Chester leads Gibbs out to the car for the meet at midday, a full six hours before the agreed upon time. “Can we stop for coffee? I could really use a cup of French Roast.”
“I’m afraid not Sir. Mr. Halleran gave strict orders.”
“We’re gettin’ down to business then?”
“You know how it works Mr. Maynard. One must be careful that they know their business associates in Mr. Halleran’s line of work.”
The way he says careful sets Gibbs’ teeth on edge but he doesn’t react. The location is a warehouse a few blocks off base, supporting Maynard’s claims about his supplier being Naval personnel. Halleran exits the building to meet the car with a tight smile, “I’ve received some most unsettling news that regards you Mr. Maynard.”
“Is that right Mr. Hallern? What’d ya hear?”
“That you arrived in town without my money.”
“I did indeed. My man Dunaway handles the cause’s money, does a real good job too. He can be here within four hours of my call. Once I see the merchandise I’ll give him a ring.”
“That was not what we discussed.”
“That’s how I conduct my business.”
“So I’ve been told.” He glares at Gibbs, “If there are anymore surprises I will kill you.”
“So long as you keep your end of the deal there won’t be an issue.”
“You’re hardly in a position to dictate terms here Mr. Maynard.”
“I’ve had a good run. Dunaway’s ready to take over. Can you say the same? I need a supplier. You need a buyer. I’m just protecting my investment on this deal. Now are we going to do business or try to kill each other?”
“Follow me,” Halleran instructs irritably leading the way inside.
Most of the weapons are still in the government marked and addressed shipping containers and Gibbs suddenly wishes they’d wired him with a camera instead of just a mic. Which he manages to discretely turn off just before they scan for it. He turns it back on as Halleran picks up a P-90.
Like any good solider Gibbs thoroughly inspects the weapon before handing it back with an approving nod, “Should suit the cause nicely. If you’ll give me access to a phone I’ll call my man now.”
Halleran motions to the muscle behind him and Gibbs is handed a cell phone.
He dials Tony’s cell again. “Hi Honey.”
“Wrong number sweet cheeks.”
“I can’t exactly chat Honey buns. Is Jeffery there? Could you put him on?”
“Good play boss.”
“Jeff my boy, we’re a go. How soon can you be here?”
“According to the information I’ve got the earliest he could be in is 5:40.”
“My temporary chauffeur and I will pick you up at the airport. Before you leave tell Joanna I love her.”
“I’ll be there Boss. Gotta leave the secondary team on you until then so don’t piss off the nice arms dealer in the meantime. I don’t exactly look the part of a good old boy just now.”
“My Joanna is a lady of taste and charm, she’d never run off with the like of you Jeffery Dunaway.”
“Quit while you’re ahead here boss.”
Gibbs hangs up. “You’ll have your money by six thirty.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tony’s first stop is Abby’s lab. “Ah Prince Charming returns.”
“Hey Abbs. Got my new credentials?”
“You are now Jeffery Dunaway, good ole boy. Or you will be when you wash the gel out of your hair and put on some flannel.”
“I know. I’ve got to make a walmart run and shower. But first I have a new assignment for you.”
Abby giggles, “Taking this team leader thing really serious, aren’t you?”
“It’s not so much that as the only person I really trust beside myself to take care of our good king is the fair princess.”
“In that case assign away Prince Charming.”
“The suspects he’s in with now believe this to be Maynard’s home number, where the phone should be answered by his wife- Joanna. If anyone not in my phonebook calls I need you to answer it and pretend to be Joanna. Your husband is away at a farming equipment show as far as you know and may have made a large purchase as he called here to get Jeff Dunaway to come help him out. Jeff’s a flirt. Carl -that’s Maynard’s first name- calls you Honey or Honey buns and has been promising to bring you presents from the big city. Got it?”
“He’s been calling you honeybuns? Honestly?”
“Over an open line with other agents listening.”
“Is there a tape?” Abby asks gleefully.
