He practically threw his lower back out getting Tony into the shower. The younger man gave him some help when he got him up on his feet…but not much.
And he got more of an eyeful of the markings, red and angry, on the back of his body as well as the subtle remnants of indentations and rubbed irritations on his wrists and ankles.
He heart truly sunk.
Gibbs wasn't judgemental about what anyone, including Tony, might like to play at in their sexual life.
But this…what Tony was doing? Gibbs knew what this was. For Tony, it was coming from a very dark place, it was because he felt he somehow deserved it. And after what Tony had been through just months ago...
Gibbs was determined to get Tony to listen, once he sobered him up. Now with Campanelli on the loose…it was even more urgent to work this – whatever this was - out.
"Come on," he panted, with one of Tony's arms over his shoulder. The one around his waist was practically holding him up.
"Mmm…what's…"Tony was a little responsive, but barely keeping his eyes open.
"I need you to step over the tub, Tony. Can you do that?"
Tony didn't respond verbally, but did his best to pick up a foot, stepping it into the bathtub, where the cool water was coming down from the shower.
Gibbs hadn't made it too cold…yet. Because he knew it would be a harder fight to get him in.
As soon as one foot hit the water, Tony seemed to jump a little, groggily picking his head up.
"Come on, other foot…" Gibbs urged, as he got Tony all the way in, "just lean a little on the wall…okay…"
Tony shuddered as the cool water hit more of his body. He looked at the man next to him, just outside the stream of the water, with red, bloodshot eyes.
"Gibbs?" he rasped out, looking confused.
"Were you expecting someone else?" Gibbs asked snarkily.
"What…"Tony shivered, "what the Hell are you doing here?"
Just then, there was frantic knocking at the door.
Shit. Gibbs thought. Can't be Campanelli...but could be someone working for him. He quickly sprinted from the bathroom, leaving Tony to lean fully on the wall.
He pulled his weapon.
"Dee? Are you in there?"
It was Sharlee.
Gibbs quickly opened the door and pulled her in.
She squealed a little and got ready to throw a punch.
"Easy! It's just me!" Gibbs said, raising up his hands, gun still in the right.
"Jesus jumpin' Christ on a unicycle," she blurted out, "you trying to give me a damned heart attack?"
He smiled a little, "No, and we have enough trouble already." He turned and put the gun away, as she looked around.
"Is Dee here?"
"I'm thinking you mean Tony, and yes." Gibbs turned and walked into the bathroom, she was about to follow him when he looked at her and asked, "Can you order up two pots of coffee? We're gonna' need it."
She nodded, "Sure," and shook her head, already knowing that Tony must be in need of sobering up.
Gibbs entered the bathroom, and saw Tony had slid down into the tub, with his knees drawn up to his chest, and was almost asleep again. He reached over and shut down all the hot in the water.
He knew the minute it had gone ice cold.
"FUCK!" Tony yelled, jumping up at lightning speed and trying to get away from the freezing water.
But Gibbs gripped him firmly, getting a good dose of the cold himself as he held Tony under the stream.
"What the Hell is wrong with you Gibbs? Let me go!" Tony tried to scream at him, but was too weak, so it came out a little more than an angry wail.
"I could ask you the same thing, Tony," he growled.
"Let. Me. Outofhere!" Tony fought him, now starting to kick as well as flail.
"No. Ten minutes. And then we're done," Gibbs grunted, now pinning Tony's arms totally and stepping into the shower to fully hold him in place.
"Fuck you! Fuck you Gibbs! Who the Hell do you think you are?" Tony was filled with rage, though his body couldn't quite keep up with it.
"Sharlee!" Gibbs called.
She was there instantly. She looked at the two of them, wondering how Gibbs was managing it.
"Can you please, get my things out of my pockets and put them on the sink?" He grunted out the request, as Tony continued to fight him. He was getting drenched in the process.
She complied, raising a brow and smiling. He was after all, a very attractive man. She put the keys, wallet, badge and other items on the top of the sink as requested. And then she lingered in the room, just a moment, to sadly say, "Dee, I had no idea you were in such bad shape. You should have told me, sugar."
