“We really shouldn’t be doing this,” gasped Gibbs.

“You’re really in no position to argue,” said Tony. “Hey, I like it like this. I’m the boss.”

“Well boss, you’d better hurry up,” Gibbs glanced at his clock. “It’s quarter to eight,"

“You think McGee will get worried?”

“If we both don’t get there, he’ll get suspicious,”

Tony hauled himself off Gibbs, sweating. “Sorry,”

“Don’t say sorry. It’s a sign of weakness.”

Tony started to dress himself. When he finished, he perched on the end of Gibbs’ bed and said, “How did we end up this way?”

“I like to think it was my natural charm.”

“Really,” said Tony seriously. “What if the others find out? This don’t look good. What if Vance found out that the subordinate was…you know.”

“It’s O.K Tony,” said Gibbs, pulling on his shoes, “You can say it out loud.”

A ringtone resounded in the small house and Tony gratefully answered his phone, “Ziva, what’s up?”

“Where are you? The boss isn’t here yet but you’re late! Tony, you’ll get in trouble if he gets here and…”

“Oh don’t worry. I’m sure I can get there before Gibbs,” said Tony, looking at Gibbs who glared.

“See you,” He hung up.

“We gotta go,” he said.

When they finally got there, Gibbs went straight to his desk but as Tony was passing Ziva’s desk, she caught his hand and said, “Hey, something going on between you and Gibbs?”

Tony froze. “Uh…”

“What is the matter. It is…what do you say? A kid? Kidding?”

McGee looked at her, “I think what you meant to say was ‘joke.’”

“Whatever,” said Tony, putting his backpack on the table and eyeing Gibbs out of the corner of his eye.

Gibbs had just picked up his telephone and a serious expression grew over his face. He slammed it down, “Grab your gear,” he said.

Tony put his backpack on.

“What is it boss?”

“Murder. West Virginia,”


Location: Home of Petty Officer’s, WV

“I…I needed to borrow some milk so I went next door. I knocked and that’s when I saw blood seeping from underneath the door. I panicked and knocked the door down. When I walked in, the place was a mess and Mr Lawrence was lying on the floor,” Sally, their only witness started to cry.

Tony wrote something down in his pad and Ziva looked at him curiously. Normally, he would be flirting with this girl. She was pretty. Sally was tall, with blonde hair and probably a size 36B. She was perfect for Tony.

What had changed? Just four months ago Tony would’ve been flirting.

4 months ago

Gibbs’

It was one of those days. Nothing seemed to be happening. Nothing for us to investigate.

McGee was out buying food and Ziva and Tony were in the normal bickering state.

“Are you saying that if you were pregnant you wouldn’t tell me?” asked Tony.

“Tony, you’re obnoxious. You’d immediately want to know who the father was and all the details about him.”

“Maybe I’m the jealous type.”

Ziva laughed.

“Anyway, I can be sensitive.”

At that moment, McGee walked in, weighed down by the cartons. Ziva turned to him immediately.

“McGee, Tony is insensitive.”

“No I’m not,” said Tony, “Tell her,”

“Well um…sensitive isn’t really your forte,” admitted McGee

“I bet I can,” Tony said to Ziva.

“Twenty dollars?”

They shook hands so I stood up and slapped Tony around his head.

“What was that for?”

I placed my hands on his desk and leaned in until his face was inches from mine. “Never bet on what you can’t carry out,” I said.

Normally that would’ve been it. But I felt…something. My eyes met his and for a second I was awestruck. But it didn’t last for long.

Tony shook his head and I coughed and that was it.

Certainly for a week or so…




Present
Location: West Virginia

“Tony! Ziva! McGee! Come over here,” said Gibbs, pulling them away from the witness and into the actual house of the dead Petty Officer.

The petty officer Lawrence was lying on the floor, bruises decorating his face.

“What d’ya think Duck?” asked Gibbs, as their ME, Dr. Donald Mallard walked in. He was wearing owl glasses and a sand coloured hat.

“Defence marks on hands and bruising on oesophagus makes it evident that he was strangled.”