“Of course there is. But you don’t get a copy until it goes into evidence. It would raise too many questions if I made you a copy now.”
“Okay. I know my part. Make sure you watch your back, okay? I want you both at my place for dinner on Monday.”
“If we don‘t make it take it up with your old man, ok?”
“Already speaking for Pop?” Abby teases.
“Make any little wife jokes and I‘ll post pictures of you dressed as career girl Barbie all over the office and the internet. I‘m taking the wicked step mother thing in stride because it seems to be a long term joke with you two. That doesn’t give you the right to tease me just because I picked the ultimate alpha-male to settle down with.”
“So you really do plan to settle down with him? I mean you know…For real? Long term?”
“Did he give you some other impression?” Tony asks with a certain amount of dread.
“No Tony, nothing like that. But Gibbs can only tell me what he wants, that‘s all he knows. And no offense you just never quiet struck me as the ‘settling down’ type. You clearly love him. I‘ve known you did for a long time, not from the start I don‘t think, but it‘s been more than a year since I noticed it. But that didn‘t mean you wouldn‘t eventually… stifle.”
“This gets out- gets back to Jethro- and I will kill you in your sleep with CO2. I‘d marry the idiot if it were possible. I meant what I said about making like rabbits for the next twenty or thirty years. And after that… well they make drugs for that these days.”
“TMI Tony,” Abby protests making a face.
Tony just chuckles, “Not sorry sweetheart, you asked after my intentions. I just told you the truth.”
“Then go dress like a militia lieutenant and save him.”
“You think he needs saving?”
“From himself at the very least.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gibbs has to forcibly school his expression as Tony crosses the threshold of the arrivals gate. He hadn’t realized he’d actually missed Tony until the younger man appeared in front of him. Evidently now that they’d shared a bed phone conversations alone were not enough. Which validates rule twelve but he just can’t make himself give a damn.
“Jeff. No… complications I trust?” Gibbs drawls easily.
“Like taking candy from a bitty little baby as always boss,” Tony answers back in a reasonable north Texas twang, having taken the cue from his background search on Dunaway.
“Gentlemen?” Chester interrupts from beside the town car. “Mr. Halleran isn’t a patient man.”
Gibbs laughs, “That’s an understatement.”
“Usual business man, boss?”
“Impatient and excitable,” Gibbs confirms. “Just like all the others.”
Tony slides across the backseat and waits patiently for Gibbs to join him. As Chester rounds the vehicle he bumps Gibbs’ leg with his knee. When he makes eye contact Tony signs, “Bust at meet.”
Gibbs nods. “How’s Jenny doing Jeff?”
“You know Jenny, boss, always up on the latest gossip. She and Joanna are getting along, as well as they ever do anyhow.”
“That’s something at least.”
“Joanna made me promise to have you home by dinnertime Monday.”
“Let’s do our best to keep that promise,” Gibbs comments honestly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tony’s phone rings for the first time around an hour and a half after he leaves it. The caller ID reads “Tammy”.
“Tony’s phone,” Abby chirps lightly.
“Um, hello? I was trying to reach Tony DiNozzo.”
“This is his phone, can I take a message?”
“Is this his wife?” The caller demands rather abruptly.
“His stepdaughter. Can I help you?”
“Could you please have him call his father’s secretary?”
“Will do. It may be a day or two, but I will have him call you as soon as possible.”
She writes out “Call your Dad’s secretary. I sort of told her I’m you’re stepdaughter, Sorry Tony! I love you” on a post-it.
Thankfully the only other call Tony gets is the one she’s waiting to answer. It comes in minutes before Tony “lands.”
“Maynard residence?”
“Is this Mrs. Joanna Maynard?”
“Yes sir, how can I help you?”
“I’d like to speak to your husband Ma’am.”
“Carl’s out of town this week.”
“Might you know how I could contact Jeff Dunaway then?”
“Jeffery left to join Carl just today actually.”
“I’m sorry to have bothered you Ma’am.”
