Title: Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Chapter 4

Slash/Mature: Don't like, don't read.

Summary: Does absence make the heart grow fonder or is it just a line we hear but never feel.

All mistakes are mine, this has not been proofed.

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Tony dropped down on the couch next to Gibbs as he ended the phone call after talking to Tali.

"Tali okay?"

Tony nodded. "Not like she wasn't expecting it. She said she knew her mom was leaving by the conversation they had yesterday." He ran his hands down his face. "I'm not sure if I should be relieved or angry."

"Probably a little of both."

Slumping down into the couch, Tony let out a deep sigh. "Am I a terrible person for feeling relieved?"

"No." Gibbs slumped back next to Tony, his fingers finding the younger man's and entwining them. "You're human."

"Even Tali sounded relieved." Tony squeezed Gibbs' hand. "Coming here will be good for her, get her mind off of it."

"We don't have to tell her right away."

"I know, but I want to." He leaned against GIbbs' shoulder and felt the tender kiss to the top of his head. "Once we talk about Ziva and she has some time to settle in." Tony groaned. "My dad is coming here."

"Yeah."

"This really should be freaking you out more." Tony hated how calm Gibbs seemed.

"Why?"

"You do realize the assumptions he's going to make about our past, the questions he's going to bombard you with, the expectations he'll have, not to mention-" Tony grinned as Gibbs body tensed. "Him asking what your intentions are towards his son." Tony's body started to shake as he began to laugh. "At least he doesn't have to worry about me getting you pregnant."

Gibbs groaned. "I need to call Sandy at the hotel, make sure to get your dad a room."

Tony sat up. "How are we going to handle this? You don't have the room here for-"

"Your dad stays at the hotel, you and Tali take the bed, I take the couch."

"Thanks."

"Okay, one issue solved. We need to eat." Gibbs let go of Tony's hand and stood up. "And that starts with bringing the groceries in."

"I total forgot after the blow-"

"I remember." Gibbs barked, stopping Tony from finishing the sentence.

Tony smirked. "Good because I'd be extremely disappointed if you forgot already."

Gibbs rolled his eyes as he headed towards the front door.

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"They'll be here late tomorrow." Tony said, walking back into the living room and tossing his phone on the coffee table. "Did you talk to Sandy and umm-"

"Amak with the flight." Gibbs nodded. "He'll pick them up at King Soloman and get them here."

"And Sandy?"

"There's a room waiting." Gibbs smirked.

"Thank God." Tony dropped down on the couch and looked at the plate in front of him on the coffee table then over at Gibbs. "Tali's excited for an adventure and she's researching everything about Alaska."

"She's a smart girl?"

"UGH, so smart." Tony groaned. "I'm useless when it comes to her homework, she's already doing high school math and science. She reads about everything, asks questions I can't begin to answer, and is so analytical about every decision." Tony chuckled. "We had a two hour conversation about the pros and cons of her taking up an instrument. Two hours!" Tony shook his head. "Do you want to play an instrument or not, to me it's easy, yes or no. To her it's this list of negative and positive things it will bring to her life."

Gibbs laughed. "Is she playing an instrument?"

"No. The cons win but barely, so maybe when she starts junior high." Tony rolled his eyes. "What ten year old thinks like that!"

"What else does she like?"

"Animals, any kind, even the creepy crawly ones. She loves to write, she creates these whole worlds in these short stories. She's learning about all these artists and has such an appreciation for it. We go to a museum and she can tell me everything about the painting, the artist that painted it, when it was painted and on and on and on but," Tony laughed. "She can't even draw a straight line." Tony leaned back and sighed. "She's so introspective sometimes it scares me, asking me why people don't believe in climate change, or why do we go to war instead of finding other solutions to our problems, why do bad things happen to good people, and countless other questions that no one has the answers to. Yet even with everything she's gone through, everything she knows and has read about the world, she still thinks people are inherently good and the world is going to change for the better." Tony smiled proudly. "And she's going to help change it."

GIbbs couldn't help but smile at the depth of love and pride Tony had for his daughter.

