Sorry everyone, but this is a really short chapter. Hopefully I'll get the next one up before the weekend, but no promises- it's kind of an important weekend. Anyway, thanks for all the great reviews and keep them coming.
Tony released a silent sigh of relief as they reached autopsy and he was helped up onto one of the metal tables that Ducky had, oh so thoughtfully, covered with a thin cotton sheet. He wasn't about to tell Gibbs, but the short trip had elevated the pain levels in his ribs and shoulder to nearly that of his ankle.
Ducky took one look at the senior field agent and let out a sigh of his own; "Anthony, my dear boy, what have you done to yourself now?"
"Hurt my ankle a bit Duck, probably just a sprain," Tony replied, too tired to get defensive about the question or the exasperated tone in which it was asked.
"Yes, well, I will be the judge of that, if you don't mind."
DiNozzo kept his head down and his eyes fixed on the ME's hand's as they began deftly untying and removing his Italian leather shoe. He really did try his best to ignore the piercing gaze burning holes into the top of his head from his silent boss. Tony knew that he was a fairly good actor, enjoyed honing the skill every chance he got, but right now he had to wonder if Gibbs wasn't seeing straight through him. He couldn't help the flinch when the former Marine spoke for the first time since entering Autopsy, the sound echoing in the silent room.
"I'd check the rest of him out too if I were you, Duck."
"Gee, boss you act like you don't trust me." Tony tried to keep his tone light, but neither of the older men missed the inflection of hurt that colored the words.
Gibbs slowly stalked up to his agent, his eyes never leaving the green ones staring back at him. "You're right DiNozzo. When it comes to you telling me you're fine, not a chance in hell I'm going to trust you; you're too much like me." He ignored surprised look on Tony's face as he reached up to lay a hand on the back of the younger man's neck, "but with everything else; yeah Tony, I trust you."
Tony looked into his boss's eye for a long second; seeing the truth reflected there brought a surge of happiness through him. Gibbs truly trusted him, not just to watch his six on the job, but as a friend. DiNozzo knew that he was about as comfortable with Gibbs showing emotion as Gibbs was; "Ducky, I think I might need a CT scan after all. I just hallucinated Gibbs complimenting me."
Jethro let out a playful growl that was anything but and gave his agent's neck a gentle shake; stopping when Tony's mischievous grin turned to a pained wince.
"Right, well it appears I have my work cut out for me then; off with the shirt my boy."
Ducky spent the next twenty minutes poking, prodding, taking x-rays, and generally tisking over the areas of rather impressive bruising on Tony's toned body. By the end of the exam, DiNozzo's eyes were barely open and he was swaying on the table from pure exhaustion. "Jethro, why don't you get young Anthony here settled on my couch while I get these radiographs developed."
"Don't need any help," Tony mumbled as he pushed himself off the table, and continued straight down to the floor.
Gibbs grabbed his arm in time to slow his descent some; "yeah, I can see that." The sarcasm practically dripped from his voice. He gently pulled the injured man to his feet, his tone softening with genuine affection, "let's go DiNozzo."
At that point Tony decided it simply wasn't worth keeping up the act any longer, not like Gibbs and Ducky were buying it anyway. Besides he deserved a little sympathy damn it; it'd been a long day- he was tired, his entire body hurt like hell and he'd been pushed out of a plane. Yup, a little sympathy was definitely in order, especially since he had a couple of people- no, friends- that appeared more than willing to give it. This 'snap' decision took him the entire length of the morgue to make and he finally allowed Gibbs to take more of his weight just as the older man was lowering him onto the antique couch in Ducky's office.
Jethro watched with concern as Tony shifted restlessly several times before apparently finding a comfortable position; when he finally settled down Gibbs tucked the old hand-made afghan around him, making sure that his agent's bruised and swollen ankle was elevated and well covered. Satisfied that everything was as it should be, Gibbs settled in to the desk chair a few feet away for what he knew would be a bit of a wait.
"Get some sleep, Tony."
"On it-" he broke off into a wide yawn, "-boss."
A few minutes later Gibbs wasn't surprised to find a half open eye still gazing in his direction, "I'm not going anywhere, Tony. Now get some sleep; that's an order." He was just able to make out the surprised yet grateful look as the green eye slid closed.