“I guess I better head home,” Tony murmurs as they reenter the house after the movie.
“Why? Got something you need to do?”
“No, I just don’t want to wear out my welcome.”
“You couldn’t Tony. I like having you for company, no matter what we‘re doing. And besides I expected you to stay until we left for work on Monday. If that’s not what you want that’s fine but don’t go on my account.”
“If I stay will you teach me to work on the boat?”
“Not much to learn per se, but if that‘s what you want.”
“I’m betting you’re overestimating my general knowledge here Jethro.”
Gibbs laughs, “I’m down to sanding and shellacking the outer hull. At least for the moment. If you can’t manage sandpaper or a paint brush without intensive instruction you can’t touch my boat.”
“Long even strokes using steady pressure with the grain for both of them,” Tony leers a little.
“Maybe I should test your technique first. Just to be sure you’ve got the pressure right.”
“What if I prefer to show my technique with a different type of tool instead?”
“We’ve got all night and all day tomorrow, why don’t you show me both?”
“Now who wants to spend all day in bed?”
“Sunday is meant to be a day of rest.”
“Something tells me the church would frown on that definition of rest.”
“Shut up and come to bed Tony.”
“What if I’m not tired?”
“I can fix that.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“It seems as though you have had a most enjoyable weekend Tony,” Ziva comments as she enters the bullpen.
Resisting the urge to adjust his collar Tony smirks at her, “What makes you say that Zee-va?”
“You are grinning even more foolishly than normal and humming. My guess would be that you got lucky last night.”
“Whatever I did or didn’t do last night is none of your business,” His tone neither confirms nor denies. “I enjoyed my weekend. I’m in a good mood. End of story.”
Ziva settles in at her desk before she speaks again, “Why are you being so secretive?”
“Why do you care?”
McGee walks in just then, “Care about what?”
“Tony is in a very good mood and refuses to talk about it.”
“What’s wrong Tony, dating one of the girls from legal after Gibbs told you not to?”
“A gentleman doesn’t kiss and tell.”
Ziva snorts at that, “You are not a gentleman Tony.”
Tony considers giving them an accurate but vague description- six foot, great legs, perfect ass and piercing blue eyes- but decides that beyond it not being in keeping with the plan he doesn’t want to objectify Jethro, especially not for Ziva and McGee’s amusement. “Then there must not be anything to tell.”
Gibbs passes through the bullpen with Abby’s first caf-pow! of the day without a word. Tony just catches his knowing smirk as the doors close and inwardly shakes his head.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“You two are going to get caught,” Abby declares as Gibbs enters her lab.
“Why do you say that Abbs?”
“You’re smiling and Tony’s been humming Etta James’ At Last all morning. Listen,” She gestures toward her phone from which the activity in the bullpen can be heard loud and clear. Including Tony once again absently humming as he types.
“Got my extension on speaker phone again?”
“I like listening in. Besides I keep hoping Tony’ll actually start singing it, he’s got such a nice voice.”
Gibbs laughs at that, “Probably not gonna happen baby. Do me a favor?”
“Sure thing Bossman.”
“Find a local florist and send Tony some flowers for me, whatever you think is best with this note,” He pulls over a sheet of paper and writes ‘Tony, Thanks for the great time. I hope we can do it again soon, it’s so hard to find a real gentleman these days. XO, J.’
“Laying it on a little thick there aren’t you Pop?”
“Part of the plan is to make Ziva and McGee see Tony as growing up. Seems to me he’s done a little too good of a job convincing them the opposite is true so I’m lending a bit of a hand.”
Abby shoots him a knowing smile, “In other words they insulted your Tony and since you can’t just grind them into dust for it you intend to show them how wrong they are. And the fact that you get to tease Tony just a little at the same time probably doesn’t hurt.”
“Maybe,” He concedes evenly. He kisses her cheek, “Don’t go overboard with the flowers baby.”
“Half dozen red roses in a tasteful square vase?” She asks hitting a few keys and bringing up an offering from her favorite florist on her computer.
“Looks just right to me Abbs. You’ve got my credit card number right?”
“You know I do. They should arrive around noon. Remember to scare Tim or make Ziva jump or they’ll start to question your mood.”
He laughs at that, “Will do. Call me when you need a refill. If we don’t have a case yet I’ll bring you another.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ziva and McGee beat Tony back from lunch and both immediately make a beeline for Tony’s desk after spotting the roses. “I knew he had a date this weekend!” Ziva nearly crows.
