Disc: I do not own the characters or the show of NCIS. I do own Tony Sorelli.

Couple: Leroy Jethro Gibbs & Tony Sorelli.

Story: Okay this is a major AU. I have seen some people do this with characters from shows. I have changed Tony sex and changed his past for my own benefit for my story. If you don't like it please don't read because this is my version. This is towards the end of season five episode seven "Requiem".

I had run to the dock and dove in to where Gibbs and Maddie were. I got Maddie first and dragged her up, I was glad she was still breathing even if it was shallow. I dove back down and pulled Gibbs, up it had taken a lot out of me and I was glad I was able to get him to the surface. He wasn't breathing so I performed CPR on him until he began breathing. I wasn't worried about the pain in both my ears or why I couldn't hear much, I heard the ambulance approaching and then I passed out there right next to Gibbs and Maddie. When I woke up I looked around and realised I was in a hospital bed, I saw Abby and she looked at me and smiled. I could feel something on my ears and Abby signed to me; "How are you feeling Tony? You had us all worried. Boss man just went to get some coffee. The rest of the team has been waiting for you to wake up."

The one thing Abby and I had in common was that we had someone deaf in our houses growing up and we had to learn American Sign Language to communicate with them. I looked at her but I didn't want to ask why I couldn't hear, I could remember when I was bringing Gibbs up I had felt serious pain in my ears but my major concern was making sure that Gibbs and Maddie were okay. "How is Maddie? Tell the rest of the team to go home and you should too; this was a hard case I know everyone has to be worn out. I'm awake and breathing now, there is nothing to worry about."

Something Abby and I had in common was that Abby parents were deaf and my older brother was deaf so I had learned sign at an early age, my mother knew it because her mother was deaf. The fact that I couldn't hear a damn thing had started to set in. Abby signed to me "Are you kidding? We are worried about you and want to make sure everything is okay. Both your ear drums burst and I know you can't hear anything the doctors are not sure if it's going to be permanent or not."

My parents and brother had died in a car accident when I was thirteen and I was sent in to foster care until I was eighteen. I leaned back, I had been through harder things then this but I didn't like the fact I may never hear again. I signed to her. "Abby whatever the hell happens is going to happen. I don't think I am going to die don't need the whole team setting around worrying about me."

I had wanted to join the military when I was a kid, it was a dream of mine. When I was fourteen I got really sick, they had found tumours around my kidney and removed them. After they removed the tumours I was still getting sick and fading badly, they found out that my kidney had a disease and the only thing they could do was to remove it and there ended my ideas of joining the military so I became a cop. Gibbs walked in and looked at me setting his coffee down he signed; "You're finally awake."

I had great respect for the man who hired me and has trained me to be who I am today. I had also fallen in love with him and I wanted to make sure that he was proud of me and I smirked at him signing; "Glad drowning didn't hinder your keen detective skills Boss. Ya I am awake, get it through Abby's head that I am okay and that she and the rest of the team need to go home and get some sleep, it was a hard case. All is right with the world now."

In my head that was wrong because I couldn't hear a damn thing that was going on around me. I also knew that this case had brought back some painful memories for him because it was his daughter's best friend that came looking for his help. He walked over, sat down and looked me in the eyes signing; "I Sent McGee and Ziva home to get some sleep. But if you haven't noticed, you can't hear anything so not all is right in the world Sorelli."

I just rolled my eyes and leaned back, I was feeling tired, I knew I was probably still drained because of all that had happen and I looked at him with a smirk in my eyes. I was trying to hide the fact that I was scared that I may never hear again but I had learned at a young age that sometimes you can't change things that happen in life. I signed to him. "Well forgive me for thinking that saving a girls and my boss's life is more important than me being able to hear Gibbs. I don't give a shit, you're alive and so is Maddie, so screw it if I can never hear again."

I leaned back and looked at Abby who looked ready to cry and winked at her. When a nurse came in he seemed to know sign language too and he smiled at me and signed telling me he was going to give me something to help me sleep. I needed to get some rest, I was going to be in the hospital for a few days. I nodded to him and as he was putting the shot in to the IV I signed to Abby. "Go home and get some sleep everything is fine and everyone is alive be happy Abby."

I felt myself start to fall asleep and I decided maybe tomorrow I would try to talk because I knew I could and I also knew that I could read lips, another skill that helped me in my job.