"God she's going to end up being a lawyer." Tony groaned.

"At least she'll be a good one."

"But then once in a while, out of the blue, the comedian comes out and she becomes this whirlwind of frivolity and silliness dancing around the room, making faces, telling horrible jokes, and doing cartwheels until she's so dizzy she's just lays on the floor and laughs." Tony smiled over at Gibbs. "Those are the days I realize she actually does have some of my DNA in there."

"She has a lot of you, I'm sure." Gibbs gave a half smirk.

"Maybe, she's fearless like I was when I was younger and she does love a mani pedi."

Gibbs rolled his eyes.

"She's going to love you." Tony turned sideways pulling a leg up under him and facing Gibbs. "Just like I do."

Mirroring Tony's position, Gibbs gazed into the sparkling green eyes.

"She does know about you, seen pictures, heard stories." Tony grinned. "I have this picture of you and I on our picture shelf. We were in the lab, both standing there cups of coffee in hand, and we turned when Abby took the picture."

"Yeah, I remember."

"When she was younger she would scroll through pictures on my phone asking me everyone's name. She could pick anyone I worked with at NCIS out of a line up."

Chuckling, Gibbs shook his head.

"She obviously doesn't know about my feelings for you." Tony's finger traced a path down Gibbs' jawline. "I pretty much kept that to myself."

Gibbs caught the pretty much…insinuating Tony may have told someone. Maybe McGee, Palmer, although he doubted Tony would have told someone that worked that closely to both of them. Maybe a frat brother or some other friend outside of NCIS.

"When she gets here I'll talk to her about her mom, do whatever she needs. Then maybe in a day or two we could have a talk with her about us."

"If that's what you want." Gibbs wasn't sure if Tony would want him there for that talk or not.

"After I talk to her, I need to talk to my father, he needs to know. He's going to question why I had him bring Tali here and why we're staying."

Gibbs slid closer to Tony, his hand coming to rest on Tony's knee. "And how long are you going to stay?"

"As long as it takes for us to figure it all out." Tony watched as Gibbs' steel blue eyes softened and the hint of a smile played across the older man's lips. "Although eventually, I'll have to go back to Paris and take care of things there."

"And what if Tali wants to stay in Paris?" Gibbs wasn't sure if Tony had completely worked out how he would handle things if Tali wanted to go back to Paris.

"We talk about it and I listen, take into consideration her feelings, but then try and make her understand why we, I, really can't go back there." Tony shrugged. "And hopefully she understands and accepts it."

"Maybe, I can take her to the diner while you talk to your dad."

"Now that is one thing she definitely got from me, her appetite." Tony grinned.

"Oh god, two of you." Gibbs groaned but then glanced at the plate with the half eaten sandwich. "Although I've never seen you not finish a sandwich, especially when you're stressed."

"Yeah, not much of a stress eater anymore."

"Well, just remember I fed you, so if Mac asks, I kept my promise." Getting up, Gibbs grabbed the plates and took them in the kitchen. Sitting them on the counter by the sink, he heard the question.

"Are you really okay with all this?"

Gibbs turned around and leaned back against the counter. Crossing his arms he looked at Tony slightly confused. "All of what?"

"This!" Tony held up his hands as if it was the most absurd response he'd ever heard. "I mean this. Me showing up here just for a visit, then confessing my love for you, amazing and crazy sex, then suddenly my father and daughter coming here and us having to out ourselves to everyone. I mean come on, that's a lot to deal with in a span of a couple days."

"Yeah it is." Gibbs reached back and put his hands on the counter. "I mean I came here, finally found some peace after decades of not being able to let go of Shannon and Kelly. Then you show up, out of the blue, making me realize I was at peace but I wasn't truly happy…then you offer me everything I want, the man I love, a family, a life not lived alone, but with-" The rest of the thought was swallowed by Tony's kiss, Gibbs' arms wrapped around Tony pulling the younger man against him. The kiss was tender and full of love, not about fueling that now ever present desire between them. Gibbs held onto the kiss as long as he could, wanting nothing more than to feel that love forever.

