When Tony and Gibbs return from a lunch out together on Thursday Fornell has made himself at home behind Gibbs’ desk. It raises Tony’s heckles but he bites his tongue.
“There you are Jethro. I thought I was going to have to wait here all day.”
“If you’d just called me you could have gotten a hold of me half an hour ago Tobias.”
“Needed to speak to you in person.”
“Get Abby’s report before you hand out assignments. I’ll be in the conference room.”
“Already on it Boss.” Tony holds eye contact as long as he can, trying to communicate his unease without resorting to signing.
Gibbs nods in acknowledgement and follows Fornell out to the conference room. “To what do I owe the pleasure Tobias?”
“I need your help Jethro.”
“Go on.”
“I received some written death threats this morning. They’re credible. I’m going to a safe house straight from here but the problem is I’ve got Emily until tomorrow afternoon and I don’t want her anywhere near this.”
“Details Tobias.”
“She’s at school right now. Her principal knows what’s going on and is going to hold her until you pick her up. Diane is out of town until noon tomorrow. When she comes in a couple of my agents are going to meet her, they can bring her here to pick Emily up on her way to a safe house. I just need you to keep her safe for twenty-four hours Jethro. There were no direct threats against Em but I don‘t want to take chances.”
“We’ll need to clear it with Jenny if I’m going to bring her here. And she’s going to be bored at my place.”
“Sheppard will be easy won’t she? Or did you tell her about the boy toy?”
Gibbs rolls his eyes, “He’s not a boy toy Tobias. And she thinks, as you did, that he’s another one of my red heads. Which is why I might not be your best ally when it comes to getting her on your side.”
“I’ll talk to her alone then.”
“I’ll head out to pick up Em as soon as you get the ok.”
“Thank you Jethro. As for Em being bored, she’s a kid, they carry their own entertainment these days. Coming?”
“Gotta call the boyfriend, tell him to stay home tonight.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
Gibbs dials just the same, “Hey Babe.” Fornell exits the conference room grinning.
“What’s going on sweet cheeks?”
“Tobias needs me to look after Emily for the night. It’s up to you if you want to come over or not.”
“You mean it’s up to me if we out ourselves to him or not.”
“That’s the gist of it, yeah.”
“Let me think about it. I’ll let you know around quitting time. This going to interfere with our trip?”
“Shouldn’t, but you know how these things go.”
“You may not be my sugar daddy but if I have to eat Friday’s reservation you’re paying for it.”
“If you’ll recall I wanted to pay for it in the first place.”
“And I told you that you can pay for the Park Central stay but in Baltimore I’m footing the bill.”
“Abby’s right, you can out stubborn me any day.”
“I don’t know about that.”
They hang up and as Gibbs re-enters the bullpen Fornell descends from upstairs. “I’ll be gone a while DiNozzo, call me if you get a break on Kopchek or Deboniski.”
“Abbs got a hit on one of the accounts but we can handle it Boss.”
Gibbs nods and boards the main elevator beside Fornell. “So I know him then?”
“If you say so.”
“Why else would Emily meeting him matter?”
“Maybe he just doesn’t like kids.”
“Pull the other one, it’s got bells.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Gibbs returns Tony makes eye contact briefly but doesn’t say anything until Emily sits at Gibbs’ desk and pulls out a video game. “Ziva and McGee are at the bank talking to the accounts agent that opened the suspicious account but I need to go have a word with Abbs.”
Gibbs nods his understanding and Tony heads out. Abby pouts when he turns down her music, but then she catches the look on his face and hugs him instead, “What’s wrong Tony?”
“It‘s not wrong, not exactly. Fornell had a death threat made against him and Emily was staying with him, so Jethro agreed to take care of her for the night. No big deal, I expect absolutely nothing less from him. But he left it up to me whether or not I go home tonight. Effectively making it my choice if Fornell finds out about us or not. And I don’t know if I trust Fornell.”
“If you’re this bothered by it I’d have to say it isn’t time for him to know.”
Tony sighs, “I just don’t want the shadow of this cast over our vacation. In either direction. Either I decide to hide and risk one or both of us having issues crop up over it, or I decide to face this head on and we wait ten days to find out if he ran to Sheppard or not.”
“Nothing I say is actually going to help, is it?”
