"Gibbs! Please I haven't done anything! You have to help me!" He yelled after the retreating back of his superior. Gibbs turned looked Tony in the eye and nodded. Tony growled at the man hefting him off of the floor and onto his feet. He began to pull him down the hallway and he fought. As they reached the door to the parking garage he turned quickly elbowing the cop in the nose and then with a final shove the LEO hit the wall and collapsed. Tony pulled the cuff key out of his pocket and unlocked the restraints. He opened the door and saw the officer standing guard. The parking garage was three stories above the street due to the hill the Police department was built on. He ran as fast as his legs could carry him and as he jumped he heard a call from behind him. In a quick moment his skin sprouted what could only be referred to as feathers. Tony's clothes floated down to the ground as a golden brown hawk with green eyes flew up into the sky. Tony knew he couldn't return until he was proven innocent. He flapped his wings again and then soared through the sky looking down at the building he had just escaped from. He knew where he needed to go.
He landed on the railing of Abby's balcony. He could see her moving around through her home and then he tapped on the glass with his beak. Her head turned towards the door quickly. Her eyes brightened and she ran over to the glass door and opened it slowly. He flapped his wings and landed behind her couch with a thud. Abby would understand, she would help him. He let out a cry which had quickly turned into a pained human howl as he shifted back into a person. He peaked over the couch and smiled sheepishly at her back.
"Hey Abbs."
"Tony! Where did you come from? The whole office is looking for you... You know you're a wanted criminal? They said you killed three women. I don't think you did though Tony. Wait... Are you naked?"
"Uh yeah Abbs... Came through the window which you had let me through by the way."
"You... You were the bird?"
"Mhmm... Now can I get a bathrobe or something?"
"Oh yeah, sorry..." she said as she ran into another room to grab a robe for him. "So, is that all you change into? A bird?"
"Nah, and its a hawk Abby."
"What else?" she asked excitedly.
"Not now Abbs... I need you to do something for me..."
"What is is?"
"Keep me informed. Here is a phone number for one of my private cell phones that isn't in my name."
"Alright Tony, I can do that." she smiled.
"Thanks Abbs. I'll hopefully see you later." he said as he hopped out the window and was flying through the air. The robe left behind on the balcony.
He landed out near the side window of a house he has rarely been in. It was a house not many dare enter. It was the house he needed to enter. He flew down towards the ground and in a quick shift of fur and feathers he was down on four paws. His fur like the hawk's was a golden brown, and his eyes a nice shade of green. The made his way to the door and then sat pawing at the wood. It scratched loudly and then he waited. There were steps inside and then the door opening. Tony whined pitifully.
"Hey, what are you doin' here fellah?" Gibbs pet the dog's head and then checked for his collar. "No home? I guess you could stay here for the night. suppose' to get cold." He opened the door further to let the dog in. Tony sat and wagged his tail. "You wan't a piece of bacon or toast?" Tony stood and wagged his tail more animatedly. Gibbs opened the fridge and pulled out a cooked slice of bacon that was probably from the morning before and tossed it to him. Tony gobbled it up and then sat again. "You sure are a good boy." Gibbs said eyeing the furry brown dog in his kitchen. "It's going to be a long day tomorrow. I need to get some sleep." Gibbs stood and made his way upstairs with Tony diligently following behind him. Tony jumped up onto the bed and watched as Gibbs pulled on a pair of sweats and popped himself down onto the bed next to the dog. "G'night." he said as he closed his eyes and fell asleep. If he couldn't be like this in human form then he would have to do with being a dog.
"C'mon bud, lets go. You can come to work with me today." Gibbs said as he left the house with Tony behind him. They both got into the car, and Gibbs started it. Within a half an hour They were at the office and inside at Gibbs' desk. "Lay down boy, you're okay here." Tony gazed at Gibbs and then laid down with his head on his paws. Gibbs stood up and started walking over to the elevator. He hit the button top go down and then entered as the doors opened. Tony ran to the elevator quickly and jumped in as the doors began to close. "You remind me a lot of one of my agents. Good man." If Tony could smile his signature smile he would have. His tail wagged his tail, and sat down on the cold floor. The elevator pinged and the door opened to Abby's lab. Tony dashed out of the elevator and ran into the lab and barked once wagging his tail.
