Congrats and thank you to Beth J., gibbsandtonysbabe, and JazzyAbby for suggesting the ringtones for this chapter. Thank you all...love the picks!

Again, thanks to Srienia my amazing beta reader! You are so awesome, thanks for all the help.

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Running into the bullpen, Tony dropped down into his chair right as the clock ticked seven.

Gibbs didn't even glance over at his Senior Field Agent. Wasn't like it was the first time Tony had barely made it on time.

Tony blew out a long breath and rubbed his hands over his face. He had been up most of the night with Abby, trying to figure out who this mystery man could be. Countless names had come up, but how the hell was he supposed to figure out which one it was? Oh right, foible, he was just supposed to wait until someone randomly said that word, that could take weeks, months, and he would go crazy trying to figure it out before then.

"Something is bothering you."

He jumped at the voice so close to him and gazed up to see Ziva sitting on the corner of his desk. "Where did Gibbs go?" Tony asked noticing the empty desk.

"Coffee." Ziva answered. "What is wrong?"

"Nothing, just a long night."

"Ah yes, what is her name this week?" Ziva chuckled. "Ashley, Melinda, Bambie."

"Ha, ha, very funny." Tony shoved his chair away from the desk. "I'll be in Accounting."

Ziva watched as Tony stormed down the steps, then turned to McGee. "Do you know what is going on?"

"No clue." McGee shook his head. "But I'm with you, it's probably about a woman."

Strolling into Accounting, Tony ignored several smiling women and headed towards Rick Hamlin's desk.

"Hey Rick." Tony gave his best smile as he stopped at the man's desk.

Rick stared at Tony a minute completely dumbfounded by Tony's presence. "Um, hey Tony." He smiled back. "Something I can help you with?"

"Checking on a reimbursement for a hotel room when I attended that conference three weeks ago."

"Sure let me check for you." Rick tapped at his keyboard retrieving the information.

Tony casually surveyed the man. Younger than himself, probably early thirties. Blond hair cut similar to his own, dark green eyes, chiseled jaw line leading to high cheekbones. The man was thin but well defined, he obviously worked out. Nice suit, not designer, but higher end off the rack. Handsome in that boyish way.

"It was approved three days ago...you should have a check in a couple days." He smiled back up at Tony.

"Great." Tony nodded. "Thanks."

"Anytime." Rick tried to think of something to say to continue a conversation. "Plans for this weekend?"

"Not yet, but it's only Wednesday." Tony grinned. "You?"

"Might go see a movie with some friends."

"Tony." Daniel gave his best smile. "You hiding out down here avoiding work?"

"Of course." Tony smirked. "One of my favorite places to hide. How's it going Daniel?"

"Daniel's great, he has a new boyfriend, his name's Jenson right?" Rick jumped in.

Daniel gave Rick a dirty glare. "Yeah, well we've only been dating a couple weeks."

"You were going to bring him to the movie?"

As the two men bantered back and forth Tony appraised Daniel. Right around his own age, dark brown hair, and deep brown eyes. Longer shaggy hair, loaded with product. Definitely designer suit, probably Armani, tailor fitted, but cheap shoes. He was ruggedly handsome.

"What movie were you going to see?" Tony asked.

"Total Recall."

Tony hissed. "Remakes, never a good idea."

"Come on Colin Farrell, or well." Rick chuckled. "For you Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel."

"True, both very beautiful women." Tony nodded. "And I get it Colin Farrell, nice looking guy."

"You should come with us." Daniel chirped. "You can bring a date."

"Have to see what the week brings." Tony shrugged. "You never know, might catch a case Friday night and work the whole weekend."

"Just let us know, it will probably be Saturday night that we go."

"Will do." Well no foible here. Tony thought to himself. "I should get back to work."

"Sure." Rick waved as Tony walked away.

Waving, both men watched Tony walk away.

"What the hell was that?" Daniel smacked Rick's arm as Tony disappeared from view.

"You're the one that interrupted!" Rick scoffed.

"Either way, if he decides to come with us-" Daniel smirked. "I'm leaving the boyfriend at home."

"And what if he brings a date?" Rick grinned.

Daniel groaned. "I don't wanna think about it."

"Please let this day end!" Tony groaned, shoulders slumped as he shuffled into Abby's lab.

"Poor baby, bad day?" She hugged him as he stepped up to her.

"Long and boring." He said as he rested his chin on her shoulder for a moment then stepped back.

