And Hell Followed with Him
Genre: Crossover – NCIS/Supernatural
Sequel to Deal of the Century, second in a series
Set in Season 6 SPN (which would be season 8/9 for NCIS) right after Weekend at Bobby's, starts where the first story left off, and ends a couple of months later during Appointment in Samarra.
Slightly AU for SPN season 6 in order to fit with the first story in this series
Warnings/Spoilers: NCIS – none; SPN – spoilers for Appointment in Samarra and the end of Season 6.
Disclaimer: Don't own either one. C'est la vie.
Summary: Gibbs ruminates on the deal he made and learns that it was not as straightforward as he thought.
XXX
When God is gone and the Devil takes hold,
Who will have mercy on your soul?
~O Death, Jen Titus
"What can you tell me about the King of Hell?"
Gibbs waited for a response, but the man on the other end remained silent. Just as he began to worry that the man had hung up Gibbs received a gruff reply.
"Avoid him."
Little late for that. "What else?"
"Name's Crowley. He's a slippery son-of-a-bitch."
"Kinda got that impression."
"You've met him?"
"Yeah."
"You working for him?" The man's tone held more than a touch of anger.
"Not exactly."
A pause. "Don't tell me you were damn fool enough to make a deal with him."
Gibbs said nothing, and he heard the other man mutter something that sounded suspiciously like 'idjit'. He bristled a little. Granted, it hadn't been one of his brighter moments, but…
"You do what you can for family."
He heard a sigh and when the other man spoke his voice was almost apologetic. "Yeah, I hear ya. Wish I could help ya, but I'm afraid your options are pretty limited."
"Options?"
"For getting out of your deal. That's what you were after, right?"
"Hadn't even considered that, to be honest."
"Then what do you want?"
"I need to know if Crowley will back out of his end of the deal."
"Probably not, but he will try to work it to his advantage. Trust me on this one."
"So my…what he promised. They're safe?"
"As long as you don't give him any, and I mean any reason to think you're not going to toe the line, I'd say…maybe 90% sure. As a rule, crossroad deals are unbreakable, but sometimes there are 'extenuating circumstances'. Crowley's an expert at findin' those. He does, and not only will you lose whatever you gained outta this deal, he'll make sure you never cross him again. You get what I'm tellin' ya?"
"Got it. Toe the line."
He heard a dry chuckle. "Somethin' tells me that would be a new experience for you."
"Pretty much. Thanks for your help."
"Sure. And listen: if you need to know about those other options…"
"I'll know who to ask." Gibbs snapped his phone shut and slipped it into his pocket as he went over what the other man had told him in his mind. He only hoped he could manage to avoid giving Crowley something to use against him. His agents' lives depended on it.
XXX
Gibbs spent that evening getting his house ready for his two guests, and the next morning he headed back to the hospital to retrieve them. When he arrived, he was not too surprised to find Ducky already there, waiting for him, and the two of them headed for Tony and McGee's room. Their doctor was with them, and he looked decidedly unhappy when Gibbs stated the reason for his visit.
"Agent Gibbs, I am not comfortable with releasing my patients just yet. Yes, they are healing remarkably well, but it has only been a few days since they were in extremely critical condition. I would prefer to keep them here a while longer."
Tony started to protest but Gibbs held up a hand and he immediately shut up. "How much longer, Doc?"
"I might be comfortable letting Agent DiNozzo go tomorrow, but Agent McGee should be kept under observation for at least three more days. As I'm sure you know, he received a greater number of injuries and—"
"If he stays, I stay," Tony declared, earning him a grateful look from his partner. "But I'm not staying." Tony ducked slightly, expecting a headslap, and grinned sheepishly when it wasn't received. "I mean, come on, Probie will be bored to…he'll be way too bored here by himself."
McGee nodded in agreement, but Gibbs had seen him pale slightly during Tony's little slip-up. Gibbs filed that away for later as he turned to his friend for help.
"I will monitor them carefully, Dr. Campbell," Ducky said with a knowing glance at Gibbs. "And knowing the temperaments of these two men quite well, I must say that I believe they will recover much more quickly outside of a hospital."
"We'll look after them, Doc. That's a promise."
Dr. Campbell studied the group for several moments before sighing in resignation. "Very well. Come with me, Dr. Mallard. I'll fill you in on their requirements while I'm preparing their discharge papers." Ducky followed the doctor out of the room and Gibbs turned to his agents.
"Thanks, Boss," Tony said with a weak grin, and Tim nodded again. Gibbs took a closer look at his younger agent and understood why the doctor was concerned. McGee still appeared too frail for his liking.
"Are you sure you're up to this, McGee?"
McGee hesitated for a brief moment before replying. "Yeah, Boss. I'm… I'm sure I'll feel much better when I get out of here."
"We both will," interjected Tony. "Tim hates hospitals almost as much as you, Boss."
"Kinda doubt that, DiNozzo."
They spent the next twenty minutes listening to Tony recite every famous hospital scene he could remember until Ducky and Dr. Campbell returned with the discharge papers and two nurses to help the injured agents prepare to leave the hospital. Gibbs and Ducky stepped outside the room to give them a little privacy and for Ducky to fill Gibbs in on their care requirements. In the middle of his recitation, Ducky paused to study Gibbs, an odd look on his face.
