NB: I don't owe anything of NCIS :(
I want to thank my Beta Reader and very good friend Headbanger Rockstar. You're amazing, girl!
"Why Gibbs Is Nice?"
Chapter 1.
Despite it was Sunday night, Gibbs and all his agents were writing down their final reports on their last case.
It had been a very boring two-month investigation about a huge theft of Naval funds. They spent entire days and nights following leads, hoping their culprit would make a mistake.
Staying in a car without heat during one of the coldest Novembers in the last hundred years hadn't been so nice for the agents of Gibbs' team.
McGee and Ziva had caught a bad flu and sore throat. Tony, thanks to his old bout with the peunmonic plague, had developed a bad fever, a really bad cough that still lasted and he had even lost his voice several times. Even the indestructible-nerver-ill Gibbs developed a fever and cough.
So now they were all very tired and they only wanted to go home, take a very hot shower and sleep for an entire month.
Tony's mind kept drifting away from his job. He couldn't ignore the bad feeling that he felt in his gut. There was something out of place. The Senior Field Agent had noticed that feeling during the investigation too.
Something doesn't fit!
Their investigation had been perfect and even the SecNav had complimented them, but something was still weird. Hinky!
Tony looked at his colleagues. Clearly, they were all tired and pale. McGee is whiter than a ghost and I can see paleness behind Ziva's olive skin and make-up, Tony thought to himself.
Then DiNozzo looked at his boss and Gibbs, being Gibbs, immediately raised his eyes and looked at him as he slightly smiled.
Suddenly Tony understood what didn't fit. Gibbs is nice! He has been nice for a long time! Yesterday and this morning he brought us coffee and donuts! Wait! When was the last time I received a head slap?
Tony thought back to the last two months and he realized that Gibbs' last head slap was just before Gibbs caught the flu and stayed home for four days.
What happened during those days?
''DiNozzo! Are you planning to finish your report or do you prefer spending the next week stuck to your desk?'' Gibbs barked before a harsh cough made him bend over.
''Boss!" said McGee.
''Gibbs, are you alright?'' Ziva asked concerned.
Knowing how a bad coughing can wear you out, Tony stood up with bottle of water in his hand and went to Gibbs. As soon as he reached the older man, he started thumping Gibbs' back firmly.
After a few seconds Gibbs stopped coughing, ''Damn!" he swore as he wiped his mouth with his hand.
''Drink it,'' Tony said as his put the bottle in Gibbs' hand. ''Small sips or you'll feel sick,'' he slightly smiled as he saw Gibbs glaring at him.
After the Boss had drank, Tony asked, ''Better?'' Gibbs just nodded.
''Are you sure, Boss?'' McGee asked, concern clear in his voice.
''Yes... Mc-McGee...'' cough, ''I'm fi-fine.''
Tony looked at his two younger colleagues and shook his head as he said, ''Okay, people. Go home, take a shower, eat something and sleep. We'll see tomorrow at 0800 a.m.''
''Hey! What are you doing?'' Gibbs protested.
''I'm taking care of all of you, Boss. I'm the Senior Field Agent and this is my job. Taking care of my colleagues, deflecting your anger, making you relax with some silly jokes, taking your head slaps and being the most competent agent in the world,'' Tony answered with one of his best cocky smiles.
''Do ya think, DiNozzo? And what's my job?'' glared Gibbs.
''Warn us out, headslapping me, barking orders, glaring at us and teaching us how to be great agents and better people.''
Gibbs smirked as he shook his head and said, ''Yep. Go home.''
''What about you, Gibbs?'' asked Ziva as she got ready to leave.
''I'll take care of him. Don't worry,'' answered Tony.
McGee and Ziva literally ran into the elevator, leaving Tony and Gibbs alone.
''Thank you,'' whispered Gibbs.
''No problem, Gibbs,'' Tony smiled as he went to his desk and added, ''Come on. I'll take you home and I'll fix you something.''
''Are you going to tuck me in bed, Tony?'' Gibbs asked as he stood up and took his gun out of the drawer.
