Introductions 11
by
Angelise
Tony grabbed for the shower head and moaned softly when soap-slick hands slid down his belly and cupped his testicles. "Boss, it's my back that needs scrubbing."
"I'm getting there," Gibbs replied.
"Uh huh," Tony answered. "My poor back. The neglect it puts up with is downright pitiful."
"You want attention? I'll give you attention," Gibbs gruffly promised.
One thing about Jethro, a promise was a promise, and Tony nearly lost his hold on the shower head when a slow-traveling tongue took a meandering tour of his back. The trip started with his nicely scrubbed hole and ended with a bite to the nape of his neck. His dick welcomed the attention with a salute that was sure to leave a bruise on his lower abdomen.
"Not that I don't appreciate the attention to detail but," Tony said, "you do realize the hot water's about to run out?"
"Is that a problem?" Gibbs asked.
Tony debated their predicament for all of one second. Hell, no, it wasn't a problem. No problem at all.
"Ummm . . . I mean . . . God, Jethro . . . oh yeah . . . right there . . . right . . . oh . . Jesus Christ Superstar!"
Dissolving into a puddle of post orgasmic goo minutes later, Tony transferred his hands to the back of Jethro's neck and held on for dear life. His tenuous hold was threatened not only by the mouth mapping his left shoulder but also by the fingers tweaking his tits. "We're gonna be late for work if you keep that up," he mumbled to the lips searching for that magic spot right below his left ear.
An extremely hard slab of meat nudged him in the ass, but Tony ignored the blatant request. There was a time when the thought of Jethro fucking him would have had him bending over in three seconds flat. Not anymore. He was a kept man, Teal'c's man to be specific, and that meant his ass was off limits 24/7.
Twisting around he claimed Jethro's mouth in a deep, wet, breath-stealing kiss. "Love ya," he whispered before dropping to his knees and inhaling the man's insistent erection.
Once again, his brain went offline at the thought of blowing his superior but then gentle fingers carded through his hair. Their touch reminded him that the man he was deep-throating was more than his boss. Jethro Gibbs was his lover, one of three men who owned him heart and soul.
Tony relaxed his throat muscles and hummed. His reward was a mouth-full of liquid heaven that curled his toes and jump-started his libido. With a little help from his trusty right hand, Tony soon joined his lover on the shower floor and watched dazedly as another wasted batch of DiNozzo prodigies swirled down the drain.
"You never did get to my back," he reminded his shower companion.
"Sue me," Gibbs growled drowsily.
His lover's terse answer was softened with a heart-melting kiss, and Tony decided he'd forgo any legal pursuits. "What a way to start the day," he replied instead.
Indeed. His day was off to a great start and about to get better. Laid out on the bed in the master bedroom was a new set of clothes Gibbs had bought him last night. Hell, just the thought of wearing the Ermenegildo Zegna suit and Dolce Gabbana shirt was enough to make him downright giddy. Add to that a new pair of Gucci shoes and an Armani tie, and he was ready to declare this day absolutely perfect.
Inquisitive fingers wormed their way between his legs and snared his balls.
Oh yeah, life was perfect.
+++++++
"Boss, I mean, Jethro."
Tony clasped the older man on the shoulder and stopped him from exiting the showers. He waited for the door to shut completely behind McGee before seeking shelter in the arms that opened to him without hesitation.
"If that dust I inhaled was anthrax, I want you to call the guys." Tony plastered himself to the damp contours of Jethro's half-naked body and hugged hard. Knowing his rotten luck, this would be his last chance to embrace his lover.
"Call ‘em, Jethro," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "Tell Teal'c and Jack how much I love them and how much I'll miss them if---"
One very demanding mouth silenced his request. For a moment Tony forgot everything and simply lost himself in the kiss devouring his oxygen supply.
"I'll call them, DiNozzo," Gibbs replied once the two of them broke for air. With a firm grip on Tony's arm, he guided him toward the door. "But be prepared for the consequences. That was a rookie mistake you made in there, and once Teal'c hears about it, your ass will be one unhappy customer."
