I wake up when I feel Tony moving away from me. Not sure how I can tell the difference between him just changing position and actually leaving, but I know he's getting ready to leave the bed. Not going to let that happen.
"Tony?"
"It's okay, Boss." Tony sooths, voice little more than a whisper.
"Head?" I mumble, grabbing his arm to make him stay put. Don't want him to leave until I know exactly why he is getting up when the sun is barely up. Trip to the head makes the most sense.
He lightly pats my arm. "Told Gabe and Carol I'd run with them this morning."
I grunt an acknowledgement. He must have agreed to that when I was out in the workshop with Mike. I don't remember anyone saying anything about running in the morning between dinner and when we left last night.
I sigh and start to get up. Tony pushes me back down. "You don't have to get up, Boss."
"I'll go with you."
"Ten miles?"
I don't have to be able to see him clearly to know he's raised both eyebrows. I scowl. "I can run ten miles, DiNozzo."
"I know you can, but you probably shouldn't. You're knee will hate you for it, Jethro." He cups my cheek, and even as annoyed as I am about being reminded of my limitations, I can't help but lean into his touch.
"I'm not a cripple." I growl.
"Never said you were." He chuckles, leaning in to give me an all too brief kiss. "If it's any consolation, Sammy doesn't run ten miles any more either."
No that isn't any consolation. I'm not going to actually tell him that, but I'm not going to pout like some kid either just because he's right. My knee is good for a few miles, but more than that will leave me in pain for days.
"Mike will be making breakfast this morning." He gives me another quick kiss. "See if you can get him to make waffles."
"Waffles?"
"He hates making waffles." Tony snickered. "But the ones he makes are to die for. And if you ask, he'll do it."
"But not for you?"
"Not without a whole lot of whining." Tony shakes his head; grin bright enough for me to see in the early morning light. "And after ten miles with Gabe and Carol, I'll be lucky to still be breathing."
That's an exaggeration...I think. I know full well he's more than capable of running that far. Or at least he used to be. But I'm not sure how far he regularly runs any more after having the plague. He could be like me now---good for a few miles, but not up to a longer haul without suffering for it later.
I frown. "You sure you want to do this?"
He nods. "Gotta work off all that stuff I ate yesterday."
Yeah, right. Like a few days of indulging are going to put any weight on him. I'm more likely to get fat than he is. Especially since I can't work it off as easily as I used to.
He moves away from me. "And I've been working my endurance for a while now."
"You have?" I prop myself on one elbow. "You aren't planning on joining them in that triathlon thing are you?"
"Oh hell, no." Tony laughs as he digs around for clothing. "But I did do a marathon or two before. Wouldn't mind doing that again."
"When did you run a marathon?" He's never mentioned doing that before. It's not in his file that I can recall.
"When I was in Phillie I did three. Ran in two when I was in Baltimore . Gabe ran in one with me." Tony shakes his head. "With me being something of a relative term since he's faster than I am. He finished a lot higher than I did."
Tony pulls a t-shirt over his head. "Keeping up with him was a challenge even before the whole plague thing."
Gabe must be very fast then, because Tony has always been quick. I am now thinking I should go with him. Help set a pace that won't hurt him. Before I can move to get up he gives me a look.
"Don't worry, Boss, I know better than to try and match him step for step." He grins again. "Carol usually sets the pace these days. Her, I can keep up with." He laughs ruefully. "As long as we aren't swimming anyway. Swear she's part fish."
Tony pulls on a pair of track pants over the boxer shorts he picked up off the floor. I wasn't even aware he'd packed his jogging stuff. But then I hadn't really paid any attention to what he was putting in his bag. Honestly, I was just damn glad he only packed one bag. Even though I know better, I was still half expecting him to have a dozen like one of my ex-wives. They never went anywhere without at least half the clothing they owned.
"Get some more sleep, Boss." Tony sits on the bed to pull on his socks.
Yeah, like that's going to happen. I'm up now. And I can't sleep worth a damn if he's not with me.
"If you don't want to go back to sleep, you could always go shopping with Momma C, Zeke and Dan." Tony laughs as he says that.
"I'm not going shopping." I reach out and cuff the back of his head.
"I know." He chortles before twisting to run his fingers through my hair, ruffling it. "Would be too late if you had wanted to tag along with them. Pretty sure they've already left."
"Brat." I smack his hand away, torn between annoyance and amusement.
"Hey, Mike will be up and in the workshop if you want to go play with him and his toys."
"Thought he'd be busy making waffles?"
"Not until after we get back." Tony shakes his head. "The great shopping expedition might return victorious by then too."
"So soon?" I expected that foray to be an all day thing.
