Gibbs woke from a light doze, somewhat surprised to find he'd even nodded off. He squinted out the passenger side window, unable to make out much in the predawn darkness. Blue eyes drifted to the dash, checking the time. Just a little after three.
Gibbs grunted. He'd been sleeping for about an hour then. He stretched, wincing when his shoulders and back protested.
Music filtered through the speakers. Gibbs was pretty sure it had been old rock and roll when he nodded off. Now it was?Gibbs frowned. He wasn't sure he could even label what was playing. It wasn't bad, just nothing he'd ever really heard before. At least it wasn't the ear splitting music that Abby usually had blaring in her lab. He smiled realizing he'd remembered something else. Her favorite band was Plastic Death.
"What are you listening to?" Gibbs asked, wondering if he should know what Tony's favorite style of music was.
"Rusted Root." Tony answered, glancing over.
"Rusted Root?" Gibbs repeated, eyebrows rising.
"Name of the group." Tony clarified with a shoulder roll that wasn't quite a shrug. "Kind of a blend of rock, Latin and African rhythms."
"One of your favorites?"
"Not really." Tony lightly tapped his fingers on the steering wheel keeping time with the music. "But it's good driving music."
Gibbs filed the detail away for future reference. He looked out the window again hoping to catch sight of a road sign. "Where are we?"
"About half an hour or so from Grottoes, Virginia."
Gibbs had never heard of it, or at least he didn't think he had. "That our ultimate destination?"
"Pretty much." Tony grinned. "Or at least as close as you'll find on a map."
Gibbs watched the road for several minutes. He didn't know what else to say. Small talk had never really been his forte. He had expected Tony to fill in the void, but the other man seemed content to hum along with the music, fingers still tapping the steering wheel matching the drum beat.
What Gibbs remembered of Tony seemed to involve a love of movies and an almost compulsive need to discuss them. Gibbs had memories of movie references being made at the oddest time, sometimes germane to the situation, other times not. He wished he had more to go on. At least the silence wasn't uncomfortable. Tony clearly didn't mind if he had nothing to say, and didn't seem to expect him to talk.
Tony yawned and rubbed at his eyes. Gibbs studied him. The younger man had likely been awake for at least twenty-four hours, probably more. Just because he hadn't looked tired when Gibbs showed up at his apartment didn't mean he wasn't.
"You okay to keep driving?" He hadn't seen anywhere to stop but then he hadn't been looking for one either.
"I'm good." Tony shifted in his seat, executing an abbreviated stretch. "Not the first time I've made this drive a little short on sleep." He chuckled. "Actually, now that I think about it, I've always made this drive that way."
The question Gibbs wanted to ask was what the hell was in Grottoes that made the trip worth it, but he settled for a simple, "Why?"
Tony bit his lower lip. "Probably because I still haven't gotten the balance down right."
"Balance?" Gibbs frowned.
"Yeah, balance. How much I can take and how much I should before I take a break. Still working on getting it down pat. You'd think by now I'd have a better handle on it, but that stupid last straw is always so hard to see coming."
The reference to a last straw sounded familiar but before Gibbs could ask him to explain further, Tony braked suddenly. He swerved, narrowly missing a slow moving, frightened whitetail. "Damn deer," Tony muttered. "Always forget how many there are out here."
Tony scanned the shoulder of the road ahead. Gibbs did likewise, looking for the tell-tale shine of eyes. Gibbs belatedly realized the last time he could recall doing that was when he'd gone camping with Shannon and Kelly.
"Totaled a car on this road once." Tony commented quietly as he accelerated to the previous speed, drawing Gibbs back to the present. "Glad the Corvette was in the shop and I was stuck with that shitty little rental car. Never would have thought a hundred pound deer could do so much damage."
Tony flexed his fingers before roughly running them through his hair. Gibbs was suddenly struck by a strange desire to find out if his hair was as soft as it looked. He blinked, realizing he did know what Tony's hair felt like. Although, he wasn't clear on just how he'd come by that knowledge. His palm and fingertips tingled with the remembered sensation of baby soft, silky strands against his skin. He wanted to reach out and touch, test his memory. Gibbs shook his head, banishing the weird urge, forcing himself to focus on the younger man's comments.