“Why wouldn’t he tell us about her?” McGee wonders aloud.
Ziva ignores him, plucking the card from the arrangement instead. “Thanks for the great time. I hope we can do it again soon, it’s hard to find a real gentlemen these days. X O J.” She looks up at McGee, “What does X O J mean?”
“XO means hugs and kisses, and J must be her first initial,” McGee explains. “You think maybe he really is just being polite to her?”
“Or there is something about her that would cause us to ridicule him.”
“I’ll take that if you don’t mind,” Tony smoothly relieves her of the card, reads it and slips it into his pocket.
“So who is J?”
“Someone who enjoys my company,” Just saying it makes him smile.
Before either of them can press him further Gibbs interrupts, “We’ve got a dead Marine in Fort Davis Park. Ziva gas up the truck, I’m driving. McGee call Ducky, and make sure Palmer can find it this time.”
As planned Ziva is already gone and McGee is lingering so Tony and Gibbs wind up alone in the elevator. “I had a great time too, J. Thanks, for the flowers and the assist.” After a moment’s consideration Tony gives him a quick peck and tucks the petal he pulled from one of the roses into Gibbs jacket pocket. “Wanna bet she starts guessing J names on the way to the scene?”
“I will smack her, and then I might just be forced to smack you.”
“Because she’s acting like a child?”
“More force of habit and a desire to touch you. By the way, you spent the entire morning humming. Just so you know.”
“Somebody showed me the benefits of getting up at 0600.”
Gibbs laughs as they exit the elevator.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tony breaths a sigh of relief as he slips into Abby’s lab unseen. She’s at her desk in the ballistics lab with her back to him so as the door opens he calls “Cinderella!”
“My but you’ve changed stepmother. You’ve become so… butch.”
Tony chuckles and kisses her cheek, “A mutual friend tells me you can cover their handy work for me.”
“If you’ll sing me the first verse of at last while I do it.”
“J mentioned you wanted me to sing for you.”
“You saw him again last night?”
“Just for dinner. For right now at least we’ve agreed to no sleepovers during the week.”
“That’s probably for the best. Now get singing.”
“Lock the door and I will.”
“Afraid someone will hear?” Abby teases.
“Yes. Because it just wouldn’t do to have people thinking you’re my mystery woman. No offense Abbs.”
She locks the door, “None taken Tony. I know you’ve got me firmly parked in no man’s land these days, because even if you weren’t dating Pop now that you know for sure that he’s my father you wouldn’t dare touch me.”
“Something like that sweetheart,” He kisses her cheek again, “Now could we get moving here?”
“Get singing then.”
He does as he’s bid, low slow and sultry.
Abby finishes first and sighs contentedly at the rest of the serenade. “I noticed the roses are still on your desk.”
“They’re very pretty without being overly feminine. You did a good job. And yes I know anytime I get flowers from Jethro you picked them out. It just so happens I like flowers.”
“Okay, if you guys end up on a case and it looks like it’s going to be a long night make an excuse and come see me around five and we’ll touch that up.”
“Thanks sweetheart. See you after my mid-morning coffee run if we don’t get a case.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tony returns at ten o’clock with a caf-pow! and a frown.
“No case?”
“We got a case while I was out actually. Sheppard wants Gibbs to go undercover as a small arms buyer. It’s going to take almost a week and she rejected the idea of me going in as his right hand man. She’s gonna send McGee down to computer crimes and Ziva is going home for a visit. I get to spend the whole mission with the tech guys in the van trying to think up one good reason not to strangle him for letting that harpy manipulate him into doing this stupid, stupid thing.” Abby starts to speak and he raises a hand to cut her off, “And if it’s that protectiveness thing I’ll break both his damn legs.”
“Done DiNozzo?”
“I take it you heard most of that?” Tony asks as he rounds on his boss.
“From ‘one good reason’ anyway.”
“Good, ‘cause I mean it.”
Gibbs deliberately steps over to the door and locks it. “Tony, I know you’re worried. I understand that. I’d be worried if it were you. But I can’t take you in with me on this for a reason, and it’s not that I need to prove anything to ‘that harpy’. The DEA arrested Maynard in a drug raid this morning. In order to get a better deal he gave up the details of an arms buy he‘s in town to make. The only thing he says he knows about the sellers is that they’re navy. They’re expecting him, alone, tonight. He inspects the product on Thursday and if he approves of what he sees he sends word for the money to be brought in by one of his lieutenants, a Jeff Dunaway, who is also in custody. It just so happens I look enough like him to pass for him so I’m going in. The seller has no idea what so ever what Dunaway looks like. So when the time comes you’ll be joining me.”
