Author's Note: The splint is off (yeah!) but there's still talk of surgery if I can't bend the elbow more than I can right now. So I'm looking forward to a week of painful exercises before I go back again. This whole mess was caused by a little King Charles Cavalier Spaniel puppy that better be glad he's cute.
Some pivotal moments coming up in the next few chapters, with a big (I hope somewhat unexpected) twist in chapter thirteen that changes everything. Keep the reviews coming—maybe every time a phone pings an angel gets his wings? Catch the DiNozzo reference if you can! Thanks for you continued kindness and support!
TLH
McGee saw Tony start to fall and turned toward him, immediately concerned.
"Tony?"
The senior field agent's limp body hit the bottom of the elevator with a thump before anyone could react to catch him. Gibbs was at his side quickly, pushing McGee and Ziva aside to get to the younger man.
"DiNozzo! You with me?" Gibbs knelt in front of Tony and gripped his chin, noticing the rough stubble where he hadn't shaved since this all began several days ago.
Tony's eyes fluttered slowly; the green orbs unfocused and hazy. Gibbs used his fingers to pull back Tony's eyelids to check the pupils which were large and dilated.
"Tony….Tony come on now; tell me what's going on," Gibbs coaxed. The lead agent repeated Tony's name several more times but got no response. He patted Tony's cheek, but the only reaction he received was that Tony's lips parted slightly and he moaned.
The elevator doors slid open. "Get Ducky," Gibbs hissed. McGee ran out into the hall and Ziva stood inside the doors to prevent them from shutting.
"N…no," Tony finally slurred, trying to speak. "Don't….don't wanna do…. this." His head fell back against the wall of the elevator. Gibbs couldn't tell if Tony was talking to him or not; his fingers grasped at Gibbs' shirt, entwining in the fabric when he slid further into the floor. With a gentle grip, Gibbs propped him up into a sitting position.
"Can you hear me DiNozzo?" Gibbs tried again to rouse the younger man from his dazed condition. Instead of an answer, the normally alert green eyes rolled in their sockets and Tony mumbled unintelligibly.
Ducky and Franks appeared beside them. "What happened?" the Scot asked, bending down next to Gibbs to gain access to the agent. Mike hovered over top of them like a worried grizzly.
"I don't know. He collapsed; his eyes have been open the whole time and he hasn't lost consciousness." Gibbs' voice was tight with worry. "He's saying things, but I can't get him to respond directly to me."
"Stop. Don't kill him," Tony repeated more forcefully. His eyes ceased moving, but he stared fixedly at something the rest of them couldn't see. He appeared terrified and his breathing degenerated into short raspy gasps. A thin layer of sweat covered his skin.
Ducky snapped his fingers in front of Tony at various positions, but there was no sign the agent was tracking the sound or movements. Whatever had captured his attention wasn't in the elevator with them and only DiNozzo could see it.
"Have you noticed any stiffening of the limbs or tremors?" the doctor asked, running his hands up and down Tony's arms and legs to determine if there was any unusual muscle movement.
Gibbs shook his head. "Nothing."
Suddenly, Tony lurched forward. "Nooo!" he screamed. He let go of Gibbs' shirt and his fingers scratched at the older man's neck. Gibbs grabbed Tony's hands and held them tightly in place at his sides.
Ducky reached out and cautiously checked his pulse. When Tony tried to pull away, Gibbs wrapped his arms around Tony's shoulders and forced him to hold still.
"His heart is racing. You say he was fine before?"
Gibbs nodded. "I didn't notice anything wrong. Is this some kind of seizure?"
The doctor took out a penlight and shined it in Tony's eyes, noting the lack of contraction in the irises. "I'm not really sure. The symptoms are very odd."
"Please don't hurt him," Tony mumbled before his eyes rolled back in his head.
Franks cursed quietly and smacked the elevator angrily with the palm of his hand. "Get him in the lab. I know what's wrong—I've seen it before."
The other two vampires didn't question Mike's directive or ask him to explain; together they lifted Tony off the floor and walked him out of the elevator and into the hallway. DiNozzo didn't fight them; he stumbled along like he was in a daydream, barely coordinated enough to lift his feet off the ground and keep his head upright.
