Part 1


Captain Mitchell Waters had just popped his third antacid in the past hour and he had a feeling that before the day was over, he would more than likely be working on the second bottle hiding in his desk drawer. It was barely the beginning of his shift and the day had already had the makings of yet another day from hell; maybe he should have just called in sick.

Today was the day that the thorn in his flesh, better known as Detective Anthony DiNozzo was returning to work and he was not looking forward to seeing his face any time soon. Because of DiNozzo’s actions, his entire precinct was now under scrutiny from Internal Affairs, creating an atmosphere of resentment and hostility amongst the ranks; fortunately most of that hostility was directed towards DiNozzo and the Captain firmly believed that the troublesome detective deserved every physical and emotional blow that he had been dealt.

“The stubborn fool keeps coming back for more,” he mumbled to himself, opening DiNozzo’s file to put in yet another reprimand for fighting; maybe with a few more provoked incidents, he could officially get rid of DiNozzo, provided he lived that long. Waters stared at the photograph in the detective’s portfolio. “You would think that you would’ve learned by now; if you can’t run with the big dogs, you better stay on the porch.”

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on his door. He glanced up and motioned for Lieutenant Paul Morgan to enter. Morgan had been under his command for several years and he considered Paul to be one of his closet friends and confidantes; they had weathered many storms together and now they were facing the tempest that DiNozzo had unleashed on the department.

“What’s up, Paul?” he inquired, unsure if he actually wanted to hear what he had to say.

“We’ve got a homicide,” the lieutenant announced. “A Marine Sergeant and his family were found dead in their home and it looks like it could be linked to the Griffon murders. I know normally, we’d hand this off to the Navy cops, but since we’re still investigating the other murder, I wasn’t sure what you wanted to do.”

“Isn’t that Detective DiNozzo’s case?”

“Yes it is.”

The captain leaned back in his seat, a sneer escaping his lips. “We’ll share jurisdiction; DiNozzo can handle the Navy cop.”

Morgan’s grin now matched his own. “You know that DiNozzo doesn’t work well with others.”

“Yes, I know,” he gloated. “But at least it will keep him out of our hair until we can figure out how we’re going to get out of this mess that he’s created.”

“I’ll place the call to D.C. and then I’ll inform DiNozzo that he has a new development on his case.”

Waters glanced at his watch. “He’s due in any time now. Let me know how he takes the news.”

“Will do, sir.” Morgan headed back to the squad room with a promise to join the captain for lunch.

He knew DiNozzo well enough to realize that the young man would resent NCIS being called in on his murder investigation; the detective had become quite the loner ever since his former partner had taken his own life. Afterwards, Tony had preferred to work alone because he felt there was no one he could trust and now he was being ordered to work with a federal agent. Failure to cooperate with a federal agency in an investigation was a dismissible offense, especially when one had as many black marks on their record as DiNozzo had on his.

Maybe it wasn’t going to be such a bad day after all.



XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX



Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs despised rush hour traffic; what should have been a forty-five minute drive had taken him almost two hours. After being forced to navigate several construction sites and idiot drivers who had no business possessing a driver’s license, he was not in the mood to deal with the local LEO who was supposed to be his liaison with the Baltimore PD.

The Baltimore PD had informed him of the dead Marine and his family and that he would be meeting one Detective Anthony DiNozzo, who would be working with him when he arrived. Ever since Mike Franks had retired, he had preferred working alone; Gibbs had learned the hard way that there were very few people that he could count on to have his back and now, he had been asked to place his trust in a complete stranger.

Pulling up to the crime scene, he saw the familiar sight of flashing lights and yellow crime scene tape; he cut off the engine, grabbed his coffee and made his way through the crowd of on lookers. Flashing his ID to the uniformed officers, he crossed under the barrier and made his way to the house that no longer rang with the laughter of a happy family, but with the stench of death.

He pushed down the memories that threatened to resurface; the death of his own wife and daughter still ate at him like a cancer that had no cure. There were times that their deaths seemed surreal but he knew that there was nothing he could do to bring them back; he had avenged their deaths and now he had to move on. Unfortunately, that was easier said than done.

Gibbs held up his badge once again as he nodded a greeting to the officer stationed by the front door. “Gibbs. NCIS.”

“You’re the Navy cop?”

“That would be me.”

“I figured you’d have a uniform or something.”

Gibbs pinched the bridge of his nose, forcing himself to mentally count to ten before he supplied the other man with an answer. He was not going to waste his breath trying to explain the significance of NCIS to the officer; the agent had a murder to solve and he was not in the mood to engage in such a pointless conversation.

“I’m supposed to be meeting Detective DiNozzo; is he here yet?”

“Detective DiNozzo?”

The NCIS agent’s eyes narrowed, his piercing blue orbs studying the officer’s nametag. Officer W. Dayton was wearing on his already frazzled nerves. “Officer Dayton, I don’t make a habit of repeating myself. Now, it’s a rather simple question; is Detective DiNozzo here yet?”

“Uh, no sir,” Dayton stammered. “He’s not here yet.”

“Where is he?” he demanded to know.

“I…uh…he probably had to report to the Captain this morning; he’s been on leave and…”

“Jethro!”

Gibbs turned around at the sound of his name to see the familiar face approaching him. The agent motioned to the medical examiner, his eyes following the older man’s semi agitated movements. He and Dr. Donald Mallard, usually referred to by his comrades as Ducky, had been through a lot together over the years and he counted on Ducky’s knowledge, expertise, and friendship to guide him. “Hey Duck,” he greeted.

“I’m sorry I’m late,” Ducky apologized. “The directions I was given were atrocious and then when I got going the right way, I ran into quite a bit of construction and…”

He raised his hand, abruptly cutting off the physician. Ducky could take the simplest detail and weave it into a tale of grand proportions for anyone who would listen. “No problem, Duck; we still managed to beat Detective DiNozzo to the scene.”

“We’re sharing jurisdiction?” the ME inquired.

“Not if he doesn’t get his butt down here,” Gibbs growled.

“Are you looking for me?”

Gibbs turned around to see a dark haired man walking up the stairs. He was young but his eyes spoke of a wisdom that could only come by playing the hand that life dealt you. Detective Anthony DiNozzo was dressed in jeans, sneakers, and a red hooded sweatshirt with Ohio State emblazoned on the front; his natural good looks clashing with his casual attire. He wasn’t at all what Gibbs expected.

The detective carried himself confidently but his movements were slow and deliberate as if he were in pain and attempting to hide his weakness; something he had done several times himself. As DiNozzo stood toe to toe with him, Gibbs could see the fading bruises on his jaw; his gut was telling him that someone was using Detective DiNozzo as a punching bag, which would explain the pale purple and yellow marks adorning his face. Any feelings of concern that he was experiencing were quickly tamped down; he couldn’t afford to get involved in DiNozzo’s personal matters, there was a murder to solve and time was wasting. Who knew how long they had until their killer struck again?

“I am if you’re Detective DiNozzo,” Gibbs grumpily countered.

“That would be me, Anthony DiNozzo at your service; I guess that means you’re the Navy guy,” the detective deduced.

“Gibbs, NCIS; stands for Naval…”

“I know what it stands for.”

Gibbs glared at the brazen young man; DiNozzo certainly didn’t seem to be easily intimidated, a trait that he truly appreciated. The agent nodded towards the ME, who was taking his role as the silent observer to heart. “This is Dr. Donald Mallard; he’s the Medical Examiner.”

Tony extended his hand and greeted the doctor. “Dr. Mallard; it’s nice to meet you.”

“It’s my pleasure, Detective DiNozzo and you can call me Ducky,” the doctor replied. “DiNozzo; that would be Italian.”

“It’s about as Italian as Mallard is Scottish.”

“Very good, Anthony; are you a student of ethnic origins?”

DiNozzo shook his head. “Nope; I’ve just watched enough James Bond to know my Scotsmen.”

