Again, thanks for all the reviews and PM's. This chapter is short I know, but I'm still writing the next as we speak. Plus this was a perfect place to stop :)

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Stepping out of the shower, Tony quickly dried off, rubbed the towel over his head a few times, then wrapped it around his waist. Opening the door, he switched off the light, and stopped in the door way when he saw Gibbs standing by the end of the bed staring at him.

"This your idea of getting back at me?" Gibbs asked.

Tony cocked his head. "And what exactly would I be getting back at you for?"

Gibbs rolled his eyes. "So what, this is just to mess with my head?"

Tony shook his head and took the last step to place himself directly in front of Gibbs. His green eyes fixed on cold blue.

Gibbs' arm shot out and grabbed Tony by the back of the neck jerking him forward. "What do you want from me?" He growled, his eyes dancing back and forth between Tony's eyes and full lips.

"You regret it didn't happen again." Tony said licking his lips. "You wanted it to happen again."

"Of course I did." Gibbs hissed through gritted teeth, yanking Tony forward their noses brushing against each other. "I wanted you that next morning when I woke up."

"And weeks after that, months, years." Tony's hands clawed up Gibbs' chest. "You still wanted me?"

Glaring into those emerald eyes, Gibbs shook his head. "So that's why you did this, to prove a point? Prove that I still want you?"

"No." Tony tipped his head, his lips almost touching Gibbs'. "I wanted you know how much I still want you."

Gibbs tried to ignore the waves of want and desire assaulting him from the younger man's mind, but instead of causing the same reaction in himself, it ignited more anger. He grabbed Tony's wrists and shoved the younger man away. "I remember what happens when you want something."

Tony's brow furrowed baffled by the anger. "What the hell does that mean?"

Shaking his head, Gibbs snickered. "Come on Tony, you know exactly what I mean."

Mouth falling open slightly, Tony's eye filled with shock. "Wow, you really think that about me?" It wasn't words that struck him but a sense of what Gibbs was thinking.

"Hard not to isn't it?" Gibbs glared remembering that Tony had started it that night so many years ago. "You walked out that morning, without a word. And you've walked out on everyone else since then. You get what you want and leave."

The anger flared inside Tony, his green eyes turning black with rage. When his fist made contact with Gibbs' chin, at first he thought it was some kind of dream. But when the pain shot up to the wound on his arm, he realized he'd actually done it.

Gibbs rubbed his chin. "Truth hurts."

"Truth!" Tony laughed angrily. "And what about your truth? Three ex-wives, all replacement for Shannon because you can't let her go, can't allow yourself to love someone again because that would be defiling her precious memory." There was only one thing that could get a reaction from Gibbs quicker than a punch and that was invoking Shannon's name.

Gibbs eyes narrowed. "At least I tried, what did you do? Started a big black book of your conquests. Did it make you feel better, using women and tossing them aside?" He took a half step towards Tony. "Or are you just following in daddy's footsteps." Just like Tony, he knew exactly what to say to get a reaction.

"This from a man that didn't speak to his father for what fifteen years and still can't be in the same room with him for more than ten minutes before they start arguing!" Bringing up Shannon and Jack, Tony was pulling out the big guns.

"Really?" Gibbs shook his head. "You wanna go toe to toe with me on Daddy issues?"

"Fuck you!" Tony yelled.

"You wish!" Gibbs barked sarcastically.

Tony's hands balled into fist as the urge to punch Gibbs again overwhelmed him.

"Go ahead!" It didn't take the implant for Gibbs to know Tony wanted to hit him again. "I'd rather you punch me to take out your frustration, than to go through you jacking off thinking about me again."

"Don't worry, I won't be thinking of you next time." Tony smirked sarcastically.

Gibbs immediately sensed the woman Tony was thinking of and he shook his head. "I'll make sure to send her over her tomorrow. You and Barbie will make a great pair, at least for the week it will last."

"At least I'm actually getting some. When was the last time you got laid?" As soon as the words left his mouth, it struck him and his eyes went wide. "Seriously?" Tony was shocked. Gibbs had slept with her, just a few weeks ago.

"If you hoped I was so hard up that your little performance would make me jump into bed with you, you were wrong." Gibbs turned to leave the room.

"Of course you'd see it as a performance." Tony laughed. "You hate it that you want me."

Gibbs stopped. "No. I hate that you think all I want is sex." He glanced over his shoulder. "And that you'd be okay with that."

Tony opened his mouth to speak, countless responses running through his mind, but only one word came out as understanding set in. "Gibbs."

Continuing out of the bedroom, Gibbs just kept going.

Tony heard the front door open then slam shut. Dropping down onto the bed, he put his head in his hands. That's what Gibbs was trying to hide, not the want...but the love.


Stepping out into the cold night air, he felt the chill and it took a little of the heat of his anger away. Leaning against the brick of the apartment building he dropped his head back and closed his eyes.

Why did he said that, why did he said any of it? The answer was easy, because he was angry. Angry at Tony for starting this, angry at himself for confronting Tony about it and angry that he let it get to him. But then he never expected Tony to mentally try and seduce him! It would have been so easy to give in, to let it happen, to take Tony with all the unmet want and need he's had all these years. But he couldn't do that to himself. He couldn't have Tony for another one night stand or a few weeks, only to have Tony walk away again. He couldn't handle another loss. He knew Tony would find out that he still wanted him, but what he tried so desperately to hide behind the mental walls was the love.

Tony wasn't wrong. He had always hid behind Shannon's memory to stop himself from falling in love again, but that didn't work with Tony. In all honesty, he fell in love with Tony before that night together, he just didn't want to admit it. After that night, part of him thought maybe, just maybe it was more than just sex. Then Tony walked out that morning and he knew, knew it was sex and nothing more, at least for Tony.

If it had just been sex for him, he would have sleep with Tony again years ago, but love...that changes everything. Casual sex with the man you love, not an option.

Another tenant entering the apartment building glanced at him, but his harsh glare made the man hurry inside. He rolled his eyes. Great freak out the neighbors and the cops will be rolling up. Try and explain this one to the cops. The only reason he hadn't actually left was he promised Abby he wouldn't. He could sleep in the truck, wouldn't be the first time. That way he'd be nearby, hopefully close enough that neither of them would have to deal with the headaches and nausea.

Reaching into his coat pocket his hand touched soft fabric where his keys should have been. "Shit!" He tried the other pocket, nothing. Tony's night stand, he'd rushed into the apartment and tossed them there. "Son of a bitch!"