CHAPTER FIVE

*The penultimate chapter*


The next morning Tony and Jethro lay in bed together, the younger one resting his head lightly on the elder one's chest. It was just after quarter past six in the morning and the both of them were attempting manoeuvre themselves from beneath the warm, cotton sheets.

Tony lifted the covers and stuck one leg out of the bed. A couple of seconds later he pulled back under the covers.

"That's it, I'm staying in here," he determined. "It's colder than Arendelle out there."

"Don't be such a baby," Jethro tutted, kissing his partner lightly on the lips. He paused. "Arendelle?"

Tony yawned and snuggled back beneath the covers. "Frozen; film reference. Abby made me watch it."

Jethro smirked. "Of course she did."

Tony closed his eyes and was just about to get on a train back to Slumberville, when he felt himself being unexpectedly delayed thanks to Jethro wrapping his lips around his cock.

Tony's green eyes shot open and he gasped in pleasure. "Oh God, Jethro!" he bucked his hips, trying to push himself deeper down his lover's throat, however Jethro placed his hands either side of Tony's stomach and pinned him to bed.

Unable to move, Tony could only lay there as Jethro set to work, proving that his mouth could do a lot more than just give out orders.
Swirling his tongue around the tip, Jethro took Tony's whole length in his mouth, suckling vigorously for a few moments before slowing down the momentum and slowly running his tongue along the tip.

Through it all, Tony gasped in pleasure. Now this the way to wake up in the morning!

Jethro increased his speed again, knowing how much the younger man liked it. Sure enough, it wasn't long before Tony felt that familiar feeling of his balls tightening.

"Jethro, you might wanna move," Tony gasped. "I'm gonna..."

But Jethro didn't heed the warning, carrying on with his ministrations.

With a sudden shout Tony came in his partner's mouth. Jethro's throat bobbed as he swallowed it down and then locked his lips.

Tony collapsed back on the bed panting. "That was amazing, Jethro."

Jethro stood up from the bed. He smiled and tapped Tony's hip

"Glad you enjoyed it. Come on, I'm sure that woke you up enough to get up now."

"I don't know Jethro," Tony smirked, "getting an awesome blowjob IS very tiring." He went to move back beneath the covers.

"Get up in the next thirty seconds and I'll make pancakes for breakfast."

Tony shot out of bed like a dart, bringing half the covers with him in his haste. Almost tripping over his own feet, he raced onto the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.

A few seconds later he opened it again.

"Uh, you don't want me to return the favour, do you?" he asked, gesturing towards Gibbs's crotch, which had become noticeably tighter.

"Nah," Jethro waved his hand in dismissal, shooing Tony back into the bathroom. "You can make it up to me later."

Tony winked as he shut the bathroom door.

"And don't use all the hot water...again," he heard Jethro say.


The two agents arrived into to work to find Abby seated at Gibbs's desk with her feet on top of it.

"What are you doing up here, Abs?" Gibbs asked.

"I got a result from the DNA test," she replied.

"Who was it?" Tony asked.

Abby handed Gibbs the report and he held it at arms length, trying to make out the small font.

"You want me to read it, Boss?" Tony suggested.

"No, I got it, DiNozzo." Gibbs clearly didn't 'have it' as he squinted and tilted the piece of paper back and forth.

"Boss..." Tony tilted his to one side and raised an eyebrow.

"Fine!" Gibbs shoved the paper at Tony who caught it quickly, with a wink at Abby who was trying her hardest not to laugh.

The SFA scanned the document until he found what he was looking for.

"Harry Marsh? Is that the guy?"

"It sure is, Tone," Abby replied. He was arrested just over three years ago for robbery, served eighteen months of a three year sentence before being let out on parole. No trouble with the law since then though, looks like he's being a good little boy."

Gibbs turned to Tony. "Take Bishop and go talk to him, ask what he knows and what he was doing that night."

"Sure thing. Come on Bishy-body."

Ellie, who had been quietly sat at her desk, got up and grabbed her gear, following her superior to the elevator.

"What do you want me to do, Boss?" Tim asked from his desk.

"Find out as much as you can about this Harry Marsh," Gibbs ordered. "I want to know just how close they were. I know they slept together, but was it a one off or something more than that."