“You must be referring to Sean Connery, a brilliant actor in his own right; have you ever seen him in…”

Gibbs cleared his throat and stepped between the two men who were acting like they were long time friends instead of mere acquaintances. “Do you think we could get to work?” he barked.

Tony lifted up the tape that was blocking the front door. “After you, Agent Gibbs.”

As they entered the house, Gibbs noticed Dayton visibly bristle as DiNozzo walked by him; he was sure that the detective also recognized the officer’s obvious dislike for him, but Tony simply smiled at the man in the uniform and said, “Hey, Dayton. How ya doin’?”

Dayton purposefully spit in DiNozzo’s path, causing the detective to stop in his tracks. Gibbs saw the daggers shooting from Tony’s eyes, hatred and frustration emanating from the expressive orbs. “Is there a problem, Detective DiNozzo?”

DiNozzo stood tall, his gaze never leaving Dayton’s neutral expression. “Nope. No problem, Navy guy. I’m sure Officer Dayton just missed the grass; I’m sure he didn’t mean to possibly contaminate a crime scene.”

Gibbs’ piercing gaze followed Tony as he stepped past him and entered the house. Something was definitely amiss with the situation that had just played out in front of him; neither Dayton nor DiNozzo were willing to expound upon their obvious dislike for one another and Gibbs couldn’t help but be concerned that the personal war waging between the two officers would become an obstacle as they searched for a killer.

The agent joined DiNozzo as he was kneeling next to Ducky, intently listening to the ME describe the probable time and cause of death. Glancing around the room, he knew that they would be at the crime scene a while, especially with three bodies to process; he decided that it may be a good idea to keep an eye on Detective DiNozzo. Gibbs considered himself to be a good judge of character and he wanted to be sure that his instincts were right about the Detective; if they were, then Anthony DiNozzo was in over his head and no one was willing to throw him a life preserver.



XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX


“Our victims names are Sergeant Raymond Milner, Victoria Milner, and their daughter Grace Milner; according to Mr. Milner’s brother, Robert, they were supposed to get together at their parent’s house for a barbeque. When the Sergeant didn’t show, Robert came over and discovered the bodies. He’s coming down to the station to give a full statement a little later, or so I’ve been informed,” Tony announced to Gibbs and the ME as they watched Ducky take another liver temperature.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Gibbs asked.

“It means I’m telling you all the information I was given before I left the station; isn’t that what we’re supposed to do since we’re sharing jurisdiction?”

Detective Anthony DiNozzo had only been on the clock for a little less than two hours and so far all he had managed to do was to ignore the slurs and the stares of hatred and betrayal that seemed to follow his every movement. Truthfully, the hushed whispers and the thinly veiled threats no longer bothered him; he was in the right and he refused to back down despite the constant pressure from the department and the brass.

He had been informed that another family had been murdered with the same MO as the Griffon murders and that he would now be sharing jurisdiction with NCIS since the father was a Marine Sergeant; of course, no one bothered telling him that the Navy cop was a former Marine as well and that sense of brotherhood could be a problem during the investigation. Gibbs had never confirmed that he was a Marine, but the haircut gave it away; after all, Tony was a detective and he was quite adept at putting together puzzles that didn’t have all the pieces.

Gibbs was a tough man to read, but given time, Tony believed that he would have a good handle on the man that he was going to be forced to work with; one thing was for certain, the NCIS agent didn’t believe in playing games and he was grateful for the change because within the past couple of months, his life had become nothing but a game to Internal Affairs and the Baltimore Police Department.

The Navy guy certainly had him on edge but he refused to permit the agent to see behind the mask that he so efficiently wore; he was used to hiding his discomfort and insecurities from others, it was something he had been doing for years. The agent would be going back to DC and he would still be in Baltimore and hopefully, their paths would never cross again. He had enough on his plate without worrying about making a good impression on Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs. If Gibbs didn’t like him, he could file a complaint with Captain Waters; it wouldn’t be the first and it probably wouldn’t be the last.

If Gibbs wanted to be impressed, he should be impressed by the fact that Tony managed to reign in his temper when Officer Dayton spit on the ground in front of it; it had taken every ounce of Tony’s reserve not to take Dayton to the ground but doing so would have resulted in yet another mark against him. He had been warned by IA to stay clear of everyone and keep his nose clean until the investigators figured out who was telling the truth. Tony had tried to do as he was told, but being a detective made it nearly impossible to stay away from the precinct.

Maybe this case would give him a bit of a reprieve; it would be refreshing to work with someone who had no ties to the Baltimore Police Department or Captain Waters. He scrubbed his face, the sensation of two day old stubble tickled his palm; Tony’s mind momentarily drifted as he attempted to remember the last time he had shaved. Maybe Gibbs wouldn’t take too many points off for his unkempt appearance. Then again, why did he care what the Navy guy thought of him?

After he had provided the names of their victims and Ducky had given his initial evaluation as to what he believed to be the cause of death of the Sergeant, he began shooting pictures of the crime scene, leaving Gibbs to converse with the ME. He heard the physician telling the agent that the Marine had been stabbed in the heart while the two females had their throats slit; there was a compassion in the ME’s voice that DiNozzo rarely heard in the field of police work. Tony had to admit that he liked the Scotsman; he had immediately put Tony at ease and the easygoing nature of the elderly man had momentarily encouraged him to lower his defenses so he could enjoy conversing with the doctor.

As he was snapping a picture of the young girl known as Grace, he noticed that she bore a fake tattoo that had been carefully placed on her small arm. It was the same tattoo that had been placed on the Griffon girl’s arm prompting him to start looking around the body for the paper that the tattoo had come on; the lab was supposed to trying to figure out where the tattoos were sold, but like everything else, most of his requests were put on the backburner.

“You got something, DiNozzo?”

He looked up to see Gibbs standing over him, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. Tony pointed to the tattoo on the girls arm. “Amy Griffon had this exact same tattoo on her arm. It’s one of those tattoos that you can put on with water; sometimes you can get them out of those machines in stores.”

“It can be traced, right?” Gibbs inquired.

“Yeah, I’m uh…I’ve been working on it.” Tony knew that he had basically just lied to Gibbs, but thankfully, the agent didn’t press the issue. He made a mental note to go to the lab and see what the forensics department had discovered about the tattoo.

“Anything else similar about the two cases?”

“Yeah, they were all more than likely killed together.”

“And how did you draw this conclusion?”

“The amount of blood in the room; I doubt we’ll find blood in any other part of the house. The child is killed first, followed by the wife and then the husband; the Sergeant was more than likely made to watch his daughter and wife die.”

“Jethro, judging by the time of deaths of the victims, Detective DiNozzo is correct in his assumption,” Ducky declared.

“What else ya got?” Gibbs wanted to know.

“As Dr. Mallard has already confirmed, the Sergeant was stabbed in the heart after the throats of his family were slit; now whether that’s supposed to be symbolic, I’m not sure; but the MO matches the Griffon case to a tee.”

“I think you need to bring me up to date on where you are on the Griffon case; I’ll have their bodies taken back to DC where Ducky will do the autopsies. Any objections?”

Tony shook his head. “Nope.”

“I’ll let you both know the results as soon as I can,” Ducky promised as he busied himself preparing the bodies for transport.

Tony and Gibbs assisted the doctor in placing the bodies in the bags and lifting them onto the gurneys. He noted the care that both the agent and the ME demonstrated as they secured them. “You’ll hear from me soon,” the ME stated.

“Thank you, Dr. Mallard.”

“You’re welcome, Anthony; remember, my friends call me Ducky.”

Tony waved as Ducky escorted the bodies to the ME’s wagon to take them back to DC. After the ME left, he found himself staring at the ground where the bodies had lain. He could almost taste the fear that the family had to have experienced as they faced their tormentor; how many more families were going to die before he caught the person responsible? The killer was going to slip through his fingers all because he was being punished for doing the right thing by Waters and his loyal followers; was being right worth the injustice being served?

