Disclaimer:- I own nothing, but I do have a feeling Tobias may own me...
a/n:- This fic was written on and inspired by the night my family had a lucky escape thanks to a working carbon monoxide detector. So at the risk of being preachy, if you have one PLEASE check it regularly and if you don't, GET ONE!
Tobias groaned as he sank into his lover. For years he'd avoided anything to do with Valentine's Day. The last good one he could remember had been the first year with Diane, before he realised what a mistake he'd made. Since then it had just seemed like the world was mocking him. Happy couples everywhere reminding him that, in his late 50's, the chance had probably come and gone.
Then he'd stumbled upon the lonely figure of Jimmy Palmer, mourning the loss of his own relationship through the medium of cheap whiskey in a sports bar Tobias occasionally frequented.
Sure he would have nothing to say to Jethro's young colleague, the older man hadn't even intended to speak to him but something in his sorrowful expression drew Tobias like a flame.
That one night of surprisingly entertaining company led to more nights of fascinating conversation and the discovery of shared interests and suddenly, Tobias found himself head over heels in love with a man almost half his age. He didn't regret it one bit.
Now here he is, six months later, enjoying the surprise weekend at the Jefferson, organised by the younger man. They'd already taken advantage of the luxury full service health spa and room service and they'd had drinks in the cosy, atmospheric bar before the light touches and heated looks had become too much and Tobias had dragged Jimmy back to the room, barely waiting to be through the door to start tearing off his clothes.
Tobias was nearly lost in the sensations of making love to Jimmy when a loud, rapid knocking at the door startled him. Thinking that someone had obviously gotten the wrong room, he was fully prepared to ignore it, but it persisted, only getting louder.
Swearing under his breath, he pressed a kiss to Jimmy's smirking lips. Grabbing one of the complimentary robes from the bottom of the bed, he threw the other at the younger man and stormed through the suite's living room to the door. Flinging it open, he came face to face with a worried looking bell-hop.
"What?" he shouted.
"I'm sorry sir," the young redhead stammered. "We've recieved a possible terrorist threat. I'm going door to door to make sure every guest is evacuated safely."
Tobias ran a hand over his face as Jimmy came up behind him, slipping on his glasses.
"Toby? What's happening?"
The bell-hop gave Jimmy a look that Tobias recognised well. More than once while out on a date, the younger man had been mistaken for an escort.
Clearing his throat to regain the kid's attention, he growled.
"I'm an FBI agent. What's your manager's name and where can I find him?"
Gaping slightly, the kid pointed uselessly to the elevators.
"His name is Paul Weston. He'll be at the evacuation point in the park across the street."
Dismissing him with a wave of his hand, Tobias changed his mind and called after him.
"Hey! Good job getting the guests out instead of calling." He knew how likely it was that some, including himself would've ignored the phone.
Smiling shyly, the boy nodded and headed off to the next room.
Turning back, Tobias found Jimmy looking at him worriedly.
"Terrorist threat." he explained succinctly. "We'd better get dressed and head down. I'm gonna find the manager when we get down there. Will you be okay?"
Already mostly dressed, Jimmy nodded.
"There's bound to be people panicking. I'll offer my meagre medical help where I can. I'm sure I'll be kept busy until we can get back to the room."
When both men were dressed they headed down the stairwell.
"I'm kinda sorry I booked us a good room now." Jimmy joked. "The cheaper ones are on the lower floors."
*
Gibbs pulled the Charger into the parking lot and nodded to Sacks and his team who had also just arrived.
Sacks frowned.
"Hey, Gibbs. Guys." he nodded to the team. "What are NCIS doing here?"
Gibbs gestured vaguely at the hotel.
"Sec-Nav's sister got into town today. Three guesses where she's staying. You know how it goes. What do we know?"
"Not much so far." the FBI agent shrugged. "Call came in to the manager directly about 30 minutes ago. Let's go find him and see what he has to say."
A flash of red caught Tony's eye as a bell-hop came into view, carrying a bundle of blankets toward the displaced guests in the park. Calling out, Tony got his attention.
"Hey, kid. Federal agents." he flashed his ID and badge. "Where's the manager?"
Pointing vaguely through the crowd, the kid rolled his eyes.
"He's the tall guy over there. He's talking to a guy who says he's FBI but..."
At the sound of the kid's dubious voice, the NCIS and FBI agents tensed up. Ever since the mess with Stratton, all federal agents in the DC area and beyond were instantly on alert at the thought of an imposter.
"But what?" Gibbs bit out.
"Well," the kid winced. "He looked like a fed and I don't like to gossip, but I'm pretty sure he had a rent boy in his suite."
"Did the fed give you a name?" Tony demanded.
"He didn't. But the young guy called him 'Toby'" the bell-hop explained. "I do know the room's registered to a Mr Palner though."
All eight gathered agents raised their eyebrows as they sent the young man on his way. Exchanging a look, Tony and Sacks both shook their heads.
"No!" Tony exclaimed.
"Not just no! Hell no!" Sacks agreed.
One of Sacks' team, a young probationary agent looked between the two men.
"No, what, sirs?" she asked.
Ignoring the young woman, Tony scanned the crowd.
"Fornell and the autopsy gremlin? Five star hotel? Valentine's Weekend? McWriter couldn't come up with that!"
"Hey!" McGee protested.
Still searching and bouncing on his heel excitedly, Tony didn't see the headslap coming.
"Older still doesn't mean dead, DiNozzo! Mind on the job!"
*
Tobias turned around at the firm hand on his shoulder. He couldn't keep the surprised look or the flash of guilt off his face.
"Jethro? What are you doing here?"
Gesturing to an elegant lady currently being charmed be DiNozzo, Gibbs grunted.
"Sec-Nav's sister. I'd ask you the same question but we ran into a very talkative bell-hop when we arrived."
Groaning, Tobias' shoulders slumped.
"I was gonna tell you eventually. It's still kinda new. Who knows?"
Gibbs let one of his sarcastic smirks slip through.
"Oh just me... DiNozzo... and David, McGee, Sacks, his team. Knowing DiNozzo and Sacks, the whole of NCIS and half the FBI by now."
Shaking his head, Tobias smiled.
"Guess it had to come out eventually. I'm not ashamed. I'm having hot sex with a 34 year old."
Tobias saw Jimmy approaching them but one glance at Gibbs and he froze. Smiling reassuringly, his lover beckoned him closer and put his arm around him as soon as he came close enough.
"They all know, Jimmy."
The younger man winced and looked at Gibbs.
Schooling his face into a stern mask, the NCIS agent looked between the two men.
"Hurt him and they'll never find the body!" he narrowed his eyes before turning to talk to the hotel manager.
Jimmy and Tobias moved closer.
"Erm... Which one of us was he talking to?" asked Jimmy.
Tobias laughed.
*
Slipping up to Tony, Sacks shook his head.
"Homeland Security have cleared the building. Looks like it was a couple of stoned teenagers, too high to even block the cell number they were calling from."
"Thank God! We can go home. It's been a hell of a long day already." Tony grinned.
"Not quite." Sacks sighed. "Our bosses say we still need to take statements from the guests."
Turning in unison, they looked over to where Tobias Fornell and Jimmy Palmer were now standing openly with their arms around each other, both grinning stupidly.
"All the guests?" Tony whined.
"Oh yeah." Sacks confirmed.
"I so don't want to know!" the NCIS agent complained. "Rock, paper, scissors?"