Title: Witnesses
Fandom: NCIS
Pairing: Tibbs
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Summary: The relationship of Gibbs and Tony, told by the people that come in contact with them at various points in their timeline. Up to Flesh and Blood. Some set at non-specific times, some set at specific episodes including One shot, one kill, SWAK, Requiem, Truth and consequences, and Flesh and blood. Some facts and scenes altered for the story.
AN: Not quite sure what I had in mind when I started this out of whim. Definitely don't think the last part was how I had planned. Oh well. Here it is. A lot of times, it might feel pretty vague.
Witnesses
Morrow
Honestly, Morrow does not see what Gibbs sees in the Baltimore Homicide detective, clad in a leather jacket, all swagger and smiles. He had given Gibbs free reign over the members of the new, re-modeled MCRT after appointing him as the leader, knowing Gibbs and what is best for what he knows will be more of 'Gibbs team' than 'NCIS MCRT'. This, however, is not quite what he had expected to be Gibbs' first choice - far from it, to be honest.
One thing he does give the ex-detective, though, is how steadfastly he fills Gibbs' silence, half the time with movie quotes that Gibbs obviously doesn't get and the other half, with anything and everything about women - add glazed eyes for final touch - until Gibbs headslaps him back to focus. And as time goes, Morrow realises that once focused, DiNozzo is actually good and is only getting better under the rough sharpening of Gibbs. Apparently DiNozzo also knows how to take Gibbs' version of praises and rebukes because every time after a particularly hard case or a severe rebuke that would have reduced any other agent to a trembling teary mess, Morrow expects to see DiNozzo storming in with a resignation - and god knows he would have had gone through too many of those had he tried to put Gibbs' team together himself - but there the Italian sits at his desk, dutifully working away and flashing that mega watt smile when Gibbs nods at him for finally getting his coffee right. It looks as if that is enough to erase everything else that comes with working with Gibbs, the ridiculously long hours, the seemingly never-ending rules, the headslaps, the infinite passion and sincerity Gibbs demands for the job, and Morrow shrugs. Gibbs' gut feeling has obviously done another good job and the case solve rate is reaching record-high.
He does not question his best team beyond the necessary and stomps his musing as to if he is simply imagining it or Gibbs, the man who has lived perpetually in NCIS forever, has actually started to leave at least for the night - if that is what you would call less than a handful hours.
Ducky
In the middle of sharing a tidbit of his vast knowledge while dissecting the liver out of the body, Ducky eyes Tony - young Anthony - and smiles when he catches him looking at his work with nothing more than a faint interest and certainly with no balking or horrible paling. To be honest, Ducky cannot quite imagine Tony being a homicide cop. Tony is suave, charming, smooth-talker, even if somewhat candid and crude at times. But then maybe that was how Tony worked - killing them softly.
"What you got, Duck?"
Swoosh of the door heralds Gibbs' arrival and Ducky chuckles at the wide smile Tony sends to his boss, naturally falling into his stride just behind and a little to the side of Gibbs. The rumour that Tony must be wearing some sort of invisible head pad is still going wild in NCIS and Tony still seems to carry more movie quotes and trivia than anyone possibly can but young Anthony is growing, not just in age, but as a man and as an agent, molded by Gibbs in brusqueness that bumps and caresses Tony in a carefully orchestrated timing.
The case is fairly simple, Ducky's update is short and with the report in his hand, Gibbs whirls around, heading to the elevator. Tony throws quick ciao to Ducky and runs out after him, joining Gibbs in the elevator and it is between the sliding doors that Ducky sees it - the tiniest of the curl at Gibbs' corner of mouth and rolling of eyes as Tony comes to a skidding halt next to Gibbs, vibrantly saying something to him. And for the first time, Ducky wonders if Tony is the only one having his life being re-shaped.
Abby
Abby likes Tony from the first moment he walks into her lab. Shame that could not have been said about Blackladder. Good riddance, she thinks, and as unlikely as it is for her to think like that about a team member, Gibbs had not liked her much either, which then makes it just fine that Abbys thinks like that. It is Abby's logic and no one questions it except for Tony's amused smirk.
It always makes her day when her two favourite men walk into her lab, back to the two-men team that they were. By now, they are so in sync that it actually sometimes scares Abby - the way Gibbs simply needs to look at Tony and Tony walks away with a smirk. By the time her babies ding and dong and she has updated Gibbs with the result, Tony is back, ready and armed with anything and everything Gibbs throws at him. Almost. Most times. He tries.
