For Flamingo55

[lostonbroadway.livejournal.com]

Title: Three Things
Author: lostonbroadway
Written for: flamingo55
Prompt: Gibbs and Fornell go on a road trip a la "Jackknife" in Gibbs' car. No slash, friendship only.
Archive: Go right ahead :)
Genre: gen
Pairings: None
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine. At all. No copyright infringement intended!
Word Count: 1680-ish
Note: Apologies for my tardiness. Hope it was worth the wait, flamingo55 :)
Summary: Fornell needs a favor and Gibbs has a day off...




Jethro Gibbs rubbed the back of his neck and tried to work out the day's kinks as the elevator took him from autopsy back to the main floor. He was feeling a bit worn –an arm fresh out of a sling and still a little sore which he figured was more from age than injury. Starting today, he would actually have a free weekend for the first time in several weeks barring any major developments. Normally, Gibbs would prefer to drown in work – keeping himself busy with non-emergencies and random cold cases if necessary. This weekend, however, he was going to be alone with his tools, his bourbon and his thoughts. A combination he was all too familiar with and one that was sometimes too much even for this man of steel. Standing within the empty frame of a boat was the closest thing he knew to internal peace.

Stepping out of the elevator, he was immediately hit with a pungent scent he immediately recognized. Damn, he hated that stench. What was it? Something probably first produced in the last few years... department store frou frou something. Give him Old Spice any day. As he rounded the corner, Gibbs saw a familiar pair of scuffed shoes resting on top of what was a clean desk. He shot the bearded man a disapproving look and waited for him to speak.

“Someone complained I don't call unless I need something,” Tobias Fornell called out reminding him of a conversation they'd had just a few days ago. Gibbs stood stoic, waiting for the other shoe to drop. “I... need something,” Fornell said, dryly.

With a quick eye roll, Gibbs sighed in reply “Imagine my surprise.” Walking around the side of his desk, he gave Fornell's feet a shove causing him to shoot up in a jolt as they hit the floor. Not many had the balls to sit in Special Agent Gibbs' chair and even less would do so to his face. “Don't make me say please,” Gibbs warned motioning with his finger for Fornell to move.

Fornell gave a chuckle, “Have you ever said, 'please?'” He stood up and made room while Gibbs stepped around and took his gun and badge out of his top drawer and secured them to his person. “I'm not working Fornell. I am off the clock.”

“I know you are and this isn't business. I was hoping you'd take this time to do me a favor.”

Gibbs raised an eyebrow in sarcastic surprise. “I owe you one?”

“Damn straight you do. Come with me. I bought a car from a guy about 60 miles outside of the city and I need you to come with me and pick it up.”

“You bought a car?”

“It's not as fancy a ride as yours, but it's solid. Besides I didn't want to make you feel bad.” Fornell joked.

“Could it be you just don't know a damn thing about cars and got took?”

Fornell stepped back and threw his hands out, pleading. “Look, you want to help me or not? You got somewhere else you gotta be?”

“Almost anywhere else,” Gibbs replied.

“Well, I appreciate you sparing my feelings, Jethro,” he shot back. “Come on. Just a couple of hours and when we get there you can tell me how badly I've been taken to the cleaners. I'm throwin' you a softball here.”

It might be nice to get his mind off things – things he always thought about when he was alone. “Well, you're not driving my car, Fornell. I intend to only make that mistake once.” Gibbs grabbed his coat and made his way back to the elevator.

“Understood,” Fornell agreed and followed in line behind him.

They both stepped in and standing side by side, Jethro mumbled, “Why do I have a feeling I’m gonna wish I’d gone to bed early instead?”

Fornell could only smile. “Suck it up, grandpa.”

___________________________________

The dry summer wind was hot, almost suffocating, as it wafted into the open car windows. They’d driven this far with hardly any words between them. Jethro broke the silence, not surprisingly, only to poke Tobias.

“What exactly possessed you to buy a car you don’t have time to drive or maintain? You having a mid-life crisis? I’d have started a lot earlier. Not a lot of people live to be 120, Fornell.”

“I take care of Emily. I pay my alimony. I work hard. I wanted a... I wanted a toy.”

Jethro inquired, “So you gonna share with me how much you paid for this ‘toy’?” Gibbs was certain it would be at least a couple thousand too much. Something he was guilty of himself.

“Sure,” he said. “How much you’d pay for yours?” Fornell turned toward Gibbs and threw his arm across the back of the seat, waiting for a response.

