I don't own NCIS
Kate watched as Tony rifled through the letters from his many female admires.
"You know you're a dog don't you?"
"Aw are you Jealous Kate?"
"No disgusted, since when do you give out your work address?"
"Since I broke up with Michelle you see she thought we were exclusive when she found out that wasn't the truth well she went a little crazy."
"Really I wonder why?" Kate said sarcastically "What did she do?"
"Well she broke into my apartment and left a bag of dog crap in my closet." Tony faked a shudder of disgust.
" I'd just shoot you." Kate glared at him.
Just then Gibbs came into the bullpen " and that's the reason for rule twelve."
" Rule twelve." Kate queried
"Never date a coworker." Gibbs informed her.
Tony listened to the conversation between the two of them and looked down at the fake letters that were spread over his desk. There was nothing in them. They were all empty it was part of his clever ruse to through people off the truth of his personal life.
He'd even made up that story about a crazy ex on the spot. You see no matter what Kate thought he'd never play the field and cheat. He was one person man and for the last two years that one person had been Timothy McGee Gibbs and he wouldn't have it any other way though every time he heard Gibbs mention rule twelve he had to wonder what rules he was breaking by dating Tim because he knew there had to be some there just had to be dating your bosses son even secretly especially secretly that had to be a big no no
As Tony was contemplating the twists of his life. Gibbs looked at the package on his desk. A sense of dread in his heart.
He got up and looked at his team. "The Director wants to see us now. Moments later Gibbs knew he'd had a reason to feel dread as a case concerning his old CO was thrown in his lap.
He brought himself out of his reflections about his old friend. "Tony go down and talk to Abby." He barked out.
"On it Boss," Tony hurried down to the forensic lab.
"you know he's kind of cute." Abby said looking at picture of Ryan .
"Into older men are you Abbs." Tim teased.
"Oh you bet they are so much mature. I bet you've never dated anyone older into the bimbo's I'm sure.
"Maybe." Tony smirked. "What's the oldest you've ever went?"
" Sixty five my biology professor. You?"
"Twenty two my dry cleaners." He lied Tim was younger then him by eight years but he certainly wasn't going to give Abby that information. Gibbs glared at the two of them.
"This better be work related." He growled. Abby looked at him and blinked before rattling off the information she had for him.
"Thanks Abbs you're the best." He kissed her forehead and left the lab.
"You know what?" Abby twirled to look at Tony
"Gibbs never gives me a compliment."
"No. I mean I guess no I was going to say maybe you aren't dating younger woman but they are dating older man." Tony just rolled his eyes at her and went back up to the bull pen.
"What do you think it is?" he grabbed the mysterious package off of Gibbs desk. He'd noticed it earlier but hadn't really thought much of it but now his curiosity was getting the best of him. He shook it as Kate shrugged.
"I don't know a part for his boat."
"No, I don't think so." Tony shook his head "it's from overseas."
"Dinozzo." Gibbs growled from behind him.
"Oh hi boss I was just, you know I could open this for you."
Gibbs just grabbed it from him and sent him and Kate on an errand to get them out of his hair so he could figure out what was in the package from his fugitive friend.
After Kate and Tony were gone Gibbs opened the package and looked at the contents a flask he'd given the Colonel and a letter a very disturbing letter at that. He opened the flask perplexed to find sand inside.
Tim was at work when he found out about the fact that his father's old friend Colonel Ryan was now the top of the FBI's most wanted list. The word was buzzing around Norfolk it was all anyone could or would talk of.
At the first opportunity, he slipped from his desk and texted Tony.
Tim: Tony keep an eye on my father. He's going to take this one hard he and Colonel Ryan are good friends they have went through a lot together.
Tony: Yeah tell me about it your dad took us to the Colonel's cabin oh and he almost got us all blown up
Tim:What!
Tony: Don't worry we're all fine it's actually a funny story I'll have to tell it to you some time.
Tim: Oh yeah it sounds hilarious. Stay in one piece I do love you, you know.
Tony: I'll try and I love you too.
For the rest of the day Gibbs worried for his friend and he worried even more after he got the phone call to meet with his friend Gibbs left the office to Kate and Tony trying to draw the man who had been in the cabin. Tony's phone pinged he picked it up and looked at the phone.
Tim: I miss you
Tony: You're father has been acting weird he said he had another lead but he didn't tell us what it was.
Tim: Well that's never good.
Tony: You mean a secretive Gibbs yeah I agree.
Tim: Go to his desk
Tony: What?
Tim: Tony his desk now I mean it
Tony: Fine you're really bossy
Tony got up and went over to Gibbs desk. "What are you doing?" Kate hissed.
"Figuring out where Gibbs went what does it look like." Tony hissed back.
"Fine it's your funeral." Kate said picking up the crumpled paper she'd tossed to the floor in her futile attempt to draw the dead man from the cabin.
Tony looked around noticing the flask and note he grabbed his phone.