But Tony is good and Gibbs is good and Abby makes a point in hugging the two whenever they come to see her, even if it has additional punch if her Caf-Pow is ever forgotten. The sequential hug initially earns her a raised eyebrow from both of them but she simply grins back and gradually, they just accept it as one of Abby's hugs. What they do not realise is that Abby hugs the breath out of them because Abby sees the zen, the balance, the constant flow of trust and loyalty, growing stronger between the two and Abby knows Gibbs has more wounds than he will ever admit and Tony, behind all his bravado and childish whines and the hidden instability that DiNozzos apparently don't have, carries wistful sadness for something she has yet to find out, and in their line of job, any sort of dependable relationship is something to grab. Abby is over the moon that there is at least something that seems to have become constant in Gibbs' tumultuous life, be it a colleague, a friend, a whatever, and Tony, Abby knows Gibbs is something very very important in Tony's life. And Abby does not want to tempt the fate, not for her favourite men, so she happily and silently watches the headslaps, the smirks, the DiNozzo! and the On it, Boss! - even if she entertains herself with notions of Gibbs and Tony doing a little more than just sharing cowboy steaks and beers during Tony's occasional stay over at Chateau Gibbs.
Kate
"What if he succeeds?"
At the core of Kate is a profiler, before the Secret Service, before the NCIS agent. She was first and foremost trained to be a profiler. To her, Gibbs is an eye of a storm, ferocious and roaring to those that skits around him but peace and safety for those that he houses close to his heart. And Kate, as much as she is grateful for the lack of headslaps, cannot help but feel that she is still skirting around the edge, not quite where Tony is, not quite there. Not that she feels Gibbs is showing favouritism - if anything, Kate sometimes feels sorry for Tony because as much as she hates the annoying brother thing that Tony pulls on her, the profiler in her sees the jumble of joy and tears, blase and insecurity, tactility and abandonment, and Gibbs' gruff barks and none-too-soft headslaps leaves Kate wondering if Tony realises how much of havoc this could all play on him if Tony was to let his guard down just for a second and lets the orders and the rebukes, lets Gibbs, under his skin. And they may bicker and argue but Kate likes Tony in the exasperated sister way and is willing to admit to anyone - but Tony - that Anthony DiNozzo is good, as an agent, as a colleague, as a friend, because the overgrown fratboy also has the heart size of the universe and she does not doubt that Tony will lay himself down in the path of anything and anyone before any harm comes to his team members. So Kate watches Gibbs and Tony, the leader and the loyal St Bernard, never letting Tony fall in too deep silence after Gibbs' Ya think, DiNozzo? and if she has to even sometimes stage a little for the headslaps to keep Tony on toe, so be it.
It takes one moment for Kate's view to change entirely.
"What if he succeeds?"
"He won't."
It hits Kate when she is finally at home after Gibbs brushes off her apology for not paying attention to the delivery guy with Rule 6. She is laughing, shaking her head, at how Gibbs had told her off for her cover of all things once they had caught up with Tony. Then she suddenly sees Tony's green eyes and the worries etched in the somber lines of the usually grinning face that for once, even Gibbs' confident rejection of the idea is not enough to have Tony snapping back to his feet. Then, as if transported back to the time, she hears Gibbs' sigh that he had surreptitiously let out at seeing Tony coming back out from the truck. The smile that finally returned to Tony's face at Gibbs' exasperated roll of eyes at her mundane response of 'what?'. The laughs that came freely after Gibbs' departure from the bullpen as Tony and she got back to their usual pattern of merciless teasing.
Kate feels like she should be getting a headslap. How on earth did she fail to see that Tony was already in deep end with no way out?
McGee
NCIS is nothing but a whirlwind for Timothy McGee even after he finally learns how to tell when Kate and Tony are joking. What he cannot tell though, is what Tony and Gibbs are. Oh sure, he knows his boss is the super boss of all who will go up against just about anyone if it is for the case or for his team. McGee can see it already, one day, he will probably see his boss up in the President's personal space if need be. For all things that Gibbs does not say about his past or private life, Gibbs is one person that it does not matter if you do not know anything about him. If you connect safety, rock, and trust with Gibbs, then you know him. And Tony, Tony is the big brother that everyone hates and loves at the same time because he brings the vivacity back when the morbidity of their job gets better of them and Tony is nothing if not loyal. Tony is safety just as much as Gibbs is even if it is different kind of safety. Sure, he sometimes really really wishes he was the SFA just so that he can headslap Tony into the next month for all the pranks he has played on him but if anyone was to harm Tony, he knows he will be pulling every stop with the rest of the team to get Tony back to where he belongs - to Gibbs' six.