"Ooh, a spanking. I can't wait." Waggling his eyebrows, Tony rubbed his butt. His humor died a quick death once he got a glimpse of Jethro's face. The man's arctic blue eyes were shadowed with concern, and he automatically reacted by seeking another hug.
"It's gonna be okay, Boss. I feel it in my gut. But just in case," he offered Jethro a quick kiss of reassurance. "Call Teal'c. I need to tell him something, something very important, okay?"
Gibbs gently tapped him on the back of the head in acknowledgement. Inhaling the clean soap scent that clung to Jethro's skin, Tony briefly closed his eyes in an attempt to memorize the moment.
"Jethro, I lo---"
Lips that were now tender and loving swallowed his words and held them hostage for countless seconds. Tony surrendered his heart to the kiss and refused to budge an inch until forcibly moved away.
"I'll make the call as soon as I can," Gibbs promised. He indicated the door with a nod of his head. "As soon as I can get to a phone, I'll make the call."
Straightening his shoulders, Tony put on his best smile and followed Jethro out the door and down the hall to Autopsy. It was going to be all right. It had to be all right. He couldn't die, not now, not now that his life was absolutely fucking perfect.
+++++++
Jethro slammed down the phone. He ignored the startled looks directed at him by his co-workers and stomped over to the door preventing him from going after Tony. He stared at the obstruction as if his gaze could literally melt the metal, and it wasn't until Ducky tugged on his arm that he abandoned the attempt.
"Were you able to reach Jack?" Mallard quietly inquired.
Letting out a frustrated sigh, Jethro wearily ran a hand through his damp hair and shook his head. "He's not at home."
"Did you try his cell?"
Jethro bit back the sarcastic reply that rose to his lips. Now was not the time to piss off his best friend. "Yes. No answer."
"Call the base," Mallard suggested. "Maybe the boy's on some sort of training flight and that's the reason you can't reach him."
His threadbare patience immediately unraveled. "Don't you think I thought of that," Jethro snapped.
He shook off Ducky's hand and began pacing the entire length of the room. The longer he paced, the madder he got. Someone had threatened the life of their Tony, and the mere thought of greeting a day without DiNozzo's maddening smile was unacceptable.
Ducky's voice insinuated itself into his thoughts. "The evidence plainly indicated the presence of a second male, but the suspect kept insisting he was alone on that particular night."
Ducky was regaling Palmer and McGee with another one of his famous stories. "Jethro," the ME called to him, "do you remember the time when you and I were investigating the mur---"
"Ducky!"
Mallard stopped mid-sentence and stared at him.
"Get up to the lab and see what Abby's found," he brusquely instructed.
"Jethro, Abby is more than capable of determining---"
Jethro dropped his guard and allowed his friend a glimpse of the anguish he'd kept hidden from everyone else in the room. "Ducky, please."
Mallard was on his way to the door before Jethro finished speaking. He stopped just short of the exit and glanced over his shoulder. "Look in the Rolodex on my desk. I do believe you'll find a number that might just be of use to you."
Jethro was thumbing through the antiquated directory before the door to Autopsy had swooshed closed. He quickly located the card with Jack's name on it. There were three numbers listed -- Jack's home, his cell and an ‘in case of emergency' number he didn't recognize.
With a less-than steady hand, Jethro reached for the phone and punched in the number.
+++++++
"Look, I don't care if your CO is in a meeting with the President of the United States. Get him on the phone, now. This is an emergency, damn it."
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Jethro lowered his voice and cursed the bureaucratic red tape currently preventing him from reaching Jack. Security was ten times worse than it was before 9-11 and, although he secretly applauded the heightened measures, he would have willingly divulged every detail of every covert operation he'd been part of if it would have put him in touch with his lover.