"Right, Boss," McGee switched on his computer and got to work.


Tony and Ellie arrived at the apartment of Harry Marsh in about twenty minutes.

Tony rang the intercom button.

A male voice answered, "Who is it?"

"Mr Marsh?" Tony inquired.

"Yeah, that's me."

"I'm Agent DiNozzo from NCIS," Tony introduced himself into the speaker. "My partner Agent Bishop and I would like to talk to you about Tyson Connell."

There was a brief pause and then the sound of a bell ringing before the front door slowly swung open.

Both agents entered and made their way up to the second floor and to Harry's apartment.

Ringing the doorbell, it didn't take long before the door was opened.

A man who looked to be in his late twenties greeted them. He had curly auburn hair, blue eyes, and wore a pair of round spectacles.

"Thank you for seeing us," Ellie said. "We would like to ask you a few questions about Tyson Connell.".

"What about him?"

When was the last time you saw him? Tony asked.

"A couple of nights ago," Harry answered "He came round at approximately four pm and then again just after ten thirty pm. What is this about?"

"I'm sorry but Tyson Connell was found dead yesterday morning at Chevy Chase Pavilion," Ellie answered. "I'm afraid he committed suicide."

"Oh God!" Harry covered his face with his hands and began to weep.

"Please...please.. tell me this is some sick joke. Tell me you're lying."

Tony shook his head in sympathy. "I'm sorry."

"This...this is all my fault...I didn't believe him...why didn't I believe him?"

Ellie sat down on the sofa next to Harry and tentatively put a hand on his shoulder. "What didn't you believe?" she asked.

"Tyson and I have been together since just after I got out of prison," Harry explained. "Uh, you do know I was in prison?"

Both agents nodded.

"It's how we found you," Tony said.

"Yeah...that makes sense. Anyway...um...Tyson and I had been together for a while and yesterday...yesterday afternoon Tyson asked me to marry him. I said...yes...on one condition."

"And what was that?" Tony asked.

"He had to get his parents blessing," Harry replied. "See...they don't approve...of my...OUR lifestyle. At first...at first I didn't mind when we were simply together, I could just...ignore them, you know?"

Tony and Ellie nodded in understanding.

"But if we got...if we got married" –Harry choked on the word 'married' – "it would be a big...permanent thing. I didn't want...to live constantly watching myself around them...what I say...how I act...it wouldn't have been fair on me...and it wouldn't have been fair on Tyson. He...he adores his parents, despite how they...how they act towards us. I was hoping that if his parents...saw how happy their son was...they would eventually come...come around."

"I take it they didn't," Tony said.

Harry's bottom lip quivered slightly and he took a deep shuddering breath, while trying to stop his hands from trembling.

"N...no...they were furious, said that no son of theirs...was going to live...live like THAT."

"Were you there when they said this?" asked Ellie.

Harry shook his head.

"No...I thought...it would be better if...if I was...out of the way. Maybe I shouldn't have been, maybe I should have been there to...to support him."

"What else did his parents say?" Tony wanted to know.

"I don't know...exactly...I just know...that Tyson came away from there that night...devastated...sick...and completely torn apart. I think...I think...that his parents had washed...washed their hands of him. I think...I think that's what got to Tyson the most...that his own parents couldn't accept him simply for who he was...and then I made it worse."

"How?" asked Tony.

"When he got back in...in the evening, he told me what his parents had...had said..." Harry answered. "I tried to comfort him...I really did...but I told him...that I didn't think it would be right for us to...to get married...just yet. I thought that he would constantly...be seeking his parents love and approval...when it was clear that they didn't have any to give. Not to him...and definitely not to me."

"What did he say?" Ellie inquired.

"He got angry and upset," Harry replied. "Said that he had already lost his parents...that he couldn't bear to lose me too. I tried...I tried...to tell him that he wasn't losing me...that I still loved him. He wouldn't listen to me...he kept saying that he couldn't...couldn't...live without me. Then he stormed out. I thought he was...he was...just upset...that he would calm down...eventually...and come back."

"But he didn't," Ellie stated.

"...No," Harry whispered with utter devastation.

"Didn't you wonder where he went?" Tony asked.

"At first I thought that he had gone to his parents...so I rang them."

