As senior agent, Jethro was required to attend a special dinner in Jenny’s honor with the SecNav, Vance, and a few others. He had been in a sour mood anyway, but the dinner had been endless and the tuxedo felt itchy and uncomfortable. And if he had to deal one more time with the sympathetic looks and tongue clucking from people who barely knew Jenny, he was going to put his fist through something. Yeah, he’d had a fling with her, nine, almost ten years ago. Yeah, he was deeply upset that she was gone. But she wasn’t the love of his life, even if he had been the love of hers.

Yeah, she was gone, and the more Jethro spoke with Ducky and Franks, the more he realized that Jenny went out the way she wanted toâ€" taking no prisoners, decisivelyâ€" the more he accepted it. It still hurt like hell that she went down protecting him, but in a strange way he understood. They hadn’t been built for forever, but they had cared about each other to the end.

The drinks, the constant Jenny stories, were wearing him down. It wasn’t bad enough that he had to train three probies at the same time. It wasn’t bad enough that one of those probies was Jimmy Palmer. He missed his team. Too damn much.

Ziva was still skulking around DC. They’d had drinks a couple of weeks ago. He didn’t even know if another agency had snapped her up or if she was freelance. He didn’t want to know. It was enough that he had her nearby for when he got the team back.

He was finding excuses to go down to Cyber Crimes to check on McGee. The spark had gone out of the kid, even more so than when they’d lost Kate. At least then they’d been together. They would be again, as soon as Franks finished getting the details together that would sink Vance.

And DiNozzo. He’d tried to look at the new assignment as a step up even though they all knew that being offered team leader a short time ago was the real promotion offer. This was a demotion, would take DiNozzo off the grid for at least a year. Jethro had no doubt Tony would man his own team, but it wouldn’t be Spain. Or Norfolk, or San Diego, or any of the other enviable places. And sure as hell not DC. Vance wanted to split the team up permanently.

At first, Tony had stayed in contact with phone calls and email, but the last few weeks, communication had trickled down to nothing and Gibbs didn’t know how to reach Tony. A head slap couldn’t exactly be delivered long distance.

It was near midnight and he was just a little buzzed when he pulled into his driveway, a strange car sitting at the curb, his living room lights blazing. He hadn’t brought his gun along tonight but he was a Marine and could take care of himself. He cracked the door open silently and slipped into the living room.

DiNozzo was slumped on the couch, droplets of blood staining the carpet nearby. “DiNozzo? Hey…� He wanted to rush in, but didn’t want to startle the younger man. When Tony didn’t immediately answer, he rushed over, brushing hair back from DiNozzo’s sweaty forehead. Tony’s eyes blinked open and Jethro gave him an encouraging smile. “Hey…how bad is it? You called Ducky yet?�

"Gibbs?" Tony tried to focus on the person standing in front of him, but was finding it difficult, especially since he’d fallen deeply asleep. "Where you been, Gibbs? You never go out, one night I show up you're gone."

“Dinner. With SecNav, Vance, buncha other ass kissers. Somehow got nominated as Jenny’s romantic partner, even though it was in the past. Now answer my question.�

"Don't know how bad it is. Hurts like a bitch, but assuming bullet didn't hit anything major I'll survive. Didn't want to go to the hospital, or call the cops. That's funny, a cop calling the cops. Need to make this go away, and really don’t want Ducky to see me at my worst, so don’t call him. Please."

“Where’d you blow in from, DiNozzo?�

Tony had tendered his resignation and caught a helicopter off of the floating tin can better known as the U.S.S. Ronald Regan. There had been no way he was going to spend the rest of his life on a boat, and had made contact with some old friends on the Baltimore force. There was a chance he could get back onto homicide if he worked hard, and his federal experience was going to help him out a lot.

He tried to gather his thoughts. "Not really an ocean kind of guy. Too constricting, all that space and I'm stuck in a room with no windows. Just wasn't fair. They wanted me there about as much as I wanted to be there." No one had a problem getting the hell of the boat, which made Tony happy. Couldn't help it if life had gone to hell since getting dropped off. "On a yacht, with a bar fully stocked it might be okay. But the way I was doing this three-hour tour, it just wasn't enjoyable."