“So if you make it through their initial checks it’s all sunshine and roses.”
“If it’s not you’ll be the one listening. Watching my six. I promise you Tony this is no more dangerous than any other undercover operation.”
“I know. And I’m not really pissed. Not exactly. I’m just scared. You act like you’ve got nothing to loose and you might not, but I do. Jethro, god damnit this isn’t the time or the place and I know it. I really do. But if you go out there and get yourself shot in the head I lose a lot more than I’ve ever had before. Can you understand that?”
“I get it Tony. I promise. And I will be careful. Now come over here for a second,” Gibbs instructs stepping into the far corner of the room. One of the few spots not covered by the security cameras. Tony does as he’s bid and Gibbs kisses him to within an inch of his life. “I’ll miss you.”
“I’ll miss you too Jethro. I take it this means you’re leaving now?”
“Soon.”
Tony nods and leans back against the wall as Gibbs heads back over to his daughter and hugs her tight. “Stay out of trouble baby.”
“I always do my best Pop. And if I don’t manage I promise I’ll call prince charming to protect me.”
“Abbs,” Tony growls with feigned annoyance.
“You do that,” Gibbs agrees shooting Tony a look that Tony imagines means ‘you look after my little girl.’ “For now I need you to do a little work for me Abbs. I need an ID in Maynard’s name,” He hands her the real one.
In almost no time at all she’s done and with a last kiss of her cheek he’s back in the elevator. He knows they’re watching as the doors close and signs to them “love you both.”
“He says-”
Tony cuts her off, “I know what he said. So how’d I go from being the wicked stepmother to being prince charming?”
“You’re my not-so-wicked stepfather. You’re his prince charming.”
“I guess that makes sense. It certainly would have saved Cinderella a lot of grief if her dad had shacked up with Prince Charming rather than marrying the money grubbing shrew…”
“Especially because then she could continue to play with the stable boys.”
“Okay Abbs I officially cannot know things like that anymore. Technically I should have broken McGee’s knees.”
“You’re cute when you’re trying to be protective Tony. But you really want to protect me? Go make sure my father doesn’t get himself shot. Again.”
“I love you Abbs, and I’ll keep him safe. For you and for me since he’s too dense to see what he means to us.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Despite both Tony and Abby’s trepidation the initial meet goes off without a hitch. The only problem is that they leave an overnight guard, named Chester with Gibbs making direct contact difficult. A quick mental review of Maynard’s background gives him the answer.
“The wife likes me to call while I’m away.” When Chester nods his acceptance Gibbs dials Tony’s cell. “Hi Honey,” His drawl is a perfect fit for South Carolina militia leader, but Tony has to bite back a laugh just the same.
“Honey?”
“No nothing too interesting just yet. Just some meet and greets today, haven’t even seen any of the new tractors yet.”
“We knew they wouldn’t tip their hand till they checked you out.”
“Yes I know. I promise I’ll bring you something nice.”
“Presents? Besides the dirt bags? I’m not a cheap date Boss.”
“Only the best for my honey buns.”
“I’ll hold you to that.”
“Ok Honey. I should get to sleep, early presentation tomorrow. Love you.”
“Be safe J,” Tony offers knowing it will get his message across without outing them.
When the relief shift comes to cover the overnight hours Tony can’t bring himself to stay home. He winds up instead packing a bag and heading to Gibbs’. He’s starting to pick the lock on the front door when Abby startles him by opening it from the inside. “You’re worried too, huh?” She asks as she motions him inside.
“Want to stick close to him anyway I can,” Tony murmurs embarrassedly.
“I know the feeling. Why do you think I’m staying here?”
Tony hugs her. “No offense Abbs but I’m beat. I’m gonna go up to bed. I’ll make you breakfast in the morning, okay?”
“Sure thing Tony. Just…Does he know you’re here?”
“No,” Tony admits sheepishly.
“Oh don’t worry he’s got his share of stalker-ish tendencies himself. When they were first dating #3 used to complain about missing shirts. I’m betting he’s got one of yours under his pillow right now.”
