Title: New Horisons

Author: reef

Rating: M

Summary: Tony's been through this before. He knows how it'll end if he doesn't leave now. Time for things to change.

WARNINGS: SLASH (mild for now)

A/N: It might not look like it at first but this really is a CSIM fic, it just starts out with an NCIS character.

New Horizons

2

A quick tap on the glass door to the trace lab broke Speed's concentration and he was barely able to suppress the growl that he wanted to loose at the unwanted intruder. When he did look up he was glad he had restrained himself. Horatio stood in the door way, a slight smirk on his face, and for some reason Speed had a feeling that his friend and boss new he had held back. Still, his evidence wasn't co-operating and he was still in a bad mood.

"What's up?" Speed asked. Luckily Horatio new his best CSI's moods, sometimes better that the CSI himself knew them.

Taking a step inside the door, the Lieutenant replied, "You had a visitor down at reception."

Some what confused now at this boss' choice of words, Speed continued, "Had? As in, I no longer have a visitor?"

"No, had, as in, he's no longer in reception, he's in one of the victim interview rooms. And it might be slightly difficult for him to talk to you." Horatio was still confusing the hell out of him.

Speed just scowled at Horatio, tempted to really growl this time. Horatio just smiled and turned to go. "Apparently he's been waiting for a while, he fell asleep."

Speed followed Horatio up the hall to the interview rooms looking ahead through the glass walls to find out who his mystery visitor might have been. As soon a s he laid eyes on the short shaggy hair and handsome face he pushed ahead of his boss with a gasped, "Tony!" He rushed into the room and crouched beside the form stretched out on the couch. Knowing that H was the only person near by, he reached out and ran a hand through his friend's soft, spiky hair, quietly call to him.

"Tony. Tony... Tonio, c'mon man, wake up for me." He said, seeing his friend's face scrunch up like a child who didn't want to go to school. Speed smiled warmly as he saw Tony DiNozzo's green eyes blink up at him. "Hey, you alright?"

"Hmmm... I'm... what?" Tony looked around, seeing unfamiliar surroundings and an unfamiliar face. He groaned and tried to bury his face in the couch cushion. He look back up at his friend a moment later, "I can't believe I fell asleep."

The still slightly sleepy man pushed himself into a sitting position and ran a hand through his hair, making it stick up even further. Neither CSI missed the way he favoured using his left hand and held his right in close to his body. Speed glanced a his boss before reaching out toward Tony's right arm. His intention was to rest his hand on the man's shoulder, but Tony flinched away as if he was about to be hit.

"Hey, it's alright, I won't hurt you. You know that." Speed spoke quietly, seeing the confused look on his friend's face clear slightly only to be replaced by a lost, more hopeless look.

"Yeah, I know. Sorry, just... still half asleep I guess." Tony replied without looking up at Speed.

Speed glanced back at his boss again. Horatio clearly saw his friend's request for a few minutes alone and quietly left the room, closing the door behind him. He could see his friend trusted the this visitor and that was enough for him.

"You want to tell me what's going on?" Speed asked, sitting on the couch beside Tony.

"How long have you got?" Tony replied, a humourless half smile showing on is face for an instant.

Speed sighed, knowing he was still on duty and sensing his friend needed more than just the few minutes he had to get the full story across. "Not long enough, I'm sorry..." he paused, "... how about you tell me what this is." He gestured to Tony's arm, where he was obviously hurting in some way.

"Gunshot." Tony said shortly. His good hand unconciously moving up to cover the injury. "Yesterday. That's why I fell asleep, pain meds."

There was silence between the pair for a short while before Speed asked, "Do you somewhere to stay while you're here?"

"I... " Tony's shoulders slumped, as if life was suddenly too heavy to keep going on with. "I hadn't thought that far ahead." He finished.

"Good, you can stay at my place." Tony's head came up at that, but Speed didn't let him speak, "No arguments, we are not finished with this conversation." Speed insisted and didn't mi the slightly relieved look that passed across the agent's face.

Speed looked up, catching Horatio's approach through the glass wall. "Stay here a minute, let me work something out." He stood and caught his boss at the door.

"What's going on Speed?" Horatio asked quickly.

"Something big. I don't know..." He look to his friend inside the interview room still. "He fell asleep because he's on pain meds for a GSW to the arm." At Horatio's questioning look, he continued. "He's an Agent with NCIS."

"NCIS, that's a tough job." Horatio commented.

"He's a tough kid" Speed stated, automatically defending his friend. "Not so much of a kid anymore though." He said, more to himself than his boss.

Horatio looked in at thier unexpected guest, "He's not looking so hot right now, he looks ready to fall asleep again."

"Yeah..." Speed din't know what to do, they were in the middle of a case, not to mention only half way though the shift.

Horatio took pity on his CSI and said, "I'm headed out with Calleigh, Tripp's got a new scene for our homicide. I think Eric's might have something new for your case so why don't you move him to the couch in my office then take him home when you finish up with Eric."

Speed sighed in relief, knowing Tony would be somewhere close. He'd always felt the need to protect the younger man, if he really thought about it, so did every other person that knew Tony well enough. Since they were kids, Tony had always been the one who wanted to protect others but with such a gently heart, sometimes it was Tony himself that need the protection. It seemed that once again, Tony's need to protect had gotten him hurt, and just remembering the hopeless, lost look on his friend's face was enough to kick Speed's protective intincts into overdrive.

A pat on his shoulder brought him back to the present and he saw Horatio smile at him before turning to catch up with Calleigh at the end of the hall.

TBC