Gibbs‘ POV
„I got your 911, what is it, Abby?"
Gibbs nearly yelled as he stormed into the lab.
„I think Tony's over board!"
„YOU THINK WHAT?"
She turned and pointed at the screen.
„See? There's the ship and here's Tony's chip!"
„Shit!"
Gibbs turned heading to the elevator with his cell phone in his hand.
„Keep looking! He is somewhere out there!"
Gibbs yelled into the speaker.
„Try a bigger radius. It could be that they have thrown the Chip away before they threw him over board!"
McGee and Ziva sat at one corner and Gibbs was pacing up and down the room. McGee couldn't tell when he had seen his boss that upset.
„Sir, it have been eight hours since he's been seen for the last time. You have to face..."
Before the Commander could finish the sentence Gibbs had him at his collar against the wall.
„Face what? The fact that my Agent could be dead? The fact that your men are too stupid to find him in the water?"
„Boss, calm down."
McGee tried to geet Gibbs away from the struggling man when the phone rang.
„We got him."
****************************************************************
Abby bounced into the room with McGee, Ducky and Ziva.
„How ya doing, Tony?"
She signed. Gibbs must have told her and she was doing the signs slowly so Tony could follow easily.
„Better than in the water."
He signed back.
„You remember?"
Gibbs asked. He still had the worry all writen over his face.
„Yeah. First they tried to get information, when I didn't give any they... they poked my left eardrum. Then they threw me into the water with the cocain and wheights on my waist. Hensley couldn't do it so he loosened my ties. What happened then?"
Gibbs looked down for a moment.
„You somehow got free and made it to the surface. But it took us nearly 10 hours to find you. The water pressure was too high for your ears and your eardrums burst."
„So, I'll never hear again."
Gibbs turned to the others and they left.
„No, Tony, you won't hear again. I talked to Sheppard, you'll get a pension based on your salery."
That was it. He would never work again, either. He took some deep breaths but the anger didn't go down. He slowly sat up. The nurse had taken off the electrodes and IV earlier since his vitals were fine. He stood up and paced the room.
He looked out of the window. He didn't want to hear, rather see, what Gibbs had to say. He looked down at his hands.
„You know...I really thought I'd die."
He turned around. What he saw shocked him a little. The older man sat hunched in his chair looking at his hands.
„Why, Gibbs? Why did they had to do that? Why was Hensley such a fucking coward?"
Gibbs looked up his mouth open in shock.
„Why couldn't he just let me die there and then?"
Gibbs stood up approaching Tony who was nearly in tears now.
„I'm deaf, Gibbs! I'll never hear my nephews first words. I'll never hear my niece sing at the high school contest next week. I...I will never work again. I...I do love my job. I was prepared to die in line of duty...Fuck! I'd prefer to die!"
„Tony, don't say that! You've got a lot to live for!"
„What, Gibbs? I'm a cribble! Everybody will only pity me!"
„I don't pity you! Yes, you can't hear, but hell, Tony, you've got four senses left!"
„You can't understand that! It's...I always was a acoustic person. I...loved the way music sounds. Voices. Voices always were important for me. Sometimes...sometimes I closed my eyes when..."
Tony looked at his hands. He would never work again. What did he have to lose? Why shouldn't he tell Gibbs?
„Sometimes I closed my eyes when I was one the phone with you. I always loved your voice. It was..."
He closed his eyes trying to remember the way Gibbs sounded.
„...a little husky, deep, masculine. You are a good pretender but your voice never lied. Once I learned the differences I could tell if you were pissed or happy, joking or serious, not really by the tone of voice you used but by your voice."
„Was my voice all you loved about me?"
Tony looked at him puzzled. He opened his mouth but closed it again. Gibbs took a step closer.
„You don't think you can love seeing my face every morning? Touch my skin every night? Taste my lips on yours? Smell my scent? Don't you think that's enough?"
„What are you trying to say, Gibbs?"
„Haven't you figured that, yet?"
With that Gibbs brushed his lips softly over Tony's and the younger man fell into that feeling. He put his arms around Gibbs neck pulling him closer. His eyes closed he focused on the feel of Gibbs‘ big hands on his waist and back. The soft pressure of Gibbs‘ chest against his own. The scent of saw dust wasn't as strong as usual and thinned by the smell of washing-powed. Their tongues dances in a soft rythm and Tony tasted faint coffee and a bit peppermint and strongly something definitely Jethro.
The need for air became too strong and they broke apart. Gibbs rested his forehead against Tony's and then he just pulled back enough so Tony could see his lips.
„I love you, Tony. Unconditionally and just how you are. You're mine now and I'll take care of you."
Gibbs stroke over Tony's cheek and Tony's smiled shakily.
„You're nothing less because you can't hear. Not to me."
Tony nodded and shortly kissed Gibbs again.
„I guess there are some people who want to talk to you. And then we have to put some dirtbags through the hell of interrogation."
Tony laughed shortly.
„You'll ride their asses for me?"
„I'd do more if they weren't already in custody."
„Don't, Jethro. I don't want you to make your hands dirty for me."
„I'd do anything for you."
„I know."
They kissed again before Tony climbed back into bed and the team came in. Abby and Ducky stayed for longer when Gibbs, Ziva and McGee left to interrogate the perps.
„You will be fine, Tony. Even without hearing."
„Well, Abby. You're right. I'm deaf. Not dead."
Author's Chapter Notes:
TOny is frustrated and has a talk with Gibbs
Chapter End Notes:
Kay, this is the last chapter but there'll be an epilog. Puh, now I can go on to other bunnies without bad conscious