"Put him here," Abby said, pointing to the floor. They eased him onto her fold-out futon; Franks knelt on one side and Gibbs the other. Tony's eyes remained open but glazed and uncomprehending-he blinked frantically and turned his head from side to side as if trying to get away from something.
None of the team spoke, unsure of what was happening to their colleague. Abby clutched McGee's arm and Ziva chewed on her lip while they stood back and silently watched Tony fall apart.
DiNozzo's breathing hitched and he started speaking loudly to no one in particular. "I'm killing him! I can feel his heart stopping…..please, I don't want to drink it; I don't want it!" Tony's entire body trembled, his eyes were wet and he reached out toward nothing, then drew his hand back to touch his own lips. He locked gazes with Gibbs who was crouched beside him. "I can taste it, it's so warm and it's so good. I don't want to like it, I can't like it, but I want more, I want so much more." He swallowed heavily and licked his lips hungrily before shaking his head. "But it's all gone. He's….he's dead and it's all gone."
Gibbs ran a hand through Tony's hair trying to anchor him in the moment. "Whatever you're seeing isn't real, DiNozzo. You're still at the office; have been most of the day."
"No….I….I'm with them." Tony searched Gibbs' face for confirmation before he sagged again and his body drifted backwards; Gibbs caught him and held him up.
"Ducky!" Gibbs looked anxiously at the ME, willing him to do something.
Tony's head lolled against Gibbs' chest; his eyelids drooping and only halfway open.
Franks leaned down and smacked Tony's face lightly, ignoring Gibbs annoyed expression. When nothing happened he did it again with more force. "DiNozzo!" the old NIS agent barked harshly, grasping Tony by the upper arms and shaking him forcefully.
Tony closed his eyes then re-opened them before taking a shuddering breath. "Where am I?" he asked hoarsely, face bewildered but showing some indication of awareness. "Why am I on the floor?" He gazed blearily around the room searching for an explanation.
Gibbs pushed his sweaty hair back. "You're in Abby's lab. You've had some kind of attack. Take it easy for a minute."
Tony didn't seem quite sure of what was going on yet. "I was outside; then in an abandoned building….there was a man….." He tried to bolt up, but Gibbs pushed him down on the futon. "I bit him! I….bit him and drank his blood and he died!" Tony gaped at the faces staring at him, clearly confused by his words. Abby nibbled her nails, Ziva wrapped her arms tightly around her chest, and McGee stared mutely.
"Who, Tony?" Gibbs asked cautiously.
Tony's eyes sought out Gibbs'. "I….I don't know. A marine, I think. I…..I tasted his blood and felt his heart stop. What the hell? How could I do that?"
"You didn't." Franks was icily calm. "You were here with us the entire time. It was Gabriel. He killed someone tonight and took you along for the ride, DiNozzo."
"I don't understand," Tony said shakily, attempting to sit up straighter. He felt disoriented, like someone had picked him up and shaken him around for a while before sitting him back down.
"How many times did Gabriel bite you as a child?" Ducky asked gently, finally comprehending what Franks had already picked up on. He took Tony's wrist to check his pulse again.
Tony sank back against the sturdy weight of Gibbs behind him and let Ducky fuss. It was difficult to think clearly, but he knew he didn't want to answer that unexpected question.
The lead agent's voice cut through his procrastination. "We need to know, Tony. How many times?"
"I…I'm not too sure. I think I was three or four when it started." He closed his eyes so he couldn't see the looks of revulsion that crossed his friend's faces. The memories he was being forced to dredge up disgusted him, too. "And….I guess it didn't stop until my Mom died."
"How often?" Gibbs forcefully asked the question no one really wanted to hear the answer to.
Tony turned his head away, refusing to look at anyone lest he see pity in their expressions. "Every month or two." His voice was so low Gibbs had to strain to hear him.
"Dammit!" Franks stood and paced the room, looking for something to throw that Abby wouldn't need later. Since he didn't know what anything in the lab was actually used for, he was afraid to touch most of it and had to settle for running a hand through his unruly hair and cursing again.
"Why does it matter?" Abby asked softly.
"It means Gabriel has established a strong connection to Anthony. He's able to feel Tony's emotions, and in this case, he tapped into Tony's consciousness and shared what he was experiencing. Since Tony didn't know what was happening to him, he was unable to stop it. It was almost as if Tony was with Gabriel as he was committing this act," Ducky explained as clinically as possible. "For some reason he wanted Tony to see it."