I was riding in the car with my family. My parents were in the front seat, my brother and I were in the back signing to each other telling each other new jokes we had learned. My parents were having a fight over something and I was ignoring it, that was happening a lot recently. I heard my mother scream. The next thing I knew I was being pulled out of a car and dragged to safety when I saw the car with the rest of my family in explode.

I woke up screaming and I felt some arms come around me, holding me as I cried in to their chest, holding on to their shirt, then it began to dawn on me who it was. It was Gibbs, I could smell the old spice he always wore. There was a lack of saw dust and bourbon but it was him. I pushed back as I looked at him shaking some and wiped my tears from my face. "I am fine Gibbs."

He looked at me and he raised a brow as he stroked some hair out of my face and wiped a few tears I had missed then he stared to sign. "You were screaming and shaking badly. You sure you're okay? The nurses probably will be here soon. You need to try to rest I'll be here the rest of the night."

I looked at him, I didn't need people worrying about me or thinking they needed to take care of me damn it. I was a big girl, I rubbed my hands along my eyes one last time and leaned back. I didn't need my boss thinking I was some weak person because I had a nightmare and I couldn't hear now. I signed to him still feeling groggy from meds I was on to help me sleep. "Go home Gibbs, I don't need your help. They just want me to rest until they can let me go. Then I can go home to my apartment and be in my own little silent world."

He had become my next of kin along with Ducky when I had joined. The reason being that I had no next of kin alive and no close friends but I had to have someone so he made me put him and Ducky on since he was the one that took care of us if we got sick on the job or hurt while in the office. He signed to me. "Like hell I am leaving and you have no say in this. When you get out you're moving in with me until you can hear again."

I grunted as I looked at him, I was getting mad now, I closed my eyes for a second and when I opened them I took a min to figure out what I was going to say, I signed to him; "You have a job to do and a team to run, I don't need to be taken care of by anyone. I know how to sign and I also know how to read lips. I can also speak I have not lost that ability. I am not a child that needs someone to take care of me."

He got up and he got on to the bed he slid his hands in to my hair and made me look at him, I looked at him, shocked at what he was doing, he lowered his head and he kissed me slowly. My hands brushed along his chest as I softly moaned, feeling our lips on each other in a deep kiss my, hands were gripped his shirt as he moved back I stared at him shocked, he signed to me; "I am going to take care of you because you can't just push your deafness it aside and I care about you too much for you to do this alone."

The nurse came in and signed that I needed to sleep, Gibbs moved back to his chair as the nurse put something once again into my IV and I felt myself drift off to sleep wondering why the hell my boss had just kissed me, not like I hadn't dreamed of that happening some day. When I woke up the next day Abby was there and we signed for a bit when the doctor came in I read his lips he told me I could go home today but I had to keep cotton in my ears to ward off infection and I needed to have a check up in a week. After he left Abby handed me a duffle bag with my clothes in it. I went to the bathroom and took a shower and changed. When I came out I found Gibbs, he looked at me and signed; "You ready to go? I got the guest bedroom set up for you."I ignored him as I put my bag on the bed and got all my things, I turned to Abby, as I started to comb my hair I spoke, I couldn't hear myself but I knew what I had said; "Abby can you give me a ride to my apartment. I think I am going to get some more sleep in my own bed and maybe read a book or something."

I felt Gibbs grip my chin and make me look to him he spoke he knew I could read his lips. "You are not going back to your place. If you want we can stop at your place get more then some clothes for you? We can get you some books and your laptop. But you are not going home, you're staying with me, understood?"

If this was how this was going to be, then hell, I should just quit. My parents had been well off and when they died I was left with everything. I had saved it all up because I wanted to make my own money prove to myself that I could. I had enough money to live for the rest of my life quite comfortably. I spoke so he could get this through his head. "Get this straight Gibbs, I am capable of taking care of myself. I am damn sure you have my badge and gun. Keep them and I'll send a letter of resignation to the director."

I had a feeling I was probably deaf for life and I wasn't going to be hearing again and if I could it wouldn't be a hundred percent and that meant I couldn't work for NCIS. I shoved his hand off my chin as I walked past him out to the nurses' station to see what was taking so long for me to get my sign out papers. They had them ready when I got there and I signed them went back and grabbed my bags looked to Gibbs. "Either you take me home or let Abby. If you both won't, suit yourselves, fuck off I'll get a damn cab."

