A/N: this is the second upload of the day make sure you've read chapter 21 first!
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"Maids day off?" Gibbs asked him walking into the apartment that made the drill sergeant inside him want to put him on scut for a week.
"She's on vacation." Tony replied drolly wading through the mess without a care.
Clothes were strewn over sofas and the floor, making it impossible to tell if they're clean or not. Take out cartons, some still half full, were collected on the coffee table, annoyingly the only clean and tidy area was where the TV stood next to a selection of neatly placed DVD cases. Gibbs walked on through, carrying on with his perusal, picking up something suspicious from the kitchen counter he couldn't help but release a heavy sigh.
"DiNozzo you have a nice place, why don't you look after it?" He dropped what he hoped was a container of left over pizza crusts and moved on planning to check out Tony's bedroom.
It may look like he was snooping, but really he was checking for evidence anyone else had been there in the last few days. Admittedly, not such an easy task when all said and done.
"I haven't the time," Tony said turning his back to him while he checked through his mail, "you see I have this really mean boss who keeps me at work all hours- Ow!"
The sound of his hand impacting Tony's head made an impressive clack, one that even had Gibbs internally wincing. He'd threatened to give Tony a concussion before they ended this, but not for one minute did he believe to ever be following through with it.
"It doesn't take long to pick up after yourself DiNozzo." Gibbs continued passed him without pause however and pushed open the bedroom door.
Tony followed him, over the initial sting and taking the hit in the same nonchalant way he often did when Gibbs dished out the corporal punishment.
"It may surprise you, boss that despite going to military school I learned absolutely nothing about hospital corners… or laundry… or cooking!"
"Yeah I can see that," Gibbs turned to look at him with a no shit look on his face. "You're still sleeping on the floor?" He nodded at the blow up mattress.
Tony shrugged and returned a valid rebuttal, "You sleep on the couch."
Gibbs glared at him calmly because he didn't know what else to do. He couldn't exactly argue, but the problem was he knew why he slept on the couch, as far as he was aware Tony shouldn't have a reason to still be sleeping on the floor.
"Explains why you don't mind the lumps." Gibbs brushed it off quickly though, feeling the past few days had been traumatic enough without dredging anything else up, he worried about Tony enough as it was.
Misinterpreting the ensuing silence for annoyance Tony attempted an explanation, which only succeeded in concerning Gibbs more.
"Look boss nobody else ever comes here, like you say woman prefer their own beds."
The accompanying suggestive eyebrow raise was unnecessary. Gibbs knew deflection when he heard it. They both had their secret demons, granted Gibbs knew more about Tony's than hopefully Tony would every have to know about his, but that didn't mean he'd ever use that extra knowledge to his advantage.
"Where's this damn box?" He groused dropping the subject completely and forcing them to move on.
Tony paused thoughtfully, like he sensed there'd been a swift change of topic and deciding whether to push it or let it pass.
"Up here," he announced, walking over to the bookcase in the corner and pointing to the top shelf, "I used to hide things in my record player as a kid. It's the only reason I still have it, didn't think for one minute anything I had would be federal property though."
While he spoke Tony stretched and climbed up on the lower shelf.
"DiNozzo!" Gibbs tugged at his pant leg before his foot could even find purchase, bringing him back down in an instant. "I didn't build these for you so you could climb all over them."
Tony ducked his head looking mildly chastised, like usual, "sorry boss."
Shaking his head a small amused smile on his lips Gibbs pulled the ottoman over and supported him to climb until he could reach the top.
"I did get them painted though." Tony offered, voice muffled, head hidden while rummaging on the top shelf.
"Yeah, I can see." Gibbs drawled, "You hired a painter, congratulations."
"Hey we weren't all born with talent boss." He said jumping down holding the record player. "I'm not gifted like you."
He knew Tony meant it as a joke, but Gibbs looked at him seriously and smiled, Tony had more talent than anyone he'd ever met and he was sure one day he'd make him see what he saw.
"Oh I doubt that." He uttered, taking the box from his still too cold hands to rest on top of the crap still covering the coffee table.
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Tony looked away and let Gibbs take the box from him. On a normal day hearing a compliment touched him, but after everything they'd been through he couldn't guarantee keeping his composure.
"So here it is," Tony said airily, blinking rapidly to hide his reaction.
He joined Gibbs who had already opened the lid, revealing everything inside and after a quick rummage found the object he was looking for. Out the corner of his eye he could see Gibbs looking over everything.
"You hid things in here when you were a kid?" He questioned like they were in interrogation.
