Authors Note - Firstly I'd like to apologise for taking so long for updating this story. I will update more often now I promise. I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter holiday and I hope some of my reviewers remember me and this story. Enjoy.

Chapter Seven

Tony arrived into work a few minutes late, although he felt he was prepared to tell Gibbs what information he had.

However when he saw Gibbs sitting at his desk, the only thing he was thinking was "Shit, how can I explain this one?"

He was even more worried when he saw three cups of coffee on Gibbs desk. Oh hell, was he already in a bad mood.

'Morning,' Tony said, moving toward his desk. How was he going to bring this up? Gibbs would be mad.

'Nearly afternoon,' Gibbs said, not looking up.

Tony looked at his watch which read "9:03am". '3 minutes later,' Tony said. 'And technically I was on the premises by 9am,'

'Some of us have been here since seven,' Gibbs took a sip from his Starbucks coffee.

Some of us have been here since seven Tony thought in a high pitched voice before he looked over at Caits desk. 'Cait isn't here yet!' he said.

'Yes she is,' Cait appeared behind him. 'And she has been here since 7 as well,'

And she has been here since 7 as well he thought in the same voice but then shook his head. Like that was going to really help. He knew he had to tell Gibbs but he didn't want to in front of Cait. He could hear her saying to him in a sing-song voice "Tony's in trouble"

Taking a deep breath he said. 'Gibbs..'

Gibbs didn't verbally respond but Tony knew he was listening.

'I.. I have some information about O'Sullivan,' he said.

There was along silence before Gibbs looked up from what he was doing. 'And,' he said simply.

'And that's the reason I wasn't in at 7,' Tony replied a little diligently, God he was getting tired of all the put downs he got around this place.

Gibbs gave a slight nod and raised an eyebrow at him and Tony knew to continue.

'I have some names about people who might have wanted to kill him,'

Tony pulled out a note book. 'He was an informant and some of his information helped put these guys away. Maybe one of them is out of jail, looking for revenge,' Tony said. God he hoped Gibbs would just accept the information but knew full well that he wouldn't.

'Alright who is she, this informant of yours.''

'It's not a she,' Tony lied

'Oh really? Well unless you're playing for a different team now...'

'What's that suppose to mean!'

'Come on DiNozzo you look like hell and on top of that you've got that I've just got laid look all over you. An all nighter was it?'

'He always has that look,' Cait muttered under her breath before she could stop herself. She wanted to stay out of this.

'I beg your pardon,' Tony muttered. 'I'm telling you what I know.

Where the information came from, with respect Gibbs, is none of you business,' he growled angrily. Okay, so it wasn't the best response and would probably only make Gibbs madder but damn it.

'If it concerns one of my people and one of my cases then it is my business,' Gibbs replied equally angrily. What on earth was wrong with Tony this morning?

'I've told you what I know,' Tony muttered, trying to stop from shouting, which would only make things worse. 'I've given you the information. The information came from an informant, which I don't have to disclose the identity of,'

Gibbs leaned back and crossed his arms nailing Tony with a hard look. 'You're not in the Baltimore PD now DiNozzo. You know we don't play the game that way,' he paused. 'For what reasons does this informant of yours believe that her safety will be compromised if you tell me whom she is.'

'I told you boss it's not a woman.'

'And DiNozzo I don't believe you.'

'You can believe whatever you want,' Tony shrugged. 'I told you what my informant told me. Why do you need to know the persons identity?' He didn't want to tell Gibbs; Aurora had asked him not to.

'DiNozzo,' Gibbs closed his eyes for just a minute. "I'm going to ask you again to divulge your source or I will have no alternative but to place you on suspension and I don't want to have to do that.'

'Fine,' Tony pulled out his identification and threw it on the table then hauled his weapon from the shoulder holster and put it on the table. 'I guess it has to be this way hey boss.'

'Jesus, DiNozzo! Are you mad?' Gibbs asked. 'Why are you protecting her so much? If she knows all these details, she could have killed

O'Sullivan or be in danger herself! And don't say it's not a woman!'

'I'm doing it because she asked me not to reveal her and I promised that I wouldn't and besides she knows how to take care of herself,' Tony said as he went to walk away. 'I'm sorry Gibbs you might think that I'm a lot of things but a person who betrays the trust of someone he's made a promise to I'm certainly not.'

'DiNozzo,' Gibbs called him back. ''You know we have to check out all leads and this is a big one. Even you have to wonder why she doesn't want to be named if she's done nothing wrong,' he said.

"I gave her my promise boss and I would stake my life on it that she's clean. Honestly. "

'Is that your brain or an organ much lower south talking?' Gibbs asked. 'You might be staking your career on this,' Gibbs told him seriously.

'Maybe,' Tony said simply. 'That's entirely up to you boss,' he cast a glance at this badge and gun sitting on the desk. 'Now is that all because if I'm under suspension I really shouldn't be here should I.'

