~~~~M~~~~

The elevator doors slide open returning a furious Gibbs to the bullpen.

After a tense moment Tony steps out and states, clearly beside himself with anger but at a regular volume, “Then maybe I shouldn’t be on your team anymore. Since you don’t need me and all.” He takes the stairs, presumably down to the garage.

Gibbs stares at the stairwell door as it slams shut.

I glance at Ziva before asking an admittedly timid “Boss?”

“Reports on my desk by quitting time,” He instructs and returns to the elevator.

Tony’s anger at Gibbs going in without back up isn’t new. The shouting match we could hear, though not make out the words of, in the elevator is however.

I can’t help it, after gesturing for Ziva to stay put I slip into the stairwell and stop a flight from the bottom, knowing Tony’s probably sitting on the bottom step.

Sure enough after a few seconds of waiting the ground floor door opens and Tony sighs.

“Did you mean that?”

“I dunno Jethro. Did you mean that shit about not needing me on your six all the time?”

“I was letting the fact that you were angry make me angry.” It isn’t an apology but it’s far closer than I’ve ever heard from Gibbs before.

“You have any clue why I’m so pissed off?”

“Because I put myself in harms way again.”

“That’s why I was mad when we got on the elevator. Care to try again?” There’s a brief silence. “You basically told me back there that it’s none of my business if you want to go and get yourself shot.”

“You know that’s not what I-”

Tony just overrides him, “You get shot on the job it’s my fault as your partner. Then there’s that whole second in command thing. And the house. And the boat. And the life insurance. You’re my business on so many levels Jethro. Or you’re supposed to be.” I missed something here.

“Tony,” Gibbs actually sounds hurt. “Of course I’m your business and you’re mine. In every way. All I meant was what I know you already know, sometimes in our line of work the innocent lives involved are more important than ours. And if I had you in line of sight I would have signed my intentions but I couldn’t risk a verbal signal, not with a ten year old’s life on the line.”

“I know,” Tony just sounds defeated. “But you get that for me the ‘to have and to hold’ stuff was about keeping you around, not taking half your stuff and leaving, right?” He can’t mean what it sounds like he means.

“I know, and I love you right back but it doesn’t change who we are and what we do.”

“No, but before I married you it would never have occurred to you to deny me the right to back you up.” This has to be a set up. Tony and Gibbs married? They must know I’m ease dropping.

“I guess now that you’re officially mine I’m even more afraid of losing you.”

“We do a dangerous job. We could lose each other to it every day. But you keep pushing me away and one day you’ll succeed.”

“I am trying.”

“I know. I just wish you’d learn to think before you speak when we’re in private. Or as close as we’re going to get in the middle of the day.”

Gibbs chuckles, “Why don’t you go grab lunch for the team on us? You know how it upsets the kids when Mommy and Daddy fight.”

“I’ve told you time and again Jethro I am not your wife. Call me something like that again and you can sleep in the basement.”

“Daddy and Papa then?”

Tony finally chuckles back, “You do have a point. When I said I shouldn’t be on the team anymore Probie went white as a sheet. And frankly I’m shocked little miss Mossad didn’t follow me.”

“I barked at them about their reports. Knew we weren’t finished with this yet.”

“You know there is another incentive to you not getting yourself beaten, bloodied or shot.”

“And what’s that?”

“Every time you do it I find it harder not to out us spectacularly.”

“Just one more month Tony.”

“I still can’t believe you insisted on telling SecNav.”

“Knew he‘d agree keeping us on the same team is the most important thing. Go on now, no Thai though.”

“Fine. But at least mention that I am coming back. You’ve already got them stressed nearly to heart failure.” The door to the garage opens nosily. “Oh and for the record I expect a proper honeymoon once they all know.”

“Got a friend who owes me a favor, has a house with a private bit of beach he‘s going to lend us. And I expect you to wear your ring once we’ve had our honeymoon.”

“I’d be wearing it now if we weren’t skulking about in closets.” Tony must be determined to get the final word because the door shuts with an echoing bang behind him.

I’m not convinced it wasn’t staged to teach me a lesson about spying on my team mates so I hurry back up stairs and pull up the public records database through a back channel. Not wanting to be too obvious to anyone paying attention to the query history I check the list of all the marriage licenses issued in the past month rather than searching for Tony or Gibbs’ name specifically.