“You okay?” the agent asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” he lied once again. He seemed to be doing a lot of that to the Navy cop.

“Are you ready to go over the evidence you collected from the Griffon case and see what other similarities pop up?” Gibbs suggested.

“Yeah, I’ll have to drop by my place and get the files; there’s a coffee shop just down the street from my apartment.”

“Something wrong with the police station?”

Tony blew out a pent up breath. “Too much going on; it’s hard to hear yourself think in the bullpen.”

“Something wrong with your apartment?”

“It’s a mess,” Tony answered through clenched teeth. “I wasn’t expecting company; my maid hasn’t had time to clean.”

He could tell by the smirk that Gibbs was wearing that he didn’t buy either story that Tony had just concocted, but he didn’t care. His top priority was bringing a killer to justice and he would do it with or without Gibbs’ help; his personal affairs were none of the older man’s business and if pressed, Tony would be more than happy to tell Gibbs where he could put his shared jurisdiction.

Detective Anthony DiNozzo smiled at the waitress as he entered the coffee shop to meet Agent Gibbs. Rita had been working at the shop for several years, relying on her meager wages and tips from two different jobs to make ends meet and help put her son through school. Her husband had passed away unexpectedly fifteen years ago, leaving Rita and her son to fend for themselves. She had taken him under her wing and treated him like a son and in turn, Tony looked upon her as the maternal figure that he had been missing ever since he was a young boy.

“Tony!” Rita called to him. “It’s good to see you! Are you feeling better?”

Tony placed a kiss on the waitress’s cheek and then took the loaded tray that she was carrying, placing his file on top of the coffee cups. “What table does this go to?” he asked.

“Table two,” she replied, following him over to the trio that was waiting for their coffee and pie. Rita served the customers and took her tray back. “You didn’t answer my question,” Rita pointed out. “Are you feeling any better? That flu really had a hold of you; I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone ache so badly in my life.”

“I’m doing fine; that soup you made me really did the trick. I uh…actually went back to work today.” Tony felt guilty for lying to Rita, but the last thing he wanted was to get her mixed up in his problems; she had enough on her plate without worrying about him.

“And how did that go?” she pressed.

“Fine,” he lied. “Just fine. Actually, I’m supposed to meet someone here so we can go over a case.”

“Salt and pepper hair? Gruff personality? Eyes that can shoot daggers?”

Tony grinned at the waitress as she described the NCIS agent to a tee. “That would be him; I take it he’s here.”

“Table 9.”

“Ah, the back corner,” Tony recalled. “Figures.”

“He’s on his second cup of coffee and he keeps looking at his watch,” she informed him.

“Probably because I was supposed to meet him fifteen minutes ago.” Tony realized that Gibbs would not be happy with his lack of punctuality, but the delay had been unavoidable. If the agent didn’t like it, he could take it up with Internal Affairs.

“Don’t let me keep you then. Do you want your usual?”

“Please.”

“I’ll bring it right out,” Rita promised.

Tony winked at the older woman. “Thanks. I’ll be over there with the Navy cop.”

As Rita headed to the kitchen, Tony made his way over to the table where Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs was waiting. He pulled out the chair opposite of the other man and swung his leg over the back of the chair as he sat down. Tony was still reserving his judgment on Gibbs; there was something about him that confounded Tony and until he figured out the missing piece of the puzzle, he would make sure to keep his guard up and his mask firmly in place.

“You’re late,” Gibbs growled.

“Sorry about that,” he apologized. “I uh…had something to take care of.”

“Never say you’re sorry; it’s a sign of weakness.”

“What?” Tony had to admit that he was confused by Gibbs’ words; it almost sounded like he was spouting off some kind of ancient proverb.

“Rule 6,” the agent explained.

Tony had no idea what Gibbs was talking about nor did he want to press the issue at the moment. What he wanted was to find a murderer before he killed again; he couldn’t bear the thought of anyone else falling prey to this serial killer. Even after all these years, he still was appalled by the cruelty that humans could inflict on one another and although Tony accepted the fact that he couldn’t rid the world of evil completely, he had to try.

“Here you go, Tony,” Rita announced, her cheerful voice chasing away his dark thoughts. “A cup of coffee with four sugars and two hazelnut creamers and a piece of apple pie, fresh out of the oven.”

“Thanks, Rita.” Tony stuck a folded up bill in her apron.

The waitress pulled out the money and unfolded it to reveal a fifty dollar bill. “Tony, this is too much,” Rita insisted.

“I have to catch up from where I was out sick last week.”

“Tony, I…”

“No arguments; you can use the extra and get Nick something for his birthday.”

Rita leaned down, reciprocating Tony’s earlier actions, and placed a delicate kiss on his cheek. He took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, acknowledging her quiet gratefulness. “Be sure that you tell him happy birthday from me in case I don’t get to call him; I have a feeling that work is going to be a little hectic the next couple of days. I sent him a card but I know how campus mail can be, so make sure he got it.”

“I can’t thank you enough,” Rita whispered, wiping at the tears that threatened to fall down her cheeks.

“You don’t have to thank me; just keep that pie coming,” Tony grinned.

“I’ll have you a few pieces ready for when you leave,” she promised. “I’ve got to get back to work.”

“Okay.”

Tony doctored his coffee and took a sip of the steaming liquid. He tried to ignore the curious stare that he was receiving from the man sitting across from him; Tony resented being placed under the proverbial microscope, especially by this stranger who completely unnerved him. He didn’t appreciate being placed under scrutiny; the past few months of everyone watching and knowing his every aspect of his life had left him exhausted both physically and mentally, stripping his self confidence away layer by layer. Internal affairs, Captain Waters, and many of Baltimore’s finest had made his life a living hell and he was beginning to wonder if he was going to add Gibbs to that ever growing list.

“Is there a problem, Agent Gibbs?” he finally asked as he took a bite of his pie.

“That was a pretty generous tip,” Gibbs observed.

“Rita’s a single mom trying to put her son through school; his birthday is Thursday and she barely has enough to get by much less buy him a birthday present,” he coolly stated. “I know what it’s like to be away from home and feel like you’ve been forgotten; no boy should ever have to go through that.”

“So you regularly give her fifty dollar tips?”

“Why does it matter?”

“It doesn’t; it’s a nice gesture. You obviously…”

“Can we just drop it?” Tony suggested. “We’ve got a lot of work to do.”

“Sure,” Gibbs conceded. “So, what do you have so far?”

Tony handed Gibbs the file that he had accumulated since he had been assigned to the Griffon case. His personal notes and what reports he had been given access to were in the folder; he had done a lot of his own leg work that had resulted in several revelations allowing him to draw his own conclusions about their killer.

“This is everything I’ve got. I think that our suspect is male, possibly anywhere from 25 to 40, blond hair, approximately 6’4”, with some kind of military background. The weapon of choice was a serrated blade, military issue; which he is proficient in using.”

“How did you figure all this out?”

“By the direction of the stab wounds; the perp towers above his victims causing the thrusts to be in a downward motion. There was also a long blond hair on Amy Griffon’s shirt which didn’t belong to any of the other victims; I’m still waiting on the lab results, so technically the blond hair is just a guess, but right now, it’s all I’ve got to go on.”

“What can you tell me about the victims?” Gibbs inquired as he continued to read through the file.

“Seems to be random with the only prerequisite that there are only 3 members in the family, husband, wife, and a daughter; a fake tattoo is placed on the arm of the girl, which fits the MO in two murders in the state of Virginia. I’ve got a friend in the Virginia State Police who’s supposed to be faxing me the copies of the reports.”

“You haven’t received them yet?”

“I was out last week and…” He chastised himself for revealing that tidbit of personal information; Tony certainly didn’t want Gibbs to think that he was taking a vacation while he had an active murder investigation going on; his week away from work had been anything but pleasurable as he recovered from an impromptu meeting between his body and the fists that belonged to several close friends of Captain Waters. “I’ll check my inbox when I go back to the precinct; I’m sure it’s there.”

