Title: Providence
Summary: AU. Between McGee and Ziva's constant bashing and Gibbs' coldness, Tony finally reaches the point of no return and quits, leaving NCIS and DC behind him. On the road again, he stops by the town of Providence, Missouri, and makes a series of meetings which might change his life, whilst Gibbs moves heaven and earth to find him. But isn't it too late?
Categories: NCIS
Rating: K+
Characters: Tony DiNozzo, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Abby Sciuto, Tim McGee, Ziva David, Dr Donald Mallard, Jimmy Palmer, Leon Vance, Agent Balboa, Original characters (Tillie Hackerman, Harvey Jackson, Father Henry Richmond, Sheriff Elliot Green, Dottie Ferris, Christina Lake, Jake Petersen, Doctor Adam Beltram).
Pairing: Tony/OFC (in the late chapters), no other pairing.
Genres: Alternate universe/friendship/hurt and comfort.
Warnings: Middle swearing, OOC and major team bashing, especially Ziva and McGee.
Spoilers: Set at the beginning of season 6. Spoilers for Dead man talking, Hiatus, Boxed in, Bury your dead, Judgment Day, Agent afloat and various other episodes.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Author's note: After a hiatus of a several years (and I sincerely apologize for that), I seem to have managed to break through my writer's block and inspiration is apparently back for good this time.
Unfortunately, in the meantime, I lost my former Beta readers, so this fic is completely unbetaed, and I apologize in advance for the grammar and spelling mistakes it certainly contains. I haven't written in English for years, so I'm slightly rusty. Thanks for your indulgence.
Given English isn't my mother language, I'm desperately looking for a new Beta reader, so, if you're interested in the job (and serious about it), don't hesitate to contact me. (12/12/2021 - Update : I've found a wonderful beta reader, who has agreed to help me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart Hilde *happy dance*)
Anyway, thanks to everyone who has been kind enough to review my work or add it to their favorites list and story alerts despite the long wait. I truly apologize for that, and I'll try my best to keep a satisfying rhythm.
Special thank you also to mandy153, Ginger, busard, Lolst37, Laurie, Hells Bells, CgJinx, and to all the guests for their unwavering support.
As for the guest who finds that I write like a 10 years kid, well…: find yourself a hobby and don't bother to review again, because I couldn't care less about your opinion.
And to BMS who made it very clear that they think this fic is dull and boring, well I would suggest that you have a look at the two lines at the end of your own profile, because I doubt you'd like to receive this kind of review, even though you have every right not to like what I write.
Chapter 15 – A restless soul
Washington, D.C. – October 29th – Saturday morning
The sedan slowly sank in the dark water of the Potomac and Gibbs knew with absolute certainty that this time he wasn't going to make it. Trapped behind the wheel, he watched with some morbid fascination the whirling flows mercilessly close on him. This was the end. Now that Tony was gone, there would be no one to rescue him, no helping hand to pull him towards the surface and save his life.
The iron grip around his chest painfully tightened, his lungs screaming for air. He tried to fight the urge to breath, but it was a losing battle and before long an acidic gulp of filthy water filled his mouth, burning his nose and trachea. He chocked and, in a last-ditch effort, reared up to try and free himself, but to no avail. Small flashes of light exploded behind his eyelids, before quickly fading away and a black veil wrapped around his vision in a deadly grip.
Just when darkness was about to swallow him, a violent tug pulled him upwards. The pressure on his chest suddenly eased and he felt an unstoppable force dragged him towards the surface in a dazzling whirlpool of water and air bubbles. Everything turned into a blur, time and space melting into a maelstrom of bright colors and smothered sounds.
After what seemed like ages, Gibbs finally managed to crack open an eye and found himself lying face down on the cankered wood of an old pier. Panting and wheezing, he rolled onto his side with a painful groan and tried to clamber to his hands and his knees, his unsteady legs shaking under him with exhaustion. For a second, Gibbs thought he was about to pass out, but after a couple of deep breaths, the sensation finally subsided.