Tony's head rested against Gibbs' chest and he was enveloped in the smell of sawdust and Old Spice; suddenly aware of what he was doing he sat up stiffly. Gibbs pulled him back into his previous position, not allowing Tony to shift away. "Just sit still, DiNozzo," Gibbs admonished easily. Tony's face was ashen and he continued to take harsh breaths that made Gibbs flinch.
"I liked it," Tony whispered, eyes downcast. "The blood; the way it tasted and how it felt going down my throat. I actually liked it. What's wrong with me?"
Gibbs moved so he could tilt Tony's chin up to look at him. "There's nothing wrong with you; that's how Gabriel felt, not you. You've never drank anybody's blood and you don't know anything about it. Don't let it upset you."
Tony didn't look convinced and had yet to get his breathing under control. He hadn't had many incidents since his plague days, but Gibbs didn't like the similarities. "Here, take your jacket off."
Gibbs helped him remove his suit coat before loosening his tie and slipping it from his neck. Tony closed his eyes and tried to take slow, steady breaths while Gibbs undid a few of his top buttons. The last thing he needed was to hyperventilate.
"Better?"
Tony shrugged feebly. "I guess so. I feel pretty stupid; I thought I was really there."
"Gabriel's messing with us." Gibbs rocked back and forth on his heels, trying to ease the ache in his knees.
"Someone really did die, Gibbs," Tony reminded him plaintively, praying the nausea he was feeling would subside before he threw up in Gibbs' lap. "It was a marine; I saw the uniform. I know it actually happened, I felt…..I felt his….. heart stop." Tony started gasping again.
"Settle down and we'll figure it out. Let's take care of you, first."
Tony nodded and tried to relax. Breathe in. Breathe out. "Can Gabriel read my mind?" he asked nervously.
"No," Franks answered. "It's just a connection between you. If it happens again, tell somebody. You should be able to close it off."
Abby, McGee and Ziva stood to the side of the room trying to stay out of the way and not make the situation worse. Abby jumped when the phone on her desk rang. She quickly scampered over to answer.
"Yes, sir, he's down here. I'll tell him; I'm sure he'll be right there."
She hung up and made a face at the phone. "Vance wants you in his office. The SecNav is waiting; they want a Sit Rep on the murders."
Gibbs stood, wincing when his knee cracked. Tony moved to get up, too, but the lead agent quickly placed a hand on his shoulder and shoved him down again. Tony tried to glare at him, but failed miserably.
"Tell me we have something for them, Abs."
The Goth smiled wide. "The DNA from the lipstick on Tony's shirt was a match to the DNA on the dead petty officer. Which is good, but definitely not enough. I mean, we know that Maria was the one making out with Tony." DiNozzo groaned from his spot on the floor. "Sorry, Tony. But how do we prove the lipstick belonged to Maria? It's not like Tony isn't well-known for having a wide variety of female friends."
Tony did manage to glare at his friend, who smiled at him innocently.
"So I analyzed the lipstick and was lucky to find that it's a very high-end brand that's only sold at a limited number of swanky retailers. I called around and discovered Maria is actually listed at one of the shops and this particular lipstick is one that she regularly purchases." The team stared at Abby with amazement. She clasped her hands and grinned. "Hey, vampires have to shop, too."
Gibbs gave her a quick kiss. "Good work, Abby." The scientist beamed at his approval.
The blue eyes left Abby and turned back to Tony. "Stay there," he ordered. Ducky entered the room with a glass of water which he handed to DiNozzo who took it with a still shaky hand.
"We'll take care of Tony," the ME supplied firmly.
Franks folded his arms. "I don't think he'll be any trouble."
Tony rubbed his head; he was incredibly tired and just wanted to lie down. He hated having a meltdown in front of the team almost as much as he hated having to announce how often Gabriel had visited him as a child. None of that was as bad as realizing that Gabriel had a direct line into his brain. But instead of admitting that the experience had left him queasy and overwhelmed, he went with the typical DiNozzo response. "I'm fine," he growled without much fire.
Gibbs shook his head, obviously not persuaded. "Ziva, McGee, go see if we have enough to get a search warrant for Maria's residences. It's all pretty flimsy, so try Judge Walters; he'll usually sign off on anything without looking at any of your evidence."