Gibbs leaned back in his chair and took a sip of coffee; Tony had a feeling that the NCIS agent was going to stick his nose in his business once again.

“You don’t seem like the kind of guy who would up and take a vacation while you still had an unsolved case,” Gibbs stated. “Officer Dayton said that you had been on leave, but didn’t say why.”

“In case you haven’t noticed, Dayton has a big mouth.”

“Believe me, I noticed.” Gibbs was once again glaring at him with those steely orbs which only served to further irritate him. “Are you going to answer my question?”

“Not that’s it any of your business,” Tony seethed, “but it wasn’t my idea.”

“You were placed on leave?” the agent pressed.

“Medical leave.” Why was he allowing this Navy cop to get under his skin? He had enough crap to deal with; he certainly didn’t need to engage in a less than entertaining game of twenty questions with Jethro Gibbs.

“Can we get back to the case?” He realized that he sounded angry and defensive, but Gibbs was trying to get in his mind and Tony resented anyone who took pleasure in playing mind games.

“Sure.”

Tony pulled out another file that contained the pictures of his last crime scene. “You can see the similarities in the wounds between the Griffons and the Milners,” he continued. “The tattoo…”

He was interrupted by the ringing of his cell phone. Glancing at the caller ID, he began to silently curse when he recognized Captain Waters’ name. “I need to take this,” Tony grumbled. “I’ll only be a minute.”

Pushing himself up out of his chair, he stepped outside to take the dreaded phone call. Waters’ had made it his life’s purpose to torment him because of Tony’s accusations which had put the department under investigation. He knew that he had been right going to Internal Affairs with his findings, but there were days that he was starting to regret that decision.

How was he supposed to find a killer when his own department was thwarting him at every turn? Maybe he should just hand the entire investigation over to Gibbs; the agent seemed capable but that wasn’t the problem. He had a deep seated desire to see the murderer brought to justice; he had promised Amy Griffon that day in autopsy that he would find the one responsible for her gruesome death and it was a promise that he intended to keep.

Taking a deep breath, he mentally braced himself for the storm to come. Flipping open his phone, he brusquely answered, “DiNozzo.”



XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX



Gibbs took a sip of his coffee, his gaze alternating between the file before him and the man standing outside the door talking on the phone. Although he had only met Detective Anthony DiNozzo a few hours ago, he had already arrived at the conclusion that the young man was an enigma. It was obvious that DiNozzo was guarded around him, being careful not to reveal anything too personal; the only time the detective allowed his mask to drop was when he was talking to the waitress.

As if on cue, the lady that Tony had referred to as Rita was at his table, refreshing his coffee. She was an attractive woman whose eyes spoke of a hard life that had been thrust upon her unexpectedly; the fine lines of time that graced her features were a testament of all she had endured.

“Can I get you anything else?” Rita asked.

“Just keep the coffee coming.”

“You got it, but I wouldn’t wait too long to ask for a piece of apple pie; it’s going fast.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Gibbs watched her top off Tony’s coffee although it really didn’t need it; his ability to read people told him that she wanted to say something to him and was working up the courage to do so. The agent wouldn’t push her; he would simply bide his time. Her attention was now focused on Tony, who was still on the phone having a heated discussion with whoever was on the other end.

“Do you know who he’s talking to?” she casually inquired.

“No, he didn’t say. He just excused himself and took the call.”

“I hope everything is all right.”

“I’m sure it is.”

The silver haired man motioned for Rita to sit down and join him. “Buy you a cup of coffee?”

Rita shook her head. “No, but I am due for a break; I’d love to get off my feet for a few minutes.” She extended her hand and introduced herself. “My name is Rita Turman.”

Gibbs shook her hand. “Jethro Gibbs.”

He was hoping that he had provided her with the opening that she had been searching for and that she would feel free to share what was on her mind; he was certain that the waitress could provide him some valuable insight into the mind of the detective. Fortunately his hunch played out; she was clearly a woman who refused to let an opportunity to pass her by.

“So, are you Tony’s new partner?” she wanted to know.

He was taken back by the question; she certainly didn’t mince words. “Uh…not exactly. We’re sharing jurisdiction on a case; I’m a federal agent for NCIS.”

“Oh,” Rita sighed. “That’s too bad. I think that you’re just what Tony needs.”

“What do you mean?”

He could sense that she was struggling with how much she should reveal to him, he was after all, a complete stranger. The constant wringing of her hands exacerbated her apparent nervousness. “Tony’s last partner ended up taking his own life a few months ago; ever since then, he’s been on his own,” she began. “It would be nice to know that he had someone watching his back again and believe me, he needs to have someone he can trust.”

“Is there something going on that I should know about?” he questioned. Gibbs had already come to the conclusion that DiNozzo was carrying a heavy burden. He recalled the way Officer Dayton had treated the detective and how Tony had forced himself to remain in control. The agent began to wonder if the tension that he observed was just between Tony and Dayton or if it extended farther into the precinct.

“I don’t know a lot about what’s been going on with Tony at work but I do know that he didn’t have the flu last week; he was in pain and I noticed some bruises on his upper arm. He still thinks I believe that he was sick.”

Gibbs sat back in his chair, contemplating the waitress’s words. “Does he ever give you a hint about what’s happening at work?”

Rita shook her head. “No, he’s as tight lipped as a clam. He’s a good man and I can’t shake the feeling that he’s in some serious trouble. I’m not sure why I’m telling you this; I guess you just have one of those faces that make it easy for people to trust you. Please help him,” she pleaded.

“I’m not sure what I can do,” Gibbs replied. “I doubt he’s going to tell me…”

“I think you might be surprised, Agent Gibbs; once Tony’s convinced that he can trust you, I think he’ll open up to you,” Rita pointed out. “I do know that if something doesn’t give soon, that he’s going to end up hurt or worse and I don’t want to see that happen.”

Gibbs shook his head. “I don’t…”

“Please just think about what I’ve said; he needs someone in his corner. He would be so mad at me if he knew that I had said anything to you; Tony’s a very private person and he keeps his pain private as well. I just can’t stand by and watch him continue on this path; I had to do something.”

Before he could answer her, Rita stood up, picked up her carafe of coffee and pushed in her seat. “I’ve got to get back to work; thank you for listening. You know I consider myself to be a pretty good judge of character and I think that you’re a man of integrity and fairness; don’t disappoint me, Agent Gibbs.”

He was left alone to contemplate her revelations and Gibbs was still uncertain what she expected him to do; if DiNozzo refused to tell him what was going on, then he couldn’t help the detective. Gibbs found himself staring out the window at DiNozzo, who had just ended his conversation and was raking his hand through his hair as frustration radiated from him. Something was definitely weighing on the young man and it was about to take him under.

When Gibbs saw that Tony was coming back inside, he quickly averted his eyes back to the file he had been reading before his discussion with Rita. DiNozzo made his way over to the table and sat back down, his gaze was teeming with anger.

“Everything okay?” Gibbs asked.

Tony scrubbed his face and took a drink of his coffee. “Yeah, everything’s just frickin’ fine.”

There was no mistaking the bitter venom dripping from Tony’s lips. “Anything I can do?”

The detective shook his head. “No. Listen, can we do this a little later? I’ve got something I have to do.”

“Sure.”

“Are you staying in Baltimore or going back home?”

“Going home.” Gibbs took a napkin and wrote down his address. He handed it to the detective who looked at it and promptly tucked it in his pocket. “How about eight tonight? It’ll give me a chance to go over these files some more.”

“Sounds good. I’ll bring those other reports and hopefully the lab report as well.”

“Don’t be late this time,” he warned.

“Trust me Gibbs, being late is the least of my problems. I’ll see you later.”

