Title: Bailing him out. Author: SA3466996. Rating: T, PG-13. Category: Angst. Genre: Gen. Pairing: None. Character(s): DiNozzo, Franks. Summary: Tony wishes Gibbs would graduate. Spoilers: S7.06 Outlaws and In-laws. Disclaimer: NCIS characters belong to Bellisario, CBS and Paramount. No copyright infringement intended.
AN: Based on 'The Riverboat Song' by Ocean Colour Scene (5:00). 190 words.
There it was. Trouble. Up ahead. It was always the same. Misinformation. Misdirection. Inconsistencies. If Mike just told the truth up front instead of trying to go solo and then get Gibbs to come bail him out every time - dragging the whole team into the process - then maybe people wouldn't keep on getting hurt. He knew—more than most—the pull, the ties, the loyalty afforded by student to teacher during those difficult times where he had to trust implicitly but ask no questions. But it was often said that there comes a time when the student has to graduate. The student becomes the teacher. Gibbs needed to let go of his misplaced loyalty, as did Tony. It was time for both of them to move on; graduate.
Easier said than done, he thought as he stood there, slowly unwrapping the mint from its packaging.
Out of the corner of his eye he watched as an uneasy looking Franks schooled his expression and reassured his family that everything would be okay. Maybe this time things would be different and they'd all come out the other side unharmed. Maybe.