"When did total the car?" Gibbs frowned. He didn't remember anything about Tony having hit a deer. Not that it meant much with still so many holes in his memory.
"Nearly ten years ago now." Tony shook his head. "Damn. Where does the time go?"
Ten years ago Gibbs had just about as much experience at NCIS as Tony had now. He was Franks' senior agent. And Franks called it quits, leaving Gibbs to handle the team on his own. Gibbs jaw tightened. He wasn't sure if he thought he'd been ready or not. At the moment, he wasn't sure if he was ready now to be the team leader his people needed.
Gibbs was pulled from his thoughts as they drove through Grottoes. It looked like any other small town in America. It was somewhat comforting in that familiarity even though Gibbs knew he'd never actually been there before. He smiled when he spotted a Dairy Queen. Kelly had loved DQ.
His smile faded. He hadn't been in one since Kelly was killed. He caught Tony sending him a concerned glance but ignored it. He wasn't about to tell the younger man why the sight of something so innocent made him grind his teeth.
Just outside town, as the houses were spaced further and further apart, Tony turned left. Gibbs estimated they went another fifteen miles or so before the road ended in the driveway of a two story, white Victorian home. The light above the front door was on, illuminating the wrap around porch. A swing hung from one of the cross beams, and a couple of wooden rockers completed the picture of a charming, older southern home. Tony parked the Mustang next to the late model Ford truck and turned off the car.
"We staying here?" Place was certainly big enough to be some sort of bed and breakfast. But it wasn't quite the ?rustic' Tony had mentioned.
"There's plenty of room, but no." Tony chuckled. He pointed east, out into the darkness behind the house. "About three quarters of a mile or so that way. Thought it might be better to wait to head up there until the sun was up and we could see better."
Tony got out of the car, stretching to his full height arms overhead. He shivered a bit in the early morning chill. Gibbs got out as well, feeling the same relief he always felt after being confined for hours. It felt good to move.
He glanced up when he heard the front door open, the screen door creaking. Gibbs eyed the man who stepped out, unsure of their welcome. It was four in the morning, after all. Most people weren't too happy to see visitors at that hour.
The man was Gibbs' height, broad shouldered but wiry. Gray hair at his temples suggested he was older than Tony, but probably only by a few years. He walked out on to the porch and leaned against one of the support posts.
"Hey, Mike," Tony called out with a grin, lightly bounding up the three steps to the porch.
"Tony," Mike's smile was wide and friendly, brown eyes warm. "You made good time."
"Not much traffic."
"That's because most people have enough sense to be asleep this time of day." Mike laughed, pulling Tony into a hug. Tony returned it with obvious affection.
Gibbs felt an odd stab of what he could only call jealousy. The closest he could remember coming to a physical display of friendship was smacking the back of Tony's head. It didn't even compare to what he was seeing now. Yet, Tony was the person he'd come to when he needed help getting his memory back. And the younger man hadn't even hesitated. Clearly, they were more than just coworkers. They had to be.
"You make enough breakfast for one more?" Tony asked when he pulled back, jerking his thumb over his shoulder to indicate Gibbs.
If his presence surprised Mike, the man didn't show it. He just nodded. "Always make plenty."
"Mike, I'd like you to met Jethro Gibbs." Tony made a graceful wave of his hand from Mike toward Gibbs. "Gibbs, this is Mike Capanzini."
Mike extended his hand. "Pleasure to meet you."
Gibbs nodded, shaking Mike's hand. The handshake was strong and firm. Gibbs noticed Mike's palms and fingers had calluses. Whatever the man did for a living he definitely used his hands to do it.
"C'mon in." Mike turned and led the way into the house. "You planning on staying long, Tony?"
"Just a few days." Tony followed Mike, moving easily. "Don't have time for much more than that."
Gibbs breathed in deeply when he entered the kitchen. The fragrance of bacon and fresh coffee filled the room. The dark stain of the oak furniture and cabinets was offset by soft yellow walls and the blue-gray slate tile floor, giving the room a sense of space and light. It was definitely masculine, but inviting and warm at the same time.
"Make yourself at home." Mike gestured to the table where two place settings were already arranged.