As their lips parted, Tony rested his forehead against Gibbs. "It's stupid I know, but it all still seems like a dream, this us, and…" Tony took a deep breath. "Old insecurities creep in."

Gibbs' hands caressed up Tony's back. "I love you Tony and I'll tell you every day, over and over again, until you believe it and the insecurities disappear. I promise."

Tony pulled back. "Will you promise me one more thing will happen every day?"

"Anything."

The word was spoken with such conviction that it took Tony's breath away. Tony's hands caressed up Gibbs' chest. "That you'll make love to me every day."

"Just once a day?" Gibbs sighed breathlessly. "Because once a day is definitely not going to be enough for me."

"You do have a healthy appetite don't you." Tony grinned.

"Ravenous." Gibbs leered at Tony as his fingers clawed across the small of Tony's back. "Constantly."

Stepping out of Gibbs embrace, Tony took Gibbs' hand and walking backwards started leading him towards the bedroom. "Well I'll just have to ease that hunger as often as I can, for as long as I can." Crossing the threshold into the bedroom, Tony stopped at the foot of the bed and let go of Gibbs' hand. "Starting right now." His fingers started undoing Gibbs' belt, then the button on his pants. As he slowly pulled the zipper down, his fingertips brushed against the hard cock beneath the denim. Leaning in, Tony's lips almost touched Gibbs. "Already hard and I haven't even ki-"

Gibbs seized Tony's lips tearing at the barriers of clothing between them. Their lips parted only long enough to remove Tony's shirt and have his own removed. Then they were on the bed, he didn't know how, and he didn't care. All he cared about was the sensation of Tony's skin against his, the feel of Tony's body beneath his hands, and the taste of Tony on his lips. He wanted to explore every piece of Tony, touch every inch of his skin, leave invisible fingerprints as a reminder to the man he loved that his body was a sacred text and Gibbs had read every line and every word. He wanted to study the chapters he'd missed, understand the unspoken words that had stifled their friendship, but continued to fuel their unrequited love. He wanted to reexamine the details of their shared experiences and decipher the clues he had obviously missed about Tony's feelings for him. Over and over he would read each word, each line, each passage, while together they continued the story. A story that Gibbs promised himself would be filled with nothing but love, happiness, laughter, and the thing Tony had always been searching for security… that sense of being safe, protected, wanted.

"Jethro."

The name whispered so lovingly, so full of need made Gibbs pause. Pulling back he looked down into the hazy green eyes. It was the first time Tony had spoken the name and it was spoken with such emotion that it gave Gibbs pause. He felt the hands cup his face.

"Make love to me."

Moistening his fingers, Gibbs' hand slipped between Tony's legs and they parted.

Tony's eyes closed as two fingers worked inside him, opening him up. His hips rocked back and forth wanting more, needing more, desperately wanting fingers to be replaced by Gibbs' cock. When the fingers left him, his back arched with anticipation as he heard the familiar sound then felt the pressure against his sphincter. His hands snaked around Gibbs' body and caressed up his back making the muscles tense under his touch. Slowly, Gibbs' body descended, filling him with the length and the girth of the man. He heard the strangled moan, felt the hand clutch at his hip as Gibbs settled completely within him. Then warm lips nuzzled against his neck raining kisses on his sensitive flesh. Tony's body hummed fueled with desire from not only the physical but the emotional connection. Suddenly his ears burned, seared by the words of love and adoration being whispered to him. Then words of promise, promises of the life they would share together, of communication and compromise, of forgiveness and redemption, and a promise that had been broken between them that would never be repeated. All promises that he knew were spoken with conviction and from the one man that would keep each and every one of them.

The fingers clawing into his back, the continuous thrusts of Tony's hips, made Gibbs realize the words and the slow pace he had created between them was quickly sending Tony towards the edge. Reaching between them, Gibbs wrapped his hand around Tony's cock stroking over its length as he quickened his pace. They were both so close, the deeper emotional connection between them demanding a release. When Tony's body tensed and he felt the warm fluid between his fingers, Gibbs' teeth sank into the unmarred flesh of Tony's neck drawing a guttural growl from the younger man as Gibbs surrendered and followed Tony into the abyss.