"Depends on how well things go." Tony shrugs. "One year Dan was back by ten."
I blink. Guess all that strategizing I heard at the table wasn't wasted. Not that I thought it would be. I just didn't think it would be quite so---efficient.
"Let that be a lesson to you." Tony wags a finger, grinning. "You ever want to go shopping, go with Dan. She's a take no prisoners kind of girl."
I roll my eyes. "Yeah, I kind of got that."
"See you later, Boss." Tony gives me another quick kiss and leaves before I can say anything else.
I sigh. I would have liked a repeat of yesterday morning. Hell, I wouldn't mind a repeat of last night. Never been with anyone who makes sex as much fun as Tony does. Foreplay for him can be really playful. Not entirely sure he was joking about naked Twister. But if he was serious, I think that's something best saved for when we are home...where I can make sure the damn door is locked. And I have no objection to taking him up on Strip Poker.
No point in wallowing in bed, feeling sorry for myself. I get up and dig out some clothes. I need coffee.
I shiver when I step outside. It's not really cold, but there is a definite chill in the air. At least it isn't raining. I debate with myself for all of two seconds before opting to use the outhouse. Could wait until I got to Mike's place, but I'm not going to be a whimp just because it's a little on the cool side. The water in the bottle on the shelf has a skiff of ice on the top, but not enough to keep me from using it. I can't help cursing a bit at the feel of it against my skin. Definitely need that cup of coffee now.
I miss having Tony walking next to me as I head for Mike's house. I shake my head. He's been gone for less than fifteen minutes and I'm already moping like some teenager with a crush. Christ.
I take a deep breath when I enter the kitchen, savoring the aroma of fresh brewed coffee. I am surprised to see Sammy sitting at the table sipping a cup of his own. I was expecting Mike.
"Morning."
"Morning, Gibbs." Sammy smiles at me, saluting me with his cup. He points to the coffee pot. "Feel free to help yourself."
I would have anyway, but it's nice to have it offered. I pour myself a cup and close my eyes to really enjoy my first sip. God that's good.
Hearing Sammy chuckle, I open my eyes. He shrugs one shoulder. "To hear my wife tell it, I'm the only one who thinks that first cup of the day should be considered a religious experience." He grins. "Nice to know I'm not the only one."
I smile back. "She tell you that you drink too much?"
"Just every other day or so." He rolls his eyes. "You'd think I was drinking it by the case."
"Are you?"
He laughs. "Close to it some days."
"Mike in his workshop?"
Sammy nods. "Said something about putting the finishing touches on Tony's gift."
Not sure if I'd be welcome in his workshop then or not. I stifle a sigh. I hadn't realized how much I was looking forward to it until now.
Sammy gets up from the table. He fumbles with a cane I hadn't noticed leaning against the table until he reached for it. I frown. Sammy had a barely noticeable limp yesterday and he hadn't needed any added support.
He grimaces when sees me looking at the cane and sighs. "Only need it in the morning. Stiffens up. Especially when it gets colder."
I wince sympathetically. My joints give me more trouble with the cold too. Hope to not need a cane for a long time.
"Keep thinking I'm going to have to move further south one of these days." Sammy shakes his head. "But I'm not that much of a pussy yet."
"Florida is too flat," I tell him, refilling the mug he holds out to me.
He smiles. "And way too hot in the summer time."
"It's not the heat--"
"It's the humidity," he finishes with a laugh. "130 in the shade is still damned hot, humidity or no."
Not many places in the world hit that temperature. "Middle East?"
He nods. "Desert Storm."
I blink. I wasn't expecting to have shared combat experience with someone so much younger than I am. Stupid to be surprised by that when I knew Sammy is a few months older than Tony. Both of them are old enough to have been in Desert Storm. Damn glad Tony was in college then and hadn't enlisted. I wonder why Sammy wasn't in college then too---and I ask before I can think not to.
"Signed up thinking the GI bill would be a good way to help pay for college." Sammy shrugs, leaning against the counter. "But I ended up liking it, so I stayed. Plan was to be a lifer," he thumps his cane against the floor, "but shit happens."
Timing is wrong for his injury to have happened during Desert Storm. "Enduring Freedom?"
He shakes his head. "Happened in the August of 2000."
I nod. That time line makes sense. The case where I met Tony was only three months later. He joined NCIS in January of 2001.
"You miss it?"
"Sometimes." Sammy sighs, and I know 'sometimes' is a fairly regular occurrence. "You?"
"Still in the reserves," I tell him. Although, the odds of them calling me up for anything overseas are essentially slim to none. Got a lot of guys younger than me, and more versed in the state of the art technology shit than I ever was or will be.
