Chapter Five

The next morning Gibbs deliberately arrived a few minutes early at Tony's apartment.

"Hey Boss, almost ready." Tony was dressed in suit pants and a casual shirt, his jacket slung over the back of the chair. "Just let me clean my teeth."

Gibbs appraised him. Tony was still pale, but there was more colour in his face and his eyes were clearer. As he hurried into the bathroom, Gibbs resisted the urge to check to see if Tony had a wet nose like a healthy puppy.

When he returned, Gibbs pointed to the sofa.

"Boss...," Tony said, "you don't have to."

Gibbs stepped closer.

"Okay, okay..."

The bruising was definitely lightening now, although the puncture sites remained defiantly black and angry. Gibbs decided that it was time to get Tony's mind back on the game.

"Heard from McGee last night," he began. "One of Koch's brothers has a drug history. Kid disappeared from rehab 6 months ago. Koch has received a few calls on his cell from a prepaid phone in the last month and there are emails on his laptop from a user called "Spaz" that we think might be the brother, Simon. We're going to need your help getting the drug squad LEOs to talk to us about possible dealers. You'll be surprised to hear that Ziva failed to connect with them."

Tony chuckled. "No problem Boss."

Gibbs noticed Tony was still moving gingerly as he got in and out of the car, but he put on a bright smile for McGee and Ziva. They both watched Tony as he settled himself at his desk, but Gibbs' quelling presence prevented any interrogation.

Abby, however, was not so easily quelled. She burst, tornado-like, from the elevator into the bullpen.

"Tony!" she cried, as he rose from his chair. She moved to throw herself at him with her usual enthusiasm but stopped at the last minute to enfold him in a gentle hug. "Ducky said you hurt your back."

McGee snorted, all his previous sympathy seemingly evaporating at the sight of Abby embracing Tony. The Senior Agent shot him a look over Abby's shoulder, gave a little smile and snuggled closer.

"I did," he whined pathetically. "You should see the bruising. It's all over my lower back and butt...."

McGee snorted again.

"Poor Tony," Abby crooned. "But how did you do it? The others said you just fell?"

Tony paused, his smile faltering for a second.

"There was a bolt," Gibbs interjected smoothly, "sticking out of the concrete. He must've landed on that."

"Do you have to take medicine?" Abby asked, her face a picture of concern.

"Just some painkillers," Tony reassured her. Then his eyes sparkled. "But Ducky also gave me this ointment I have to put on my back and butt, but it's kinda hard to reach...."

Abby smiled sweetly. "Nice try, Tony," she responded sympathetically. "But I'm sure Ducky will help you. Or Palmer."

He kissed her on the side of the head. "I'll never give up trying for you Abs."

She flicked a quick look over her shoulder. "Maybe Gibbs will help you, if you ask nicely."

"The only thing either of you are gonna feel on your butts is my boot if you don't do some work soon," Gibbs growled, keeping his head down over his desk.

Abby reluctantly released Tony and turned to Gibbs. "Well, I didn't come up just see Tony. I also came to tell you Private Koch's tox and drug screens were negative. Clean as whistle. I'd be surprised if he had even been in the same room as drugs in his life. He's as clean as a freshly washed baby's bottom."

Gibbs grunted. Abby gave Tony another kiss on the cheek and left. McGee gave another snort.

Tony spent most of the day going through the files from the LEOs, stopping occasionally to stand and stretch.

Shortly after lunch, McGee managed to extract the IP address of the e-mailer and identified the messages as having come from a local internet cafe. He and Ziva went to check it out and to hand around the photo of Simon Koch obtained from his parents. Gibbs didn't miss the smirk and the wave that McGee gave Tony as they headed out, leaving him behind.

McGee phoned from the cafe to say they had had a lead on where Simon Koch might be living, and an hour later they received another call from a purring Ziva to say they had him in custody and were bringing him in. Gibbs could only hope that, having survived Ziva's arrest methods, the young man could also withstand Ziva's driving. He glanced at Tony and saw the hangdog look on his face.

"How are you going with those records, DiNozzo?" he barked, hoping to snap him out of the glums.

"Narrowed it down to three most likely Boss. Mind you, it could be a dealer who hasn't been picked up yet. But my money's on this guy." Tony winced as he stood, before walking over to drop a file on Gibbs' desk. Gibbs glanced at the mug shot and the jacket on cover of the file. Vincent Tremaine had numerous arrests but only two convictions.

"Why him?" he asked.

"Known to frequent the area," Tony began, ticking points off on his fingers, "sells Eppis, Simon Koch's drug of choice, has a firearms offence involving a Glock 9mm, the weapon used in this instance – but mainly because I looked into Simon Koch's associates at his rehab program. According to police reports lodged when they were ordered into rehab, two of his best buds gave their supplier's name as Vinnie and provided a description roughly matching Mr. Tremaine here."

Gibbs looked up, surprised.

"Koch's previous dealer was locked up. I figured once he dropped out of rehab he'd go looking for a new one. And when it comes to drug dealers, there's nothing like a personal recommendation."

Gibbs gave a slow smile. Standing, he put the file under his arm and moved from behind his desk. "I'm gonna update the Director," he said. As he passed Tony he stopped and reached up his hand. The flinch was barely noticeable, but it was there, which only made Gibbs smirk all the more when he patted Tony softly on the back of the head and gave him an "Atta boy".

When he returned from the Director's office, McGee and Ziva were standing with Tony in the center of the bullpen. McGee was smugly explaining how he had not only matched the IP address on the emails, but also had been responsible for identifying where Simon Koch was living.

To Gibbs' surprise, Tony seemed rapt and when McGee finished he reached out and patted the other man's hair, mimicking Gibbs' earlier gesture. "Atta boy Probilicious," he said warmly.

But McGee pulled away. "Tony, what the...?" He ran a hand through his hair. "Oh my god, what is that on your hand?"

Tony looked down at his hand as if surprised. "Oh, sorry Probie. I just used that cream Ducky gave me, and I must have forgotten to wash my hand ...."

"Butt cream?" McGee squawked. "You put butt cream in my hair!" He frantically began wiping at the back of his head. "God Tony, you really are ....". He gave up and stormed to the bathroom.

Ziva looked at Tony through narrowed eyes. Then she struck. In a lightening fast movement she grabbed Tony's offending hand and raised it to her nose.

"Wow Ziva, that is really kinky," Tony said with a slightly pained laugh. "I mean I never knew you..."

"Vanilla and honey," she announced. "That is my hand cream. I smelled it as soon as I walked in."

"Yep," Tony confirmed, eyes sparkling. "And he fell for it like an egg from a tall chicken."

Gibbs snorted, recognising that Tony was quoting Lee Marvin from the DVD of the night before. Ziva tried to glare, but her lips quirked in a smile. "I won't tell him – but keep out of my desk drawer."

"If you two have finished holding hands, can you tell me where you put Koch?" Gibbs interrupted.

"Interview room 2," Ziva responded smoothly. "He's all yours. He is like a cat on a hard tin root."

Now it was Tony's turn to snort.

"DiNozzo," Gibbs ordered, "You're with me."