"What did they say?"

"After...I had explained what had happened...the first words out of their mouths was 'we wouldn't tell you where he is even if we did know.' They said...they said...that it sounded like their son had finally 'seen the light and repented his sinful ways.' I've had stuff like...this...aimed at me before, so I ignored it...I just begged them to contact me if they heard anything."

"Did they agree?" Ellie asked.

"Eventually, after I agreed to leave their son alone...let him settle down with a nice lady...have some children. I told them that I hoped that their son did settle down, have a good life...and I didn't care WHO it was with...then I hung up."

"I'm presuming they didn't call back," Tony said.

"No...at first I thought that they had broken their end of the bargain...but I also knew that Tyson would have eventually contacted me after he had calmed down...I should have known that something was wrong when I didn't hear from him."

"Why didn't you do anything?"

"I tried!" Harry sobbed. "I drove around and around, looking for him. I called his parents again...they hung up on me. I tried calling Tyson again, but he didn't answer. Eventually I presumed that he just wanted to be left alone, so I came home and waited."

Ellie looked at the distraught man with a deep pang of sympathy as she stood up from the couch. It was clear that the man was in deep, emotional pain, and wracked with guilt.

"Thank you for talking to us," she said. "Is there anyone you want us to call for you?"

Harry mutely shook his head and buried his face in his hands again.

Suddenly he looked up.

"Tyson's body, where is it?"

"It's at the morgue," Tony answered. "It will be released to the next of kin soon so that they can prepare for the funeral."

Harry shook his head in despair. "His parents are never going to let me go to the funeral. Not only have I lost him, I've lost the chance to say goodbye."

"You may not be able to attend his funeral, but that doesn't mean that you can't find your own way of remembering him," Ellie said kindly. "Despite how it ended, you must have a lot of happy memories as well and you have to hold onto them no matter what."

Harry gave the young agent a tentative and teary smile. "Thank you Agent Bishop, I will do."

Harry showed the two agents to the door, thanking them for their time, and for letting him know about Tyson.

"Jeeze, what a tragedy," Ellie said when they both got back in the car.

"Tell me about it," Tony said. He took his cell phone out of his pocket and selected Gibbs's speed dial.

"Hey, Boss," he said after his phone was answered.

"How did it go?" Gibbs asked from the other end of the line.

"Not good," Tony answered. He explained what Harry had said about himself, Tyson, and the Connells' disappointment and prejudice.

"Do you think you're ok to go and see the Connells?"

"You mean do you think I might snap and have a go at them because I live the life that Tyson could have had? Yes, Jethro, I can. I may feel a lot of anger and sympathy on Harry and Tyson's behalf, But I'm AM professional enough not to act upon it."

"OK, DiNozzo, go and talk to the Connells again, tell them what you've heard," Gibbs ordered.

"We'll be back soon," Tony turned his cell off and slipped it back into his jacket pocket. He started the engine and pulled slowly out of the car park.

"Are you OK, Tony?" Ellie asked.

Her partner turned and gave her a reassuring smile.

"I'm fine Ellie. Like I said to the Boss, I'm not going to go to the Connells' mad just because I understand about the prejudice Harry and Tyson must have faced."

"What are you going to tell them?"

Tony shrugged.

"I'm simply going to let them know that we found out the reason behind their son's death, if they ask questions we'll answer them honestly."

Ellie nodded in agreement.

When they pulled up outside the Connell's house, they both exited the car and Tony lead the way up the drive to the front door.

Ringing the doorbell, they both waited until eventually they both heard the click of a latch. The door swung open and Stewart Connell stood before them.

"Agent DiNozzo," he greeted. "I'm presuming you have more information regarding my son."

"Yes we do," Tony replied. He cocked his head at Ellie. "This is special agent, Ellie Bishop. Can we both come in?"

"Sure," Stewart stepped aside to allow them passage

.

Entering the living room, the two agents greeted Betsy Connell who came out of the kitchen.

"Do you know anything more about my son?" Betsy asked.

"Yes we do, Mrs Connell," Ellie answered. "I'm sorry to say that our assumptions were correct; you're son took his own life."

"No!" Betsy's eyes welled with emotion. "Why Tyson? Why would you do such a thing ?"