A quick skim of the list is all I need to confirm that their names aren’t on it. But then a nagging voice that sounds a bit like Abby and a bit like Sara reminds me that Vance was upset with Gibbs for speaking to SecNav without telling him almost seven months ago. I pull the records for a month in either direction of that day and sure enough there it is, plain as day.

Marriage license for Leroy Jethro Gibbs and Anthony Michael DiNozzo applied for on May 16, 2012, issued May 21st. Signed, witnessed and re-filed with the court on May 22nd.

They’ve been honest to god legally married for six months and none of us had the faintest clue. Hell Ziva’s still batting her eyelashes at Tony and talking about soul mates.

At the moment though she happens to be staring at me, silently demanding answers. I’m in no condition to give them. I’m too caught up in looking at all the, in retrospect of course, obvious signs. The Boss becoming less quick to anger, though no less intense. The instructions to “go home already.” Gibbs’ changing his hair style. Tony turning his babble to sports, and increasing his dating advice to me. Even Tony failing to respond to Ziva’s jabs about his personal life seems like a blaring sign now that I’m looking back on it. Come to think of it even Gibbs’ wardrobe has changed, the same basic styles but better quality and different colors.

Ziva asking “Where is Tony?” brought my attention back to the situation at hand.

Suddenly I could see that the angry set of Gibbs’ jaw at the question was put on, “Went to grab lunch. He knows where he belongs.”

Due to the extremely limited roles we played in the morning’s hostage situation I’m done by the time Tony arrives with pizza and a tray of cups, presumably soda. Gibbs scowls but Tony just smiles and pulls the cup nearest himself up to revel the logo of Gibbs’ favored coffee shop, “Still think it’s unnatural though Boss. Coffee and pizza just don’t mix.”

Watching them it becomes clear to me that I at least was being somewhat willfully blind. Yes they’re bantering as they always have but the tone is different, their attitudes toward one another are easier, warmer.

Around mid-afternoon the chance to find out if the blindness is localized to the bullpen comes when Abby calls up for help reconstructing lines of sight for the case we’d been trying to heat up before this morning’s call out.

I wait for an opening, and get it when Abby asks if I’m busy Saturday night. After a brief discussion about a band called Weak Sauce I wait a few beats before asking, as distractedly as I can manage, “Do you still do movie night with Tony on Wednesdays?”

“When we can.”

“You’ve been to his new place then?”

“New place?”

“Somewhere north I think.”

She pouts, “He didn’t say anything to me about moving.”

“Maybe he‘s just got a new girlfriend up in Takoma Park or something.”

“He’d have mentioned a new girlfriend.” She seems to consider it, “Unless he’s serious about her.”

“You don’t think he’d talk about a serious relationship?”

“He never talks about the things that really matter to him Timmy, at least not on purpose.”

Thinking about it she’s right, and not just because of how surprising the idea of Tony and Gibbs is. When something matters to Tony we only find out about it if Gibbs calls him on it in public. Or it somehow shows up in the bullpen.

I decide to play dumb but push just a bit, “If he’s serious about her it must have been going on a while…”

“We moved movie night to my place about a year back.”

That surprises me enough that I don’t have to manufacture a reaction, “A year? That really is serious.”

“He’s seemed different longer than that though… More settled.”

“He’s only been acting different with us for about five months,” Citing the start of the changes I realized earlier.

“He always plays a part with you and Ziva,” Abby murmurs dismissively. She turns to a different screen and pulls something up, “Personnel has his current mailing address as a PO box.”

I had been curious but I hadn’t thought to pull up Tony’s personnel file. “Maybe he has moved,” I offer wondering how to get her to tell me when without showing too much interest.

Abby solves the problem for me, “About thirteen months ago if the date of the change means anything.” She scans the file a bit more and makes an upset noise, “Says here he’s being promoted as of January 1st, does that mean he’s leaving team Gibbs?”

“I don’t think so. He would have mentioned that,” And Gibbs said as much, but that’d give my little misdeed away.

“I hope so,” She doesn’t mention Tony again but I can tell I’m not the only one letting the gears turn on today’s discoveries.