"On it, boss," McGee answered while Ziva nodded in agreement.
Gibbs walked purposefully toward the door. He'd let Gabriel have the advantage for too long; it was time to take matters into his own hands.
Innocent people were dying and one of his own was being threatened and assaulted, both physically and mentally. It wasn't like he didn't have a track record of taking down anyone, or anything, who hurt the people he cared about. This time wasn't going to be any different.
He'd make sure Gabriel and Adrian paid for their actions, regardless of any consequences he might face.
NCISNCISNCIS
"Ducky, this definitely isn't necessary." The doctor had forced Tony over to autopsy and was taking his blood pressure. "It was basically like having a bad dream; I'm over it now."
To be honest, he was still shook up by the fact Gabriel had the ability to go poking around in his head, but he wasn't about to tell Ducky that. There was his pride to consider, and the fact they assured him he could stop Gabriel if the vampire tried to connect with him again. He hoped they were right since he didn't want to go through that experience twice. He hadn't taken any illicit drugs since college, but it was the closest thing to a bad trip he could remember.
The ME clucked in disagreement. "Your pulse and blood pressure are both elevated, Anthony. I have to insist that you rest for the remainder of the day."
Tony was exasperated; both the ME and Gibbs were taking the overprotective bit way too far. "No, Ducky, I will not rest while everyone else is out trying to do something to stop these psycho vampires—no offense. You're treating me like I'm some damsel in distress. Now just let me go upstairs and try to do my job; maybe I can come up with something to pinpoint the location of the poor guy I just saw murdered."
He removed the blood pressure cuff and handed it to the frustrated Scot before standing and rolling down his shirt sleeve.
Mike Franks chortled low in his throat. "I gotta agree with DiNozzo on this one, Duck. A man can't sit around and while the battle rages around him. He's got to take his part in the war and fight!" Franks pounded his large hand on Tony's back appreciatively. Tony squawked at the much harder than expected pat that nudged him forward a few inches. "You've got guts, DiNozzo, and I admire that."
"Thanks, Mike." Tony wasn't sure how to react to an overly friendly Mike Franks.
"Admiration won't help him when he's flat on his face from blood loss and exhaustion," the physician went on, undeterred.
Tony gave his friend a bright smile that didn't reach his eyes. "You worry too much, Ducky. I'm going back upstairs now."
Mike frowned, his expression more like the one Tony was used to. "I need to talk to you first, DiNozzo."
The serious tone made Tony wary; the conversations he normally had with the ex-NIS agent usually involved grunts and sarcastic comments. Franks took him by the arm and led him to the far side of the room where they had a small amount of privacy. Tony braced himself for something unpleasant.
"I think you underestimate how far Gibbs will go to protect you."
"Excuse me?" Tony was taken off-guard by the statement.
"He won't let you get hurt in all this; he feels responsible for you."
"I didn't ask him to take me as a charity case. I can take care of myself," Tony said defensively.
"You think so?" Franks chuckled wearily. "Wasn't that you sniveling into his armpit a few minutes ago?"
Tony didn't respond immediately. "That's a low blow, even for you, Mike." It was an effective strike; Tony's shoulders slumped and some of the bravado left him. He silently acknowledged that Franks was right; everything currently happening was so far out of his league it was like he was a Pee Wee player trying to hold his own at the Super Bowl.
"He's going to fight Gabriel and Adrian without the Conclave's permission just to get them to leave you alone. He'll be punished severely for it, especially if he kills one of them, but he thinks that's ok as long as you get to go off into the sunset and live a happy life. Are you going to let him make that sacrifice?" Mike challenged.
"What will they do to him?" Tony wasn't sure he wanted to hear the answer to that question.
"Let's just say he won't see the light of day for several centuries, but that fate can be avoided if you convince him to turn you."
Tony shook his head. "He doesn't want to do it."
"He will if you ask him to; if you tell him that you're afraid you can't protect yourself," Franks pointed out impatiently. "They won't be allowed to attack you then, and Gibbs will be able to take out those two useless dogs without impunity."
DiNozzo nodded at his dawning understanding. "I get it now, you want me to convince him to turn me; you know he won't do it otherwise, especially if he thinks it isn't what I want." Tony tried to think of another way, any way, to solve the problem that didn't end with him as a vampire.