"You said that he left at approximately ten-thirty pm, what was his mood like?" Tony asked.

"He...he was fine," Betsy answered. "We had lunch and dinner and then just talked. We didn't see our son very often, what with the marines and everything."

Tony tapped his chin thoughtfully.

"That's funny, because we've just finished talking to Harry – he's devastated by the way – and he told me that when he arrived back Tyson was 'devastated' and 'torn apart' because he had come to you for your blessing to get married to Harry and you made it quite clear that you didn't like it."

Betsy Connell's face drained of colour.

"How did you find out about Harry?" Stewart demanded to know. "We never mentioned him."

"I know you didn't," Tony stated. "Funny how that apparently slipped your mind. Anyway, to answer your question, we found DNA inside your son, which we matched to the DNA taken when Harry was arrested before."

"Inside...?" Betsy looked like she was on the verge of throwing up.

"Yes...inside."

Ellie continued, "Harry told us that you had washed your hands of your son, is that true?"

"We never said that...exactly," Stewart attempted to defend him and his wife. We just said that we didn't agree with what he was doing, that he had to choose: to remain faithful to his family and our morals or live a life of sin. He chose the latter."

"And that isn't 'washing your hands of him?'" Tony demanded.

"No!" Stewart snapped. "We gave our son a choice."

"What kind of choice was it though? To live a lie just to make you happy or go with Harry and risk losing you for good."

"It's not our fault that Tyson chose to leave us."

Tony shook his head. "He didn't 'choose' though, did he? You basically forced him out. Don't worry though, you'll be pleased to know that Harry kept to his word."

"What...what word?" Betty asked.

"Oh, didn't you know? It was Harry who wanted your blessing for the marriage, not Tyson. When you refused to give it, Harry was reluctant to get married because he believed that it wouldn't be fair on either of them, that they couldn't live that closely to two people who refused to let their own son be happy. Nevertheless, Harry still loved Tyson, but the damage was already done...thanks to you."

"What on earth gives you the right to talk to us like that?" Betsy asked angrily.

"Because I know how your son must have felt, how nervous and scared he must have been when he asked you that night. The difference is that my father – despite any misgivings he must have had – was pleased for me when I told him that my MALE lover and I were getting married. It's just a shame that you couldn't have been pleased for your son."

"We WOULD have been pleased for him," Betsy insisted. "Just not...not with..."

"Not with Harry? Is that what you were going to say?"

"It isn't right!" Stewart growled. "I love – loved – my son, but I raised him better than that. Two men – or two women – shouldn't be doing that. It's not the way a man should live."

"With all due respect Sir," said Ellie. "Your son was a marine, he was willing to go out and fight for the rights of every man, woman, and child here, regardless of what their sexual orientation was. To me, THAT'S what makes a true 'man,' not who he chooses to be with."

"What does it matter now anyway," Betsy said, "Our son is gone...and he's never coming back."

"No he's not," Tony stated bluntly. "Your son couldn't choose between wanting to obey your wishes and being with the one he loved. It tore him apart that night. I believe he took the only way out he could: he chose to leave you all than live a life filled with regret and prejudice from his own parents."

"I think you both should leave now," Stewart said as he lead them both back to the front door. "Get out of my house and don't come back."

"Very well," said Ellie, following Tony out of the living room. "Someone will call you to make arrangements for the body."

As they stepped out the front door, Tony turned around.

"You may not believe me after this, but I AM truly sorry for your loss. However, perhaps you should remember that if you had put your differences and opinions to one side, your son would probably still be alive."

At that statement, Betty burst into tears and her husband pulled her into an embrace, shutting the front door into the two agents' faces as he did so.

"That was intense," Ellie said as they both got back in the car. "I kept thinking that you – or he – were eventually going to go for one another."

"Nah," Tony dismissed. "I believe I kept my cool, just like I promised." He grinned at Ellie. "Besides, I have the big, Bad, Leroy Jethro Gibbs as both my boss AND my future husband to keep me from doing stuff like that, right?"

Ellie nodded in agreement, but then turned to stare thoughtfully out of the car window.

To the young agent, it seemed so unfair that there were people out there, like Tyson, who couldn't be happy simply because of the way they loved.