“If it makes you feel better, as much as I’m talking what I really came down for is a hug.” Abby wraps him in a tight hug and just holds him until he speaks again, “I just needed to vent a little first Princess. What do you think I should do?”
She pulls back to look at him, “I don’t think Fornell has ever actually been out to get you. And he doesn’t really get along with Madame Wicked Stepmother all that well, so I think it’d be okay. Besides, he’s pretty much Pop’s best friend…”
“So you’re pro-telling Fornell is what you’re saying?”
“I think the less you have to hide the better, for both of you.”
“You don’t secretly call him uncle Toby or anything, do you?”
Abby laughs, “No Tony. I honestly just think it’d be for the best. But what I think, hell what Pop thinks, doesn’t matter. What you think is all that matters.”
“I guess maybe I’m still not over him arresting me for murder.”
“That wasn’t his fault Tony. He had no way of knowing that the wicked stepmother gave that creepy little hobgoblin access to both you and my lab.”
“I know Princess, and I’m trying to let it go. Especially as it’ll make our trip go so much smoother if we can take one car tomorrow. But on top of all the prudent, well reasoned arguments against telling him is my inner child shouting ‘but it’s mine and I don’t wanna share damn it!’”
“In the end we can’t tell you what to do Tony.”
“And I’m being a crap stepfather right now, too.”
“We are friends first, last and always Tony. I’m too old for you to worry about that nonsense.”
“And if I asked you to come over and distract Emily for a few minutes so I can have a private word with Jethro?”
“That would make you a horrible excuse for a stepfather.”
“Thanks for the reality check Abbs. You’re the best.” He kisses her cheek when she tilts her head in his direction.
“Just relax, it’ll be fine.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tony deliberately arrives at the house first, banking on Gibbs driving like a human being because he has a child in the car. He puts his car in the garage in preparation for it’s weekend stay and makes an honest effort at seeking out a kid friendly meal among the purposely dwindling contents of the kitchen. After less than five minutes he shrugs in silent defeat, not knowing what constitutes kid friendly as much as anything else. In stead he heads upstairs to change.
He’s just pulled on a sweatshirt he’s not sure belongs to him when there’s a thunder of small feet on the stairs followed by Gibbs’ more sedate steps. Both stop at the top. “Do your homework before dinner and we’ll find something fun to do later.” The tone says it all, it may have been phrased as a deal but it’s an order just the same.
“Do I have to Jethro? It’s not like I’m going to school tomorrow.”
“It’ll still be due on Monday.” Tony’s impressed, he’d probably be threatening or wheedling by now.
“Is there someplace I can set up my iPod at least?”
“Abby has a port or something set up on the nightstand in the guest room. You can work in there.”
Gibbs enter the bedroom after a few seconds, smirking. “Hiding out?”
“Not exactly. I was changing when you got here. I just…didn’t come out. Figured I’d listen a little, get the lay of the land. How well do you know Emily?”
“A little. She knows my name. She knows I’m her father’s friend. And she’s one of those kids who knows if they’re ever in real trouble they can run to me.”
Tony nods, processing. “How much does she know about the situation?”
“That her dad’s in danger but he’s ok and she’s safe, but that she needs to be here so she’ll keep being safe.”
“That’s good, we won’t spend all night fielding ‘why can’t I’ questions at least. How much does she know about our situation?”
“It seems Tobias told her to ‘be good and mind Jethro and his boyfriend.’ So more than I would have told her unless she asked.”
“And you’re sure you’re okay with Fornell knowing?”
“I am in no way ashamed or embarrassed about you Tony. And if you mean trusting him not to gossip like a ten year girl, I promise I trust him.”
“Okay. What’d you plan on feeding our company then?”
“The cupboards are a little bare, I thought we might just order pizza. Any suggestions on what might constitute fun without letting her leave the house?”
“I’ve got some games on my computer and some possibly kid friendly DVDs. But I think it depends on her. And I’m not exactly the experts on kids here.”
Gibbs smiles in acknowledgement before giving in to the urge to kiss Tony, glad to be where they can get away with at least that, even with young company. “But you are the household expert on pizza, so why don’t you see what Emily likes on her pizza and put an order in for us?”
“You’re just not going to be happy until I jump in with both feet, are you?”
“I’m not pushing you Tony. But you came here instead of going to your apartment. Which reminds me there was something addressed to you in the mail.”