Tony knew he was looking at the broken switch blade which was Gibbs' from when he was a marine, given to him less than a year ago for apparently no reason, though Tony believed it to be in recognition of his second year with NCIS, his first as a fully-fledged Agent.
"I never said I stopped." He replied haughtily, trying not to draw too much attention to other recent additions.
Sure the next question was going to be why he felt the need to hide things, Tony prepared to draw attention away from the box itself and onto the item in question, the one his father had given him mere days before Hannigan and co came looking for it. However, surprising him Gibb said nothing; he simply took the tiny mental tubing hanging from its gold chain from his hand and cracked the casing.
"Boss do you really think you should… never mind."
Gibbs pulled out a piece of rolled up paper that looked like a tiny scroll, peering at it closely Tony could see it was covered in Tiny numbers and letters.
"What is it?"
"All the information needed to find the missing FBI cash." Gibbs sighed deeply, instinctively reaching out and squeezing the nape of Tony's neck.
Tony understood the sentiment, but nothing could stem his disappointment. He dropped his shoulders and walked away, feeling Gibbs eyes on.
"I've had it all this time-"
"Hey," Gibbs barked, grabbing Tony and turning him around. "This wasn't your fault."
"Really? Because right now it certainly feels that way." He snapped angrily. "According to Shauna it's my fault she had to move, and according to Hannigan's own report if I'd have just stayed out of the way instead of snooping when the FBI converged on my house then none of this would have even happened..."
Gibbs shook him by the shoulders, trying to shake some sense into him, but quickly froze. "How'd you know about the report?"
Tony wanted to kick himself. Hard.
"I er, found it in your bag when I was looking for your phone in the hospital." Tony averted his eyes.
It was after his shower, he'd been assigned a room and Gibbs had left to find coffee. He was in a foul mood after having waited what felt like all day for them to say his scan was clean and he could go, just for the doctor to turn around and declare he wanted to check again in another four hours, but since he wasn't in any urgent danger he'd have to wait until morning for the tech to come in. The worst thing was Gibbs didn't say a damn word, just shook the man's hand and let him walk.
"Boss?" Tony begged without actually begging.
"What?"
"We can go, I'll get checked out at Bethesda I promise."
"You're going nowhere." Gibbs commanded ending the argument before it began.
Within minutes a PA appeared and showed him to the wash rooms. Gibbs dropped the bag Kate had passed over to him from the car on the floor and announced he was going to find some decent coffee, leaving Tony to stew about his complete lack of choice in the matter.
Once clean and settled in his room he spent a couple of minutes twiddling his thumbs, contemplating what to do. He was starving, but since they'd put him in one of those god awful back opening hospital gowns Tony thought had been abolished along with VHS he couldn't exactly go roaming for food. With little options he decided to call one of the nurses and make them wish he'd never been admitted.
Just as he was reaching for the call button a mobile phone started chirruping from within Gibbs' bag. It wasn't unlike the boss to ditch the thing whenever possible, and Tony was just going to ignore it when he realised an opportunity. Why settle for hospital food when he could order take out? Things probably hadn't changed that much, he thought he'd be able to find a pizzeria willing to hand deliver to a hospital.
Decision made he climbed out of bed and rummaged through the bag, the phone had stopped ringing, but he didn't care and carried on searching all the obvious pockets. Unzipping the side Tony was presented with, not a mobile but a magnolia file labelled FBI classified. His intrigue getting the better of him as always Tony removed the folder and leafed through its pages, keeping one eye on the door should Gibbs return sooner than expected.
He stopped when upon turning the last few pages he discovered something he knew would be a bad idea to read without company. It too had classified printed across it in big black letters, but also words that sent a spark of fear through him. Opening the first pages Tony fell back, bum hitting the cold floor as he began reading Agent Hannigan's official report of the time he was kidnapped
"Boss I didn't mean to, I only wanted to order a pizza I had no idea-"
"Tony" Gibbs forced him to meet his eyes, "This wasn't you."
"Didn't exactly read that way to me, boss," He shook his head anyway.
"They were adults DiNozzo they made their own choices, nothing you did as a kid caused anything."
"You really believe that?"
"Have I ever lied to you?"
Tony snapped his head around and felt a small barely there smile lift his lips. Instinctively he leaned forward and wrapped both his arms around Gibbs' waist, clinging on for dear life, burying his head into his boss's shoulder.
"We better hurry," Tony pulled away happily and walked towards the door ready to leave. "Fornell will be having a coronary already and I don't want him to shove me out of the car again."