~~~~A~~~~

Timmy is cute when he thinks he’s being sneaky. All those pointed questions, he’d found out something about Tony and wants to know if I know anything. Really, he should know better. All he really accomplished was telling me that Tony’s move- which I totally knew about- had more to it than a better neighborhood and utilities that work all the time.

A few quick commands bring up the keystroke log for Tim’s terminal but it takes a bit of deduction to figure out which bit of snooping is about Tony. But a work around of normal channels for public records is just plain odd. I duplicate his second search and almost fall out of my chair.

Tony and Gibbs are married! No wonder Tim is trying to be sneaky, this is huge.

And I am so busting them for it, but not tonight. Tony needs a little time away tonight. I saw his face on the video feeds when they re-entered the building, he’s just too stressed for teasing now. And no matter what they’ve hidden from me the well being of my family comes first.

~~~~T~~~~

When my cell rings as I’m getting ready to head to Abby’s for our weekly movie night I think nothing of it. She often calls me at the last minute to have me stop for supplies, Caff-Pow or popcorn usually. I just shimmy into a sweatshirt and offer her a bright, “Hey Abbs, what’s up?”

“Change of plans.”

“You’re dumping me for some bimbo!” I hope the dramatic cry doesn’t carry so far as the basement, that is one misunderstanding we just don’t need.

“Not this time, no. My next door neighbor had a gas leak and the landlord asked us all to evacuate for the night. So I thought maybe we could move movie night to your new place and I could crash with you.”

“Can I call you right back Abbs? Let me check on something real quick.”

“Sure Tony.”

I allow myself two full minutes to freak out before descending into the basement and freaking out for a few more heartbeats.

“Waiting on a goodbye kiss or did I do something unspeakable to your laundry again?”

That surprises a laugh out of me, “You better not have ironed my boxers again. You’ll be sleeping down here until they’re fit to wear again. And while I won’t say no to a kiss I’m not leaving either. Abby just called. Gas leak at her neighbor’s. She asked if she could crash with me-”

I’m cut off by the doorbell ringing. Between my tendency to wander about nearly naked and the somewhat ridiculous amount of electronics I’d moved in with we’ve taken to locking the front door.

Jethro shakes his head and kisses me before making his way upstairs, pocketing his ring as he crosses into the kitchen. His voice carries fairly well, betraying his surprise easily, “What’s wrong Abbs?”

“Just a little hiccup at my apartment.”

“Guest room’s always yours, you know that.”

“Thank you,” She kisses his cheek and takes her bag upstairs.

He returns to the basement to find me sitting on the top step. “You were saying?”

“I was going to ask if maybe it was time we tell her but I have a feeling this is her way of telling us she knows.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“Depends on how she found out doesn’t it? SecNav wanted it under wraps until the big meeting with Vance didn’t he?”

“We only need to keep it from Vance. And she’s good with secrets.”

“Fair enough. Wanna join us?”

“I’ll be up in a bit to steal some popcorn. Put your ring back on.”

“You do know you married me, not bought me, right?”

“You were mine long before I put that ring on your finger Tony.”

“I know it Jethro, and possessive suits you. I just think sometimes I should remind you that you aren’t exactly the boss here.”

Jethro laughs, “Just don’t go thinking you need to give orders in counter balance. I hate sleeping under the boat.”

After a soft slow kiss I head back to the kitchen with a call of, “You really should join us.”

The tone of the “Soon” that follows me almost makes me beam.

Finding Abby dumping the microwave popcorn into a bowl I kiss her cheek, “Our secret’s out then?”

“Not much of a secret.”

“And yet it took you more than a year to barge in here looking for me.”

“I did only figure it out last week,” She admits softly.

