Author: Tibbslover
Title: Giving something back
Rating: PG
Pairing: Gibbs/DiNozzo
Spoilers: None
Warnings: None
Feedback:Adored
Disclaimer:These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.
Author's Notes: Written for the Halloween Tibbs Extravaganza fic fest (halloween_tibbs). Thanks to my wonderful beta freetobemejdwho was very patient with me.
Summary:Team Gibbs goes trick or treatin' and Tony is charming Gibbs into a Halloween costume.
Giving something back
Though very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo Junior hated Halloween with a passion, he only hated it when he had to work. Because strange things happened on Halloween. But not this year, it was the first time in a long time that Tony was looking forward to Halloween. This year the MCRT had time off, including Abby, Ducky and Jimmy.
For the last two months they caught case after case after case with no weekends off and not more than 4 hours of sleep. So Vance decided to treat them with a full week off. The first thing Tony and Jethro did when they came home, they took a long hot shower together. While Jethro lovingly washed Tony's hair, the younger man told him what he had planned for Halloween. Jethro was excited until Tony told him what costume he had to wear.
"Ouch, careful Jethro. I have 20/20 vision. I'd like to keep it that way."
The older man's hand "accidentally" slipped and Tony got shampoo in his eyes.
"Oops, sorry. I'm NOT wearing that costume."
"Why not? What's wrong with that?", Tony asked curiously. He couldn't understand why his older lover made such a fuss about a costume. It was not as if he was asking him to go naked.
"I don't even know where to begin."
"It's not like you have to go as Borat, only clad in a big green thong." Tony turned around just in time to see Gibbs' shocked face and started laughing. Tony forced him to watch the movie, after Jethro ruined his five hundred dollar shoes.
"I wouldn't be caught dead in that outfit!", Gibbs exclaimed. Tony couldn't stop laughing. It was just so hilarious. He rinsed his hair and returned the favor of washing Gibbs' hair.
"You see? Not so bad wearing that other outfit. You wear your normal clothes and only have to wear a mustache that's all. And we can buy a fake one."
Tony kissed Jethro's neck and rinsed his hair. While they washed each other Tony could see that Jethro was seriously thinking about his costume idea. His lover was going to fold any minute, Tony could feel it.
"If anybody is laughing at me, your rear end is gonna get a work out like it never has seen before." They both knew it wasn't exactly a punishment. Tony loved it when Gibbs made love to him. He was an exceptional lover.
"They wouldn't dare. You know that." Tony smiled winningly at him and knew he had won that battle.
Gibbs couldn't stop the smile that was creeping out when he saw his lover's happy eyes. He framed Tony's face with his hands and gave his partner a slow, heartfelt kiss. Tony sighed into the kiss. He was still amazed how he could be so lucky. Jethro was everything he ever wanted. They were together for ten years and still happy like on the first day. They didn't need a wedding ring or a marriage certificate. They were happy without it. Tony had moved in with Jethro five months after they got together. Every Director they had so far knew about their relationship, though Jenny tried to force Tony into a classified undercover-OP right after Jethro got hurt in that bombing five years ago. Tony of course refused, even threatening to quit because Jethro was still recuperating at home. He loved Jethro whether or not he could remember their relationship. Jenny had gotten the message and left them alone after that. What surprised them both was that even Vance was cool with their relationship. It really was obvious that they always worked well together, still were the best team NCIS had AND they could separate work and home.
"Come on, let's get out of here and go to bed. I'm tired." Jethro took Tony's hand and helped him out of the shower. They dried off quickly, brushed their teeth and went straight to bed.
Tony laid his head on Gibbs shoulder and snuggled into him.
"Good night, 'Ro." and with that Tony was asleep.
"Good night, Tony." Jethro kissed his lovers forehead and followed him into sleep.
Halloween
"Tell me again why I put up with you?" Jethro couldn't even look in the mirror. He KNEW he looked ridiculous.
"Because I give great head?" Tony asked with his most winning smile...or so he thought.
