A/N: Hah, look at that, sooner than I thought. That being said, the chapter after that will probably take some time due to an exam later this week... but I won't take too long, I promise ;) Thanks for your reviews! :)

Chapter Six.

Baltimore, 2001.

Gibbs watched Tony make a phone call from where he was sitting on a chair in the bullpen of the Baltimore Police Department. His hands were still cuffed, but at least the young detective seemed to have taken his claim to be a fed more seriously than his partner had. Gibbs watched Tony cast short glances towards his direction whenever he listened to whatever was being said on the other end of the line, but he never actually made eye contact with him. Gibbs was sure that Tony knew exactly who he was, had known it as long as Gibbs, had probably known it the moment he had tackled him to the ground.
Gibbs was still feeling on edge, had still no idea why he was so flustered about seeing the younger man again. Over the years, whenever he had had a couple of glasses of bourbon too many, he had often thought about their short week nearly ten years previously and what would have happened if he had handled things differently. It wasn't the first time he wondered if what he had done back then had made any difference to Tony's life and if the younger man still thought of him from time to time.

Tony had now finished the phone call and shot him a look again, one eyebrow raised and it seemed oddly familiar, causing Gibbs' stomach to give a jolt. The younger man had just dialed another number on his phone and was now slowly walking towards him, for the first time since he had tackled him actually looking at him with curiosity shining in his eyes. Gibbs wished he could make himself smile at the younger man, but somehow he wasn't able to. There was something wrong somehow, something missing in those green eyes at the moment and Gibbs realized with a start that the younger looked like he was on his guard. Gibbs couldn't hold it against him, but yet he felt strangely disappointed about it.

*NCIS*NCIS*

Alexandria, 1991.

They had spent the remainder of the afternoon cuddled up in front of the television. They hadn't talked much and they hadn't needed to, either. Jethro had always been good with silence and while Tony hadn't at first struck him as someone who could go without talking for too long, he had managed to surprise him. He had barely uttered a single word while they had watched the movie, only talking along with the actors a couple of times. Jethro had to admit that it had been nice spending an evening like this with no expectations or plans. While he had done the exact same thing for the most part of the last couple of weeks, it was entirely different with Tony there now. He simply felt comfortable around him.

.

Tony had gone home at around six o'clock to change and get ready for the night at the bar and Jethro had opted to do the same thing. A change of clothes certainly didn't hurt, especially after their little game of basketball, so he was there now, feeling the sense of impending doom wash over him as he stepped into his house. He had used to love it, had used to love every second he spent in there with Shannon and Kelly, had loved chasing his little girl around and had loved spending a quiet evening with his wife, trying to decide what school Kelly should go to or where to go for her birthday. Back then, the house had been filled with laughter and joy and colors, but now it seemed just empty, cold and gray. He got inside and switched on a light even though it wasn't really dark inside in hopes of making it feel a little bit warmer. Little did it help, though, and Jethro sighed as he sat down on his couch, running a hand through his hair.

His whole situation was seriously messed up and he knew it. Not only was he drinking away his nights and most of his days, he also had managed to pick up a male barkeeper. He didn't regret the latter one bit, but it was still strange. He still didn't have any desire to hook up with any other man than Tony, but he was pretty sure that he couldn't have done it with a woman. Fooling around with Tony didn't feel like cheating on Shannon because it was so different to everything they'd done that it bore no resemblance and no memory of his time with her. And at the same time being with the younger man put his mind off things, helped him forget for a couple of minutes at a time and that was definitely a first. Jethro didn't know if that necessarily was a good thing, but he couldn't help but notice that he had been feeling slightly better those last couple of days. Maybe he really did need to get out of that house more often, did need to socialize from time to time.

Subtly shaking his head at that particular insight, he looked around the room and saw the red light of his answering machine blink furiously. He got up and pressed the button, knowing that he could ignore the outside of his and Tony's little bubble only for so long without seriously angering someone. The first three messages were from his mother-in-law who complained that he had never called her back. Sighing, he deleted those messages knowing that she would get the message eventually. There were two other messages, left by old buddies from the Navy who were asking how he was doing, followed by one from a very angry sounding Mike Franks.

"I don't know what the hell your problem is, Leroy Jethro Gibbs," the voice growled. "But in my world when somebody agrees to take a job, they actually show up on their first day of work. I don't know what happened and I probably don't want to know, but if you still want it, get your lazy ass over here on Monday. I shouldn't even give you that chance, but you actually seemed like someone who I could stand to work with, so I expect you on Monday seven o'clock sharp at the Navy Yard. No excuses."