But put those two together, and McGee is back to the probie he was when he had first started the job. He knows his expertise is in the binary codes of computers and sequential encrypted packages of national security but really, he has never been as clueless about people as the combination of Tony and Gibbs. Then, he thinks he might have got a glimpse.
Gibbs is a storm, and not the usual storm at that. He is a raging, ferocious storm that is trashing everything in its path and sweeping everyone off their feet. The way Gibbs' eyes blaze like pure ice fire has even Abby widening her eyes as they watch the Lowell's lab CCTV feed they hacked into and McGee knows he is not the only one that is certain Gibbs will really shoot the guy in the lab if he gives an answer that Gibbs does not like. And McGee understands, he really does, because this is Tony at Bethesda, desperately trying to stay alive, keeping his head above the lungs that are trying to drown him, and Tony has always been special to Gibbs as Abby has always been Gibbs' favourite -
McGee blinks. Then he realises the thought had come so naturally because it was true. It was something nobody ever took notice of because it was so finely, naturally, and subtly crocheted into their lives that it was simply who Gibbs was, who Tony was, and who Gibbs and Tony were.
He looks back at the screen, sees the security guard still firmly held in Gibbs' hand while the gun is re-aimed at the scientist, sees the way Gibbs' face for once fails to hide his emotions as it pales, blood draining. It passes in a moment and Gibbs is rushing out of the CCTV view, his strides that of a man on warpath for all intents and purpose, but the candid look has said more than any words could have.
McGee looks up, finding himself staring back at equally wide-eyed Abby. They know they have just seen something monumental, something that is the very fundament of Leroy Jethro Gibbs, one that has one Anthony DiNozzo wrapped to the core of their boss. Abby sniffles, her eyes reddening, and hugs McGee which he returns just as much. They secretly vows never to say a word and fervently prays that Tony will survive, because they suspect - know - something unimaginable will happen if Tony does not and they really do not need their suspicion confirmed in any shape or form.
Jenny
A woman's instinct is one to be feared. Make that the instinct of a woman that had once been in love with you, and that is it, so to speak. But Gibbs is not Gibbs if he relents so when Jenny corners him with questioning eyes and Jethro merely stares back, Jenny gets the confirmation to what her instinct has been telling her without ever putting a word out. The slight narrowing of the blue eyes says Jethro knows she has got the answer regardless of his silence and Jenny turns around, returning to her office. She feels the stare, now almost hostile, snarling, and protective - but not of her, not any longer - and she keeps her strides even, her back straight, as she walks up the stairs.
A little drift of her eyes catches the ruffled brown hair, the black gunholster stretched across the broad back and shoulders. DiNozzo is looking up something on the computer for their current case and talking, and by the looks of exasperated bemusement on McGee's face, she assumes DiNozzo is teasing McGee again and most likely talking of things that are completely irrelevant to the case. She gets her answer when Gibbs finally moves, walks into the bullpen, and swats the back of DiNozzo's head in one fluid movement. There is an endearing squeak from DiNozzo and Jenny gets a glimpse of a quirk in Jethor's lips before she continues on her way.
Whatever floats your boat, Jethro. And your boat is floating in the calmest water I have ever seen.
DiNozzo flurries into action, updating Gibbs of the recent findings, unaware of what has just transpired between his boss and the new director - or so she thinks. She disappears into the office, Gibbs nods, Tony shrugs. The casual way Tony does it has Gibbs smiling and McGee misses the whole thing completely.
Ziva
Nothing rarely escapes Ziva. Her attention comes from the severe training and the countless times she has danced with death. So when she puts information together on the MCRT for her brother, she catches the little things. Some of them make into the dossier, some don't - like the little something that she knows about Gibbs and Tony.
It nags her a little because she is sure that it is important information but at the same time, it simply does not fit in with the person she has built Gibbs to be, not even with Tony, that no matter how certain she is, it does make her trip over a little - so in the end, she leaves it out. And she hates it because she ends up doubting her self, her decision.
Somehow, she forgets about it through her time in NCIS. The bullpen is flurry of action but there is warmth that tingles her spine everytime she steps in there, greets Gibbs, pokes Tony, and laughs with McGee. As time goes, she even finds herself venturing into Gibbs' basement again, now housing Gibbs' next big project. She never sees Tony there though, even though she knows Tony is the most frequent visitor.
In fact, it does not return to her until she walks into the hospital room in the middle of the night to find Gibbs asleep in the bed, and Tony sitting in a chair next to the bed. They are both in same hospital garbs, having been peeled out of their wet clothes. Ziva recalls the soaking wet form of Tony gasping between Gibbs and Maddie, coughing and barely managing to take a breath in - holding out until Gibbs was safely loaded onto the ambulance before keeling over, finally giving into the havoc that his latest stunt was now playing to his lungs. It landed him in the same place as Gibbs.