I had lost my temper and I was scared on top of it all Abby looked at me and signed that she would take me home she grabbed my duffle bag and she gave a look to Gibbs as we headed out. When we got to my place she made a list of what to get at the grocery store, I was out of food, she had a spare key. It was odd for Abby not to try and talk me out of this because I knew she agreed with Gibbs. I lay down in my bed and fell asleep, when I woke it was dark out I found a letter from Abby.

Tony,

Stocked the kitchen up with all your favourite things and other things you were going to need. Please forgive Gibbs and move in with him he really cares about you. I keep telling you that he feels the same about you do about him. Let him take care of you and don't be stubborn.

Abby,"

I sighed, maybe I could do that, stay at his place, just to make him feel okay about it all. I walked out to get a glass of milk when I froze, there he was, asleep on my couch with a duffle bag in the chair next to the couch. I pinched the bridge of my nose sighed some as I walked over and shook him. He sat up rubbing his face and I walked into the kitchen to get some milk for myself and give him time to wake up. When I turned around he was there in the door way so I sat down at the kitchen table and said; "Fine seems if I don't stay at your place you're going to stay at mine. The couch isn't a good place for you to sleep so I'll stay at your place until I can figure were I am going from here."

He walked over and put my badge and gun on the table not saying anything, he sat down and leaned back. I pushed it at him looked at him and sighed; "Gibbs there is little chance that I'll ever be able to hear again and if I do, my hearing won't be good enough to work in the field. I am not being stuck on desk work so I quit."

I stood up to put my cup in the sink, I felt him turn me around and he looked at me. I looked him in the eyes, he was mad so I put my hand on his chest to push him away. He looked at me and I read his lips; "Firstly you are not leaving D.C, you have a family here whether you come back to NCIS or not. We care about you and want to help you through this and I am glad you're taking my offer to stay with me. Lastly, I kissed you because I care about you, in a different way than the others and I want you with me until I grow old and die, you got me?"

I pushed past him I couldn't take what he said about how he felt about me right now. I guess staying in D.C could work, I would have to find an apartment that was set up for the deaf. I went to my room, threw a large suitcase down on the bed and started to pack what I was going to need to live at Gibbs' for now. I made sure that I got my back pack and shoved my laptop in it, along with a few other things and was able to get some books in my back pack and in my suit case.

I know that some of this was going to hit me hard, particularly the fact that I couldn't hear and Gibbs telling me how he feels about me. Unfortunately Gibbs wasn't getting the idea that I just wanted to be alone. I zipped up the back pack and suit case and walked in to the living, he took them along with his duffle bag and we then headed to his place. When we got there he showed me the spare room, not saying anything, I went straight to bed and slept as I was worn out from fighting with him and confused about how he felt about me.

Just because I had fallen in love with him didn't mean that I wanted to be in a relationship, I had been hurt and I had a hard life. I knew that people leave you and I didn't want to get that close to Gibbs, to have him leave me. I had already lost a friend like a sister and she was a good agent, Kate had been with us for two years. I set my things in the spare room, he didn't really have to show me, when my apartment goes crazy, like the water going off or the heat goes out this is where I stay. I kicked my shoes off as I sat down, I loved the window view here I dragged my knee to my chest. Laying my head on the side as I watched the snow fall.

I felt someone sit down on the bed, I turned to look at him and raised a brow. I wanted to be here but the danger of something happening between us was strong, he had kissed me and damn, I don't want to resist him. He didn't understand anything and I knew that was because I wasn't telling him anything. He moved some hair out of my face and I closed my eyes for a second, then he signed; "Chinese sound good for dinner because I'm starting to get hungry? Ducky said you need to eat before you take your pills. He will be over tonight to check on you then he will come and check on you in the morning. That's the only way I could get you out of the hospital early."

I looked at him for a second, so that's how I got out a day early. I sat up a bit as I slid my hair out of my face and I looked back at him. I was going to have to get us two signing on a normal basis even if I remembered it all by heart. His finger stroked some of the hair out of my face again. I decided to speak "What ever you want to order, you already know what kind of Chinese food I like, we've been working together long enough Gibbs."

I could see him sigh as he stood up, he smoothed my hair with his hands, I closed my eyes and looked up watching him walk right out the door. I positioned the pillows as I lay on my side putting a pillow against my chest and nuzzled in to it sighing, okay, now it was sinking in that the doctor said there was about a ten percent chance that I'll hear again. Good possible if that ten percent chance happen that my heart would be half as good as it was before I lost it. I pulled the covers over me watching the snow as I feel asleep.