Jimmy froze in hearing Gibbs voice behind him. He could feel Gibbs glaring daggers at him. He didn’t have to be looking at him.
He could feel his heart rate speed up and didn’t know what to do.
But one thing he knew was that he couldn’t delay this encounter forever, he’d been waiting for this talk for the past four years but now that it was here he couldn’t for the life of him remember the speech he had been memorizing since Tony left.
So deciding to face the music. He turned and faced Gibbs, jumping when Gibbs broke the silence.
“You’ve known where Tony has been.”
It was said as statement and not a question, as Gibbs already knew the answer but he decide to give him an answer anyways.
“Yes, I’ve known where he is.” He answered coolly looking at Gibbs in the eye as he answered, his tone and indifference made Gibbs furious.
He inwardly smirked pleased with himself in knowing that he gotten under the Agent’s skin.
However he didn’t offer anything more then what he already said.
………………
Gibbs was pissed; no furious was the better word for what he was feeling at this moment. He clenched his jaw and fisted his hands trying to contain his anger before he did something stupid and lash out at Jimmy.
All this time looking for Tony and coming up empty, Jimmy had known where he was.
He knew he couldn’t be mad at Jimmy since no one had thought to asked if he knew where Tony had gone but somehow he knew that no one had known that Tony and Jimmy were friends. He hadn’t known some investigator he was.
He was mad because Tony had confided in someone else instead of him. They have been working together for longer then Tony and Jimmy had been friends.
He couldn’t understand why Tony went to Jimmy instead of him.
“Because unlike you I listened to him. I looked behind the mask he wore and got to know the real Tony.”
Jimmy voice startled him out of his thoughts. He hadn’t notice that he had spoken out loud until Jimmy spoke.
He looked at him blankly and didn’t understand what he meant.
Jimmy rolled his eyes when Gibbs didn’t get what he was saying. Could the man be anymore dense, apparently he could.
“ You never listen or took the time to look behind the mask and get to know the real Tony.”
Jimmy paused and waited for Gibbs to answer.
He knew that jimmy was right he never truly listened or took the time to see the real Tony. He didn’t how to answer to that, he didn’t want to admit it but he knew that with his silence was enough of an answer.
When no reply came he continued with his speech.
“See you can’t even answer. You never took the time or didn’t care to see behind the playboy persona, to see the real Tony. You may have seen glimpses but you didn’t take the time to get to know the behind the mask. Tony isn’t as stupid as you and everyone else in this agency believed he was. Tony is great person who deserve more than what he ever got here. He’s getting the recognition he totally deserved to get from you and the team where he is now. He can be himself there and doesn’t have to pretend that the put downs didn’t hurt.”
At the last statement Gibbs flinched, as he knew that he was half responsible for those hurtful remarks. Maybe Tony did the right thing of leaving.
He saw jimmy turned to the door to leave.
“Where is he Jimmy?” he blurted out before Jimmy left.
Jimmy paused, holding the door open before it closed but didn’t turn his whole body to face Gibbs; he only turned to his head and looked at him with defiance that Gibbs had never seen in Jimmy ever.
“ Tony is happy, Agent Gibbs. I’m not going to ruined his happiness and lose Tony’s trust by tell you where he is. If you haven’t found him yet then you don’t know Tony as well you thought you did. Because if you have then you would have a clue of where he is. Just leave him alone Agent Gibbs. He’s happy.”
With that said he walked away.
Gibbs watched him go until the door was closed. He was speechless. He stood just staring at the spot Jimmy had been standing he knew that he was right. But couldn’t bring himself to admit it.
…………………
As he walked through the autopsy’s doors he saw Ducky sitting at his desk looking at a report he looked up when he heard the doors open.
“ Ah Jethro, I thought you were Mr. Palmer.”
He looked around and for Jimmy but he didn’t see him. He wondered where he went to after he left in the stairway.
“What can I do for you Jethro?’
Ducky’s question brought him out his wondering of Jimmy’s whereabouts.
He looked at his longest friend and didn’t know how to voice his thoughts out loud.
Ducky took a closer look at his friend and knew that something was wrong but didn’t know how to explain his feeling. So he sat patiently waiting for him to say what he came down to talk about.
“ Duck…” he sighed. “ did you know that Jimmy knew where Tony has been these last four years. He knew Duck and he didn’t say anything. We’ve been looking for Tony for four years and he didn’t tell us.”
He stopped and took a breath. He was angry but not at Jimmy and especially not t Tony, he was angry with himself because Jimmy was right he never to the time to get to know the man behind the mask. Yes he saw glimpses but never more then that and knew that was part of what drove Tony away from them.
Ducky looked at him and now knew what was bothering his friend; Anthony whereabouts had bothered his friend for the last four years. He always thought Jimmy knew where Tony was but never had proof of that. But now he did.
“Ah, Yes, I always wonder if Mr. Palmer knew young Anthony’s whereabouts.”
“Well he’s known all this time.” Gibbs snapped.
Ducky frown at his tone of voice but didn’t say anything,
“I’m sorry Duck.”
“Is alright my friend.”
‘God, Ducky, why didn’t he tell me? Why go to Jimmy. I didn’t even know they talk, let alone be friends.”
“Ah, Yes, Mr. Palmer and Anthony got really close during your little hiatus in Mexico. I see why Anthony went to and trusted Mr. Palmer with something as important as his resignation from NCIS. Let me guess you confronted Mr. Palmer and he wouldn’t tell you.”
Gibbs nodded but stayed silent.
“Hmm… he wont betray Anthony, Jethro.’
“I know Duck. Believe me I know.”
He turned from Ducky and headed out of autopsy.
“We will see young Anthony again Jethro.”
Ducky said as the doors closed behind him.
His only responds was a wave his hand.
Ducky has a feeling that they would be seeing Anthony soon.
What he didn’t know was how right he was.
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