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The team caught a case and while McGee gassed the van up Tony took a minute to call Claudia and check on her. McGee caught part of the conversation and heard Tony say, “Hey squirt, you feeling better?”
He saw how Tony’s whole face lit up and he was intrigued. He had never seen Tony look like that before. He heard him laughing and then hang up the phone. He didn’t say anything to McGee, he just climbed into the driver’s seat of van and waited for McGee to finish.
They drove in silence for a while when Tony asked Tim seriously, “You want kids, Probie?’
“You didn’t really believe that joke that Palmer forwarded about the latex gloves causing impotence did you?” He asked, wondering if Tony were winding him up for something.
“No. Never mind, forget I asked.”
Tim looked at him for a moment, “You were being serious?”
Tony threw him an exasperated look, “Well I was.”
“Oh. Well, I guess then I would say that I don’t want kids right now, but in the future, sure. What about you?”
“I never really thought about it. There was always that little problem of finding a woman crazy enough to want to settle down with me. Ever date anyone with kids?”
”No, can’t say that I have. You?” He wondered if Tony would tell him the truth.
Tony pointed a finger at him, “What I am about to tell you goes no further than this van.” When McGee nodded his agreement he continued, “I’ve been seeing this woman for almost two months and she’s got a five year old son.”
“Two months?”
“Yeah.”
“Wow. Sounds serious.”
“Could be, I think I want it to be.” Tim could see him paying attention to the road but was wearing a little smile that let Tim know he wasn’t pulling his leg.
“So can I ask what it’s like? Dating someone with kids I mean.”
“Well it’s different. You gotta think about things I would never have thought about before, like never leaving home without wet wipes. But he’s the greatest little guy, McGee, and his mom, well she’s just…amazing.” Tim knew that Tony’s normal track record with kids of any age wasn’t great so he found it interesting that Tony seemed to hit it off so well with this particular five-year old and he noted the awe in his voice when he talked about the woman he was seeing.
None of this was normal Tony DiNozzo behavior but it was nice to see him having real feelings for someone again. They had all worried about Tony when the undercover operation with Jeanne had ended, he had just seemed so lost and so hurt. And then shortly thereafter Ziva had been called back to Israel leaving an even bigger void in Tony’s life. It was good for him to have someone again, and someone normal from the sounds of it.
Tim replied to Tony sincerely, “I’m happy for you, Tony. I mean that.”
Tony stole a glance at Tim to gauge his sincerity then refocused on the road, “Thanks, McGee. That means a lot.”
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The team stopped after one o’clock Saturday afternoon for lunch on the way back from Greensboro after finishing up the case and Jethro took a moment away from everyone to call Claudia. He was supposed to pick her up at six for the retirement party but there was just no way that they were going to be back in time, especially since he still needed to stop at his house and shower and change.
As he joined his team in the diner he was smiling, Claudia had in her ever efficient way figured out a solution, she would just meet him at the party, saving him a trip back and forth across town.
McGee and Tony shared a worried look when they saw him approaching wearing a big grin, it was never good for them when the boss was smiling. But he didn’t say a word to either of them about it. They just ate a pleasant lunch making small talk and then got back on the road.
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Claudia parked her car and stepping out she looked around, hoping to see Jethro’s. No such luck. She took a deep breath and grabbed the cake from the back seat and her purse and made her way to the entrance of the VFW. She made her way inside looking for Vicky.
Jethro paused in the doorway of the VFW, just admiring the view. He had managed to find Claudia immediately; she was with a couple of other women trying to organize all the food. The three women were chatting and laughing about something as they worked. She looked fantastic. The fact that she was wearing a pair of tight blue jeans and a deep red, clingy t-shirt didn’t surprise him, made his mind travel down a lecherous path maybe, but didn’t surprise him. What did surprise him, although it probably shouldn’t have, were the tan suede cowboy boots and matching belt adorned with silver that completed her outfit. She was the epitome of a country girl. All she was missing was a hat.
Claudia hadn’t seen Jethro yet, but Vicky did, and saw the look on his face as he stared at Claudia. And she chuckled to herself. He had it bad.
She didn’t hear him sneak up behind her until his breath in her ear teased, “Nice boots.”
She turned with a mischievous twinkle in her eye, “I did tell you that I learned to two-step before I learned to walk.”
“No hat?” he teased
She laughed, “It’s in the car.”
Vicky watched the two of them together and was taken back twenty years to when she had first met Jethro and his wife Shannon. She had not seen him this relaxed or playful since then. Vicky could write a book on his ex-wives, and it would not be a flattering tale. But somehow she sensed things were different with him and Claudia. And she was glad for him; he was a good man that deserved to be happy.
The party got well underway and food and music were both great. They made the rounds and she was introduced to everyone. They had found a quiet corner for a minute and Claudia remembered something, “Oh, I didn’t get a chance to tell you earlier, I got my exam results in the mail today.”
“And?”
She gave her shoulders a playful little shake along with the music and teased, “Aced it.”
She squealed as he embraced her and spun her around, “I knew you could do it. Now come dance with me, I’ve never danced with an accountant before.”
Vicky saw them two-stepping among a bunch of other couples and she nudged her husband Matt, and when saw them he laughed, “Quick someone get a camera.” Jethro hadn’t danced in almost twenty years and his buddies fully intended to torment him about it.
One of Matt’s teenage sons had shyly asked Claudia to dance and Jethro and Matt stood off to the side watching. “So, that number five?” Matt quipped as he sipped his beer.
Jethro turned to give him a flat stare, “What?”
“Oh don’t tell me you haven’t thought about it. I’ve known you too long.”
“And you would wish a bastard like me on her? I thought you liked her.” Matt was surprised, it was almost as if Jethro felt she deserved better. And he knew there weren’t many men that compared to Jethro. And he had also seen the way he looked at her.
He asked quietly, “She’s different than your ex’s isn’t she?”
“Yeah. Very.”
“So what’s the problem?”
Matt was one of a handful of people that could get away with grilling Gibbs. They had just known each other too long and been through too much in the Corps together for them to pull punches with each other. “Three ex-wives doesn’t give you a clue that maybe I’m not good husband material?”
“That’s a load of bull and you know it. If things had been different you’d still be married to Shannon and your love handles would match mine. But since god had other plans, Claudia’s a nice woman, Jethro, Vicky really likes her and you know damn well how she felt about your other three ex’s. You’d be stupid not to take the chance.”
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They had all eaten and danced themselves until the wee hours. And since his house was closer Jethro drove them home to his place. The short ride was quiet and he seemed deep in thought. The entered the dimly lit house and walked into the living room.
He surprised her by turning on the radio and pulling her in to dance with him. This time though it was very slow and very very close.
She felt him take a deep breath and heard his low voice near her ear whisper, “I am falling for you Claudia, so hard it almost scares me. And I want you remember that no matter how big a bastard I get, that I love you.”
He pulled back to look her in the eyes and before she could say anything he kissed her fiercely, pouring all the emotions that he was feeling into it, the longing, the fear, and the love.
Whenever he had touched her the past it had been gentle and playful, and when they had made love it had been slow and tender. The raw need coming off of him waves now was the antithesis of all that and as they stumbled up the stairs to his bed, there were no more words spoken.
Later as he lay sleeping with his head nestled on her chest holding on to her possessively she was still awake and a silent tear streamed down her cheek as she tried to figure out how to not hurt either of the two men that now owned her heart.
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tbc...
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