"Sergeant Harriman, is it? This is not a request. An immediate member of Colonel Jack O'Neill's family has been taken to Bethesda Hospital in critical condition. It's imperative that I speak with him immediately."
"I am sorry, sir," the man answered. "Colonel O'Neill is unavailable at this moment. I will advise his commanding officer of the situation as soon as he returns from his meeting."
"You do that, Sergeant."
Jethro forced himself to let go of the phone and drop it back in its resting cradle. For a brief second he imagined he'd been squeezing the neck of one very infuriating Sergeant Harriman. A small smile materialized on his face, but it faded the minute he heard Abby's voice.
"SWAK? What the hell is a swak?"
++++++++
"Nurse Emma?"
"Yes, Tony?"
"Would it be an inconvenience if I asked you for a pen and paper?"
Tony readjusted the nasal cannula he was wearing. The damn thing was not only irritating his nose to the max, but it didn't seem to be working properly. He was still struggling for air despite the supplementary oxygen, which had to mean something was wrong with the equipment.
"Nurse Emma?"
Tony heaved a major sigh of frustration when the mere act of plumping the pillows behind his back proved too much for him. Caring hands assisted him to a sitting position and expertly plumped the three pillows propping him up. He thanked the masked woman in white with a grateful smile. "You're an angel, Nurse Emma. Thanks."
"You're welcome, Tony. Here's your pen and paper."
Tony took the offered items then glanced down the row of beds to his left. "How's Kate doing?"
"She's sleeping at the moment."
"I can see that, Nurse Emma," he grumbled. "What I can't see is how she's doing."
"Her condition is stable."
Clutching at the sheet, Tony fought back the panic that was threatening his control. He had to be strong, show no fear, be the good soldier.
"I'm sorry, Nurse Emma. Didn't mean to bite your head off." Forcing his hand to relax, he smoothed out the wrinkled sheet. He'd already caused enough trouble for one day. No use adding ‘sourpuss patient' to the list of complaints.
Closing his eyes, he read himself the riot act. Jethro was right. He'd performed like a damn rookie, snatching the letter and opening it without a thought to the possibility of danger. He'd exposed his co-workers, his lover, to a lethal substance all because his insecure nature dictated he act the fool. When was he going to learn that he didn't need to be the center of attention in order to be accepted by his peers?
Turning his head, he rubbed his cheek against the pillow, wishing for the thousandth time that it was the smooth contours of a male chest and not the pillow.
A small smile lifted the corner of his mouth at the thought of his mate's more than manly chest. Teal'c had seen straight through his clownish behavior to the insecure man hiding underneath and had told him so soon after they met.
‘Stop this nonsense, Anthony DiNozzo,' Teal'c had instructed in that curt tone that did strange things to Tony's heart. ‘I am your friend and your lover because I have determined you are a man of honor. You do not need to prove yourself to me with these frequent acts of inappropriate behavior. More to the point, this type of behavior is annoying. Stop annoying me.'
Tony grinned. He did so love a disgruntled Teal'c. Loved snuggling up to his grumpy, scowling bear of a lover and kissing him until he was in a better mood. Of course, his man was one tough cookie, and it took quite a lot of kisses to sweeten his disposition.
His grin widened. No wonder he loved annoying Teal'c. Kissing those big, fat lips was one of his favorite pastimes. That and riding Teal'c's monster size---
His love-silly grin turned into a despairing frown. What if there were no more chances for kisses? No more loving?
Tony clutched at his chest. Whether it was the virus or the thought of dying without seeing Teal'c that had him extremely short-winded, he couldn't tell. He just knew he couldn't breathe.
"Nurse Emma?" he croaked.
Within seconds Emma was at his side. She immediately assisted him to an upright position. She then checked the flowmeter controlling his oxygen, and Tony knew the instant she increased the flow. Leaning back against his increasing pile of pillows, he once again treated her to a grateful, albeit wobbly, smile. "Thanks."
"You're welcome. Need anything else?"
