Fic: Tongue and Groove 1/2
Mar. 1st, 2007 11:35 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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ncisficathonTitle: Tongue and Groove
Author:![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
mosquito_larva
Written for:ingenius_incArchive: sure
Pairings: DiNozzo/Gibbs
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 11,321
Summary: In which Tony gets knocked about, Gibbs scowls, and a gay time is had by all. If by 'all' one means 'Tony and Gibbs'.
Author's notes: First of all, my sincere apologies and heartfelt grovelling atingenius_inc 's feet for the delay. This should have been done sooner. I wanted to get it done sooner, and long story short, it just didn't happen. I hope that you can forgive me and that you enjoy the story. It was inspired by the dialogue between Gibbs and Tony in "Left for Dead" when Gibbs tells Tony he can't stay with him because of "what happened the last time." This is my version of what happened the last time.
Author:
mosquito_larvaWritten for:
ingenius_incArchive: surePairings: DiNozzo/Gibbs
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 11,321
Summary: In which Tony gets knocked about, Gibbs scowls, and a gay time is had by all. If by 'all' one means 'Tony and Gibbs'.
Author's notes: First of all, my sincere apologies and heartfelt grovelling at
ingenius_inc 's feet for the delay. This should have been done sooner. I wanted to get it done sooner, and long story short, it just didn't happen. I hope that you can forgive me and that you enjoy the story. It was inspired by the dialogue between Gibbs and Tony in "Left for Dead" when Gibbs tells Tony he can't stay with him because of "what happened the last time." This is my version of what happened the last time.Prologue
With a quiet click, the window latch gave beneath his nimble fingers. He pushed it up and awkwardly clambered through, the pane knocking against his back. He swore under his breath as his foot grazed a lamp, sending it tilting towards the floor. A quick catch and he had it standing still against his palm. It was supposed to be a quick job: get in, take care of the target and get out again. He turned on his penlight and began to move about the apartment following the small yellow glow. The layout was straightforward. The left side of the living room opened up into a small kitchen. A hallway on the right led down to a bathroom at the end of the hall, a bedroom on the right, and what looked like a small den on the left. It wouldn’t be hard to find his target.
He approached the bedroom cautiously; he could hear faint snores behind the closed door. Ears pricked, his gaze was so focussed on the ground in front of him that he startled when something was suddenly between his legs. He stumbled, dropping the flashlight. The small beam went out, leaving him in the dark. He bent down and, after some fumbling across the carpet, found the flashlight. He shook it and heard a faint rattle in the bulb. Shit. The fall must have been enough to break the filament. He held himself still and waited for his eyesight to adapt.
Slowly the inky blackness resolved itself into grey shadows. He looked down but couldn’t locate what had made him stumble. Holding a hand out in front of him, he continued his approach to the den. Once inside, he peered about, trying to sort out the grey shapes along the walls. A desk, another television, bigger than the one in the livingroom, bookshelves, and a wooden case with what appeared to be glass doors; perhaps a display case.
He was about to move towards the desk when a deafening noise attacked him from the wall. An alarm! He bolted back down the hallway to the living room, bumping against the walls like a pinball. He wrenched open the window and scrambled outside. He could hear the muffled thump as the lamp hit the floor this time. Damn it! He hit the street at a flat out run and cursed his luck. He’d have to try again later. He’d get him. He had to. It was what the boss paid him to do. And what the boss wanted done, got done.
Act One
Special Agent Jethro Gibbs frowned into his coffee cup. Whoever had made this batch had allowed the grounds to get into the pot. He spat his mouthful into a nearby garbage bin and tossed the rest of the Styrofoam cup in after it. It was bad enough he spent the better part of the night fairing the side of his boat because three of the planks had warped in the unusual humidity. Most would have simply ripped the planks off, but Gibbs usually found the motion of the plane soothing, gradually shaping the wood to his liking.
But his rhythm had been off, the basement unusually warm and sticky, and inappropriate thoughts had flowed too easily through his mind of how he wished that it wasn’t wood beneath his hands, but muscled flesh, rippling beneath his fingers. No comfort was to be found, not even when he jerked off angrily before falling into a lonely bed.
He had gotten stuck in a construction zone, sitting in his car for an hour and half and listening to some popular music crap. Now he had to face the morning without his coffee. He’d send Kate or Tony, whoever pissed him off first, for a cup from that gourmet place down the street. Odds were good DiNozzo would be the one who wouldn’t manage to fly under his radar. Gibbs nodded at the security guard as he retrieved his gun, tucking it back into his holster and punching the button on the elevator. It wasn’t going to be a good day.
His first glance of the bullpen as he left the elevator confirmed his suspicions. Kate was industriously working at her computer. At least she was trying to between shooting nervous glances at the clock. Gibbs smiled for the first time that day. It wasn’t often she beat him in to work, and clearly her feathers were ruffled.
The smile transformed to a frown when he noticed Tony’s empty desk and the absence of any coat to show he had been in and was in the head or getting coffee. Speaking of which...
“Agent Todd. Coffee?” he asked.
“No, but thanks,” she replied brightly. “I just had some....That wasn’t an offer was it?”
“No, it wasn’t. Where’s DiNozzo?” he asked as he slung his coat over the back of his chair.
“He hasn’t checked in yet. Maybe he got stuck in traffic. I heard there was construction that was holding up traffic for miles.”
“Yeah, I heard about that.” He logged on to his computer and after a moment spent perusing his email, he paused and looked up. “Coffee?”
“Right.” She snatched up her purse and headed for the elevator. “Black right?”