"Did you figure anything out?" Abby asked a hint of excitement in her voice.

Tony shrugged. "If it's between Rick or Daniel, I hope it's Rick."

"Why's that?"

"Daniel seems a little less than loyal." Tony sighed. "Jarrod, the security guard is seeing someone and it's serious. He acted like he didn't even wanna talk to me."

"Did you talk to Jonathan down in Evidence?"

"Yeah." Tony chuckled. "He's definitely interested, was leering at me the whole time we were talking." He shivered. "It was creepy, and I mean really creepy, not sexy creepy."

"Yuck. I hate when guys do that." Abby made a disgusted face. "It could totally be someone that we think is straight and would never consider."

"I know, we have got to catch a case." Tony whined. "I need something else to focus on."

They both jumped when Tony's phone started playing the Jaw theme song. They both smiled and laughed. Then Tony felt the head slap. Spinning around, he looked straight into glare of the blue eyes.

"Hey boss." Tony rubbed the back of his head a second. "You calling?"

"I told you, change that damn ringtone." Gibbs snapped.

"You know it's my phone and I should be able to have whatever-" Another head slap made Tony stop. "Right, changing the ring tone." Hitting a couple buttons Jeepers Creepers by Frank Sinatra started playing and Tony grinned.

"I'm your boss, we're not dating."

Tony's brow furrowed. "I don't really think that's a dating song, it's just referring to your blue-"

Gibbs' eyes narrowed.

"Right." The smile faded from Tony's face and he stopped the music. "Oh wait." Hitting a few more buttons another song started playing. The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round.

The glare slowly softened and Gibbs shook his head, then shrugged.

"See, you like that one." Tony grinned again.

"Dead Marine, Ducky's already on the way." Gibbs said heading out of the lab.

"On your six boss." Tony barked as he glanced at Abby before running to catch up with his boss.

Three days, they'd been on this case for three days straight, all of them catching short naps in the bullpen, but they needed to catch a break. Dead Marine, OD, it had been ruled accidental, but they wanted the supplier and that was proving to be harder than they had expected. The only good thing about being entrenched in a case was Tony had something else to focus on instead of the whole "someone at work is in love with you." Truth was, he did think about it, every time he had interactions with a male colleague. Still nothing, no use of the word foible or anything remotely giving away someone's interest in him.

He'd been sitting at his desk for an hour, waiting... waiting for anything. He was sick of waiting, jumping up he started towards the back elevator. "Going to help Abby."

The other two agents were silent as Tony disappeared.

"Something is definitely wrong." Ziva's eyes narrowed as she tried to pinpoint what it could be. "Tony loves down time during a case."

"Yeah, and he's been acting weird around everyone, real talkative to everyone working on the case." McGee shook his head. "He had a twenty minute conversation with that new probie, Darren. Tony hates probies. Well, unless they are female with long legs and a hot body."

"I noticed the same thing." Ziva walked over to McGee's desk and sat down on the corner. "He was talking to Agent Yarrow in the elevator asking about Yarrow's wife. How long they've been married, was he happy. It was odd." Her eyes suddenly went wide. "Maybe Tony has met someone, a woman he could see marrying."

"Tony! He hasn't been talking about anyone." McGee looked concerned. "You could be right. He's being all quiet about it because it's serious." He chuckled and shook his head. "Tony wanting to get married, I don't think so."

"He was close to getting married once with Wendy."

"Tony wanting to get married is like Gibbs wanting to get married again."

"Not gonna happen McGee." Gibbs balked as he walked into the bullpen.

"Right Boss." McGee nodded.

"Abby's got something." Gibbs said, his two agents following him to the elevator.

"What ya got Abs?" Gibbs asked strolling into the lab followed by Ziva and McGee. His eyes narrowed when he saw Tony standing next to Abby at the computer.

"Um, came down to help." Tony held up the sandwich in his hand trying to explain. "Just grabbing a bite while I work."

Ignoring the explanation, Gibbs focused back on Abby.

"Well, our reporter that broke the story and is currently sitting in our interrogation room." She grinned. "Has a shady past." Tapping a button on her keyboard, two arrest reports popped up on the screen.

Gibbs skimmed over it. "Why are we just finding out about this?"

"The arrests were thrown out." She smirked. "After his boss spoke to his good friend the mayor."

Abby took a sip of her Caf-Pow as Tony took a bite of his sandwich.

