The next morning, Gibbs gave Tony a lift into work. The night had passed by uneventfully; the dinner between the two men was as good as they could both have hoped for. They had talked warmly throughout the dinner, and Tony had automatically started doing the washing up after dinner had finished.
They had shared a drink after dinner, before Gibbs headed down to the basement to do some work on the boat. Tony followed him after a while and helped Gibbs with the sanding. Eventually Tony had fallen asleep under the boat, which Gibbs took as a hint to go to bed. Gibbs woke Tony up and helped him up to the guest room.
As the two men got into the elevator, they heard somebody shout to hold the elevator for them. Tony held the doors open as Ducky came across the parking lot and into the elevator with them.
As Ducky saw Gibbs, he narrowed his eyes at him, "Jethro, you didn't come to see me yesterday,"
"Sorry Duck, I got sidetracked," Gibbs replied, "I'll follow you to autopsy if you like,"
"That'd be great," Ducky replied with a smile, as the elevator set in motion
Gibbs followed Ducky off the elevator when it arrived at autopsy, wondering what the older man wanted to talk to him about.
As Ducky entered autopsy, he turned on the lights and took off his hat and jacket. As Ducky hung up his coat, he called over his shoulder, "So, Jethro, how did last night go for you?"
Gibbs frowned, "What do you mean?"
Ducky turned around, fixing his friend with a knowing gaze, "Oh, don't act as if you don't know what I'm talking about. Anthony stayed at your house last night, did he not?"
"Yeah, he did," Gibbs replied, subconsciously straightening up
"Well?" Ducky asked
"Well what, Ducky?" Gibbs asked, confusedly
"Did you get what you intended to get?" Ducky responded
"I don't know what you're talking about," Gibbs replied
Ducky walked up to Gibbs to stand in his personal space, "Lately you have been acting very much like the dog that didn't get a bone. And I have seen the glances you have been throwing at young Anthony when he hasn't been watching. Jethro, those glances are not those that a supervisor or team leader sends to his subordinates,"
Ducky paused and watched the emotions flittering through Gibbs' eyes, "Then yesterday your behavior changed radically, almost as if you knew that Anthony would ask you to stay at your place,"
"Ducky, how would I know – " Gibbs replied
"Jethro," Ducky interrupted, holding up his hand, "What exactly is going on between Anthony and yourself?"
"Nothing," Gibbs replied, glaring at Ducky
"Don't lie to me, Jethro," Ducky responded
Gibbs took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "Nothing is going on between us. Tony stayed at my place last night, and will be for the next few weeks, because his apartment is being renovated again. Nothing would ever happen between us, I'm straight, and so is Tony,"
Ducky scoffed, "Tony is very open minded, and I've seen the way he looks at you,"
"He looks at me the same as he looks at everybody else, he doesn't – " Gibbs responded
"If you truly believe that, then you really are as blind as everybody believes you are. Jethro, whatever game you are playing, you'll want to tread carefully, because this is Tony's feelings you are playing with, and if you hurt him – " Ducky interrupted
"I will not hurt him!" Gibbs interrupted angrily, "I know what I'm doing,"
"And just what are you doing?" Ducky asked
"I don't have to explain myself to you, Doctor Mallard," Gibbs replied coldly, "What I decide to do is none of your business,"
"But when it involves Anthony and his welfare, it is my business, Agent Gibbs" Ducky responded, in the same tone of voice
"If you are done, Doctor, I have work to do," Gibbs told him
"For now, I'm done," Ducky replied, watching as Gibbs turned around and strode towards the exit, "But if you hurt Tony with your games, then you and I will be having more than just words,"
Gibbs paused at the doorway, before biting the inside of his lip to keep from saying anything, and walked through to the elevator.
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Gibbs sighed as he sat in his chair, taking a sip of his coffee. After his conversation with Ducky, Gibbs had gone to the coffee shop and ordered two extra strong cups of coffee. He'd managed to drink the first one on the way back to the office. Today was going to be a very long day.