“It’s no bother,” Abby offers brightly before taking a play from Gibbs’ book and just hanging up.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The bust goes surprisingly smooth. Halleran, whose real name turns out to be First Lieutenant Harold Marcum, takes one look at the blocked exits and puts his hands up. He asks a calm but bitter “ATF or NCIS?”
“There’s your solid proof that he’s navy boss,” Tony quips good naturedly.
“I’m going to call the princess and let her know we’re okay. Make sure someone books him.”
“Princess what that pretty redhead y’all work for likes to be called?”
“She prefers ‘Sir’.” Tony leads Marcum to the NCIS sedan Gibbs commandeered from one of the second wave back-up teams. He leans against the driver’s door and watches Special Agent Rennie’s team processing the scene. For once he has no desire whatsoever to be in on it.
Gibbs returns smiling slightly, then frowns at the sight of Marcum in the back of the sedan. “I thought I told you to hand off Halleran.”
“You’ve never let me hand off a booking before Jethro,” Tony explains patiently.
“When you or I made the arrest. Who cuffed him and read him his article 13s Tony?”
“Rennie.”
“Then hand him over to Rennie. It’s not a school night and the princess is going to leave your cell at my place.”
“Three day weekend?” Tony asks hopefully.
“In theory. We’re on call Saturday and Sunday. But one of my terms for taking this assignment was that we got Friday off. Good thing too. I think I made Jenny‘s head implode.”
“What happened?”
“Hand Halleran off. I’ll tell you on our way home.”
Tony escorts Marcum back over to Special Agent Rennie with a smile. “Change of plans. Your case, your bust. Cheers.”
“Thanks so much Tony,” Special Agent Colson comments from beside Rennie. As Rennie’s right hand the booking will now fall to him.
“’Night!” He jogs back to the sedan. “Okay, so what happened?”
“I was talking to Abbs and suddenly Jenny’s on the line demanding to know why I called Abby before her. I told her that while she was in direct contact with the team handling the bust and scene, my daughter wouldn‘t be contacted unless I did it directly. She stuttered for a minute or so until Abby took the phone back.”
“And I missed it. Damn it.”
“There’s no pleasing you two. Abbs complained that she wanted to be the one to tell Jenny.”
“You did tell her she could do it,” Tony reminds him before yawning spectacularly. “Could we stay at my place tonight?”
“I thought you’d been staying at mine?”
“I have. But just to be, well, close to you. Your mattress sucks Jethro.”
“The hotel they had me in is on the way, I guess we could swing by, pick up my bag and the presents…”
“And start shopping for a decent mattress come morning, yes.”
“Moving yourself in?” The tone is indecipherable.
“Not unless you want me to. But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to push to make your place livable. Just the basics. A mattress that won’t eat me for breakfast. Maybe a little liquid hand soap. A blanket on the sofa.”
“And if I don’t want to make changes?”
“Then I spend more than just school nights at home. I know better than to make demands, but I deserve a little compromise.”
“We were supposed to be taking this slow…” Gibbs murmurs uneasily.
“Three years seems pretty slow to me.”
“Three? Not five?”
“The first two there was chemistry but not much else. About three years ago I could see you start to size me up as someone who might be worth your time. It’s why I started openly flirting. I wanted to be what you were looking for. To take you up on the offer you didn’t seem to know you were making.”
Gibbs nods and hands Tony his cell, “See if Abbs will bring your phone to your place.”
“Thank you. Once you’ve slept in my bed you won’t regret it.” Tony grins as he calls Abby. “Hi Sweetheart, how are you?”
“I’m good, after all my boys are both okay. I’m leaving now, see you in a little while.”
“That’s why I’m calling. We’re going to stay at my place, unfortunately I have to have my cell… Sorry to impose but can you come to my place instead of Jethro’s?”
“No problem Tony. Your place is closer to mine anyway. Will you guys be there in an hour?”
“With Gibbs behind the wheel? We should be. Just depends on if we hit traffic.” Tony glances over at Gibbs, and asks both of them, “We still on for lunch on Saturday and dinner Monday?”
