This is the sequel to Discovery. The last line in that story was meant to make you wonder.
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Wondering
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Thursday
"Boss?"
Gibbs looked up. Boss? Since when did Tony call him Boss at home?
"I see that got your attention. Look we need to talk." Tony drew out a chair and seated himself. This had been going on long enough.
Yeah, he should have talked to Tony long ago. In some cases he could be such a coward. "What do we need to talk about?"
"Just wondering when you are going to drop the ax on us." He smiled when he saw the surprised look on Gibbs' face. "I'm not blind or that stupid. You want out so why not just say it?"
Gibbs sighed. "How did you know?"
Tony had to laugh at that. "Well, you don't want to have sex anymore for one thing."
Gibbs really felt like an idiot. Of course Tony would pick it up on that factor alone. "Listen Tony, it's not easy."
"I know." Tony interrupted him. "So I am going to do you a favor. I want out too."
"You do?" It couldn't be this simple could it?
"Yeah, we had a good run but well, I miss the ladies." Actually there was one lady in particular Tony missed but Gibbs did not need to know that now. "Why the heck did we even get engaged?"
Now it was Gibbs turn to smile. "I don't know. Seemed like a good idea at the time." He studied Tony to make sure the younger man was not putting on an act. "Are you sure about this? If you are angry at me just tell me. Hell, yell at me. I deserve it."
Tony shook his head. "I may have been a bit when I pieced it together. The photograph you keep looking at? I knew who you were really looking at."
Gibbs did not know what to say. Clearly Tony had known more than he had let on. He simply waited for Tony to say something else.
"Not to mention I've seen how you look at him in person too." There was almost a panic look on Gibbs' face now and Tony actually felt a bit sorry for him. "Don't worry. No one else has noticed. I think the reason I noticed was because you felt so comfortable in my presence that you let your guard slip a bit."
That could be true. Still he did not know what to say.
Tony clasped his hands together over the table. "So, when are you going to talk to him?"
Tony could not be serious. "What? No, never."
"And why not?" Tony knew the answer before Gibbs even spoke.
Did he really have to spell it out? "Well for one, he is not into men."
"He is." There was a look of disbelief on Gibbs' face now.
No way, Tony must be wrong. "You don't know that."
He smiled and knew it would annoy Gibbs to no end. "I do actually."
Gibbs wasn't so sure he wanted to know just how Tony knew that fact.
"You should talk to him." With that Tony stood and was getting ready to leave.
"Tony." Gibbs waited for the other man to turn and face him. "It may not mean much but what we had, you and me, meant more to me than any of the relationships I had with my ex-wives."
Tony did not miss the sincerity of those words. It meant a great deal to him. "It does mean something, Jethro."
Gibbs nodded satisfied that he had been believed.
As Tony left the apartment Gibbs thought about what he had said. Talk to him. No, he couldn't could he?
Friday
The day was dragging on slowly for Gibbs. Every time he had a moment to himself hos thoughts drifted away. He thought about what Tony had said. Talk to him. That wouldn't work. It could really backfire. He strode in to autopsy and saw his friend by his desk. He smiled at him.
"Ducky, you wanted to see me?"
Half an hour later he was alone and still couldn't get a grip on his thoughts. This was slow torture. There was no way he was going to survive this if he did not do something soon. He watched as Tony came up to his desk.
"You know if you wait too long he might start seeing someone else."
With those words Tony left and headed to the elevator. He was right. What if that did happen? That would be even worse. Not to mention if it turned out to be with another man. Gibbs stood and decided to go for it. It was a risk but he was willing to take it. He rounded his desk and took a few steps closer to the man he desired.
"McGee, can I have word with you?"
~The End~