Gibbs realized he hadn't been expected when Mike moved to the cupboards, pulling out another plate to add a setting to the table. Evidently Tony hadn't told Mike he was bringing a guest. He hesitated to take a seat, but Tony just shot him a ?sit down already' look. Gibbs sat. It was a bit too late to argue if he should be here. And if Mike had a problem with another guest, Gibbs figured he'd say something.
Tony worked around Mike, helping to put food on the table. He deftly handled a plate of pancakes, one of bacon, and a bowl of scrambled eggs. Mike added a carafe of coffee and a bottle of orange juice. He also brought a bowl of what Gibbs recognized as grits.
Tony made a face as he took his seat. "Can't believe you eat that stuff."
Mike rolled his eyes. "Just because you don't like grits?"
"Gabe doesn't like them either."
"Gabe doesn't like much of anything." Mike snorted.
Tony laughed. "He likes the gnome."
"My point exactly." Mike spooned a helping of grits on to his plate. "Baby brother has no taste at all."
He offered the bowl to Gibbs. Gibbs took it after a moment's hesitation. He hadn't eaten grits in years, but he didn't dislike them. They just weren't offered in MRE's and Shannon hadn't cared for grits so she didn't make them.
Mike offered him the eggs, while Tony helped himself to the pancakes. He took two before offering the plate to Mike. "Sammy tap new trees this year?"
Mike nodded, taking the plate and offering Tony a small jar of what had to be maple syrup. "Yeah." He placed two on his plate before passing it on to Gibbs. "You'll have to get up to see him. It's turning into quite the little operation."
"Tried to get up north last month but work just got a little nuts." It was just a statement of fact. Tony wasn't complaining. Gibbs wasn't even aware he could tell the difference until then.
Tony glanced over at Gibbs. "You want coffee?"
"Please." Gibbs held out his mug. Tony filled it, his and Mike's while he was at it. He left the carafe within easy reach for Gibbs. Gibbs sipped his coffee, pleased to find it as strong as he liked it.
"Be sure to try the syrup," Mike said as he offered Gibbs the pancakes. "My brother makes it." There was an obvious note of pride in Mike's statement.
The former Marine assumed the brother who made syrup was Sammy. Gabe was obviously another sibling, the youngest of the family, Gibbs guessed based on Mike's referral to him as ?baby brother'. Gibbs almost wished he hadn't asked Tony to take him somewhere that know one knew him and he didn't know them. He felt out of the loop listening to Mike and Tony talk. Yet, at the same time, it was a relief not to feel any pressure to add to the discussions.
"I haven't heard from Zeke." Tony poured himself a glass of juice. "He doing okay?"
"Loves the job, hates his coworkers." Mike shook his head. "Don't know if he'll stick with it or not."
"Damn." Tony deftly cut his pancakes into neat, bite sized squares. "I thought he'd have better luck in California."
"Yeah, Momma did too." Mike nibbled at a piece of bacon. "She's talking about going out to visit."
Tony blinked, mouth dropping open in surprise. "Really?"
"Shocked me too given how much she hates to fly."
"You going with her?"
"Depends on when she decides to go." Mike shrugged. "If I can't go, Sammy or Gabe probably can. Thought about asking you."
"I'd love to go." Tony's eyes lit up, clearly pleased to have been considered. "But work is a bit too unpredictable to plan for much right now."
Gibbs hid a wince. NCIS had never been a nine to five job. It would be even less so for Tony if Gibbs quit.
"Yeah, figured that. I'll let you know when she's planning to go, just in case." Mike didn't sound surprise or upset. "If you can swing it, okay. If not, just make sure you get Thanksgiving and Christmas off this year. No excuses this time. Momma wants the whole family together." He pointed at Tony with his fork. "She was not happy you missed Mass last year."
Gibbs frowned. Something about Mike's statement struck a chord. Tony asked for time off, just a day or two really, but they had a case, so Gibbs said no. He'd already granted McGee leave to be with his family. And Ziva was too new for him to trust completely as his sole back up. He remembered saying, ?You don't even like your family, DiNozzo. Your plans don't involve more than the lady du jour. Cancel them. And get your ass back to work.' Tony hadn't contradicted him or even hinted that he might have other plans.