The IV antibiotic that had been attached to Tony earlier is gone and same is for Gibbs. Ziva momentarily wonders whether Tony is actually asleep when when a quiet sigh from Gibbs has her steathily sliding back out into the corridor just next to the door.
"...Hey."
"Hey."
Ziva realises Tony has never been asleep despite the stillness. His voice is quiet but clear of any signs of drowsiness unlike Gibbs. Risking a peek inside, Ziva feels breath catching in her throat.
Tony is sitting on the side of the bed, his upper body plastered against Gibbs, face buried in the crook of Gibbs' neck. Gibbs' fingers are curled around the nape of Tony's neck, firmly holding Tony against him, while the other rubs up and down Tony's back. Tony's hand that Ziva can see is tightly curled around Gibbs' arm.
"You know I'm gonna get really angry at you later, like properly explode." Ziva hears Tony all but whispering and the shakiness and the tiredness in Tony's voice weight even her down with weariness. Gibbs replies immediately, his voice just as quiet.
"Yeah. I know."
"And you're not getting away from it just because you've made it back alive."
"I know."
"So make best of now to placate me when I'm too tired and too frightened before I realise that I actually do have you back with me still breathing."
The order has not only Gibbs but Ziva shake her head as well and Ziva silently takes her leave just as her eyes catch Gibbs planting a kiss at Tony's temple and Tony slowly lifting his head up.
Ziva is very glad of her decision back then and for the final time, lets her doubt fly away.
Vance
His MCRT is a force to be reckoned, Vance thinks not for the first time, watching the whole office applauding as his best team finally returns to their nest. David is looking lost and she is, Vance knows, and there is no way of telling what decision she will make after this, but for now, she is in Abby's arms. Ducky is patting McGee's shoulder who gives his usual slightly nervous, uncertain smile. DiNozzo is looking worse for wear, only to be topped by David, and is staring at David. The gaze is hard, closed yet something simmering and Vance wonders if Gibbs knows before snorting to himself. Of course Gibbs know. The man knows everything about his team, and especially, DiNozzo. And when his gaze shift to Gibbs, he raises his brow because Gibbs is staring at Tony just as intent except that Gibbs is looking as if he is looking for certain things, certain signs, that he is waiting to catch from DiNozzo - like a sniper in his nest, hiding at his desk in plain sight while everyone focuses on David, Gibbs has his haircross on DiNozzo and Vance wonders if even Gibbs would be so ruthless as to chew out DiNozzo for whatever it is after such a desperate mission.
What he sees next is not what he has expected.
Tony's eyes finally fall from David and locks straight onto Gibbs as if he had expected the blue eyes to be on him and Gibbs, seemingly having found whatever it was that he was looking for, gets up and takes off with a tilt of his head. There is a soft smile, not the mega watt DiNozzo smile but more genuine that it can ever be, as DiNozzo follows him out.
No one apparently saw the abrupt departure of the two members and Vance make his exit just as silent. Back in his office, he brings up the security feed from the various camers in the NCIS searching for his two best agents in the obscure places, only to be surprsied when he finds them only a corner around from the bullpen. The tender embrace they are locked in is less of shock than the fact that it seems to be Gibbs being comforted than other way round. DiNozzo is leaning against the wall, his head slightly tipped back, while Gibbs is crushing the man in his arms around the waist, his face hidden in DiNozzo's neck. DiNozzo has one arm around Gibbs' shoulders, the other round the older man's neck where it wounds round to DiNozzo's hand which is burried in Gibbs' short silver hair. Vance thinks he can just about make out that DiNozzo's fingers are not just burried but playing with Gibbs' hair while the Italian is whispering something to Gibbs. Vance is just cocking his head, brows knitted in confusion, when Gibbs lifts his head and softly taps back of DiNozzo's head. Vance chuckles, only to cough the next second, when DiNozzo's hands move to cup Gibbs' face on either side and they stand there, their foreheads touching. Gibbs' fingers are playing with the hem of DiNozzo's khaki shirt before one actually slips underneath and Vance is not sure whether he should record it to blackmail Gibbs later or get out there and tell them to get a room but the hand stays where it is, apparently simply basking in the feeling of...god, feeling of DiNozzo's bare skin, who seems to be laxing into the touch just as contently if that look of pure bliss is anything to go by.
