Tony stormed into the men's bathroom by the bullpen and stood by the mirror as he rested his hands on the sink. He tried his best to calm his breathing but when he changed into his full form, it took a toll on him. He was tired and achy from the change. The bathroom door opened and locked. Tony turned to see Gibbs as he leaned against the door. "What do you want?" Tony seethed. Gibbs crossed his arms and waited for Tony to lose his attitude. "I'm fine. I'll be out in a minute to help." Tony muttered as he turned on the faucet and splashed water over his face. Gibbs sighed.

"I don't want you working this case if you don't feel comfortable." Gibbs said gently. Tony turned to face him after he dried his face off.

"I'll be just fine boss." Tony said flatly. Gibbs nodded and unlocked the door before he left the room. Tony sighed and looked at himself in the mirror. His forked tongue was still present and he sighed. "Whatever...I like the tongue." Tony muttered as he stuck it out. He left the bathroom and walked into the bullpen.

"McGee, work on phone records and credit card statements. Kate, bring that footage to Abby, you two can work together on it. Dinozzo, I want you to do a background check on Jest and his wife. I'll be back, gonna talk to Ducky." Gibbs ordered and everyone got to work. Gibbs walked to the elevator with Kate as they waited for it.

"Are you and Tony okay?" Kate asked as the elevator door opened. Both of them stepped in and Gibbs nodded. "I've never seen either of you get so angry. Nor change like that." Kate admitted and Gibbs nodded.

"It was different for both of us." Gibbs muttered and Kate nodded. The elevator door opened and Kate stepped off.

"Talk to him. Make sure he's okay." Kate said before the doors closed. Gibbs nodded and stepped off the elevator as it stopped at autopsy. He walked into the room and towards the table Ducky and Palmer worked at with Jest.

"What do we got Duck?" Gibbs asked and Ducky sighed.

"I'm afraid that we have a problem. This might have been an act of hatred Jethro." Ducky said as he lifted the cloth that covered the groin area. Jest's privates were cut off. Gibbs opened his mouth to speak but closed it. "We know he was involved with Tony, and we also found this little book in his clothing. Had names of men that he has had intercourse with Jethro." Ducky said sadly.

"Tony's name was in there wasn't it?" Gibbs asked and Ducky sighed softly.

"I'm afraid so. Abigail has the book Jethro. The cause of death of poor Mr. Jest was a wound to the head. But there's something peculiar about this wound. It was close range, maybe a few feet in front of the man." Ducky explained and Gibbs furrowed his brow.

"What's so strange about that?" Gibbs asked and Ducky lifted the man's head.

"We thought it was a gun shot wound due to the casing found at the house. But there's no exit wound, and for being a close shot there should have been. Now I have not looked too close to the wound quite yet, but it seems to me that the skin is slightly reddened around the wound, light a burn mark. I shall keep looking though." Ducky said and Gibbs nodded. "Go talk with Abigail about the book." Ducky said as he continued to work. Gibbs left and went up to Abby next. He covered his ears as the loud music assaulted his ears.

"Abs!" He shouted and Abby turned around with a sheepish smile. She turned her music off this time and Gibbs nodded. "What do you got for me Abs?" He asked and Abby sighed.

"It's sad Gibbs. Jest was murdered because he was bisexual. His murderer I believe thought he was gay due to the little black book." Abby started off and Gibbs nodded. "I matched his writing in checks to the black book and it's a match, so it's definitely his. Gibbs..." She paused and Gibbs looked at her. "Tony was in it." She said softly and Gibbs nodded.

"I know Abs." He said sadly. "What else ya got?" He asked softly and Abby nodded.

"Right. Well, his skin does not have any residue from the gun that would've been used so he was not shot, but I did get a ding on something else. Chloroform. Whoever murdered him, knocked him out first with chloroform before they killed him. Now, Jimmy sent me samples of the wound itself, and he was not shot, but burned." She rambled and Gibbs furrowed his brow.

"Burned by what Abby?" Gibbs asked and Abby clicked around on her computer until a picture showed up. "A wood burner?" Gibbs asked and Abby nodded.

"Not just any wood burner, but a Walnut Hollow Creative Versa Tool. One of the most expensive of it's kind. So I was goona look into who've bought this tool recently..." She paused as she looked it up in the archives. She put a hand over her mouth.

"What Abs?" Gibbs asked.

"The only person who bought this tool recently was Tony." Abby said sadly. Gibbs put a hand over his mouth.

"That's impossible Abby. He didn't even know Aaron was dead, someone must have stole it from him." Gibbs reasoned and Abby nodded.

"Yeah, Tony wouldn't do something like this." Abby said.

"Hey Abby I need to ask you to do...a favor.." Tony said as he walked into the lab. Both Abby and Gibbs looked at him seriously for a moment. "What?" He asked. Abby moved to the side and Tony furrowed his brow when he saw his face on the screen.

"You were the only person in the DC area that bought the murder weapon recently." Abby said quietly and Tony shook his head.