One triple-decker hug would be nice, Tony thought with a longing so intense it had him trembling all over. ‘Guys, I need you,' he silently prayed. ‘Come quick.'
"Tony? Do you need anything else," Emma repeated.
"I'm good," he answered. "Catch ya later."
Pen in hand, Tony waited until Emma had resumed her station outside the isolation chamber. He spared another glance at Kate then focused his thoughts on what he needed to say to his three lovers. Letters to Jack and Jethro were quickly penned and placed to the side. The words he needed to say to Teal'c didn't come as easily, and it was several minutes before he put pen to paper.
Teal'c,
I know you're not going to believe this, but I'm actually at a loss for words. Considering my vast knowledge of movies and television, you'd think I'd know exactly what to say. Not this time. My brain refuses to supply me with one scene or quote that would explain exactly how I feel about you. Guess you'll have to be satisfied with the dull, plain Jane words that have been whispered by every lover since the dawn of time.
I love you.
At first it was lust, Big Guy, pure and simple. You were exactly what the doctor ordered. Big as a barn and hung like nobody's business. My fantasy dream lover in the flesh. Throw in a heaping dose of Jack and Jethro, and I was one happy slut. Sex, sex and more sex.
But then everything changed. I changed.
Suddenly it wasn't all about fucking. Suddenly I didn't care if my ass got nailed to the floor or not. Spending time with you -- serious ‘get to know one another' time -- that was what was important. At first it was strange, even somewhat difficult. I've never been in a relationship like that. All my previous lovers could have cared less about what was above the waistline. They wanted me for one thing and one thing only.
And yes, I do realize sex is what brought us together in the first place but luckily you looked above the waistline, saw something in me that nobody else did.
Teal'c, I know I'm not the easiest person to get close to, and believe it or not, there aren't that many people who have the patience to do so. Thank heaven you have the patience of not one but a whole league of saints. You hung in there/kept me around when most would have kicked my wimpy ass to the curb. And because of that alone, you're the one I'll miss the most if this virus proves fatal.
It goes without saying that I care deeply for Jack and Jethro, but I ***LOVE*** you, Teal'c. You're my man, the keeper of my heart, the owner of my soul. When you called me your mate, well, let's just say that was the happiest day of my life. Like I said, nobody's ever wanted me for me. They've wanted my body but not my heart. Wanted the sex but not the commitment. You're different. Yes, you love my ass, but first and foremost, you love me -- Tony the person, not Tony the boy-toy. Do you have any idea how important that is to me?
It's so important that I need to ask you this next question------
Teal'c, if I somehow make it out of here, would you do me the honor of committing to our relationship? I want the world to know I belong to you and vice versa. Yes, I still want to be with Jack and Jethro -- who wouldn't? Those guys are not only funny as hell but they're great in bed, as you well know. I really hope you'll let us stay together as a foursome, but hey, if that's something you can't agree to, then so be it. It'll be hard, but I'll handle it. What I can't handle is not having you around.
Teal'c, I love you. I need you. I'd like very much to spend the rest of my life with you.
It's that simple.
Tony was in the process of signing his name when a chest-crushing spell of coughing hit him. By the time Dr. Pitt and Emma reached him, he was turning blue from the lack of oxygen. The medical duo sprung into action and no one, not even Kate, who suddenly appeared at his bedside, noticed the blood splattered sheets of paper that drifted to the floor.
+++++++
"Are you deaf? What part of ‘family emergency' don't you understand?"
Ignoring his green-tinged passenger, Jethro executed a sudden change of lanes. "Call your superior. Hell, call the SecDef if you want. I don't care as long as you find me someone who knows how to put me in touch with Colonel Jack O'Neill!"
"Gibbs, truck," Cassie Yates warned in a voice tight with fear.
Jethro paid absolutely no attention to the 18-wheeler heading straight for him. He instead punched in another number on his cellphone.
"Gibbs, TRUCK!"