"You could fight them instead; you already have a first-born," he suggested.
Franks jerked his head. "I've thought about it; I could probably take them both if they fight fair, which they won't. But the battle still wouldn't be sanctioned by the Conclave since first-borns can't fight each other without their approval, and they want to use this as leverage to get Gibbs to cooperate. I'd do anything to keep Leroy out of trouble, but then I'd be the one thrown in a hole for two hundred fucking years while your boss nurses the mother of all guilt complexes. And we both know how he loves those."
Tony couldn't disagree with Franks' conclusion.
"He could turn someone else and secure the bloodline that way; McGee's practically begging for the chance." Tony didn't think this was much of an idea, but it was all he could come up with.
"There's no way in hell he'd turn McGee; he'd barely do it for you even if you begged him. Damn morally upright piece of shit little punk ass….." Franks stopped cursing and crowded into Tony, his breath reeking of coffee and stale cigarettes. "You have to make him do it; it's the only hope he's got. I've seen the way you look up to him; there's no way you'll let him take the fall in all this." The vampire's eyes were alight with fierce protectiveness. Gibbs was his Child after all, and Tony needed to remember that.
Franks stared at him intently, waiting for an answer; Tony could see the worry, anger, and fear coursing through him. For the first time since this all began, he was hit with harsh reality.
Gibbs could die, or worse. The lead agent might be a vampire, but he was still Gibbs, and Franks was right about one thing, Tony couldn't take the thought of his long-time mentor suffering to save his worthless hide.
Mike spoke softly. "He cares about you, Tony, and you know how he is about his people. He's always wanted to bring home the injured and the strays and get them back on their feet. I can't fight his Papa Bear instincts alone; you have to help me."
The abject concern in Franks' voice was Tony's undoing. It was overpowering and the enormity of the situation weighed down on him. He had to become a vampire to even have a chance of helping Gibbs.
He could taste the blood again, could feel it in his mouth and throat, how it had been both delicious and repulsive at the same time. Being forced to drink that for the rest of his existence…..
"I don't feel so good," he whispered and swayed slightly.
"Shit." Franks grabbed his arms and hauled him back towards Ducky.
"I don't know if I can do it, Mike. I really don't know if I can do it." Tony wrestled with the choice Mike was asking him to make. He would easily lay down his life for Gibbs, but he didn't know if he could give up his soul.
Mike sighed. "Just think about it. I shouldn't have pushed you like that; I was just…." he let the words hang there, unfinished, struggling with the depth of his worry.
Tony stopped and met his dark eyes. "You love him, don't you?"
The soft look didn't match what he knew about the tough as iron Mike Franks. "He's my chosen Son; I gave him my life and my blood. It's a bond beyond any you've ever experienced and I could never explain it to you in words. Eternity would be a very long time if he was gone."
"I'll talk to him, Mike. I'll try…." Tony's face was strained as he spoke.
A large arm circled his shoulders; Tony felt small and weak wrapped in the unexpected embrace. "We'll figure it out, kid. Come on, sit down a minute."
Ducky looked up at their approach, noting Tony's green complexion.
"Ah, my boy, events are catching up with you I see."
"I'm…."
"Fine, yes, I've heard. Have a seat and let me fix you a spot of tea."
The ME bustled around while Franks leaned against the wall watching him; once the vampire settled down he looked like a statue. Tony thought about what the former Viking had said and wondered if he could make himself go through with it. But this was Gibbs, and ultimately he had no choice except to do whatever he could to keep him safe, and that son-of-a-bitch Mike Franks knew it.
It was one thing to face his bête noire. It was quite another to become it.
NCISNCISNCIS
Gibbs jogged down the stairs and back into the bullpen, the meeting with Vance and the SecNav having taken much longer than he anticipated. He understood the myriad of emotions the Secretary was experiencing, and he did his best to push aside his own pressing concerns to give the other man as much support as he could.
In the end, the SecNav bought Gibbs' theory about Adrian and Maria, and his desire for someone to blame and the hope of retribution prompted him to promise any level of assistance he could give to the investigation, official or unofficial. Gibbs knew what it was like to feel that way; your whole life spent trying to uphold laws and then one day you didn't care anymore as long as someone, anyone, paid for your loss and your pain.
