"Welcome back to the land of the living, Jethro." Ducky smiled at him as he checked Tony's pulse and eye reflexes.
"Yeah - whatever - how's he doing?" Gibbs leaned forward, taking Tony's hand again and bringing it to his lips. "He looks a lot more peaceful than he did earlier - how long was I asleep?"
"You've had a good two hours, Jethro - you need more."
"No - I need to find the bastard that did this to Tony, Duck - then - I think about getting some more sleep - until then - I'm running purely on adrenalin." He sounded determined - and Ducky nodded to himself - he was sounding like the old Gibbs again - and that had to be a good sign. "And Rick?"
"Rick is up and about - a little groggy - but he's fine - the chloroform he inhaled will leave him feeling a tad light headed - but that will pass soon enough." He bent and re-checked the sutures on Tony's forehead and straightened up, taking off his glasses and cleaning them with a handkerchief before putting them back on.
"Where is he?"
"Next door - " Ducky began as Gibbs rose to his feet and paced to the door. "Gibbs - Alex told me what happened - " he paused, looking into Gibbs's eyes surprised to find nothing but blatant anger behind them. "Go easy on him - "
"Like Taylor did on Tony?" Gibbs snorted. "Rearrange the following Duck - horse, door, bolted, stable - and make sure we're not disturbed - "
Ducky watched him leave and sighed heavily - he'd seen Gibbs like this too often - and it was never pleasant - and right now he wished Rick all the luck in the world - he was about to feel the wrath of a very pissed Gibbs and retreating was probably the ME's best option. A final check on Tony and he hurried out of the room and back downstairs to warn the others gathered in the kitchen.
Gibbs stuck his head around the guest room door just as Rick re-entered from the bathroom drying his face on a towel. As he lowered the towel - he spied the older man and stopped dead in his tracks.
Holding up his index finger, Gibbs made the "come here" sign. "Wanna show you something," was all he said and those four words sent Rick's stomach plummeting to his boots as he followed him across the landing to the master bedroom. "Get inside and don't say a fucking word," Gibbs growled as Rick stepped through the door - his stomach rolling as the older man locked the door and stood looking at him - just staring right into his eyes -
"Jethro - I don't know - "
"Look at him, Rick." Gibbs breathed. "Turn around and look at him - " Rick didn't move - like a startled rabbit caught in headlights - he could not look away from Gibbs. "I SAID TURN AROUND AND LOOK AT HIM!" Gibbs bellowed. "NOW!"
Rick turned, quickly glancing at Tony before fixing his gaze on the lamp on the far bedside locker.
"You see," Gibbs began - slowly walking across until he was standing behind Rick. "I don't understand - I just can't seem to get my head around why you did what you did - "
"I didn't do anything, Jethro - " Rick spun round and matched his gaze. "Okay - I might have come onto him - "
"No - no - it's not that I'm talking about - what I want to know is - why is it Tony lying there - why isn't it you?" Gibbs whispered, his hands fisting at his side. "And yes - Alex told me everything - you were not just taking out the trash which is what you were going to tell me - you lured him out there - you've coveted him since the second you set eyes on him - you even sent out to a FBI friend for a damned photo of Tony!" He paused. "It's the same old story - isn't it? What Rick wants - Rick gets - no matter who or what gets in the way."
"Jethro - don't - "
"Don't what?" Gibbs taunted, suddenly taking Rick totally by surprise as he twisted both hands into the younger man's shirt, spun him round and slammed him against the wall - leaning in until they were nose to nose. "You two were almost killed today - Taylor had it all planned - you were never going to be free - we found you both in a deserted farmhouse with enough gas fuel to blow up a city block! I nearly lost the most important thing in my life because of your greed," Gibbs spat - slamming Rick against the wall a second time. " - your arrogance - your unfeasible stupidity - "
"I - "
"You?" Gibbs chuckled darkly. "What about you? Huh? It's not you I'm worried about - " He still had hold of Rick's shirt and used it to propel him across the room until he collided with the mattress and fell forward - quickly twisting onto his side - hands spread out as he steadied himself. "What about Rick? Huh? It's not you I'm seeing lying there with a three inch gash in his head - it's not you who had his hand broken - it's not you who was beaten to a pulp is it? No - Ricky always comes up smelling of roses - falls in pig shit face first a lot of the time - but always comes up smelling of roses - and I'm having a hell of time trying to convince myself not to haul your ass into the Navy Yard for conspiracy in the attempted murder of a Federal Agent!"
"Gibbs!" Rick shouted - startling the older man who merely sneered at him.
"I could have lost Tony today - Taylor could have just killed him in the alley couldn't he? Or he could have let him go - but he took him with you - "
"Gibbs! Shut the fuck up and listen to me!" Rick was on his feet, tugging his shirt straight.
"Why? I don't want to hear any more lies - no more crap - "
"I've lost everything!" Rick yelled - spreading his hands wide.
"Oh - now that's a doozy!" Gibbs grinned quickly - the smile fading as he moved closer.
"No - it's the truth - you have to believe me."
"Get out." Gibbs said quietly - his jaw set firm.
"But - "
"I said - get out."
"Jethro - don't do this - please don't do this."