Jethro listened to it twice, trying to figure out why the guy would even bother giving him another chance. Sure, he had liked him a lot when they had first met and knew what Gibbs had been doing in Mexico, too, but it seemed a little odd to Jethro that someone would cut him that much slack without even knowing him one bit. The decision of not showing up at work on Monday hadn't really been a conscious one, he had been too hung over after all, but it hadn't been like he had had hard feelings about it, either. The job seemed interesting enough. Hell, Jethro had actually thought that it was the perfect job for him, but yet he simply couldn't muster up the energy to go. In fact, he hadn't been up for anything besides drinking over the last couple of weeks – that was until he had met Tony.

Huh.

Shaking his head again and trying to get rid of the thoughts that would make him indulge in that particular train of thought for much too long, he quickly went up the stairs, changed into fresh clothes and then hurried to get out of his house that was full of memories. He needed a distraction and who, if not Tony, could give it to him?

*NCIS*

The bar was fairly busy for a Wednesday night, so Tony didn't have all that much time to talk to Jethro, but he didn't mind. He was content watching the younger man at work, still reeling from the smile he had given him when he had ordered a glass of water and nothing else. When he had first started to think about this thing with Tony, he had sworn to himself that he wouldn't want to get to know the younger man, but he couldn't help himself now as he wondered why the kid was so reluctant when it came to drinking, despite him working in a bar. It wasn't like Jethro didn't understand that dealing with a drunk and lonely bastard could be hard, but it certainly didn't explain that broad genuine smile either. Jethro wondered if there was more to it than that, if there was more to Tony than his easy and out-going personality he was showing most of the time. He had certainly seen glimpses of a more serious Tony when he had refused to talk about why he was working at that bar or when he had just snuggled closer to Jethro late last night. But that didn't mean that Jethro was any wiser.

"Hey, old man," Tony's teasing voice right next to his ear interrupted his train of thought. "You having a good time? I'm sorry it's so busy tonight."

"No need to apologize," Jethro answered turning around ever so slightly to look at the kid. "Means more tips, right?"

"You bet," Tony grinned, wiping down the counter. "Without those there'd be no point doing this anyway."

Jethro just grunted in a way of answering, watching Tony for a while as he chatted up a guest a couple of chairs down the counter. When the young man returned to him, the smile was still there, but it somehow seemed a bit artificial to Jethro all of a sudden.

"So, what do you do anyway?" he asked now. "I mean I know you were a marine, but…"

"Nothing," Jethro mumbled, staring at his glass of water for a moment before he looked up as Tony started over again.

"Nothing? Why? I mean, you don't strike me as someone who's happy doing nothing all day, having an occasional drink. I mean, you're actually pretty smart and driven, you know."

His cheeks had started to redden ever so slightly at his last words and Jethro couldn't help the small smile that spread on his lips. He shook his head almost imperceptibly before he answered.

"I got an offer. Should have started on Monday."

"Huh," Tony replied, looking confused for a moment. "You didn't want it?"

"It's complicated," Jethro shrugged and Tony nodded.

"Can't uncomplicate it?"

Jethro snorted at the made-up word before he shrugged again. He didn't know why he was even answering, it was none of the kid's business and yet, there he was contemplating to tell him god knew what.

He finally settled on "Not that easy."

"It never is," Tony replied, giving him a small smile with a faraway look in his eyes. "Doesn't mean that the hard way is the wrong one."

Jethro blinked before he stared at the younger man with unseeing eyes, trying to suppress the urge to say something he sure as hell would regret later.

"Hard enough already as it is," he finally mumbled more to himself than to Tony, but the kid nodded nonetheless, sadness sweeping over his face for a split of a second before he gave him an almost tentative smile.

They stayed silent for a moment, each of them in deep thought before Tony visibly shook himself and plastered a grin on his face again, causing Jethro to relax ever so slightly.

"And remember, not everything that's hard is bad," he winked and then stepped away from Jethro to take another guest's order.

Jethro just shook his head, feeling a smirk spread on his face. How came the kid always knew exactly what to say to lighten his mood?

*NCIS*

Jethro was pushed back against the closing door of their hotel room a couple of hours later. He felt the air rush out his lungs as Tony's teeth attacked his neck not too gently. They hadn't talked much at the bar, but the heated looks that the younger man had sent his way every few minutes had been enough to get Jethro's blood start boiling. He let Tony have his way for the moment, his arms coming around his back and then settling a little further down on his ass. Tony let out a startled moan as Jethro pushed his groin against Tony's and was mildly satisfied that the kid was just as hard as he was. He managed to maneuver them towards the bed and to get both of them undressed in no time. Jethro had no idea why he was suddenly almost anxious to get into bed with Tony, but all he wanted was to touch the younger man and to taste him.