He peered over the top of his monitor to covertly observe Tony. He seemed to be doing that more often now than he had been before. Tony looked perplexed, seeming to be in deep thought about something. Finally, the younger man snapped out of it and continued typing away on his computer.
Gibbs grinned as he watched Tony type, Tony's typing was only marginally better than his own. McGee had tried to teach the two of them to type better. Gibbs hadn't lasted five minutes before becoming frustrated at the computer and running away to his safe haven for coffee, whilst Tony had lasted a lot longer, but had been distracted by a few windows that had just ‘popped up'.
Shaking his head, Gibbs returned his attention to the computer screen in front of him. After almost an hour of reviewing cold cases, Gibbs decided to check his email to see if Tony had replied to his last message.
As he signed online, Tony began talking to him almost straight away.
ToyBoy38: Who the fuck do you think you are?
Gibbs frowned at the screen, wondering what he'd done to make Tony pissed off at him so soon. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that he had a few unread emails, Gibbs quickly replied before checking to see if Tony had emailed him first.
Jarhead426: What do you mean?
ToyBoy38: Are you stalking me?
Jarhead426: What??
Gibbs opened the email from Tony and quickly read it as he waited for Tony to reply.
To: Jarhead426
From: ToyBoy38
Subject: What the fuck?!
I think hoping him to have the same feelings as me is just wishful thinking, but who knows…
Hangon! How do you know my name? How the hell do you know my name? I never told you who I was. I swear if you tried finding me through NCIS without telling me… that's how you did it, didn't you? You sick mother fucker!
I knew there would be something wrong with you! If you so much as try to contact me again, you'll never hear the end of it! Leave me alone
Gibbs closed his eyes and swore several times under his breath. How could he have been so stupid? Gibbs swore again and wished the floor would open up and swallow him. Sighing heavily, he looked back up to his screen as Tony replied
ToyBoy38: You know what! You've been following me, haven't you?
Jarhead426: No!
ToyBoy38: Then how the hell do you know who I am?
ToyBoy38: Do you know where I live as well?
ToyBoy38: And I suppose you know where I hang out
Gibbs bit his lip until it drew blood, how would he explain this to Tony?
Jarhead426: Okay, stop
ToyBoy38: Don't you tell me to stop! Hell, YOU stop! You're the one who's stalking me!
Jarhead426: I'm not stalking you
ToyBoy38: Then how do you explain how you know my name?
Gibbs swore and wondered the same thing
Jarhead426: I wanted to check you out
ToyBoy38: WHAT?!
Gibbs swore again, this time aloud
Jarhead426: That came out wrong
Jarhead426: What I meant was I wanted to make sure you were…no, that won't sound right. I checked your profile, wasn't hard to figure out who you were. Especially when you talked to me about your boss
Gibbs grinned, hoping that wouldn't sound too bad. When no response came, his grin disappeared and he tried again
Jarhead426: I'm not a stalker…but I needed to make sure you weren't. As paranoid as it sounds, I check any girlfriends and…to make sure they don't have a criminal record, I want to make sure they aren't a murderer or something
ToyBoy38: And that's supposed to make it right?!
Jarhead426: Hey, I value privacy, but I also value my life
ToyBoy38: Don't ya think NCIS would've picked me up if I was a murderer?!
Gibbs slapped his forehead at that and grumbled at himself.
"Gibbs are you okay?" he heard Kate ask
Gibbs looked up and forced something that looked like a smile, "I'm fine, Kate,"
"You don't look fine, boss," McGee agreed
Gibbs growled at them, "I. am. fine."
McGee and Kate shrugged, shooting a glance at Tony – who couldn't keep his eyes off his screen and looked more pissed off than Gibbs – before going back to work
Gibbs raised his eyebrows as he thought of a reply
Jarhead426: I had to make sure that you were actually employed by them. You wouldn't believe how many people say they are a federal agent and are actually …somebody else. Point is, I couldn't trust what you said
ToyBoy38: YOU couldn't trust ME?!