Gibbs shook his head. 'Take the morning off. Think about what on earth you're doing DiNozzo. Come back after lunch and let me know what you've decided,' He couldn't believe Tony was making him do this.

'Boss I'm not changing my mind,' Tony closed his eyes. 'I promised her and I'm not going to break that confidence. 'I know you're going to discipline me and I accept that. But this is something I have to do and No Cait,' he swung around and nailed her with a glare. 'It's not about sex I'd do the same thing for you if you confided in me the way this informant has.'

'I didn't say a thing,' Cait defended herself, although she had thought plenty.

'No but I could hear you thinking it,' Tony said turning back to

Gibbs. 'I gather it's a suspension without pay.' He locked eyes with

Gibbs and he didn't back down from the steely blue gaze.

'It's not a suspension, you're on holidays,' Gibbs shook his head.

Tony nodded. 'Okay so I get to keep to my piece then,' he reached out for his gun and wallet his face grim.

'Can I trust you're not going to do something stupid?' Gibbs asked.

'Well it's too late for that now. I can't believe you're doing this over a woman Tony. Are you that smitten?' he shook his head.

'As I told Cait it has nothing to do with sex and do you really think I would throw my career away over a piece of skirt,' he felt Cait's loathing over his crude remark bore into his back and he inwardly winced. 'It's a matter of trust and this person is a good source for us boss. If I give her up then she'll never trust me again and the well of information will dry up. As for her being a suspect that just isn't the case, as I said I would stake my life on it.'

'You're already staking your career, I wouldn't stake anything else,' Gibbs shook his head. 'Get out of here DiNozzo. Take your piece and badge but do not go anywhere near this case, that's an order,'

Tony picked up his gun and badge, 'Thanks boss,' he said simply,' turned to Cait, "See you,' he gave her a small smile before he headed to the elevator.

'What on earth was that about,' Cait asked a frown on her face, she was concerned about Tony, he was her friend and partner and she loved him like a brother and while she wouldn't voice it to him she was worried about him.

'I don't know Cait,' Gibbs was grim. 'I wish I did but I'm sure as hell going to find out,' he picked up the phone silently cursing DiNozzo.

Tony just reached downstairs when his phone rung and he took it out of his pocket, seeing a number he didn't recogonise and frowned slightly before he answered it. 'DiNozzo,' he said, getting into his car.

'Hey Sleeping Beauty,' Auroras voice greeted him.

'Hi,' he said, resting his head against the back of the seat.

'How did it go with Gibbs?' she asked him. 'When I hadn't heard from you, I figured he hadn't pulled out the thumbscrews,'

'Well aside from just narrowly missing getting my butt kicked to Australia and being suspended without pay to boot I think it all went down pretty well,' he sighed. 'I'm off the case however and have been warned not to go near it under any circumstance. I've also had to hand over all my notes and the information you gave me but

Gibbs doesn't know where it came from.'

'What?' Aurora asked. 'Oh Tony, you should have called, I didn't expect you to get yourself in trouble like this,'

"Hey you said you know Gibbs so you realise that his bark is far worse then his bite,' there was a pause. 'Sometimes.'

'Yes I do but still...' she sighed. 'Thats why I told you to call me if there was a problem,' she said. 'I'll sort it out with Gibbs,

I promise. I don't want you to ruin your career for me!'

"There isn't much of a career to ruin really,' he told her

'What do you mean?' Aurora frowned. What was he taking about? God she hadn't meant to come here and mess everything up for him.

'Oh it's nothing,' he told her instantly regretting what he'd just said 'It's not your fault it's just something between Gibbs and me,' he sighed. 'So what's up,' he tried to steer the subject away from him.

'It is something but if you don't want to tell me, it's okay,' she said. 'But you can talk to me if you want.' she told him. 'And what's up is that I'm going to go and sort out your job firstly,'

'Hey I can look after myself,' he told her. 'Look I was staring down the barrel of a suspension but Gibbs put me on leave. It could have been worse babe, I don't need anyone to sort it out of me it's sorted. Honestly.'

'Tony, I can sort this out,' she said. 'Gibbs is goin to find out about me eventually, I'm sure he is.' he told him. 'I may as well spill now and that way I have someone on the inside for me,'

Tony frowned Someone on the inside? Was that what this was all about? Her having someone on the inside. 'Well okay but I'd better make myself scarce.'

'It's okay, I'll work it out,' she assured him. 'I'm sorry for trapping you in the middle of all of those,' she sighed. 'I better go. I'll talk to you later okay?'

'Okay I'll talk to you later,' he disconnected the call and frowned, drummed his fingers on the steering wheel for a minute or two before pulling out from the kerb and heading to his favourite coffee house, it was too early for a beer although God only knew he could do with one the way he felt.