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Gibbs raised his head, glanced at the clock on the nightstand then dropped his head back to the pillow. Tugging the body against him tighter, he felt the man snuggled deeper against him. They'd made love, slept, made love again, then managed to get up long enough to have some dinner. After that they made love again and finally came into the bed.

"Go back to sleep." The groggy voice mumbled.

Part of Gibbs was about to comply, but then his cock twitched against the enticing ass against it. Gibbs' hand cascaded down Tony's stomach playing in the hairs above Tony's cock. "I want you again." He heard the slight purr then the hand reached back and grabbed his hip as a silent acceptance. "Are you always going to be this easy?" Gibbs growled as he pushed the head of his cock against Tony.

"Yes." Tony pushed back taking most of Gibbs' cock.

"Fuck." Gibbs hissed as he crushed Tony against him trying to regain some control.

"You love just being inside me." Tony sighed as he tightened around Gibbs.

"God yes." Gibbs' hand splayed out across Tony's stomach. There was just something so erotic and sexy about just being inside Tony and the connect it created between them.

"Just a little please."

Gibbs casually rocked his hips moving his cock slightly inside Tony. He smiled when he heard the contented sigh from the younger man. "Do you know how sexy this is, how sexy you are?" Gibbs dropped a kiss on Tony's shoulder. There was no response, just Tony's fingertips gently dancing back and forth over his arm. "We need a house with a basement or a garage."

"Why?" Tony laughed. The statement seemed so odd at this moment.

"So I can build a boat and take you against it." Gibbs growled. "Do you know how many times I wanted to just shove you against the boat and fuck you."

Tony bit his lower lip. God he'd had that fantasy so many times.

"You wanted that didn't you." Gibbs rocked his hips again and Tony hummed. "That's why you leaned against the boat all the time." The countless memories of Tony leaning against the haul of the boat flashed through Gibbs' mind. "And that's why you dropped the sander so much." He suddenly understood so much that he'd been clueless too. "Bending over so I could see your ass, trying to entice me to stick my dick inside you."

"Jethro." Tony groaned as his eyes closed.

"I just undo your jeans, pull down our pants, spin you around and shove you against the boat." Gibbs' hand slid down and enveloped Tony's hard cock. "Your bare ass right there for me to smack, my wet fingers slipping between your cheeks to open you up." Gibbs was rocking continually into Tony. "You begging for my cock, for me to fuck that tight ass."

"Yes." The image Gibbs was creating flashed through Tony's mind.

"You're so tight as I push the head of my cock inside, you make me wanna come when you tighten around me."

"But I want more, pushing back, taking more of your cock." Tony thrust back.

"God, you feel so good, I start stroking your dick as I take you, lost in the bliss of finally having you." Gibbs pistoned into Tony.

"I come hard and fast, I can't hold on, you are the only thing I've ever wanted." Tony felt the air rush from his lungs as he came.

"I come with you, filling you with my come." Gibbs slammed into Tony and screamed as he came.

As his breathing steadied, Tony spoke. "Oh we definitely need a house with a basement."

Gibbs broke out laughing.

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Tony rolled over onto his back, eyes closed, his lungs aching, panting for breath, his body covered in sweat. He felt the warm lips kissing up his chest and his body shiver. When he felt the steel blue eyes staring down at him, he spoke. "Please." Tony huffed as his eyes fluttered open.

Staring down into the hazed over green eyes, Gibbs sighed. "Please what?"

Tony wanted to respond, wanted to say, he was giving in, giving up. That he now realized Gibbs must be some kind of machine, no human man could have this stamina. He suddenly felt the lips against his ear.

"I wanna suck your cock again, make you come, drink every last drop from you."

Tony groaned again wanting to respond, to surrender, but instead he felt his cock twitch at the words.

