I don't normally do this but since I actually almost cried writting this. You may want to have tissues near by for this chapter.
Gibbs pulled into the parking lot of his Senior Field Agent's apartment complex. Tony had been staying with Jimmy because of a leak at his apartment but Tony's place was easier to get to Stillwater from than Jimmy's. He was taking Tony to Stillwater to help his dad paint his store. He had an ulterior motive of hoping that Tony would open up to Jack about whatever was wrong with him. Tony had been acting strange lately and seemed to have at least one new bruise every day that he always had a different excuse for. Tony wouldn't talk to him but maybe he would open up to Jack. He saw Tony standing on the sidewalk his backpack slung over his shoulders and he had another bag in his right hand. Jimmy was standing to his right shifting nervously from foot to foot. He pulled into the space nearest Tony. Tony opened the door with his left hand and climbed in.
"You are aware it's only a two day trip right?" Gibbs asked eyeing the bag in Tony's hand.
"It's my nebulizer." Tony explained.
"You having trouble?" Gibbs asked.
"Nah but if I'm going to be breathing paint fumes I figured I should have it." Tony explained.
"DiNozzo I made sure my dad got the best masks possible and you will be wearing one or you will be in the hospital." Gibbs explained.
"I don't think my lungs would act up that much from painting Boss." Tony replied.
"I'm not talking about your lungs." Gibbs replied.
"Right" Tony replied
"Hey T are you sure you want to go?" Jimmy asked leaning his head in the window.
"Yeah Palmer" Tony replied.
McGee was alone in his apartment Friday evening. He was relieved that the team had the weekend off even more relieved that Gibbs hadn't asked him to go to Stillwater with him. He didn't have anything against his job or Jack he was just still feeling kind of off and he absolutely hated painting. He didn't have much food in his apartment since he hadn't gone to the grocery store since he got sick. So he ordered some Chinese from the usual place looking forward to Tony not stealing it, Ziva not gagging over it, and Gibbs not eating the two day old unrefrigerated leftovers.
"Ah the many joys of having the weekend off." He ought hanging up the phone.
About five minutes later he heard someone knocking on his door.
"Hmm that arrived quick." He thought answering the door.
He answered the door instead of finding a delivery man on the other side of the door he found Agent James Ramirez. Ramirez was kind of a friend of McGee's except Ramirez always acted like he and McGee were way closer than they actually were. Sure they did go out for drinks after work on a fairly regular basis, Ramirez was always down to play videogames, and nice to vent to when Tony drove him crazy. That being said McGee's bond with Tony was much stronger.
"Oh hey Ramirez." McGee greeted.
"Hi McGee." Ramirez replied.
"Can't talk long I have dinner coming." McGee explained.
"Oh I just stopped by. Hey where is Agent DiNozzo this weekend?" Ramirez asked.
"Since we have the weekend off Gibbs went up to Stillwater to help his dad paint his store this weekend and he took Tony with him." McGee explained.
"Doesn't it make you mad that Gibbs picked Tony over you to go to Stillwater with him?" Ramirez asked.
"Not really I hate painting and besides I am still feeling kind of bad from when I was sick last week. Not to mention Tony, Gibbs, and Jack have this sort of bond." McGee explained.
"Doesn't it bother you that Gibbs and Tony have a bond and you and he don't?" Ramirez asked.
"Nah Gibbs loves me like a son but there is something special between him and Tony it's kind of sweet actually." McGee explained.
"Well if you say so." Ramirez replied skeptically.
"Hey it is." McGee assured.
"Speaking of Tony he isn't in his apartment at all this week where is he?" Ramirez asked.
"Poor guy said something about a pipe burst place is flooded and to make matters worse something is wrong with the breaks on his car thank God Jimmy noticed the puddle under the car. I hate to think what could have happened if he had driven that car." McGee explained.
After leaving McGee's apartment Ramirez walked back to his car, drove about a block away, and called Kline.
"I talked to McGee." Ramirez explained.
"Did DiNozzo get the little present we left for him?" Kline asked.
"No that stupid Palmer somehow caught that we had cut his breaks." Ramirez replied.
