NB: I don't own anything of NCIS :(
I'm still shocked and amazed by all reviews, PMs, favs and alerts I got. Guys, you made me so happy!
I'd never imagine that this little story would get such positive and enthusiastic feedbacks! GRAZIE!
- Thank you so much to my BR, usa123. Without her help this story would be a disaster and not believable lol!
So, here's the second chapter... let's hope you like it as much as the first one, but... I don't know *evil grin*
(ps: notice the parallelism between the beginning and the end of the chapter)
"Choices& Consequences"
Chapter 2.
After a sleepless night Gibbs arrived at NCIS early the next morning. He sat down at his desk and put his cup of coffee on it. Immediately his eyes shifted towards Tony's desk…correction, Tony's former desk.
The Team Leader couldn't stop thinking about his talk with DiNozzo and was reviewing all that happened in the last five years.
After Kate's death, it seemed that his team couldn't catch a break. So many things had happened, but Gibbs had always hoped that fate'd stop beating them and they could move on in peace.
But it didn't happen and only now was Gibbs realizing that, even in the worst moments, he had only been able to count on one thing: Tony.
DiNozzo had always been by his side or, as Tony used to say, on his six.
"Tony," Gibbs whispered as he sank back in his chair.
Since the moment he'd wanted Tony for his SiC, Gibbs knew that, sooner or later, his SFA would leave the nest and get his own team. No one deserved it more than DiNozzo which was why he hadn't been surprised when Jenny had told him that Tony had done a fine job while he was in Mexico and that it was only thanks to DiNozzo that the team was still together.
At that time Gibbs had dismissed Jenny's positive words about Tony because he had felt threatened by the implication.
Gibbs shook his head and rubbed his face as he stood up and, with the cup of coffee in his hand, walked to the window that overlooked the Anacostia river.
Yes, after his return he had felt like the team was no longer his and his ego had reacted with arrogance and disrespect.
The team leader still remembered Tony's face when he had arrived in the bullpen with McGee and Ziva and had found his stuff tossed back on his old desk. McGee had been gloating with his blinding white teeth in plain sight while Ziva had been satisfied and had looked at Tony with a bit of derision. It had only lasted for a second, but Gibbs had seen the hurt in Tony's eyes. Then, the carefree mask had been put in place again and life continued as if nothing had happened: the loyal, faultless and respectful SFA and the funny guy who lighten the tension had come back and Gibbs had forgotten about that brief painful look.
Gibbs looked at his watch which read 0700. He looked at the sky and shook his head as he took a deep breath.
He's gone.
Tony was already on the flight that would bring him to his new life and his own team, away from all of them.
It was just Gibbs' fault.
Tony hadn't left when Gibbs or any of his other teammates had disrespected him. He hadn't left after Rivkin case, Vance's doubts and Ziva and her father's accusations. DiNozzo had left when his mentor had disrespected the memory of the person that Tony had treated, more than anyone else on the team, as a surrogate sister. DiNozzo had left because of his mentor's lack of trust in him.
I betrayed your trust and your faith in me.
Gibbs shook his head sadly, hearing the elevator dinging in the background.
"Hi, Boss," McGee's quite voice greeted him. Gibbs just nodded, seeing him entering the bullpen and walking towards his old desk.
"Not your desk anymore," the team leader barked. When McGee turned around, Gibbs just pointed at the first desk on the right.
"Yeah, I know," Tim nodded. "It's just that…" he walked over to Tony's former desk and stared at it, "…it's Tony's. I feel—"
"I know," Gibbs sympathetically nodded. "But life goes on and we can't stop it sometimes," he seriously added even though it was clear that was not what the older man felt.
The team leader walked back to his desk, watching McGee nod sadly in agreement then start to gather his belongings from his former desk and move them to his new one.
The elevator dinged again, this time signaling Ziva's arrival.
Gibbs had told McGee that life went on but who was he kidding?! His team would never be the same without Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo and Gibbs couldn't blame anyone except himself.
"Good morning!" Ziva greeted them cheerfully.
Gibbs just nodded once while McGee, who was now standing behind his new desk, widened his eyes as looked at her in astonishment.
"What?" Ziva asked annoyed.
"What?" Tim raised his eyebrows and saw Gibbs shaking his head out of the corner of his eye. "Tony just left yesterday and you act as nothing happened," the new SFA said with a raised voice.
"Oh that!" She dismissed her superior's words with a wave. "Tony chose to leave. He's the past and past is the past."
"Tony'll never be the past! He'll always be part of this team! He was here before me and you and," McGee slammed his fist down on the desk, "this will always be his desk!"
"So what? Are you just going to keep his seat warm while you wait for him to return?" Ziva mocked McGee.
"I'm going to try to make him proud of me and put into practice all that he taught me."
"Really?" Ziva challenged him. "You weren't so nice to DiNozzo when he was your SFA." An annoying smirk graced her face.
"Yeah," Tim sighed, hanging his head. "And I'll regret it for the rest of my life."
McGee's words surprised Gibbs enough for the team leader to look over at his new SFA.
"Tony is a great Agent and deserves his own team," McGee continued, meeting Gibbs' steady gaze, "but I'll miss him. I only now understand that he was a great mentor to me and that his pranks were just a way to toughen me up and teach me how to work under pressure."
Gibbs nodded his approval.
"You say so because he is not here, otherwise you—" Ziva interjected angrily but she saw cut off by Gibbs.
"Ziva," the team leader growled.
"Yes, Gibbs," she smiled graciously.
"Shut up and start working," the boss ordered and erased her smile from her face.
Ziva sat down at her desk while McGee finished his moving to his new desk.
The Team Leader shook his head as he got back to the file he was reviewing. He already missed his SFA.
Flight to Los Angeles.
Meanwhile Gibbs' former SFA was flying to his new job and new life.
For the first time in years, Tony was peacefully sleeping like a baby...
TBC
I know... I know... not enough Tony, but you'll get much more in the next chapter *pinky promise*
Please, review and let me know what you think. Thank you :)
