Hi guys, welcome to my story. This is my first fanfic, so any and all criticism is appreciated. Un-beta'd so any and all mistakes are mine. Please point them out if you find some so I can fix them.

Jess x

Chapter 1

It was that day of the year again. The day where no one went near the basement, where no one went near Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Not if they valued their lives anyway.

Considering the number of times that Tony DiNozzo was told that he had no respect for his life, no one was therefore surprised when he sauntered over to the Gibbs and opened his damn mouth.

"Morning, Boss. Didn't think I'd see you here today."

Not even glancing up from the personnel files on his desk, Gibbs still managed to both answer his team leader, and shock those listening in the bullpen

"It's called a job, DiNozzo, maybe you should try it one day"

Leaving the topic alone, for now, Tony moved to his desk and opened up his emails, quickly typing out one to both the Directors assistant, Cynthia, and Gibbs' best friend, Tobias Fornell. Hopefully he would get some answers.

He didn't get a direct reply, but the ringing phone on the desk opposite, was a definite prospect.

"Gibbs"

"What the hell do you think you are doing at work today of all days?"

"None of your business, Fornell."

"But it is Jethro. Today is twenty years since the girls were killed, and you are busy moping at work. Last I heard, I was your best friend, and yet you don't tell me any of this shit. And you think we will have your back"

"Fornell, this is none of your business! I will do what I need to do, and you won't judge me, comment or reply to DiNozzos' prying emails, especially when it comes to this."

Slamming the phone back on the cradle, Gibbs grabbed his bag and stalked over to Tony. His hand connected to the back of a head in a well rehearsed move.

"DiNozzo, you have no business prying into my life. Now since I have been annoyed enough today by my one team member who dragged their arse into work, and my supposed best friend. I'm leaving."

Walking to the elevator doors, Gibbs gave his final instructions. "You're on cold case rotation this week, try keep them focussed and I want at least 6 new leads on my desk by the morning."

As the doors closed behind his boss, Tony looked at the foreign sullen look on his bosses face.

"Oh, and DiNozzo, Cynthia doesn't know anything, and it never crossed your mind that I just didn't want to be alone for once?"

"Abs, I need your help"

MLIA~MLIA~ MLIA~MLIA~ MLIA~MLIA~ MLIA~MLIA~ MLIA~MLIA~ MLIA~

"Ohk Tony, how bad did you mess up? Like 'head slap' mistake, silence and glare or yelling?

"Like walking out of work because I brought up Kelly and Shannon, which I think is bad. Even worse when mixed with all of the above such as it was. Abs, I'm in love with him…"

Abby spun around on the spot, her ponytails slapping her face as she stared at her friend incredulously.

"Holy… Swear on Bert's life that I just heard that right. Don't you dare mess with me Tony DiNozzo."

Seeing the downcast eyes and the shy smile gracing his face, Abby braced herself on her desk.

"Wow, this is huge, like meteorite huge, like The Godfather never happened huge, Like Tony is in love with Gibbs huge."

"I wondered when I would finally hear those words spoken around here"

"Oh Duck, it's only you" Tony jumped in surprise, wondering when the ME got to be as stealthy as Gibbs. Gibbs, Gibbs who could track you for hundreds of metres and you would never know. Gibbs who would be able to waltz up behind you and throw you on the ground, pressing his weight over…

"Anthony, Anthony, can you hear me? Anthony?" Receiving no response, Ducky looked up to Abby, who with a soft sigh and wistful smile reached up her hand.

"Yes, Boss. Sorry, Boss" Sheepishly glancing around at his surroundings, Tony looked to his best friend,

"Wow, when did you get so good at Gibb-slaps? Never mind that, I'd still like to know what Ducky was talking about"

"Well, if you had listened to Bert and I, you would have already known. We were trying to get you out of your Gibb induced stupor, but it wasn't working. Silly Tony."

Ducky cleared his throat to get some attention focussed towards him. Wringing his hands and sending a pointed look to Abby, he finally started his explanation.

"You see Anthony, ever since you got here from Baltimore, you have been doing your best to please Jethro. You want to satisfy him, and his needs. You normally know exactly when he needs silence, and when he needs company, and what to say in those instances. Today being the obvious exception to that, of course. You know him so well you finish off his sentences, you puck up his mannerisms, and hen anyone needs it, and you even step into Jethro's persona. I think this has been going on for years. Do you mind if I ask when you admitted it to yourself?"

Tony slumped onto Abby's chaise, scrubbed his hand over his face, and sighed before looking resigned.

"I think it has been building ever since he came in and started ordering me around. I wanted to prove to him that I wasn't his to command, that I am capable of being his equal. In every sense of the word I suppose. It was about 18 months ago, I think, that I finally sat myself down and was honest to myself about everything." His words drifted off before he could chance a look at two of his closest friends, hoping they understood.

He didn't even get to take a breath before he was almost lifted off the chair by the force of Abby's hug.

"My two favourite guys together, what more could I want. Well, apart from you both being happy that is, cause I don't mind if you're not together just as long as you're happy, or I might have to remind someone that I know how to kill someone without leaving any forensic evidence"

Ducky tapped the Goth's shoulder, getting her to both allow Tony to breath, and Ducky to congratulate him in his own way.

"You know, before she passed, mother and I were talking about this unique situation we have on our hands here…"

Tony interrupted before Dr. Mallard could say anything else, by raising his hands in front of him.

"Ok, thanks guys. It's nice finally getting that out in the open, and knowing you have my back" Here he paused to waylay Abby's interjection he knew was coming. "I know what I have to do know. I have to fix this. I know I mucked up, and I just need to show him that he's not alone, and I just want to show him that we all care for him and love him."

"I'm proud of you, my boy."

With this praise from Ducky, one last hug from Abby, a detour to his apartment and a stop at the grocery store on the way, Tony made his way to the solitude he knew his boss would be basking in.

Let me know what you think, please. I only want to improve.

Jess x