He watched Tony make his way towards the door, stopping long enough to pick up the to-go bag that Rita had fixed for him. Gibbs saw her lean over the counter and whisper something to DiNozzo, but he couldn’t make out what she had said to him. Tony graced her with a tired grin and a wink as he turned to leave.

There was definitely something going on and whatever it was, Anthony DiNozzo was in over his head. Gibbs reached in his pocket and pulled out his cell phone; he dialed a familiar number and waited for his colleague to answer. “Hey, Pacci; I need a favor. I need you to pull a file on a Detective Anthony DiNozzo, Baltimore PD.”

“Isn’t that the guy you’re working with on the Milner case?” Pacci asked.

“Yep. Drop it off at my house; the door’s unlocked.”

Gibbs hung up, his eyes meeting the worried gaze of Rita. With a slight nod, he gathered up the files and his coffee, hoping that she understood that he was going to do his best to figure out what was going on with DiNozzo. Leaving a generous tip on the table, he left the coffee shop and headed to his car.

As he started the engine and drove off, his thoughts were consumed not by the case, but by one brash detective who seemed to be a magnet for trouble. Gibbs knew that he couldn’t afford to be distracted; he had a case to solve and he owed it to the Milner family to obtain justice for them. However, there was something about Tony DiNozzo that he couldn’t put his finger on; only time would reveal what the detective was hiding. Maybe it was time to do a little digging on his own.

Tony sat outside the precinct in his car, trying to summon the courage to walk back into the den of lions that were waiting to devour him. He had reported to work earlier that morning and had almost immediately been dispatched to the Milner homicide; it wasn’t how he wanted to start the day but at least he had managed to avoid the slurs and the thinly veiled threats that the other detectives hurled at him every time he walked through the doors. Of course, that was about to change as soon as he entered the police station, but his colleagues would never know how much their words truly hurt; Tony would simply slip on that mask that he wore so well, hiding the pain that he buried deep inside of him.

When Waters had called him and demanded to see him, Tony’s first instinct was to simply hang up on the man; the Captain had made his life unbearable the past few months and had taken a perverse pleasure in doing so. Tony hit the steering wheel in frustration; he knew he shouldn’t let Waters get under his skin, but dirty cops had a tendency to do just that.

Realizing that he couldn’t put off the confrontation any longer, Tony got out of his car and headed towards the entrance of the station. He schooled his features as he mentally braced himself for the assault of daggers that would be fired his way as soon as he set foot in the bullpen.

He walked through the door and started to make his way towards the Captain’s office, stopping at his desk long enough to see if the fax that he had been waiting for were in his inbox. Tony tried to ignore the stares of the other detectives as they followed his every move; the hatred in their eyes reflected the hatred in their hearts.

Tony continued to flip through his papers, his irritation growing every second as he searched in vain for the copies of the reports that he’d been promised. Coming up empty handed, he raked his hands through his hair, his disgusted gaze briefly resting on each man in the room. “I don’t suppose any one has seen the fax that I was supposed to get from the Virginia State Police,” Tony surmised.

The detective’s query was met with silence. “It pertains to my current murder investigation and I’m sure that if someone picked them up off my desk, it was a simple mistake,” he continued, sarcasm dripping from his voice. It angered him beyond words that someone in the division would interfere with an investigation just because it had been assigned to him; the Griffon and Milner familes deserved better than to be caught in the middle of a departmental war.

“Look guys, just because you’re pissed at me doesn’t mean that you can interfere with my cases! I’ve got to go and see and Waters and by the time I get back, those papers better be on my desk or I’m going to start tearing this place apart and I swear that whoever is responsible…” Tony clenched his fist as he abruptly stopped his tirade; the last thing he needed to be doing was making threats against his fellow officers because there wasn’t a doubt in his mind that the repercussions would come back on him.

He took a deep breath and blew it out. “Just get it back on my desk before I leave.”

“Or what?”

Tony visibly bristled as Detective Cal Jackson spoke up, purposefully challenging him in front of the other officers. He was sure that Jackson was one of Waters’ henchmen that had been responsible for his last hospital visit and subsequent forced vacation, but he didn’t have concrete proof.

“You don’t want to know. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m supposed to be meeting with the Captain.” He didn’t want to walk away but Tony knew if he didn’t, that he would end up doing something he would regret.

“You talk a lot but you don’t say much, do you DiNozzo? Wait a minute, let me rephrase that; you talk a lot but just to the wrong people,” Jackson corrected.

Play it cool, DiNozzo; play it cool. Tony kept repeating the mantra over and over, resisting the urge to take a swing at the other detective. The desire to walk out the door and never look back was strong, but he had a responsibility to the Griffon and Milner family; he had to see their killer behind bars and then he could consider his future. Tony figured that after Internal Affairs completed their investigation, that his days as a homicide detective for the Baltimore Police Department were over; not because of anything he had done, but because of all that he had uncovered and turned over to IA.

Electing to reciprocate their earlier actions, Tony chose to remain silent as he headed towards the Captain’s office. He shoved the officers continuous barbs to the back of mind, knowing that he needed a clear head when he talked to Waters; the man was infamous for trying to twist his words and using them against him. The Captain thrived on power and those whom he didn’t have control over were the ones who suffered; a fact that his former partner could testify to if he were alive today.

He knocked on the door and waited for the gruff voice to acknowledge his presence. Upon receiving the curt invitation, he entered the Captain’s office and stood patiently before the older man’s desk, waiting for Waters to make the first move.

“Detective DiNozzo,” Waters finally greeted.

“Captain.”

“How’s your case coming? Everything going well with NCIS?”

Tony stood tall, silently wishing that the man would quit beating around the bush. “It’s fine. Agent Gibbs seems to be very capable,” he informed the Captain.

“That’s good,” Waters stated. “So your day has been going well?”

“As well as can be expected.”

“That’s good, Detective DiNozzo, because my day hasn’t been so good.”

“Sorry to hear that,” Tony lied. Truthfully, the man deserved to spend his days rotting in jail, especially after what he did to Drew.

“Do you want to know why I’ve had a bad day?” Waters coolly inquired.

“I suppose you’re going to tell me.”

“That’s very perceptive of you, Detective DiNozzo; those instincts of yours must be working overtime today.”

“Look, Captain; I’ve got a case to get back to and I’m wasting time standing here going back and forth with you. Either you say what you’ve got to say or I’m walking,” he warned, his lack of respect for the man exacerbating his insubordination.

“Sit down, Detective,” the Captain insisted.

“I prefer to stand.”

“Have it your way.”

The Captain pulled out a thick file and Tony knew beyond a shadow of doubt that Waters was holding his personal file in his grubby hand. Waters opened it and pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to him; Tony knew what it was without having to look at it.

“It’s a reprimand for the fight you got into last week,” Waters explained.

Tony quickly read and handed it back to the Captain. “I’m not signing it,” he declared. “You’ve got your story wrong; I didn’t provoke those officers and I didn’t throw the first punch.”

“I’ve got three statements from highly decorated officers stating otherwise. I suggest you sign it and return in to me so I can add it to the mounting collection of reprimands in your record. By the time all this is over, you won’t be working in Baltimore or any other police force in the country; nobody wants a troublemaker, DiNozzo.”

Tony crossed his arms, firmly standing his ground. “You didn’t call me in here to tell me about another reprimand; half those reprimands in my file you put in there without my knowledge, so there has to be something else you want. What is it?”

“You’re right,” Waters conceded.

He studied the arrogant man before him as he leaned back in his chair. Tony hated Waters with every fiber of his being and in his mind, there could be no redemption for someone like the Captain, whose moral standards were completely nonexistent.

“I got a call from IA this morning and they want to talk to me…again. It seems that some new evidence has come to their attention; they are hinting at the fact that I possibly was influential in causing your partner to put a gun in his mouth and blow out his brains,” the Captain seethed.