Jethro only gave his lover the famous "Gibbs-glare", ten times worse. Why did he agree? Tony used his lover's vulnerability and sleep deprivation in the shower to his advantage. Otherwise Jethro would've never agreed to this costume.
"Because you love me?" Tony quickly changed the tactic and doubled his winning smile AND batted his eyelashes. He couldn't wear his own costume if Gibbs didn't wear his.
Gibbs couldn't help but laugh at that. Tony was just so cute, even in his stupid outfit. "That I do." Tony leaned in and kissed Jethro. God he loved that man.
"Come on we're gonna be late." Tony took Gibbs' hand and dragged him out to the car. It was only four p.m. but they had a lot to do.
When Tony and Jethro had the time they volunteered at the local homeless shelter. While Gibbs did repairs on the shelter, helped getting out food to the homeless or simply listened to the people, Tony mostly helped the kids. At the moment there were twelve kids and fifteen teenagers staying at the shelter. The youngest Fin was five years old and the oldest Ashley was seventeen years old. Tony would play with the kids, reading to them, teaching them how to read, write and such. And the kids loved their uncle Tony.
This particular shelter was near the Navy Yard. Almost every employee of NCIS donated regularly to the shelter and helped out when hands were needed. It started with Abby and Kate and soon everyone joined in. In the beginning the shelter only had room for twenty people but after they got Gibbs, Tony and everyone else on the boat, so to speak, they expanded to sixty people. The only sad thing was that Kate never saw it. She died before the reconstruction was finished. In her honor they renamed the shelter "The Caitlin Todd Homeless shelter". Around the neighborhood it was simply "The Kate".
Tony's idea for Halloween was that the MCRT Team would collect the young kids and the teenager who wanted to come with them, dress them in donated Halloween-costumes and take them "Trick or treatin'" at NCIS and near the homeless shelter. After that the volunteers from the shelter would wait for them with hot chocolate and cookies. Jethro was incredibly proud of his partner for the idea. He couldn't tell in words or gestures of how proud he really was. When Tony told the team, Abby nearly broke him in two with her hug. Even Ziva and McGee were impressed. Gibbs took Tony's hand, intertwined their fingers and kissed his lovers hand.
"Do you have any idea how proud I am of you?" Gibbs asked and glanced at his young lover who blushed furiously.
"I do now" Tony answered quietly. He swallowed that big lump in his throat. Jethro was never a big talker but to say something like this, meant everything to Tony. Besides Tony couldn't bear the thought that the kids would be out on the streets with their parents or alone in the shelter, seeing other kids get candy when they wouldn't. That was just not acceptable.
They reached the Shelter in record time, due to Gibbs' normal driving. The team was already there and in costume. Ziva and Jethro were the only one who tried to get out of that.
Abby was in a black, long dress, completed with a beautiful black tiara and her hair all done up.
McGee was dressed like...Tony couldn't really decide. He was either a Hitman, a goth or someone from the movie "Matrix".
Ziva was a Snow elf. She wore the same outfit McGee wore a couple of years ago on Halloween.
Jimmy was Captain Jack Sparrow and Ducky looked suspiciously like Will Turner from "Pirates of the Caribbean"
"McElfLord, what happened to you? Did you convert to McMatrix or McHitman?" Tony asked McGee when they got out of the car.
Tim of course rolled annoyed with his eyes "No, Tony. Abby dressed me as a Goth Prince! And she is the Goth Princess. What about you? Magnum? Really?"
They all looked at Gibbs in shock. And while they were all speechless Tim groaned, pulled a hundred bucks out of his wallet and handed Abby and Tony each fifty.
"Damn it. Why do you both always have to be right?" McGee asked frustrated. He lost his bet...again.
"Because we know him" Abby and Tony said in unison and started laughing, while Gibbs looked confused.
"I told you I would get Gibbs to be Higgins. It's what couples do. I'm Magnum and he is Higgins. The only thing we had to buy was the fake mustache anyway so he is in his own clothes."
The minute Tony said that he knew his punishment would be worse...much worse. He ducked his head, but it was too late. Gibbs gave him a stinging headslap and the others started laughing.
