Tony could have passed out of bare relief when he saw his dad's car was missing in the driveway. His dad never went anywhere without that car, and he sure as hell wasn't home if the car wasn't there. He went around back and found the side door that led directly into the kitchen. It was only the housekeeping that would use it, and now Tony, since it was the only door where there was a spare key laying outside.
Tony typed in the code to the alarm, and couldn't help smiling at the thought of what would happen if his dad decided to change the code. The smile disappeared fast enough, at the thought of what his dad would do when he came back finding his house surrounded by police and his only son standing in the middle with a cocky smile on his face. He would go ballistic And Tony wouldn't be able to go outside for days. His face would be too many colors for that.
Tony just entered the living room. Eyeing the piano in the corner, debating whether or not to go to it. He always ended up at it when he was home. Not this time though.
He somehow managed to justify going to bed before five and crawled under the covers in his old room. The housekeeper would probably be surprised if she found the bed unmade, and Tony made a mental note about making the bed before he left. He closed his eyes, already now knowing that he was in for a restless night.
Sure enough. Gibbs showed up with his partner, banging on the door early in the morning. Tony jumped out of his father's study. His heart pumping in his chest. He threw out the rest of an apple and went to open the door. Stopping his swearing before he stood face to face with Gibbs again. A small flicker of surprise on the man's face, made Tony wonder if he had expected Tony's dad to open the door.
"NCIS" Gibbs said "Can we come in?"
Tony looked at Johnson who stared at him, and he leaned on the door "I would prefer you not to" Gibbs raised an eyebrow and looked back at his partner.
"I see" Gibbs fished a notepad up and flipped to an empty page. He started noting down things, and Tony realized that he actually had no idea what to answer to any questions. Tony crossed his arms, still leaning up the door "Can't I just resist talking to you?"
Gibbs raised an eyebrow and looked up at the boy "It is not like we are asking anything"
"No," Tony said and looked at the clock that was hanging in the hallway "But I am running late" It was almost true. It would take him longer to get to his school, but he wasn't late by any means, though if he didn't get out the door soon, he was going to run into the housekeeper. And he would like to avoid that.
"Well you are not under arrest, so you don't have to say anything"
"So I should just stand here, saying nothing?"
"Sounds like a good idea" Tony sent Johnson a look that could kill, but Gibbs stepped in between them "We will get out of your hair now" He reached down in his pocket and handed Tony a card "If you think of anything else" Tony just raised one eyebrow at the man. It wasn't like he didn't already have his number. "I give it to everyone"
Gibbs then turned around and almost walked into a middle-aged lady, none of them had seen coming. Or at least Tony was about to jump out of his good skin, seeing the women that had always been in the house.
"Señor Anthony"
Tony smiled at the women, but wished Gibbs would stop looking at them, she walked up to him.
"Hi Maria, excuse me, I have to go to school" Tony smiled at the woman but made sure he was out of the door before she could catch him in it. There was nothing she could do about the fact he didn't really live there anymore. She knew it, and he knew it. To be honest, even if his dad ordered him to start living there again, he would probably just stop coming altogether. Gibbs kept looking at him, as he practically ran out of the driveway, cursing himself for not just going and blaming it on Gibbs for being late. Though the older man would probably slap him for that.
Tony stopped in his driveway. He frowned as he looked at a car farther down the road. Just parked there. At the side of the road. This wasn't exactly a neighborhood where people just left their cars by the road. They drove them into their big driveways, locked behind their iron gates. Tony was pretty sure he had never actually seen a car just parked there.
He left it at that. Turning around and walking the other way. He had to keep going for about 15 minutes before hitting the bus stop, which he first realized now, he didn't have any money for. He would just have to sneak on it. Again.
The black government-issued car speed up and drove past him. Disappearing behind a corner. Tony didn't feel good. And before he could stop himself, he had taken another pill. Dry swallowing it.
He rounded the corner and looking at another parked car. Mumbling to himself, about how his old neighborhood was gonna be looking like the one, he was currently living in. He had almost passed the other car, before he realized it was the government-issued car that had driven past him, only a few seconds ago.
The window at the passenger seat was rolled down, and Tony looked at Johnson, just being able to skim Gibbs behind the wheel.
"Want a ride, kid?" Johnson looked like he swallowed bleach as the words left Gibbs' mouth, and it left Tony wondering what he had actually done to piss off the man so much.
"Not really"
Gibbs turned his head and looked at Tony, who realized it hadn't been a question as much as an order.
"get in the car, kid"
Tony signed and opened the passenger side door. Sliding in on the seat and preparing himself for the ride ahead of them. Driving with Gibbs should be an extreme sport.
"Did you see the car, parked down the street from your house?"
Tony frowned again. Yeah, he had seen it, but why was Gibbs asking.
"yeah"
"Good, it belongs to a runner for Russo" They both knew what a runner was, but Tony couldn't help but smile at the question mark forming on Johnson's face. And he couldn't help himself:
"A runner is someone that does errands for the boss, small things. Are you sure you are a special agent?"
Johnson hissed at Tony, but Gibbs didn't correct him. "Actually," the older man said in a very matter of fact voice "he is a probationary agent"
"ohhh" Tony said, smiling and leaning forward "And what does that mean, probationary agent Johnson?" Johnsons was about to snap at the kid, but Gibbs held up a hand, about to say something. Though Tony didn't hear it. He got distracted by the ringing of his phone, and the fact he didn't know the number calling. Gibbs slowed down the car, looking at the kid in the rearview mirror, Tony suddenly felt unsure as to what to do.
"Pick it up," Gibbs growled. Tony pressed the green bottom and lifted it to his ear.
"Yeah, Tony?"
He listened to something on the other end. Shifting in his seat and replying with a short 'mmhh'
Gibbs didn't miss how his body stiffened up at the words either. He hung up the phone, looking at Gibbs, then Johnson, and back at Gibbs.
"I am supposed to meet a guy at 7 pm, we are picking up a shipment and then driving it to some lairs"
Gibbs smirked as he speed up. Looking at Johnson, who did his best at avoiding the gaze. Tony almost felt bad for him. Almost.
"good" Gibbs said "you're in"