Vance turns the feed off with a quick double tap and leans back in his chair. It is the worst kept secret that there is something very special to Gibbs and DiNozzo, the way they work toghether, the way they have each other's six, the way they trust and believe in each other, and yet no one has ever speculated there being anything more than work relationship. Vance shakes his head - and they call themselves investigators. Then he shrugs. He does have to give that it is his two finest agents, one with numerous black ops under his belt and the other, their go-to for undercovers.
In the end, Vance decides not to linger on it much. He knows and recognises the look the two men had worn on the security feed and he will bet his family that this is not just some tension relief after the intense mission - no, it is something that has been carefully built over the years and while the director inside him is not entirely comfortable, the friend inside him knows that he is happy to see that look back on Gibbs' face and if it needs to be DiNozzo, well then, so be it.
Fornell
"Hey."
"Hey."
Cocking his head to a side, Fornell takes in the scene in front of him with a smirk before leaning against the wall. Gibbs raises his eyebrow and Fornell points at the lump slouched on Gibbs with his chin.
"Heard he got a bit rattled."
"Whatcha running, Fornell, a rumour mill?"
"Can't help it if people seem to think you and your team is my biggest entertainment."
"And why do I feel they are not wrong"
"Probably because they aren't."
Gibbs rolls his eyes and takes a swig from his beer. The fire is starting to die away but the bundle of warmth curled up at his side heats him up more than any fire can do.
"Tired your boy out already?" Fornell asks even when he knows the answer already, somewhat surprised at how soundly asleep DiNozzo is. Gibbs decides to entertain him anyway.
"As you said, got rattled."
"Meeting his dad was that much of bad business?"
"His dad," Gibbs snarles and Fornell knows he has touched the nerve, "didn't even know his son was at death's doorstep from plague. Didn't even know he had been ill. And he has the gut to turn up here, all smiles and interfering with my investigation."
"You mean, interfering with your boy."
"Fornell."
The growl is a warning enough for Fornell to back away. The anger that had gripped Gibbs instantly dissipates, though, as Tony rubs his head against Gibbs' chest, obviously unhappy with the tension underneath even in sleep. Gibbs tightens his arm around Tony, dropping a kiss on top of the brown mop, and the Italian is oblivious to the world again. Gibbs' attention is brought back to his friend when he hears Fornell chuckle.
"I don't even react to it anymore."
"To what?"
"To this! You getting cuddled up with DiNozzo, kissing DiNozzo's head, and DiNozzo looking like his Christmas has come early." Fornell explains, waving his hand vaguely in the air that encompases Gibbs, DiNozzo, the fire, and just generally, the entire living room. Gibbs knows what Fornell is trying to say though and he smirks back.
"Yeah well, your fun is over because we are not giving any higher rated show than this."
"I would pay not to watch."
"Five bucks for a minute. Pay up."
The instant reply from Gibbs has Fornell blinking then almost smacking Gibbs in his arm before Fornell catches himself, lest DiNozzo wakes up. Gibbs, having caught the considerate action, nods to Fornell who merely shrugs, stepping back.
"Would never have thought it's DiNozzo of all people to stick by you all these years."
That has Gibbs chuckling and casting his eyes downwards at Tony's face pressed against his chest. Tony is still in his suit, never having gotten out of it before the alcohol and fatigue took him over. The hoodie he is wearing is Tony's secret crush in his clothes - the one he has had for so long, the fabric with the quality of worn down softness, and according to Tony, Gibbs' scent practically embedded in every fibre. As if on cue, Tony buries even further, nose deep in the fabric.
"Well, I'll leave you two alone."
"You dropped by to check on DiNozzo?"
"Nope, dropped by to make sure you weren't on your way out to kill DiNozzo's father." Fornell smoothly counters back, his voice getting further away as the FBI agents leaves the house. When the door shuts, there is a sleep-laced chuckle and Gibbs looks down, only to find Tony's eyes still closed.
"Now, that, I would pay to watch."
"Too late," Gibbs says, dropping another kiss to Tony's forehead, "already had a bump with the guy."
The statement has Tony blearily opening his eyes before drifting shut again but he still manages to lift his head while dragging down Gibbs'. Their lips brushes across, light as feather, and Tony flops back, stretching out on the couch, while never letting go of Gibbs. Gibbs ends up plastered against the back of the couch while Tony tries to burrow inside him. Once they are a happy tangled mess of arms and legs, Tony presses a chaste kiss on Gibbs' neck before whispering drowsily.
"Tell me."
Gibbs knows what Tony wants to hear has nothing to do with how his conversation went with DiNozzo Sr. He lets his eyes close too, pressing his lips against Tony's temple once more, and breathes into Tony's ear.
"You're mine."
"And you're mine."
"Night, Tony."
"Night, Jethro."