Shortly after Gibbs and Abby leave the house the doorbell rings. Tony pulls on one of his appropriated NIS shirts as he hurries down the stairs, the smile he offers the young woman on the front porch is a sheepish one, “Good morning.”
“Good morning Mr. Gibbs, I’m Jan with Speedy Clean.”
Tony shakes his head, “I’m not Mr. Gibbs-”
She overrides his explanation quickly, “I’m sorry Mr. DiNozzo, I just assumed-”
Tony in turn stops her, “No problem, I just didn’t want any confusion.”
“I understand completely Mr. DiNozzo. If you don’t mind we’d like to start right away but I do have some questions for you or Mr. Gibbs first.” There are two other young women unloading cleaning supplies from a van in the driveway.
Taking a deep breath and just going with it he steps back, “Jethro’s not home at the moment so I suppose I’ll have to do.”
“I’m sure you will,” Her smile is indulgent, not flirtatious.
“What can I do for you?”
“On our work order it says you paid for us to do the whole house but that we’re not doing any work upstairs.”
“Jethro and I are private people. He doesn’t want strangers in our bedroom and I respect that. The other rooms upstairs are my stepdaughters’ rooms and the bathrooms. We do want the guest bathroom cleaned but you don’t need to touch the rest.”
The indulgent smile hasn’t changed and Tony finds himself wondering if it’s just her customer service smile, “If that’s what you’d prefer Mr. DiNozzo it’s not a problem. With that being the case we should be done in about two and a half hours.”
He smiles back and accepts the invoice, “If I’m in the way just let me know.”
Despite his own joking the night before and his experience with having a cleaning service he finds it distinctly uncomfortable to be in the house while they do so. He feels like he’s constantly in the way and given that they’re treating him as if he owns the place that’s something of an accomplishment.
He gets up to leave the den without being asked when Jan turns to address him and accidentally knocks a picture frame off the book case. Reflexes and proximity allow him to catch it before it comes to harm and when he looks down at the photo he can’t help but smile at it. It’s the picture of the two of them curled up on the sofa he’s just vacated together. Jan looks at it and grins at him, “You and Mr. Gibbs make a very handsome couple.”
He feels uncharacteristically self conscious, “He makes it easy.”
“I meant more that, well, you seem happy together,” She blushes.
Tony on the other hand smiles genuinely for the first time since coming downstairs, “We are.” The fact that Gibbs framed this photograph and displayed it in the den warms him to his bones.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gibbs startles just a little when a call of “Good afternoon Mr. Gibbs,” comes from his oven. Despite the van outside he hadn’t expected to find a young woman with her head in his oven.
He offers a smile though she doesn’t turn, “Good afternoon.”
He’s saved from whatever small talk she was about to make by Tony stepping into the kitchen with a laundry basket full of table linens on his hip. He offers Tony a confused smile instead, “Those were clean.”
“No, they were cleaned before they were put away, it’s not the same thing. They smelled so strongly of mothballs that I almost puked pulling them out of the closet. Now they’re clean.”
“You’re cute when you go all domestic.”
Tony tries to glare but he’s still smiling slightly, “Bite me Jethro.”
“Best offer I’ve had all morning.” He wraps an arm around Tony’s waist and very deliberately bites his bottom lip.
When they part Tony shakes his head, “Liar. I made you a much better offer before we got out of bed.”
“That was a demand not an offer.”
A single huff of laughter concedes the point and they just stand there for a moment, reconnecting as if they’d been apart for weeks. Eventually it sinks in for Tony that he’s still receiving a contented, not even partially concealed smile, “You’re in a much better mood than when you left.”
“I had a good talk with Dad, and with Abby too for that matter.”
“So I can wear a nice shirt to dinner tomorrow? No risk of a food fight?”
“Wear whatever you like. And feel free to move anything you want over.” He presses a quelling finger to Tony’s lips, “I’m not suddenly asking you to move in. Just… we spend more time here than we do there, and we both know eventually you will be moving in here, so in the meantime…”
“Must have been some talk with your dad.”