"I'm doing it - you know where the front door is - you got five seconds to get down those stairs - or my foot will be connecting with your ass and you'll be heading down them so fast you won't know what day it is." He blinked at the younger man and then made the "come here" sign again and as Rick came closer - he wrapped a hand around the back of the Uber Dom's neck and leaned in close. "And just remember this - you so much as think about messing with Tony again - I will personally remove your cock and balls - roast them in front of you and force feed them to you while you are on display in the Rumpus Room - do you understand?"
Rick stepped back a pace, then turned and walked to the door - unlocking it slowly.
"And Rick?"
The younger man turned back.
"I'd be very scared right now - who knows who is gonna be knocking on your door with a warrant - "
"You're talking shit, Gibbs - and you know it."
"Am I?" Gibbs sneered. "I don't think so - you and Taylor are in this - whatever - this - is - together - "
"Huh?"
"You're family aren't you? How do I know you're not as bad as he is? This whole thing could be one huge act - the Feds want him - but no one can touch him - maybe you're the reason they can't - "
"What are you saying?" Rick looked at him curiously.
"Me? Hell - you're the one with friends in high places - ass licking on the hill is a skill Rick - and that sounds like it's right up your street in more ways than one - maybe the reason he's never gone down is because you're asking people to look the other way?" Gibbs looked triumphant as Rick leaned against the door, head back against the dark wood.
"You're insane, Jethro."
"I said something was hinky about all this - and I think I'm starting to understand why - "
"If anything's hinky - it ain't me." Rick stated flatly. "Look - Taylor made me sign away the club - the town houses - everything - he made me sign everything away while he snapped Tony's fingers - once I'd signed - he slapped me around - and I didn't know Tony was getting the same treatment - not that I could have done anything about it - I was handcuffed to a fucking chair and forced to watch while Morgan - broke four fingers on Tony's left hand - "
"And you expect me to believe that?"
"You saw the state Tony was in when you found us - believe what you want - I know what happened."
"Why would Taylor make you - "
"No idea - some drivel about payback - but you don't want to know that - you got your precious fucking boyfriend back - I got nothing - " He raised a hand and looked the floor - lifting his head quickly with an ironic smile. "Oh - forgot - it's not just me is it - Alex and Nicky too - so wish me luck when I tell them the good news - I just know they're gonna love to hear it."
"I tell you - " Gibbs sniggered. "I've heard some stories in my time - but this one - "
"Is the truth - and if you're going with your famous fucking gut - this time Jethro - it's got it all wrong - " It was Rick's turn to look triumphant. "Hah - newsflash Washington - the gut got it wrong - don't believe the gut!"
If either man was going to speak further - they were interrupted by a cross looking Ducky who pushed open the door - ignoring them completely as he checked on Tony again.
"Duck?" Gibbs queried.
"Half the street can hear you, Gibbs - and all this noise isn't helping Tony at all - I would suggest a stiff brandy for both of you and - please - try and calm down." Duck sounded irritated and then looked up - glancing from one to the other. "Still here gentlemen?"
"And we intend staying here until we settle this," Gibbs answered gruffly.
"You may be - I'm outta here!" And Rick was gone, his feet pounding down the stairs two at a time.
"Duck?"
"Mm?"
"What the hell is going on here? Did I break a mirror or something?"
"Jethro," Ducky soothed as he rounded the end of the bed and rested a hand on Gibb's shoulder. "I know that right now everything seems slightly off kilter - somehow shrouded in mystery - and from what the boys have been telling me - there is a lot more going on here than anyone would care to let on - I am going to remove my ME's cap for the duration - except where - " he pointed to Tony briefly. "Except where young Anthony is concerned of course - and instead - don my "Columbo raincoat" - there are answers to be sought, Jethro - and with the plucky band of fellow investigators awaiting us downstairs - I think we stand a chance of solving this - "
"Sounds good Duck - but I need to speak to Jen - Fornell - I need to bring them up to speed on what's happening." Gibbs took his seat at Tony's bedside again, gazing at the younger man sadly.
"Admirable - indeed - but you have forgotten one very important element here -"
"Have I?"
"The small matter of how this all began in the first place? You can't talk to them and not mention the club - can you?"
"I don't have to - just the bare bones." Gibbs shrugged.
"But they'll find out anyway - bring them in at the end - after all - loose ends do get lost at times," Ducky patted his shoulder. "Not that I would know anything about that - of course."
"You, Duck? No - course not." Gibbs smiled quietly to himself. "How's this sound - hey Jen - sorry but Tony won't be in on Monday - or for the rest of the week - he got kidnapped round back of a kink club - he and his boss had spent most of Friday night Saturday morning shagging each other - "
"Too much information, Jethro." Ducky sniggered. "Now - I suggest we leave Anthony to rest - you get cleaned up and I'll get a pot of your most dangerous personal blend of coffee going and we start making plans."
"You're enjoying this - aren't you?" Gibbs smiled up at him.
"Beats trying to shampoo five corgies who don't want to be shampooed, Jethro - believe me."
"We'll make an Agent out of you yet - " Gibbs rose to his feet and made for the door. "Duck - ?"
"Jethro?"
"Thanks."
"For what?"
"Keeping me grounded?"
TBC…..
Author's Chapter Notes:
Rick/Gibbs - the proverbial is about to hit the fan!!