Wiping the water off his face with the back of his hand, he straightened his back and turned around to take in his surroundings.
The docks and disused warehouses lining them were totally nondescript and he wondered for a moment why they seemed so oddly familiar to him, until he realized that he was standing on the very same pier from which he threw his car with Maddie Tyler onboard months ago.
He didn't have a clue of how he had ended up there, but he could have sworn it was the same place.
In his memory though, the docks were very different, crowed and buzzing with activity, EMT and cops running everywhere whilst the flashlights of the ambulances splashed a mesmeric kaleidoscope of red and blue spots on the pilling walls. This time, on the contrary, the pier was completely devoid of any human presence. The oppressive silence surrounding him was barely disturbed by the soft lapping of the water against the pier and even the distant humming of the nearby interstate seemed stifled.
The whole place exuded a feeling of dread and Gibbs' hand reflexively went to his waist for his gun. To his utter surprise, his service Sig was still on its holster. He drew the weapon and flipped the safety off, hoping that his earlier dive into the river hadn't damaged the mechanism.
Moving to action, the former Marine staggered towards the warehouses. Their large entrances made him think of giant mouths ready to swallow him, but he could hardly afford this kind of qualm. His car was at the bottom of the Potomac and he was far too exposed here, standing in the middle of the deserted pier. First, he needed to take cover, then to find a way to contact his team and get the hell out of here. Preferably, before whoever put his car in the river decided to come back and finish the job.
Halfway from the nearest warehouse, though, he stopped dead on his tracks.
Gibbs.
The voice was barely audible, only a faint whisper coming from a distance, but it was enough to make the hair on his nape stand up. He shook his head to clear his mind, wondering if he was starting to hallucinate.
Gibbs.
This time there could be no doubt anymore and he felt his heart raced in his aching chest. This was a voice he would recognize amongst thousands. One he would never forget. Tony's voice.
Carding his shaking fingers in his wet hair, he frantically swiveled round to try and find where the voice came from.
Gibbs.
Following his instinct, he scurried in the direction of a small group of decrepit buildings on his left.
In only a few strides, he reached the first one and cautiously peered inside.
The old building had obviously been abandoned for years. It was mostly empty, except for a few cankered wood crates piled up there and then and Gibbs couldn't make out any footprints on the thick layer of dust and dirt covering the ground.
A soft rustle above his head startled him and he looked up, on alert, but all he could see was a couple of pigeons huddling on one of the rusty girders of the roof.
Gibbs.
This time, the voice was stronger and clearer and Gibbs knew he was on the right track. He cautiously stepped into the rickety building, gun drawn, his feet screeching on the dirt as he slowly made his way inside the warehouse. The disturbed birds suddenly left their roost in an outraged rustle of feathers, but Gibbs didn't even lift his gaze, too busy checking every dead angle of the building one by one
Something was off, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Though there was no trace of recent human activity, he couldn't shake off the odd impression that he wasn't alone and somebody was watching him. Everything seemed frozen, each item in place, like a film set waiting for the actors to play their scene. And Gibbs suspected it was exactly what it was: an elaborate scenery hiding a trap in which he was about to jump with both feet.
His soldier instinct was screaming at him to get the hell out of here, but Tony's voice was acting on him like a magnet dragging him farther and farther. There was no way he could leave without knowing. He needed to be sure. He had to try, at any price.
A chink of bluish light on his right side suddenly caught his eyes. It was filtering from under a steel door and Gibbs' cautiously headed in that direction, still checking his surroundings.
By the look of it, the door was much more recent than the rest of the building, which didn't fail to pique his curiosity. He reached out and slowly turned the knob of the door, surprised to find it unlocked.
As soon as he cracked opened the door, the foul stench of antiseptic instantly assaulted his nostrils and a taste of bile invaded his mouth as he stared disbelievingly at the long corridor in front of him, bathed in dark blue light and lined with too familiar glass panels.