“You’re right I suddenly don’t feel so clingy. Night Sweetheart.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tony wakes up wrapped around a pillow to the soothing scents of sawdust and coffee, once again lamenting the quality of the mattress. He hasn’t slept well or long enough but he has a breakfast to prepare and a surveillance detail to get back to. And as much as he knows he had to get some rest and food he doesn’t really trust anyone else to guard Gibbs’ six. A quick inventory in the kitchen leaves him with limited options. He ends up making pancakes and bacon and almost burning himself a number of times because he keeps concentrating on his cell phone, half expecting to get that dreaded call.
Abby comes into the kitchen wearing skull and crossbones patterned pajamas and a frown. “It‘s too early Tony. You can‘t have picked up his horrible sleeping habits this quick.”
“Sorry Sweetheart, I‘ve got to get back before he gets shot because one of those amateurs on the other surveillance team doesn’t know when they’ve made him.”
“I would have taken an I Owe You for breakfast.”
“You can sleep while he‘s out there risking his neck like this?”
“It keeps me from worrying about him for awhile.”
“Sorry Abbs. Next time I‘ll remember that. In the meantime eat your breakfast young lady.”
“Nice try Tony. You remember to update me. I worry.”
“Will do. Now really, have breakfast with me. I could use the company.”
She walks over and hugs him, “You‘ve got me Tony. No matter what I‘m here for you. And he‘s not suicidal enough to piss you off by doing something stupid.”
“If only that were true,” Tony laments softly before they both dig into breakfast.
When he‘s done he heads back upstairs and bypasses his bag. He pulls a plain white undershirt out of Gibbs’ dresser, after all he did find one of his own shirts in the bed and turnabout is fair play. He finishes dressing in his own clothes and goes to Abby to get his make up done. He takes his backpack but leaves his overnight bag, figuring he’ll just be back tonight.
Abby’s waiting for him outside the upstairs bathroom, make up kit in hand. “I thought this was just to keep McGee and Ziva from asking questions.”
“Doesn‘t help if the general rumor mill starts questioning my sexuality right away Abbs. Frankly dropping the cover at all is giving me the creeps, I‘ve spent almost six years developing it. Instinct keeps telling me to hit on the female member of the surveillance team, and I think I‘m giving her a little bit of a complex.”
“She’ll get over it.”
“I know. Get some more sleep. Don’t worry about coming in until nine. I’ll call if we’ve got something for you before then.” He kisses her cheek.
“What will the wicked witch have to say about that?”
“I don‘t give a damn Sweetheart. She‘s the one who made sure you wouldn‘t have any work today she can deal with the team leader giving you a little comp time.”
“You‘re the team leader now?”
“While Batman‘s away Robin is going to play with his toys, it‘s a function of human nature. Besides I am second in command and our fearless leader is incommunicado.”
“As long as you‘ll go to the mat with the dragon lady I‘ll take you up on that.”
“I promise I will Abbs, no worries.”
“Okay. See you later,” She kisses his cheek and walks him to the door. Gibbs only locks the door when he‘s away but Abby keeps it locked whenever he‘s not here.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Starting a little early today aren’t you Agent DiNozzo?” Agent Stanek, the female member of the surveillance team, asks when Tony arrives gesturing toward his cheek.
He wipes his cheek and comes away with cherry red lipstick, “Just a friend’s daughter saying goodbye.”
“And hold old is she?” Stanek asks laughing.
“Too young for me.”
“Kissing up to the kid to get to the mom DiNozzo? That’s dangerous territory,” Paulson, one of the other agents, warns.
“Did I say it was a lady friend? Maybe I bumped into an old frat buddy taking his kid to school at my coffee shop.”
“Sure,” Paulson drawls disbelieving.
“Sit rep,” Tony growls with just a hint of annoyance.
“They’re leaving the guard on him until the meet tomorrow but they’re not really restricting his movements. He’s going shopping for the gift he promised his wife and doing some sight seeing. We’re set to follow them when they head out.”
“Did night shift go quietly?”
“Apparently Agent Gibbs snores sir.”
Tony chuckles, “At least they had someway of knowing the equipment was working. Okay so what do we have the van disguised as today?”
“We’re a floral delivery van today,” Stanek provides holding up a vase as if to prove the claim.
“If I miss my cell ringing give me a good shake,” Tony instructs pulling on his head phones to listen to the audio broadcast coming from a pen in Gibbs’ pocket.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“What‘d you have in mind for your wife?”