“There is no other kind,” he shot back before the door closed. He snorted as he saw an email from Fornell. The FBI agent still had a bug up his ass about Gibbs’ NCIS team ‘commandeering’ Air Force One and making off with the body three weeks ago. It was no coincidence that after wrapping up that case his email spam had quadrupled in size. Today it was farm animals and chicks – women, not chickens – gone wild.
The phone rang at his elbow and he absently picked it up. “Gibbs.”
“Hey, Gibbs, do you have the TV on? Channel 5?”
“No, why?” He loved Abby like a daughter but sometimes her diversions were...distracting.
“Just put it on the screen, Bossman. It’s important!” she insisted. He pointed the remote towards the television and hit the number 5 and then enter. He squinted at the news broadcast, something about a fire.
“What am I seeing Abbs?”
“That’s Tony’s address!”
Gibbs’ attention snapped back to the television and he hung up. The fire on the screen was an impressive one, engulfing what looked like a duplex. Fire trucks were on the scene and reporters milled about. He turned up the volume.
“– arrived at the scene just in time to save the houses adjacent to the duplex. But as you can see behind me, the fire has consumed most of the building. We are waiting for word on the occupants, but sources say that the resident of the lower apartment, an elderly woman, managed to escape without injury. The resident of the upper apartment, however, is now being treated by emergency crews. There is no word yet on his injuries, sustained when he heroically went into the burning building to save the elderly woma–“
Gibbs hit the autodial. “Abby, call Kate on her cell and have her meet me there. Get Ducky out there while you’re at it.”
“Do you think he’s okay?”
“It’s DiNozzo. Of course he’s okay.” He hung up.
As he snatched up his coat, he wasn’t sure who he was reassuring more.
*********
The street was swarming with LEOs and fire officials. A quick flash of the badge let him through the yellow tape that was keeping the crowd well away from the blaze. The two story building was still engulfed in flames. A fire truck had extended a ladder with a fire fighter resting on it, shooting water onto the roof, but it didn’t seem to have much of an effect. Gibbs twitched his nose as the smoke drifted around him. It was time to find someone in charge.
He picked out an older man with a headset and a helmet, barking orders into the microphone.
“– back the line up a bit, the pressure isn’t great here and we’re going to have tap into the reserves soon. What? Jesus, doesn’t he listen? No, we’re not done. Tell him to get his ass back to the truck. Let me know when you’re done.” He took in Gibb’s badge and waved him closer. “Michael Graves, Fire Marshal.”
“Gibbs, NCIS. One of my men lives in the building. I heard he got out but was injured. Where is he?”
“We’ve got the EMT crew set up over there. If they haven’t transported him yet, he should still be there.” He gestured towards a white van surrounded by reporters being held back by police officers.
“I’ll want to talk to you when things calm down.” Gibbs said, already walking towards the van.
“I’ll be here. God knows this isn’t going to die down any time soon.” Graves muttered, turning away to yell into his microphone again.
Once he managed to get by the police by flashing his badge, he found his wayward agent, sitting at the back the van, an oxygen mask held against his face and an EMT packing up a case of medical supplies while Ducky poked and prodded at Tony’s eyebrow. Tony was in a t-shirt and boxers, soot smeared across his face and a bright red blanket draped over his shoulders. Blood trickled from an oozing cut at his temple.
“DiNozzo, what the hell is going on?” He was caught between concern and amusement as Tony came to attention and almost fell off the edge of the van’s floor. The EMT kept a hand on his shoulder, preventing him from standing.
“Sorry, Boss,” Tony managed between coughs. “Kind of had an emergency here.”
“Is he okay?” Gibbs asked, turning his attention to Ducky.
“Oh yes, Jethro,” Ducky said, fixing a butterfly bandage over the still oozing cut and patting Tony’s shoulder reassuringly. “He’s got a bit of smoke inhalation, and some minor burns. Someone should probably keep an eye on him.” Ducky looked at Gibbs, who looked at Tony, who proceeded to look at the EMT.
She shot Tony a look of exasperation, which quickly morphed into affection as he grinned at her through the oxygen mask. “Someone other than me, Agent DiNozzo.”
“He’ll be with me. I know what to look for.” Gibbs quickly dispensed with the possibility of any tender loving care from an overly perky EMT.
“Well gentlemen, and lady,” Ducky added with a smile at the paramedic, “I’m afraid I can’t tarry. Gerald called me on the cell phone on the way over. Mother’s got into a spot of trouble with the gardener. Something about burying the bodies in the rose bushes. If you need me, just give me a ring.”
“Thanks Ducky,” Gibbs replied, smiling as the older gentleman tipped his hat to them. DiNozzo, report.”
“Woke up to the smoke alarm. By the time I got downstairs, I could see the flames in Mrs. Klapinski’s apartment. I knocked on her door, but there was no answer.”
“So you decide to charge in there and be a white knight?” Gibbs asked sarcastically.
“Actually, no, turns out she was already outside. Her alarm had gone off already,” Tony replied. He coughed and wheezed into the mask for a bit before continuing. “We called the fire department on my cell. I grabbed it on my way out, reflex I guess.”
“So how the hell did you end up like this? The report on the news said you saved someone,” Gibbs insisted.
Tony mumbled something in response but the mask made it even more impossible to hear. Gibbs narrowed his eyes. Tony wasn’t even meeting his eyes. Something was definitely –
“Tony! Bubeleh, you are alright?” Gibbs was brushed aside by an elderly woman clad in a floral pink bathrobe and toting curlers in her greying hair. “My hero, he is,” she said as she noticed Gibbs. She hugged Tony tightly and fussed briefly with his mussed hair.
“And you are?” Gibbs asked, one eyebrow raised. Tony pulled the mask from his face to quickly intervene as the strange women drew herself up, wrapping her robe more tightly about her robust form.