He closes his eyes and rests his forehead against Gibbs’, “Cover me Boss, I’m going in.”
“You’ll do fine,” After another kiss Gibbs heads for his own loungewear in a silent command.
Tony pauses in the guestroom doorway, reminded of Abby despite the fact that the music is cookie cutter pop and not quite in the ear splitting volume range. Emily’s foot is tapping the chair in time with the beat and she startles obviously when Tony knocks on the doorjamb.
She turns in the chair and does that apprehensive young girl laugh that he remembers getting scores of when he was in school, “Agent DiNozzo! I didn’t know you were here.”
“It’s just Tony at home, we figured we’d just order pizza but Jethro didn’t know what toppings you like. Any preferences?”
He can see her working out what this means and braces for some sort of impact. When she just looks disappointed and shrugs he feels vaguely cheated. “Sausage and green peppers.”
“Coming right up.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Everything goes well until Fornell calls to touch base with his daughter before bed. Neither of them thinks anything of it when she answers her phone with a slightly exasperated “Yes Daddy?” There’s a long pause. “Yes Daddy. I’m behaving.” “I’m minding Jethro just fine and Tony hasn’t really told me to do anything.”
They both jump when she yells out “Jethro! Dad wants to talk to you.”
Gibbs accepts the pink cell phone with a look of mild distaste. “What can I do for you tonight Tobias?” He leaves them in the den as he takes the call in the kitchen.
“Did I hear my daughter correctly? You’ve shacked up with DiNote-zoe?”
“No, our new houseboy is named Tony.”
“How long has this been going on?”
“Three months Tobias. Is this suddenly a problem for you?”
“A problem no? Funny as hell? Only a lot. You know I considered it and dismissed the possibility when I found him at your place two weeks ago.”
“So long as you don’t have an undeniable need to blab about it all over town you can think what you will.”
“You mean so long as I don’t go whispering in Jenny Sheppard’s ear.”
“Pretty much.”
“Not a problem. And I’ll give you one thing Jethro, he is pretty.”
“I’ll let him know you think so.”
“He any good with the domestic stuff?”
“Why do you care Tobias?” He rolls his eyes but answers. “He‘s fussier than I am about the cleaning and a pretty damn good cook. Neither of which effects us watching over your child.”
“I’m just enjoying a laugh at your expense here.”
“Laugh all you want. I’m happy. No one nags or gets badly timed head aches or resents my boat and my job. And your kid is about to go to bed.”
“Put her on. I’ll say goodnight and rag on you another time.”
“Sure thing.” Gibbs walks the phone back to Emily before pulling Tony into the kitchen. “You can calm down.”
“He didn’t realize which Tony she meant?”
“He thinks it’s funny as hell but he has no intention of gossiping about it.” Gibbs smirks, “And he says you’re pretty.”
“He comes within ten feet of me with any such intention and I will shoot him.”
That earns a startled laugh. “I’m going to put the company to bed. You going to stay down here awhile?”
“It’s barely nine Jethro.”
“Which is her bed time.”
“I was referring to the idea of you and I going to bed. Since I won’t be getting what I really want I’m expecting at the very least a human pillow for a Hitchcock flick. If you hurry I’ll let you pick which one.”
While Gibbs gets Emily squared away Tony pops a bowl of popcorn and notices the envelope that arrived for him. It’s oversized, one of those priority mail envelopes, and has “Do Not Bend” stamped across the front. When he opens it he’s pleasantly surprised, it’s the larger reprints of some of his recent photos. He hadn’t expected them to arrive before the holiday. He shakes his head at his own foolishness when he finds himself considering places here in Gibbs’ house rather than in his own apartment to hang them. He’s still looking them over when Gibbs wraps his arms around him, “I like that one.”
Tony holds it up and smiles, “So do I. She looks beautiful and your smile could heat the whole house.”
“You just have a thing for the uniform.”
“No if I have a thing it’s for you actually smiling. It’s a hell of a thing when you smile Jethro. And when you’re smiling at Abbs… I can’t help but think that’s how you were meant to smile. It’s open, honest, warm, proud and just… genuine.”
“I guess it’s just one of those ‘you never see yourself as others do’ things. I look at this picture and all I see is my beautiful girl.”
Tony pauses and then holds up the one of the two of them nestled together on the sofa, “What do you see here?”