"Hey. Careful. Not the hair." Tony complained and corrected his only slightly disheveled hair.
They were still laughing when they went into the shelter. Once inside it was like a circus. Kids running everywhere, some had their costumes already on, some only partially with parents running behind them with the other half. Fin the youngest was buck naked, he obviously had taken a shower. He stopped abruptly when he saw his uncle Tony.
"Uncle Tony." Fin started running again with his arms outstretched. Tony caught him and threw him in the air.
"Hey champ. Are you excited to go "Trick or treatin'" with us?" Tony asked. He loved that kid to pieces. Fin was the youngest in the group of kids and lived with his mother Sarah in the slums of Washington. They had a roof over their heads and Sarah was working, but it wasn't enough. They didn't have enough food and Sarah couldn't afford electricity or water, so for the last six month they came to the shelter.
"Yeah. Mommy is bringing me my costume. Do you know what I'm wearing?" Fin asked in an excited voice.
"Right now your birthday suit but I'm guessing that's gonna change. Tell me." Tony already knew what Fin was wearing because Tony bought it for him. They had enough for the other kids, but nobody donated a costume in Fin's size and Tony couldn't bear the thought that Fin would be only one with no costume.
"I'm a Dalmatian." Fin announced proudly and everyone "aahh"'d and "ooohhh"'d. It was fitting for Fin. He would look adorable in his costume and Abby would paint his face white with a black nose and whiskers.
Tony brought his camera with him for this occasion. They would make a collage and hang it on the wall in the shelter.
After an hour every kid was dressed in a costume and held a bag tightly in their little hands. A couple of teenagers even went with them but without costumes.
Every adult had a kid or two in their care as they walked from door to door. They only went to houses where they knew the owners where friendly to the shelter. It was a precaution they took to spare the kids unfriendly house owners. Their life was hard enough. At first the kids were very shy and Fin wouldn't let go of Tony's hand but after three houses the kids warmed up and then there was no stopping them. To see the kids this happy, with their open smile on their little faces, their big eyes when they saw the candy, was...actually there was no word to describe this.
Gibbs watched Tony interacting with the kids. Who would've thought that Tony DiNozzo would get along with kids so well. The kids adored Tony, Gibbs adored Tony, but in a different way of course. And when they get home later Jethro would show Tony just how much he loved and adored him. In that moment Tony looked directly in his lovers eyes.
"I love you." Gibbs mouthed and Tony's smile could've lit up the whole street.
"I love you, too." Tony mouthed back.
After two hours they headed to NCIS. First they went to Human Resources and the legal department. After that the garage, autopsy and the lab. And the big finale was the bullpen area. The kids got so much candy that some of them couldn't even carry their bags anymore. They got the most at NCIS of course, since the Shelter was their pet project.
When they got back to the shelter the kids were exhausted. They were "Trick or treatin'" for five hours and all that walking made the kids tired. But when they saw their other treat, namely the hot chocolate and warm cookies, the tiredness was gone. To the shock of the adults, Director Vance, his wife and kids were there too.
"Leon? What a surprise to see you here." Gibbs said only slightly shocked, which he didn't gave away of course.
"I thought I would lend you all a hand. Jackie and the kids baked the cookies. They're still warm." Leon said with pride. He was not only proud of his children who didn't go Trick or treatin' this year in order to help at the shelter, he was also proud of NCIS and especially his MCRT. What they did today and all these years for this shelter was remarkable.
"Thank you, Director." Tony nodded his thanks to Vance and then turned around to address the kids. "Well what are you waiting for, kiddies? Dig in."
The kids shouted with joy and ran to the director and his family and all the others who handed out the hot chocolate and the cookies, while the adults followed in a more sedate pace. Though they all could see that Jimmy and McGee were barely holding on, wanting to run after the kids too.