The SecNav's willingness to go down any path to catch his son's killers was a double edged sword. Gibbs would definitely use the resources in any way possible, but he vowed to himself to do everything in his power to not cross the line too much. When all this was over he wanted to be able to look at himself as one of the good guys, even if he wasn't human. Trying to retain a sense of justice in this screwed up existence of his was paramount to his survival and it was one of the few things that had held him together all these years.
But if that wasn't in the cards, he knew he'd do what was necessary. Taking care of Tony was his main priority. The younger man had no idea how strongly Gibbs had come to feel about protecting him; he supposed it was partly because somewhere over the last ten years he had already come to think of Tony as his son, and partly because it filled an ache in him left behind by Kelly's absence.
He considered how close he and Mike Franks were, despite their various differences in opinion over some matters. Mike was his Father in the most basic sense of the term, having cared for him through all his bouts of melancholy and indifference. He had been there to guide him, to comfort him, and to give him a kick in the ass when he needed it.
It would be nice to have that same kind of connection to Tony, to be certain that the young man was a part of their line and a part of their family. He knew how much that would mean to Tony, who had yearned for a stable home and family his whole life.
But to be a part of Gibbs' family, Tony would have to accept being a vampire; the concept was unthinkable. It was a catch-22 that blocked their every turn. He could never see Tony become like them, and so he could never have Tony fully as the Son he knew he wanted; the Son he'd always wanted even when he wouldn't admit it to himself.
Sometimes when you loved someone, you had to let them go, and that was where Gibbs found himself. He cared enough about Tony to let him stay human and live the life he deserved. Turning him into a vampire would be selfish, and Gibbs would only be doing it to erase some of his loneliness, and that wouldn't be fair. Gibbs would keep his promise and see that Tony stayed human, no matter what happened.
His team was sitting at their desks working quietly. Three heads popped up to look at him as he walked back to his chair. He stopped by Tony's desk first. "Ducky give you the all clear to be here?"
Tony smiled, the typically bright grin coveying a tired edge. "He couldn't find one single excuse to keep me away, but trust me, he tried."
Gibbs snorted and continued on to his desk.
"How'd we do on that warrant?" he asked.
"It came through about fifteen minutes ago," Ziva explained. "Judge Walters was in the middle of an afternoon drink, and was in quite an agreeable mood. It applies to her apartment in DC and the house in Virginia."
"Good. I want you and McGee to search both locations. See if you can find anything that links them to our dead sailors. Check for paper trails, pictures, or computer files; even vampires have to case their victims if they were selected intentionally and not randomly."
Tony stared Gibbs down. "Isn't that dangerous?" he challenged. Never let it be said that he was afraid to confront their boss. "Should you order them into a nest of vampires?" He unconsciously rubbed the fading bruise on his neck, clearly concerned about the safety of his teammates.
"That's why I'm sending Franks with them. He can't go onto the properties without permission, but he can tell if any vampires are around and warn them if any approach. I don't think it will be an issue anyway; not even Adrian and Maria are dumb enough to want the attention they would receive if two federal agents went missing in one of their houses." Gibbs paused and gave an unusually considerate look to his team. "Are you two ok with doing this? If you don't want to, you can tell me no. I understand this isn't a normal case."
Ziva stood and lifted her box of knives onto her desk. "I am eager to continue pursuing the investigation, Gibbs. These vampires do not frighten me." She proceeded to remove weapons from the box, studying each before deciding whether to conceal it on her body or put it back. "Think of the stories I will be able to tell my father the next time I return to Israel." She met the lead agent's gaze with a challenging one of her own.
Gibbs gave her a half-smile of approval.
McGee raised his eyebrows. "As long as Franks goes with us, I should be fine. If he senses anyone around we just won't go in…..but maybe Ziva could review some of her vampire killing techniques with me on the way?" He tapped a pencil nervously, trying valiantly to hide his apprehension.
The Mossad assassin smiled benevolently. "I would be glad to prepare you for the possibility of an attack," she supplied. "Do not worry about us, Gibbs. We will take care of the search."
"I'll brief Franks. Tony, you collect Abby, she'll be staying with us tonight."
Ziva grinned knowingly. "Tell her to wear the bat pajamas, they are quite adorable."
Tony shook his head; Ziva would always be one crazy ninja chick. He watched as she seemed pleased with her choice of weapons and put the box away. McGee frowned and stared at Ziva looking pretty much like he was getting ready to head off to his own execution.