Jethro started to cuff him then pulled back reading between the lines of what Tony had said. “You tender your resignation, Tony? Lot of time invested with NCIS. Whatcha gonna do now?�

“Go back to the cop shop. Donuts all around, prove to my captain that he was right. Couldn’t hack the feds. Would do something to fuck it up.� He hadn’t really needed to tender a resignation, not when he’s offended the big man on water from the moment he stepped on board. They were happy to be rid of him. The second in command had even offered to lower him down in a lifeboat and leave a beacon so someone would be able to find him. “No one is missing me on the boat. The ones who even knew I was there would have rather tossed me overboard then let me fly off into the sunset. Lucky I got out of there.�

“Ah, Tony.� Kid was his own worst enemy. Jethro noted that he didn’t directly answer the question. “Did they fire you or did you go AWOL? I have to know for when I get you back on my team. And I will, Tony. Don’t doubt that for a second.�

“I wrote up a note, took suggestions as to what to say. Didn’t stick out my two weeks though. Don’t know that I’ll be back with NCIS after that. Even if you get the team back, I might decide I want to go back to the public sector. I don’t know, haven’t thought that much about it. Maybe I’ll get a job teaching gym somewhere. Could be I’m just not meant to be in this business boss. Got a degree, but I keep telling myself I should be a white hat. Could be the end of my do-right days.�

Jethro grasped Tony’s chin in his hand. “It’d be a damn shame if I lost my best investigator because of Leon Fucking Vance. You stuck it out at this job because ya know you’re making a difference and that I need you. Hasn’t changed, DiNozzo. Only your perception changed.�

“Don’t ever say fucking and Leon Vance in the same sentence boss. That might be enough to turn me off of sex for a good long while. And right now, don’t have much more then left now that I’m unemployed. Booze and sex about cover it. And you have just given me a lifetime anti-woody.�

Jethro sighed and nodded. “Deal. You wanna tell me how this happened?�

“Stupid, was going to get a drink. Thought drinking on stable land would be a good idea, no rocking, which meant no puking when I got loaded.� There was no way that he was ever going to drink on a boat again. Really, after the night he’d had, might not drink again ever. “Hit on the wrong woman, her boyfriend and buddies took exception. I fought back, and one of them thought it would be a good idea to introduce a gun into a fist fight. When I realized I was shot, decided it was time to visit you. Knew you’d take care of me.�

“How far did you drive, Tony? They could have killed you. Then where would I be? My best agent would be dead. Don’t do that to me. Don’t want to bury anyone else I care about.� Jethro sighed, shaking his head.

“What about Ducky, DiNozzo? He would have helped you.� The lower leg of Tony’s jeans was saturated. “Gotta get these off the hard way.�

Jethro pulled out his utility knife and slashed the thick fabric away at the knee. The bullet was a through and through, looked like it had just torn through Tony’s calf and missed his shin bone entirely. Small caliber, localized bleeding, excess blood loss must have been from him not elevating or putting pressure on it.

He stripped off his jacket and unbuttoned a couple of buttons on his shirt, yanking off the cufflinks and rolling the sleeves up. He had one of those throw blankets under the couch and he grabbed it.

“This is gonna hurt, DiNozzo, but I have to stop the bleeding.� He couldn’t believe he’d waited this long.

He pressed down on the leg with one hand and flipped the button on Tony’s pants with the other, pulling down the fly in a single motion then settling it above the waist band of Tony’s boxers, low on his belly. “Gotta get these off you unless you want me to cut ‘em off.�

"That's kind of sexy boss. Might have to play at that some day. Just make sure you don't slice the goods. Got to earn a living somehow. Might be reduced to gigolo status. Think Ducky would hire me to entertain his mom? She liked me well enough; Ducky's place is comfortable. I could get used to being a hired cabana boy to a demented Alzheimer's patient. I bet Ducky pays well, probably better then a cop salary. Something to consider if nothing else pans out. Don't have an apartment any more, so I need someplace to be."

Jethro coughed a couple of times, stowing his knife. Tony was rambling, as usual, but his abs were tense under Jethro’s hand and his respirations were suddenly much quicker. And was he…

Yeah, he was getting hard. And Jethro was going to have problems of his own if Tony didn’t relax.

“You can stay here with me, Tony. I got room to spare. Now lift up so we can get these off you.�

Jethro wrapped the blanket tight around Tony’s leg and hauled the other man up into a sitting position. “Easy…expensive tux. Let’s not bleed all over it. You probably know the designer, whoever it is. Armani or whoever.�

“Looks good on you, Boss. I know since I’m seeing three of you right now. Gonna have to get you some good suits, something that doesn’t come from Sears clearance rack. Always need a good interview suit.� Tony would suggest that Gibbs wear his tux, but the boss didn’t look too comfortable. “You are going to need one, probably sooner then later. Vance has it in for us all.�

“Three of me, huh? You’re not running scared?� Was it the pain or was Tony that drunk. He’d clearly been drinking, Jethro could smell it on his breath. “I have suits. I had wives who were into all that fashion crap. Versace, Armani, others. Six hundred here, couple thousand there. Would rather be comfortable at work. Don’t worry about Vance, DiNozzo. Franks and I are working some angles. Intelligence gathering. He’s going down. I just need my best agent to hang in there until I can get the team back.�

“You keep saying that. Vance is gonna have to be dead and buried to get us all back together. I don’t object to that since he sent me away. But I don’t see you being someone who is going to kill a man because he broke up your team.�

