AN: So here comes chapter 5. Thanks for all the reviews they really make my day!

Chapter 5

Tony was sitting in the passenger seat, his head leaning against the cool window while Gibbs drove the car towards his house.

The car were silent, Gibbs sneaked some peaks at Tony from time to time to make sure that the younger agent was alright.

He was worried about his senior field agent and he wondered why Tony had kept his bruises a secret and who had done it to him. It felt strange knowing that the younger agent was keeping secrets from him, secrets that had gotten him hurt and that made it worse because Gibbs hated seeing his people get hurt.

They pulled into the driveway that led to Gibbs house, the older man turned off the engine and for a couple a moments they just sat there quite and looking at the house.

"You okay?" Gibbs asked as he looked over at Tony.

"I'm fine." Tony said not looking at his boss.

The older man nodded to himself, got out of the car and walked over to the passenger side to help Tony.

The younger man watched thru the front window as his boss made his way over to his side and when Gibbs opened the door, he offered his hand to the younger man to help him.

Tony just looked at the hand, felt rather embarrassed and blushed but after a stern look from Gibbs he took it and let the man help him.

They made their way up and into the house; Gibbs helped the limping Tony into the big living room and motioned for him to sit down on the couch.

When Tony was sitting down Gibbs carefully arranged so the younger man's injured ankle so it was resting on a pillow on the coffee table and then walked into the kitchen to make some coffee.

Tony leaned back into the big and soft sofa and closed his eyes for a while but after a couple of minutes he heard the front door open. Ziva and McGee stepped inside and when they saw Tony in the living room, they joined him there.

"Thanks Probie." Tony said as McGee handed him a bag with clothes. McGee nodded to him and then sat down in an armchair across Tony and Ziva did the same.

McGee opened his mouth to say something but Gibbs walked into the room with four cups of coffee.

"What's going on, Tony?" Gibbs asked as he sat down and glared at the younger man.

Tony met Gibbs stare but looked away because of its intensity and he could he even feel it when he didn't looked at him.

The silence stretched as Tony thought about what to say, he couldn't tell them the truth and in a way he couldn't lie to them.

But he wasn't ready to talk about his past, yet.

"Oh for God's sake, spill it!" Ziva said annoyed but a hint of worry colored her voice.

"I can't." Tony said in a low voice as he looked away.

"Why not?" McGee asked leaning a little forward.

"Because… I can't…"

Gibbs opened his mouth to say that if Tony didn't start talking soon he would do something really bad but he was interrupted when his front door burst open and a big man stepped inside.

"Anybody home?!" The man yelled as he looked around, when he saw Gibbs and the others he walked into the living room. "There you are Jet! Nice to see you, old man!"

"Al." Gibbs said hiding his surprise and got up to greet the other man.

Tony, Ziva and McGee looked at each other, all of them stunned and with big eyes they watched the two men.

Al was a big man, almost a head taller than Gibbs, with dark hair that had a few grey hairs in it and light brown eyes, burly built.

"So, are you babysitting or something now a days?" Al asked as he looked at the three younger NCIS-agents.

"This is my team." Gibbs said ignoring the babysitter comment. "This is Tony, Ziva and McGee." Each of them shook hands with Al as their name was said.

"This is Al, an old friend." Was all Gibbs said as he presented Al.

"Yeah we go way back." Al said with a big smile.

Tony, Ziva and McGee looked at Al and Gibbs as they talked. All three were very curious on how Gibbs and Al had gotten to know each other but they knew better than to ask.

"So what brings you here?" Gibbs asked as they sat down.

"Work." Was Al short answer.

"So what are you working with?" Ziva dared to ask.

"I'm a P.I."

"Oh."

"I have to borrow your bathroom, Jet." Al said as he got up.

"You know where it is." Gibbs said and nodded to his old friend that walked away.

The NCIS team was quite until Al's back disappeared into the house, and then the three younger ones looked at Gibbs with small smiles.

"So. That was Al." Tony said grinning, as he felt that the focus was off him and onto this new situation. "An old friend."

"How long have you known Al?" Ziva asked mimicking Tony's playful tone.

"Don't you two start." Gibbs said glaring at his two agents. "I think that we need to have our discussion another time."

"Good thinking, boss." Tony said and started to get.

"Not so fast, DiNozzo. You are not yet of the hook." Gibbs said as he gently pushed Tony back on the sofa. "Until we have this conversation you are staying with me. No argument!"

Tony closed his half open mouth, crossed his arms over his chest and almost pouted under Gibbs hard glare. "McGee and David! I'll see you tomorrow."

Ziva and McGee jumped up at their names, sent Tony some looks that held concern and pity before making their way out of the house.

"What happened to the younglings?" Al asked as he stepped into the living room.

"Gibbs threw them out." Tony said a bit sourly.

"But you still need babysitting I see." Al said and smiled his big smile.

"I don't need any babysitting." Tony said knowing that he sounded childish but something with Al made him dislike Gibbs old friend.

"Tony got hurt during a case so I want to keep an eye on him so he doesn't get into more trouble." Gibbs said.

"So you are an accident prone?" Al said looking a little closer at Tony.

"No, not really." Tony said, trying not to be offended by Al's talk.

"Do you need a place to stay?" Gibbs asked Al.

"Yeah, if it's alright."

"You know it." Gibbs said, thinking over the sleeping arrangements. "If Tony takes the guest room with the television and you the other. You still don't watch that thing so much?"

"Sounds alright for me." Al snickered.

"I can stay down here, boss. Its okay and this sofa are pretty comfy." Tony said. Both guest rooms were on the top floor and he didn't feel up to hop up the stairs. The thought of looking like an idiot in front of the two older men by tumbling down the stairs or ask for help made him want to stay on the sofa.

"Don't be stupid. Al, grab that arm so we can help him up the stairs." Gibbs said as he carefully took Tony's arm that held those nasty bruises.

Not giving Tony must choice the two men hauled him up and the three men made their way up the stairs and into the guest room.

"Do you need anything else?" Gibbs asked Tony as the younger man sat down on the bed.

"No, thanks. I'm fine." Tony said feeling rather embarrassed.

"Keep that foot up high and I'll check on you later."

"Thanks, boss." Tony watched as the two men walked out of the room and downstairs. Then he laid down with a sigh and turned on the television

"So how's life treating you?" Gibbs and Al were sitting at the kitchen table with a few beers.

"Fairly good. Yours?"

"It's fine."

"You always had a way with words." Al and Gibbs kloncked their beer bottles at that. "Anyhow, I believe that I'm on a high roll now."

"This new case?" Gibbs asked.

"Yeah, this dude wants to find this kid and if I do it I'll earn a big sum of money."

"Good for you." Gibbs took a swing from his beer and steered the conversation into old memories.

He didn't really like Al's choice of profession, there were a lot of good and honest Private investigators but Al wasn't one of them so he didn't want to get involved. His gut gave him that famous feeling that this case wasn't that legal.

TBC