"Once a Marine--"
"Always a Marine," I finish for him.
"Non sibi sed patriae," he says quietly. No way I could fail to recognize the unofficial Navy motto. 'Not self but country'.
"Semper Fi."
He raises his mug in salute. And I do the same.
"Would be better with scotch."
Or bourbon, I think. "It's too early for that."
Sammy snorts. "Five o'clock somewhere, Gunny."
"Always is," I agree, laughing with him.
"C'mon, sit down." He moves back to the table and the chair he'd been in when I walked in. "We'll trade war stories while we wait on everyone else."
We are sitting at the table, still drinking coffee and talking about mutual experiences when Mike comes in about half an hour later. He arches an eyebrow. "You didn't help yourself to breakfast? Or think to make me some?"
"Nah." Sammy shrugs, good humor glinting in his eyes. "Tony wants waffles."
Mike rolls his eyes. "Waffles," he mutters, sounding amused and annoyed at the same time. "You want them too."
"Natch." Sammy grins. "Since you make them better than any of us?"
"You decided to sit on your ass and drink coffee all morning."
"Pretty much, yeah."
Mike sighs, a smile tugging at his mouth. "You could make an effort to lie, you know?"
"What for?" Sammy grins, unrepentant. "You always know."
"True." He shakes his head. "You could have made something else."
"But I like your waffles."
Mike points a finger at Sammy. "This means you have to make omelets tomorrow."
Sammy snorts. "Like I didn't know that was coming."
"Any idea when our crazy joggers will be back?"
"Another hour at most."
Mike shakes his head as he washes his hands. He starts pulling things out of various cupboards. "What kind of person runs a marathon or triathlon for fun?" His tone is a mixture of disbelief and pride.
"Same sort that think getting up at the crack of dawn to go shopping is the definition of a good time." Sammy laughs. "Face it, none of our little brothers are normal. Us either for that matter." He gives me a wink and a smile, making sure I understand his next comment is intended to be taken lightly. "Got the same strange taste in their spouses too."
Spouse? I nearly snort coffee out my nose. It hadn't occurred to me to think of Tony as my husband---or wife. But we've already known each other longer than three of my marriages lasted. And I'm as devoted to him as I was to Shannon . I smile, realizing just how well 'spouse' fits and how much I like the level of commitment it implies.
"Can't really count me on the spouse thing...yet." Mike smiles broadly. "That whole short term marriage thing doesn't count."
Sammy snorts. "Keep telling yourself that."
Mike ignores him. "And Zeke hasn't settled down yet."
"He hasn't actually picked someone for the long haul, but we know he picks out some oddballs." Sammy snickers, pointing a finger. "You thought the guy he was seeing in college was weird. Admit it."
"He was weird." Mike grimaces. "Guy had so many body piercings the kid set off metal detectors. And his hair was blue."
"Yeah." Sammy rolls his eyes. "I mean tattoos I could understand---sort of. And the hair, fine whatever floats your boat. But why the hell would anyone want to get their nose pierced. In a fight he'd be down for the count in two seconds."
"Only if you fight dirty," I can't help but note.
Sammy chuckles. "Is there any other way?"
"Not if you're fighting to win."
"Alls fair." Sammy murmurs in agreement, clearly pleased with my honest answer.
"He was better than the guy Zeke was seeing two years ago."
"Oh yeah, much," Sammy agrees.
"You welcome that guy to the family?" I am genuinely curious.
"Nope." Sammy shrugs one shoulder. "Zeke never invited him to a family gathering. That made it fairly clear he wasn't as confident in his choice as he said he claimed to be even though he did introduce him to me and Mike."
"Would you have welcomed him?"
The muscles in Sammy's jaw flex for a moment. "Zeke dumped him when he found out he was cheating on him with the barely legal age teenage girl next door."
That would be a no then. I get that. They'd have forgiven a few odd quirks, but clearly betrayal isn't on the list of things they'd let slide. Nor should it be.
"Didn't help his case any when the schmuck called Zeke's place and Momma answered his phone," Mike notes with distain.
"He was rude to her," Sammy agrees. And I get the impression that is another unforgivable sin. I can see where it would be. I've only known Momma C for all of two days and I can't see being tolerant of anyone who wasn't polite to her. She has too much class to be treated as anything other than the lady she is.
"You want to grab a shower before the others get back, you might want to do it now, Jethro." Mike says. "Won't be any hot water left when they get done."
I nod. It's a good idea. "Have those waffles be ready soon, will ya?"
Mike casually flips me off and I laugh as leave the kitchen and head upstairs. I really do like these people.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Gibbs spends more time with Sammy.