“Home.” With that he grabs the drinks and heads back into the den leaving Tony floored in his wake.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Emily is gently but firmly instructed not to mention that Tony was at the house on the way into office. She rolls her eyes at them, “I’m not five you know. Who you date is your business not anyone else’s. I didn‘t know Daddy didn‘t know or I wouldn‘t have said.”
“We don’t mind that you told him Emily. We just need it to stay a secret at work.”
Emily is the picture of discretion, Ziva however makes several pointed comments.
Tony is in fact rather grateful when Diane arrives with a tight, “Jethro.”
Gibbs returns an equally tight “Diane” just in time to be overridden by Emily’s “Mom!”
The director descends into the scene, “Ms. Dawson, I trust the Agents who picked you up briefed you on your protection detail.”
“Yes Director Sheppard. It’s not the first time we’ve been taken care of by Agents Lister and Rossi. But we are grateful that you allowed Jethro to take care of Emily here. And I‘m sorry if doing so caused any disruptions.”
“I consider Agent Fornell a friend of the Agency and it was our pleasure to help keep Emily safe. As for disruption, it was likely more paperwork got done with her here than would have been otherwise completed.”
Clearly unsure if it’s a joke or not Diane begins to collect her daughters things. Once the women have left Tony glances across the bullpen before calling out, “I’m going to head down for Abby’s report on where they routed the money, it might give us a starting point for the money laundering ring.”
Gibbs nods his acknowledgement, knowing full well he means he wants to talk to Abbs about the upcoming week before the others start trying to interrogate him about his plans for their week off.
Abby smirks when Tony walks in, “How’d playing Mommy treat you?”
“Very funny Abbs. All I did was order pizza and provide the entertainment. Any and all care giving duties fell to your father.”
“Pop’s good like that. What can I do for you today?”
“I wanted to touch base with you about the weekend because we’re hitting the road at quitting time. Is Chester going to be staying with you?”
“Unless he chickens out.”
“I’m going to check you in when we get there. Just call me when you hit Manhattan and we’ll meet you in the lobby. You have the directions?”
“I’ve got them. Are you honestly stressing over this?”
“A little. Mostly about Stevie and BT figuring out that Jethro’s in the hotel and trying to be funny.”
“BT?”
“Blair Timor York. I’d make people call me BT too.”
“And what would they consider being funny?”
“Storming our room like it’s their own personal Normandy with scads of gay porn and the story of how they figured out the ‘Sex Machine’ really was tutoring the cheerleaders. Or the one about when they discovered that I didn’t know the ROTC captain from ‘back home’.”
“How’d they react to that?”
“Oddly enough it got me smacked in the ass with a towel a little more often and pushed toward every guy they thought was my type. I think it’s why I made the effort to stay in touch with all the guys. They were the first group of people I ever knew who just shrugged and accepted me for who I am.”
“So what does it matter if they try to embarrass you? Isn’t that how it’s supposed to work?”
“Their regard is a little… intense for the uninitiated. I won’t put it past BT to get his hands on a shot gun and demand that Jethro ‘do right’ by me. Apparently where he’s from that’s still the accepted method for coaxing the reluctant into a marriage. And as much as we‘ve been joking about it I think Jethro might shoot BT over the method of delivery.”
“He’ll get along with your friends just fine Tony, especially because he won’t pull that ‘still waters run deep’ crap on them.”
“Thanks Abby. One more visit like this and I’m going to have to start paying you for your services as a shirk.”
“Nonsense Tony, we’re family.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Tony returns upstairs Gibbs is gone, presumably on a coffee run.
Ziva smirks but surprises him all the same when she asks, “Did you make plans for Thanksgiving after all Tony?”
“J asked me to come to the family dinner. Did you find someone to celebrate with?”
“I did receive an invitation from Ducky but because we were granted the whole week off my father requested that I use the time to return home.”
“What about you McGeeky?”
“My sister and I are going home too. Is your dad upset you aren’t going home Tony?”
“I doubt he’ll actually notice I‘m not there. He was concerned the Times might mention the fact that ‘his son was not in attendance’ and make him look bad.”
“He is actually influential enough to garner the attention of reporters?” Ziva asks curiously.
“His company is one of the major contributors to the St. Cecelia’s Foundation and he‘s in the middle of a big merger so there are some eyes on him. And he makes the society pages from time to time when the wife of the moment takes him out to covered events. It’s not like there will be pictures of the family dinner but if it’s a slow gossip day there could be a mention of his poor disowned son not being invited to his table.”