"Tony!" she exclaimed and then bent down and brushed up his fur.
"Tony?" Gibbs asked as he stepped into the lab.
"Uh- yeah... looks kinda like Tony. By the way Gibbs, any word? He just disappeared!"
"I know Abbs, but if he did do anything to these women then it's best that he stays that way." Gibbs glanced down at the dog who was looking up at him almost adoringly. "Hey can you take him for me? Just until its closing time?"
"Oh yeah I can Gibbs." Abby looked at the dog and he looked at her.
"Thanks." he said depositing a caf-pow into her hands and leaving the lab. She made sure he gone and in the elevator before turning back to the dog.
"Its safe now Tony." she said as she watched him shift back.
"Do you have anything I could just slip into? Its a little drafty." He covered himself with his hands.
"Oh, yeah. I brought a robe with me just in case you stopped by." she smiled and grabbed the robe out from under her black jacket. She tossed it to him and he wrapped himself up.
"Thanks."
"I think you should go get checked on by Ducky. Your hands aren't looking too hot." she said and grabbed his hand looking at his wrist which was bruised. She pushed up his sleeve and looked at his arm. "Does anything hurt?"
"My elbow does a little bit, but I elbowed one of the LEOs in the face."
"It could be hurt really bad."
"Abbs, Ducky is really close to Gibbs."
"And he would never sell you out to the Boss Man!" she pulled out her cellphone and called Ducky.
"Hey Ducky, can you come down to my lab real fast?" she listened then replied, "Yeah just have a question for you. And I need you here." she closed it and the pushed Tony back into her little back office. "Stay here." she said then ran into her lab as the elevator pinged open and Ducky strode in.
"What seems to be the problem Abigail?"
"I need to tell you a secret, but you cannot tell Gibbs or anyone else."
"Alright. Now what is it?"
"Tony come here." she said as she looked behind her to Tony.
"Hey Duck."
"Anthony! How did you get here without Gibbs knowing? I know I would have been informed if you came back."
"Gibbs actually brought me in, but I didn't look like this."
"Look like you?"
"yeah, I looked way different."
"How?"
"A dog." he stated blandly.
"A... Dog?"
"Yeah."
"What is he talking about Abigail?"
"He came in here as a dog. But that's not why I asked you here. Tony may have hurt his elbow yesterday."
"He's wanted by the FBI Abigail."
"I told him he could trust you Ducky. Don't screw it up."
"Abbs, don't. I sure as hell didn't kill those women, and if no one except you knows then so be it." Tony snapped.
"Anthony! I do not think you killed them."
"Then just listen Duck. I am a sh-shape shifter, and I'm not the only one of my kind. I went to Gibbs' last night and I stayed there, as a dog."
"Jethro has been very concerned for you."
"Sure, didn't mention me at all except for this morning in the elevator." Tony said and looked to the door quickly as the elevator pinged and he heard a familiar voice.
"Hey Abbs! Have you seen Ducky?"
"Ah I'm in here Jethro, Abigail was just asking me a question."
"Oh, hey Tony." Jethro Gibbs smiled and knelt down as the furry brown dog ran past Ducky's leg. Ducky looked behind him quickly and then let out a breath. "I'm going to go home early Duck. I'm going to get Tony here a bed. He had to sleep on mine last night. Both Ducky and Abby looked at each other with a smile. "What?"
"Oh, nothing. Dogs are just more comfortable on human beds." Abby said as she turned back to her computer.
"Okay, thanks Abbs." he said after eyeing her cautiously. He stood and traipsed back to the elevator with Tony behind him. After the doors closed Gibbs looked down at the dog and asked, "Do you really like sleeping in beds better?" Tony looked up at him, barked, and wagged his tail. "I take that as a yes."
After the trip to Petco Tony was ready to assimilate back into the comforting smell of coffee and sawdust. Gibbs had bought him a nice green collar that accented his fur and eyes, a leash that was plenty long, some nice squeaky toys, a pigs ear, and a fuzzy tennis ball. As they arrived at the house Tony jumped out of the car and rushed to the door. "Hey, wanna play?" Tony wagged his tail and jumped around Gibbs enthusiastically. Gibbs went inside, put his stuff away, and brought Tony to the back yard. He tossed the ball. Tony ran to it, grabbed it in his mouth, and brought it back to be thrown again. The night went by quickly with dinner being half a steak and green beans. Then it was bed. The night went by similar to the night before.