“Boss, this is my downstairs neighbour, Mrs. Klapinski.”
“Tony was so brave! He go back in to rescue Mr. Cuddlesworth before he could be burnt. Such a brave boy,” she said, patting Tony’s cheek. Gibbs raised his eyebrow again, turning to Tony.
“Mr. Cuddlesworth?” Tony scratched at his hair, and wouldn’t meet his gaze. Was he....embarrassed?
“My poor poopsie wouldn’t come out from under the bed for me. But Tony, he go get him. See?” Mrs. Klapinski held out her arms to receive a grey animal carrier. Tilting his head, Gibbs could it was occupied by a very large cat. He bit his lip and turned to Tony.
“You got injured rescuing a cat?” he dead panned. Tony winced, and it had nothing to do with any injury.
“I couldn’t just leave it, boss. Besides –.” Whatever he was going to say was lost as urgent shouts from firemen urged the crowd back. With a loud groan, the two story building collapsed, sending smoke dust and ash into the air. The flames grew with a new source of oxygen, before being quickly targeted by firemen.
“Tony!” Kate’s shout brought both men’s attention to bear on her as she pushed between two policemen who only relented upon seeing her badge. “I got here as soon as I could after Abby called. Oh my god, is that your apartment?”
“Was. Was my apartment,” he replied with a sad sigh. “I don’t’ suppose I could stay with you. What with me having lost all my worldly possessions, and all.”
Staring at the remaining flames, Kate patted him absently on the shoulder. “Anything you need, Tony.”
A lecherous grin crossed his face. “Anything?”
Her gaze turned back to his face and she swatted him on the shoulder. “Tony!”
“He’ll be staying with me,” Gibbs growled. Kate smiled appreciatively, glad to be off the hook, while a look of surprise crossed Tony’s face.
“Thanks, Boss. You don’t have to do that. Really. I can find a motel somewhere. Or I could– ”
“Until we find out what caused this fire, I don’t want you anywhere that’s not secure.” Gibbs began walking back towards the fire marshal.
“Secure? You think someone’s trying to kill me? Why?” Tony called after him, coughing at the effort.
“Besides me?” Gibbs retorted without even turning back.
******
“It’s too early yet to tell what started the fire, let alone whether it was deliberately set,” Graves insisted. “Look at that mess. Hell, we’ll be lucky if we can tell which part of the rubble is first or second story. The fire gutted everything. Give us a couple of days and we’ll have an answer for you. Until then, just let us do our jobs.”
Gibbs had to respect that. “Call me if anything comes up,” he said, handing his card to the marshal.
“Hey, Boss.” Tony said, joining him in surveying the remains of his home. “Were you serious about me staying with you? Cause I was wondering...” he trailed off.
“Spit it out, DiNozzo.”
“Well, it’s just that Mrs. Klapinski is going to be staying with her daughter, who is really allergic to cats. She, Mrs. K, not the daughter, really loves her cat. She just found it outside by our dumpster and it was right after her husband died, so she got really attached to it. I don’t want to impose, and I could find a hotel that takes cats or something, but if you don’t mind...”
“Just get the damn cat, DiNozzo. Meet me at the car. Agent Todd!” he called, beckoning her over. “I want statements from any witnesses. Take down Mrs. Klapinski’s statement.”
“Is this our case?” she asked.
“Not yet, but it never hurts to be prepared,” he replied. “We’ll meet you back at the office.”
As he walked back to the car, Gibbs couldn’t help thinking that he was risking too much having Tony stay with him. It wasn’t as though Kate wasn’t capable of protecting him. She had been in charge of the damn President. But the thought of Tony with her, and not him, sent his gut roiling, and it pissed him off.
He knew that Tony was bi. The younger man, upon getting the job offer, had been upfront about it. Had said that if his sexuality was a problem for the ex-marine, to say so. He’d had it affect his job before and he wasn’t about to let it happen again. Gibbs had said he didn’t care who Tony slept with, so long as he was able to do his job, not bothering to reveal his own tendencies. Now, a year and half later, he wasn’t so sure he didn’t care. He was starting to care that it wasn’t him .
He got into his car and slammed the door shut. Damn it, he wasn’t supposed to fall for his subordinates. It always ended badly. Plus, DiNozzo wasn’t exactly his type. He wasn’t a red head. No, he was brunette, tall, leggy, quick to grin and incredibly smart despite his attempts to hide it. No, he wasn’t Gibbs’ type at all. Jethro closed his eyes and counted down from ten.
He had reached five, when Tony joined him, stowing the cat carrier in the backseat before settling down in the passenger seat. He smelled strongly of smoke and Gibbs shifted as he discovered a new kink.
“Sorry about the upholstery. I didn’t think to nab one of the blankets the emergency guys had,”
Tony apologized. Gibbs just nodded and turned the key. He was pulling out onto the street when a noxious smell overrode the smoky scent.
“Jesus, DiNozzo, what the hell did you have for breakfast?” Gibbs darted a glance at Tony as he manoeuvred the car between a police car and a news van.
“Wasn’t me, Boss. I think it was Mr. Cuddlesworth.” Tony seemed to get an inordinate amount of pleasure at saying the cat’s name, which was a complete misnomer. It wasn’t a cute, soft bundle of fur. No, it was big, mangy orange cat, currently angry at being confined to the carrier, and apparently suffering from serious intestinal gas. Gibbs rolled down his window and breathed shallowly through his mouth.
“Okay, the plan is this. We go to my place so you can shower and change. You can borrow something until we get you clothes. Then we find out who might want to burn down your apartment.”
“Sounds like a plan, Boss.” Tony grinned.
Distracted by the smell of the cat and of Tony, in Gibb’s case, neither agent noticed the black car that pulled into traffic behind them.