"So he has a drug problem." Gibbs nodded. "That's a foible we can use to our advantage."

Suddenly Abby spewed Caf-Pow all over the computer screen, followed a second later by Tony's bite of sandwich.

McGee and Ziva took a step back and stared at their two friends.

Abby and Tony both turned staring at Gibbs, Tony's mouth hanging wide up, Abby's eyes as big as saucers.

Gibbs looked at the two of them then down at his jacket. Small droplets of Caf-Pow and little bits of Tony's sandwich had blown back onto the left side. When his eyes came back up he was glaring at Tony and Abby.

"Did you say foible?" Abby stammered.

Gibbs nodded.

"Foible as in a weakness in someone's character?" Abby added.

Another nod.

Gibbs glared at Tony and barked. "What?"

Slamming his jaw shut, Tony shook his head.

"It's just a word." Gibbs was used to his team's weirdness, but this was beyond weird, even for Abby and Tony.

"Yeah, just a word. Right Abs?" Tony elbowed Abby in the stomach.

"Yup, just a word."

Looking back down at the bits of sandwich on his jacket, Gibbs was about to brush them off when Tony reached over and brushed them away.

"Sorry about that boss." Tony saw the odd expression on Gibbs face and he pulled his hand away.

Gibbs shook his head. "Ziver you're with me, interrogation." He ordered as he headed out the door.

"Right." Ziva stared at Abby and Tony a moment, then ran out to follow Gibbs.

"What was that about?" McGee asked.

"Nothing." Abby shook her head, her eyes still wide.

"Nothing." Tony agreed.

McGee rolled his eyes. "What's going on with you Tony?"

"What, me? Nothing is going on." Tony tried to look innocent and took a bite of his sandwich.

"I don't even wanna know." McGee huffed. It was better to be in the dark when it came to anything Abby and Tony might be involved in. He headed out the back door of the lab.

Abby walked over, checking to make sure McGee had really left before looking back at Tony. "Gibbs?"

"It can't be." Tony shook his head.

"Hello, foible? It's can't be a coincidence, we don't believe in coincidences."

"But it's Gibbs!"

"Yeah, it's Gibbs! You spend a lot of time together, you care about each other, I mean any other two men already would have had at it."

"But it's Gibbs!"

She reached around and head slapped him. "I know, it's Gibbs."

Tony opened his mouth to say "but it's Gibbs" again, but shut it before he could get the words out.

"This is like-I mean whoa." Abby started pacing. "It's like you just found out Batman is in love with you or Superman." She glanced at Tony.

Tony pointed a finger at her and glared. "If you call me Catwoman or Lois Lane I'll do more than head slap you!"

Abby smirked and wiggled her eyebrows. "You'd look good in the whole leather cat suit, I mean the one from the TV show, not the Halle Berry movie."

"ABBY!"

"What, maybe Gibbs is into leather!"

Tony slapped his palm against his forehead. "Great now I have that thought in my head."

"Actually, Gibbs told me once he can't afford fetishes, he just gets off on the whole sawdust thing."

Dropping his head back, Tony groaned. "We are not having this conversation!"

"You said Gibbs was a good looking guy." Abby shook Tony's arm. "I mean, haven't you ever thought of about it?"

Tony looked up at her.

She waved her arms in front of her setting the scene. "You and bossman stuck in the elevator, it's hot. Gibbs takes off the jacket, you take off your shirt. You exchange a sultry look, then POW!" She smacked her fist into her palm. "Lightening and you're on each other like peanut butter on jelly. Ripping each other's clothes off, wanting skin against skin, bodies tangles in a mess of arms and legs-"

"Are you getting turned on?" Tony's eyebrow went up as he saw her eyes glazed over and dilated.

"Sorry." She shook her head shaking the image from her head. "But seriously, haven't you ever had a naughty thought about Gibbs?"

Tony glanced away a minute, then back.

"You so have!" She smacked his chest. "Where did it happen? The elevator, over his desk, MTAC, or maybe the director's office?"

"No. It was-" Tony balled his hands into fist and grimaced. "Damn!" Why did he admit it!

Abby grinned at him

"It's normal, everyone has a fantasy about their boss." Tony shrugged trying to not make this a big deal like Abby wanted it to be.

"So what did Gibbs bend you over and take you like a jackhammer?"

"Abby!" Tony groaned. "Do not make this more than it is. It's just a fantasy."