“Really?” Tony wasn’t surprised; he was actually relieved that Internal Affairs had found the evidence condemning enough to warrant another interview with the Captain.

“Apparently you gave them access to Detective Grayson’s journal.”

“I found it in his personal belongings; you insisted that I clean out his desk,” Tony reminded him. “Besides, it provided some interesting reading while I was recuperating at home.”

Waters slammed his fist on his desk and stood up, towering over Tony by a couple of inches; unfortunately for the Captain, he had long ago ceased being intimidated by the older man. “You bastard! I didn’t pull the trigger!”

“But you might as well have!”

“Your partner was dirty and…”

“He wanted out and you wanted him to be your scapegoat!” he roared, not caring who heard him. “Drew wanted out and you wouldn’t let him; he begged you to let him out of your good old boys society but you were so afraid that he would go to IA that you planted the evidence in his locker so it would all come back on him!

“You knew his dad was a retired cop and that he thought Drew could walk on water. You got him suspended and the shame that he brought on his dad’s name was too much for him to handle and he killed himself. You destroyed him bit by bit and Drew wrote down everything; now, you’re going to have to answer for what you did to him,” Tony vowed.

Tony’s hate-filled gaze followed Waters as he circled around to the front of his desk; they were now toe to toe and truthfully, the detective wouldn’t have minded if they had come to blows except for the fact that he couldn’t afford another suspension. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that his life was about to become even more difficult than it already was and with no one to watch his back, things could definitely get interesting.

“You’re going to ruin a lot of innocent lives if you continue to pursue this,” the Captain advised him. “Your vendetta is going to result in your demise.”

“I believe that constitutes a threat, Captain.”

“Take it however you want to; you better watch your six because nobody in this department is going to do it.”

“Are we done?” Tony asked, wanting desperately to get back to his case.

“We’re done,” Waters replied. “For now. You better get back to work; it’d be a shame to make a bad impression on your friend, the Navy cop.”

As Tony turned to leave, Waters grabbed his arm. “By the way, I hear congratulations are in order, Agent DiNozzo; I’m sure you and Wendy will make a lovely couple, assuming you both make it to the altar.”

Tony paled at the mention of his fiancée’s name. Waters had now raised the stakes by threatening the woman that he loved; Wendy had been his source of strength throughout this nightmare that had encompassed his life. Pulling his arm free, Tony grabbed the Captain and shoved him against the wall, his arm pressing against the Captain’s throat as a feral growl escaped his lips.

“You lay a hand on her and you won’t need to meet with IA; you’ll be lying on a slab down in the morgue.”

Lieutenant Morgan and several other detectives came bursting into Waters’ office and pulled Tony off of the Captain. “Captain, are you all right?” Morgan inquired.

“I’m fine,” the Captain answered. “I believe you have work to do, Detective DiNozzo.”

The officers holding Tony released him upon Waters’ silent order. Tony turned to leave, refusing to meet the Captain’s malicious grin; he had more pressing things to tend to such as making sure that his fiancée was all right.

Wendy had been asked to tour with the Metro symphony and he had been the one to encourage her to go; because of her schedule, she had not been subjected to all the drama that had unfolded but she had been his rock through it all. Wendy respected his work and wouldn’t press him but when Drew died, she had immediately flown back and he had told her of his suspicions and she had promised him her unconditional support.

It had taken a lot of smooth talking to convince her to return to the tour and at his insistence, she had finally relented. There were many nights that he wished that he hadn’t been so selfless so that he could feel the silkiness of her skin against his, but he would not deny Wendy her dream and he truly could rest better knowing that she was staying clear of the mess that he had created. They would have an eternity to spend together and he was not about to let anyone shatter the foundation that they had forged from their love.



XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX



Locating Officer Dayton had not been difficult; Gibbs had called dispatch under the guise of needing to question him about the crime scene and had discovered that Dayton was off duty but frequented a bar just around the corner from the precinct. The agent walked through the door of The 10-20, an establishment that whose main clientele were cops, both active and retired. He immediately spotted the officer he was looking for at the bar, trying to pick up a woman who looked to be several years his junior.

A mischievous grin danced upon his lips as he called out to the officer. “Will! It’s good to see you man! How’s Trix doing? How long have you two been married now?”

Gibbs’ smile grew wider as Dayton’s young female companion now looked at him with disgust. “You’re married?” the girl demanded to know.

“No!” Dayton protested. “I’m not married! I just met this guy this morning at a crime scene and…”

“That’s a likely story!” she seethed. “You better go on home to Trix!”

Gibbs ordered a coffee as the scorned woman stormed away. He could feel Dayton’s glare shooting daggers at his back as he took a sip of the hot liquid; Gibbs wondered if the officer really thought that he could intimidate him with a look.

“I suppose you think that was pretty funny, huh, Gibbs?”

“Yeah, I kinda do,” he replied. “She was too young for you anyway.”

“I don’t think it’s any of your business.”

“Suit yourself.”

Dayton gulped down the rest of his drink. “What do you want, Gibbs?”

“I’ve got a couple of questions I need answers to.”

“This couldn’t have waited until tomorrow?”

Gibbs shook his head. “Nope. I’m not a patient man.”

“I would’ve never guessed,” Dayton shot back. “So what is it you want to know?”

Setting down his coffee cup, he perched on a bar stool, making himself as comfortable as possible; he was hoping that he and Dayton were going to have to have a long conversation. Dayton seemed to be the kind of man who didn’t know when to shut up and liked to brag on his conquests.

“Detective DiNozzo,” he began. “You seem rather…hostile towards him. Why?”

“Why don’t you ask him?” Dayton retorted.

“I’m asking you.”

“I’m not allowed to discuss it.”

Gibbs shook his head, motioning for the bartender to bring Dayton another drink. “Let’s cut the crap, Dayton. You may not be allowed to discuss it, but it sure doesn’t keep you from running your mouth.”

“DiNozzo deserves every bad word said about him. He’s trying to take down some good cops and we can’t let that happen.”

The agent visibly tensed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Dayton paled as he evidently realized what he had just revealed; he had all but admitted that there was bad blood between DiNozzo and certain members of the police force. Gibbs had a feeling that something was going on and although he didn’t know the details yet, it was obvious that DiNozzo had made quite a few enemies; no wonder the detective looked like a mile of bad road. Having to constantly look over your shoulder while trying to do your job was difficult enough and it was evident to the agent that some members of Baltimore Police Department were determined to make Anthony DiNozzo’s life a living hell.

“I asked you a question, Officer Dayton,” Gibbs reiterated. “What did you mean when you said we can’t let that happen?”

“Nothing,” Dayton hastily answered.

“It’s probably not in your best interest to lie to me,” the Marine warned.

“Are you threatening me, Agent Gibbs?”

“I don’t make threats, only promises.”

“This doesn’t involve you, Gibbs; you’re getting in the middle of something that you don’t understand.”

“I think I have a pretty good grasp on it,” Gibbs declared. “DiNozzo is trying to right a wrong and you and some of your buddies are taking matters in your own hands. As a matter a fact, I’m willing to bet that the week of leave that he just took wasn’t his choice; did you and your cohorts rough him up a little, trying to get him to back off?”

“I think we’re done here,” Dayton growled. “If you want to know anything else, maybe you should talk to my Captain.”

“I’ll do that,” he vowed.

Gibbs called out to Dayton as he turned to leave. “As long as I’m working on this case with Detective DiNozzo, I have his back; be sure you and your friends remember that.”

As the officer left the bar, Gibbs took a final sip of his coffee and glanced at his watch. He needed to head back to home so he could get ready for DiNozzo’s arrival. Gibbs had already determined that he was going to get the Detective’s side of things before he went and talked to the Captain. Although he didn’t know DiNozzo well, there was no doubt that the man had integrity and an innate sense of right and wrong; Gibbs admired those traits and was anxious to discover what made Detective Tony DiNozzo tick.