*******
Gibbs jaw tightened uncontrollably as he watched the incredibly handsome, incredibly Latin, and incredibly gay tailor guy smooth his hands over Tony’s ass. Yeah, he’s checking the fit. Sure. Tony responded to the flirtatious caresses with good natured charm. He smiled and joked about wandering hands. Raul responded with more innuendo and took far too much pleasure in measuring Tony’s in-seam.
They had stopped off at Gibb’s house just long enough for Tony to clean off the grime and smell of smoke and to let the cat out of the carrier to explore its temporary shelter. Gibbs had pulled a pair of old sweats from his closet and handed them off to his agent. They didn’t fit very well, but who cared when they stretched snugly across that ass? They had stopped off at work to pick up Tony’s spare wallet, stored at the office for emergencies and equipped with one credit card, two hundred dollars cash and a condom. Gibbs shook his head at the condom. Always be prepared. Then Tony had directed Gibbs to a clothing store, where Tony assured Gibbs they would be well taken care off.
Raul certainly hadn’t minded when they walked into the men’s clothing store. He had ushered them in, undaunted by the rather casual dress they both sported. The flash of Tony’s credit card, helped even more, garnering them the offer of fresh coffee and pastries. Gibbs passed on the pastry, but now sat enjoying a full bodied cup of java from freshly ground beans. Maybe Tony was right. Maybe it was time to rethink his shopping habits. One glance at Raul, however, overshadowed any lingering pleasure from the coffee.
At Gibbs’ growl the tape measure snapped back into its container and Raul made a strategic withdrawal. Tony just fiddled with the cuffs on the jacket and kept trying to see his ass in the mirror, twisting and contorting in ways that raised Gibbs’ blood pressure. He disappeared back into the changing room and emerged once again clad in the too tight sweats. Raul whisked away the suit and offered them a seat on a sofa while the adjustments were made.
“Thanks again, boss. It just doesn’t feel right going into work in your stuff. Plus, we wouldn’t want people to talk,” Tony said with a grin as he slouched in the comfortable cushion next to Gibbs. Gibbs just grunted and pulled out his cell phone to check for messages. Anything to distract from the faint aroma of aftershave he could smell, he wasn’t sure why Tony kept aftershave in his kit at the office, but he wasn’t complaining. He idly flicked through his electronic phone book and wondered how a 1-900 number had gotten programmed on the autodial. He wouldn’t put it past Fornell. He deleted it before Tony could peer over his shoulder and comment.
Tony sighed. “I’m going to miss my clothes.”
“You had insurance right?” He would kick his agent’s ass if he didn’t. They had enough risks in their line of work. Insurance was par for the course.
“Sure. But you don’t just replace an Armani Collezioni french-cuff. But remind me to get another Ermenegildo Zegna Tie, because it was my favourite.” Tony fingered a worn patch of fabric at his knee that was a precursor to a hole. He sighed with a wistful look. “Plus, my movie collection....oh, and my college jacket. But I guess that my frat brothers can help me there.”
Gibbs was saved a detailed list of lost items as Raul returned, clothing held preciously in front of him. He gave a mini-bow and smiled lustily at Tony.
“Your clothes, sir.”
“Thanks, Raul. That was fast.”
“We aim to please,” Raul said with a definite leer. Gibbs squinted and the man’s grin faded slightly. Tony saved the day by taking the pile of clothes and disappearing again behind the curtain. When he emerged, he was dressed in a perfectly fitted grey suit with a shirt so pale blue it almost looked white. The jacket hugged his shoulders and tapered to his waist. The pants fell down his long legs, encasing them in free flowing soft fabric. And Gibbs wanted nothing more than to rip all of it off.
“What do you think, boss?” Tony held his hands out from his sides and spun once.
“Sears is cheaper.” But he smiled slightly as he said it and Tony grinned back, his eyes sparkling. “And I think you’d better get your ass into the car so we can get on with our day.”
Tony’s grin widened and he went to pay for his purchase. Gibbs went to the car to will away the erection that threatened to bore a hole through his pants. He was going to have to work harder on that self control.
******
“There’s nothing really much to tell, Gibbs,” Kate said as she scrolled through her notes on her PDA. “The neighbours didn’t hear or see anything suspicious. Mrs. Klapinski woke up when her alarm went off, smelt smoke and immediately left the building and got the neighbours to call 911. It wasn’t until Tony joined her that she realized she had left her cat inside. Then, according to her – and I quote – ‘my Tony gallantly rescued Mr. Cuddlesworth from getting crispy,’” she smirked at Tony. “Remind me to nominate you to the SPCA for heroism.”
“Did Graves have anything to add?” Gibbs asked, and putting his weapon in his desk drawer.
“No, just told me to tell you that he, and again I quote. ‘will tell you when he turns anything up and until then to keep our asses out of his way.” She looked up at Gibbs. “Nice fellow. Think he missed his morning coffee.”
“Tony, I want you to get a working list of people who might want you dead. Focus on past cases, here and during your time in Peoria, Philly and Baltimore.” Tony simply nodded and began opening file folders. “Kate, I want to you to take point on the Mason case. This fire may have been an accident and I don’t want us falling behind on our current case load. Where are we in terms of our suspect list?”
Kate dug around on her desk and retrieved a file. “Two are accounted for, rock solid alibis and one was unaccounted for at the time of the shooting. We were going to interview him this afternoon.”
The Mason case wasn’t high profile, an apparent accidental shooting turning out to be murder. He could afford to let Kate take over while he made sure Tony was safe.
“Have him brought in.”