“And I want to hear all about how but there’s something I need to do first. Go get comfortable in the den and we’ll talk before we start the movie.”

“You’re feeling bossy tonight.”

“So I’ve been told.”

She snickers. It takes me less than a minute and she demands simply, “Let me see it.”

I give her my left hand and she’s visibly a little surprised at what she finds. It’s not the standard gold band one might expect my somewhat traditional husband to choose, but a white gold band with a flat face and a single, small square diamond set in its surface.

Her close inspection makes me tense, forcing me to joke, “Truth be told I think the diamonds were to appease his urge to buy an engagement ring.”

“I certainly had enough practice at it,” Jethro murmurs as he joins us putting two beers beside Abby‘s soda.

Abby unceremoniously grabs Jethro’s hand and inspects his ring, grinning to find that it’s identical. “Or maybe you’ve secretly always wanted to wear a little bit of ice,” She teases him.

He graciously concedes a bit, “It was nice to get to pick my own ring this time.”

“Should I be wounded? I thought presenting me with the pair of them, as a set, was about it being a reciprocal commitment but no, all this time it was that you don’t trust my taste in jewelry.”

“Yes Tony. I trust you with my life, my heart, my boat, and lately my wardrobe but trusting you to pick my jewelry is a step too far.”

“You two make sarcasm cute.”

“Enough Abbs,” Jethro grumbles at being called cute. “I put a lot of thought into the decision, I figured the rings were due just as much thought.”

Sensing Jethro’s unease at revealing that much, even to Abby, I redirect her. “You were going to tell us how you figured it out?”

“First I want to point out that I knew something was up when you wouldn’t show me your new place.” We both give her an impatient look. “I didn’t have any clue that this was it until last week, and I’m sorry to say I didn’t figure it out.”

“Abby,” Jethro growls.

“Tim figured it out. It was after you walked into that hostage situation Bossman.”

I groan and drop my head back onto Jethro’s shoulder, “Guess this one’s my fault Jethro.”

“How so?” Abby demands evenly.

“We got into a shouting match in the elevator over it. When we came out of the elevator I was furious. Went to sit in the stairwell. We had the calmer part of the disagreement there. And considering one topic of discussion was the fact that I want a proper honeymoon once we come out of the closet it’s no wonder someone overheard us. We‘re probably lucky it was Probie.”

“I didn’t even think about where we were,” He admits. “You scared me.”

It takes me a moment to find my voice after that little tidbit, “I scared you?!”

He actually blushes, “You said you should leave. Three days shy of our six month anniversary would have been a record, even for me.”

“I said I should leave the team. It’s not the same thing,” My annoyance bleeds into exasperation, “I am not leaving you. Get used to it. And if I was going to tell you I was leaving you I sure as hell wouldn’t do it at work. I’m not stupid like your redheads.”

“Didn’t say it was a rational fear.”

I shake my head and settle back again. “So Probie just walked himself down to your lab and spilled his guts?”

“Nope. He still thinks I don’t know. The first thing he did was check public records for marriage licenses in the last month. Don’t know what made him rethink his timeline but he tried again with the list from April and May, as I’m sure you know it was there, plain as day. I‘m not sure how he took it, but he came down fishing for clues and tipped me off that he‘d found something. I pulled his search history and the rest, as they say, is history.”

“Why do I have a sinking feeling about Vance not finding out?” I can hear that I’m whining.

“It’s too late for him to block your promotion at this point anyway. It’s in the system.”

“Yes cause I wanna start off this official partners thing with both Vance and SecNav pissed at me.”

“He’d have to be looking,” Abby assures me. “Vance doesn’t listen to gossip and even if he did no one is gossiping.”

We turn on the movie and I shift to face the TV, claiming the popcorn without a word.