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Gibbs remained wide eyed and still as Tony left his apartment looking like he didn't have a care in the world. Getting touchy feely wasn't normally his deal and most people respected that, most people who weren't Abby of course, but since he'd hugged Tony after his nightmare a couple of nights ago it seemed he'd inadvertently sent some kind of open invitation. So not only was Tony telling him he loved him at random times, which he'd gotten used to over the years, enough so it didn't outwardly faze him anymore, he was apparently going to hug him whenever he felt like it now too. Wonderful.
It wasn't that Gibbs hated hugs, it was just he wasn't quite as liberal and demonstrative as Tony was when it came to showing affection, though between him and Abby, it looked like he wouldn't be having much of a choice in the matter anymore.
Resigning to his perceived fate Gibbs moved his feet to catch up with Tony at the elevator and together they made their way downstairs to greet Fornell, who was leaning casually against Tony's car waiting for them to make an appearance.
"You got it?"
Gibbs handed over the tiny case, snapped back together with the document nestled safely inside. Fornell examined it and then stared at Tony.
"I swear if I'd known-"
"Yeah, yeah I believe ya, DiNutso." Fornell assured quickly upon hearing the same panic that Gibbs heard in his voice. "Just glad you didn't try and find the actual cash yourselves, leaving this to us at the hoover building was a good call."
Gibbs wanted to make comment about the FBI not sharing information so freely when the shoe's on the other foot, but settled for a tight smile.
"All in the name of agency cooperation," Tony smiled brightly, sarcasm clear in his tone.
Clear to Gibbs at any rate.
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"I promise you'll be kept in the loop." Fornell finished seriously.
"Yeah FBI promises don't mean a hell of a lot." Gibbs joined Tony in the sarcasm stakes.
"I promise. Not the FBI, the bastards will pay for what they did Jethro, all of them."
Tony swallowed looking embarrassed by the topic, and proceeded to ask the question Gibbs had been dreading him asking all day. "What about my Dad?"
He looked to Fornell, not him, which told Gibbs he already had a pretty good idea something was up.
"Your dad's going to be in Washington another day or so, then the FBI will see him onto a plane back to New York."
When Tony didn't seem at all surprised by the news Senior wasn't going to jail Gibbs nodded, silently indicating he should go and walked Tobias to his car.
"You got eyes on him while he's here?" Gibbs asked quietly, not wanting Tony to think he feared anything might occur.
"Senior's going to be on the FBI radar a while, he sneezes and we'll know about it, I said I'll keep you in the loop Gibbs and I meant it." Tobias opened his car door, glanced over at Tony stood looking lost staring at nothing and fixed Gibbs with a look, "Take care."
The glare said more than the words, and Gibbs would have had to be deaf and blind to miss the double meaning there. Fornell nodded and got in the car and pulled away. Gibbs was making his way back to his car when Tony called out to him.
"Boss?"
"Yeah Tony?" Gibbs responded tiredly, not feeling much like the boss right now.
Tony looked back at his apartment and ducked his head. Gibbs followed his gaze, wondering what he could possibly be thinking about now. He remained patient, waiting for him to gather his thoughts and speak.
"It doesn't matter." Tony shook his head.
"No, you don't get to do that, spill." He demanded kindly.
Tony eyed him quizzically, clearly gearing himself to ask something of him.
"Can I stay with you a little longer?" He asked edgily. "My dad, he might know where I live and I don't want to…"
Gibbs grinned relieved this wasn't a taxing question after all.
"I've already packed you a bag," Gibbs held up the small ruck sake, in which he'd already stuffed some clean clothes and the damn hair gel they'd been missing the past few days.
The messy look made Tony look all of twelve years old and though it gave him a sort of charm in a pathetic way Gibbs wanted him to rediscover the more professional side of his psyche. He was a federal agent and things needed to get back to normal as soon as possible. Tony gave him a small embarrassed smile and ducked his head. Gibbs waited for him to join him by his car until he climbed in.
"You know Abby's still got fireworks planned for tonight right?" Tony informed him, clicking his seat belt in place.
Gibbs groaned and said a silent prayer before driving off, "Let's just hope she hasn't added any extra boom to them like last year."
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And on to the epilogue…!
A/N: I like to stick to cannon as much as possible and when we saw Tony's apartment in S10 there was the question, who had been to Tony's place? I always believed Gibbs had since there was a reference in S1's One Shot, One Kill about the mess. The idea of Gibbs building Tony's shelf? In s2 Forced Entry while searching a suspect's apartment Gibbs tells Kate DiNozzo has 'better furniture'. So, 'nuff said ;)