As Kate reached for the phone, Gibbs shook his head. Life was hectic enough without his own agents being targeted for trouble. He hoped that the fire was innocent, although a small part of him was glad that he had the excuse to keep a close eye on Tony. It never hurt to be too careful.
********
Interlude
He had watched as the duplex burned down. He regretted the loss of property, but even more he regretted that it meant his target was more mobile than before. Keeping track would be difficult. Thankfully, he was able to spot him and watched as he rode off with the agent. He followed from a discreet distance, never allowing himself to be caught.
He waited outside the headquarters of their agency, and followed them to a nondescript white house that was only lacking a white picket fence for all its simplicity.
Unfortunately, the area was well populated, making a day-time retrieval difficult. He would again have to try at night, and hope this time he was successful. His buyers were getting impatient. They wanted the merchandise quickly and undamaged. So he would have to move carefully.
*******
On to Part 2
With a quiet click, the window latch gave beneath his nimble fingers. He pushed it up and awkwardly clambered through, the pane knocking against his back. He swore under his breath as his foot grazed a lamp, sending it tilting towards the floor. A quick catch and he had it standing still against his palm. It was supposed to be a quick job: get in, take care of the target and get out again. He turned on his penlight and began to move about the apartment following the small yellow glow. The layout was straightforward. The left side of the living room opened up into a small kitchen. A hallway on the right led down to a bathroom at the end of the hall, a bedroom on the right, and what looked like a small den on the left. It wouldn’t be hard to find his target.
He approached the bedroom cautiously; he could hear faint snores behind the closed door. Ears pricked, his gaze was so focussed on the ground in front of him that he startled when something was suddenly between his legs. He stumbled, dropping the flashlight. The small beam went out, leaving him in the dark. He bent down and, after some fumbling across the carpet, found the flashlight. He shook it and heard a faint rattle in the bulb. Shit. The fall must have been enough to break the filament. He held himself still and waited for his eyesight to adapt.
Slowly the inky blackness resolved itself into grey shadows. He looked down but couldn’t locate what had made him stumble. Holding a hand out in front of him, he continued his approach to the den. Once inside, he peered about, trying to sort out the grey shapes along the walls. A desk, another television, bigger than the one in the livingroom, bookshelves, and a wooden case with what appeared to be glass doors; perhaps a display case.
He was about to move towards the desk when a deafening noise attacked him from the wall. An alarm! He bolted back down the hallway to the living room, bumping against the walls like a pinball. He wrenched open the window and scrambled outside. He could hear the muffled thump as the lamp hit the floor this time. Damn it! He hit the street at a flat out run and cursed his luck. He’d have to try again later. He’d get him. He had to. It was what the boss paid him to do. And what the boss wanted done, got done.
Act One
Special Agent Jethro Gibbs frowned into his coffee cup. Whoever had made this batch had allowed the grounds to get into the pot. He spat his mouthful into a nearby garbage bin and tossed the rest of the Styrofoam cup in after it. It was bad enough he spent the better part of the night fairing the side of his boat because three of the planks had warped in the unusual humidity. Most would have simply ripped the planks off, but Gibbs usually found the motion of the plane soothing, gradually shaping the wood to his liking.
But his rhythm had been off, the basement unusually warm and sticky, and inappropriate thoughts had flowed too easily through his mind of how he wished that it wasn’t wood beneath his hands, but muscled flesh, rippling beneath his fingers. No comfort was to be found, not even when he jerked off angrily before falling into a lonely bed.
He had gotten stuck in a construction zone, sitting in his car for an hour and half and listening to some popular music crap. Now he had to face the morning without his coffee. He’d send Kate or Tony, whoever pissed him off first, for a cup from that gourmet place down the street. Odds were good DiNozzo would be the one who wouldn’t manage to fly under his radar. Gibbs nodded at the security guard as he retrieved his gun, tucking it back into his holster and punching the button on the elevator. It wasn’t going to be a good day.
His first glance of the bullpen as he left the elevator confirmed his suspicions. Kate was industriously working at her computer. At least she was trying to between shooting nervous glances at the clock. Gibbs smiled for the first time that day. It wasn’t often she beat him in to work, and clearly her feathers were ruffled.
The smile transformed to a frown when he noticed Tony’s empty desk and the absence of any coat to show he had been in and was in the head or getting coffee. Speaking of which...
“Agent Todd. Coffee?” he asked.
“No, but thanks,” she replied brightly. “I just had some....That wasn’t an offer was it?”
“No, it wasn’t. Where’s DiNozzo?” he asked as he slung his coat over the back of his chair.
“He hasn’t checked in yet. Maybe he got stuck in traffic. I heard there was construction that was holding up traffic for miles.”
“Yeah, I heard about that.” He logged on to his computer and after a moment spent perusing his email, he paused and looked up. “Coffee?”
“Right.” She snatched up her purse and headed for the elevator. “Black right?”
“There is no other kind,” he shot back before the door closed. He snorted as he saw an email from Fornell. The FBI agent still had a bug up his ass about Gibbs’ NCIS team ‘commandeering’ Air Force One and making off with the body three weeks ago. It was no coincidence that after wrapping up that case his email spam had quadrupled in size. Today it was farm animals and chicks – women, not chickens – gone wild.
The phone rang at his elbow and he absently picked it up. “Gibbs.”
“Hey, Gibbs, do you have the TV on? Channel 5?”
“No, why?” He loved Abby like a daughter but sometimes her diversions were...distracting.
“Just put it on the screen, Bossman. It’s important!” she insisted. He pointed the remote towards the television and hit the number 5 and then enter. He squinted at the news broadcast, something about a fire.
“What am I seeing Abbs?”
“That’s Tony’s address!”