“As far as I’m concerned,” Abby’s tone is clearly confused.
“Dinner Monday?” Gibbs asks.
“Hold on a sec Abbs.” He turns to Gibbs. “Abby demands our presence at dinner on Monday.”
“As long as we don’t catch a case.”
“You know the stipulations, Abby.”
“I know work trumps everything for Pop. See you in a bit.”
“Bye Sweetheart.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
With a little creative navigation they make excellent time, arriving well before Abby is due. Unfortunately her impending arrival limits their options as to activities for the time being. Tony orders take out and they settle in to make out until she arrives. Tony has to take several deep breaths and button his pants when there’s a knock on the door. Thankfully it’s the Chinese food, giving them another moment or two to prepare before having to provide Abby with hugs. Tony especially needs the time.
He retreats to the kitchen and breaths deep as he retrieves beers and sets the table. When Abby knocks he calls over his shoulder “Let her in Jethro, we’re eating in here.”
Gibbs shakes his head when he realizes he’s already halfway to the door on Tony’s say so. Not that he minds exactly. At least keeping Tony happy is a relatively straight forward proposition. No trying to decipher what the hell he wants based on esoteric clues.
“Hi baby girl,” He greets Abby pulling her into a tight hug.
“Hi Pop, heard you guys got tomorrow off. Madame Director taking classes in alternative compensation?”
“Something like that.” He tows her into the kitchen, “Tony requests your presence at dinner.”
“He might change his mind when I give him his messages,” Abby laments evenly.
“What’s wrong Abbs?” Tony asks as they enter the kitchen.
Abby hangs her head and hands Tony his phone, note and all.
Tony reads the note, chuckles, and asks “How did that happen?”
“She was really snotty from like the second I answered your phone and when I asked if I could take a message she just snapped ‘is this his wife?’ I didn’t even think. I just told her I was your stepdaughter. I know it was stupid, especially as I had no idea who it was…”
“Abbs! Abby calm down. Tammy is a busybody who thinks a birthday card and a Christmas gift a year earns the father who disowned me the right to every detail of my life. It’ll be fun dealing with her. In fact…” He hits her speed dial, puts it on speaker and sets the phone down. “Have a seat. Eat. Just try to keep kinda quiet.”
“Harcourt Manufacturing, you’ve reached Mr. DiNozzo’s office.”
“Hi Tammy, it’s Tony. I got a message that you needed to speak to me?”
“Your father wanted me to make sure you were personally invited to Jessica’s birthday gala.”
Tony signs “wicked stepmother 4” before verbally responding, “I received the invitation but I’m afraid I have a prior engagement.”
“With the young lady that answered your phone earlier?”
“As a matter of fact she will be in attendance yes.”
“So she isn’t your stepdaughter then?”
“No. At least not technically.”
“How old is this woman you’re seeing that she has a daughter your age?”
Tony suppresses a chuckle. “Well Abby is actually ten years younger than I am. And her father, who is the one I’m seeing, is eight years older, no where near old enough for the impropriety your tone implies.”
“Her father?” Tammy gulps in clear surprise.
At that Tony does chuckle, “His name is Jethro. Though it might be best for all involved if he and my father don’t meet. I’m not sure my father would survive the encounter.” He takes the Chow Mien from Gibbs’ unresponsive fingers and dishes some onto his own plate. “You can tell my father that you did personally extend the invitation but that I had to decline. Now if you don’t mind we’ve had a long day.” Before she can respond he hangs up.
Abby succumbs to her giggles after a moment but forces words through them, “Won’t that cause trouble with your dad?”
“Who cares? If my comments thus far haven‘t made it clear the man‘s an ass. He disowned me years ago, if he stops speaking to me again it‘s not exactly a loss.”
“So you’re ‘seeing’ me?”
“What did you want me to call it? Dating? Going steady with? Sleeping with? Any of them are accurate but in context I think seeing was optimal to achieve the two goals: telling her I was indeed involved with one of Abby’s parents and not giving her details my father can track down.”