"Well where he is staying with Palmer except this weekend he is with Gibbs in Stillwater." Ramirez explained.
"Dammit!" Kline yelled.
"Don't worry Palmer is a weak baby this time next week DiNozzo will be dead and NCIS will be so much better." Ramirez assured.
Gibbs and Tony made it to Stillwater in four hours including a stop at Gibbs's favorite diner for a quick dinner. Tony was relieved to be there for the weekend. Even if it was only for a couple days it would be nice to be away from Ramirez and Kline. He wore a turtle-neck to hide the bruises on his neck from Kline's strangling. He was starting to get scared. He was almost certain that those two were going to kill him.
"Hey dad" Gibbs greeted.
"Jack!" Tony cried
"Great to see you Leroy you too Tony." Jack replied.
"Well I'm gonna hit the hay." Gibbs said.
"Already what am I supposed to do?" Tony asked.
"Talk to my dad." Gibbs replied.
"Yeah Tony you can talk to me about anything." Jack replied.
Tony thought about telling Jack except unlike Jimmy Jack wouldn't fall for Tony's ultimatum about not being his friend anymore and tell Gibbs. Jack probably wouldn't think he was weak but Gibbs would. What if they had a fight over it? Their relationship was still rocky and he didn't to be responsible for a falling out.
"Hey Jack I think I am going to go to bed too." Tony said.
"You sure it is still pretty early for a young man like yourself." Jack replied.
"I'm pretty tired and we have to be up pretty early tomorrow." Tony replied.
Jack watched as Tony walked towards the guest room. He was disappointed Tony didn't open up to him. He wanted nothing more than to help that boy. Especially after seeing how much pain he seemed to be in. At first he thought that Leroy was just being paranoid but after seeing Tony he realized that he was actually playing Tony's pain down. Jack decided to go to bed to since everybody else was asleep there was no point to stay awake. As he past the room Tony was staying in he heard the cries.
"No! Please no! Stop it hurts so bad!" Tony cried.
Jack thought about just going to bed anyway and ask Leroy about it in the morning but when Tony started to sob. Jack knew he couldn't ignore Tony's pain. He walked into the room and shook Tony awake.
"Tony son wake-up you were having a nightmare." Jack whispered.
"Hmm?" Tony asked.
"You were crying in your sleep." Jack explained.
"Oh I was? I'm sorry." Tony whispered.
"No it's OK son it happens. Do you want to talk about it? I mean is something bothering you?" Jack asked.
"No it's fine it was just a nightmare." Tony explained.
"Well if you are sure then just get some sleep kid." Jack replied.
Jack stood up and left the room leaving Tony laying in bed his eyes wide with fear.
"Thanks so much for helping out boys. Call me when you get back Leroy let me know you're safe." Jack said when Tony and Gibbs were leaving Sunday afternoon.
"No problem and I will." Gibbs replied.
"By Jack thanks for letting me come." Tony said.
"No problem son I love seeing you." Jack replied.
"I wish I could stay here I'm not looking forward to tomorrow." Tony said as him and Gibbs left Stillwater.
"Oh yeah why?" Gibbs asked hopefully.
"It's Monday and I am kind of burned out." Tony explained.
"Oh yeah well how bout you put in for some vacation time and spend it with my dad he'd love that." Gibbs replied.
"Like Vance would give me time off." Tony muttered.
"Couldn't help to ask." Gibbs replied.
"Don't forget to drop me off at Jimmy's." Tony said.
"They still haven't fixed the leak at your place?" Gibbs asked.
"They have now they have to paint and change the carpet." Tony explained.
"Hey you want to crash at my place?" Gibbs asked.
"Nah I'd hate to bother you." Tony replied.
"You wouldn't bother me." Gibbs assured.
He watched his agent in the rearview mirror neither him nor Jack could get Tony to open up so he decided that he would get the team and Vance together and force whatever was bothering him out of Tony. Little did he know that tomorrow would be too late for his son.
OK not sure how many chapters I will post this week since it is due the fifth. Thanks for reading please review.