Gibbs’ attention snapped back to the television and he hung up. The fire on the screen was an impressive one, engulfing what looked like a duplex. Fire trucks were on the scene and reporters milled about. He turned up the volume.
“– arrived at the scene just in time to save the houses adjacent to the duplex. But as you can see behind me, the fire has consumed most of the building. We are waiting for word on the occupants, but sources say that the resident of the lower apartment, an elderly woman, managed to escape without injury. The resident of the upper apartment, however, is now being treated by emergency crews. There is no word yet on his injuries, sustained when he heroically went into the burning building to save the elderly woma–“
Gibbs hit the autodial. “Abby, call Kate on her cell and have her meet me there. Get Ducky out there while you’re at it.”
“Do you think he’s okay?”
“It’s DiNozzo. Of course he’s okay.” He hung up.
As he snatched up his coat, he wasn’t sure who he was reassuring more.
*********
The street was swarming with LEOs and fire officials. A quick flash of the badge let him through the yellow tape that was keeping the crowd well away from the blaze. The two story building was still engulfed in flames. A fire truck had extended a ladder with a fire fighter resting on it, shooting water onto the roof, but it didn’t seem to have much of an effect. Gibbs twitched his nose as the smoke drifted around him. It was time to find someone in charge.
He picked out an older man with a headset and a helmet, barking orders into the microphone.
“– back the line up a bit, the pressure isn’t great here and we’re going to have tap into the reserves soon. What? Jesus, doesn’t he listen? No, we’re not done. Tell him to get his ass back to the truck. Let me know when you’re done.” He took in Gibb’s badge and waved him closer. “Michael Graves, Fire Marshal.”
“Gibbs, NCIS. One of my men lives in the building. I heard he got out but was injured. Where is he?”
“We’ve got the EMT crew set up over there. If they haven’t transported him yet, he should still be there.” He gestured towards a white van surrounded by reporters being held back by police officers.
“I’ll want to talk to you when things calm down.” Gibbs said, already walking towards the van.
“I’ll be here. God knows this isn’t going to die down any time soon.” Graves muttered, turning away to yell into his microphone again.
Once he managed to get by the police by flashing his badge, he found his wayward agent, sitting at the back the van, an oxygen mask held against his face and an EMT packing up a case of medical supplies while Ducky poked and prodded at Tony’s eyebrow. Tony was in a t-shirt and boxers, soot smeared across his face and a bright red blanket draped over his shoulders. Blood trickled from an oozing cut at his temple.
“DiNozzo, what the hell is going on?” He was caught between concern and amusement as Tony came to attention and almost fell off the edge of the van’s floor. The EMT kept a hand on his shoulder, preventing him from standing.
“Sorry, Boss,” Tony managed between coughs. “Kind of had an emergency here.”
“Is he okay?” Gibbs asked, turning his attention to Ducky.
“Oh yes, Jethro,” Ducky said, fixing a butterfly bandage over the still oozing cut and patting Tony’s shoulder reassuringly. “He’s got a bit of smoke inhalation, and some minor burns. Someone should probably keep an eye on him.” Ducky looked at Gibbs, who looked at Tony, who proceeded to look at the EMT.
She shot Tony a look of exasperation, which quickly morphed into affection as he grinned at her through the oxygen mask. “Someone other than me, Agent DiNozzo.”
“He’ll be with me. I know what to look for.” Gibbs quickly dispensed with the possibility of any tender loving care from an overly perky EMT.
“Well gentlemen, and lady,” Ducky added with a smile at the paramedic, “I’m afraid I can’t tarry. Gerald called me on the cell phone on the way over. Mother’s got into a spot of trouble with the gardener. Something about burying the bodies in the rose bushes. If you need me, just give me a ring.”
“Thanks Ducky,” Gibbs replied, smiling as the older gentleman tipped his hat to them. DiNozzo, report.”
“Woke up to the smoke alarm. By the time I got downstairs, I could see the flames in Mrs. Klapinski’s apartment. I knocked on her door, but there was no answer.”
“So you decide to charge in there and be a white knight?” Gibbs asked sarcastically.
“Actually, no, turns out she was already outside. Her alarm had gone off already,” Tony replied. He coughed and wheezed into the mask for a bit before continuing. “We called the fire department on my cell. I grabbed it on my way out, reflex I guess.”
“So how the hell did you end up like this? The report on the news said you saved someone,” Gibbs insisted.
Tony mumbled something in response but the mask made it even more impossible to hear. Gibbs narrowed his eyes. Tony wasn’t even meeting his eyes. Something was definitely –
“Tony! Bubeleh, you are alright?” Gibbs was brushed aside by an elderly woman clad in a floral pink bathrobe and toting curlers in her greying hair. “My hero, he is,” she said as she noticed Gibbs. She hugged Tony tightly and fussed briefly with his mussed hair.
“And you are?” Gibbs asked, one eyebrow raised. Tony pulled the mask from his face to quickly intervene as the strange women drew herself up, wrapping her robe more tightly about her robust form.
“Boss, this is my downstairs neighbour, Mrs. Klapinski.”
“Tony was so brave! He go back in to rescue Mr. Cuddlesworth before he could be burnt. Such a brave boy,” she said, patting Tony’s cheek. Gibbs raised his eyebrow again, turning to Tony.
“Mr. Cuddlesworth?” Tony scratched at his hair, and wouldn’t meet his gaze. Was he....embarrassed?
“My poor poopsie wouldn’t come out from under the bed for me. But Tony, he go get him. See?” Mrs. Klapinski held out her arms to receive a grey animal carrier. Tilting his head, Gibbs could it was occupied by a very large cat. He bit his lip and turned to Tony.
“You got injured rescuing a cat?” he dead panned. Tony winced, and it had nothing to do with any injury.