“So somebody broke in and just strangled him? They left no trace.”

“The door wasn’t picked and there’s no sign of a struggle,” said Tony.

“Well, I’m not saying anything until I perform autopsy. Mr Palmer…the gurney?”

Ducky’s assistant had already fetched it and he grinned eagerly. “I brought the probe,”

After inserting the probe, Ducky said, “Time of death…” he looked up. “About 2 hours ago.”

McGee looked at his watch. “At lunchtime,” he said.

Tony, who had been walking around the living room said, “Hey, look at this”
A few feet from the dead Lawrence, was half a chocolate bun.

“You thinking what I’m thinking?”

“That he was also poisoned?” observed Ziva.

“No, kinda brings a new meaning to ‘death by chocolate’ huh?” Tony grinned.

Gibbs glared at him.

“Shutting up boss,” said Tony, hands raised in defeat.

Location: NCIS Morgue
Occupants: Doctor Donald Mallard (Ducky), Assistant Jimmy Palmer
Description: Cold, very cold


“Of course, the conjunctiva is in good shape. This guy wasn’t drunk when he was brought to his unfortunate demise,” said Ducky, pointing to the mucous membrane that covers the eyeball and inner surface of the eyelids.

Jimmy swallowed. “Lovely,”

“Do you know, Doctor Palmer, I’ve come across so many people in so many different conditions. All dead, of course. But never one without the mucous membrane. Oh no, that’s VERY important. Although, there was one case when…uh oh,”

“What?”

Ducky, who had now gone on to inspecting Lawrence’s mouth, picked up some tweezers and picked out something long and stringy. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“Hair?” wondered Palmer.

“Indeed,” said Ducky, inspecting the brown follicle.

“But, Lawrence is blonde!”

“Exactly,” said Ducky. AND THEN HE LOOKED AROUND.

“What are you looking for?” wondered Jimmy.

“Gibbs. He always arrives when I have something for him. Never mind,” said Ducky, bagging the hair, “Could you run that up to Abby please?”

“Sure,” grinned Palmer. Palmer liked the eccentric forensic scientist. Quite a bit. Maybe it was a developing crush but for now…

“Palmer?”

“Sorry doctor,” said Palmer, shaking himself from his thoughts and heading towards the electronic doors, when he bumped into Gibbs. “Sorry sir,” he said, looking up in fright.

Gibbs looked at the ME’s assistant who never failed to amuse him. He shook his head, and sidestepped around Palmer.

“I’m so sorry,”

Ducky shook his head at him. A clear message: Let it go

Palmer took the message and scrambled away.

Gibbs smiled. “He’s just lucky I wasn’t holding coffee,”


LOCATION: LABBY

“Hey Abby, Ducky told me to bring this up to you,” said Mr Palmer. Abby spun around in her black knee high boots.

“Thanks, Pal,” she said, their own personal little joke.

She was dressed in all her ‘gothic glory’ knee high white socks, visible above her long black boots. Her hair was down, something rare and her top was black with skulls across it.

“You look nice Abby,” said Palmer, passing her the plastic container with the hair lifted from Lawrence’s mouth.
“What?!” Abby yelled, over her loud screamo music. Quickly, she put the volume down.

“You look nice,”

“Thanks,” said Abby, spinning around again to place the evidence next to computer. As she did, her short skirt whipped up for a second or two and Palmer grinned.

“So…” With a force that Abby had never even thought Palmer encompassed, Palmer pushed her up against the table, so her leg caught on the foot of the table, grazing her. He kissed her with force for about half a second before Abby pushed away.

“What do you think you’re doing?” she screamed angrily.

“Abby, I like you”

“Well you have a weird way of showing it” said the forensic scientist, crossing her arms. “Get outta here, you freak!”

“Abby, I…”

“Listen,” said Abby, taking a step forward, “I am the only person that can kill you and leave no forensic evidence. Don’t you mess with me, Palmer!” she said.

Palmer grinned and ran out.

“Creep,” Abby said, and she hugged Bert for comfort.

Bert was a farting hippopotamus that she’d had for years. And when McGee walked in five minutes later, he found her hugging Bert.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, worried and he ran over to them.

