A/N: So I finally continued this. I'd known I wanted to, but work and everything else has kept me from writing. I actually wrote the majority of this sitting on the beach today. :)
Just a little warning: there are some things in here that could be considered 'Kate bashing'. Not my intention. I actually like Kate, but there are things about her that bug me, and this chapter highlights some of those. Just wanted to give a heads up so no one comments about it. Don't like, don't read.
Anyway, enjoy!
Who does Gibbs think he is?
What right does he have to lecture me about personal feelings getting in the way?
These were the thoughts running around Tony's head as he paced his apartment, punctuating each pissed off thought with a drink of bourbon. He didn't usually drink the stuff outside of Gibbs's basement, but he had a bottle at his place for the rare times his boss stopped by. Now, after not being able to get Gibbs's comments out of his head, it seemed like an appropriate choice. He hadn't even bothered with a glass, just started drinking straight out of the bottle.
Tony didn't know why his boss's words were affecting him like this. Actually, that was a lie. It was because, unlike Tony, Gibbs didn't dance around a subject and force people to spend time trying to figure out what he'd meant. No, Gibbs got straight to the point. And when making a point, he went straight for the jugular.
Unfortunately, Gibbs also knew enough about Tony's past life to know exactly what had been going on in his agent's head during this case. Secretly, Tony had been grateful to his boss for playing along with his act and thereby keeping Kate and McGee from seeing it for just that, an act. But after Gibbs's little nuggets of wisdom after the others were gone, Tony realized he should've been working just as hard to convince his boss he was fine.
Except he hadn't. And now he knew that Gibbs knew what this case, and Kate's behavior, had triggered for him.
Sighing heavily, Tony took another long drink. He knew it was his own fault. He'd unknowingly dropped his guard around Gibbs enough for the older man to get a glimpse behind his masks, and even into his past. Now he had to do damage control.
If he'd just laughed off Gibbs's comments, acted like they hadn't stung, it'd be different. Instead, he'd gotten defensive and snapped back. It was a response that let Gibbs know he'd hit his mark. And knowing his boss, Tony knew he wouldn't let it go.
So now he needed to have another chat with Gibbs. This time he would convince his boss he was fine, and they could get back to normal.
Not wanting to have this conversation where it could be overheard, Tony sat down the bottle and grabbed his phone, wallet, and keys.
0
Gibbs forced himself to breathe as he worked on his boat. After a while, the tension slowly ebbed and he began to relax; the slow, smooth strokes of the sandpaper on the wood finally working their magic.
Tonight, his frustration wasn't over the case, or even the slimy PI. No, tonight the team leader was frustrated with himself. He knew he'd pushed too hard with Tony. Of course, Gibbs knew it wasn't entirely his fault. DiNozzo didn't make anything easy. But Gibbs knew better. It had taken him longer than it should've, and more mistakes than he cared to admit, but after three years Gibbs knew that approaching some topics with Tony required careful timing and a good deal of tact.
The problem was Gibbs was a more direct guy. He didn't like taking the roundabout way. DiNozzo was a challenge in that respect, and many others. But, to be honest, it was one of the things that had drawn him to the younger man. He'd recognized almost immediately that Tony was a man of many layers. It was part of what made him such a good investigator. He didn't take things at face value because he knew from personal experience there was often a lot more going on behind the scenes than most people realized.
Kate could learn a thing or two from him in that regard. She may not be new to being a federal agent, but she was still new to being an investigator. Tony wasn't. A fact Kate had yet to recognize. For all her training as a profiler, she still took things at face value more often than not, and almost always when it came to her partner. It was something Gibbs knew both annoyed and relieved Tony.
From the beginning of the case, Gibbs had recognized Tony's deflection the moment it started. Knowing what he knew about Tony's family, from both his own background checks and what Tony had and didn't say about it, Gibbs had helped his agent misdirect the other agents. McGee was still too new to the team, and too green in general, for Tony to trust with that kind of information. And Kate had shown her colors time and time again. While Gibbs knew she cared about Tony and, for the most part, trusted him in the field, he also knew that for some reason she had a blind spot when it came to Tony.
Maybe that was why Gibbs had finally decided to step in and say something. He'd caught the small nuances, an eye roll here, a shrug there, that gave Tony away. There were certain aspects of this case, and his partner's comments, that had gotten under his skin. Though Gibbs was sure no one else had noticed, except maybe Ducky, he still felt the need to say something. Especially after the way he'd seen his agent get protective over Kate. It may not have affected Tony's ability to do his job, but it had affected him.
Tony's usual way of dealing with things meant ignoring them and pretending everything was fine, at least in front of others. How he dealt with them in private, Gibbs still didn't know, but he suspected it wasn't much different. That was why Gibbs pushed him sometimes. The whole 'everything is great' routine bugged the crap out of the marine when he knew something was wrong. So he would play the bastard card to get Tony to at least admit there was something going on.
Unfortunately, Tony was stubborn as hell, and he pushed right back. Like he had tonight. Gibbs had a feeling tonight was also one of those nights where, instead of getting Tony to talk to him, his plan had backfired and only succeeded in pushing the younger man further away.
Gibbs froze. He began sanding again after a moment. It seemed like he was about to find out where he and his agent stood. Regardless of what others thought, Tony could be quiet when he wanted to be, but Gibbs knew his house and all its sounds. He also knew Tony's footsteps, quiet or not.
A/N: Hope you liked this chapter! I know that's a cliffhanger ending, and I apologize! This was kinda just a peek into the guys' heads, and the next chapter is going to be their conversation. I'm gonna try to finish the next chapter soon, but I've got a lot to do in the next few days so no guarantees. As always, reviews are greatly appreciated!