Looking at You: Part II

Umm… well, this probably isn't what most of you were expecting, but it's still focussed on Gibbs and Tony's relationship post Requiem, a tie in to Sweet Child and sort of a prequel to Lost and Found. Read it and see what you think.

/\/\/\

The hiss of the negatively pressured doors to autopsy alerted Ducky to his visitor; although he was surprised to say the least when he saw who it was.

"Hollis, my dear; it's a pleasure to see you again," said Ducky genuinely, dressed to leave, with hat in hand. "I'm afraid Jethro is still on suspension…"

"I know, Ducky," she replied seriously. "It's you I'm here to see."

"Ah." Ducky looked rather worried. "I sense another interrogation on the horizon. Could I have that lawyer now?"

"Unfortunately for you, my interrogation techniques don't work on Jethro," she replied with a smile, leaning against one of the steel slabs. "He's too good at it himself. But you know him better than most, Doctor." Her expression sobered. "Am I wasting my time?"

"Gibbs… is a complicated man," said Ducky evasively.

"Well, I know that," Mann chuckled. "I've been seeing him five months. I just really need to know where I stand. I have a friend in Hawaii who's begging me to come out and go into partnership in her riding stables; it's the kind of opportunity that doesn't come along every day. But before I can give her a definite answer, I need to know where I stand. And getting any kind of commitment out of Jethro is next to impossible."

"True," conceded Ducky. "Very well, my dear; I will try to help you understand the world of Gibbs."

Mann laughed. "He's in a world of his own, all right." She became serious again. "The thing is… between ninety three and two thousand, Jethro was married and divorced three times."

"Yes; what of it?"

"Why?" Hollis asked, intently. "Why has he given up getting married? Was his break-up from Stephanie really that traumatic?"

"The baseball bat certainly was," the doctor remarked. "I put six stitches in his head on this very table." He patted the steel almost fondly.

"She hit him over the head with a baseball bat?" Mann asked incredulously.

"Indeed she did, my dear." Ducky grinned. "Perhaps that was her choice of interrogation methods."

"Ducky," said Hollis, getting back onto the subject. "I know Jethro's never going to be over Shannon and Kelly; and I understand that, really I do. But I don't want to end up as another one of his mistakes. Please; just help me out here?"

The ME sighed. He'd never been able to resist a damsel in distress. "I believe the event that marked the end of Jethro's cycle of destruction was a chance meeting in Baltimore in two thousand and one," he told her reluctantly.

"Baltimore? Who did he meet there?"

"An extremely talented but under-appreciated young homicide detective. The poor boy was dismissed by his superiors, despite the quality of his work, because of outward appearances and rather unusual methods; when we met he was close to burning out."

"DiNozzo?" Colonel Mann guessed, in confusion.

"Who else?" Ducky chuckled. "I consider Jethro a good friend, but to Abigail and Anthony he is closer to family. Tony in particular, since he has none of his own. He followed us home like a lost puppy in the rain; all big eyes and wagging tail." Ducky smiled at the memory. "I don't think Gibbs smiled so much in the previous year as he did in the first month Tony was with us. And the first time he got hurt… He was as angry as I've ever seen him."

"They've certainly been spending a lot of time together while Tony's been sick," Mann commented.

"Jethro would never admit it, but he's a terrible mother hen where Tony is concerned. Particularly when he blames himself for his injuries."

"But how did meeting Tony stop him getting married?"

"Jethro remarried because he was lonely," Ducky explained gently. "He chose wives who were all superficially similar to Shannon to try to recapture the happy life he'd lost. And because none of them were Shannon, none lived up to her memory and so eventually he pushed each one away."

"Anthony, on the other hand, reminded Jethro of himself when he was younger and happier; and at times, of his beloved daughter. The parent without a child meets the child without a parent; they adopted one another, in a way. And once he had that familial connection back, Jethro no longer felt the need to continually remarry. He has had relationships since, but none particularly serious."

"Then I guess I have my answer, Ducky," Colonel Mann replied sadly.

/\/\/\

Hollis let herself in Gibbs' eternally unlocked door and stilled, as she heard voices coming from the rarely used living room. She followed them to the ancient leather couch and a scene that took her breath away.

There was a brand new, expensive looking widescreen TV set up in the corner, complete with DVD player and Playstation. It was currently showing some old black and white movie she didn't recognise. On the coffee table were two empty beer bottles, a pizza box with a few crusts in and an empty popcorn tub.

And on the couch were Special Agents Leroy Jethro Gibbs and Anthony DiNozzo, both fast asleep. Tony was curled up under Jethro's arm, head nestling on his shoulder, while Gibbs' rested gently on top of it. Hollis had never seen anything quite so touching; both were completely at peace. Even as she watched, Tony squirmed slightly and Jethro's arm tightened around his shoulders.

She watched, entranced, for an eternal moment, seeing a side to Gibbs she'd never seen before. And knew that she'd never mean half as much to him as the young man beside him.

Hollis left them alone. As she slipped out, she looked back wistfully; and caught a line from the old movie that was still playing.

"Here's looking at you, Kid." She smiled sadly, and closed the door behind her.

In the living room, a faint smile played across Gibbs' sleeping face.

/\/\/\

Tell me what you thought.