Chapter Three
Weeks later….
Gibbs knew what Tony was going through and yet he had no clue at all.
"Tony," he said, about to make the same statement he'd made more nights in a row than he cared to remember. "It's late, you should get home."
"I'm onto something, Boss," came the usual reply. Tony didn't bother to look up from his computer. He hadn't moved since they'd gotten back from their last case. He'd finished his report in record time and hadn't even gone to get himself lunch. If Abby or McGee didn't bring him food, Gibbs was sure that the younger man would never eat at the office. He was looking more gaunt every day and it pained Gibbs to see him that way. Gibbs knew for a fact that Tony spent every waking moment away from the office seeing to the needs of his newborn son, more often than not letting his own needs go unnoticed.
When he was in the office though, Tony's only thought was to catch Ari.
Gibbs understood the need to find whoever had taken away your life and your love. He understood Tony would never stop, would never want to stop. Not until whoever had done it was gone.
Not caught.
Gone.
Dead.
The difference was that Gibbs hadn't had a child at home. He wondered how that would have changed things in his case. Would he have given up the hunt? Gone home at a decent hour every night? Made sure to do basic things like feed and take care of himself?
As much as he tried to push Tony to do just those things Gibbs knew that he himself would be doing just as Tony was. Knew that there would be no way that he'd be able to relax and just be a father while his wife's killer was still out there.
So he said nothing, stopped pushing. Allowed Tony to do what he needed.
Besides, the baby was fine. Between Abby, Ducky, McGee and even Ziva, he had constant attendance from many loving arms. Some said it took a village to raise a child and little Giovanni (known as Vanni to his many admirers) was getting just that. He spent his days in Abby's lab, close enough for Tony to see him whenever he needed.
When he first returned to work, only a week after the murder, Tony had some anxiety about letting the baby out of his sight. He'd be working and suddenly feel like he couldn't breathe, his heart racing as if he were fighting against some unknown foe. The first time it had happened, Gibbs had been truly scared for his agent, not sure what it meant. It was Ducky who had calmed Gibbs' own fears, pointing out that Tony's reaction was completely normal.
Through trial and error, they discovered that once the anxiety hit the only thing that helped Tony was being able to hold his son. It was as if by holding the baby he was able to tell himself that at least his son was okay, that he was safe and sound, even if Kate no longer was. It was some semblance of control in a world Tony hardly recognized as his life anymore.
As soon as Gibbs saw the difference in the younger man after a few such visits with the baby, he had done everything in his power to allow the child in the building on a daily basis. It wouldn't be forever. They all knew that. It was only for now. Only for as long as Tony needed.
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A week later…..
The call came in the middle of the night. Ari had been spotted trying to leave the country. He had escaped but a BOLO had tracked down his car. It had been parked haphazardly in a wooded area, obvious tracks showing a desperate man taking off on foot.
Gibbs and Tony holstered their guns, making for the elevator at the same time.
Ziva and McGee weren't quite as fast but they followed just moments later. When they got to the elevator they found their way blocked by Gibbs' strong arm.
"You two stay here, follow up with the local LEOs and let us know if anything changes," he said, giving them no chance to protest before the doors closed on them.
Alone, the two men rode down to the garage level in silence. Gibbs had left the other two out of the job on purpose. There was only one way for it to end and he didn't want either of them involved. As it was, he was going to have his hands full keeping Tony alive. He understood not caring for your own safety when hunting down the man who'd killed your wife. It would be his job that night to remind the younger man that a child still needed him.
Unlike Gibbs so many years ago, Tony actually did have something to lose.
They found the car and followed the trail into the woods, easily finding it despite the darkness of the cold night. Ari wanted to be found, wanted Gibbs to know that he was ready. For Gibbs knew that despite the horror that had been heaped upon Tony, this, all of it, was for him. Ari had decided to go after Gibbs by going after those he cared about most.
Gibbs wished that he could be out in the woods on his own. He knew that nothing would please Ari more than to take out Tony. Take him out with Gibbs watching helplessly, preferably. Stopping Tony from coming hadn't been an option, despite the risk. Gibbs wouldn't want to be left behind when the time came to take down the man who'd killed his family, he'd be damned if he was going to deny Tony that right.
Tony's hand flew up and Gibbs stopped, slowly and silently coming forward till he was next to the younger man. In silent hand signals, Tony told him that he'd seen signs of something up ahead. Gibbs nodded and they moved off as one in matching flanking maneuvers, intent on trapping their quarry between them.
Unfortunately they played right into Ari's hands. Gibbs saw the muzzle flash before he even had a chance to yell a warning.
Tony dropped and Gibbs fired in the same second. Using the muzzle flash to determine not only where his target was, but also where the kill spot would be. A double tap ended Ari's life, just as Ari knew it would. Gibbs only hoped that Ari's final attempt to get at him hadn't worked. Ari thought that he had killed Tony. Gibbs prayed that Ari was wrong.
Gibbs ran to Tony's side, barely daring to breathe as he felt for a pulse. He could feel blood pooling into the soft ground under his knees as he knelt by Tony's side. It ran warm over his fingers as well and just when he was sure that Ari had indeed completed his final wish, he felt a thump under his shaking fingers.
Bowing his head in relief, he called for the backup that should have been with them all along but that neither of them had wanted.
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Hours (or was it days?) later Gibbs sat in a waiting room alone. Abby and Ducky had taken the baby to Tony's house to await further news and Ziva and McGee were handling the cleanup at the scene.
When the doctor came out, Gibbs' head was still reeling and he only caught phrases here and there. Things like "surgery went well", "managed to repair the damage" and "full recovery" made their way into his foggy mind. Luckily those were the only things he needed to hear and he nodded mutely when the doctor asked if he'd like to see his agent.
Before entering the room, Gibbs took a moment to dial his phone and tell Ducky the news. He hung up as soon as the words were out, not trusting his voice to do much more than give that short message. Ducky would tell everyone else.
He walked into Tony's room then, winding his way past machines and IV hooks to find the other man looking younger and yet older than ever before. A tube breathed for him, slowly and steadily, taking up the slack for lungs weakened not only by the trauma of the night but the plague before. The tube was temporary, all of it was, needed now only to help, to heal, to bring the body back where it needed to be. Gibbs only hoped that the man inside would heal now as well.
Pausing to rub a hand over Tony's forehead, he sat down quietly in the chair by the bed. He didn't want Tony to wake up alone. He reached out and put his hand over the younger man's, hoping that the touch would reassure him even as he slept.
Gibbs must have fallen asleep. The next thing he knew the hand below his moved. Gibbs eyes snapped open and he found himself staring into a pair of hazel ones. Pushing the button to call the doctor, Gibbs stood back as they came in, removing the tube that Tony no longer needed.
Once they were gone, he reached for Tony's hand again and the grip that met his was strong. Tony's mouth moved but a throat scratched and dry from the tube made it difficult to speak. Gibbs squeezed Tony's hand back.
"It's okay Tony. It's over. He's gone."
With that Tony's eyes filled with tears. Gibbs sat on the edge of the bed, holding the younger man as he let out the grief he'd held on to for too long.
Tony hadn't cried since the day Gibbs had found Kate. He hadn't allowed himself to let go, too intent on getting the man responsible for his loss. Not even at the funeral. His face had been a mask of grief as he'd put his wife into the ground, but he hadn't shed a single tear.
The weeks of terror, pain and grief that had been hidden behind a wall of defenses now came flooding out, the wall demolished with the death of the man who'd caused it all.
Gibbs let Tony cry, knowing that he needed to do it, he'd be better once it was done. Maybe not perfect, but better.
To be continued…..