[From Frame Up]
...
3rd Person POV:
Down in lockup Gibbs and Claire walked towards the cell with a box of Tony's favorite pizza in hand. When they reached their destination, Claire slid it through the bars. Tony looked up and grinned at the sight of his girlfriend and pizza. His suit jacket and tie were forgotten and his sleeves had been rolled up to his elbows.
"I smelled you coming." Tony joked as he eagerly lept up to grab the pizza. He paused and stared at them quizzically.
"Pepperoni, sausage…extra cheese right?" his eyes lit up as he stared at the box, without even opening it. Gibbs smirked in amusement.
"My favorite." Tony commented as he stared at the box.
"Thanks." He sighed and tossed the box onto the cot in the cell, suddenly not hungry as he paced around. Claire frowned as she observed his face, spotting the bags under his eyes. He must have been awake all night, torturing himself with worse case scenarios. Her heart hurt as he paced the front of the cell like a caged animal.
"I'll save that for later." He explained at her confused expression, running a hand across his lip nervously.
"You know I've been thinking. I'm a federal prosecutor's dream." He explained to Gibbs who stood there silently. The two watched, knowing that he would be going on one of his rants. He needed to get all of this off his chest. Tony turned to face an imaginary figure of himself as he played out how it would go.
** "You do tend to date a lot don't you Mr. DiNozzo?" he began, playing the prosecutor. Against the wall of his cell another 'Tony' chuckled defensively.
"Yea…I do 'tend' to date a lot. But what's to say that dating a new girl every week is a crime?" he asked, looking around with his hands out.
"Well it's not. But it does speak to your deep seeded psychological problems and…commitment issues." He countered, glancing back at Claire knowingly.
"So you're saying my….intimacy issues stem from my mother? Who dressed me as a sailor until I was 10 years old?!" he asked bitterly, in the typical obnoxious way but a bit more psychotic.
"Maybe." He spat out. The real Tony shared a withering look with Gibbs across the bars of his cell. He cleared his throat before talking and pacing once more.
"Well it might explain why you objectify women as sexual objects. While you're being so forthright and insightful Mr. DiNozzo…why did you sink your teeth into the victims leg?" he asked seriously, glancing back at the other two who remained silent. 'Tony' sighed, leaning his head against the wall.
"Because I'm angry, and I'm immature, and I like control!" he growled out animatedly the crazed grin never leaving his face.
"You have no alibi." Prosecutor Tony droned calmly. 'Tony' chuckled humorlessly.
"Alibi…" he chuckled tiredly.
"How could I have an alibi when the murder doesn't even have a time or a date!" 'Tony' spat out in defense. Real Tony glanced back at Gibbs as he thought.
"That's interesting. What about means? Latex glove, scalpel…..you could have gotten these things from work. No?" he asked, raising his brows expectantly. 'Tony' growled.
"Right…of course." He chuckled bitterly once more.
"I ripped a glove at the scene. Seems a little sloppy for a federal agent who investigates crime scenes…BUT you know those are the breaks when you're a homicidal maniac bringing butchered women's remains out in the woods in the middle of the night! Right?!" he shouted back at himself. Tony breathed heavily from getting himself worked up. **
Gibbs stared as the real Tony took his mental copy's spot against the wall, breathing heavily as the reality of his fate weighed heavily on him.
"I'm not getting out of this one am I boss?" he asked quietly. Gibbs stared at him quietly and reached a hand through the bars to gesture for him to come forward. Tony swallowed and slowly walked over. Once he was close enough Gibbs reached up and slapped him on the back of his head.
"Thank you, boss." Tony nodded sincerely. That small gesture let him know that everything would be ok. Gibbs wasn't done with this yet and as long as he acted normal then Tony knew it would be ok. Gibbs nodded at him with a small grin. He tapped Tony's chin in encouragement before walking back down the hall, leaving him and Claire alone. Tony sighed, clenching his eyes shut as he pressed his forehead against the bars. He was brought out of his wallowing when a gentle hand was placed on his cheek through the bars. Tony looked up at her with sad eyes.
"You're not a homicidal maniac Tony. You've got some issues but nothing to this extreme. It hurts that you keep thinking so lowly of yourself." She mused, staring at him seriously. It broke her heart to hear how Tony ranted about his insecurities and downfalls in his monologue a moment ago. Tony grinned wryly.
"Tony, you know if you need me as a reference for an alibi or something…"
"No, I'm not dragging you down with me." He immediately countered. Claire sighed.
"But if talking about our relationship will help you…" she trailed off but stopped at his serious expression.
"Ok, but don't worry. Everything will work out." she insisted, running her thumb along his cheek. Tony smiled at her sincerity. It made him feel a bit lighter knowing how sure she was.
"No you be a good little convict and eat your pizza and sleep." She scolded jokingly. Tony chuckled. They stared at one another for a few more seconds before leaning in to share a brief kiss through the bars.
"I have to get back to work." She muttered in a whisper after they parted. Tony nodded. With one final smile Claire made her way out to meet Gibbs. Tony sighed and ran a hand down his head and neck before perching himself on the cot and digging into the pizza.