He made his way to his car, deciding that maybe tonight he would fix steaks, cowboy style and break out the good beer. Maybe DiNozzo would let down his guard and trust him enough to tell him what was going on; then again, if he were the detective, he doubted that trust would come with a steak and a beer. Gibbs realized that he definitely had his work cut out for him.

“Wendy, hey babe; I need you to call me when you get this message. I know this is the fifth one I’ve left but I…I really need to hear your voice.”

Detective Tony DiNozzo snapped shut his cell phone and tossed it in the seat next to him. He had been trying to get a hold of Wendy to make sure that she was all right, but she wasn’t answering her cell phone or the phone in her hotel room. The threat that had been made against his fiancée had unnerved him just as Captain Waters knew it would; although Wendy was on the other side of the United States at the moment, that didn’t stop him from worrying about her. He had a feeling that Waters could get to her no matter where she was.

The last thing he wanted was for Wendy to suffer the consequences of his actions. By doing what he knew to be right, he had placed the one person that he loved more than anyone in the world in mortal danger; if anything happened to Wendy, Tony would never be able to forgive himself. She was the light in the darkness that had become his life and the thought of that flame being snuffed out was too much for him to bear.

As he pulled up in front of Agent Gibbs’ house, he grabbed his phone and tried Wendy’s number one more time in hopes that she would answer, but he was put through to her voice mail once again. Getting out of the car, he slipped his phone in the pocket of his jeans and made his way to the front door. Tony had to admit that he never pictured the agent living in such a quaint, family oriented neighborhood, but he had already figured out that the older man was full of surprises.

He knocked on the door but there was no answer. Almost on reflex he reached for the doorknob and found the door to be unlocked; shrugging off his uncertainty, he entered into the house. Tony was greeted by the sight of Gibbs kneeling before his fireplace cooking what appeared to be a large mouthwatering steak; his growling stomach began to remind him that the piece of pie that he had consumed earlier was beginning to wear off and that it had been a long time since he ate anything substantial.

“I uh…knocked but you didn’t answer,” Tony stated.

“Didn’t need to; the door was unlocked.”

“You always leave your door unlocked?”

“Yep.”

Tony closed the door behind him, wondering if Gibbs was actually that trusting of his fellow man or if it was just a fact of life that he didn’t lock his door. The detective wondered if he should consider keeping his door unlocked; it would certainly save him from having to replace the locks every time Waters’ men decided to call on him.

“You just gonna stand there or are you going to come on over here so we can eat?” Gibbs inquired as he stood up and made his way over to the couch.

Uncertainty clouded the detective’s eyes as Gibbs set the plate down and then opened the two beers that were already adorning the coffee table. Tony walked over to the couch and took the proffered beer as he sat down. “I…uh…wasn’t really expecting dinner.”

“A man’s got to eat.”

He set his files down and watched as Gibbs took his knife and cut the steak down the center; the Marine slapped down half the steak on Tony’s plate and then proceeded to cut his own meat. Tony stared at his steak and then shifted his gaze back to the agent. “You uh…got another knife?” Tony inquired.

“Rule nine,” Gibbs replied in between bites.

“Rule nine?”

“Never go anywhere without a knife.”

“Do you just make up these rules or what?”

Gibbs grinned at him, nodding towards what Tony assumed to be the kitchen. “Steak knives are in the drawer under the microwave.”

“Thanks.”

Tony rose from his seat and retrieved a knife from the other room; resituating himself on the couch, he began to eat his dinner, savoring every bite. “You’re a pretty decent cook, Gibbs,” he declared. “Or else I’m just really hungry.”

“Could be both.”

“Could be,” Tony agreed.

The ringing of his cell phone interrupted their small talk; he could only hope that Wendy was finally returning his call. Tony reached in his pocket and pulled out his phone; glancing at the caller ID, he breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of his fiancée’s name. “I really need to take this,” Tony explained.

Gibbs shrugged as he took a drink of his beer. “So take it.”

“Thanks. I’ll only be a minute.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

Tony answered his phone, simultaneously making his way towards the foyer until he was out of earshot of the NCIS agent. “Hey, Babe.”

“Hey yourself,” Wendy answered. “I just got your messages; I’ve been in rehearsal. Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” he reassured her. “I just needed to hear your voice.”

“Tony, what’s wrong?”

He wished he could take Wendy in his arms and tell her everything about the sordid mess that he had created for himself; although she knew a lot of what was going on, there were still things that she didn’t know and would never know. Tony wanted to desperately keep her safe and at the moment, he felt helpless to do so. “I can’t go into a whole lot of detail right now, but I need to you be extra careful; I’m afraid that something’s going to happen to you because Waters is after me.”

“Tony, I’m all the way across the country,” she protested. “I should be fine.”

“I don’t want you to take any chances; I have a feeling that if he wants to, that Waters will find a way to get to you. I…I can’t lose you.”

“You won’t.”

“Maybe you should come back home.” If he had his way, Wendy would be on the next flight home but she was fiercely independent and he would never do anything to crush that unique spirit that had endeared her to him; but he was scared for her and his fear was doing the talking at the moment.

“I can’t; I’m doing the piano solo for the next week. I’m probably safer out here anyway,” Wendy pointed out. “I’m going to be fine.”

“Wendy, please,” he pleaded. He realized that she wouldn’t necessarily be safer back in Baltimore but he could at least keep an eye on her and protect her; if only he could convince her it was for the best. “If something happens to you…”

“Nothing is going to happen to me.”

He wished he could believe her; he couldn’t shake the feeling in his gut that something was going to happen. Tony knew that he had fallen in love with a strong and self sufficient woman who would not be deterred once her mind was made up and he wouldn’t have her any other way. She had every right to pursue her dream and he had no right to tell her that she couldn’t; he was going to have to take her at her word “Promise me you’ll be careful?”

“I promise.”

Tony pressed his forehead against the wall. “I miss you.”

“I miss you too. I’ll be home next week; we have a two week break before we head out again,” she informed him.

The knowledge that she would be home soon soothed his frazzled nerves; at least if she was home, he could keep a better eye on her. “I can’t wait to see you.”

“I can’t wait either; we’ve got some catching up to do,” she teased.

Tony smiled as he envisioned the two of them wrapped in each other’s arms, providing one another with unconditional love and support as they made love over and over. “I definitely can’t wait for that.”

“Me either. Listen, I’ve got to go and get ready, but I’ll call you after the concert,” she vowed.

“I’ll be waiting and please be careful.”

“I will.”

“I love you.”

“Love you too.”

Tony ended his call and rejoined Gibbs in the living room. “Sorry about that,” he apologized, sitting down to resume his meal.

“Work?” Gibbs asked.

“Not exactly; I was talking to my fiancée.”

“So you’re getting married. When’s the big day?”

“I don’t know; we haven’t set a date,” he admitted.

“Probably a good idea not to rush into anything,” the agent conceded. “Marriage is a big step; it shouldn’t be taken lightly.

“How about you, Gibbs?” Tony asked. “Are you married?”

“Nope. Divorced twice, third one is pending.”

Tony shook his head in amusement. “Don’t be offended if I don’t seek you out for any marital advice I may need down the road.”

“No offense taken.”

The two men finished their meal in companionable silence, each appreciating the easy rapport that seemed to exist between them. Tony found himself relaxing in the presence of the NCIS agent, which was something that he usually didn’t do when he was working; he had learned the hard way that he had to be constantly looking over his shoulder, knowing that there was no one that he could trust.

It was Gibbs who finally broke the silence when he stood up and began to gather the dishes. “Did you get enough to eat?” the older man asked.

“Yeah,” Tony replied. “Thanks again for supper.”

“No problem. Let me put these dishes in the sink and we’ll get to work.”

“Sounds good.”

Tony picked up his files and followed Gibbs into the kitchen. “So Gibbs, tell me something. How’ve you managed to go through three divorces and keep your house?”