“And you think if that’s what it takes I’m not capable of it?� Jethro ran a hand through DiNozzo’s hair, trying to soothe the other man. “The team is the least of it, Tony. He’s in it up to his neck and he’s going down.�

“You’re a good guy, Boss, you aren’t someone who is just going to just off a person because it’s convenient and will put your team back together.� Tony knew what Gibbs did in the Marines, but being a sniper didn’t mean the man was a killer. “Wouldn’t want you spending the next fifty years playing pick up the soap with a guy named Bubba, not worth it in the end.�

“Maybe not, but I’ve been known to kill to avenge the death of someone I cared about. Vance was involved in this. It’s a damn miracle you and Ziva didn’t get killed as well. It’s personal, Tony. And I’m taking him down. Nobody named Bubba need apply.�

“Don’t think you’d want a Bubba to do this job. Anytime they shoot, they want a beer to do it. It’s no good, and you are very good. Don’t want to screw up your record by using a bubba to do a sniper’s job.�

“You got it, Tony. My fight. Jenny should be here fighting by my side. So should Ziva. But I wouldn’t want to attempt this without you.� He gentled his teasing comment by mussing Tony’s hair.

"Glad to live up to your expectations, Boss. I suppose I shouldn't be that mad. Ziva's an assassin; I'm good but not that good. Ziva would do whatever you wanted, all you have to do is ask. She doesn't even have to be here legally, and she'd make what ever you needed to happen, happen. Respects you something fierce, probably already planning a hit without you even asking her."

“But you’re the one who has been by my side the longest.�

He arranged Tony’s arms around his neck, and slid the other man against him so that he took most of Tony’s weight. “There we go, DiNozzo. Just let me get these pants off you. Bet you had a lotta nights start out that way.� Jethro chuckled warmly, trying to put the other man at ease, ignoring his own discomfort and nervousness with the situation. “Guess I owe ya a pair of fancy jeans too. Who needs expensive jeans, DiNozzo. Levi’s work just as good as yours.�

“Levi’s make my ass look generic. The girls and boys don’t look if it’s not showcased. I’ll turn these into cut offs I guess. A few strategically placed holes and I’ll be back in business. But I’ll take you up on the jeans, or something of equal value.� Tony looked down at his partially naked body, and then at his fully dressed boss. “I think you need to take off some clothes Gibbs. I’m feeling severely under dressed right now. You could help me out by losing the pants. I bet most of your dates don’t even end that way. Tonight might be your lucky night.�

Jethro chuckled, strangely charmed. “So Duck was right all along. Do ya have a crush on me after all?� Tony’s body was responding, cock jutting out of the slit in the boxers. “I took off my jacket, DiNozzo. That’s all anyone bleeding all over my couch gets.�

Jethro had been with other guys in the past, he knew that doing what he was about to do would lead them down one of two roads, but dammit, it didn’t seem right for the kid to be hanging out there. He reached down and took the other man’s cock in his hand, intending to tuck it back into the boxers, but all of a sudden Tony’s hips were jerking upward and he was crying out triumphantly.

Jethro backed away, releasing Tony’s cock, the dampness of pre-cum on his hand. He was not prepared for this, for whatever was swirling between them. “Keep the pressure even on that leg, DiNozzo. Lemme change. Won’t be long.�

Coward’s way, he knew, but he had to get some space. He hurried upstairs, shucking the damn monkey suit, crumpling the shirt and leaving it in the corner before yanking on a worn Marine T-shirt and cargo shorts. He hesitated a moment then grabbed a pair of sweatshorts and a tee for DiNozzo. He didn’t know why he brought his hand up to his face, but as he sniffed and lapped at the faint scent and taste of Tony’s cum, he realized he was harder than he’d been in years.

Jethro reentered the room, checking to see if there’d been any change. “How ya feeling, Tony? Sure ya don’t want me to bring in Duck? You have to see him tomorrow if not tonight.� Before waiting for an answer, he pulled DiNozzo close again, tugging off the boxers and slipping on the sweatshorts in one motion. His knuckles came away wet.

“You been jacking off, Tony? Getting shot a turn-on?� He brought his knuckles up to his face. “Pretty strong. Guy like you hasn’t cum in a few days. Why? Would have imagined that hand was surgically attached to that cock.� The same cock making a wet, transparent spot on the white fabric. The same cock only inches away from his body as he supported the younger man.

“Fuck, Tony…you trying to kill me here?�

“Not trying to kill you. Trying to entice you. It working, Boss?� Tony hurt, but the bullet wound was the least of his worries. Using his good leg for balance, he ground up against Gibbs. “I had a couple of bunkmates, wasn’t interested in giving them a show. Didn’t realize you were interested in the state of my sex life, or in me for that matter. Knowing you are is a major turn on. Wouldn’t mind giving you a show, or maybe convincing you to participate.�

Jethro pressed his knuckle against Tony’s mouth. “Taste it, then we talk.� Tony’s tongue came out, licking eagerly, his soft moan filling the air.