"My wood burner was the murder weapon?" Tony asked and Abby nodded. He looked to Gibbs and then Abby. "That's not even possible! I wouldn't murder anyone! You have to believe me guys!" Tony pleaded and Gibbs put a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Relax Tony. We're gonna figure this out. Conference room. Thanks Abby." Gibbs said softly as he walked out with Tony close behind him. Once they got in the elevator, Gibbs stopped it between floors. "Dinozzo you better have a damn good explanation." Gibbs warned and Tony groaned.

"Dammit Gibbs I didn't do it! I was on my way to work this morning when Aaron was killed. No one was even there when I left except him. I-"

"Wait you were there this morning?" Gibbs seethed and Tony sighed but nodded.

"Aaron and I..hooked up last night. I left this morning around 0715 so I could get to work and shower. My wood burner is still there...and we both used it." Tony groaned and ran his hands down his face. "Dammit Gibbs I would never kill him!" Tony shouted and Gibbs ran a hand through his hair.

"Tony this is looking worse on you. You know you're a suspect now right?" Gibbs asked softly and Tony nodded slowly.

"Wait! Check the tapes! It would show me leaving!" Tony said and Gibbs pressed the button to go back to Abby's. Both men ran into her lab and she shrieked.

"What now!" She asked and Gibbs spoke first.

"Check the surveillance tapes. Rewind to 0715 this morning Abby." Gibbs ordered and she nodded as she pulled the video footage up. The camera pointed near Jest's house had a footage of a red Porsche leaving around that time. Abby zoomed in and saw it was Tony that left the house. At the entrance of the house was another man that waved goodbye.

"See! That's Aaron at the door. I'm the guy leaving! See I told you." Tony smirked and Gibbs shook his head lightly.

"Still doesn't explain how he is dead now. There's no one going in or out of the house after you left until we see the wife." Gibbs said. "She got there right around 0800 which is when he died." Gibbs paused. "She said she was there about eight o'clock." Gibbs mumbled.

"She couldn't have killed him that fast." Tony said.

"Especially with a wood burner. That would take too long." Abby said. She furrowed her brow and turned towards the table of evidence. She dug through all the bags.

"Abby what are you looking for?" Gibbs asked and she shushed him. He crossed his arms and waited.

"You guys didn't find the wood burner at the house?" She asked and Tony shook his head.

"No I would've recognized it." Tony said. She went back to the footage and fast forwarded to eight that morning and watched the footage. A woman walked up to the door and Abby paused it.

"I'm going to get facial recognition on this face to be sure." Abby said and Gibbs nodded.

"Thanks Abs." Gibbs kissed her cheek and left the lab with Tony. "Abby will clear your name Tony." Gibbs said and Tony nodded.

G&T

Tony walked to Gibbs' door and walked in. "Gibbs?" He yelled out.

"Down here Dinozzo." Gibbs said from the basement. Tony walked down the steps and sat down on the bottom step.

"I feel shitty about earlier today. At the crime scene." Tony admitted and Gibbs shrugged. "I was out of line." Tony added and Gibbs nodded.

"You were. But I was too." Gibbs said quietly. Tony shook his head.

"You were right. I shouldn't get myself personally involved in a case. Look where it got me. I was suspect for a good five minutes and I almost broke down in the middle of the bullpen." Tony chuckled softly and rubbed the back of his neck. "I want to back out of this case. I was a love interest of Aaron's and now he's dead because he wanted men. Who knows, maybe the killer is going after the men in that book. I could be ne-"

"Don't." Gibbs warned and Tony looked up. "You're not next." Gibbs said and he poured a bourbon for Tony. Tony nodded his thanks and gulped it down. Gibbs refilled it and Tony took a sip this time.

"You don't know that. I could be." Tony said sadly. Gibbs moved over to Tony and sat next to him.

"Not if I have anything to do about." Gibbs said and wrapped an arm around Tony's shoulder. Tony blushed lightly. God he's so close...Keep yourself together Tony Tony told himself. He took a deep breath and took a another swig of bourbon. "You keep drinking like that you'll be drunk in no time. Slow down." Gibbs said and Tony nodded.

"Thank you..." Tony mumbled. He stood up too fast and started to fall forward but Gibbs caught him. Gibbs back hit the wall at the end of the stairs with an 'oof' and Tony held on to him.

"Drunker than I thought." Gibbs chuckled softly. Tony cleared his throat and got out of Gibbs' grasp to get upstairs but failed again. He fell forward but he faced Gibbs this time. Gibbs caught him and looked down at Tony's light green eyes. "You need a cab or you're staying here." Gibbs said and Tony nodded. He leaned into Gibbs and kissed him on the mouth as he stood himself up. Tony moaned lightly but pulled away quickly.

"Oh God..." Tony's eyes turned black and he ran upstairs as quickly as he could to get away from Gibbs. He called a cab and waited outside. Gibbs stood in his spot as he felt his lips where Tony kissed them. Gibbs moved to one of the saw horses and sat down with a blank look on his face.

"Did he just kiss me?" Gibbs asked to himself.

G&T

Hello everyone! Chapter 3 has been finished. I hope you enjoyed it! Keep an eye out for chapter four.

XOXO,

Your Irish Friend