"What?"
"I must say, Jethro, I'm still a bit shocked by all this."
"That they were hurt?"
"No, that they survived. Their injuries were such that…I really didn't expect them to make it. And now…the progress of their recovery is rather phenomenal, it's true, but I'm concerned that they might try to do too much, too soon. You are not exactly the best role model for taking time to recover."
"Probably not, but I can make sure they follow orders." He gave Ducky one of his half-smirks. "They'll be fine. They don't have permission to be otherwise."
Ducky studied Gibbs for a moment before silently returning to the agents' room. Soon two more nurses arrived, each pushing a wheelchair, and after the men were carefully loaded into their respective transports, the group finally made their way out of the hospital. Gibbs made sure Tony and McGee were loaded into his car before assuring Ducky he could handle getting them home. The older man reminded Gibbs to be careful and assured him he'd be by later to check on his patients before heading for his own vehicle, still parked in the garage across the street.
The ride to Gibbs' house was surprisingly quiet. McGee quickly dozed off in the back seat, but Tony remained awake, occasionally sending sideways glances towards his boss.
"Something on your mind, Tony?" Gibbs finally asked in a low voice as not to wake his other passenger.
Tony chuckled softly. "Just wondering how many 'almosts' I have left."
Gibbs nodded silently, sure that there was more to it than that. After a few more moments, Tony turned to face him.
"I'm worried about Tim, Boss. He…there's something bothering him, more than just the accident."
"He hasn't has as many close calls as you, Tony. It's going to take him some time to come to terms with this."
Tony glanced over his shoulder at his partner and sighed. "Yeah, probably. Wish I could get him to talk about it, though. It might…"
"Help you, too?"
A too-wide grin appeared on the younger man's face. "I'm fine, Boss. I'm not the one who…" They heard McGee shift in his sleep and Tony's fake smile vanished. "Never mind."
Gibbs sent Tony a look that clearly told him they'd continue the conversation later and Tony gave a brief nod in return.
Ziva and Abby were waiting for them when they arrived at Gibbs' house. When he opened the car door, he heard Abby's cheerful proclamation and barely managed to hide a smile.
"See, Ziva, I told you he'd bring them home!" She rushed down to greet them and Gibbs barely managed to catch her before she plowed into Tony as he climbed out of the front seat.
"Easy there, Abbs. Still walking wounded," Tony said with a grin. She returned the grin and hugged him gently.
"I'm just glad to see you out of that hospital." She released him and bent down to look in the car. "Timmy?"
McGee startled awake and looked up, the fear in his expression fading as he realized what was going on. "Hey, Abby," he replied with a weak smile. Abby rushed around to the other side of the car and opened the door, but McGee held up a hand to stop her. "I don't think I'm up to a hug just yet. Sorry."
Abby helped him out of the car and gently put an arm around his waist, allowing him to lean on her for support. They were soon joined by Ziva, who draped one of McGee's arms over her shoulder and the two of them helped him into the house. Tony and Gibbs followed, with Tony insisting he didn't need help and Gibbs keeping a steadying hand on his back as they made their way up the front steps. Once inside they saw that Abby and Ziva were already helping McGee up the stairs, so Tony headed for the sofa. When the girls' voices had faded and they heard the bedroom door shut, Gibbs sat in the chair opposite the sofa and focused his attention on Tony.
"What's going on?"
Tony sighed and rubbed a hand over his jaw. "I'm not really sure, Boss. I know he's been having nightmares—he woke me up a couple of times in the hospital—but he won't talk about them. All I know is that he talks in his sleep, begging someone to stay away. He claims he doesn't remember, that he's fine, but…after all these years, he's still a lousy liar." He shook his head. "I just wish he'd tell me."
"He will when he's ready, Tony."
"Yeah, but…damn it. We came too close to losing him, Boss, and…"
"He came too close to losing you, too. Tony. We all did. That's not an easy thing to live with, trust me."
"Thanks," Tony said with a weak grin. "Guess we'll just have to work through this whole thing. All of us."
"Ya think?" Gibbs said with a grin of his own. "I'll handle McGee. You just worry about getting back on your feet."
"On it, Boss."
Gibbs gave Tony a light pat on the head before he got up and turned the ancient TV to the clearest channel. The two of them settled back to watch the game that was being broadcast. Barely a quarter had passed before Tony was asleep and snoring softly. Gibbs spread an old afghan over him and quietly headed up the stairs to check on McGee. He found his younger agent asleep in the middle of the guest room bed with Abby and Ziva on either side, their arms draped across him. Gibbs chuckled softly as he imagined the reaction McGee would have if he could see his situation. He watched the trio sleep for awhile, and when he was sure his agent was down for the count, he walked over and rested a gentle hand on McGee's forehead.
"You'll be OK, Tim. You and Tony, both. Not going to do anything to jeopardize that. I promise."