“Did he disown you because…” McGee makes a rather ineffectual hand gesture.
Tony laughs at the obvious discomfort, “No. He disowned me to please Wife number two. She was after his money and didn’t want me getting a cut of her big pay day. Unfortunately for her Dad isn’t exactly a ‘til death do we part’ kind of guy and he’s well protected against divorce lawyers.”
“Correct me if I am wrong but is it not considered something of a large step to meet a lover’s family?”
“It’s ‘big step’ and yes generally speaking meeting family is a big deal.”
“It’s a prelude to getting really serious, sometimes it even means a marriage proposal is on the horizon,” McGee is clearly trying to tease.
“That one’s doubtful McMatchmaker. As for things getting serious… I think we’re already there.”
“I am glad for you Tony. You have been much happier lately.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When they check in at the Hilton Baltimore Tony calls Luke to let him know they’ve arrived and he asks to have dinner with them. “We came straight from work. Give us half an hour?”
“No problem. I need to check in with Sherry first anyway. Meet you downstairs?”
“We’ll be there.” Tony stretches and watches Gibbs pulling casual clothes out of their bags. “Shower with me?”
“You going to wash my back?”
“If you’ll wash mine. Come spend a little alone time with me,” Tony coaxes.
“I’m not the one who agreed to go out to dinner with someone,” Gibbs protests even as he pulls Tony into the bathroom.
“We’re popular boys, it‘s simply too much to ask for us to be left alone.”
That earns him a laugh and a quick massage before they dress and hurry down to the lobby.
Luke gives Tony a back slapping guy hug and shakes Gibbs’ hand in greeting.
Knowing he’s being evaluated Gibbs makes an effort to be friendly during dinner and leaves them alone for a few minutes after the meal under the guise of calling Abby.
When they’re alone Luke turns an assessing gaze on Tony, “Are you sure you’ve only been dating three months?”
Tony laughs, “We circled each other for three years first, but yes.”
“So when you say dating you mean sleeping together.”
“No when I say dating I mean spending time together in a recreational fashion with the expressed intention of cultivating a lasting relationship that includes but is not based on sex.”
“Hey now, don’t get defensive with me. You two just fit really well together. Hell if Sherry was here she’d probably be cooing over how cute the whole thing is.”
“I’m glad to amuse you then.” He shakes his head, “Even before we were actually together Jethro and I spent most of our time together. We just… It wasn’t personal, or at least we tried to keep it from being personal. And around the rest of the team he was pretty much a functional mute. I gotta admit I was floored when we went out the first time and he just, started talking. Not that either of us has laid it all out on the table. Damnit Luke why are you letting me ramble?”
“Because hopelessly smitten is a good look on you. And for the record? You are totally 100% committed Tony. There may not be a formal ceremony involved but it’s Mark that’s the last bachelor among us, not you.” Luke grins evilly, “Especially as your man seems to have a possessive streak.”
“I have no idea what you’re on about.”
“He kept at least one hand on you at all times until he’d decided I had no interest in you.”
“When we’re not on duty we touch a lot. At home or in public doesn’t matter.”
“Your dad must be in a self-righteous rage over that.”
“Dad’s busy doing preemptive damage control for the scene he expects me to make on Sunday.”
“What’s the nefarious plot you’re supposed to be hatching?”
“I told Father Vincenzo that I’m bringing my stepdaughter and her date along with my date. Dad’s worried that’s how I’m going to make introductions. I hadn’t really planned on it, at least not so blatantly, but if Dad can’t behave himself I still remember how to oh so casually point out who my father is.”
“Stepdaughter?”
“My friend Abby is Jethro’s daughter. She declared me her stepfather immediately upon finding out we were dating. She’d been trying to get us together for a while. I have pictures of her in the stack I’m bringing with me tomorrow night. Which reminds me, the others do not need to know Jethro’s here, you get me?”
“You do know he could probably kick their asses, right?”
“I spar with him, I know it for a fact. But I want him in a good mood when it comes time to do the society schmoozing, distant relative charming routine on Sunday.”
“I get that. When Jethro gets back I think I’m going to call it a night, let you guys have a little alone time.”
“Thanks man.”
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