“It was. And so was the one with Abby. Got me thinking about regrets and what I really want. And I’d regret loosing more time to caution when we don’t really need it.”
Tony seems to consider it, “Most of the important stuff is here, but if you could find me a little bookshelf space for actual books I’d appreciate it.”
“I’m sure I can manage that,” Gibbs murmurs, already planning the new one he’ll build for the thin space between Tony’s bedside table and the wall.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tony answers the door when Jackson arrives at ten o’clock and is mortified to feel himself blush. “Mr. Gibbs, it’s nice to finally meet you.”
Jackson smiles, just a hint of mischief in it, “You must be Tony.”
“Oh! I’m sorry, yes, yes I am. Tony DiNozzo,” He turns and points, “Jethro’s in the kitchen.”
“You can calm down Tony, I don’t bite.”
“Of course not, Sir.”
Jackson laughs at that and the sound is so familiar Tony finds himself relaxing instinctively. It doesn’t, however, coax his feet into motion. The low murmur of greetings escapes the kitchen and Gibbs emerges with a questioning look.
“Less ready than I thought,” Tony explains quietly.
Gibbs considers him for a long moment before pushing him firmly but gently toward the stairs, “Head up to the bedroom. I need a minute to finish up with the turkey and get Dad settled but then I’ll be right up.”
Tony concentrates on his breathing and doesn’t even glance in as he passes the kitchen. He’s not sure why actually meeting Jackson Gibbs sent his head spinning but the one thing he absolutely refuses to do in this situation is throw up. That concentration carries him up the stairs, down the hall and around to his side of the bed.
He startles when Gibbs locks the bedroom door.
“We can still go.”
Tony’s response is immediate and emphatic “No!” He takes a deep breath, “I want to be here. I want to do this. It’s just-”
The bed dips and a strong hand steadies him.
“I’m not the kind of guy anyone introduces to their parents. I’m… a good time. A good boyfriend. Just not the sort of boyfriend that’s going to impress your parents. I get that.” Another long pause, “I know you didn’t pick this and you don’t give a damn about what he thinks. I get that too. But I guess it just hit me, back there, how this must look to him.” That earns him one hell of a glare. “I’m not saying I think you don’t love me, I kno-”
Gibbs claps a hand over Tony’s mouth. “Shut up Tony.” He waits for Tony’s nod before continuing. “I’m fairly sure Jackson got exactly the right impression when I told him I love you with all my heart.” He sighs and kisses the back of Tony’s neck, “I know you don’t have a lot of experience at this but you’ve got to learn to trust me. Trust us.”
“What if he hates me?”
“Then he really is a foolish old man who has no place in my life. But I doubt that’ll be an issue Tony. Just be yourself and he’s bound to love you.” Tony’s continued tension makes him add a soft: “Or we could stay up here and I could love you instead.”
Tony pushes him bodily away but chuckles, “Not with your Dad downstairs Jethro.”
“Then we best get down there. I need to baste the turkey and your sweet potato pie won’t assemble itself.”
“What else do we need to make?” Tony asks as they make their way downstairs.
“Squash, turnips, mashed potatoes, salad and cranberry sauce.”
“No green bean casserole?”
“Abbs is bringing it.”
“She use those french fried onions?”
“Is there some other way to make it?” Gibbs teases as they enter the kitchen.
“Emilie seemed to think so. But I think that comes from Dad trying to convince a French chef to make a clearly American dish. The first Thanksgiving he was working at the house he saw the list of vegetable dishes and decided that since all the ingredients were there he should just make ratatouille. Rebecca threw a fit.”
“I think I’m glad we only had the one meal there.”
“I’m glad your side of the family runs toward simpler tastes.” Jackson chuckles at that and Tony colors, “No offense, sir.”
“You seem quiet cozy with my boy Tony, I think you can call me Jack.”
“I can try Jack, but I make no guarantees.”
“If my granddaughter can do it I think you can manage.”