After everyone had their mug of hot chocolate and the cookies, the adult sat in chairs which formed a circle around the kids who sat on the floor in the middle. Tony watched the kids as they counted their candy or exchanged with others. They even shared with the Vance-kids, which was pretty impressive. It was a very peaceful moment. Tony couldn't describe it in words on how amazed he was of this shelter, the kids, the men and women who stayed here. He smiled at Fin who still wore his Dalmatian costume because the little guy refused to take it off. Tony was taken out of his thoughts when he felt a little hand pat his thigh.
"Uncle Tony?" Fin asked in a little voice. "Are you okay?"
Tony had to smile at Fin. It didn't matter how bad the situation was, Fin and all the others who stayed at the shelter always asked when they sensed that something was wrong. And the amazing thing is that they always asked if they could do anything for them. None of them took the shelter for granted and they were always willing to help, even if they just asked if everything was alright. This shelter was a really special place for everyone who needed a roof over their head for the night, warm bed, warm clothes, hot shower, food, medical attention (provided by Ducky) or someone who they simply could talk to. Tony really had the feeling that he changed the world, just a little bit. It made him feel good, that he could give something back to the people who needed it.
Tony shook his head. Being here in the shelter always made him thoughtful. He picked Fin up and sat him on lap.
"Yeah I'm fine. Happy even. Are you happy Fin?" Tony asked and saw Fin's smiling face.
"Yes, I got soooooooo much candy. I never saw so much candy before. Do you want some?" Fin asked and handed Tony his bag. The bag was really full. Tony's heart swelled with pride. Even though Fin didn't have anything he was still willing to share his candy with Tony. He was such an amazing kid.
"Nah, buddy. It's all yours. If I start, I can't stop and then Jethro has to roll me around because I would look like a giant ball." Tony tickled Fin's stomach who started to giggle.
Fin snuggled into him and soon he was fast asleep. Sarah wanted to take him back, but Tony waved her off.
"It's okay, Sarah. I don't mind. You just keep on relaxing."
Sarah smiled at Tony. "You're a good man Tony. Thank you." Tony looked at her in confusion. "I know you bought Fin the costume." Tony blushed. "And I know it was you who got me that job at Director Vance's house as a housekeeper." Tony blushed even more. By then everyone stopped talking and listened to their conversation. It was no secret that Tony adored Fin and that the adoration was mutual. He only wanted the best for the kid and his young mother. "And I also know that it was you who convinced Jethro that you guys needed a housekeeper. I can't thank you enough Tony." By then Sarah was crying. "Because of you I finally have something to offer for my son. I can send Fin to school, can buy him toys and move to a better place. Thank you." She bent down, gave Tony a kiss on his cheek and hugged him tightly.
"Hey it was all you. Don't sell yourself short. You saved my three hundred dollar shirt, my expensive suit from being totally ruined. You're a genius with needles and laundry. If I weren't already sort-of married to Jethro, I would marry you in a heartbeat." Now it was Sara's turn to blush. Gibbs looked at Tony with amusement. He knew how much Sarah and Fin meant to Tony. Jethro even offered to let Sarah and Fin stay with them. They had two rooms and one bathroom that were currently unoccupied, so they had plenty of space. They decided to tell her later, when no one was around, to tell her the news.
"Before we all turn to mush and start crying like little girls, does anyone want more hot chocolate and cookies?" Jackie Vance asked. Everyone started laughing breaking the moment. Some of them were wiping their eyes.
After that the conversations started again. They were all remembering the strangest Halloween they ever had. They tried to keep the conversation and laughter to a minimum since all the young kids, including Fin, were passed out by now. Carly, an eight year old girl, was sleeping with Abby's tiara on her head. Abby had given it to the little girl as a gift.
Tony and Jethro were just listening to the others. Enjoying this peaceful moment in their otherwise hectic, stressful life.
"You're having a good time?" Jethro asked in a low voice. He took Tony's hand and intertwined their fingers. The younger man looked at his partner and smiled.
"I'm having a fabulous time. And you?"
"Ditto. You did good today, Baby. I'm so proud of you." Jethro raised their intertwined hands and kissed Tony's. He was awarded with Tony's million-watt-smile.
"I'm proud of you, too. We all did good today. This is a Halloween the kids will never forget. And that's all that matters."
The End