"You love the way I suck your cock." Gibbs purred as his fingertips whispered up the length of Tony's hardening shaft. "How much I love doing it." He felt the body under him tremble. "Tell me to suck your cock."

Wetting his parched lips, Tony's eyes narrowed and he latched onto the side of Gibbs' neck. "Suck my cock." Tony hissed. "Make me come down your throat." There was a low growl from above him and the next thing he knew Gibbs was between his legs and inhaling his cock. "Fuck yes." Tony cried out as his hand settled on the back of Gibbs' head just following the quick rise on fall. His mouth fell open as Gibbs squeezed his balls. "God you know just what I like." Tony moaned as his hips started to thrust upward driving his cock further down Gibbs' throat. "So good." Tony's fingers knotted in Gibbs' hair. "I love watching you suck my dick, seeing how much you love it. You just can't get enough." Tony's body shook as Gibbs took Tony's cock to the base then sucked hard. "That's it, oh you just can't wait to taste my come." Tony applied pressure to the back of Gibbs' head and his cock was sucked even harder. "FUCK!" Tony screamed as he came thrusting into Gibbs' mouth. "YES GOD YES!" Every muscle in his body tensed as the world went black around him.

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Tony's eyes shot open and stared up into the darkness. It actually took a moment for him to remember where he was, what had happened, then he felt the arm across his stomach and realized it wasn't a dream. He glanced over at the nightstand clock. A little after five am.

"You are not human!" Tony balked. "And don't even pretend you're asleep." He felt the arm across his stomach tighten around him. "I'm serious, is this why you've been divorced three times? How the hell does one person keep up?"

"You did just fine." Gibbs grumbled.

"I can barely feel my legs." Tony scoffed. "And I think I was better than just fine."

"Amazing."

"Did they put some robot heart in you or decide to go all six million dollar man on you while you were under."

Gibbs snickered in the darkness.

"I knew you'd have stamina, all that control you have but-"

"It's you."

Tony heard the words and turned facing Gibbs in the darkness.

"I love you and I want you. That's it." Gibbs sighed. "It's what you do to me."

"Jethro." Tony's forehead touched Gibbs' as his fingers brushed against the older man's cheek. He felt the arm wrap around his waist and the fingers dance across the small of his back. His lips softly touched Gibbs for a brief moment. "But don't even think that being all sweet is getting you laid again."

Gibbs snickered..

"I mean it."

"I wasn't even thinking about it." There was a momentary pause and Gibbs could actually feel Tony glaring at him. "I might have been thinking it, but-"

"As long as you were thinking it." Tony smiled into the darkness.

"I'm always thinking it." Gibbs knew the constant contradictions of how Tony's mind worked. He could also practically hear the wheels spinning in Tony's head. "You can be happy and still worry about her."

"How is it after all this time you can still know exactly what I'm thinking?"

"You're going to worry until she's physically here and you can see for yourself she's okay."

"It's been a hard year for her." Tony blew out a long breath. "Her mom comes back into her life, they can barely tolerate each other, then she's gone again. Even if you know it's for the best, you still have to work through that."

"She will and you'll help her…and I'll help if she needs and wants my help."

"You're probably one of the few people that know Ziva as well as I do. Tali doesn't have a lot of people that really know Ziva in her life." Tony rolled onto his back. "Tim, Jimmy, Abby, they all talk to her about Ziva but it's the day to day retellings she's heard a thousand times."

"Tali knows Ziva loves her and even though she may not totally understand, she knows that Ziva leaving is out of love."

"I hope so."

"If she doesn't you'll help her understand."

"I just want her to always feel safe and loved." Tony closed his eyes as the physical and emotional exhaustion took hold. "And I'll do anything to make sure that happens." A few seconds later Tony was asleep.

Gibbs rolled over on his back wanting to follow Tony into sleep, but the thought kept nagging at him until he quietly climbed out of bed. Pulling on a pair of sweats and a hoodie, he walked out of the bedroom closing the door behind him. He stopped in front of the coffee table. Picked up his phone, he scrolled down to a number he couldn't remember the last time he'd called and pressed call.