“Oh McGee,” said the shaken girl and McGee sprinted into her outstretched arms. “What’s wrong?” he asked, breathing deeply the sweet scented smell that was Abby. Her favourite perfume, unsurprisingly called Bloodbath, was now mixed with the stench of fear.

“You’d never hurt me, would you?” asked Abby, letting go of him and putting Bert to one side.

“Of course not,” said McGee.

Abby hugged him again, sniffing. “My hero,”

McGee smiled. She would never know it, but she was his heroine.


Location : Gibbs’ house at night

He took him in his arms the moment they entered the house, closing the door with his foot.
His arms were around his neck, and he was kissing him back passionately. Unexpectedly, the older of the two broke away and dragged the other to the bedroom.

Once in the bedroom, he laid him on the bed and then lay beside him, closing his eyes as he felt the other run their hands through his grey hair.
Gibbs kissed Tony back and then stopped, giving him a searching look. “Tony…”
With both hands, he caressed Tony’s face and throat and with the other he undressed him.

Tony said in an urgent voice, “Gibbs, I love you,”

“I know, Tony, I know,” said Gibbs, taking off his own clothes and running his hands across Tony’s back. He felt Tony shiver with pure ecstasy.

Gibbs said, “I want to raise kids with you,”

Tony shook his head and kissed Gibbs again but Gibbs pulled away. “I mean it,”

Tony looked at him in shock. “What?”

Gibbs touched Tony’s cheek softly, staring into his eyes and then he kissed him again, slowly, gentle, until the heat began to flow through him, charging him up.

“You know what I said, Tony,”

Tony stared at Gibb’s serious face, and then stood up quickly, “No,”

“Why?” said Gibbs, looking annoyed.

“This is my…my life, Gibbs. Just coz you want something doesn’t mean I do. At NCIS, you may be the boss, but you’re not the boss in my life.”

Gibbs shook his head, and started to dress himself.

“Where you going?”

“To a certain loyal basement and boat.”

“Uh huh,.” Said Tony, blocking his way.

“What do you want from me?”

“So that’s it?” said Tony, beginning to get angry. “You’re just going to go away without any reason? You know, I bet that’s why your three ex wives all hate you. Coz you never talk things through with them. In fact, Shannon probably…”

At the mention of his first wife, Shannon, Gibbs pushed Tony roughly until he fell back on to the bed. Gibbs leaned in close. “Don’t you EVER mention Shannon again!”

Tony looked at his boss. “You really loved her.”

“Did you hear me?!!” asked Gibbs, yelling. “I don’t need you, I don’t need anybody”

“Really, coz I think you do. You just won’t admit it. Come on, admit it…” Tony leaned in and Gibbs backed away.

“I thought I needed you,” Gibbs said, “But I don’t.”

“So you don’t love me?”

Silence. “I guess we’ll never know,”

Tony yelled,. “Boss, what do YOU want from ME?”

“Your LOYALTY!” screamed Gibbs. “Do you want to be with me or not?”

Tony shook his head slowly, “This is a bad idea, we can’t stay together without arguing. And I’d be a bad father anyway. Look, I’m not sure if I’m ready to do this. Perhaps I’m really not gay.”

“Perhaps I was never a marine.”

“I’m serious.”

Gibbs said, “That didn’t answer my question. Do you want to be with me?”

“Leroy, I’m not ready for kids…”

Gibbs took a step closer and DiNozzo held his breath, a pain grew in his chest as he stared into Gibbs’ blue eyes.

Gibbs leaned in. “Yes….” He said deliberately, “Or….no?” he emphasized each word, giving Tony time to think it through.

Tony thought. This was where the ‘inner marine’ showed itself in Gibbs. When he was angry.

“Kiss me,” said Tony, his voice thick with emotion.

An aching moan tricked from Gibbs’ throat when he said, “I’ll do more than that,”

“Seriously,” said Tony, crawling over to where Gibbs sat, “About…”

“We’ll talk about it later,” said Gibbs dismissively, pushing Tony back down and pulling the quilt over them.