“I couldn’t just leave it, boss. Besides –.” Whatever he was going to say was lost as urgent shouts from firemen urged the crowd back. With a loud groan, the two story building collapsed, sending smoke dust and ash into the air. The flames grew with a new source of oxygen, before being quickly targeted by firemen.
“Tony!” Kate’s shout brought both men’s attention to bear on her as she pushed between two policemen who only relented upon seeing her badge. “I got here as soon as I could after Abby called. Oh my god, is that your apartment?”
“Was. Was my apartment,” he replied with a sad sigh. “I don’t’ suppose I could stay with you. What with me having lost all my worldly possessions, and all.”
Staring at the remaining flames, Kate patted him absently on the shoulder. “Anything you need, Tony.”
A lecherous grin crossed his face. “Anything?”
Her gaze turned back to his face and she swatted him on the shoulder. “Tony!”
“He’ll be staying with me,” Gibbs growled. Kate smiled appreciatively, glad to be off the hook, while a look of surprise crossed Tony’s face.
“Thanks, Boss. You don’t have to do that. Really. I can find a motel somewhere. Or I could– ”
“Until we find out what caused this fire, I don’t want you anywhere that’s not secure.” Gibbs began walking back towards the fire marshal.
“Secure? You think someone’s trying to kill me? Why?” Tony called after him, coughing at the effort.
“Besides me?” Gibbs retorted without even turning back.
******
“It’s too early yet to tell what started the fire, let alone whether it was deliberately set,” Graves insisted. “Look at that mess. Hell, we’ll be lucky if we can tell which part of the rubble is first or second story. The fire gutted everything. Give us a couple of days and we’ll have an answer for you. Until then, just let us do our jobs.”
Gibbs had to respect that. “Call me if anything comes up,” he said, handing his card to the marshal.
“Hey, Boss.” Tony said, joining him in surveying the remains of his home. “Were you serious about me staying with you? Cause I was wondering...” he trailed off.
“Spit it out, DiNozzo.”
“Well, it’s just that Mrs. Klapinski is going to be staying with her daughter, who is really allergic to cats. She, Mrs. K, not the daughter, really loves her cat. She just found it outside by our dumpster and it was right after her husband died, so she got really attached to it. I don’t want to impose, and I could find a hotel that takes cats or something, but if you don’t mind...”
“Just get the damn cat, DiNozzo. Meet me at the car. Agent Todd!” he called, beckoning her over. “I want statements from any witnesses. Take down Mrs. Klapinski’s statement.”
“Is this our case?” she asked.
“Not yet, but it never hurts to be prepared,” he replied. “We’ll meet you back at the office.”
As he walked back to the car, Gibbs couldn’t help thinking that he was risking too much having Tony stay with him. It wasn’t as though Kate wasn’t capable of protecting him. She had been in charge of the damn President. But the thought of Tony with her, and not him, sent his gut roiling, and it pissed him off.
He knew that Tony was bi. The younger man, upon getting the job offer, had been upfront about it. Had said that if his sexuality was a problem for the ex-marine, to say so. He’d had it affect his job before and he wasn’t about to let it happen again. Gibbs had said he didn’t care who Tony slept with, so long as he was able to do his job, not bothering to reveal his own tendencies. Now, a year and half later, he wasn’t so sure he didn’t care. He was starting to care that it wasn’t him .
He got into his car and slammed the door shut. Damn it, he wasn’t supposed to fall for his subordinates. It always ended badly. Plus, DiNozzo wasn’t exactly his type. He wasn’t a red head. No, he was brunette, tall, leggy, quick to grin and incredibly smart despite his attempts to hide it. No, he wasn’t Gibbs’ type at all. Jethro closed his eyes and counted down from ten.
He had reached five, when Tony joined him, stowing the cat carrier in the backseat before settling down in the passenger seat. He smelled strongly of smoke and Gibbs shifted as he discovered a new kink.
“Sorry about the upholstery. I didn’t think to nab one of the blankets the emergency guys had,”
Tony apologized. Gibbs just nodded and turned the key. He was pulling out onto the street when a noxious smell overrode the smoky scent.
“Jesus, DiNozzo, what the hell did you have for breakfast?” Gibbs darted a glance at Tony as he manoeuvred the car between a police car and a news van.
“Wasn’t me, Boss. I think it was Mr. Cuddlesworth.” Tony seemed to get an inordinate amount of pleasure at saying the cat’s name, which was a complete misnomer. It wasn’t a cute, soft bundle of fur. No, it was big, mangy orange cat, currently angry at being confined to the carrier, and apparently suffering from serious intestinal gas. Gibbs rolled down his window and breathed shallowly through his mouth.
“Okay, the plan is this. We go to my place so you can shower and change. You can borrow something until we get you clothes. Then we find out who might want to burn down your apartment.”
“Sounds like a plan, Boss.” Tony grinned.
Distracted by the smell of the cat and of Tony, in Gibb’s case, neither agent noticed the black car that pulled into traffic behind them.
*******
Gibbs jaw tightened uncontrollably as he watched the incredibly handsome, incredibly Latin, and incredibly gay tailor guy smooth his hands over Tony’s ass. Yeah, he’s checking the fit. Sure. Tony responded to the flirtatious caresses with good natured charm. He smiled and joked about wandering hands. Raul responded with more innuendo and took far too much pleasure in measuring Tony’s in-seam.
They had stopped off at Gibb’s house just long enough for Tony to clean off the grime and smell of smoke and to let the cat out of the carrier to explore its temporary shelter. Gibbs had pulled a pair of old sweats from his closet and handed them off to his agent. They didn’t fit very well, but who cared when they stretched snugly across that ass? They had stopped off at work to pick up Tony’s spare wallet, stored at the office for emergencies and equipped with one credit card, two hundred dollars cash and a condom. Gibbs shook his head at the condom. Always be prepared. Then Tony had directed Gibbs to a clothing store, where Tony assured Gibbs they would be well taken care off.