It shamed him to think he'd never even considered that Tony might have good, long term friends he wanted to share the holiday with. Or that other people might have wanted his company as much as Gibbs did. Gibbs blinked, stunned by that revelation. It wasn't only the job that had him keeping Tony around. He hadn't wanted to be alone for the holiday either, with only a half finished boat to keep him company. Of course, he'd never said as much to Tony. God, I really am a bastard, Gibbs thought to himself.
Gibbs ate in silence, watching and listening to Tony interact with Mike. They didn't leave him out of the conversation, but neither tried to force him to participate. It wasn't until they were finished eating, clearing the table when Mike leaned closer to Tony, asking him something in softly accented language Gibbs didn't fully recognize. It sounded a bit like Italian but different; a dialect perhaps.
It was the look in his direction which clued Gibbs in that whatever was being said was about him. He was surprised it had taken this long for Mike to ask what was likely the most obvious and pressing question. What was Gibbs doing here with Tony?
Tony shrugged one shoulder and said something back in the same language. Mike muttered something, giving him an exasperated look. Tony laughed. He patted Mike on the shoulder and said something that made the older man chuckle.
Green eyes met blue easily, offering no explanation or excuses for blatantly excluding him for a moment. "You ready, Gibbs?"
For what? Gibbs thought, but he just nodded. "Whenever you are."
"Dinner is at six if you're interested," Mike said, directing the comment to both of them as Tony headed for the door. "And if you could kill that gnome on your way out, I'll be forever grateful."
"Not a chance, buddy." Tony snickered. "I will not be party to your evil plan for slaughtering innocent lawn ornaments."
"There is nothing innocent about something that ugly and you know it." Mike stepped out on to the porch with them. "Was nice meeting you, Jethro."
"Was nice meeting you as well." Gibbs was startled to fine he wasn't just being polite, he genuinely meant it. Meeting Mike had definitely been an eye-opening experience. "Thank you for breakfast."
"Was my pleasure." Mike smiled and waved, closing the door.
Tony stepped off the porch, moving to where a small garden gnome sat forlornly overlooking a portion of the flowerbed. The little statue wasn't so much ugly, Gibbs thought, as decidedly out of place. It didn't match anything else, and certainly didn't suit the man he'd just met.
Tony picked up a small rock nearby, turned it over, and pulled out a key from a hidden compartment. "Should drop this," he hefted the rock, bouncing it in his hand, "on Gipetto."
"Gipetto?"
"The gnome." Tony grinned, teeth flashing brightly in the faint light of early dawn. "Gabe named him. Mostly I think to piss of Mike. Now that he's got a name, it's harder to kill him off."
"It's not alive," Gibbs felt compelled to point it out, amused in spite of himself.
"Neither are boats, but we name them too." Tony chuckled. "And we referred to them as though they were alive." He placed the fake rock back where he'd gotten it. "Probably wouldn't do much damage to Gipetto anyway."
Tony headed for the car, opening the trunk. He offered Gibbs his bag before shouldering his own. Tony closed the trunk and led the way to two track dirt path that began at the edge of the driveway.
"How long have you known Mike?"
"Known Mike just about seventeen years. Kind of hard to remember there was ever a time when I didn't know him." Tony grinned. It was the same look he got when he got a sudden insight or made a new discovery that pleased him. "We've got more time in as friends than we do as strangers."
Gibbs paused, unsure if he should keep asking questions. It wasn't like he would be equally willing to open up about his past. But in for a penny, in for a pound. If Tony didn't want to answer more questions he'd tell him so. "How did you two meet?"
Tony adjusted the shoulder strap of his bag, settling it more comfortably as he walked. "I was getting ready to head for Ohio to start college when my uncle Salvatore died. Didn't understand it then why he'd leave me two hundred acres of land in Virginia, and in some ways I still don't understand, but I'm damn glad he did. Glad I was smart enough to hang on to it too."
Tony stopped at a field stone fence. He used the key he had in hand to unlock the gate, waving Gibbs on through in front of him before pulling it closed. "Mike had just finished getting his bachelors degree and had come into some money. He bought the house he lives in, which belonged to an elderly relative then who was headed for a nursing home. Never quite understood how exactly they were related and I keep forgetting to ask. Not that it matters. Anyway, as you no doubt noticed, his place borders the land Uncle Sal left me."
