Hey everyone I actually hoped this fic would be finished by now but life is a little hectic right now.
So it won't be finished for Christmas Day but should be posted and complete one or two days afterwards... Hope you enjoy
Disclainer: Don't Own though I'd happily own Tony and the idea for this fic was taken from Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.
Warning: Oh yeah, and it will be Slash of the Gibbs/Tony type so if this isn't your thing then turn back now...
Hope you like...
Christmas Wish
Chapter One: Visit From The Other side
Christmas Eve dawned bright and clear the roads were not yet full as Washington DC sleepily woke to weak sunlight breaking over the horizon. It was a freezing morning and the forecasters were saying the snow would come in time for Christmas.
A Cliché if Gibbs had ever heard one. He was already on the road towards the office. Finding he hadn't been able to sleep much and even working on his boat had not settled Gibbs' restlessness the way it had before.
He pulled into his usual space in the car park and got out of the car. He moved towards NCIS with purpose and nodded to the security guard as he passed. He got in the elevator he expected to be the first to reach the office but as he rounded the corner he saw Tony DiNozzo his senior field agent already working intently.
"Morning Boss." Tony said without looking up. Gibbs frowned he prided himself on being able to sneak up on his team without them knowing. In this case he was either losing his touch or Tony was getting better. He suspected the latter the times he could surprise Tony were getting few and far between now.
"Early start DiNozzo." Gibbs said as he walked to his desk. "Always is when I'm On Call Boss." Tony said looking up from his computer. Gibbs nodded but said nothing else.
"I need Coffee." Gibbs said shortly before getting up to move. "The coffee in the break room miraculously tastes better. Maybe it's the Christmas Spirit." Tony laughed as Gibbs walked to the break room.
Gibbs had thought coming to the office early would make it easier but he'd forgotten that Tony was on call and if anything that made things ten times worse. Tony had been on his team almost five years, the longest anyone had stuck by him if he was truthful and being around Tony was getting more complicated everyday.
His lust, because that's what it was, for Tony was just getting more difficult to handle and it was almost as though just when it was getting out of control Tony was there to make it worse.
It was almost like he knew. This of course was ridiculous because Tony was as straight as they came, a different girlfriend every week and Gibbs wasn't so stupid to let that sort of feeling affect his work.
The Navy were not known for their tolerance, he'd worked enough hate crimes to know that and he'd been in the Navy to have seen what happened to some of the unlucky ones.
He took a big swig of the coffee and was surprised to see that Tony had been right not that he would admit that to Tony of course but it was nice to have proper coffee instead of a piss poor excuse for coffee.
As he returned he saw McGee and Abby who looked like they had just arrived speaking to Tony. "So you are coming right?" Abby asked bouncing with excitement.
"Well yeah, I mean I'm On Call and if by some miracle we all don't have a case then yeah I'll be there. You know I will." Abby's smile could have lit up her face but it was nothing compared to Tony's. That smile lit up the room and funnily enough it wasn't one you saw much.
McGee smiled at Tony. "It'll be fun Tony." Tony grinned. "Of course it will I'll be there." Abby hit him on the shoulder and McGee just seemed to roll his eyes good naturedly. Gibbs watched the interaction with interest. They were obviously planning something but what it was Gibbs wasn't sure and to be honest, since it didn't involve work it didn't truly interest him.
Though it was Christmas Eve and the decorations in the office gave away it was the festive time of year Gibbs wanted nothing to do with Christmas.
If he was truthful, Gibbs didn't see the point in Christmas it was just another day in the year. Another day that the shops managed to get a lot of money out of the public and once it was over, it was over! What was the big deal? He couldn't remember the last time he had thought about Christmas with the festive spirit that everyone else seemed too.
He looked round the office, it was decorated with tinsel and had a small but sparkling Christmas tree in the corner. If office rumour was to believed the office had Tony DiNozzo to thank for this. Gibbs snorted as he thought of his younger field agent, it was probably true. Tony had a childlike love of Christmas that Gibbs had never understood.
The phone hadn't rang since he had arrived and since Tony was sat calmly doing paperwork in between talking to McGee and Abby he guessed they had yet to have a case. Abby waved her goodbyes and went to the lab Gibbs thought she and McGee held hands longer than strictly necessary.
Gibbs shook his head. Talk about opposites attracting! Tony looked up as he re-entered with his coffee. "No case Boss." Tony reported and Ziva tore into the office wrapped up against the cold. "Then get the old case files out." Gibbs responded.
Tony said nothing just turned back to his computer screen and continued to work. The day went slowly with no new case but he could see Tony and McGee were pleased of it.
