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

A/N: I'd just like to take a moment to let everybody who reviewed know that I appreciate it. I was not receiving review alerts yesterday, and it made it exceedingly difficult to respond to my reviewers (I can respond from my phone when they come to my e-mail, but my phone really hates logging into FF . net ). If I didn't respond to yours, I'm sorry, and hopefully it will not be a problem today.

Chapter Eleven

The Sex Talk

1 Month Later:

"That's not what I said," Jethro protested as he unlocked the front door and moved into the house.

"Those were your exact words," Tony snorted pausing only momentarily at the doorway to look around before entering the house and shrugging out of his jacket.

"Well, it's not what I meant," Jethro replied as he took the leather and hung it up on the coat rack with his own.

Tony laughed as he kicked off his shoes and headed into the living room. They'd been getting dinner, as Jethro insisted he needed to leave the house at some point, and on the way home Jethro had made a comment about the previous nights movie marathon they'd had with Abby in the upstairs bedroom. Of course Tony knew Jethro hadn't meant anything sexual by the comment about Abby sleeping in bed with them, but he'd had teased him with it anyway.

Jethro was right behind him, and the moment his butt hit the couch cushion, he was joined by Jethro, who leaned over to speak directly in his ear.

"The only sex I'm interested in having is with you," Jethro said before placing a soft kiss behind Tony's ear before leaning back into the couch.

Tony just smiled at him before grabbing the remote control off the coffee table and turning the television on. It had been easy falling into their old routine. Physically healed for the most part, their relationship wasn't as straining. Jethro wasn't looking at him like he could break with barely a touch. The mental damage, however, was not healed. Despite the fact that they both acknowledged the fact that they were firmly back together, they didn't have sex, they barely kissed, and Tony always made the first move when initiating physical contact, which wasn't very often. He barely left the house, usually being forced by Jethro when they did go out. They didn't invite guests over, aside from Abby, but she wouldn't have stayed away anyway.

"You okay?" Jethro asked half an hour later, and Tony glanced over at him.

"Fine, why?" Tony responded.

"You look…odd," Jethro replied, strumming his fingers against his thigh.

"I was just thinking," Tony shrugged turning back to the television.

"About what?" Jethro wondered.

"You," Tony said simply.

Jethro waited for him to continue, letting the minutes slip by as Tony looked at the television instead of at him.

"I don't want to have sex," Tony finally said without turning to look at his partner.

"We don't have to," Jethro assured him.

"I don't think I'll ever want to have sex again," Tony admitted, refusing to turn.

"Then I guess we'll never have sex again," Jethro shrugged.

Tony laughed.

"What? It's not like we're together just for sex," Jethro smiled. "Contrary to popular belief, I actually like your personality too."

"Nobody would believe you if you told them," Tony shook his head good naturedly.

"That's why I won't tell them. I can't have people thinking I'm soft." Jethro feigned horror at the words.

"That would be a nightmare," Tony agreed.

He gravitated closer to his partner after that, and cuddled against his chest as Jethro draped his arm down his torso. They stayed that way for a while, watching television and enjoying their company. Tony listened to Jethro's strong heartbeat, feeling comfortable and relaxed. Jethro was his again, and Jethro loved him, and Jethro would never hurt him. It was the way it should have been. It was the way it was before he'd gotten the stupid idea to go off to Washington.

"Bed," Jethro announced some time later, taking the remote from where it had fallen between them and shutting off the television he'd brought down from the bedroom four weeks earlier.

"Sheesh, I didn't realize I had a bedtime," Tony sighed as he stood up from the couch.

"Oh hush," Jethro replied.

They may not have had sex, or done anything sexual at all, but they lay in bed together, arms wrapped around each other until they fell asleep.

A/N: It's short, but I like this chapter. It lets you in a little more on Tony's mental state.

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