Later that evening, Gibbs and Ducky were sitting next to Tony’s bed and talking quietly while he slept off his latest round of physical therapy and pain pills. Gibbs had sent Abby to his home to set up his guest room more to Tony’s liking. She was then supposed to go to her own apartment and get some much needed sleep.
“Did you get everything accomplished that you needed to get done today, Jethro?” Ducky asked.
“Yeah,” Gibbs said. “Got plenty of groceries. Went to DiNozzo’s place and picked up some of his things that he’s gonna need. Talked to Vance and got another week off. Abby’s getting the guest room ready for him.”
“So, Anthony is going to convalesce at your home then?”
“He doesn’t have anyone else to stay with, Duck,” Gibbs stated.
“That’s not exactly true,” Ducky said. “He could stay at the rehabilitation center.”
“You know he’d hate it there.”
“It would only be for a short time,” Ducky observed.
“Drop it, Duck,” Gibbs said. “If he goes to the rehab center, I can’t take the time off to stay with him, but if he stays with me, I can. And I’m not letting him stay at the rehab center alone.”
“He wouldn’t exactly be alone, Jethro.”
“You know what I mean,” Gibbs said.
“Why won’t you just admit it?” Ducky asked. It was like pulling teeth to get Gibbs to admit his feelings, but Ducky thought it would be good for Gibbs and Tony if he did. Or better yet, admitted them to Tony.
“Admit what?” Gibbs asked, frustrated. He didn’t know why his friend always insisted that they talk about feelings and all that other crap. Ducky knew he hated it.
“Jethro,” Ducky said. “You hide your feelings for that boy behind sarcastic remarks and headslaps, but anyone who knows you as well as I do can see how you truly feel about him.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Duck,” Gibbs said.
“Don’t you?”
“No, I don’t,” Gibbs insisted.
“Jethro, I’m only bringing this up because I think it would be good for Tony if he heard how you really feel about him,” Ducky said.
“Don’t know what you mean, Duck,” Gibbs insisted.
“Tony has experienced a great loss recently,” Ducky stated. “Two people that he thought of as friends, family even, betrayed his trust.”
“He’s not the only one,” Gibbs muttered under his breath.
“What was that, Jethro?” Ducky asked.
“Nothing.”
Ducky decided to let it slide and continued, “Tony must be suffering a great deal emotionally right now, and it would be good for him to hear how the one man that he trusts the most in the world feels about him.”
“I know he feels betrayed, Ducky,” Gibbs said, finally losing his patience. “I do, too. Why do you think I don’t want him to be alone right now? What else do you want me to say? Okay, I love him like he’s my son, and the thought of him spending even one day alone in that rehab center makes me want to scream. Are you happy now?
“I would be happier if you said that to Tony,” Ducky said.
A sleepy voice was heard coming from the hospital bed. “Don’t worry about it; you don’t have to say anything to me, Boss.”
Gibbs glared at Ducky. “You knew he was awake,” He accused. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Rule number eighteen,” Ducky answered. “It’s better to seek forgiveness than ask permission.”
Gibbs was mortified that Tony had heard what he’d just said and he didn’t know what to say to him, so he just looked at the floor.
“Boss?”
Gibbs looked up at Tony, “Yeah, Tony?”
“I love you, too.”
XXXXXXXXXX
Leon Vance sat in his office thinking. His wife was going to kill him for staying so late at work, but he had some decisions to make, and he couldn’t make those decisions with too many distractions.
He’d learned a great deal by reading DiNozzo’s file, and he knew that he should have read it much sooner. To say the least, he’d been surprised by what he’d found in it. The man had been given several commendations for his outstanding work from Vance’s predecessors, Director Morrow and Director Shepard, and had been offered a promotion to lead his own team by each of them.
Director Shepard had evidently thought enough of DiNozzo’s ability to select him for a long-term undercover operation, unsanctioned though it had been. Vance learned that DiNozzo had successfully lived what amounted to a double life for over a year, his cover only being blown by a disgruntled CIA operative. He had not only fooled his mark, but also his entire team; none of them suspecting a thing until the operation had literally been blown up by the CIA operative.
When DiNozzo had taken over the team for four months while Gibbs had been in Mexico, the solve rate hadn’t dropped a bit, and he had accomplished that while also starting the undercover operation, which had been an amazing accomplishment in Vance’s opinion.
Vance was surprised to learn that there were also several commendations from Gibbs in DiNozzo’s file. The man wasn’t known for freely handing out praise to anyone on his team, except maybe to the forensic specialist, Ms. Sciuto.
There were also several letters from family members of murder victims and victims of various crimes detailing DiNozzo’s intelligence, tenacity, empathy and professionalism which he portrayed while working cases.
He had graduated from Ohio State with a Bachelor’s degree in Sports and Leisure Studies, which wasn’t a big surprise to Vance. It seemed everyone knew that about the man. But Vance was surprised by the excellent grades the man had earned while in college and the fact that his degree qualified him as a teacher in that field. He’d also majored in Theatre, and Vance knew it wasn’t easy to carry a double major. The Theatre major also explained why he was so good at undercover work.
DiNozzo’s education hadn’t stopped there, though. He’d also taken several courses in criminal justice and psychology over the years, not geared towards earning another degree, but to help him with his chosen career in law enforcement, and he’d earned excellent grades in those courses also.
He also learned that DiNozzo could speak three languages fluently; Vance had thought he only spoke two, English and Spanish, but it seemed he could also speak Italian.
He’d been underestimating DiNozzo since he’d taken over as director. He knew he had grossly underestimated DiNozzo when he’d forced the man to go to Israel the previous year to explain himself and his actions to the Director of Mossad, Eli David. At the time, he figured it had been a one-off, that DiNozzo had basically annoyed the man into admitting that he’d sent Michael Rivkin to the States, instead of the Mossad Officer acting on his own.
