A/N: Hi guys! I'm awfully sorry this took so long, but life's been crazy this last week and I couldn't find the time to sit down and write. Sorry. Thanks, though, for all the awesome reviews and I hope this chapter makes up for the long wait. :)

Chapter Five.

Baltimore, 2001.

Tony and his partner - the young detective had called him Danny - had shoved Gibbs into the backseat of their car and they were now on the way to the station. Gibbs let Danny's chatter wash over him, but didn't fail to notice that Tony wasn't very responsive for once. The kid, who clearly no longer was one, kept on casting fugitive glances into the review mirror, but whenever Gibbs would try to make eye contact, he quickly looked away again. He could almost feel the tension radiating from the younger man and only now did Gibbs realize that it probably wasn't even their rather hostile parting years before, but the fact that he was undercover now. But Tony just didn't know that, yet.

"I'm a fed," Gibbs finally spoke up. "I'm with NCIS."

"You're with what now?" Danny asked, turning his head to look at him.

"Naval Criminal Investigative Service," Gibbs spelled it out for him, it wasn't the first time after all.

"Right you are," Danny replied laughing and turned around again, paying no attention to him whatsoever and clearly not believing him, either, but Gibbs hadn't missed the fact that Tony's shoulders had seemed to relax ever so slightly.

He still wasn't looking at him and Gibbs hadn't expected him to right away, but maybe it had really been about Gibbs being a criminal and not about Tony storming out of that room ten years previously.

*NCIS*NCIS*

Alexandria, 1991.

Jethro blinked himself awake, momentarily confused about his whereabouts. He looked around the room for a second before he realized that he was still in the hotel room. He sat up now, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and only now realized that it had to be pretty late as the sun was already up. Subtly shaking his head, he got out of bed, searching for his clothes and trying to figure out why he was feeling so lightheaded and kind of disappointed this morning. It was when the fact that Tony wasn't there anymore hit him. He didn't know what it meant or if it even meant anything. The younger man had made it quite clear that this was nothing more than a one-night stand and, god, Jethro was alright with that, too. But he hadn't expected the other man to be gone by morning without as much as a goodbye. Somehow he thought that he'd get at least a hug before they parted ways, but apparently that wasn't in the books for him. He let out a sigh as he picked up his shirt. He hadn't expected to feel that way now – just somehow better. His cheeks grew hot as he remembered the tears and the way Tony had been able to get him back to sleep. Jethro hadn't been sleeping well lately, but after the younger man had calmed him down without as much as uttering a single word, he had slept like a baby and he felt actually rested right now. He finally slipped into his shirt, casted a quick glance around the room to make sure that he hadn't forgotten anything and was then just about to leave the room, when the door opened and Tony stepped in, two cups of coffee in hand.

"Morning," he said, that same broad goddamn smile back on his face. "You aren't leaving without saying goodbye, are you?"

"No," Jethro shrugged, accepting the proffered coffee. "Thought you did."

"No, sir," Tony grinned. "Despite my dad's best efforts, I do have manners."

Jethro snorted and then sat back down on the bed, staring at the black liquid in his cup. He had been disappointed when Tony hadn't been there earlier, but now that he was there, Jethro had suddenly no idea what he was supposed to say to the younger man. He had never had a one-night stand before, had never had anything like that and he didn't know what the protocol was. Besides, was he supposed to apologize for crying? He hadn't meant to lose it like that, hell, he hadn't even cried at their funeral, but something about waking up thinking that he had Shannon back had set something inside him in motion and he hadn't had any idea how to stop it. Tony hadn't seemed to mind too much, but as Jethro looked up from his coffee now, he could make out the slight note of uncertainty in the younger man's eyes.

"You okay?" Tony asked now.

"Yeah," Jethro turned to look at him more closely.

"Good," Tony just smiled at him, clearly unconvinced, but once again, he didn't press for any answers. "So, uh," he continued after a while. "Do you have any plans for today? I mean, I got a couple of hours before I have to be at the bar, so I thought… maybe you wanted to do something?"

"Something?" Jethro replied, feeling a slight smirk spread on his lips.

"Yeah, something," Tony grinned again. "Whatever you'd like to do, you know. What would you do if I wasn't here?"

Jethro remained silent and took a sip from a very sweet and revolting tasting coffee. He could hardly tell the kid that he'd spent the better of his afternoons sitting on his couch staring into thin air, drinking himself stupid or at the beach, only just not eating his goddamn gun. He sighed and took another sip, trying to figure out what he actually wanted to do now. He didn't have any desire to do anything that didn't include Tony today as he seemed fun enough to spend a couple of hours with.

"I don't know," he finally answered truthfully. "You got any plans?"

"Well, I have to check in at my pal's place, let them know I'm still alive, but besides that, I'm free to do whatever I want."

