"Agent David, do you really consider me to be in your life?" Tony's playful tone melted away as he finished the sentence. I felt my mocking smile slide off my face as his words, and the rest of the events of late, sunk in. For a few moments, we stared at each other, and the silence in the near abandoned bullpen of NCIS grew louder than ever. Clearing his throat awkwardly, Tony walked slowly back to his desk and packed his things. I started to make to the elevator. The moment, if that's what it was, was over.
I held the doors as Tony jogged into the metal box. No sooner had I pressed the ground floor button, Tony flipped the emergency stop switch. The lights flickered out as the elevator came to an abrupt stop. Looking questioningly at my friend, I was surprised to see him leaning his head against the opposite wall, eyes closed.
"Tony?" His eyes opened and it seemed like million years passed in a few brief seconds.
"You deserve so much better than Ray."
He said sincerely. I stayed silent for a moment, searching for words.
"And what do you know about what I deserve, Tony?"
Before I could even register his reaction to my words, he had taken my face in his hands and pressed his lips to mine. Surprised, I stayed completely still, but then I snapped back to reality. Although I was stunned, this felt right, and I kissed him back. After we broke apart, I looked at him hoping for an explanation, but he looked as startled as I was. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I pulled out the emergency switch, and the elevator lurched back into motion. Making the most spontaneous decision of my life, not caring that we would be at the ground floor within seconds, I spun and kissed Tony again. We stood together for a moment when the elevator doors opened and Gibbs walked in. He didn't look the least bit surprised to see me and Tony kissing, and smirked as he faced the doors and re pressed the floor button.
"Took you two long enough."