~~~~A~~~~

Knowing one of my boys will be providing me with Caff-Pow I duck into the little bakery down the street from the Yard for pastries. I find myself almost giggling at the fact that my boots don’t make a noise. I’m finally mastering Gibbs’ technique.

People watching, I hear them before I see them: Brenda from Accounting and Victoria from Legal.

“… Probably told him she was pregnant.”

“Catty much Vic?”

“You tell me why a ten like Agent Kohl marries a six like Annie Adler.”

“Because they have a lot in common and Annie’s discreet,” Brenda shoots back.

There’s a long silence and then Victoria drawls out “Ohhh! He’s into-?”

“Yup. Didja hear the latest from upstairs?”

“Nothing new, no. What happened?”

“We lost another one.”

“Who?”

“DiNozzo.”

“There’s no way!”

“I swear. He’s involved.”

“With who?”

“No one seems to know. But he’s stopped flirting, he’s stopped looking, and he’s most definitely getting it somewhere. He had one hell of a hickey on Monday.”

I hadn’t noticed a hickey, but then I don’t look at Tony as a piece of meat.

“Not really such a loss though.”

“What do you mean?”

“Would you ever really trust him not to stray?”

At that I can’t help but stomp over and state, calmly but decisively, “Tony DiNozzo is the most loyal soul in the whole of Washington and worth a thousand of you two cackling harpies. And if I ever hear you talking about him behind his back again you will never know what hit you. Get me?”

The slack jawed stares they give me are answer enough and I return to the counter to place my order.

~~~~Z~~~~

It is all over the building that Abby and Tony are dating. It is not the first time the rumor has circulated and it likely will not be the last.

It is the first time Tony has laughed outright upon hearing it though.

I watch him for a good portion of the day before approaching him about it. “It is not with Abby but you are in a relationship.”

He smirks at me, “Yeah, I am. And you’ll find out with whom at Abby’s New Year’s Eve party. If you haven’t figured it out by midnight they’ll be the one I’m kissing when the ball drops.”

“Surely it will be obvious before that.”

“I thought you’d have figured it out before now,” Tony shrugs.

~~~~T~~~~

At Abby’s insistence the team exchanges gifts at “Gibbs’ house” on the twenty-ninth but if Ziva, Ducky, or Palmer notices the vast array of my stuff scattered about (cleaned up for the occasion but not hidden at all) no one mentions it. Aside from a few comments on the new TV, anyway. And considering the fact that there wasn’t a TV in the den until I brought it over that isn’t surprising.

The gifts are the usual fodder. In jokes, teasing, and items of genuine interest are exchanged without patterns or any care for reciprocity. No one mentions that Jethro and I don’t exchange gifts. The eggnog is spiked and the team isn’t supposed to be on call until the second so we all end up spread across various bits of furniture listening to Ducky explain how gift giving became part of the traditions of Christmas. Abby has cuddled up to Jethro and I’m on the floor beneath them with my head on Jethro’s knee. I’d prefer to be on the sofa but we’d promised SecNav that we wouldn’t out ourselves until the first.

Around twenty-three hundred Ziva attempts to excuse herself to the restroom and trips over her own feet. Spiked eggnog, it seems, is her kryptonite. Abby helps her stay on her feet and McGee offers to drive her home. Palmer asks for a ride as well, and given Ziva’s far less than steady state it’s probably best that McGee brings reinforcement.

When they’ve been safely sent on their way Jethro collects empty glasses and Abby pulls me down onto the sofa with her. She declares, seemly out of the blue, “I think the new guys in 3B are pissed that I beat them to booking the complex’s rec room for New Year’s.”

“Is 3B the surfer dudes or the project runway fan boys?” I honestly can’t place the reference.

She head slaps me. “The project runway fan boys are from the mailroom and the surfer dudes are cool with any source of free beer. 3B is the sommelier and sous chef that are bitter about their mentor’s decision to move to DC.”

Now I think I get it, “So they’re offended by the notion of beer and good times.”

“I was thinking you might charm them for me.” She smirks at me, knowing full well I wouldn’t have done it even when I was single.

“Not allowed to charm other people anymore Abbs. Sorry.”

“So the rumors are true, then. Someone has tamed you Anthony?” Ducky asks curiously.

“I wouldn’t use that language but yes, I am with someone and yes, it is serious.”

Jethro re-enters the room with an assessing glance, “You’re welcome to stay Duck, but Abbs has the guest room so you’d have to take the sofa.”

“I think I’ll take you up on that Jethro. It seems Ziva was not the only one to over indulge this evening.”

It seems to work out fine. Until Ducky audibly startles when it’s me he finds cooking breakfast come morning. “I thought you’d gone home, dear boy.”

I have to bite back the ‘I am home’ that immediately comes to mind, “No, Gibbs let me crash in with him. We were all pretty drunk. I don’t think we should have let McGee drive either. Not that there’s really room for three more here.”