"You said you were a Phys. Ed. major?"

"I did," Tony smiled at him, "I just didn't think you listened."

Jethro just snorted again and was just about to continue when Tony beat him to talking.

"Why are you asking? Do you want to play some ball? I'm sure my buddies would be up for it."

"Haven't played in a while," Jethro replied, averting his glance from Tony to look at his knee instead.

"Saw the scar last night," Tony said. "You good to play with that?"

"Don't know, haven't tried," Jethro replied, getting up, feeling uncharacteristically cheerful about the prospect of playing basketball. "But there's only one way to find out, right?"

"That's right," Tony answered and was about to walk out the room when Jethro stopped him.

"You know you don't have to spend time with me, right?"

Tony turned around and the smile that he gave him now, suddenly made Jethro's heart skip a beat. What the hell?

"Yeah, I know. But I want to."

"Okay, then. Let's go," Jethro replied rather gruffly, desperately trying to keep the cheery feeling inside of him in check.

They walked down the narrow hallway towards the front desk in silence, their shoulders occasionally bumping each other.

"So, uh, you want to split the bill for the night?" Tony asked, the smile still on his face, but Jethro hadn't missed the slight wince cross his face there for a short second.

"I was thinking," Jethro replied slowly. "Uh, that is if you wanted… uh…"

"We could stay here tonight, too?" Tony asked cheekily, obviously reading Jethro's mind.

"I'd like that," the older man replied and added. "And don't worry, I'll pay for it."

"You don't have to…" Tony said now and for the first time since Jethro had met him, he actually seemed uncertain, so he cut him off.

"No problem, never got to pay those drinks last night. It's okay."

"Thanks."

Jethro just nodded as they stepped out. Deep down, he knew that it wasn't Tony that had to say thanks, but himself. Jethro still hadn't figured out what it was about the kid that made him feel slightly more balanced. He shrugged the thought off for the moment, though, as Tony started to babble about his various wins with the OSU varsity team. They drove over to where Tony was staying over the summer and when the mansion - there really was no other way to describe it - came into view, Jethro, despite himself, let out a whistle.

"If you got friends like that, why in the world are you working in that dump?"

Tony got out of the car without a word, his expression bitter all of a sudden, and only answered when Jethro had caught up with him.

"I got my issues, you got yours. Let's leave it at that."

Jethro eyed him for a moment, trying to figure out what was suddenly up with him, but the kid just stared back at him impassively, so he let it go, knowing that Tony hadn't asked him about the night before, either. It was probably for the better, too. It wasn't like they were both looking for something serious after all.

*NCIS*

Jethro took a deep breath before he sprinted after a guy about ten years his junior. He managed to get the ball, secretly pleased with himself that he wasn't all that slow and well, old, compared to Tony's friends who were all more or less his age and then passed it on to Tony who scored easily. The kid turned around and gave him a high-five, his smile so broad and genuine that it made Jethro just a little bit warmer inside.

"Not too shabby for an old guy," one of Tony's friends - Jamie, if Jethro wasn't mistaken - quipped now.

"He's not that old," Tony laughed and shoved the guy away playfully.

"I don't know," Jethro joined the conversation. "I am turning gray already."

"No, that only makes you looked distinguished," Tony laughed, his arm coming around Jethro's shoulders. "Just like, you know, Richard Gere. Looks sexy," he whispered the last part into his ear and the older man felt a shiver run down his spine.

Tony squeezed his shoulders before he let go again, his eyes racking over Jethro's body for a moment. He clapped his hands and then shouted at the other guys in mock disgust.

"Come on, one more game, you losers. I don't know why I even bother to play with you, you all suck." He laughed. "Maybe you'll have a chance this time."

"Getting tired already, T?" one of the other guys shouted back as he passed him the ball.

"Nah, not tired," Tony replied, smirking. "Just got other plans."

"Uh," Jamie shouted back, "Plans, he calls it. That your nickname, Ben?"

Jethro didn't dignify that with an answer, just smirked at him, but didn't miss Tony raising an eyebrow not too subtly at him and he felt something flutter in his stomach again. Whatever it was down there, it certainly did like the thought of Tony giving him his full attention. And it certainly didn't even bother him to think about what exactly those plans were because if last night was anything to go by, Jethro was pretty sure it would be amazing.

*NCIS*

"That was fun," Jethro said as they entered the hotel room a little while later, his shirt and jeans sticking to him uncomfortably.

"Yeah, it was," Tony replied, pulling off his shirt. "Sorry about the guys, though. Forgot how dirty they are whenever I got company."

"You think we never talk to each other in the corps?" Jethro played it down with a wave of his hand.

"Guess not," Tony replied as he approached him, his hands taking hold of the hem of Jethro's shirt before he pulled it over his head. "So, uh, how does a shower sound, Marine?"

