A/N: To all the awesome people who reviewed the story: You guys rock my socks off!
Tony sighed as he sipped his bottle of beer. He usually went to Charlie's Bar when he was feeling down, and this defiantly qualified. He couldn't believe he hadn't said anything! He felt like such an idiot. He should have just spilled, right there in the elevator. Even with Gibbs watching. The look on Ziva's face would have been enough to justify getting his ass kicked by his boss.
" Alone, DiNozzo?" Mike the bartender asked. The pale man adjusted his horn-rimmed glasses and took a swig of whisky from a glass he kept on hand at all times.
" Tonight, yeah." Tony replied.
" Aw. Another breakup?" Mike inquired, polishing a glass with his dirty dishrag. Tony gave a mournful smile.
" No. Someone I care about is going away." Tony stared into the ember depths of his beer. Mike gave him a sympathetic smile.
" How long?" He asked. Tony took a swig of beer, then answered,
" Just three days. But even a weekend is like a month without her." He knew it sounded cheesy, but it was true.
" Awww." Mike's pale eyes turned towards Tony, reading him. " You love her." It wasn't a question. It was a statement. Tony blinked, about to bat away the suggestion like an annoying fly.
" Uh." He hesitated. " Yeah…yeah, I do." Instead of growing lighter with this revelation, Tony felt like someone had heaped coal onto his heart.
" Then tell her, mate!" Mike's voice was tinged with a British accent. The result, he claimed, from living in London and working as a bar tender there.
" I can't." Tony replied, a little too quickly. Mike slammed the clean glass down.
" And why not?" He demanded. Tony grit his teeth before answering. " Because, we work together. Our boss would never allow it. And she's a crazy ninja assassin chick. She'd kick my ass."
Mike fixed him with a serious glare.
" Mate, you'd better tell her while you can. Before it's too late."
