A/N: Slightly shorter than the previous two chapters but hopefully just as enjoyable. Any characters not recognisable are entirely made up.

Tony POV

I stir slowly wanting the man in my arms to be Gibbs but knowing its Scott. I'm not disappointed as I usually am, here we go again what is wrong with me, have I finally realised I can't have Gibbs? Scott must have sensed I'm awake because he turns in my arms and kisses me good morning, and mumbles something about a shower. I tell him I'll join him in a minute, and I do. Nothing happens in the shower just us washing each other, when we hear a knock on the door; it's not late so I wonder who it is. Scott goes shouting over his shoulder that he'll get the door.

"Who is it Scott?" I shout through

"Says he's a friend of yours, Jethro Gibbs."

"Umm yeah let him in" I say walking through to the entrance noting that we're both dressed in towels and both wet, pretty obvious what we've just been doing together. It's Gibbs. Great just what I need for him to find out.

"What did you forget Gibbs?"

"My cell left it on the coffee table I'll just get it and go." He sounds shocked and I think he knows it, nothing shocks Gibbs, not outwardly anyway. He leaves just walking past me not saying another word. I continue with my morning as though Gibbs didn't just stop by and find out that me and Scott were together. I mean there's always a chance he didn't work out was had been going on in the shower but Gibbs isn't stupid and the look on his face. Well both these spoke volumes of his understanding of what he'd interrupted. Surely he could have just used his spare key that's he'd been using all yesterday, then I wouldn't have known he'd been here and he wouldn't know about Scott. But that's too late now. He knows. I should call him and explain, not that it's any of his business but I should clear things up. I press call

"Gibbs" he answers with his usual growl, as though he's about to get a new case.

"Hey it's Tony, you left pretty quick earlier, everything ok?" I ask trying to sound like I don't care he now knows about me. Actually it'll make it easier to judge his feeling towards me if he knows my preference.

"Everything's fine DiNozzo"

"Look boss Scott he's a friend, well more than a frie…" I try to explain being cut off,

"You don't have to explain yourself to me DiNozzo, you're a grown man you can do what you want"

And that's the end of the conversation and the phone call. He hangs up with his usual abrupt manner. So now not only do I not know where about I stand with him I don't know how he feels about the whole situation. I don't think he's homophobic, I've never heard him say anything or act differently to the gay marines whose deaths we investigate. Hopefully by Monday he'll have time to figure things out. Scott leaves soon after saying I need to figure out my life in my own head before I get involved. He must have picked up on the tension when I realised Gibbs had picked up on what he'd just interrupted. So now all I have to do is survive till Monday morning with all my thoughts and fantasies spinning round in my head, and I have to do it alone, maybe not, maybe ill call Abby and see if she wants to do a movie night tonight despite the fact we've got work tomorrow. It should be ok, we've done it before.

"Hey Abs wanna come over for takeout and movies?"

"Sure Tony. What time you want me there? Anything the matter, you usually only ask me to come when something's bugging you, I usually have to bully you into doing movie nights." All this is said in her over-excited jumping around voice.

"You can come over whenever you're ready Abs, I've got no plans for the rest of the day. Abs how many caf-pows have you had today? "

"Ok if I come now? I'm sooooo bored Toooneeeee. And only 3 so far." Great so I get hyper Abby and I'm gonna end up spilling my guts to her, she knows something's up.

"Yeah sure Abs that's cool, I'll see you in a bit" I wait for her farewell then hang up beginning to wonder whether this was a good idea. I think not but it's too late now. Maybe I could make something up, but no, that wouldn't work either. Abby always knows when I'm lying to her. Oh great. I decide to worry about it when she gets here and distract myself with the TV and a beer. It doesn't take long for Abby to get here only half hour so when I hear the knock I'm ready and waiting with a beer and popcorn, enough to last for a couple of movies at least.

"Hey Abs" I answer and she throws herself at me literally I have to grab the wall to stay upright.

"TONY, TONY, TONY" as always shouting instead of talking. She walks through to the living room and plonks herself onto the couch.

"So how's Scott?" great hasn't even been able to wait 2 minutes before the questions start.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about Abs. Umm Gibbs kinda came back here a little earlier than expected."
"Wait he caught you and Scott, I can't believe I've never been able… how did Gibbs manage it and not me."

"No Abs he didn't catch us having sex, he came back this morning and Scott answered the door, naked bar a towel and still wet from the shower. And I didn't know it was Gibbs at the door so I went to the door to find out who it was in the same state of dress as Scott"

"But that doesn't mean anything tony, Gibbs might not know what"

"Of course he worked it out Abs, that's what the big deal is, his face when he worked it out, he actually looked shocked, and I saw the recognition cross his face"

"But Tony, I don't get it why is this a bad thing? You want Gibbs yes so why is him finding out a bad thing?"

" Because Abs, he hasn't spoken to me at all since this occurred and to top it all off Scott walked out shortly after, having figured it all out, he felt the tension in the room, saw the recognition cross Gibbs face."

" Have you tried to talk to Gibbs?"

