A.N. - This takes place in Season 7, at the end of Episode 1 - "Truth or Coincidence". I was watching it and I just wanted to write this piece. Jimmy and Tony are just great whenever they have scenes together, and I could see them being romantically involved, so I wrote this. It made me happy, and I hop it makes whoever reads it happy as well. Thank you!

I Came Back For You

Tony stepped off of the elevator and the first thing he noticed was that he wasn't there.

He caught Vance's eye…and was surprised when the man started to clap, and everyone else joined him. Tony knew, in his heart, that it was supposed to be for the whole team, but he still somehow felt that it was more for Gibbs than anyone else.

He went and collapsed in his chair, ignoring the applause, staring at Ziva and Abby hugging…and he thought of who he had come back for.

James Palmer.

Jimmy was going to kill him for not telling him what had been going on and where he'd been.

He'd probably clock him in the jaw for being so reckless and stupid, and then kiss him so hard that he'd forget about what had happened immediately following.

Yes, they'd gotten Ziva back, they'd saved her life, but Tony still felt empty. And he knew why.

He needed to see Jimmy.

He waited until everything had died down and then made his way down to Autopsy, his mind completely focused on the man that had secretly become his life over the past four months; the desire to see him and hold him was almost overwhelming.

When he walked through the doors, he suddenly felt his right jaw impacted with something heavy and it threw him off balance, as well as made him see stars.

Through pain-hazed eyes, he looked up and saw Jimmy Palmer standing in front of him, sans glasses, wearing street clothes, his eyes filled with fury, his fist still clenched.

"Damn you, Tony!" he hissed through clenched teeth. "Why the fuck did you have to go and play the hero? Why the fuck did you not tell me that you were leaving? Do you like to fucking torture me and make me want to kill you?"

Tony stood back up, gingerly pressing his fingers to his jaw and winced.

"Yeah…I missed you, too, Jimmy…"

Suddenly he was pushed up against the wall with Jimmy's mouth on his, his tongue seeking solace, and Tony granted it.

It was a kiss of anger, of desperation, and of fear. Tony slid his hands into the younger man's curly hair, angling his head, taking over the kiss, gentling it, trying to tell his lover through the kiss that he was fine, that he was safe, and that he was there.

Jimmy's hands were on the agent's hips, holding him close, and his grip had been unnaturally tight at first, but loosened slightly as the kiss became softer.

Soon, it was just their lips gently brushing against each other, both of them taking the time to breathe each other's breaths, savoring the closeness.

Finally, Jimmy said, "When I found out where you were, I…I was terrified. Terrified that I'd never see you again."

Tony nodded.

"Yeah…sorry about that," he said, true contrition in his tone and in his face. "I just…I knew that if I told you before I left that you would have found a way to convince me to stay. I couldn't risk Ziva's life on our own selfishness, Jimmy."

This time Jimmy nodded.

"Yeah…yeah, I know."

He moved his head and pressed his face into the crook of Tony's neck, wrapping his arms tightly around his lover's waist, not wanting to let go.

"Just…don't do that to me again, Tony, alright?" he muttered into the agent's neck and he felt Tony nod and wrap his own arms around his waist, and he let out a long sigh; he finally felt complete, again. Tony was in his arms and he was safe.

"I love you, Jimmy…you know that, right?"

He lifted his head and stared the older agent in the eye and gave him a single firm nod.

"Yeah…I love you, too," he said, moving his left hand up to Tony's face, gently touching the spot where he'd punched him, his fingers careful to avoid the bruises that he could already see forming on his usually flawless skin. "Sorry about the punch. Did I hurt you?"

Tony let out a short bark of laughter.

"Gotta say, Jimmy…if you'd hit it any harder, it'd probably be dislocated. You've got one hell of a left hook…"

He grinned at him and then winced, as he realized that it hurt to do so.

The autopsy assistant caressed his thumb over Tony's lips and gave him a smile.

"Again, I'm sorry…how about I put some ice on it for you?"

Tony gave a softer smile this time, not straining his jaw muscles as much, but his eyes were smiling and that was all that Jimmy needed to see. God, he loved this man more than he could say in words, and he was aware of how lucky he was that he had him.

"Sounds good."

"Good."

Jimmy turned and grabbed an icepack from the freezer and gently placed it on his lover's face, holding it there, and then Tony's hand came up and gently covered his where he held the compress to his jaw, entwining their fingers.

"You were the only one that I thought of while I was over there," Tony whispered, and Jimmy felt his heart stop and then start up again when he said, "I came back for you…"

A tremulous smile crossed his lips and he simply said, "I know, Tony…I know…"

Yes, he knew.

Just as he knew that Tony would continue to do reckless things like this…but that he would also continue to come back home.

Just for him.

THE END

Love it, hate it, I don't care, just review it! (pretty please?)