Jarhead426: I didn't say that
ToyBoy38: Yes, you did
ToyBoy38: So, how the hell did you track me down?!
Jarhead426: Through the NCIS database
Gibbs intently watched the screen as he waited for a reply, hoping Tony could forgive him
ToyBoy38: And how did you get into the database, it's kinda secure
Jarhead426: I, umm, hacked into it
ToyBoy38: You don't have security clearance for this sort of thing?
Gibbs frowned as he tried to think of some techno babble to make his story sound good. As he came up with something that sounded plausible, he saw Tony look at McGee and call to him.
"McGeek, we've got a hacker. Somebody hacked into the database a few days ago, they're still online, I'm talking to him now," Tony told McGee
"Okay, keep him talking, I'll follow his ISP address," McGee replied
SHIT! Gibbs cursed in several different languages as he thought of the repercussions of if he was found out.
ToyBoy38: You still there
Jarhead426: Nope, look I've gotta go, my doorbell is ringing
ToyBoy38: I'll wait
Jarhead426: Sorry, I can't. Talk later, bye
Gibbs signed out and closed the window as he heard Tony bang his fist on his desk
"He just signed out, McGee," Tony told him
"Ah, hang on," McGee replied, typing away frantically at his computer
"You get him?" Tony asked
"I'm still trying to isolate the signal, you may have had him on long enough to leave a good trace," McGee replied
"Where is he, McGee?" Gibbs asked as he stood up on shaky legs, making him have to steady himself before walking to McGee's desk. He figured he'd draw less attention to himself if he acted like he wanted this guy found, rather than trying to impede their search – not that he knew how he'd do that
"In this area, I'm still narrowing it," McGee replied, still typing frantically, "Wherever he set up, it was a pretty secure area,"
"What did he get into, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked
Tony was still sitting in his chair, staring at his screen as if he hadn't heard Gibbs
"DiNozzo!" Gibbs barked
Tony looked up sharply, "Boss?"
"What did he hack into?" Gibbs asked
"Ah, personnel files, boss," Tony replied
"Did he say whose?" Kate asked, "And how did you find out anyway?"
"It was mine," Tony responded, ignoring the other question
"I lost it, boss," McGee said suddenly, "But he was somewhere in this building or just outside,"
"He was in the building?!" Tony asked incredulously
"Yeah, I couldn't isolate it any further," McGee replied, "Sorry, Tony,"
Tony frowned, "He said he had to go, the doorbell was ringing,"
"There aren't any residential buildings in this area," Kate commented
"I know that, Kate," Tony snapped
"He knew we were coming," McGee deduced
Tony sat down and stared at his computer, before putting his head in his hands
"McGee, keep an eye on it, if he shows up again, get him," Gibbs ordered
McGee frowned, "But I didn't identify the code, boss, the only way I'd know is if he contact Tony again or tried to – "
"McGee! Just…do your thing," Gibbs interrupted, "DiNozzo, with me,"
Tony looked up with a frown, "Boss?"
"Now, Tony," Gibbs replied
Tony shrugged before getting his gun and following Gibbs to the elevator. As he stepped inside, Gibbs started the cart before pressing the emergency stop.
"Boss?" Tony asked
"We're getting coffee, Tony," Gibbs replied, "But from now on, you're not going anywhere without somebody…preferably me, you got that?"
Tony met Gibbs eyes, trying to read him, before nodding, "Yeah, boss, I got it,"
Gibbs smirked and rolled his eyes, "Gee, DiNozzo, don't sound too enthusiastic about it, or anything,"
Tony smiled, "Okay, sounds good, boss,"
Author's Chapter Notes:
Things start to look really good for gibbs...or do they?
Chapter End Notes:
Merry xmas! Hope everybody had a good day!
Hope you all like this chapter! Please give me feedback! I thrive on it
Hope you all like this chapter! Please give me feedback! I thrive on it