Tony, however, seemed to have different plans as he pinned him down on the bed, not unlike the night before, but this time Jethro let him without freaking out and his hands reached for the headboard, causing Tony to chuckle. Almost smugly, Tony began to explore, paying close attention as he searched for Jethro's hot spots. He hadn't done that the night before, but he now took the time, nipping at the lobe of his ear for a long time before moving on to his neck, where he lingered only briefly before gradually making his way down Jethro's body. By the time Tony's teeth grazed the side of his stomach, Jethro was almost writhing underneath him.

"Jeez," Jethro groaned when Tony trailed feather light touches down his stomach.

Tony looked up for second, a smirk on his face before he ran a fingertip along Jethro's inner thigh that caused his entire body to twitch. He let out a moan and Tony grinned only wider before he returned to exploring Jethro's body thoroughly. The feel of the other man's teeth on his inner thigh made Jethro gasp as Tony slowly worked him over. As if from far away, he heard Tony chuckle and then he brushed against his cock, making him moan loudly once again because, god, this was so good and Jethro wanted it to never stop. Tony's tongue was tracing lower now and a lone finger followed until his mouth stopped at his thigh again. His hand, however, didn't as Tony let it wander further south. For the briefest moment, Jethro's mind gave him a shout that he shouldn't hand his control over that easily to someone he didn't even know, that he shouldn't let him continue because he had never done this before, but then Tony's lips brushed against the tip of his cock and his finger started to tease his hole and all coherent thought left the older man.

"Come on," he panted, almost desperately, as he thrust his hips forward.

"Hold on," Tony all but whispered, still smiling as he let go of him and quickly made his way over to where he had discarded his bag earlier. His own cock was hard, too, and Jethro watched him almost in awe as he retrieved lube and a condom. He felt himself flush violently, but Tony apparently chose to ignore it as he unwrapped the condom and then rolled it on. Jethro saw his hands shaking ever so slightly, but then returned his gaze to Tony's face only to see his own desire mirrored. Tony settled back on the bed and then started to nibble at his earlobe again as he started to tease Jethro with a lubed-up finger.

Jethro let out a shaky breath as he closed his eyes, trying to focus on everything but his own need to come. He was so hard, he almost ached. Tony forfeited the attention he had been paying to Jethro's neck for watching his own finger disappear. Jethro involuntarily let out a sharp breath. It didn't exactly hurt, but it wasn't completely comfortable, either. He looked up through heavy eyes and then threw all caution to the winds as he bore down, causing Tony to moan this time.

"Knew you'd like that," Tony smirked again and then let a second finger join the first. He slowly worked him open and before Jethro really knew what was happening, a third finger entered him. He hissed ever so slightly and Tony held still for a moment until Jethro relaxed again. They locked eyes for a second or two and Jethro felt something warm spread in his stomach and it wasn't lust this time, but something entirely different. Just as he thought he knew what it was, Tony pulled out his fingers and Jethro, once again, lost his train of thought as he watched Tony lube himself up and then grab one of Jethro's legs. He hooked it round Tony and then pulled him close.

"Come on," he repeated himself, not caring that he sounded needy and totally out of control.

He didn't need control right now, didn't want control right now. All he wanted at the moment was Tony.

"Fuck," Tony moaned as he pushed in slowly. "I'm going to make this so good for you."

Jethro let out a groan and closed his eyes, trying to collect himself. He hadn't anticipated just how much of Tony would be within him. "Give me a second," he panted, forcefully trying to relax. After a few moments the pain subsided a bit, giving way to a slightly aching pleasure as Tony slowly and carefully started to move within him.

"Shit," Jethro cried out, but it certainly wasn't hurting any more as his arms came around the younger man again, drawing him closer.

Tony got the hint and thrust forward, slowly speeding up. Jethro's eyes fell shut again as the sensations of blissful friction seemed to overwhelm him. Tony moved a bit to the side, adjusting his grip, and Jethro cried out and felt his cock that had soften ever so slightly at the initial pain harden again. The younger man grinned as he grabbed Jethro's cock and began to pull at it in time with his thrusts, driving Jethro to the very edge. His eyes fluttered open again as Tony's moans grew louder. When the other man's eyes locked into his own, Jethro gave in and let himself go, feeling his own cum spurt over his stomach at the same time that Tony came with a loud groan inside of him.

"Damn," Jethro cursed a couple of minutes later when Tony finally moved off of him, still breathing heavily.

"Told you," Tony answered, the goddamn cheeky grin that made Jethro's stomach do a back flip every time he saw it back on his face. "Hard isn't always bad."