"If it's just a fantasy then tell me and we'll move on." She stared at him and waited.

"Fine." Tony sighed. "In the dining room, over the table."

"Really?" Abby's eyebrows went up. "So you give Gibbs an all you can eat Tony buffet?"

He rubbed his forehead. "Okay, I told you moving on."

"We have to find out for sure if it's Gibbs." She paused trying to think. "Oh, wait now that you know we can go back to Marie."

"I am not going back to Marie!"

"Why not, she was obviously right. I mean Gibbs has never used the word foible before." She couldn't believe Tony was actually going to deny Marie was right.

"I'm not going back there." Tony shook his head repeatedly. "We don't know that she was right. Maybe someone else is going to use that word."

"Yeah, right. Everyone uses the word foible." She rolled her eyes. "Fine, then you need to find out if Gibbs is the one."

"How the hell am I supposed to do that?" Tony almost yelled.

She put her arms across her chest and smirked.

"Oh no!" Tony pointed at her knowing exactly what she was thinking. "No way. I am not coming onto Gibbs."

"Why not?"

"Hello! You've seen what Gibbs does to people that piss him off." Tony chuckled nervously. "No way."

"Gibbs wouldn't hurt you." She scowled at him for even thinking that. "If it's not him, he will probably just say he is flattered and tell you he isn't interested."

"Or transfer me to Antarctica."

"I'm not telling you to grab him and stick your tongue down his throat." She smiled coyly. "Just be flirty, maybe a few little touches here and there, see how he responds."

"Flirt with Gibbs." Tony laughed. "How the hell do you flirt with Gibbs?"

"You flirt with him like you would any other man." Abby took him by the shoulders. "You are the Anthony DiNozzo. Charmer extraordinaire, king of flirting and all around man magnet. "

Tony stood up straighter, shoulder's back.

"It will take what, a couple days, four at the most for you to find out if Gibbs has feelings for you." Abby spoke with a commanding presence.

"You're right." Tony tugged at his jacket down. "I can do this."

"Good." She spun him around and pushed him towards the door. He took a few steps then stopped and turned around.

"It's Gibbs." He slouched down and stomped back towards her.

"He's just a man and you can do this!" She reiterated to him.

Tony took a slow deep breath. "I can do this." His phone rang and he answered it. "Yeah."

"The reporter confessed, took Gibbs all of five minutes to break him." Ziva's voice echoed through the phone.

"Okay, thanks." Tony shoved the phone back in his pocket. "Guess we get to go home."

"Oh no you don't." Abby grinned. "You have work to do."

Standing in the elevator, Tony had his head back against the wall, eyes closed, waiting as the elevator traveled down before it would go up. When the doors opened, he didn't even move. It wasn't until they closed and he took a breath, inhaling the familiar scent of sawdust that he pulled his head up and met the steely blue gaze.

"Case is over."

"Yeah, Ziva called me." Tony nodded.

Not taking his eyes off Tony, Gibbs reached over and stopped the elevator.

Tony was instantly reminded of Abby's little story of him and Gibbs being trapped in the elevator.

Gibbs gaze narrowed. "You okay?"

All Tony could do was nod.

There was a moment of silence, then Gibbs let it go. "Okay." Looking away from Tony, he reached over to start the elevator, as he felt the hand on his wrist. He looked at the hand, then at Tony, expecting the look to cause Tony to pull away. When Tony's hand remained, Gibbs continued to hold his arm in midair.

"Having a weird week." Tony sighed letting his fingers slowly glide down Gibbs' wrist, then hand before the touch drifted away completely. No, rapid pulse increase from the touch. Tony thought. Gibbs had taught him that trick a long time ago.

Gibbs nodded as his arm dropped to his side.

"And I'm tired. It's been a long few days."

Another nod.

"I need to go home." Tony sighed, popping open his jacket. "Slip into some shorts, grab a drink and just relax." He watched, checking for any pupil dilation, again nothing. Tony smiled. "Let me guess, it's a basement, boat, bourbon kinda night for you?"

"Yeah." Gibbs started the elevator and turned around facing the doors. The elevator stopped and the doors parted at Abby's lab. Gibbs' body tensed as he felt the hand press against the small of his back, then the hip brush against his own as Tony stepped around him.

Without a word, Tony walked off the elevator and into Abby's lab, the elevator doors closing behind him.

Standing in the elevator, Gibbs' brow furrowed. What the hell was that?