Tony stood and walked to McGee's desk; Ziva saw him move and came over to join them. "You guys really don't have to do this. It could be dangerous and I don't want to see either of you get hurt."
McGee let out a deep breath. "We can handle this, Tony. With Franks and Ziva around, it shouldn't be too much of a problem."
"Well, don't take any unnecessary risks, ok? Neither one of you looks much like Buffy the Vampire Slayer to me."
McGee managed a grin at that. "At the rate you're going, I might have to start calling you Blade."
"Oooh, good one, McDracula. I am kind of buff like Wesley Snipes." He flexed a muscle. "How about Tony Van Helsing?"
"Would you two stop with the movie references? I have no idea what you are talking about!" Ziva exclaimed, incensed. "This is serious!"
They both looked at her, hands planted firmly on hips, face threatening violence, and burst out laughing.
Across from them, Gibbs allowed a shadow of a grin for himself.
NCISNCISNCIS
The bullpen was quiet now that Franks, Ziva, and McGee were gone. Abby had a few things to finish in her lab before leaving. Gibbs was reviewing details from the murder scenes. Tony was busy googling every bit of information he could find about vampire mythology. He was amazed at the number of websites he found related to the topic.
It was hard to tell if what he was reading was real or fiction. He clicked a link that sent him to a youtube video from the classic Steven King thriller Salem's Lot; a woman screamed before he managed to hit the mute button.
Gibbs raised a blue eyeball at him and stood, stretching the kinks out of his back before casually going to stand in front of Tony.
"Sorry about that boss, I was just doing some, uh, research." Tony minimized the screen which currently displayed a fierce looking vampire with blood-covered teeth sucking ferociously on the neck of a beautiful woman.
"If you want accurate information, talk to Abby. Her books are the real deal; anything else specific you want to know you can ask me."
"Ok, well about that. I was curious about the whole turning process; is it painful? How long does it take? What happens after?" He bounced his leg nervously.
"Why are you asking, Tony?" Gibbs waited for Tony to reply, his suspicions obvious.
"I don't know; just in case I changed my mind about the whole thing. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad, immortality. You actually look pretty good for your age, all things considering. I've been getting a few extra wrinkles, a couple of grey hairs I'd like to get rid of. And of course it would help you out; you could go ahead and fight Gabriel without any worries about Conclave permission or anything like that. Mike's sure you could take Gabriel easy, and I suppose he could deal with Adrian, then this would all be over. So I guess what I'm saying is if you want to turn me, I'd be…..I'd be ok with that." He ran out of steam and sat there awkwardly.
"You want me to turn you?"
Tony put on his most convincing and open expression. "Yeah, I think that would be for the best, don't you?"
Gibbs' face darkened quickly. "Mike put you up to this, didn't he?"
DiNozzo tried to come up with the correct response. "No, no…."
The silver-haired agent leaned close to Tony. "I can tell when you're lying. It's part of the whole vampire thing; you have a connection to Gabriel but don't forget I drank your blood, too. Don't even think about lying to me."
Tony swallowed, busted. "Mike talked to me about it and pointed out a few things. He made some good points."
Gibbs stood straight and folded his arms. "I've already told you, I'm not doing it. It's not what you want and I would never force you into something like this unwillingly."
"But I'm willing!" Tony jumped to his feet. "I know you're going to fight them even if you don't turn me, and Franks said if you win you'll still be punished by the Conclave. I can't let that happen, Gibbs!"
"It's not up to you, Tony. I appreciate what you're doing, but this isn't an option. I promised to not make you a vampire and I intend to keep my word."
"Do you think I could stand it if you're taken away for helping me out of this mess?" Tony asked. "You don't have a monopoly on living with a guilty conscience, Boss. That would…." he paused, searching for what to say. "Don't make me live feeling responsible for that the rest of my life."
"I'm going to take care of this, DiNozzo, without turning you into a vampire. So let it drop." Gibbs response was unyielding.
Tony gazed at him for several moments, trying to decide what to do, but it was clear Gibbs wasn't going to even consider his offer. He had enough experience with Gibbs to realize when to give in and move on. For now.
"Fine. But Franks is going to be pissed at me," Tony finally said, but knew the matter was far from settled. "Can I ask you something else?"