Tony neatly ducked under a tree branch, not slowing down at all as the trail began winding its way uphill. "Mike's property actually surrounds mine on three sides. I'm up against Shenandoah National Park on the other. Uncle Sal had an easement worked out for access years ago, back when he first bought it. Mike and I just basically renewed it when we became the new owners. Been friends ever since."
Gibbs frowned. He didn't recognize anything Tony said as something he'd heard before. "Did I know this?"
"Nope." Tony shook his head. He stopped to look directly at Gibbs. "Told you, you've never been here."
That was small consolation and a piss poor excuse, Gibbs decided. He should have known that his right hand man had a good friend who clearly thought of him as part of his family. He should have at least thought to ask about something that was important to Tony.
"Don't sweat it, Boss." Tony smiled, patting Gibbs shoulder. "No one know at the office knows about this place or Mike and his family."
Gibbs made eye contact and held it. He was honored to the first one Tony shared this part of himself with. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." Tony looked away, a faint blush rising to add color to his cheekbones. "C'mon, it's just a little further."
A few minutes later they crested the hill, and entered a clearing. Standing like silent sentinels around a small, well maintained cabin were what had to be old growth oaks, maples and a few pines. They dwarfed the cabin with their height and size, keeping the early morning light at bay.
Tony opened the door, walking in to the shadowed interior. Gibbs followed, stopping just inside the doorway to let his eyes adjust. A stone fireplace dominated one wall, barely glowing embers in the hearth added warmth and light to the room.
Tony dropped his bag on a mission style leather couch, before he moved to added wood to the fire, brining it back to life. "Mike must have lit a fire not long after I called last night. Takes the chill off."
Gibbs nodded, stepping further into the room. The open beam work of the ceiling impressed him. He could see the tongue and groove work, and the wooden pegs. The whole structure had been put together without nails.
Tony pointed to the open door on the opposite wall from the fireplace. "Bedroom is in there. Feel free to use it." Gibbs could just make out the bed frame. It was the same mission style as the couch and chairs in the main room. A brightly colored quilt covered the bed.
Tony yawned widely, belatedly covering his mouth with one hand. "I'm going to crash on the couch for a few hours."
Gibbs scowled. "I'm not going to take the bed." It was rude to force someone out of his own bed. Shannon would be appalled.
Tony arched an eyebrow. "Look?wasn't that long ago you were caught in an explosion and then spent a few days in a coma. Take the bed. Trust me, you're back will thank you for it." He smiled winningly. "I'll sleep there tonight and you can have the couch if it makes you feel any better."
Gibbs glared. "Maybe I'm just not tired, DiNozzo."
"Yeah and maybe the moon really is made out of green cheese." Tony snorted. "Boss, just go lay down for awhile or something." He pointed to the small bookshelf under one of the windows. "Pick out a book to read."
Gibbs fought off a yawn. He was tired and he ached but didn't feel like admitting it. And he didn't care how much like a cranky toddler that made him.
"Boss, I've been driving all night. Please?can we not argue about this?"
Gibbs was ready to dismiss it as the childish whine the request was when Tony rubbed at his eyes. His features suddenly seemed very pale, standing out harshly in the firelight. It was obvious Tony was tired. He deserved to get a little sleep.
Feeling foolish for making such an issue of Tony's effort to be nice to him, Gibbs stalked over to the bookshelf. He grabbed the first book he found and walked into the bedroom.
"Sleep tight." Tony sang out. Gibbs stifled the urge to smile. Tony was irrepressible. It was endearing.
"Gibbs?"
"Yeah?" He looked over his shoulder.
Tony tossed him a small pill bottle. "Something to take the edge off."
"Thanks." He couldn't keep the gratitude out of his voice, nor did he want to. He was stiff and sore and his body wasn't shy about letting him know how much it would appreciate it if he laid down for awhile.
He couldn't believe he'd forgotten how often Tony had just what he needed. Maybe he hadn't really lost sight of that fact. He'd gone to Tony for help.
"Get some rest, DiNozzo."
"Will do, Boss."
TBC
Author's Chapter Notes:
Gibbs and Tony make it to the cabin, and Gibbs meets Mike along the way.
Chapter End Notes:
This is a sequel to Opening the Box. It will probably end up more as pre-slash than a true slash story. (Meaning, no sex, but thoughts of a male/male relationship will likely appear.)