“Timothy was drinking significantly slower than the rest of us actually.”

“If you say so Ducky.”

After a family style breakfast of my hang-over pancakes, don’t ask what’s in them, bacon and Gibbs’ idea of coffee Ducky and Abby both head home.

“That could have gone worse.”

“Just a few more days.”

~~~~T~~~~

We’re the first to arrive at Abby’s party which she may have done by design. She’s been enjoying Ziva’s less than skillful attempts to discover the identity of my significant other and seeing us arrive together would be entirely too large a tell. But all the same we’re glad to help her set up.

Plus the look of genuine surprise on Jethro’s face when she settles a fedora on him and kisses his cheek is simply priceless. I’m sure he’ll figure out shortly that it was a planned move. I picked the hat out along with the dress shirt and slacks he has on but figured if Abby demanded he wear it he’d be more likely to leave it on. Given my duplicity I accept it when she settles a top hat on my head in turn. Though I do complain that it messes up my hair.

Ziva doesn’t arrive until a little over half the other guests are in attendance and I can practically feel her sizing up the young lady I’m speaking to. She is, of course, a friend of Abby’s and she looks it with tattoos winding around her forearms. What I’m sure Ziva can’t hear from the other side of the room is that we’re discussing her work, the study of early American naval vessels. She seems charmed by my touch of wood working knowledge but she’s clocked my wedding ring twice so I’m not worried that she has the wrong idea.

As we’re finishing our discussion she glances around the room, “Is your wife into wood working too?”

I nod toward Jethro who is speaking to Jimmy in the corner of the room, “My husband builds boats and toys in our basement.”

She smiles, “I had a feeling you were that Tony. Abby speaks very highly of you both.”

“We love Abbs, too.” I can still feel Ziva’s eyes on me. “It’s been wonderful talking to you and I would love to continue our discussion with Jethro in a little while but a friend of mine is trying to catch my attention.”

“And you need to chase that young thing away from your man,” She offers slyly.

I chuckle, “Jimmy wouldn’t dare.”

“And if I was to head over and ask about his boat?”

“He’d enjoy that.” I give her wrist a friendly pat before I move off. I grab a couple of beers and offer one to Ziva. “Have a little trouble finding the rec room?” I know after all that she’s been to Abby’s place before.

“I believe Abby deliberately misinformed me about the time of the party.”

“It’s still three hours to midnight, plenty of time to enjoy your self.”

“I suppose. Your girlfriend looks like she and Abby spend time together.”

“Charlotte is one of Abby’s friends. We were discussing her work at Georgetown.”

“Flirting with someone new?”

“Believe what you like,” I shrug and head over to greet Ducky who has just arrived.

~~~~Z~~~~

It is almost midnight and I still have not figured out who Tony is with. I do not doubt for a moment his sincerity that she is here. He has had brief discussions with a number of women but none show the familiarity of a significant other. In fact the only ones who have shown a real connection to him are the members of the team. For the last twenty minutes he has been sitting next to Gibbs speaking with Abby’s friend Charlotte about early American wood working tools. It is not a topic I was aware Tony had any familiarity with.

~~~~M~~~~

I happen to be standing next to Tony as the count down starts and the silly smile on his face combined with the fact that he tips Gibbs’ hat in one direction and his head the other telegraphs his intention before the count reaches five. I glance around and take note that while Abby and Ziva are watching them avidly no one else seems to notice.

The count down ends and I am kissed by a cute little red head who hasn’t spoken a word to me all night, but it is no less pleasant due to the surprise. When we part she offers a shy smile and her name before glancing over my shoulder. I introduce myself before turning as well.

Gibbs has one hand splayed in Tony’s hair and the other somewhere I’d prefer not to think about. Tony’s hands are no more innocent and they’re still kissing like the world is ending. A quick glance confirms Yvette and I are not the only ones to notice. There is some hooting from some of the drunker among us and someone flounces (no other word for it) “You never kiss me like that in public!”

By the time they part pretty much the whole room is watching them and they seem to have no clue. Tony rights the hat and smiles as he says “happy new year” in a distracted tone.

Gibbs chuckles and repeats the sentiment before slowly releasing his hold on Tony. “How about a dance before we say our goodbyes?” It’s a softly voiced question and I’m sure I only heard it because I’m standing right beside them.

“Depends on Abbs, doesn’t it Jethro? Neither of us are exactly the mosh pit type.”

“It’ll be a slow one. She demanded that she should get to see us dance together before the night was over and I gave her my terms.”

“We have to then, don’t we?”

