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Chapter One
As Gibbs rode in the elevator with his friend, Ducky, to leave NCIS headquarters, he couldn’t ever remember being so angry with his superiors, though with his memory loss, it could very well have happened before. Losing most of his memories for the last fifteen years had given him a distance he hadn’t had before. To let all those men die for appearances sake was incomprehensible, and Jen just standing there and not backing him up was unforgivable. With her influence as the director of a federal agency, she could have swayed things in such a way that so many lives wouldn’t have been sacrificed. He didn’t think he could respect any of them ever again.
He was glad he had Ducky to take him to his home, as he didn’t think at this point he even remembered where his house was. As he got out of the car without a word, Ducky stopped him. “Jethro?”
“Yeah, Duck?” Gibbs answered as he turned to face his friend.
“What are your plans?” Ducky asked.
“Haven’t really thought much about it yet.”
“Just…”
“What is it you want to say, Duck?”
“Well, just don’t do anything rash.”
Gibbs didn’t reply to his friend’s words. Instead he said, “Thanks for the ride,” as he turned and crossed the front yard and entered his house.
As Ducky watched his troubled friend go into the house, he got a bad feeling. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and hit a speed dial number. When his call was answered he said, “Anthony, I think you should get home as soon as possible.”
XXXXXXXXXX
As he watched Gibbs get in the elevator, Tony couldn’t believe that his life partner didn’t really remember him. He couldn’t ever remember seeing Gibbs that angry, and Tony was afraid that Gibbs would not only leave NCIS, but would leave him too. Gibbs had promised him that he never would, but Tony didn’t think Gibbs remembered that promise.
Jenny came up to him as he held Gibbs’ badge and gun, wondering what he should do now.
“I hope you realize that Gibbs handing you his gun and badge doesn’t automatically make you leader of the MCRT,” Jenny said.
Tony looked up at her. He couldn’t believe that she wanted to get into a pissing contest now of all times. Although he should have expected it, given that their relationship was rocky at best, mainly because he had what she wanted; Gibbs. He asked, “What exactly does it mean then?”
She said, in that superior ‘I’m the director and you have to do as I say’ voice, as Tony liked to call it, “Gibbs isn’t the director of this agency. It isn’t his choice who leads the team if he chooses to quit. If you want the job, you have to formally apply for it and then go through the interview process, and frankly I don’t think you’re ready yet.”
Tony was feeling rather raw emotionally, after what happened in MTAC and then the scene with Gibbs leaving, so he didn’t censor himself as he usually did with her. He said, “Because I did such a terrible job leading the team when Gibbs was held hostage by that high school student along with his class?”
Jenny wasn’t going to give Tony any credit, whether it was due or not. She replied, “That was mainly luck.”
“Yeah, sure, if you say so. If it’s all the same to you, Director,” Tony said as he handed her Gibbs’ badge and gun, “I don’t think I want to work here any more anyway.” He then handed her his own badge and gun.
Jen wasn’t expecting that reaction. She really had just wanted to show DiNozzo that she was his boss now. She knew that the members of the MCRT always answered to Gibbs before her, even Ziva. “You can’t quit,” Jenny said as she juggled the guns and badges, thinking maybe she had gone a little too far. “The reports on this case haven’t been completed yet.”
Tony wasn’t going to cut her any slack, after she failed to do her job in MTAC earlier. “Those reports are the responsibility of the team leader, and you just said I’m not ready for that job,” He said as he headed for the elevator. “Besides, I don’t have faith in you as director of this agency any longer, if I ever did.”
Director Shepard placed the guns and badges on the nearest desk then followed after him, grabbing Tony by the arm to stop him. “I think you’re going to have to explain that remark.”
When Shepard grabbed his arm, Tony stopped and turned, looking pointedly at her hand until she let go. “You sure you want to get into that now?” He said, looking around at their audience. Ziva, Abby and McGee were all still there in the bullpen, watching their confrontation uneasily.
“You can’t talk to me like that; I’m the director of an armed federal agency,” Jenny said with that superior tone of hers.
“Okay, we’ll overlook the fact that you stuck you nose into nearly every one of Gibbs’ cases-” Tony started.