“None of my ex’s could figure out how to get the boat out of the basement so they didn’t want the house.”

The detective stared at the graying agent in disbelief. “You have a boat in your basement?” Gibbs was definitely an enigma who kept his emotional distance from others, something that Tony could definitely relate to; however, there was something about the older man that put him at ease and that in itself made him nervous.

“Yep; it’s almost done,” Gibbs boasted. “Want to see it?”

“Sure.”

One of these days his innate curiosity was going to get him in trouble but the prospect of seeing a boat in basement was an opportunity he didn’t want to pass up. He followed Gibbs down the basement stairs; the smell of sawdust hung in the air, the scent growing stronger with each step they descended. When he reached the bottom step, he smiled at the sight of the boat taking up half of Gibbs’ basement.

He ran his hand over the wood, admiring the craftsmanship of the boat; it was obvious that Gibbs took a lot of pride in his work. “This is uh…it’s beautiful. How long have you been working on it?”

“A while. There’s something about working with your hands that tends to put life in perspective; it helps me to get away from the stress of the job.”

“It must be nice to be able to get away from it all,” Tony mumbled, not intending for Gibbs to hear his caustic comment.

“Problems at work?” Gibbs asked.

Tony nervously cleared his throat as he wondered if Gibbs had supersonic hearing; for some reason, he wouldn’t be surprised if he did. “Uh…no,” he answered a bit too quickly. “Work’s great.”

“That’s not the impression I’ve been getting.”

“Well, I mean every department has its problems; I’m sure even NCIS has it problems.”

“I’m sure it does,” Gibbs agreed.

He watched Gibbs empty out two small jars and pull out a bottle of bourbon. After the agent filled the glasses, Tony reluctantly took one and sat down on the nearest stool. He was uncomfortable with the sudden interest that Gibbs had taken in his work situation; they were only supposed to collaborate on a murder investigation and nothing else and Tony was determined to keep it that way. The detective could not afford to have someone else involved in the nightmare that his life had become.

Taking a sip of the liquor, he handed Gibbs the rest of the information that he had managed to collect. “Here’s all I have; I thought that if we compare…”

“Did you get the fax you were looking for?” Gibbs asked as he took the folder from him.

“Uh…no, I must have misplaced it. I’ll call in the morning and have the State Police fax it again.” He wasn’t sure why he was accepting blame for the actions of his colleagues; he had to keep Gibbs’ suspicions at bay and if he had to tell a little white lie to do so, he would do it without regret.

The NCIS agent shook his head. “I doubt that you misplaced it; that’s not your style.”

Tony drained his glass and slammed it down on the workbench. Anger and frustration had become his constant companions and usually he kept those emotions buried deep; his feelings had been used against him so often that he kept them guarded but there was something about Gibbs’ prying ways that unleashed the rage that had been churning all day.

“You don’t even know me!” he roared. “I could be the most irresponsible and selfish person you’ve ever met! You don’t know my style and you don’t know how I operate; you may have gotten stuck with the worst detective Baltimore PD has, so you might want to reserve your judgment until after this case.”

Gibbs calmly took a sip of his own drink, purposefully ignoring his outburst. “If something is going on internally that might affect the outcome of this investigation, I need to know about it.”

Although he knew that Gibbs was right, he would not allow the well-meaning agent to get involved in his personal battle; Tony had learned as a child that the only person he could depend on was himself and it was a lesson that had stayed with him throughout his entire life. There were only a couple of people who had earned his complete trust and it had taken him a long time to accept them into his confidence; he wanted to trust Gibbs but he wasn’t totally convinced that he could place his faith in the agent.

“I can handle it,” Tony declared.

“Are you sure about that?”

Tony met Gibbs’ question with silence. Why couldn’t this man just leave him alone to deal with his own mess?

“I spoke with Officer Dayton,” Gibbs calmly stated.

Tony’s eyes narrowed. What kind of game was Gibbs playing? “Officer Dayton?” he growled. “Why?”

“I was playing a hunch.”

“A hunch? Does this hunch have a name and work in a coffee shop?” Tony pressed. He should have never left Rita alone with Gibbs; she was always worrying about him and after Drew’s death, her concern for him had magnified.

“She might have mentioned a thing or two but I’ve also got eyes; it’s pretty obvious that Dayton has some kind of grudge against you.”

Tony’s cell phone began to ring and with a quick glance at the caller ID, he dismissed the call. About this time every night, the phone calls always started as did the mind games; Tony couldn’t help but wonder if the officers who tormented him would ever grow tired of amusing themselves at his expense. The sound of his phone ringing once again provided him with the answer he sought. Disgusted, Tony put his phone on silent and slipped it back in his pocket.

“Aren’t you going to answer that?” Gibbs asked.

“No, it’s not important.”

Tony could feel the muscles in his body tense as Gibbs walked over towards him; the frustration in the older man’s eyes matched his own. “How long has it been going on?” the agent wanted to know as he poured Tony another drink in his glass

“Gibbs, I appreciate what you’re trying to do but the best thing you can do is to stay out of it.”

“It seems to me that you need all the help you can get,” Gibbs observed.

“What exactly did Dayton tell you?”

“Not much; but he made it pretty clear that you’ve made quite a few enemies in the department.”

“That’s an understatement,” Tony snorted.

“He also suggested I talked with Captain Waters.”

“I can’t stop you.” Tony knew that Waters had almost everyone in the precinct on his side and that he would more than likely make sure that Gibbs knew all of his shortcomings; the agent would definitely have some interesting reading if the Captain happened to give Gibbs his personnel record.

“I’m really not interested in what Captain Waters has to say; I want to hear the truth.”

Tony raked his hands through his hair. “What makes you think I’m telling the truth?”

“Let’s just say that I’m a good judge of character.”

He couldn’t understand why Gibbs had taken such an interest in him and his personal war that he had waged against Captain Waters and the Baltimore Police Department. Tony had only known this man standing before him for one day and yet he was ready to take up his cause. Could the Navy cop actually help him? Maybe it was time to find out if he could trust Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs.



XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX



Wendy glanced at her watch as she walked out of the concert hall towards her car. She should have called Tony about thirty minutes ago but the musician had ended up staying later than usual to talk with some young teenage musicians who had been out in the audience; as a teacher and a performer, Wendy was always ready to share her passion with others. Tony would normally understand if she was late calling him but she wasn’t sure about tonight; he’d been edgy and there had been no mistaking the concern and fear in his voice.

When he had called and told her that Waters threatened her, she had easily dismissed the thought; Tony had always been protective of her and she figured that this time was no different. Throughout the concert, her mind had not been on her music but on the fear that she could sense was consuming her fiancé; maybe she should fly back home so he would have one less thing to worry about.

She pulled out her cell phone and hit the speed dial that held Tony’s number. Her call automatically went to his voice mail and so she decided to leave him a message; she had a feeling that he had probably become engrossed in his latest case or something to that nature. Tony was also working on trying to clear his partner’s name and lately, that task had almost become an unhealthy obsession; she knew that he was getting closer to the truth and that knowledge continued to drive Tony’s desire to expose those responsible for Drew’s death.

“Hey Tony; I’m sorry I’m so late calling you,” she began. “I know you’re worried about me, but I’m fine. I want you to take care of yourself and don’t push yourself too hard; you better have a lot of energy when I come home, which might be earlier than I planned. We’ll talk about it later. I love you and I’ll try and call you again before I go to bed.”

Wendy opened her car and slid in behind the wheel. As she closed the door, she placed the key in the ignition, started the car and pulled out on the road that she took to her hotel. Coasting to stop at the stop sign, she answered her ringing phone, thinking that Tony was calling her back.

“Hey,” she happily greeted, ignoring the car that pulled up beside her.

When she didn’t receive and answer, she pulled the phone away and looked at the caller ID. “Private number,” she mumbled. “Who in the world…”

She never finished her thoughts as gunfire erupted around her, plunging her into a world of darkness.