~~~~T~~~~

I might strangle her. A slow song we can sway to I fully expected. This however I might not forgive her for. An eighties power ballad, really? Not that I’d object to Firehouse if she didn’t have Jethro and I dancing to it in front of half the people we know and a bunch of strangers. I suppose the sentiment is appreciated, Jethro is certainly the love of my lifetime. And I hope that I’m his. Okay, so maybe it’s not so bad.

~~~~Z~~~~

I know I must be staring but I do not think I could stop myself. If it were anyone other than Gibbs I would say it must be a prank. Beyond the fact that it is Gibbs they truly seem to only have eyes for one another. Tony looks like a love sick guppy and Gibbs just looks… soft. Like perhaps Tony is the most precious thing in his whole world. Seeing it now it is perfectly clear, but there was no chance I would have seen it from the way they normally act. Though no one else, save perhaps Ducky, seems surprised.

~~~~A~~~~

“I’d demand you each dance with me before you go but I know you’re in a hurry to reenact your wedding night, so go.”

Tony kisses my cheek, “Thanks for understanding Abbs.”

Gibbs kisses the other cheek, “Happy New Year.”

And with that they’re gone. A little more hooting follows their hasty exit but several people are more than a touch intoxicated so it’s not surprising. Neither is the fact that Ducky and Ziva are both headed right for me.

I smile like I have no clue they’re surprised.

Ducky arrives at my side first and doesn’t bother trying to be subtle, “You knew.”

“You didn’t?”

He gives me an eloquent glare, “You know I didn’t young lady.”

“He made you hangover pancakes wearing his wedding ring Ducky.”

“Wedding ring?” Ziva exclaims in shock.

“They’ve been married for six months.”

Ducky looks hurt, “Six months?”

“SecNav didn’t want them to tell anyone before he was ready to go around Vance about keeping them together. Tim and I found out by accident and were sworn to secrecy.” Tim has just joined us and I communicate with a look that he had better back me up.

“From what was said to me it had to be a complete secret until Tony’s promotion officially went through which was, technically, midnight,” Tim volunteers earnestly.

“Tony is being promoted?” Ziva asks looking even more confused.

“I don’t know any details,” Tim cautions immediately.

“I think it’s so that he isn’t reporting to Gibbs anymore,” I volunteer. “They want us all to come to dinner tonight.”

Ducky still looks hurt but nods his agreement.

~~~~M~~~~

I take the precautions of picking Abby up and arriving early so that we can mention that I was supposedly sworn to secrecy and that Ducky was hurt by being left out. No way am I getting killed by an oblivious assassin or an irritated ME because Tony got married.

Tony answers the door in a pair of low slung jeans and a smile. “No matter how early you are Abbs you aren’t going to catch us going at it. We wouldn’t answer the door.”

“But it’s so very hot to imagine it. And it was Timmy that wanted to be early.”

“We aren’t putting on any shows for you either McVoyeur.”

“I’ve seen more than I want to already thanks,” I keep my tone dry and bored. “But Abby lied a little for you two last night and given how hurt Ducky was I thought maybe we should all get our story straight.”

“I’ll speak to Ducky privately when he arrives,” Gibbs calls from where he’s leaning against the kitchen doorway. The look he’s giving Tony requires no imagination to translate.

Tony clearly sees it as he goes to Gibbs’ side and stage whispers, “You’re scaring Probie, Jethro.”

“We’re newlyweds, they’re lucky we ever keep our hands off each other at all.”

“Like I’d mind!” Abby bounces in place.

Before any of them can go into detail I explain what Abby said last night.

Tony nods and instructs us to set the table.

~~~~T~~~~

When we decided to get married we discussed telling the team. In the end we decided we’d speak to SecNav first.

He looked me in the eye and made me swear that this wasn’t some stunt. I really have to wonder what the hell he’s read about me.

