026 - Teammates
Don't ask, don't tell?
Disclaimer: Not mine. I just want to play with them.
Beta: capierson

"Damn it, Jenny, why didn't you tell me? You just let me rant on about how you'd know it if Tony thought he were ready for a team of his own while you had already offered it to him? You offered and he declined and you didn't find it necessary to inform me about something like this?" Jethro paced in front of the Director's desk agitatedly.

"Calm down, Jethro," Jenny Sheppard replied calmly, eyeing the man in front of her with mild curiosity. She had known he would freak if… no when he got to know about it. It was just so typically Gibbs.

The pacing stopped and Jethro slammed his hands down on Jenny's desk, leaning forward to look her in the eyes. "You ask me to calm down? Damn it, Jenny you should have told me. This is something big, you can't just keep things like this about my team a secret. Why the hell didn't you tell me?"

"Because Tony asked me not to, Agent Gibbs. And because I agreed with him that it was wiser, not to tell you. You've just proven me right with your irrational behaviour." The director's voice was still calm and controlled, but it had an icy tone to it now. "It was none of your business, Jethro. You had no right to know about it and I didn't want to give you any more ammunition to tease Tony with. He's a good man, Jethro, and he's a good agent."

"Of course he is a good agent, otherwise he wouldn't be on my team. Otherwise I wouldn't have handed over my team to him, Jen, and you know it. So tell mewhy. Why did he give up such an opportunity? He deserved his own team, Jen. Why would he do such a stupid thing?"

"Why don't you ask him Jethro, if you want to know it. I'm not going to tell you anything you don't know already. Everything else regarding Agent DiNozzo's decision to not take the offer, will have to come directly from him, I fear. Now, have a good day, Agent Gibbs. Close the door behind you, please." Jenny's tone of voice made it clear that she was done discussing this particular topic.

"Fine, have it your way," Gibbs snapped, banging the door behind himself. Then, taking long strides towards the steps leading down the bullpen, Gibbs mentally prepared himself for the upcoming talk. He wouldn't let DiNozzo get away with anything but the truth. He wanted answers and he wanted them now.

"DiNozzo, my office. NOW!" he barked, ignoring the confused looks he got from the members of his team. He heard Tony's murmured 'Not one word, Probie' but didn't pause to look at either man, instead making his way to the elevator.

He didn't have to wait long, until Tony stepped to him into the cabin. "Something wrong, boss?" The younger agent's voice sounded what Gibbs would call 'carefully neutral'. He waited until the elevator doors had closed and the elevator was actually moving, before flipping the stop switch. The instant the elevator came to a halt, he was in Tony's face.

"What the hell did you think you were doing, DiNozzo? You got an offer to lead your own team and you pass? I wanna know why, and don't you dare lie to me." Gibbs spat, shoving Tony into the wall.

"How did you find out? Who told you? Jenny promised…" Tony started, getting angry as well. Gibbs was never supposed to find out about that.

"The director didn't tell me, Tony. I've got my own sources. Now tell me why, before I really get impatient, DiNozzo." Gibbs pushed him a little harder against the wall, trying to make his point.

"Why are you so angry about it, boss? I'm still here, right? I didn't go anywhere. Or is it that? Did youwant to get rid of me? Did you think I couldn't handle it to be second in command again after I had a team of my own? Your team, boss?" Tony hissed, green eyes ablaze with anger. "I've got news for you, boss - it's none of your fucking business why I refused to take the position."

Gibbs grabbed the lapels of Tony's shirt, spinning him around and shoving him into the opposite wall. "It is my business, Tony, you are my business. You tell me this instant why you refused to lead this team. I want to know why you are still here when you could be the boss of your own team already. We're not leaving this elevator before I have my answers." Gibbs wouldn't let him get away with that. He would have his answers one way or the other.

"You want answers, fine! But don't blame me if you don't like them." Tony tried to push Gibbs away, but the ex-marine held on tight.

"I didn't take the offer because you still needed me. Your memories hadn't come back completely yet and I was worried. Whether you like it or not, I've got responsibility for this team, too. You gave me this responsibility when you made them my team. I wasn't about to leave them hanging, or you for that matter. You still needed me, whether you want to admit it, or not. I'm your senior field agent, I'm your second in command, I wouldn't leave you like that." Tony was panting, anger pouring off of him in waves.

A surprised look rushed over Gibbs' face, but was swiftly replaced with more anger. "That's bullshit, DiNozzo, and you know it. No one turns down an offer like that to baby-sit his boss. Not even you are that dense." He paused briefly when he saw hurt in Tony's eyes at his words, but then went on, "So you'll tell me the truth now, or your little incident with the plague will seem like a walk in the park compared to what I will do to you. Don't you dare lie to me again."

"You threatening me, boss? What are you gonna do? Fire me? Hit me? Fine, go ahead. I doubt it could hurt more than what you did to me already." Tony hissed, trying to push Gibbs away once again, without any success.

"What are you talking about, DiNozzo? I never hurt you – unless you would call a slap upside the head every once in a while hurting" Gibbs looked at Tony as if he had lost his mind.

"I'm not talking about you hitting me upside the head, boss," Tony confirmed bitterly. "I am talking about you leaving us, about leaving me. You went to Mexico without looking back. Like we didn't mean anything to you," his voice faltered and the next words were barely audible. "Like I didn't mean anything to you." He took a deep breath his eyes cold as he looked Gibbs directly in the eyes. "Do you really think I was going to take on the leadership of a team inSpain? 4500 miles away from you? Do you really think being the boss of my own team could be more important than being near you? I'm in love with you, you bastard. I'd never leave you voluntarily." He finally managed to shove Gibbs away from him, who had let go of Tony in surprise. Lowering his gaze to the ground, Tony spoke into the silence, "Can I go, now that I've ruined my career completely? You'll have my resignation on your desk by tomorrow morning."

When Tony reached over to flip the stop switch again, Gibbs put his hand over Tony's, stopping him. "I won't accept it." He said smiling lightly at the startled, confused look that appeared on Tony's face. "I won't accept your resignation, Tony." Gibbs repeated softly, taking the younger man's hand away from the switch and into his own hand. "You're not going anywhere, DiNozzo. You're mine, and I'll be dammed if I give you up."

"But…what about rule 12? You said…" Tony started, insecurity and confusion lacing his voice.

"I know what I said, Tony," Gibbs interrupted him in an atypically soft voice. "Those are my rules and I can break them if I want to," he then murmured, before he cupped Tony's face gently and caught his mouth in a first, tender kiss.