Even though he wanted to take care of this, he knew he had to look at the leg first. “You just lie here, do what you need to do, but you’re under orders not to cum yet. You want to give me a show, go for it. Always up to learning new techniques.� He wouldn’t admit how hard he was, how much he wanted DiNozzo. Not yet.

He strode off to the bathroom, getting his first aid kit. He could gauze and disinfect and bandage and that’d do for now. The wound wasn’t that severe.

When he came back Tony was completely bare. “Decided to take me up on that.� The kid was in great shape, six-pack abs giving way to a tight abdomen and that hard cock leaking. “How long? Tell me how long since you last jacked off.�

“Two weeks on board, a couple days before just wasn’t feeling up to it. Had other things on my mind.� Trying to figure out who wanted Director Sheppard dead and keep Gibbs alive had taken precedent over any sort of personal pleasure. “Had other things on my mind, but this feels so good. Even knowing you’re gonna be poking around a bullet wound hasn’t phased me. Been too long.�

Jethro lowered his eyes to half mast. “You like performing, DiNozzo. You like me watching you?� Jethro stepped closer. “Couple weeks, huh. That’s a dry spell. And look at your restraint, you haven’t wrapped a hand around it yet. What are ya waiting for, DiNozzo?�

Jethro didn’t have the restraint DiNozzo had. He swiped a fingertip over Tony’s wet cock head, intending to offer the other man his finger again, then he smirked, bringing the finger to his own mouth, tasting the younger man’s tangy musk. His own cock jerked and he swallowed hard, savoring Tony’s flavor.

“Tell me what ya want, Tony. Tell me…�

“You said couldn’t cum, usually not a good idea to do something after being told I couldn’t. Don’t want you angry and not putting out. That’s what I want, you’re not in the tux, but you’re still over dressed.�

“I should take care of that leg…� Jethro began before shifting his attention higher. It was tightly wrapped with the blanket, he reasoned. It was a clear through and through, barely more than a flesh wound, Tony’s foot was moving fine and the color was great. Was it really necessary to unwrap it right now?

“You want me to put out?� Jethro asked roughly, glancing down at Tony. “Trust me, you don’t know what you’re asking. Been way too long and nobody ever called me civilized in bed.�

Without thinking too hard, he unbuttoned his shorts and shoved them and his boxers down before yanking his shirt off. “More equal ground, DiNozzo?�

"Much better, you're pretty, Boss. Nice muscles, no man your age should look so good. But you do. Can only hope I look as good as you when I'm old." Tony knew he probably shouldn't say things like that, was going to get him into all sorts of trouble, but he couldn't seem to keep his mouth shut. "Yeah, pretty. Bet you feel good. Do you exfoliate? You don't look like a guy who does, but you're really put together well. Bet your skin is soft, looks it. I'm going to have to find out what sugar scrub you use. You look good."

“Guy never wants to be told he’s pretty, DiNozzo. And what the hell is sugar scrub? You speak a different language to me sometimes. To most guys.� But he was pleased that Tony liked what he saw. “You’re a hedonist, always knew that. You want to touch and feel and taste, don’t ya?�

"I appreciate the finer things in life, you're not an active marine anymore, you don't have to deprive yourself anymore to prove that you're a man. Just looking at you, I know you're a man." Tony could only hope that Gibbs would allow him to show off some of the finer things in life, but talking Jethro Gibbs out of his comfort zone would be a challenge. "Just trust me to pamper you someday soon. Scrubs and lotions and a killer edible massage oil that I promise you'll enjoy as much as I do."

“I enjoy. Does it look like I’m enjoying life?� He wasn’t embarrassed at all about how hard he was or the fact that he was leaking just as much. His cock was swollen, aching, his balls tight and heavy, but as much as he wanted release, he wanted this man, on Tony’s terms and at Tony’s pace. “One wish granted, whatcha want next?�

God, he wanted to rub his cock over that lower lip, see how Tony would react to his own taste. For a start. He could spend years exploring DiNozzo. Wasn’t like he hadn’t thought about it before.

"Come over here, close. Want to touch and taste you, Gibbs. Bet you taste as good as you look, which is damn good."

“We should take care of that leg.� But Jethro wasn’t interested in doing anything else with it now. He took two steps closer, bringing himself into touching range but leaving DiNozzo to take the lead. His breathing sped up as he looked down at the other man. “If you want to turn back, do it now. Once you’re mine, you’re mine and I own your body. You ready for that? Not a fling, Tony. I don’t do flings or one-night stands.