Gibbs looked up from his computer, he didn't understand how McGee could sit in front of it for hours at a time but he was getting a headache not that he would ever admit it.
He went to see Abby in the lab and could hear the music before he reached she was bouncing round to her music with a huge smile on her face. Gibbs shook his head but a small smile broke through.
He didn't even bother trying to talk to her over the music he went straight to the sound system and turned it off. "Hey!" Abby snapped as she spun round. "Oh. It's you Gibbs." "Hi Abby. What are you doing?"
"Getting into the Christmas Spirit Gibbs." Abby said happily, "It's really you should be doing too." Gibbs shook his head. "Christmas is just another day Abbs." He said quietly. Abby looked horrified. "How can you say that Gibbs? Christmas is a time to show people you care, giving presents because you can and not having to come up with a reason. I love Christmas!"
Gibbs smiled at her enthusiasm but he knew it would never be something he shared. "I'm pleased you'll enjoy it." He said warmly. He cared for Abby. Abby looked like she wanted to argue her point more but Gibbs knew she wouldn't.
As much as Abby loved him she didn't particularly challenge him. She took him at face value and her faith in him was indestructible and though he never said he made sure she knew a birthday present every year and praise and Caf-Pows seemed to do the trick.
He chatted with Abby reverting between Speech and Sign effortlessly before he left the lab to go back to his office. Ducky was in the office chatting to Ducky. "You know we love to see you Anthony. Do try and attend." He was saying. Tony's smile was soft.
"Of course I will. You know if nothing comes up I'll be there Ducky." "That's all I ask." He smiled. Ducky turned as Gibbs approached with yet another cup of coffee in his hand.
"Jethro I was just talking about plans for tomorrow you have plans again this year I trust?" Ducky asked but his gaze said something entirely different. The truth was that Ducky had asked Jethro every year since they had known each other to spend Christmas with him instead of being on his own.
When Gibbs had been married Katherine, Emma and Diane had made sure he made an effort but Christmas had never held much appeal for him.
"I always have plans Duck." Was all he said. Ducky nodded but Jethro could see he wasn't pleased with the answer. But well the answer had been the same since Diane had left him and had been the same before that. It wasn't going to change now.
The day progressed slowly although not quietly the constant banter between McGee, Tony and Ziva was so ingrained now that when it wasn't there it was strange.
Ziva was leaving early returning to Tel Aviv for a week for the holidays Gibbs wasn't sure whether she was happy about that or not but he saw her face light up when Tony tossed a small wrapped present in her direction.
"What's this Tony?" She asked. He laughed softly. "I would think a Mossad Spy like you Officer David would realise it's a Christmas Present." He turned said, "Head's Up Probie!" McGee turned and watched the small present sail towards him. He fumbled as he caught it but it stayed in his grasp and Tony pumped the air.
"Get better every time. Nice job Probie." Gibbs didn't miss how Tim's eyes seemed to glow. "Boss I'm just heading to see Abby." Before Gibbs could form an answer Tony rose lithely from his seat and jogged off towards the elevators and Gibbs watched him discreetly from behind his computer an hour later Tony reappeared and sat back down.
Soon it was five in the afternoon and Gibbs decided since no case had taken their tome we would let his team leave on time. His one gift to the team. McGee and Ziva didn't need telling twice.
Tony lagged behind saving whatever he was doing and then gathering his things together and then as soon as McGee and Ziva were out of sight he approached every year.
"So Ducky's hosting Christmas again this year." Tony said at last looking at Gibbs. "You gonna come Gibbs?" Gibbs thought he heard a hopeful note in the way Tony said it but he couldn't figure out why that would be.
"Got plans DiNozzo." Gibbs said. "You do every year." Tony pointed out. "But I think Ducky would appreciate your company more than your boat though the way you're going with this one you might actually finish it."
Jethro had to remember to school his features, he didn't know how Tony knew what he did every year although Tony was smart enough to take a guess Gibbs just hadn't thought Tony would have the balls to come out and say it. Although in hindsight he should have realised that Tony would.
"Ducky understands DiNozzo and I really don't think it has anything to do with you what I do with my time." "Never said it did Boss." Tony said quietly. "Just thought you might want a change this year. Season of Goodwill and everything. Guess I was wrong."
Tony turned to go and turned back, "Well I hope you have a nice Christmas whatever it is you do this year." And then he was gone and Gibbs stood and watched him leave before leaving himself.
The usual festive Christmas rubbish cluttered the TV channels, not that Gibbs actually watched much TV but he had been tempted while swallowing down his Bourbon, but had quickly become sickened and returned to the basement among his tools and started to work on his boat.
