Chapter 11
The next day, Tony was ecstatic. He’d had a great visit with the team the night before, and he assured all of them that he wasn’t angry with them. He could tell just from the way they acted that they felt bad enough, and it was as much his fault as anyone else’s that he got so sick.
Another big reason he was happy was he was finally being discharged from the hospital. The only instruction he’d been given was to take it easy for a few days. The doctor still couldn’t believe that he had recovered completely from his illness with no brain damage and his lungs in pretty much the same condition they were in before he’d gotten sick.
Gibbs took Tony to his apartment to get some things, because even though Tony didn’t really need to have anyone with him, Gibbs wasn’t about to let him be alone. Tony groused about being treated like a child who couldn’t take care of himself, but not too loudly, because he wanted to spend time with Gibbs anyway.
When they arrived at the apartment, Tony went into his bedroom to pack some clothes. When he was done with that he went into the bathroom to his shampoo and some other things. He saw his suit on the floor, right where he’d left it several days before. He wrinkled his nose in disgust. He found a garbage bag in the cabinet and put his suit inside to be thrown away.
While Tony was packing, Gibbs spotted the plastic bag containing his wet clothes that he’d thrown in the corner of the room several days before. He’d forgotten all about it. He went over and picked it up and opened it. Judging from the smell, just about everything in the bag was a lost cause.
He fished each item out one at a time to make sure there wasn’t anything in any of the pockets that was salvageable. In his jacket pocket, he found a warped picture. It was the picture that Abby had taken of him and Maddie with her cell phone. He put the picture in his pocket and stuffed the smelly clothes back into the bag. Once he was finished with that, he waited for Tony on the couch.
A few minutes later Tony came into the room carrying a suitcase and a garbage bag.
“You really need to take the garbage out right now?” Gibbs asked.
“It’s my suit and it’s stinking up the apartment,” Tony replied. “I’m noticing it doesn’t smell so good in here, either.”
Gibbs picked up the plastic bag, which he’d set on the floor next to him, “My clothes from the other day.”
“What are they doing here?”
“I left them here the night I found you sick in your room.”
Tony put his bags down and sat next to Gibbs on the couch. “How’d you know I needed help anyway?”
“I remember thinking at the dock that I’d make sure you got checked out when you got to the hospital, but when I woke up you weren’t there. I told you before what happened then. I wanted to check on you, but Ducky sedated me before I could do anything.”
“That doesn’t really answer my question, Jethro.”
“I can’t really explain it. I just had a feeling that you needed me.”
Tony leaned over and gave Gibbs a kiss. “I don’t think I’ve ever been more grateful for your gut.”
“Me either.”
XXXXXXXXXX
Later, Gibbs led Tony into his house. He pointed at the couch. “Sit. I’ll fix us some lunch.”
“I can help fix lunch, Gibbs. I’m not an invalid.”
“You need rest.”
“I’m tired of resting.”
Gibbs grinned in triumph. “There, you just admitted you’re tired, so sit.”
Defeated, Tony sat on the couch. There was no arguing with Gibbs when he got like this.
Gibbs fixed them a light lunch and joined Tony on the couch.
After they were done eating, Tony asked, “Gibbs, you remember when you said that as far as you’re concerned, we’re together, we just haven’t consummated our relationship yet?”
“Yes, Tony, I remember, and I know what you’re thinking and you can forget it. You just got out of the hospital.”
“C’mon, Gibbs. You heard the doctor. I’m fine. Like Abby said last night, I’m Miracle Boy.”
Gibbs shook his head. “I think we should wait a while. You’re still weak. Besides, maybe we should take things slowly.”
“Gibbs, five years is slow enough,” Tony said. “And I’m not that weak. Please, don’t make me wait any longer.” Tony then shot Gibbs that pleading look, the same one he’d given him in the hospital when he’d been encouraging Gibbs to talk to the team, puppy-dog eyes and all.
‘Crap!’ Gibbs thought to himself. ‘He’s already figured out he can get to me with that look.’
Aloud Gibbs said, “All right, but we do this my way. Got it?”
“Sure, no problem, Jethro.” Tony tried very hard not to let the triumph he felt show in his face.
“Go up to the bedroom and wait for me. I’ll be there in a few minutes.” As Tony started to leave the room he added, “And just for future reference, don’t ever use that look on me at work. We clear?”
Tony turned to face Gibbs with an irrepressible grin. “Gotcha, Boss.” Then he headed for the bedroom.
Gibbs made a little detour and then joined Tony in the bedroom about ten minutes later. “Lay down on the bed.” Once Tony was on the bed, Gibbs climbed on the bed with him and then slowly undressed the younger man, kissing the bare skin as it was exposed. He thought to himself how easily Tony had talked him into this; he’d been waiting a long time for this, too.
Once Tony was completely naked, Gibbs grabbed Tony’s hands and moved them above his head. “Wrap your hands around the bars and don’t move.” The doctor may have given Tony a clean bill of health, but Gibbs didn’t want him to overexert himself and end up back in the hospital.
Tony complied. “I knew you’d be as bossy in bed as you are at work.”
“Not usually.” Gibbs lay down next to Tony’s naked body, still fully clothed. He licked Tony’s jaw. “But this time, I want to do all the work.”
Tony thought it felt strangely erotic to feel Gibbs’ fully clothed body next to his naked one. “Jethro, you don’t need to treat me like spun glass. I’m not gonna break.”
Gibbs looked Tony in the eyes. “Humor me. I just recently watched you on life support for nearly five days. I was afraid you could die at any moment. You were nearly at the end of that five-day limit, and I was gonna have to tell the doctor to take you off the respirator, even though I knew you wouldn’t survive if I did. But I made you a promise and I was gonna keep it. I came so close to losing you. You’re gonna have to give me a little time to get over that.”
Tony didn’t think he’d ever heard Gibbs say that much at one time, and what he said made him feel bad. He hadn’t even considered what Gibbs had gone through while he’d been on the ventilator. The director had told him Gibbs had only left his side to shower and change once a day. “I’m sorry, Jethro. I didn’t even think about what you went through. I had a little taste of that when I had to quit doing CPR on you to work on Maddie. I didn’t want to give up on you, but I knew you would’ve wanted me to do my best to save her life.”
“You did the right thing. You did exactly what I wanted you to do. You know me better than anybody else.” Gibbs gave Tony a quick kiss. “Now, enough with the serious talk.” He continued in a more playful tone, “I think you said something earlier about wanting to consummate our relationship?”
“I’ll lay here as instructed and not move. Consummate away.”
TBC
Chapter End Notes:
Many thanks to little_janie, samtdog and wintermute_lj for all your help and suggestions. And thanks to all the readers for the alerts, emails and reviews.