Eli David’s admission had turned the tables in that situation, giving Vance an advantage that he’d lacked before. He’d later shamelessly taken credit for DiNozzo’s achievement during his private conversation with David, like DiNozzo’s entire act had been his own idea; but during the ‘interview’, he’d stood in the observation room criticizing DiNozzo’s actions and doubting the agent’s ability to take on the Director of Mossad and come out on top. Now, Vance realized that had been DiNozzo’s plan all along, and it had worked admirably.
It seemed DiNozzo wanted people to underestimate him, though Vance could see how that would work to his advantage when dealing with criminals. After thoroughly reading DiNozzo’s file, it seemed he’d been underestimating Gibbs’ senior field agent for the last several years.
It also seemed that he owed DiNozzo an apology.
With that decided, Vance got himself another drink and went back to his desk. He’d be in his office a while longer. He still had to decide what to do about Agents McGee and David.
XXXXXXXXXX
The following day, close to noon, Gibbs pulled up to his house and turned his car off. He turned to his passenger and said, “Hold on for a minute and I’ll come around and help you.”
Though Tony hated to admit it, he knew he wouldn’t be able to get out of the car without help, so he grunted his agreement and waited for Gibbs. It had been a new adventure in pain when he’d gotten into the car when he was discharged from the hospital.
Gibbs got out of the car. He retrieved Tony’s crutches from the back seat and went around to the passenger side of the car and opened Tony’s door. He waited while Tony turned himself so he was sitting sideways on the seat, and then helped the injured man to his feet. He handed Tony the crutches and then waited while he got them situated under his arms and then began to limp slowly towards the front door. He then got Tony’s bag out of the car and then began to follow Tony, staying close by in case he needed any more help.
“Thanks, Boss,” Tony said as he limped towards Gibbs’ house. “I’m so glad the physical therapist finally switched me from a walker to crutches yesterday.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because if there’s one thing more embarrassing than getting shot in the ass, it’s looking like an 80-year-old man with a bad case of arthritis.”
“That’s better than looking like an 80-year-old woman with a bad case of arthritis.”
“Ha, ha,” Tony said without humor.
They reached the front door and after Gibbs opened it for him, Tony began to limp towards the sofa in the living room.
“DiNozzo, where do you think you’re going?” Gibbs asked.
Tony stopped and said, “To the couch, Boss. If it’s all the same to you, I’d like to get off my feet.”
“Not on the couch. You’re going to the guest room.”
“C’mon, Boss,” Tony said, sounding not unlike a whiny six-year-old who wasn’t getting his way. “It’s going to be so boring in there.”
“Guest room, now,” Gibbs ordered.
Tony changed his direction and headed in the direction of Gibbs’ guest room, grumbling under his breath about bossy bosses. Luckily for him, it was on the ground floor. He didn’t think he could make it all the way up the stairs.
When Tony reached the guest room, he was pleasantly surprised. His TV was on the dresser and his DVD player was set up on the nightstand next to the bed, all the wires safely running along the wall so no one would trip on them.
“This is great, Boss,” Tony said. “Did you get Abby to set all this up?”
“What makes you think Abby did it?”
“No offence, Boss, but when it comes to anything technological, you’re all thumbs.”
Gibbs glared at Tony and said, “Shut up, DiNozzo, and get in the bed.”
Tony slowly eased himself down onto the bed and leaned his crutches against the wall within easy reach. He then stretched out and rolled onto his left side, tucking the extra pillow between his knees. As much as he hated to admit it, because he thought it looked really stupid, having a pillow between his knees when lying in bed was much more comfortable for him.
Gibbs reached into Tony’s bag and got a bottle of pills out. He said, “Be right back.” He left the room and returned a few minutes later with a bottle of water. He got a pill out of the bottle and handed it to Tony, along with the water. “Take that.”
“I don’t really need a pain pill right now, Boss,” Tony said.
“Take it, ‘cause you’re taking a nap before the physical therapist gets here later.”
Tony signed dramatically. He sat up a little and swallowed the pill with a gulp of water. Gibbs took the water from him and put it on the nightstand. He knew it was no use arguing with Gibbs when he was in protective mode.
Gibbs sat on the bed next to Tony.
Tony sensed his boss had something to say, so he asked, “Need something, Boss?”
“I only scheduled for the physical therapist to come two or three times.”
“Why only two or three sessions? I thought I needed at least two more weeks of therapy.”
“They’re gonna show me what to do, and once I get the hang of it, I’m gonna take over.”
“You don’t have to do that. I’ve already put you out enough as it is.”
“I know I don’t have to,” Gibbs said emphatically. “I want to.”
“Thanks.”
Gibbs showed no signs of leaving and he seemed decidedly uncomfortable, so Tony asked, “Is there something else?”
“Ducky made me promise to talk to you about something.”
“What’s that?”
“About what Ziva and McGee did… ” Gibbs’ voice trailed off uncertainly.
Tony decided to put him out of his misery. “Boss, we don’t have to talk something to death to know it sucks.”
Gibbs seemed relieved by what Tony said. He started to get up, but Tony stopped him with a hand on his thigh.
“I know this isn’t easy for you either, Gibbs. McGee was with the team for more than six years and Ziva for more than five. You raised them from baby agents and-”
“Like you said before, Tony,” Gibbs interrupted. “We don’t have to talk something to death to know it sucks.”
TBC
Chapter End Notes:
Thanks to everyone faithfully following this story, and thanks again for all the reviews and alerts.
Spoilers for “Hiatus”, “Singled Out”, “Bury Your Dead” and “Aliyah” in this chapter.
Spoilers for “Hiatus”, “Singled Out”, “Bury Your Dead” and “Aliyah” in this chapter.