''I could do it,'' answered Tony as he followed his boss to the elevator, but when he saw Gibbs' glare he added, ''No, huh? Okay. No tucking in bed.''
While Gibbs was taking a shower, Tony cooked some soup with noodles, some mashed potatoes and took some soft cheese out of the fridge.
''Baby food, Tony?'' asked Gibbs from the kitchen door. He wore sweatpants, a t-shirt and a warm USMC hoodie. He was still pale but the shower had clearly relaxed him.
''Good food for bad throats, boss,'' smiled Tony as he gestured Gibbs to sit down.
''You're still in your work's suit. Do wanna take a shower? I can wait,'' Gibbs said as he sat down and smelled the soup, ''It smells good.''
''My nanny made me this soup every time I was sick,'' he said as he sat down as well and started eating. ''Now we eat. Then, after I've tucked you in bed, I'll go home and I'll take the hottest and longest shower in the world,''
''You can stay if you want. Your room is ready and I'm sure there are some of your clothes in the closet,'' Gibbs offered.
''Sure. Thank you,'' Tony smiled even if Gibbs' offer had made his gut churn. This is not Gibbs. Something is bothering him. I can smell it.
The night passed well and too quickly, so at 0750 a.m. Tony and Gibbs entered the bullpen and immediately started working. A few minutes later Ziva and McGee arrived too.
Delores Bromstead of HR was known as a soar and unpleasant woman who never smiled, but two years ago someone had changed his mind. In 2009 Tony had been her Secret Santa. He found and gave her the doll that Delores had always wanted when she was a child. Tony had discovered a new woman.
Delores just wanted a bit of affection and friendship, and Anthony DiNozzo was the right man for this task. Delores was so happy and now all those mean women. who had always looked at her like people look at a roach, were very envious that Agent Anthony 'Hot' DiNozzo was her friend.
So every time a new agent arrived at NCIS or something weird happened at HR, Delores always called her friend.
''DiNozzo,'' Tony answered his phone.
''Tony, it's Delores.''
''Hi. What's up?''
''Oh, well... maybe it's nothing, but I've just seen that Agent Gibbs has requested one day on leave.''
Tony's senses went on alert as he shot a look to his boss. ''When?''
''Tomorrow. Maybe it's nothing but Agent Gibbs never...''
''You did good. Thank you.''
''Any time, Tony. See you.''
Tony slowly put down the receiver and didn't move. ''Problems, Tony?" asked Ziva.
''Huh? Oh, no.''
''Who was on the phone?'' asked Gibbs.
''An old friend,'' Tony smiled as he went back to his job.
Nobody believed him.
The morning went on smoothly and nothing interesting happened until Gibbs' cell rang and after just a ''Gibbs... yes... when?... Okay,'', the Boss stood up and heading to the elevator he said, ''I'll be out for awhile.''
''Where are you going, Gibbs?'' asked Ziva before the elevator doors closed.
The former Mossad officer turned to her SFA. ''Tony? What's going on?''
''I don't know, Ziva. But I'm going to find out.''
''How?'' asked Tim.
''Trace Gibbs' cell!" Tony ordered him.
''No way!"
''McGee, Gibbs has been weird for days. The last two times he didn't tell us what he was doing and where he was going, I almost drowned to save him and Maddie and then he ended up captured by the Reynosa Cartel. We need to find out what's going on,'' Tony explained as he went to Tim's desk and stood behind him.
''McGee, Tony's right,'' Ziva added as she stopped in front of his desk.
''But if he finds out...''
''It'll be my only fault,'' Tony patted Tim's shoulder. ''Do it.''
McGee quickly typed on his keyboard and soon a phone number appeared on his monitor. ''It's a private number and I...''
''I know that number,'' Tony whispered as he stood up, grabbed his coat and his gun and headed to the stairs.
I can't waste time waiting for the elevator! I've got to find Gibbs asap!
''Tony! Where are you going?'' shouted Ziva.
''McGee, you're in charge. If you need me, call my cell and leave a message. I'll be out for awhile,'' Tony shouted back as he took the stairs and ran to the parking lot.
''What the hell are they doing?" exclaimed Tim.
Ziva just shook her head.
TBC
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