Tony: I found a flask and a note. The note really doesn't make any sense the flask is silver it seems to be from your father to the colonel.
Tim: Flask I know where he went talk to you later.
Tony: Wait where did he go?
Tony waited impatiently for an answer which never came. He growled under his breath and promised to make Tim pay for that stunt later.
"Find anything useful?" Kate asked.
"No." Tony went back to his desk slumping down in his chair worry for his boss warring with worry for his boyfriend. If either of them got hurt he' d be going after who ever hurt them.
Tim watched from a dark shadowy corner as his father talked to colonel Ryan He waited until his father walked away from the older man as his father walked towards him he grabbed his arm.
"What the.." Gibbs went to twist his arm out of Tim's grasp but Tim stopped him.
"It's me." He hissed
"Tim" Jethro turned to look at his son. "What are you doing here?" he demanded. "How did you even find me."
"I have my ways I'm a Gibbs after all. What we should be asking is what the hell are you doing here with a known fugitive who may have killed someone and blown up his own cabin. And don't give me any crap about how he's you're friend because I don't care. "You're taking unnecessary risks.
"And what about you." Gibbs demanded.
"I guess what's good for the father is good for the son." Tim snapped back
"Tim I'm tired can't we talk about this later."
"Fine what the hell ever later it's always later I'm not going to bail your ass out if you get thrown in jail for harboring known fugitive and if anyone asks me if I know where he Is I'll tell them. With that Tim glared at his father and slipped out of the bar.
He made his way to Tony's apartment and let himself in. "Oh so I see you finally decided to show up." Tony snapped.
"Tony sit down." Tim took the beer from Tony's hands taking a swig himself before settling on the couch next to Tony. "I followed by dad to a bar. Where he bought that flask. I know because my mom bought one similar for him anyway he met with Colonel Ryan. He seems to think he's innocent I didn't get any information from him and I blew up on him and I don't regret there really isn't anything else to say except I'm tired my father is helping harbor a fugitive and I want to sleep. He downed the rest of the beer and grabbed Tony's hand and pulling him from the couch. "Come to bed with me."
"Now how could I say no to that. Damn you and those eyes." Tony leaned forward and captured his lips.
The next day Tony came to work to an irate Gibbs. "The God damn FBI lied to us."
"Well boss they are know to do that." Tony said earning himself a head slap.
Later he and Kate were discussing the case. "Do you think he's innocent."
"Gibbs thinks so." Tony went back to his paper work.
"Okay but he came in under and assumed name with two million dollars and the FBI still can't find him don't tell me that doesn't sound suspicious."
"Like I said Gibbs thinks he's innocent."
"You know you don't have to always follow what Gibbs says."
"I know that." Tony growled. He knew that better then anyone as he tried to balance between Gibbs and Tim. Tim didn't believe in his father at this moment but right now it was Tony's job to believe until proven otherwise. "For your information I don't always follow his lead.
"Oh yeah like when?" Kate challenged and Tony almost slipped almost told her about Tim but he didn't he made up another story about the factious Michelle.
Just as there conversation came to an end Fornell and his goons as Tony liked to call them barged into the bullpen with a so called peace offering.
Gibbs glared at the man who had married ex wife number one as he listened to him prattle on about his reasons. It wasn't until he said you'd do the same thing if it was your man. That Gibbs sighed and felt the need to let Fornell that there was a good chance his man was dead. He watched sadly as Ducky confirmed that it was in fact Fornell's man on his table.
As the two men left the autopsy Tony and Kate tried to figure out what to do. "We can't let Gibbs go to Jail." Kate hissed.
"What do you propose we do Caitlin I mean he's not giving us much to work on." Tony thought to what Tim had told him that morning about his conversation with his father or lack there off. Tim may have said he wouldn't bail Gibbs out if he went to Jail but Tony also knew Tim would be pissed if Tony let his father get arrested. He really didn't want to be sleeping on the couch.
The case twisted and turned until even Gibbs had trouble making heads or tails of it. He knew he should have listened to Tim he should have brought him when he had the chance.
At the end of the case Gibbs sat in his basement he held the flask that he'd given his friend and the flask Shannon had given him. He ran his finger over Tim's name and whispered his name. He knew he owed the boy an apology.
It would be hard to swallow though and he wasn't sure how well it would go done. He'd almost been arrested. He'd put his life on the risk and he wasn't sure how much more Tim would take. Tim was A Gibbs but maybe a smarter one. No for sure a smarter one.
Tim laid in Tony's arms that night and looked up at the ceiling "I never want to go through something like that again." He said.
"It's Gibbs we'll go through it again."
"I know what you say is true but I hate it all the same though maybe I was too harsh on him."
"Maybe, or maybe it's just what he needed to here but for now I think we both need to get some sleep."
"You're right." Tim sighed snuggling closer into Tony's arms and letting himself drift to sleep.