Jethro swerved out of the oncoming lane of traffic with inches to spare. Glancing to the side, he spared a tense smile for the woman clutching at her seatbelt as if it were a lifeline. Cassie had guts, he'd give her that. Most people, Tony included, would be upchucking their lunch after the stunt he'd just pulled.
Tony.
An angry growl slipped out at the thought of his young lover.
"Get me the Director," he instructed the NCIS operator who answered his call. Swerving to miss a school bus loaded with kids, Jethro cut off a slow-moving Hummer. He answered the blaring protest with a one finger salute.
"Get out of the fast lane, you idiot," he muttered.
"I hope you're not referring to me," Morrow's voice came over the line.
"Well, that depends." Jethro watched with satisfaction as the speedometer's needle again inched toward the 85 mph mark. "Tom, I'm calling in that debt you owe me."
Morrow didn't answer immediately, and Jethro waited out the silence by barreling down a one-way street. "Tom?"
"What do you need, Jethro?"
"I need you to cut through some major red tape. Specifically, I need you to find me someone, someone very important to my well-being," Jethro answered.
Not many people knew the history that existed between himself and Morrow. The two of them went back a very long way and had even seen action together once or twice during Desert Storm. His old friend was just as privy to his secrets as he was to Tom's. They both knew where the bodies were buried, and knew what it would take to have them dug up.
The Lowell Pharmaceutical building came into view. "Do you understand, Tom? It's imperative I speak to this person ASAP."
"Your well-being?" Morrow asked. "Are you telling me you finally found a man brave enough to put up with your shit?"
Jack's face instantly came to mind along with those of Tony and Teal'c's. "Yes, I have. And I'm recommending the same to you, old friend."
There was a moment of shared silence before Morrow's voice came back on the line.
"What's his name?"
Jethro flashed his badge at the security booth and floored the gas pedal the second the guard gave him the okay to enter. "Jack O'Neill. Colonel Jack O'Neill. He's with the Air Force."
"Air Force? I believe I know the perfect man for the job," Morrow said.
"Now, Jethro," his friend continued, "I have to tell you this fellow's not exactly on good terms with our government. In fact, I'm pretty sure of it. Last time I spoke to H he told me he was maintaining a seriously low profile. Do I need to tell you what that means?"
"Tom." Jethro forced his jaw to relax. His teeth were hurting like hell from keeping his mouth firmly shut. Morrow was his friend, not to mention someone he could trust. Provoking him to anger would not help the situation. "Tom, can you help me or not?" Jethro asked.
Morrow's exasperated sigh could be clearly heard. "Patience, Jethro. I'll have something for you in an hour."
Pulling to a stop, Jethro snapped his cell closed without bothering to say goodbye. "An hour? Tony might not have an hour," he whispered.
Jethro checked his gun and nodded with satisfaction when he saw Cassie doing the same thing. Nothing and no one was going to prevent him from getting the antidote. Hell, he'd shoot Hannah Lowell if it meant saving Tony.
Holstering his weapon, he turned to look at his companion. Cassie was dressed like a hooker, and her appearance would, no doubt, cause a disturbance. Good. He was in the mood to disturb both verbally and physically.
Jethro threw open the car door.
"Let's roll."
+++++++
Tony thanked his Marine escort with a quick kiss and a rib-crushing hug. "Thanks for walking me down the aisle, Boss."
"You're welcome, DiNozzo. Now, shut up and get married."
Jethro stepped back, allowing Tony his first good look at his life partner-to-be.
Flanked by Jack on one side, Teal'c stood tall and proud, his lust-inspiring physique clothed in a simple linen robe the color of sand.
Tony fingered the collar of his own robe. His attire was an exact copy of Teal'c's with one exception. Leaning forward, he rather audaciously announced in a hushed voice, "I'm butt-naked under this. Not to mention, primed and ready."
The tiniest of smiles curved his lover's generous lips. "As am I," Teal'c solemnly answered.
