Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS. Not even a little bit.

A/N: It's that thing...that I said was going to happen in this chapter! I do hope it does not disappoint.

Chapter Ten

The Excuse

Tony was nervous as they stepped off the elevator and made their way to Vance's office. He tried to make his movements look natural, despite the pain it caused his aching body. He needed Vance to believe that he was fine. He needed him to call off the investigation in Washington and give him the time off that he wanted. If he showed weakness or pain, he knew it wasn't going to happen. Sure, he could get medical, but that would only be more of a hassle. He'd have to see a doctor, get a physical, fill out a lot of paperwork and have to cooperate with the investigation into what had happened. He didn't want that. He just wanted the time off to heal up.

"Director Vance is expecting you," the receptionist said when they approached her desk. "Go on in."

Tony watched Jethro open the door, took a deep breath, and then followed him into the office. Vance looked up at them as they approached his desk, and Tony stood in front of him and tried to look like he wasn't slowly being tortured. Jethro stood beside him, offering support.

"Agent DiNozzo," Director Vance spoke, looking up at them. "You gave your co-workers in the Northwest office quite the scare yesterday. They thought you'd been abducted."

"I regret not making my intentions clear," Tony responded, sliding his mask onto his face with little difficulty- with the familiar work environment pressing around him, it was easy to pretend all was well. "I was a mess the other night. My father was admitted into the hospital, and I got the call and freaked out little bit. He's the only family I have, and I went a little crazy when I heard he was in such poor shape. I should have called A.D. Walther, but it was late and I was upset. I meant to call yesterday morning, but I was at the hospital all day."

It was a lie, but Tony was a good liar, and Vance didn't know him and his familial situation enough to be able to call him on it. He felt a bit guilty for lying, sure, but that wasn't his top concern at the moment.

Vance evaluated him for a moment as he tapped his long fingertips onto the desk in front of him.

"And now you want to use your vacation time to take some time off?" Vance finally asked.

"Yes. I need to be with my father right now. I'm all he has, and he needs somebody to look after him. I have some comp time I could use as well. I've filled out the paperwork." Jethro handed over the papers he'd carried into the office for Tony, and Vance took them.

A moment of reviewing them, and Tony knew Vance couldn't say that he didn't have the time to take off. At least a month of comp time, that was for sure, and another for vacation. Eight weeks was enough for his wounds to heal. Eight weeks, he'd decided was the perfect amount of time to come up with some kind of plan.

Eventually Vance agreed to let him take the time off with a written reprimand in his file for failing to contact his senior agent before disappearing. Tony had taken the reprimand, knowing he could have been fired on the spot, and followed Jethro out of the office. They parted ways in the lobby, Jethro putting him in a cab bound for home with a wad of cash to pay for it and order take out for lunch. Tony had wanted to kiss him, but knew it was a very bad idea. There were far too many people around to see, and he'd already escaped being fired that day, so he got in the cab and waved as they drove away.

A/N: It's short, I know (aren't they all?), and there was no blow out with Vance as was expected, but I will say that this is not the last meeting Tony will have with the Director, and that meeting may not go as smoothly as this one.

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