“Joanna’s a hard one to shop for. She’s not what you’d call a girlie girl but she likes nice things. I was thinking I’d bring her some of those expensive chocolates you can only get in the big cities. Maybe a nice pair of boots.” He almost smirks at his own quick thinking. A gift for Tony and one for Abby will certainly begin to smooth the friction taking this assignment‘s caused. And perhaps something touristy from the national gallery of art, which Tony had insisted they visit after dinner on their first date, just the sort of sentimental touch that always wins you points in this sort of situation.
“Union Station it is,” Chester grumbles slightly and leads him to a car in the hotel’s lot.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As they start moving Tony keeps half an ear on the inane chatter in the other vehicle as he casually observes the other agents, trying to reason out their complete silence. Most teams chatter during the low points of a surveillance detail. Mostly standard bluster, the weather, local sports, what the subject’s going to do next. These two, he discounts the driver as focusing elsewhere, aren’t saying a word. Not even to ask Tony who Gibbs is really shopping for, and that is truly surprising as info on Gibbs is gold in the scuttlebutt hierarchy at NCIS.
Before he can do more than casually note Paulson’s focus on the task at hand his cell rings.
“What‘s up?”
“How’s the bossman doing?”
“He’s fine. The immediate agenda consists of shopping at Union Station.”
“Is he bringing home presents?”
“Says so. Owes you one anyway. She give you any trouble?”
“I don’t think anyone even noticed I was in late. I’m just re-running prints from cold cases, you know filling time.”
“That’s something at least. Don’t worry, I’ve got this. If anything happens I’ll call, okay?”
“Watch your own back too Tony. You’re less charming when you’re bleeding.”
“I promise. Though I contend that I‘m always charming, sometimes you just don‘t see it.”
Abby laughs, “Whatever you say Tony.”
Tony hangs up shaking his head and it finally clicks. The reason they‘re not chattering is because when they‘re quiet he ignores them and they get things like that call. He mentally reviews his side of that call to make sure he didn’t give either of the very large secrets he’s now keeping away. When the conclusion is reassuring he decides to let them wonder, or ask.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The sun is setting as they return to the hotel room and Gibbs feels as though he has just spent days trekking through a middle eastern desert rather than hours shopping in his metaphorical back yard.
“Hi Honey.”
“Hey there sweet cheeks.”
“How are things at home?”
“Cinderella called to check on you. She and the prince have been staying in the castle. The tail on yesterday’s contact proved him to be a little fish. Both back up teams are standing by. We’re a go.”
“Good. I did a little sight seeing, bought you some things.”
“Anything I’ll like?”
“We’ll see. Most of the meetings I need to attend are tomorrow. I’ll call again when we’ve finished with those.”
“Okay, if they push up the meeting the code word is French Roast.”
Gibbs chuckles, “I promise Honey buns. Love you.”
“Night boss.”
“You miss her, don’t you?” Chester asks as he hangs up.
“Whenever we’re apart,” It’s honest, no matter if they’re discussing Tony or Abby.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tony lingers when the night shift arrives. It’s not that he doesn’t trust them so much as he doesn’t trust anyone, not with Gibbs’ safety. Finally his cell rings again.
After a quick glance at the caller id he answers it, “Hello Princess.” He moves to his car with the casualness the setting requires.
“Come home Tony. There’s nothing you can do tonight. Come have dinner and get some sleep.”
He waits to answer until the car door is shut securely behind him. “Not my home.”
“Yes it is Tony. You don’t live here, and you probably won’t for a long time yet, but it is your home. Or did you forget I don’t live here either? We’re a family, and when times are tough family sticks together. Come home. Eat. Bury your face in his pillow and try to decide if it‘s more compelling to hit him upside the head or kiss him when he gets home. As long as the answer is the latter everything is basically ok.”
“He‘s bringing presents and I really do love him. I think the answer is always going to be kiss him no matter how stupid he‘s acting.” He shakes his head, “I get the point though. I’m on my way.
“Need anything in the kitchen? I noticed when I tried to cook that the cupboards were a little bare.”
“Nope. If all goes to plan we’ll be out of here by tomorrow night.”
“Okay Sweetheart, I should be there in thirty.”
“I’ll have dinner on the table.”
“You’re taking this Cinderella thing a little too seriously Hon.”
“You made breakfast. It’s my turn.”
“Fair enough.”
Author's Chapter Notes:
Going back to work
Chapter End Notes:
Since the title comes from Chapter 2 I figure I might as well post it now...