Tony chuckles, “I’ll do my best.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At noon they reach a point where the rest of the work for dinner has to wait until closer to serving and a light lunch, ham sandwiches and beer, has been put together. They eat while discussing the afternoon football game despite a lack of any real interest in its outcome. Jackson collects the plates and calmly says, “Leave me and Tony alone for a few Leroy.”
Gibbs pauses beside the recycling bin and looks at Tony. After a few seconds without their usual nonverbal communication he signs, “Up to you.”
Tony considers them both before nodding, “Go on, I’ll be fine.”
Jackson laughs at that, “Was there some question about it? I’m not a firing squad.”
Tony shakes his head, “That remains to be seen.”
“I’m sure I’m a pussycat compared to Abigail when it concerns Leroy.”
Gibbs chuckles and kisses Tony in passing, “I’ll be in the den.”
For a very long moment they stand in front of the sink in silence. Jackson is washing and Tony’s drying. Then almost out of the blue Jackson asks “My boy treat you right?”
“He loves me and he makes sure I know it.”
“And what about you?”
“Me? I’m a heart on my sleeve kinda guy. Jethro knows I love him too.”
Jackson considers him for a short time before speaking again, “Isn’t he a little old for you?”
“Not at all sir.” Noting the look he’s getting Tony grins disarmingly, “Eight years isn't really all that much and we compliment each other well enough to make it a moot point. He grounds me, supports me, reminds me that I don’t need to be the class clown for people to like me. In return I keep him from taking responsibility for the whole world, remind him that it’s ok to have fun. We balance each other out.”
“And yet you let him keep that ugly ass uncomfortable excuse for a sofa.”
Tony gives a startled laugh at that, “I’m not his interior designer and I don’t live here so I’ve got no say on the sofa front.”
“You’re not living here?”
“No sir, not yet. We’re in negotiations about it.”
“Negotiations?”
“Sorry, bad joke. I have things here but we’re not exactly at that point yet. We’ve both been a little burned in the past.”
“And he’s a stubborn bastard that has to be right.”
Tony stifles a laugh, Jackson maybe more diplomatic than he’d expected from Jethro’s dire predictions but the tactics are exactly as advertised. “I don’t really mind that he’s a bastard. I find it… endearing actually.”
“You are a strange young man Tony DiNozzo.”
“That’s probably so. You’re really this dead set against me and Jethro?”
“Despite what Leroy may have told you I’m not trying to run you off.”
“If this is you not trying to run me off… Well sir if I were a man less sure of his relationship with your son I’d be long gone by now.”
“But that’s exactly the point. If you aren’t sure enough to make it through a few uncomfortable questions from me you aren’t fit for my boy.”
“Well then have I passed the test or are we headed for the true/false questions?”
“I just have one more thing to ask you before we go ease Leroy’s mind.”
“Ask away.”
“I know my boy better than he thinks I do but this big fight,” He looks toward the living room, “I called that all wrong. I was in the wrong and I accept that. I will do my best to make amends and I know Abigail is prepared to help me. All I’d like from you is warning if I end up working against myself, if I’m making things worse just ask Abigail to let me know.”
“Despite my little panic attack I like you Jack. I think it’s important that you and Jethro make up. But I won’t betray any confidences on your behalf, most especially not Jethro’s.”
“I’m not asking you to. Just…” He sighs, “You know sometimes a situation looks different long distance than it does up close.”
“I’ll do what I can to help, but I’ll do it my way.”
“Fair enough.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Tony fails to follow Jackson into the den in a timely fashion Gibbs has to steel himself not to go in search of him. He manages to wait silently through twelve downs and a field goal before calmly turning to his father, “What the hell did you say to him?”
“Not that it’s any of your business Leroy but we mostly talked about him. I like him.”
“And yet he disappeared upstairs again.”
It’s Tony that answers that one, “While I appreciate that you want to protect me Jethro you’re out of line right now.”
Gibbs looks back and forth between them a few times before signing, “He get out of line with you?”
Tony shakes his head but responds in kind, “I passed the Jackson test. No big deal. Went upstairs to fetch the pictures from our trip.”
“But you’re okay? I worry.” Gibbs returns to verbal communication.