XXX
A week passed before Ducky agreed to clear the two men to return to work for desk duty, and another two weeks before he cleared them for field duty. During that time, Gibbs kept a close eye on his agents. Tony seemed to bounce back quickly and it wasn't long before he was back to his old habits: alternating between harassing and flirting with Ziva, teasing McGee, and generally taking on the role of team clown. McGee, on the other hand, seemed different. He threw himself into his investigative work with the same vigor he had always possessed, but he seemed much more withdrawn than usual. Even Abby couldn't draw him completely out of his shell, although he did seem happy for her company, and she for his. The main difference Gibbs noticed was McGee's interactions with his boss. Gibbs had caught McGee studying him several times, an uneasy expression on his face, but when he asked McGee if there was anything wrong the younger man adroitly shifted the topic away from himself and to the cases they were handling at the time. He got the distinct impression that McGee was actually afraid of him, even more so than usual. Gibbs' attempts to get an explanation didn't seem to be helping matters any, so he tried to coax answers from Abby. She wasn't much help, either, and he had to wonder just what it was that was causing McGee's anxiety.
A few months after his agents had returned to active duty, Gibbs was alone in his basement, once again pondering the changes in his team and the choices he had made. He had no doubt he would take the same steps to save them, but he wondered if there wasn't something he could have done to alleviate the uncertainty he had faced since that fateful night.
Gibbs rose from his workbench in the center of the basement and walked over to retrieve a tool from the pegboard on the wall. He turned back toward the workbench and took a step back in surprise as he came face to face with another man that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere.
"Who the Hell are you?" Gibbs demanded. "And what are you doing in my house?"
The man studied Gibbs with an unreadable expression on his thin, pale face. His eyes were dark, almost black, and his dark hair was slicked back from his forehead. He was surprising well-dressed in a suit and long black overcoat, and he carried a silver-headed cane in one hand and what looked like an old-fashioned doctor's bag in the other. Inexplicably, Gibbs' anger was replaced by fear as he took in the man's appearance.
"You have something that does not belong to you," the man finally replied in a low, cultured voice. "How did it come into your possession?"
"No idea what you're talking about," Gibbs managed to respond, and the man gave a rather theatrical sigh before transferring his cane to the same hand that held the bag and then placing his free hand on Gibbs' chest. Gibbs felt a sudden burning flash of agony at the man's touch and staggered back, blinking as the hand was withdrawn and the pain vanished. He blinked a few times to clear his head and let out an involuntary cry of surprise when he saw what the man held in his hand. It was the pendant Crowley had hidden with him.
"You don't know what this is, do you?" Gibbs managed to shake his head. "I see. Tell me, why did you have it?"
"I…my agents. They were dying, and…" A look of distaste crossed the man's features.
"Let me guess: you made a deal with the so-called King of Hell, in exchange for their lives." Gibbs could only nod in reply. "And so you conspired with a demon to cheat me."
"Cheat you? Who…?" A cold shiver trickled down Gibbs' spine as the man's words started to sink in. "You mean, you're…?"
The man's expression twisted into what might have been a smile. "I think you know the answer to that. I think you also know there are consequences for such transgressions."
"No, please. Don't…take me instead. Just leave them alone and take me."
"I have no need to take any of you…at the moment. But tell me, why would you give up your own life for the sake of others?"
"They… My family. They're my family. Not by blood, but…"
"By choice. Interesting." He looked down at the pendant he held, studying it for a moment before opening the bag and dropping it inside. A sudden burst of light surged from the depths of the bag before it was snapped shut. "I'm afraid I must now return this to its rightful owner."
"Wait! What about…?"
"Do not worry about your difficulties with souls. I can assure you mine are still greater." The man chuckled softly, a sound which sent an icicle of dread straight to Gibbs' heart. "But I'll take what you've said under consideration." He transferred his cane back to his free hand, turned. And vanished in the blink of an eye.
Gibbs collapsed against his workbench as his heart hammered in his chest. He immediately pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number, praying that the person he called would pick up. He let out a sigh of relief when the call was answered.
"Yeah, Boss?"
"You alright?" There was a brief silence before he was answered.
"I'm fine, Boss. Why? What's going on?"
"It's… Nothing. I need to hang up and call McGee."
"He's right here. What do you need?"
"You're both OK?"
"Uh, yeah. Seriously, Gibbs, you're stating to freak me out. What's going on?"
"I need…" The problem was he wasn't even sure. What would Crowley do when he found out Gibbs hadn't been able to hold up his end of the deal? "I need you to watch out for each other."
"Why? Is someone after us?"
"Not yet, but I'm going to take care of it. In the meantime, just watch your back. Understood?"
"Yeah, I got it. Watch our backs. Who's watching yours, Boss?"
"I'll let you know." He snapped his phone shut, hesitated, then opened it again. He dialed a number that he had only used once but had been burned into his memory. He waited as the call went through, ringing several times before a rough voice answered.
"Yeah?"
"It's Gibbs. I need another favor…"
XXX
A/N: The final story in this series is called Last Fair Deal Gone Down, which will be another one-shot, plus an epilogue for the entire series. Hopefully all questioned will be answered by the end ;)
Virtual cookies for anyone who recognizes the origin of the "souls" quote ;)