"Yeah I phoned him, tried to explain why I hadn't told him and all he'd say was that its none of his business. He wouldn't even let me finish explaining and then he put the phone down. That was it. All I managed to get out of him. So now I don't know what to do, find out what Gibbs thinks about the whole thing, or just ignore it and hope it goes away on its own."

" You can't ignore this Tony, and it won't go away, talk to Gibbs first face to face tomorrow, and make him listen."

"Listen to what Abs? Hey Gibbs sorry I didn't tell you I was gay, I only did it because I'm in love with you and I thought if you knew all this you'd be uncomfortable, but now I've told I feel so much better. Yeah that'll go down really well Abs."

"No Tony, don't be stupid, tell him you're sorry for not telling him, for telling the team, you don't have to tell him why you didn't tell him, he probably won't let you anyway. But you have to talk to him Tony, don't let this ruin what you've already got with him."

"Thanks Abs"

"No problem, and remember, you can talk to me whenever you need to Tony."

"Yeah I know Abs, Thanks."

Gibbs POV

I start the car and drive, I don't have anywhere I need to be, or want to be for that matter. Just away from Tony, I feel the sudden urge to turn around, go back, explain why I just walked out, but no. I can't do that, he already thinks I'm acting strange, besides what would I say? Hey DiNozzo, I'm jealous, want to shag. No I definitely can't do that. One, because he's obviously in a relationship, two, because I don't even know what I want, and three because of rule #12. Thinking about it the only really successful relationship I've had was Shannon and Kelly, but the best sex I've had definitely comes with the guys I dated here and there, but then they have been mostly one night stands. What would I want with Tony, a one night stand, maybe more? Do I even want anything with Tony? But I doesn't matter, rule 12, I'm going to have to keep reminding myself about that now I know he might be up for something. But do I know? All I know is that Tony is in a possible relationship with a guy. Doesn't mean he'd want a relationship of any kind or a one night stand with me, a guy at least 10 years older. I can't believe I'm even considering this, it's not as though anything's going to happen. Hmm only 9 in the morning, way too early for a drink. Ducky's it is then.

"Jethro, I didn't hear you leave, what time did you go out and more importantly where did you go?"

"Didn't realise I needed permission to go out Duck."

"You went to Anthony's place didn't you? And you didn't like what you found." I stay silent not wanting to give him any fuel, but it appears that's exactly what I have done.

"Ahh he had someone there. But Anthony's dates have never bothered you before so why does this one? Did you by any chance discover Anthony's preference in bed partner? That's it, you did, so what's so unnerving about that? You're not homophobic so it must be that you didn't realise sooner."

"Yeah duck, I mean I should have noticed, everyone else seems to know."

"I believe young Timothy is yet to work it out."

"Thanks Duck that makes me feel so much better, my probie hasn't figured it out. But he will, and probably would have done before me."

"Now Jethro, Anthony is very good at hiding things he doesn't want people to know, not as good as you yet, but he'll get there."

"But why would he feel the need to hide it from us Duck, from the team, they're like a family yet he doesn't feel he can share this bit of his life with us."

"Jethro law enforcement isn't the most accepting of careers for minorities, maybe he was just used to keeping it concealed, it's less likely to get out that way."

"Yeah I guess your right Duck."

"Don't feel bad he didn't tell you Jethro, I'm sure it has nothing to do with trust, more survival."

He wanders off, more than likely to make tea, so I shout through I'm off to go check on how the house is doing before he gives me a cup of the vile stuff. I'm quite successful at keeping thoughts of Tony out of my head during the drive although I do find myself thinking a lot of those now nameless men I've had in my bed over the years both before and after Shannon and Kelly. I realise I'm going to need to go back on the dating scene if I want to get rid of this, well whatever it is, surrounding Tony. Tonight's not ideal, I've got work tomorrow, but if I don't I won't know how to interact with Tony tomorrow, it will be awkward and the others might notice. Ok so getting laid tonight it is then. I decide to go to a club about an hour outside DC. There's no chance of me seeing anyone I know that way. When I arrive, I'm assaulted with the familiar scent of booze and sweat, hardly surprising given the mass of bodies writhing together on the dance floor. I go up to the bar and order bourbon and a beer, swallowing the bourbon in one. I wait at the bar and pretty soon there's a guy buying me bourbon and offering to dance. I take both and not long after he's suggesting we go back to his. I agree, usually I take them back to mine but I can't tonight, not when I'll have to leave early in the morning. We take both cars and I follow him, it doesn't take long 10 minutes at most. He's hot, a redhead, brown eyes slightly taller than me but not as built, any taller he'd be considered lanky. I do him several times that night until he's exhausted and I've finally got Tony out my head. Selfish I know but necessary for me, he gets what he wants and I get what I want. Simple. After he's fallen asleep I leave like planned and go back to Ducky's, knowing there won't be time for sleep, but a cup of coffee. I manage to avoid Ducky, just getting changed before leaving to get coffee and to go to work. I'm there early, as usual but what surprises me is Tony is already here, although not at his desk. I've got maybe an hour until the rest of the team arrive, an hour alone with Tony at work.