Sometime later, though Gibbs couldn't have said how long later he looked up as he heard a noise. He never locked the door but he'd lived in that house long enough to have scared the neighbours sufficiently and all knew he owned a gun.
He went to investigate retrieving his gun from the cabinet in the hall the sounds sounded like they were coming from the basement, like someone was having a hard time walking around.
He descended the stairs with the animal grace and cat like silence that the Marines had taught him and he had never bothered to forget. From his vantage point looking into the basement it was clear no one was there but his Gut was saying something different and he had learned to listen to that if nothing else.
He made it into the basement cautiously without a mishap. There was no one there though he felt like he was being watched. He began to cautiously let his guard down when he felt something behind him and spun to meet the challenge.
What he saw almost made him drop his gun in surprise. "Hello Gibbs." Caitlin "Kate" Todd said.
Gibbs prided himself on being able to be shocked by nothing but this, well this was different because Kate was dead. He'd been there. Watched her fall to the floor chased her killer and attended her funeral. Kate was dead yet she was stood in front of him.
She was still wearing her vest and pants and regarded Gibbs with a look Gibbs had often associated her using when profiling a suspect. "This isn't real." He whispered. "You're dead. I watched you die."
"Never said I wasn't Gibbs." Kate said pulling a hand through her hair. "But I'm here to help you." "Why would you want to help me? I killed you!" He yelled despite himself it was a guilt he had never quite been able to let go of.
"If you believe that then you're more of an idiot than I already believe you to be." She shook her head. "But that's not for me to say. I have a message for you." She said. Gibbs looked into her face saw the face he knew so well. The one that had died to young and almost asked her what she meant. Then sense overtook him.
"This isn't real." Gibbs said again turning away. He knew he was stressed he hated Christmas but this was ridiculous he had thought he had locked Kate's memories away again but evidently this wasn't the case.
Gibbs began to working on his boat taking a large mouthful of Bourbon before refilling it to numb the pain he could start to feel resurface. He started sanding his boat with enthusiasm trying to make his mind make Kate going away.
But Kate Todd had been nothing but stubborn and she was nothing less in Death and she wasn't going anywhere until she'd said what she had to say.
She continued to talk to Gibbs and though he made no indication of hearing her she knew he had. In the end though Kate became impatient what she had to say was important and he needed to listen but she didn't have all night to say it.
So she did the only thing she could she screamed, "GIBBS!"
Gibbs hadn't meant to he'd grown accustomed to Kate talking in the background but he spun as she yelled to find her in his face he instinctively went to push her away only to find that his hand sailed through her.
He gaped and Kate took advantage of his shock. "Gibbs I need you to listen and you need to listen now." She said firmly. Gibbs reflected that the tone she was using now she would have never dreamed use when she was alive.
"This is both a warning and a chance to have a fresh start. Don't make my mistake. Don't waste the life you have. Do not wish your life away and shut away those that love you."
Something in her tone had him captivated. Seeing that she had his attention Kate recklessly pressed on. "Tonight three Spirits will come to take you on a journey do not waste the knowledge and the lessons they wish to share with you."
Gibbs couldn't believe this was happening, it wasn't happening but Kate was still talking. "You have so much to live for in a life that is far from over yet could be taken from you in an instant. The life you have is so precious why do you waste it?"
"I don't waste my life!" Gibbs couldn't help but snap. He helped people. He had saved people.
"And what of your life Gibbs?" Kate asked softly. "You may have saved a stranger's life and there is nothing wrong with that, but what of your own? You've saved your own for later. What if there wasn't to be a later? What then?"
Gibbs could honestly say she didn't have an answer to that particular riddle. Instead he said, Why are you here?"
"I spent my last moments of life with you Gibbs so I'm here to give to a chance to live as I never did. I did the same. I never imagined there would never be a later and I don't want the same to happen to you." She smiled softly.
She looked at him. "For once in your life Marine suck-it up and listen I do not want you to miss out on the life you could have because you're too stubborn to see what's in front of your face."
She looked past him then. "I have to go. I pray you don't make my mistake Gibbs. Life is too short."
Then she was gone as suddenly as she had appeared and Gibbs shook his head deciding that he had had more Bourbon than he had thought and turned and settled to work on his boat some more.
He may not believe in ghosts but his own personal ghosts and demons were out in force. His hand moved more furiously on the wood as he thought about it.
Now he knew there was definitely a reason he hated Christmas! What was special about one day anyway? He couldn't wait until that one stupid day was over with and then he'd be able to forget for another year.
Next Chapter Gibbs is faced with the ghosts and demons of Christmas' gone before...