"Primed and ready?" Tony questioned as he nibbled on the lobe of one delectable ear. "Or naked?"
Teal'c gently pushed Tony away. "Both," he said, and this time his smile was more than just a smile. It was a bona fide smirk.
"Why you---" Tony snapped his mouth shut when his brain finally registered the subtle coughing coming from his best man. He acknowledged Jethro's admonishment with a slight nod of his head. "Behave. I hear ya, Boss. Behave."
As the ceremony commenced he tried as hard as he could to resist temptation. Unfortunately his insatiable curiosity got the best of him.
"I gotta look. I just got to."
Unaware that he had adopted one of his lover's mannerisms, Tony quirked one eyebrow while thoroughly checking out the fit of Teal'c's robe. He nearly choked when his man canted his hips forward and the material of the robe molded itself to his groin.
"Whoa, Nellie. Talk about ready!"
Aroused beyond belief, Tony was more than willing to present the DiNozzo family jewels in the same manner. In fac, he was about to do so when he caught sight of the minister's disapproving frown. Mumbling a somewhat contrite apology, he locked eyes with Teal'c and didn't move a muscle until he heard a familiar sniffle. He spared Abby a small smile before returning his attention to the vows Teal'c was declaring to all present.
"I, Teal'c, hereby claim Anthony DiNozzo as my mate for all eternity. I have deemed him worthy of my affection and pledge to him my faithfulness. This ring I place upon his finger binds my soul to his and will forever be a symbol of my love and commitment."
Tony stood trembling as Teal'c took possession of his left hand and slipped a simple band of silver upon his finger. For some unknown reason, he couldn't take his eyes off the ring, and the longer he stared at it, the more overwhelmed he felt.
His heart quickly took notice of his mental agitation. It started pounding like a jackhammer, beating so hard and so fast that Tony actually thought he was dying of a heart attack. He struggled to say his vows but couldn't draw enough breath to do so.
Clutching his chest, he fell to the floor. His vision blurred to the point of blindness, and soon all he could do was cling to the words being whispered in his ear.
"Tony, listen to me."
Tony moaned in defeat. His beautiful dream had evaporated into nothingness. There was no Teal'c, no church and from the way his chest felt at the moment there would never be a commitment ceremony. He was going down for the third count and not even Jethro could save him. The consequences of his idiotic behavior had finally caught up with him.
"You listening?"
The words were muffled and hard to understand, but the unrelenting grip of his hand insisted he better damn well answer.
"I'm lis . . . ." Tony gasped for air. He had to respond. The voice belonged to Jethro, and nobody in their right mind ignored Jethro Gibbs. He had to answer. "I'm listening, Boss."
"You will not die, you got that?"
The pain in his chest eased as his lungs and heart yielded to the inevitable. He heard the sound of a door opening, and suddenly there was a bright light illuminating the darkness. His grandfather's voice called to him, ‘Time to go, Bucko.'
The stinging slap of a hand to his forehead momentarily halted his exit. Jethro again. Didn't the man realize it was time to go?
The breath of love caressed his cheek. "I said, you . . . will not . . . die."
Tony wrestled with the voice demanding he follow the light and the voice insisting it wasn't his time to die. Who should he obey? Jethro was pretty adamant but damn it, he was tired. Maybe his grandfather was right. Maybe it was time to go.
Tony opened his eyes so that he could look at his boss one last time. The sight that greeted him wasn't that of Jethro's face nor the isolation chamber. What he saw was a vision of his three lovers standing beside a grave, his grave. The look of grief marring the features of his beloved Teal'c was enough to extinguish the bright light beckoning him onward.
Sucking in a breath, Tony squeezed Jethro's hand and uttered hoarsely, "I got ya, Boss."
"Good."
The hand gripping his relaxed. A second later it was gone and in its place was a cellphone. Jethro continued to speak to him, but the words made absolutely no sense.