Raul certainly hadn’t minded when they walked into the men’s clothing store. He had ushered them in, undaunted by the rather casual dress they both sported. The flash of Tony’s credit card, helped even more, garnering them the offer of fresh coffee and pastries. Gibbs passed on the pastry, but now sat enjoying a full bodied cup of java from freshly ground beans. Maybe Tony was right. Maybe it was time to rethink his shopping habits. One glance at Raul, however, overshadowed any lingering pleasure from the coffee.
At Gibbs’ growl the tape measure snapped back into its container and Raul made a strategic withdrawal. Tony just fiddled with the cuffs on the jacket and kept trying to see his ass in the mirror, twisting and contorting in ways that raised Gibbs’ blood pressure. He disappeared back into the changing room and emerged once again clad in the too tight sweats. Raul whisked away the suit and offered them a seat on a sofa while the adjustments were made.
“Thanks again, boss. It just doesn’t feel right going into work in your stuff. Plus, we wouldn’t want people to talk,” Tony said with a grin as he slouched in the comfortable cushion next to Gibbs. Gibbs just grunted and pulled out his cell phone to check for messages. Anything to distract from the faint aroma of aftershave he could smell, he wasn’t sure why Tony kept aftershave in his kit at the office, but he wasn’t complaining. He idly flicked through his electronic phone book and wondered how a 1-900 number had gotten programmed on the autodial. He wouldn’t put it past Fornell. He deleted it before Tony could peer over his shoulder and comment.
Tony sighed. “I’m going to miss my clothes.”
“You had insurance right?” He would kick his agent’s ass if he didn’t. They had enough risks in their line of work. Insurance was par for the course.
“Sure. But you don’t just replace an Armani Collezioni french-cuff. But remind me to get another Ermenegildo Zegna Tie, because it was my favourite.” Tony fingered a worn patch of fabric at his knee that was a precursor to a hole. He sighed with a wistful look. “Plus, my movie collection....oh, and my college jacket. But I guess that my frat brothers can help me there.”
Gibbs was saved a detailed list of lost items as Raul returned, clothing held preciously in front of him. He gave a mini-bow and smiled lustily at Tony.
“Your clothes, sir.”
“Thanks, Raul. That was fast.”
“We aim to please,” Raul said with a definite leer. Gibbs squinted and the man’s grin faded slightly. Tony saved the day by taking the pile of clothes and disappearing again behind the curtain. When he emerged, he was dressed in a perfectly fitted grey suit with a shirt so pale blue it almost looked white. The jacket hugged his shoulders and tapered to his waist. The pants fell down his long legs, encasing them in free flowing soft fabric. And Gibbs wanted nothing more than to rip all of it off.
“What do you think, boss?” Tony held his hands out from his sides and spun once.
“Sears is cheaper.” But he smiled slightly as he said it and Tony grinned back, his eyes sparkling. “And I think you’d better get your ass into the car so we can get on with our day.”
Tony’s grin widened and he went to pay for his purchase. Gibbs went to the car to will away the erection that threatened to bore a hole through his pants. He was going to have to work harder on that self control.
******
“There’s nothing really much to tell, Gibbs,” Kate said as she scrolled through her notes on her PDA. “The neighbours didn’t hear or see anything suspicious. Mrs. Klapinski woke up when her alarm went off, smelt smoke and immediately left the building and got the neighbours to call 911. It wasn’t until Tony joined her that she realized she had left her cat inside. Then, according to her – and I quote – ‘my Tony gallantly rescued Mr. Cuddlesworth from getting crispy,’” she smirked at Tony. “Remind me to nominate you to the SPCA for heroism.”
“Did Graves have anything to add?” Gibbs asked, and putting his weapon in his desk drawer.
“No, just told me to tell you that he, and again I quote. ‘will tell you when he turns anything up and until then to keep our asses out of his way.” She looked up at Gibbs. “Nice fellow. Think he missed his morning coffee.”
“Tony, I want you to get a working list of people who might want you dead. Focus on past cases, here and during your time in Peoria, Philly and Baltimore.” Tony simply nodded and began opening file folders. “Kate, I want to you to take point on the Mason case. This fire may have been an accident and I don’t want us falling behind on our current case load. Where are we in terms of our suspect list?”
Kate dug around on her desk and retrieved a file. “Two are accounted for, rock solid alibis and one was unaccounted for at the time of the shooting. We were going to interview him this afternoon.”
The Mason case wasn’t high profile, an apparent accidental shooting turning out to be murder. He could afford to let Kate take over while he made sure Tony was safe.
“Have him brought in.”
As Kate reached for the phone, Gibbs shook his head. Life was hectic enough without his own agents being targeted for trouble. He hoped that the fire was innocent, although a small part of him was glad that he had the excuse to keep a close eye on Tony. It never hurt to be too careful.
********
Interlude
He had watched as the duplex burned down. He regretted the loss of property, but even more he regretted that it meant his target was more mobile than before. Keeping track would be difficult. Thankfully, he was able to spot him and watched as he rode off with the agent. He followed from a discreet distance, never allowing himself to be caught.
He waited outside the headquarters of their agency, and followed them to a nondescript white house that was only lacking a white picket fence for all its simplicity.
Unfortunately, the area was well populated, making a day-time retrieval difficult. He would again have to try at night, and hope this time he was successful. His buyers were getting impatient. They wanted the merchandise quickly and undamaged. So he would have to move carefully.
*******
On to Part 2