“No need to get defensive, it just seemed like an awfully casual statement coming from the guy who’s inviting himself to move into my place.”
“If you keep saying that, I’m going to take it as a hint and give my landlord notice.”
Abby’s eyes go wide, “Are you serious? You‘re already talking about moving in together?”
“No, we are not moving in together yet,” Gibbs tone makes it clear he is speaking as much to Tony as to Abby.
Tony chooses to ignore that. “I’m just talking about making Jethro’s place a little more livable.” He grins at them, “Dinner’s getting cold.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“So Tony said something about presents?” Abby asks brightly once the dishes are finished.
Gibbs chuckles, “I brought you a little something, yes. A thank you for the things you’ve done for me lately- especially helping Tony scare Ziva off last November.” With that he hands over the bag and braces himself.
Abby, not one to disappoint, squeals excitedly as she opens the box within. Rows of short square spikes adorn the side seams of the new boots, and a small metal skull is affixed to the toe of each, “These are perfect Pop. Totally cute, thank you.” She sets them aside and hugs him tight. “So what’d you bring honey buns?”
“I wish I hadn’t mentioned that,” Tony groans blushing.
“You didn’t just mention, you offered me a tape,” Abby reminds him delightedly.
Deciding to look on the bright side Tony turns to Gibbs instead, “So what did you bring me?”
“You weren’t listening?”
“Oh I know you brought me some Godiva chocolates. But there was something else. I was on the line with Rennie arranging the schedule for the back up teams.”
Gibbs chuckles, “Then I guess I can just hand it over and hope I’ve done as well as I did with Abby’s boots.”
The bag proclaims itself as being from the National Gallery of Art gift shop. Tony pulls the book out and grins, “You remembered.”
Gibbs claims a kiss, “The smile on your face as you explained it made it memorable.”
Tony, remembering their audience turns to Abby, “It’s The Americans by Robert Frank. On our first date I gave… a bit of a lecture about how artists like Frank who cared more about the content of their work than the technique got me interested in photography in college. It‘s why I‘m so good with my camera no matter what I let people think. I spent four semesters in photography classes…” He colors slightly at Abby’s fascinated look.
“So why no photographs on your walls?” Abby asks curiously.
“I’ve never had a chance to take good photographs of the only people I’d want on my walls.”
“You’ll have to make the opportunities,” Abby instructs fondly. “It’s getting late and I’m betting you two want to be alone so I’m going to head home.” She kisses each of them on the cheek, “Lunch is still at the house on Saturday, isn’t it?”
“Noonish. No earlier,” Tony instructs fondly. “And you will find the door locked. I’ll cook this week.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“It’s not that I don’t want you at my place,” Gibbs murmurs hours later as they’re sitting in the glow of the TV on the sofa.
“You don’t have to explain yourself to me Jethro. You asked me for slow and I said I could do it.”
“On this you need to understand. Keeping us quiet at work is going to be something of a balancing acting and we have almost no practice. Moving in together now would just make it harder. We need to maintain separate space a while longer. Not because I need to take this slow, but because we can’t afford to slip up. You want to change things at my place, we‘ll talk about it. You want me to spend the night here, I‘ll come. And for the record you‘re right, your bed is much better than mine.”
“And when I do move in it’s going into the guest bedroom. I can’t believe you’ve got Abbs staying on a full.”
“Abby doesn’t stay with me very often and when she does it isn’t like she’s sharing the bed Tony.”
“Why do I even bother. After all I’m talking to the man that thinks it’s perfectly acceptable to sleep in a bed that sags in the middle.”
“I already said I’d replace it Tony.”
That makes Tony laugh, “And I’m grateful. I’ll even buy your new sheets. For now are we going to watch the rest of the movie or go back to bed?”
“Let’s head back to bed. I think I can wear you out properly this time.”
“Sounds like fun.”
Chapter End Notes:
Thank you all for the emails, I haven't had time to respond individually but here's a new chapter. Cheers.