Advancement
Regardless of the facts, though, should anyone suggest aloud that his senior field agent considered him a father, or even viewed him as a father, Jethro categorically denied it. Not for some years did he even admit to himself, honestly, that he occupied that role and had done since shortly after Tony joined the agency.
Still, he easily discerned that his approval meant everything to the kid.
That Dinozzo realized he could count on him was not news to Jethro, nor was the fact that everyone else realized Gibbs was the absolutely only person capable of making Tony obey or fall in line, even against his own wishes.
Months later in another case Tony landed into the clutches of a woman bent upon enacting revenge from a group of servicemen who had attempted to smuggle human cargo from the Philippines.
The team's investigation into the crime led Dinozzo straight to her, though at the time, they had set their sights on another man, certain they had identified the murderer.
Determined to halt their progress and finish her mission of annihilating all of the men involved, she drugged and imprisoned the agent. Not only was he in the way, but also a victim to being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Once he grasped Dinozzo was in danger, Gibbs stormed into solving the kidnapping with single minded fury and concentration. Formulating, investigating, and discarding one lead after another he kept reminding himself that in the last hours he had spent with the young agent, he had treated him with nothing but impatience. Though snappish during whole sections of the workday, his behavior of late had surpassed that.
Guilt stabbed him as he barked orders, analyzed leads, and pieced together the facts once they surfaced.
But terror gripped him as well, clawed at him and ignited a fear deep down in his soul that he would find him too late, that he would fail him, and that he would pinpoint the location and then discover Tony dead.
Rubbing temples throbbing from stress as precious hours passed with no contact, he prayed that Tony's faith in him would prove correct.
For the first time in years he wanted to deserve the trust given by another person.
Less than a month after he had hired him Jethro blasted Tony after the kid made himself a target for an escaped convict so that Gibbs could enact an ambush. They got the bad guy in the end, but Jethro lit into Tony at the top of his voice, a blistering reprimand that lasted nearly five full minutes.
All the while Dinozzo stayed silent, hands balled in pockets, and alternated by either meeting his infuriated team leader's gaze, or clenching his jaw and focusing upon other areas of the agency.
Finally exhausted from the torrent of angry words, Gibbs sucked in a deep breath and demanded rhetorically, "Do you think you finally comprehend what I have just spent all this time getting straight? Do I need to repeat myself to you or maybe just point you towards the exit door?"
Jaw still clenched, Tony flinched at both the tone and the implication, which Jethro witnessed as his angry words manifested themselves upon the boy's expression.
The stark look of devastation ricocheted and Jethro experienced a feeling of unbearable failure. He reached out and put his hand onto Tony's shoulder, finally clearing his throat and concluding with a gentler tone, "You scared me today. Your life means more to me than some dirtbag's. Don't take a chance like that again."
Disbelief, embarrassment, relief, and fear crossed over Tony's face but he answered firmly, "Yes sir, I've got it, and no, you do not have to repeat yourself to me."
His green eyes met his boss's blue ones.
Jethro squeezed his shoulder, turned loose, and wagging a finger, motioned Tony to follow him to the floor below.
Trailing a couple of steps behind, Dinozzo offered softly, "Boss, you know that I knew you would get to me. Inside myself, I mean, I have no doubt that you will find me."
Yes, Leroy Jethro Gibbs most definitely would.
He got to him in time during that death defying situation, and he brought him back safely from the human trafficking case.
Despite the fact that he acted nonchalant about securing Tony's release and saving his life, Tony pressed and pestered Gibbs until his mentor admitted that Tony was irreplaceable.
Within days of his hiring, Tony had studied and analyzed every nuance of Jethro's personality. His psychological homework proved advantageous, since he harbored no problem in reading his boss after that.
More from years of playing sports under some razor sharp demanding coaches, Dinozzo especially possessed a healthy respect for his boss's temper, and generally went out of his way to fly under his supervisor's radar.
Still, though, just like the fictitious Peter Pan, his child like perspective would surface and manifest itself into questionable behavior at times, forcing Gibbs to react not as team leader, but as a parent would when confronted with a child's blatant transgression.
For example, at the height of their search for a terrorist they still had not identified with an actual name or occupation, a fact which frustrated and tormented Gibbs, Tony lit off to pursue an attractive female he had encountered while jogging.
His boss, incredulous and furious, seethed, and once Tony finally resurfaced Jethro tore him out of the frame with a blistering tirade, a consequence and response to the immature behaviour.
It worked that day, and left Tony so chastened that he tiptoed around Gibbs for days afterwards.
Still unfortunately, the young man managed to bring down Jethro's wrath on his head every couple of months.
After witnessing the team leader chastise the agent once again when Tony lifted Jethro's cell phone to check outgoing calls, Ducky chided Gibbs later. "You have no reason to think you are redirecting him permanently with that type of response, Jethro. Still, he needs a consequence from you."
Jethro turned an annoyed expression in Ducky's direction.
The doctor continued his counsel. "Good man, do see that your interaction with him actually grounds Anthony, secures him in an inexplicable way? From the little that I have gathered concerning his family life, he managed to rear himself from the point at which his mother died. You know that his father disappeared for months on end and left Tony with no sense of security. As his boss, and as his surrogate parent, young Anthony needs interaction with you and from you, Jethro, even if some of that proves unpalatable to him."
Irritated at Ducky's insight, which he knew to be on target, Jethro shrugged off the words with a dismissive gesture. At heart, though, he agreed with the assessment.
Nevertheless, he reminded himself, he certainly did not sign on an agent to acquire someone dependent upon him.
Nope, his life as a solitary, untethered Marine sniper turned law enforcer had fulfilled him the past years and would continue to give him satisfaction.
That was all he needed- that, and his job as an agent, and his after hours life in his basement.
Unable to compose a good comeback for the medical examiner Jethro countered, "Since you are such an expert, why don't you make Dinozzo your project?"
"Absolutely not," Dr. Mallard answered with finality. "He needs you, Jethro. I have nothing to offer him. Have you not listened to a word I uttered these past minutes?"
Still not willing to concede, Jethro rubbed his chin. "Ok, well let's just not blow things out of proportion. He has stayed with me a few times because I can't trust him out of my sight when it comes to his health."
"Certainly," Ducky smirked. "That makes perfect sense. However, what about that two weeks around Christmas? If I recall, young Anthony's health appeared robust."
Gibbs shot his friend an irritated glance. "Apparently you have conveniently forgotten that last December shattered the record temps in D.C., and also that Dinozzo ranks as low man on the totem pole of government pay scales. No way could he have afforded to heat that apartment of his through that month."
Instead of taking advantage of the opportunity to rub in his point, Ducky decided upon mercy and instead, grinned. "I do recognize the young man's struggles, Jethro, and I sympathize with your plight. Something about the lad just tugs at any vestiges of protection I have."
Shaking his head, Gibbs met his friend's gaze, started to respond, then decided against it. Grinning instead, he gulped a swallow of coffee.