“I have the right to look into any case that I-” Jenny interrupted.
Tony talked over her, “And the fact that the only cases you chose to look into were the ones Gibbs’ team was on is just a big fat coincidence?”
Jenny just stood there at a loss for words, as it was blatantly obvious to everyone listening that what Tony was saying was true.
“How about throwing one of your own agents to the wolves without even telling his team leader about it?”
“We have to cooperate with fellow law enforcement agencies,” Jenny said.
“What about hiring an assistant for Abby without consulting her, a person I might add who shouldn’t have gotten clearance to enter the building as a visitor, let alone as an employee, a person who framed one of your agents for murder.”
“That wasn’t my-” Jenny said.
Tony wasn’t in the mood for her excuses, so her cut her off again, “Or how about going to the Marine Corps Birthday Ball dressed like a high-priced call girl instead of the head of a federal agency?”
“How I dress is none of-”
Tony’s voice got low and dangerous, “And let’s not forget about what just happened a few minutes ago in MTAC. It’s our job to protect Navy officers, not just stand by and let them die.” Having finally rendered Director Shepard speechless, Tony turned and left the room via the stairs.
Abby followed him and caught up with him in the stairwell. “Tony, you can’t just quit.”
Tony turned to address her. “It’s too late, Abs, I already have.”
“But, Tony, nothing will be the same around here without you and Gibbs.”
“I’m not staying if Gibbs leaves, and you saw how he looked when he left.”
“But, Tony-”
“You didn’t see what happened in MTAC.”
“What did happen?”
“I can’t tell you. I’m sure it’s classified,” Tony said with disgust. Just then, Tony’s cell phone rang. He removed the phone from his belt and saw on the caller ID that it was Ducky. He answered, “DiNozzo.”
“Anthony, I think you should get home as soon as possible.”
Tony replied, “I’m on my way.” He snapped his phone closed and told Abby, “I’ve gotta get home. That was Ducky. It sounds like I need to get there as soon as possible.”
“Maybe I should come over and talk to Gibbs,” Abby said hopefully.
“No, that’s my job. He’s my life partner. If he takes off, I’ll find him, but I might not need to if I get home in time. I’ll see you later.” He kissed Abby on the cheek and left.
TBC
Story Notes:
Alternate ending for “Hiatus”. The story begins right after Gibbs says “Semper Fi” and gets in the elevator. There’s a little Jenny Shepard and Ziva David bashing, so if you like either of them, you might not want to read this.
In my happy little world, homosexual relationships are nearly as common as heterosexual ones, and any couple wishing to can get married, so I guess this is an AU as well as an alternate ending. Also, co-workers at NCIS can be in a relationship as long as they leave it out of the work place.
This story is not betaed, all mistakes are mine and mine alone.
I would like to thank liljanie for writing the smut for me. She did a great job!
Author's Chapter Notes:
This story is slash, Gibbs/DiNozzo. Don’t like, don’t read. Gibbs and Tony have been together for years, but now Gibbs doesn’t remember the promise he made to Tony. Will he remember what they mean to each other before it’s too late? Spoilers for “Hiatus”. This story is complete and will be posted a chapter every other day until done.
Chapter End Notes:
Alternate ending for “Hiatus”. The story begins right after Gibbs says “Semper Fi” and gets in the elevator. There’s a little Jenny Shepard and Ziva David bashing, so if you like either of them, you might not want to read this.
In my happy little world, homosexual relationships are nearly as common as heterosexual ones, and any couple wishing to can get married, so I guess this is an AU as well as an alternate ending. Also, co-workers at NCIS can be in a relationship as long as they leave it out of the work place.
This story is not betaed, all mistakes are mine and mine alone.
I would like to thank liljanie for writing the smut for me. She did a great job!
In my happy little world, homosexual relationships are nearly as common as heterosexual ones, and any couple wishing to can get married, so I guess this is an AU as well as an alternate ending. Also, co-workers at NCIS can be in a relationship as long as they leave it out of the work place.
This story is not betaed, all mistakes are mine and mine alone.
I would like to thank liljanie for writing the smut for me. She did a great job!