Chapter 13
The ball was in Gibbs' court and he knew it. He was not sure what to say, and he was afraid if he waited too long, Tony would hang up on him. It had taken Gibbs days to work up the nerve to call Tony. He was not sure he could put himself through that again if Tony hung up right now.
"I've had the time to think about things and to realize a few things, since you left." Gibbs admitted.
Tony waited patiently as Gibbs continued.
"I got used to you being there. You were always there…As kind of an excuse for me. I could act the way I wanted because you always came behind me and cleaned up the mess and smoothed things over." He sighed. "I got to depend on that. I…I used you as my PR person, not as a Senior Field Agent."
Tony had not really thought of it that way before. But, it was so true. Tony had to go behind Gibbs many times when the Team Lead had ruffled feathers and try to calm things down. He was the one who would make the peace and get done what Gibbs wanted. But, it got to a point, Tony was tired of his boss acting like an ass and him having to go behind and clean up the fallout. It was exhausting, annoying, and, not in any shape nor form, written in his job description.
"I knew things…how to push your buttons." Gibbs added. "So, when you'd do something I didn't like, I knew just exactly what to do to get back at you." He paused. "I knew what to say, what would hurt, and what would piss you off. And, I used those things, shamelessly."
Tony nodded. "Yes, you did!"
"I had to keep control of my team. You deserved your own team, long ago. But, you never applied for the position, that I knew of. I just…I assumed you weren't interested. And I didn't encourage you. I didn't want you to leave. I have so much time and energy invested in…."
"…in your lap dog."
Gibbs shook his head this time. "That is not what I was going to say."
"Doesn't make it any less true." Tony replied. "You stopped utilizing me as an agent. "You sent Tim and Ziva out together. Yeah, they had been here for a little while. But, still, they were junior NCIS agents. Why…?"
Gibbs swallowed before answering. He could feel himself getting angry. He still didn't like his decisions questioned. Even if they were former decisions. "I don't…." He stopped, clearing his throat. "McGee needed field time."
"He got plenty, Gibbs. I counted the hours." Tony said. "We all got the required number of hours, usually just working the crime scenes. All the rest was extra."
Gibbs bit his lip. He felt a flash of anger. He really was not liking this line of questioning.
"This is another reason, Gibbs. This right there." Tony stated. "You're pissed off because I dared question your decision. I was not the computer person, Gibbs. Tim was. WHY leave me to do computer work when you had Tim? Why is that an unreasonable question?" Tony paused for a second. "It's not an unreasonable question! It's the fact that I DARED to question you."
Tony could hear Gibs breathing on the other end.
"Even when you no longer still HAVE a team, you're still…." Tony chuckled. "I was never in the Marines, Gibbs. I never wanted to be a Marine. I never thought about being a Marine. But, I got trained for this job as if I was, which I get, kinda. You acted as if you could do now wrong, and every decision you made was correct and just. But, that was not always the case, Gibbs. You made illegal and deadly decisions, and still acted as if you had the perfect right to do so."
Tony paused as if waiting for Gibbs to speak.
"Things like Karma, God's justice, plain old fashion revenge, those things happen in their own time. You played with that a little, speeding some things up, slowing others down. Burying evidence, and people, hiding evidence, things like that." Tony said. "It's your turn now. You're lost friends, family and a job."
"So have you!" Gibbs shot back. He was still a little angry. But, Tony was right.
"I chose to leave a job situation that was becoming toxic for me. I lost a coworker who was also toxic. But, I have retained most of my family and my friends."
"I was toxic?"
"You said it." Tony replied. "I didn't want to come to work anymore."
"You've talked to Tim?" Gibbs asked, trying to change the subject. Plus the fact he really wanted to know. Ducky and Abby talked to him on occasion. But, he had not gotten any info on McGee or David.
"I haven' heard from him, no. But, he will probably call me, once he's had some time to sort things out."
"What about Ziva?"
"She's that toxic coworker I was talking about." Tony said.
Gibbs nodded. "And you've talked to Abby?"
"I have." Tony replied. He was not going to offer more. He had answered his former bosses' question.
"And?" Gibbs probed, trying to get him to open up and tell him more.
"And, it was a pleasant conversation."
"DiNozzo!"
"It doesn't work over the phone. Actually, it doesn't' work anymore, period!" Tony replied. "You want to know how Abby is…talk to Abby!"
"She won't talk to me." Gibbs admitted, quietly.
"Her silver fox is a bit tarnished."
"She angry?"
"She's disillusioned." Tony stated.
Gibbs sighed. "That's worse. I'd rather she be angry at me."
"Like I said, Karma is a Grade A, Number 1, Bitch!"
"Where does that leave us?" Gibbs asked sincerely.
Tony didn't answer immediately. But what he finally said gave Gibbs some hope. "You show in up Honolulu in a few months. We'll talk about it."
TBC