“We’re gonna listen to some music now.” Grabbing a cassette from the tray near the stick shift, Gibbs popped it in and Fornell immediately recognized the song as Kenny Rogers. “You wanna make a pit stop and get some cream and a razor?”

Tobias rolled his eyes and shrugged, “The undercover work is over, yes, but I happen to like the beard.”

“OK,” Gibbs answered simply.

“As I recall someone in this car had a… Sam Elliot mustache, was it?” Gibbs gave a sideways smile. It wasn’t one of his best decisions.

Fornell continued, “I’m just sayin’ if you gonna do it, do it. Don’t go all half-assed...” He bent forward to check his beard in the side mirror, giving his chin a scratch.

“Your beard is your business, Tobias. Just makin’ me look younger.”

“You’re welcome,” he said shooting him a sideways glance. “You need all the help you can get.” They both smiled and just let the song play out. ‘The Gambler’ was a tune they could agree on.

“And how’s that boat coming, Jethro?” Fornell said flippantly.

Coming from anyone else that most likely would have earned them a punch to the face. And Tobias knew he probably shouldn’t have mentioned the boat. Today he was going to be a friend –whatever that meant between the two of them. Neither of them were overly kind, but they were loyal. He liked Gibbs enough to try and give him something else to think about on a day off, even if it meant being a jerk.

Gibbs appeared not to have heard him. He had an inquisitive look on his face, leaning forward as if he could see through the steel hood in front of them. “Something's rattling. I'm gonna have a look.”

“What? I didn't hear anything.” Gibbs suddenly slammed on the brakes causing Fornell to throw his hand on the dash to keep from flying forward in spite of his seat belt. “Jesus!”

“Of course not. You were too busy smacking your gums to hear anything but the sound of your own voice.”

Reaching into his shirt pocket, Fornell pulled out a singular cigarette. “And do you have to slam the brakes on everything?! Maybe if you'd applied that a little less to cars and elevators and more to your relationships with women you wouldn't be three times divorced.”

“Thanks for the tip.” Gibbs threw the car in park and pulled the emergency brake.

Patting his shirt pocket, Fornell asked “You got a light?” Gibbs reached over and grabbed a rag from the glove box and at the same time tossed a matchbook in Fornell's lap, an action that was met with a smirk. He sat with the cigarette dangling out of his mouth.

“We're not dating, Tobias. Light your own smoke,” he muttered, slamming the door behind him. “Also, if you light that inside my car, I'm leaving you here.”

Fornell removed his seat belt, exited the car and took a few steps before striking a match. “Do you enjoy being a son of a bitch?”

“Only slightly less than you do,” Gibbs replied while securing the hood to inspect the phantom noise he'd been hearing. “Since when do you smoke, anyway?”

“Since today, OK?” he barked back with a hint of sarcasm. “Since I wanted to.”

“OK. Just askin’.” Gibbs continued to poke around, securing caps and covers and checking oil giving Fornell time to finish his cigarette. He wasn't a smoker either, but today it didn't sound like the worst idea.

After taking a drag or two, he pointed at Jethro and asked, “You want one?”

“I'm good –could probably use some water, though. I've got some in the trunk.”

“In this heat, that'll be like drinking bathwater.”

“It's for the car, Fornell,” he growled back. He had a pretty good idea that now Fornell was just trying to be difficult in whatever way possible. That's one of the things he admired about Tobias –rough around the edges with a penchant for being a bastard. Jethro never really had use for soft-skinned people. Kind of went hand in hand with never apologizing.

He knew neither of them had many true friends, but they didn’t need them. In their business, having too many friends was a liability. You have one you can always count on. One that’s got your back even if they have to pretend they don’t… one that you will do a favor for even if you don’t like them much. What else does a guy need? Today was Kelly's birthday and Tobias knew that. Maybe he didn't. Would there even be a car when they got there?

Jethro poured a little of the hot liquid into the dusty metal pipe and twisted the cap on tightly before letting the hood fall with a slam. “Alright, that should be good." He threw the rag and the half empty water bottle into the back seat carelessly. "Snuff that thing out and let’s go see how badly you got hosed.” Fornell laughed, Gibbs guessed because he knew he was right.

Gibbs started the car and listened to the hum of the engine before. He seemed pleased as he put it in drive and pulled back on the road. “By the way, you’re gonna owe me a drink for this, Tobias –maybe two.”

Fornell gave a grin. “One can of paint thinner coming up.”

A friend, bourbon and a good fast car. That's how a guy could get by.