Jethro felt himself stiffen up and a sharp pain shoot through his chest. No one had addressed him like that in a very long time and certainly not in that context, either. He tried to take a calming breath in order not to give himself away, but Tony apparently hadn't missed it because he stepped away now, scrutinizing him from head to toe.

"Something wrong?"

"No, it's okay," Jethro managed to get out. "Just don't call me that."

"No kissing you on the mouth, no calling you Marine. Got it. Lot of rules you got there."

"Well, I do like rules," Jethro replied, trying to sound more cheerful and it actually worked somewhat because the grin was back on Tony's face.

"You got a rule against making out in the shower, too?"

"No," Jethro grinned before he was being grabbed by the hand and all but dragged into the shower.

Jethro took a deep breath before he shucked off his pants and boxers and joined Tony in the shower. He met his eye then with a smile and steadied himself against the other man as he adjusted to the warmth of the water that was pouring down. For a brief moment, Jethro wondered why he wasn't freaking about it all. Just the night before he had had troubles imaging having sex with another man and now he was standing there like there was no care in the world. Tony stared back at him, the water dripping down from those long eyelashes of his before he wrapped his arms around the Jethro's neck. The older man let his fingertips trace soft patterns across the defined lines of Tony's collarbone, causing the other man to shiver ever so slightly despite the warm water.

"So, those plans," Tony finally spoke up. "Could they include me pulling you up against me like this?" he grinned, his hands suddenly on Jethro's hips, pulling him closer.

Jethro just nodded and felt himself drawn even closer, causing his breath to hitch in his throat. Suddenly, Tony forfeited the attention he had been paying to the older man's eyes for his neck, gently tilting Jethro's head to the side to get better access as he sucked on him. Jethro didn't know how long they were standing like that because the world had melted to the hot tongue and lips on his neck before Tony backed away ever so slightly in the small shower stall. He stared at Jethro, searching for something in his eyes and apparently found what he had been looking for because after a moment he slipped down to his knees gracefully. He looked up at him before he smirked and let his fingers trail down Jethro's stomach. He didn't linger long though, deciding that there were more pressing matters. With another deep breath and one look at Jethro, who had suddenly trouble breathing, he let his fingers wrap around the base of Jethro's erection. The older man let out a low, almost desperate sound and Tony quickly glanced up again as if to make sure he was still alright.

Jethro's hand settled on the younger man's jaw line and it apparently said more than enough because Tony's smile grew bigger when Jethro rocked his hips against Tony's slow movements. He licked his lips before he shifted even closer now, tentatively licking the head of Jethro's cock, which caused the older man to groan again. He nuzzled and tasted before he finally sealed his mouth over Jethro's shaft. He continued tasting him as his right hand squeezed and stroked his balls. Tony worked his cock harder and faster, pushing Jethro closer to the edge with every flick of his tongue, with every sucking thrust of his head. The older man heard himself groan loudly as his muscles tensed far too soon.

"Tony," he warned him. "I'm gonna…"

Tony pulled back now, replacing his mouth with his hand and started to stroke him in earnest. Jethro's hips thrust against the touch on their own accord and then all of Jethro's muscles contracted and a stifled moaned escaped his mouth as he came all over Tony's hand with such intensity that he had to grip Tony's shoulders to remain standing.

"God, Tony," he breathed out.

How did the kid do that? This had been just as good as the night before. And as he was still thinking about it, Tony stood up, his hand working on his own cock now, his eyes locking into Jethro's.

"You want to help me with that?" he grinned and looked down at his hard and already leaking cock. "Wanted this since last night when you passed out on me."

"Sorry about that," Jethro said, but Tony just shrugged, so he followed the younger man gaze.

He stared at Tony's cock for a second before he threw all caution to the winds and grabbed it hard, his fingers wrapping around him. He couldn't help but realize that it wasn't weird touching a man like that, that it didn't feel like he was betraying Shannon or anything. It felt strangely enough just right. So he pushed every thought out of his mind and just enjoyed the touch and Tony's answering hardness.

"That's it," Tony all but whispered as Jethro started to stroke him.

His hips met up with his every move and it didn't take long until he seemed to be losing control, judging from the loud and filthy grunts that escaped the younger man's open mouth. His movements became erratic now and few moments later, the orgasm tore through him as his muscles tensed and he came.

A little while later, they sat on the small couch and Tony had at some point snuggled into him. Jethro didn't particularly mind, he liked the kid, the stuff in the shower had been great, too, and he didn't even mind the boring movie - of which he had forgotten the title as soon as it had left Tony's mouth - that was playing on the small television in front of them. In fact, Jethro was feeling pretty content and grounded for once and if a kid like Tony could give him that for the time being, he wouldn't question it. He'd just enjoy it as long as it last.

A/N: Yes? No? Maybe? xD