be spending the night.”
“I can’t. I have work tomorrow. If you want to go out for a drink, go out for a drink,” Tony tried to blow him off, “You don’t need me to go hold your hand while you get drunk.”
“No I need you to come suck on my dick while I get drunk,” Declan said, the threat just evident in his voice.
“I gotta go. Don’t call me at work again,” Tony said, and hung up the phone. He stared at it for a moment like it had betrayed him, and then felt the sting of bile rising up his throat. He shot up out of his seat and ran for the men’s room, unaware that Gibbs and Kate were still watching. He didn’t see Gibbs nod at Kate before standing and following Tony to the men’s room.
Tony heaved and retched into the first toilet he saw, emptying his stomach of the wonderful lunch he’d eaten along with everything else in his stomach. He finally rocked back to sit on his heels, head dipped low to his chest, when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Reacting on pure instinct, Tony grabbed the hand and shot to his feet, spinning Gibbs around and slamming him into the wall before he even realized who it was.
“What the hell are ya doin, DiNozzo,” Gibbs asked, his voice muffled by his face being planted into the tile wall.
Tony blinked. Oh God. He’d just…oh he’d ruined everything now.
“Boss!” Tony quickly let go of Gibbs and backed away, “Jesus Boss you scared me! Don’t sneak up on a guy like that!” He paused for a moment, seeing the way Gibbs was looking at him. “Your uh, your arm okay Boss? I kind of um…twisted it.”
Gibbs took a step toward Tony who instinctively backed up, expecting the blows that were sure to rain down on him because of his actions. Tony had often wondered what it would be like to receive Declan’s form of discipline from a man like Gibbs…he feared he was about to find out.
“I’m really sorry Boss, and I know you always tell me not to apologize, but I don’t normally grab my Boss’ arm and twist it up behind him and…Ohmygod I slammed you into the wall too…Jesus Gibbs I’m really, really sorry…I just--”
Gibbs took another step forward. “Enough,” he said quietly, though his voice held no malice, no anger, only…concern? He watched Tony step back again, this time planting his back against the wall of the toilet stall. Every muscle in Tony’s body tensed. He looked like an animal, ready to pounce and fight to get away. Gibbs stayed where he was; he knew if he moved any closer the younger man would bolt.
“You alright Tony?”
Tony tugged at his shirt collar nervously. “Sure Boss, great, fine, why wouldn’t I be? Just another beautiful day in the Navy Yard? We’re just catching all the bad guys today and making the world a happy place.”
Gibbs was not impressed. “Who was on the phone, Tony,” he asked softly. “What’s got you so keyed up?”
“Ah no one important, just an old acquaintance. You ever have those people that, once you move away, you thank God you don’t have to deal with anymore? Yeah…one of those people.” I’m in hell, Tony thought to himself. And I am in so much trouble if Gibbs ever figures out I’m lying to him. “But it looks like I’m going to have to deal with him some more. That’s all Boss. Just a disappointment, you know?”
“Tony you looked like you were going to pass out on the phone. I would say that isn’t just some mere dislike for someone. You looked…” this would get a reaction for sure, “You looked scared, DiNozzo.”
Tony scoffed. “Me? Scared? DiNozzos don’t get scared Boss. We get mad, we get even, but we do NOT get scared.” We get terrified.
Gibbs wasn’t buying it. “Right,” he said slowly. “I have to admit Tony. To just about anyone else, you’d have them fooled, it’s why you’re so great at undercover work.” He stepped closer again and watched as Tony paled a bit more and swallowed hard. “But, you’re not fooling me. You’re scared. So spill. Who was it?”
Tony was scared, and he needed time to regroup. He had to get away; he had to think. The urge to push Gibbs out of his way and run was strong, but he knew he wouldn’t lay a hand on Gibbs--not after what he’d already done. He swallowed hard, again.
“Relax Tony,” Gibbs said gently. “It’s me. I’m not going to hurt you. I want to help you. I’ve got your six, remember? Whoever this is has you scared--even of me. I don’t think less of you for it; I just want to help.”
Tony blinked. “If you want to help me then leave it, Gibbs,” Tony snapped. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I need to get back to work; I have to leave before eight tonight, Gibbs. I have plans,” he gently shouldered his way past Gibbs, leaving his boss standing in the bathroom by himself, completely shocked.
Gibbs pulled out his cell phone and called down to IT. “I need you to look up a number for me. The last number that called Agent DiNozzo’s phone. Extension 1562. Call me when you have it.”
TBC…
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