Just like with the docks, it was the exact replica of the medical facility where Kate and Tony had been detained during the plague case. The feeling of déjà-vu was too much to be a coincidence, but he didn't have much time to dwell on the reasons behind all this elaborate staging. Tony was calling him and he had to find him.
Gibbs. Help me. Please.
Tony's voice was echoing through the corridor, closer than ever and filled with more fear and anguish Gibbs could bear. Throwing caution through the window, he rushed towards the farthest cubicle at the end of the corridor, which he remembered to be Tony's one during his fight against the plague.
"Tony!" Gibbs called out, his feet thudding on the concrete floor. "Hold on! I'm coming!"
With a shove of the shoulder, he slammed open the glass door which went crashing against the wall with a loud crack.
"Tony!" Gibbs' heart was pounding his chest whilst he frantically scanned the tiny room, but the only trace of its occupant was a tangle of sheets at the foot of the bed. Sheets, Gibbs noticed with dismay, that were sprinkled with blood stains both fresh and old.
Why, Gibbs?
Gibbs flinched at the hoarse whisper coming from behind him and spun around to find Tony standing merely a few feet from him, partly hidden in the shadows and his upper half bathed in the harsh neon light.
A gasp escaped Gibbs' throat and he almost dropped his weapon in shock.
The young man's face was pale and gaunt and though Gibbs could see no trace of cyanosis on it, he didn't miss the dark rings under his eyes. He looked dull, as if all the light had been sucked out of him and Gibbs' chest constricted at the look of utter desolation painted on his features.
Gibbs lowered his weapon and took a tentative step towards Tony, as he would do with a wounded animal, but stopped as soon as he saw the other man cringe and start to retreat into the shadows.
Why did you hate me so much?
Tony's voice was quiet and hoarse, as if he hadn't used it for a very long time.
"What?!" Gibbs started to protest "Tony, I don't hate you! I..." But Tony didn't seem to hear him and carried on, his eyes fixed on a point just above Gibbs' head, as if he couldn't look him in the eye.
What did I do to make you hate me? I trusted you.
Tony swallowed hard, his Adam's apple painfully bobbing up and down.
I trusted you, but you threw me away.
Gibbs thought his heart might break at the pain he could hear in his former agent's voice. He shook his head and felt a lump form in his throat.
I thought… I thought you were my friend.
Tony's voice broke and tears started to well up in his eyes.
"Oh Tony, I'm sorry." Gibbs sighed.
Right now, he couldn't care less about rule number 3. If it was all it took to bring Tony back, then he would gladly break all his rules one by one without a second thought.
"I'm so sorry, Tony. You didn't do anything wrong. None of this is your fault. It's mine. Only mine."
He tentatively held out his hand.
"Please, Tony. Come with me. Everything's gonna be alright. I promise. Come on."
"Don't you think you're a little presumptuous here, Agent Gibbs?" asked a soft voice coming from behind Tony. "Whatever you're offering, I'm afraid it's too little too late, now."
An icy trickle of sweat ran down Gibbs' spine and he watched in horror a skinny arm clad in mastic raincoat sneak out of the shadows and wound around Tony's torso whilst the pale unshaved face of Jeffrey White slowly emerged from the shadows to rest on the crook of Tony's shoulder in a sickening parody of affectionate gesture.
Tony noticeably flinched but didn't move, seemingly turned into a pillar of salt. Gibbs felt a wave of panic wash over him. This had to be a nightmare. There was no other explanation. White was dead. As dead as can be. He had seen his dead body with his own eyes, sprawled across the back seat of a sedan in the parking lot of a storage facility with two bullets in his chest.
In a flash, Gibbs raised his Sig and stepped forwards, ready to shoot the bastard right between the eyes and sen him back to Hell.
"Let him go, White! Now!" he ordered, but the killer merely shook his head with an amused smirk.