"Go ahead."
"Did you hire me because you think I'm a good investigator or just so you could protect me?" The previously confrontational Tony had been quickly replaced by the insecure version.
"DiNozzo," Gibbs began, knowing he had to choose his words carefully. "Yes, I wanted to protect you from Gabriel. But I never would have hired you if I didn't think you were damn good at your job. I would've found another way to do it besides putting you on the team. I don't carry dead weight around."
Tony shifted uncertainly before searching Gibbs' face as if he could ascertain the truth by looking at him. Gibbs put a hand on Tony's shoulder; the senior field agent stared down at the unaccustomed touch. "You are the best young investigator I've ever had on my team; never doubt that, Tony. Is that clear?" His statement was firm and resolute.
Tony blinked and nodded, somewhat reassured that he deserved his place on the team. Now more than ever that was important to him. "Crystal, Boss. Sorry I've been such an ass since all this started."
Gibbs laughed. "I wouldn't expect you to react any other way."
The elevator doors opened and Abby bounded out, heading straight for Tony. "I'm so excited!" she gushed. "This is going to be the best sleepover ever." She shook her enormous black and red bag. "I got all the movies you asked for, Tony. We can stay up all night and watch them and I'll tell you the parts they got right and what they got wrong. Although most of them are really, really wrong."
"What are you talking about Abby?" Gibbs asked.
"It's nothing!" Tony interjected, moving in front of Abby. "Just a few films I suggested Abby pick up for us."
Gibbs pushed Tony aside and unzipped Abby's bag. Reaching inside he lifted an eyebrow as he sifted through the titles. "Near Dark? Thirty Days? Once Bitten? The Lost Boys?"
Tony laughed self-consciously. "I thought it would be a good idea to get my head around being a vampire. Maybe it wasn't such a good plan, so I'll just see if Abby has any of those books you want me to read." He smiled sheepishly.
Before Gibbs could give him a headslap, the phone on his desk rang. In two strides he had grabbed the receiver. "Yeah, Gibbs." A short pause followed. "We'll be there."
"Another dead marine. They found this one in a warehouse; it sounds a lot like what you saw earlier, Tony."
DiNozzo pulled his gun and badge from his desk, his demeanor immediately serious and all business.
"Abby, stay here with Ducky until we check this out and give you guys a call. Don't leave the Navy Yard." He and Tony walked quickly to the elevator, leaving Abby standing in the bullpen with her bag.
"But what about the movies?" she called after them, pouting.
"Later," they both yelled back at the same time.
NCISNCISNCIS
Adrian watched as the police officer shut his phone. "They're on their way," uniformed man provided, voice blank and eyes hazy.
Maria rubbed a finger up and down the man's arm reassuringly.
"You have done well," Adrian stated, his tone calm and soothing. He touched the officer's chin and continued to make eye contact. "Tell the other officers the scene is secure and it is time to go. Everything here will be taken care of."
The LEO blinked, a slight hint of confusion passing over his face, before blinking again and nodding. "I'll let them know. We'll be leaving now."
"Good. Thank you, officer; you have been a great help to us."
The policeman grinned at Maria, who gave him her own angelic smile, before exiting the warehouse. He didn't even glance down as he passed the dead body on the floor. Gabriel had taken his time killing the marine, bleeding him slowly, making sure that DiNozzo was fully aware of every moment of the man's death. Then Gabriel had left, allowing them to choose how to handle the rest of the evening themselves.
She turned her attention to Adrian, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing his throat lightly. "What will you do when they arrive? Since the Conclave will not let you kill Leroy, will you kill Anthony instead?"
Adrian kissed her red lips deeply, enjoying their softness. "No, Anthony has much more he can still do for us. I will, however, make Leroy realize exactly how delicate the human condition can be. Perhaps if he sees how easily his precious bellus can be broken, it will influence his decision to turn him." He leaned in for another kiss, taking time to tease his lovely Mate until she groaned with delight. "Tonight is about causing Leroy and his little pet as much pain as possible."
Maria smiled sadistically at that, and pulled him into another passionate kiss, her clever hands sliding under his shirt to tease his nipples playfully. She knew exactly what to do to pass the time until Gibbs and DiNozzo arrived. And when they did, she and Adrian would be more than ready to teach a lesson neither of them would ever forget.