Author's note:

This is a short and light chapter from Gibbs P.O.V.

Reviews and comments are most appreciated.

Chapter Three

Tony: Ooh. I don't want you to get pissed…

Gibbs: I thought you wanted me pissed.

Dinozzo: I did. It was kinda weird when you were being nice. Not that you're not nice, I mean, uh…"

(Kill Ari 1, season 3)

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Gibbs solved cases for a living. He was also handy to have around if you have a leaking bathroom pipe, a roof about to fall on your head, or an urgent desire to go sailing. He was good at fixing things, but no one who knew him well expected him to attempt to fix electronic modern devices, computers, or hurt feelings .. well, particularly not hurt feelings, since the first two could be replaced. Hurt feelings were the reason he was sitting at his desk, on this fine morning, glaring at an innocent pack of civil service meritorious awards as if they could give him some tip on how to fix this situation.

The problem with hurt feelings, he mused, is that there isn't usually a brief, quick and fool-proof fix, that's why he opts to spend more time with his boat than with people! He sighed, finished his first cup of coffee for the morning, and looked at the time. He has been restless this morning and came in earlier even than usual. Ducky's call last night only confirmed what he already knew, DiNozzo has taken their words to heart. He had just hoped that DiNozzo will deal with it like he usually did, either by simply letting the comment slide off him, and Gibbs really preferred that option, or by turning it into a joke, or even taking it on someone elsemostly McGee.

He had come to rely on Tony's ability to cope without much problem with his demands and harsh comments, deserved or not. Tony usually knew how to deal with him when he was particularly frustrated with something that he couldn't "fix" whether it was case related or not. He mostly knew when to back off, and was brave, or fool enough, to try to diffuse tense situations. DiNozzo had his faults, which were unfortunately very easy to spot, and which got him all sorts of comments and teasing from his co-workers, friends, and boss, and that's exactly how Gibbs came to be sitting here this morning, debating with himself, while still glaring at the awards sitting on his desk.

He was still half hoping that Tony would shake off this latest incident, and let his cheerful and easy going nature take over. Gibbs sighed loudly, he hated how he felt when confronted with things he couldn't easily fix, he hated to feel unsure of himself and inadequate, and he hated going around in circles, carrying whole conversations in his head, this usually never ends well for him.

He stood up resolutely, and did what he always did when he wasn't sure what to do: he went for coffee!

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Less musings and much more conversations in the next chapter.