Then he insisted we keep it under wraps until the first of the year. At that point we talked about waiting, not actually getting married until we could have them there.

In the end we both agreed it just wasn’t our style. This dinner is more our thing.

I knew they’d be upset about being left out of the loop, it hadn’t occurred to me that any of them might actually be hurt by it.

I can’t help but feel like I should be in there taking the blame with Ducky.

~~~~A~~~~

Poor Tony. He looks like he was kicked in the gut. So I wrap myself around him, “Ducky’ll be okay Tony. You shocked him and Ziva last night. Speaking of, did you boys have fun?”

“Of course we did, it was one of your parties.”

“I meant the sexcapades after,” I deliberately leer at him and am rewarded with Tim whimpering at us.

“I am a very happily married man and more than that I’m not going to say.”

“Thank you!” Tim approves loudly.

“None of you are any fun,” I pout at them.

“That is a vicious lie,” Gibbs kisses my cheek, “And you know it.”

He kisses Tony gently in turn and whispers, “It’s fine.”

Ducky comes into the room before Tony can respond. “What have you cooked Anthony? It smells delicious.” It’s clear he really means it and if he’s still hurt at all I can’t tell.

~~~~Z~~~~

Watching them together in their home their marriage seems less surprising than it did last night.

They work seamlessly together and without noticeable communication as they serve dinner. Right down to Gibbs handing Tony a fresh cork screw when he goes to open the kosher wine just as Tony sets the bottle on the table. It is a gesture I appreciate even though they both brush it aside as nothing.

Once the food is all on the table and everyone has a glass of wine Gibbs forces Tony gently into a chair and sits beside him with their hands entwined on the table top.

We all observe Tony taking a deep breath before Gibbs begins to speak, “While we are sorry we didn’t tell you before we got married, it was really the only viable option.”

“And since we know the question will come up, we’ve been together a little over three years now,” Tony adds before taking a hasty gulp of his wine.

“Which was private. And given that it could have broken our team up I won’t apologize for keeping the secret.”

“Then last May I got that concussion and it seems that my nurse was a former Seal. A very rule minded Seal. I woke up alone and confused.”

“The next day we started talking about medical proxies and power of attorneys. And then Tony just flippantly says ‘we could always just get married.’”

“Being that we’re us, we didn’t actually talk about it at first. For three days neither of us said another word about it.”

“Then he almost stormed out when I proposed.”

“It sounded like you were saying we should do it to solve the hospital problem,” Tony snaps petulantly, and that is a Tony I recognize.

“Like the ways that wouldn’t change our whole lives would have been difficult if that was all I wanted.”

“You’re lucky I love you, you know.”

“When we had it sorted out between us we decided to hold off telling you until we’d spoken to SecNav and found out if there was any way to save the team.”

“And that meeting was a kind of uncomfortable I’d rather never live through again.” Tony turns his hand over under Gibbs’ and laces their fingers together. “But in the end he made three things very clear: He values our team the way it is, he was doing us a huge favor, and Vance could not under any circumstances find out until their meeting about it over lunch today.” He shrugs, “Rule 4.”

We all sit quietly for a time, each taking it in, I suppose. Then Ducky lifts his glass, “Belated though it may be I think congratulations are in order.”

There’s a murmur of congratulations and Abby starts asking questions.

~~~~A~~~~

Now that they’ve said their piece I take it as an opening to start pressing for answers I’d left alone before.

“So what exactly is happening with the team?”

“In the way we actually run the team? Nothing. Technically Tony and I are going to share the responsibilities of team leader.”

Tony grins at Tim and Ziva, “Instead of just writing the personnel reviews I’ll be signing them too.” The grin fades almost immediately, “Vance is going to have it out for me for awhile because we went over his head.”

“He’ll get over it.” The statement is pure Gibbs, confident, self assured and seemingly baseless. Tony doesn’t seem to care.

“Can’t argue with results.”

They’re both smiling as Tony begins serving the meal he’s prepared, describing the painstaking (and clearly exaggerated) effort involved in its preparation. Ducky and Tim are smiling, Ziva looks just a touch lost. All is right in my world.