"Tsst, tsst, Agent Gibbs. Where're your manners?"
"I won't repeat myself," growled Gibbs between gritted teeth. "Get your filthy hands off him, or I'll shoot you."
"Oh, I bet you'd like to, Agent Gibbs," snickered White, "but we both know you can't."
Gibbs tightened his hold on his gun and squinted with determination.
"Try me."
"You can't," repeated White with undisguised amusement, "for the simple fact that I'm already dead. And your prodigal son here…" His demented smile widened. "…is going to join me no matter what you do."
White lifted his head from Tony's shoulder and briefly nuzzled along the young man's jaw, who let out a strangled sob.
"What a pity! If only you'd been less selfish. If only you'd cared. We wouldn't be here." He chuckled. "Poor little Tony, always ignored, always left behind."
White's words were cutting mercilessly through Gibbs' heart, but the former Marine strived to ignore them, focusing instead on Tony's distraught face and pleading eyes, whilst trying to find the best angle of attack.
White was slightly shorter than Tony and almost completely hidden behind the back of his hostage, so close that, despite his sniper's skills, Gibbs wasn't sure not to hurt Tony as well.
"For the last time White. Let. Him. Go," he repeated more forcefully. But White seemed determined to ignore him and tightened his grip around his prey.
"Don't worry, Agent Gibbs. I'm gonna take great care of Tony, from now on" The serial killer shook his head with a gloomy grin. "Oh, we're gonna have so much fun. You can't even imagine."
Gibbs absently heard an alarm going off in the distance, but his attention was drawn by the gleam of a hunting knife in White's hand. In a split second, he fired and leapt forwards, but it was too late. Before he could reach them the two men had already been swallowed by the shadows surrounding them.
Warm blood spurted out of the darkness and splattered on Gibbs face whilst a desperate scream tore his throat. Around him the sound of the alarm grew louder and louder, echoing the pain that overwhelmed him.
Gibbs jerked awake with a gasp and almost fell from the couch he was sleeping in. Disoriented and out of breath, it took him a minute to realize that the alarm of his nightmare had been in fact the persistent ringing of his phone.
He painfully sat up and reached out to pick it up on the coffee table.
"Gibbs," he croaked.
"Gibbs, it's Abby." Her overexcited voice nearly pierced his eardrums and he winced. "I know it's really late, but…"
Gibbs sighed wearily and scratched the back of his neck.
"It's not late, Abby. It's early." He glanced at the clock on the fireplace. "Three hundred exactly."
"I know, but it couldn't wait."
"What's going on?" He wasn't even sure he wanted to know, but with Abby the expression "forewarned is forearmed" had always been particularly relevant.
"I may have found a way to locate Tony," she announced on a dramatic ton.
"Abby…" Gibbs cut her off on a warning tone.
He leant backwards, rested his head on the back of the couch and closed his eyes. They had had this conservation countless times and it never led them anywhere. It had been over a month now since Tony's disappearance and they still had no clue for where he had gone. Vance almost immediately cut short the researches they undertook at the time, in the name of the sacrosanct personal freedom and the Director had been adamant that they were not allowed to use federal resources or personal means "track down" their missing colleague and that any breach of professional ethics would be heavily punished.
As was her wont, the young forensic scientist wasn't ready to give up so easily.
"Please, Gibbs. Please, please, please. Give me a chance to show you. It's different this time."
"Abby, I don't think…" Gibbs tried once again.
"Please, it won't take long. I swear."
"I… Okay, Abs," he finally gave in. "I'll listen, but you have to promise you won't do anything stupid, okay?"
"Great! I'll promise anything you want. We are coming."
He didn't have time to ask her which "we" she was referring to, before she hung up on him. Letting out a heavy sigh, he got up with a groan and dragged his feet to the kitchen where he turned his antic coffee maker on.
Something told him he'd better be in full possession of his faculties for the conservation to come.
To be continued.