Tony chuckles, “Yes. Now can we watch some football before the ladies descend on us or would you two prefer to talk about our feelings some more?”
“You have some bizarre gender identity issue with talking about your feelings Honey?”
Noting the humor in Gibbs’ expression Tony whacks him lightly upside the head before muttering “Fuck off Jethro” and snuggling into his side.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jolene acknowledges Tony’s inexperience at signing with a grin and a hastily signed promise to be patient with him. The look on Tony’s face at that makes everyone else laugh and when he gets it he signs and speaks, as is polite, “That was just mean Ma’am.”
Abby beams at him, “It means she likes you.”
Over dinner polite questions are exchanged, mostly by Tony and Jolene. Both talkative and playful they get along well and Tony finds himself thinking Gibbs might have a prevailing type after all, just that his criteria are far less shallow than most people’s. He’s milling the concept over with such concentration he almost misses it when Jolene asks, “How on earth do you put up with Jethro?”
“I don’t know what-” He stops when he realizes he hasn’t been signing and tries again, “I really don’t know what you mean.”
“He’s always been a bit of a bore. No offense Jethro.”
Tony finds himself laughing at that. “People change I guess.”
“He doesn’t spend all his time messing about with his car anymore?”
“That sounds like a story worth hearing.”
“I told you I used to have an old Charger I liked working on. It was part of the story about Kevin.”
Jackson groans at one. “He came round the shop a year or so back looking for you. Wouldn’t say why but his mother told me his wife had just thrown him out on his ass.”
“Even if that was why he tried to look me up Jackson it’s hardly my fault.”
Tony shakes his head and turns back to Jolene, “These days he prefers his boat, which he’s building in the basement. But unless he’s stressed it isn’t difficult to get him to come upstairs to amuse me.” A few beats pass before he remembers tone is hard to convey in sign. “With conversation, or a movie.”
“Is that what they call it these days?” Victor laughs as he signs.
Tony blushes and tries not meet anyone’s eye.
Gibbs sighs, mostly for effect, and comments to the room at large, “Can we have one family meal without double entendres?”
Abby giggles as she replies simply “No.”
The rest of the meal finds Tony quieter than usual but passes pleasantly enough.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tony is clearly still uncomfortable when they move into the den for pie, coffee, and football.
About three downs in Jackson turns his attention to Tony again, “So Tony, Leroy tells me you played some football in college?”
“I was a running back for the Buckeyes. Thought I might go pro until a broken leg ended my career.”
“In a game or unrelated?”
“Kinda of a funny story actually,” Tony relaxes again as he settles into the topic. “It was the last game of my junior year, we tied but it was only the third quarter. I took the hand off and the blocks all just sort of came together. I had a clear field and a good ten-second lead on the nearest defender behind me. I might have made it the whole length of the field. Except just as I crossed their thirty I get hit, hard. Unfortunately to pick up the last little burst of speed he jumped at me. We both went down and how we landed I just happened to break my leg in two places. I knew I was done for in football and as much as I like basketball that was never going to take me anywhere so the next day I went in and changed my minor. But the funny part doesn’t come into it for over twenty years. On the job I was exposed to a pathogen and ended up in the hospital. The Doctor introduced himself as Dr. Brad Pitt and was so adamant about making sure we understood there was no relation that I didn’t really think about it until later. Then I asked him which school he attended and when he said Michigan suddenly I knew, he was the one who broke my leg. So he ended my football career but twenty years later he saved me life.”
“I send him a Christmas card every year,” Gibbs puts in.
“For which part?” Abby asks cheekily.
“Both actually. Doubt we’d have ever met if Tony’d made it to the NFL. And that’d be a hell of a waste of natural talent.” He smirks a little, “In more ways than one.”
“Now you’re just doing it to make me blush.”
“Maybe a little,” Gibbs concedes easily.
“Not so sure I like you keeping in contact with Dr. Pitt though.”
“The only thing I have in common with the man is gratitude that he saved your life and understood what that meant to me. Didn’t it strike you as odd that no one tried to kick me out of your room?”