Early in the morning when Tony was sleeping next to Gibbs' desk they got a call from Abby about a suspect for their case they had been working. A petty officer had been murdered and dumped in an empty grave. Tony got to ride along in the car, but was told to stay when Gibbs was getting out with his gun drawn. Tony whined as Gibbs disappeared into the cabin without the backup of McGee or Ziva. He clawed at the window and growled when he heard gunshots from inside the building Gibbs had just walked into. He pulled at the car door handle with his jaws and pushed it open with his paws. He took off towards the open door and saw Gibbs standing over a bleeding man with his gun aimed at him. Tony saw in the shadows a man coming down the hall at Gibbs and he barked. Quickly carried by his strong back legs he jumped past Gibbs and at the suspect. "Tony! Stop!" Gibbs called behind him. The gun went off as her hit the man in the chest. The bullet passed through his right arm which tore the flesh and he collapsed onto the man with a painful whimper. His body couldn't handle the pain and he quickly shifted into a human. He pulled himself off of the groaning man and leaned himself against the wall.
"Tony?" Gibbs walked into the hallway after hearing the dog whimper.
"Stay where you are Gibbs, please for me?" he curled in on himself.
"Tony? Where the hell have you been?" Gibbs asked angrily as him moved over the knocked out man. Tony let out a bark of laughter.
"With you Gibbs." He laughed and then moved away from him. He shifted again, and dragged himself through the kitchen where he collapsed from blood loss. It all went black as he felt himself shift once again into a human.
He woke up in the morgue. The light was shining down onto his face and there where two dark figures above him.
"Tony? Hey Tony!"
"Anthony! It is important you wake up now." Tony could feel a blanket over him.
"What if I don't wanna." he said moving his arm that wasn't throbbing over his eyes.
"Ah thank God." He heard Gibbs.
"How are you feeling?" Ducky said taking his pulse.
"Just fine." he lied, his arm felt like it was torn off and then sown back on.
"Why didn't you tell me Tony. About your..." he trailed off.
"You wouldn't have believed me." Tony said and sat up.
"You could have just shown me."
"Sure, and have you flip out on me?" Tony hopped off of the metal table and held the blanket around him.
"Here my boy." Duck handed him a pair of NCIS sweatpants.
"Thanks Duck." Ducky nodded and left after giving Gibbs a look.
"You've been proven innocent."
"What?" Tony looked up after pulling the pants on.
"We took over the investigation after they figured out one of the victims was a petty officer. You could have just told me about your alibi."
"You know then? My nightly escapades to get you out of my head?"
"Yep."
"Gonna fire me? Hate me now?"
"Nope." Gibbs smiled, and Tony thought he saw Gibbs wink at him. "Just the opposite."
"Wh-what?" Tony asked leaning back against the table behind him. Gibbs smiled and sauntered over to him. He grabbed Tony's hips and lifted him onto the metal table.
"Been waiting to do this for a while." Gibbs whispered as he kissed Tony gently careful not to disturb his hurt arm. Tony moaned and pulled Gibbs closer to him and intertwined his fingers into his silver hair.
"Eh-hem!" Ducky cleared his throat, and glared at Gibbs. Abby was standing next to him, and she had a shit-eating grin gracing her lips. "I suggest these activities are carried out at home Jethro. This is autopsy, not a broom closet.
"Yeah, Duck." Gibbs mumbled and pulled Tony off of the table. Tony's face was redder than a beet.
"Hey Abbs." he said as he passed by her. She couldn't help but smile at the collar still around Tony's neck as he moved to the elevator in nothing but a pair of sweatpants. Gibbs was behind him as they entered the elevator.
"Lets go home Boy." Gibbs whispered into his ear and ruffled the hair on the back of his neck. Tony blushed from embarrassment.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Tony is suspected for killing three women, and in the light of things some secrets are revealed... for better or for worse...