"You don't belong here either Sharlee!" Tony said loudly, tilting his head back a little to attempt a glare at her. "Just get out!'
But she just smiled. "Oh, just like you don't scare Gibbs, you don't scare me either darlin'. I've seen this…ailment before." She looked at Gibbs, sadly but with affection, "I'll wait for the room service."
"Sharlee!" Gibbs called.
She popped her head back into the bathroom. "Yes, Gibbs?"
"Just…don't open the door. We'll be out soon and I want to make sure we're ready if it's trouble."
She smiled, "Well now Agent Gibbs, what kind of Madame would I be if I walked around without my own Gat? You mind Dee, sugar. I gotch'ur six, as they say."
He nodded at her once appreciatively, and then she went back into the room.
Tony finally started to flag, and leaned back against Gibbs. His head fell to rest at Gibbs' shoulder.
"Why can't you just leave me alone," he said brokenly. Feeling Gibbs pressed up against the back of his body just reminded him of what he had experienced earlier with Paolo…what parts of it he could remember…
Gibbs changed his grip, allowing his arms to move up, more in an embrace than to control him. "You know why," he said calmly.
They stood in silence another five minutes, before Gibbs would finally let go and see if Tony could stand a little.
He could, though not very steadily.
Gibbs got them out of the shower, and wrapped Tony in the bathrobe provided by the hotel, and dried him as best he could as he sat on the closed toilet, shivering. He refused to turn his glassy eyes to look at Gibbs.
Gibbs sighed. "I hope there are enough clothes we can both wear now, since I'm soaked myself, and my stuff's in the car."
"Nobody asked you to come here," Tony mumbled.
"No. But that's not how it works between us.," Gibbs said, struggling to contain the building anger he felt. "And by the way, Matteo Campanelli got out of prison on good behavior today."
Oh, now that got his attention, Gibbs thought.
Tony's head snapped towards him, bloodshot eyes wide.
"Campanelli?"he hissed, shocked. He frowned and looked around for a moment.
"Yes. And we've been trying to reach you, but you've been too busy with your…head up your ass, to turn your phone on."
"The phone was off," Tony ground out, "so I didn't have to talk to you. Or anyone else. I have a right to do what I want on my time off."
"Oh, you do?" Gibbs asked loudly. "How about this?" He grabbed the prescription bottle off the sink. He held it in front of Tony, who looked away once again. "What'sa matter DiNozzo? Cat finally got your tongue? Finally rendered you speechless?"
Gibbs was starting to seethe.
He threw the bottle into the shower angrily.
"I'm still gonna' bring your stupid ass back to DC and try to keep you safe! You got a death wish Tony? Is that it?"
Tony was looking at the floor, and Gibbs saw the change in his face.
The anger had left him, and the younger man was trembling, as he whispered, "I don't know…"
Gibbs stepped in front of him and knelt down to look him in the eyes. When Tony tried to turn away again, Gibbs grabbed his chin.
"Look at me," he said, calming himself down, trying to focus on what he was going to say next.
"Whatever it is, that's eating you this bad…you have to tell me." He looked into Tony's pale face. "You know I would go to the ends of the earth for you. Hell and back if necessary. And…we've already been there, haven't we? So whatever this is, you need to tell me. Now. Because I will not give up. And I will not lose you."
Tony swallowed and looked down for a moment, and finally, his eyes welled up as he looked at Gibbs in misery, and choked out, "I can't. I…" his brow creased, and he stared at Gibbs, so sadly, the older man wanted to cry right along with him. "I'm sorry…I'm so…" Tony was starting to simply come apart, and Gibbs quickly leaned forward to embrace him fiercely.
He wanted to scream at Tony.
He wanted to throttle him until he told Gibbs what the letter said.
But Gibbs had made his decision. He wasn't going to give up. Ever. And he knew, that Tony would tell him this deep dark secret, soon. He was close to cracking. Gibbs could see what a bad state Tony was in, and wondered if he was going to have him admitted to a hospital in DC…at least where they could protect him better.
Suddenly he realized Tony was going limp again.
"Oh no," he pulled back. "Come on," he shook the younger man, who looked confused again. "Time for some coffee," and as if on cue, room service knocked on the door.