Get his number changed? Tony thought. What in the world was Jethro talking about? He couldn't change his number, not without talking to Teal'c first. Teal'c wouldn't like it. Not to mention, he so didn't have the strength to deal with a grouchy Teal'c.
And who in God's name was Spanky? The only Spanky he knew was from the ‘Little Rascals.' Why would somebody be using his phone to call Spanky?
Tony closed his eyes. His head was hurting like the dickens. His head, his chest, hell, his entire body hurt for that matter, like he'd been run over by an 18-wheeler. Somebody had better written down the number of that truck or else they'd be answering to one very pissed off Anthony DiNozzo.
Number. Oh yeah. Phone number. Teal'c.
He searched blindly for his call button. If he could convince his lungs to cooperate, maybe, just maybe he could sweet talk Nurse Emma into dialing Teal'c's phone number.
"Nurse . . . Nurse Emma, would you---"
Exhaustion overcame him and the request died on his lips.
+++++++
Jethro shook hands with the man standing beside him. His new best friend had the look of a weasel and no doubt was just as trustworthy. None of that mattered. Harry Maybourne had accomplished the impossible -- he'd cut through the bullshit and located his missing lover. That alone was enough to silence the qualms Jethro had about the man.
"Are you sure you and Jack are old friends?" he asked after glancing toward the doors that led to the Intensive Care Unit. "I don't recall him ever mentioning your name."
Harry took a sip of coffee and smiled. Jethro immediately felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.
"Jack and I go way back, Gibbs," his companion answered. "Of course, he'll deny it. Has to. Top secret and all that."
Rolling his eyes, Jethro threw his empty coffee cup in the garbage with a little more force than necessary. Maybourne's explanation of the Stargate Project had given him one hell of a headache. Couple that with his continuing concern for Tony, and it was no wonder his brain was demanding a fresh dose of caffeine.
Jethro eyed the half-filled coffee pot tucked in the far left corner of the ICU waiting room. No doubt the stuff would taste like shoe leather. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he decided the pain of a headache was less aggravation than the taste of burnt coffee.
Grabbing a chair, he turned it around and straddled it backwards. "Tell me again about SG-1," he insisted.
The pounding of running feet put a halt to Maybourne's answer. The man hadn't even opened his mouth when Jack and Teal'c came into view. Jethro drank in the sight of his lover, but the relief at seeing him didn't last long. It was quickly replaced with anger.
Yes, he understood the secrecy. He understood the subterfuge. After all he was a soldier, a son of Uncle Sam. There were secrets he'd take to his grave. Not to mention, he'd done the same to Shannon before they were married. Gone on missions, leaving her in the dark for months at a time.
But now that the shoe was on the other foot, his perception of the matter was significantly different. Tony had nearly died and what could have been his last request would more than likely have gone unfulfilled. All because of an oath of allegiance to a government that would, without a doubt, lock up their asses if news of their poly relationship became public.
Maybe it was time to rethink their future.
He grabbed Jack by the arm and didn't loosen his grip one iota when his lover verbally protested the hold.
"Uh, Jethro . . . Ow!"
Jack slapped at his hand, but Jethro ignored him. "You and I need to talk," he insisted through clenched teeth. "But right now," he indicated the man standing with his back to them, "right now there's someone I want you to meet or should I say, meet again?"
Grimacing with pain, Jack tried a second time to free his arm. "Jethro, the only person I'm interested in meeting is our bo---"
"O'Neill," Teal'c interrupted. "Tony is my mate. I should be the first to visit him."
The argument of who went first was derailed when Jethro's companion announced his presence.
"Hello, Jack, Teal'c," Maybourne enthused. "Long time no see."
End of chapter 11
Disclaimer: This work is not intended as an infringement upon the rights of those that own these characters and is meant solely for non-profit entertainment purposes only.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Straightening his shoulders, Tony put on his best smile and followed Jethro out the door and down the hall to Autopsy. It was going to be all right. It had to be all right. He couldn't die, not now, not now that his life was absolutely fucking perfect.