“Guess I just attributed it to the natural authority you exert on most people when you want something.”
“And I probably would have if I’d needed to, Dr. Pitt made sure I didn’t need to. And he checks on any test result that involves your lungs. Seems you made an impression.”
“Not every day you get a patient with the plague I’m sure.”
“The plague?” Jackson is clearly stunned. A quick glance confirms that Jolene and Victor aren’t.
“Yes I’ve had the plague. Our crazies tend to be crazy in the extreme.”
“You’re certainly proving to be an exciting addition to the family at least,” Jackson murmurs distractedly.
“Well I am the life of any party,” Tony grins cheekily.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jolene and Victor leave with Abby as evening begins to fall leaving Jackson, Tony and Gibbs alone again. Tony gets up with a stretch so complete that his back pops. “Okay I don’t know about you two but I need to move around a little, work some of that food off before I slip into a coma.”
“What’d you have in mind?” Gibbs asks with the barest hint of a leer.
“A walk you pervert. Maybe a little freeze tag with Bethany if Heather’s got her playing in the park.”
“I’d like that. What do you think Dad?”
“Who’re Bethany and Heather?” Jackson asks as he pulls on a sweater.
“Bethany is a little girl down the block that Abby sometimes plays with. Heather is her mom. Bethany lost her father awhile back and in bonding with Abbs she’s sort adopted Jethro as a father figure.”
“Abby’s told her that Tony is my prince charming and little Bethany is both in awe and smitten.”
“Single parent or not I may have to shoot Heather in the foot for telling you that.”
“I didn’t need Heather to tell me anything. Last time you played with her Bethany told me you were the prettiest prince in the whole wide world and if you didn’t already love me so much she’d want you to be her prince charming instead.”
“Given British genetics that isn’t much of an accomplishment, and what seven year old doesn’t fall for her friend’s pretty step-dad right?”
Jackson laughs heartily, “Now I have to meet this little girl.”
“Off we go then,” Tony makes a sweeping gesture toward the door and allows both of them to pass him before shutting the door without ceremony.
Jackson startles just a bit when Gibbs falls into step beside Tony and places a hand at the small of his back. “You boys are awfully… open about this whole thing.”
“The neighbors all already know. And aside from some of the people at work I just don’t care who knows.”
Tony blushes just a little, “As much as I prefer that Jenny Sheppard never know I’m no longer worried about what anyone else thinks. And it’s fun to bait Miss Lennox from time to time.” He glances back at Jackson, “She’s a busybody from the next block over.”
“Mrs. Beale asked about you when I said I was coming down,” Jackson comments casually.
“I hope you told her something appropriately scandalous.”
“Didn’t know your boy toy was a pretty young thing or I would have told her so. Instead I just said your boyfriend wanted to meet me.”
Gibbs chuckles warmly at that, “Did she faint?”
“No, but she did look as though I’d slapped her.”
Any further response dies under the force of the shouted “Mr. Gibbs, Tony! Come play with me, please? Please? Please?”
Tony catches the running Bethany mid-stride and swings her onto his hip, “And what are we playing Miss Bethany?”
“Tag?”
Tony stage whispers conspiratorially, “I think Mr. Gibbs should be it.”
A small hand darts out and taps Gibbs’ shoulder and Bethany calls “You’re it Mr. Gibbs!” as Tony runs away with her still on his hip.
Gibbs laughs and turns to Jackson, “Heather is just over there if you want company while I do my duty as the evenings’ entertainment.”
Jackson grins, “Go on Son, I’ll be fine.”
Chapter End Notes:
Yes I am alive, yes the story is alive, we're just having a bit of trouble getting along.
Edit Note: Edited to remove an incorrect reference to Tony's bout with the plague. Thanks to Melia for catching it.
And since the complaints always come without email let me reiterate: I am not changing the formating, get over it.
Edit Note: Edited to remove an incorrect reference to Tony's bout with the plague. Thanks to Melia for catching it.
And since the complaints always come without email let me reiterate: I am not changing the formating, get over it.