Gibbs didn't get angry until the next day. Or maybe he was hurt, differentiating between these two had never been easy for him.

He told himself it wasn't a big deal, that he should let it go. Bastiana would never hurt him on purpose and really, there was no reason to be hurt in the first place. But Gubbs just couldn't help it, hewashurt.

Avoiding her wasn't a conscious decision. At least not at first.

So what if he didn't have time to chat? He was busy after all, one doesn't catch serial killers while sweet talking their friend. And then, somehow, avoiding her was easier than talking to her and pretending the smile on his face was real.

He wasn't quite sure what his plan was. Maybe he was stupid, but he had hoped having the distance would get his head straight again and they could continue just like they did before. Obviously it didn't work and now he was terrified that he was destroying their friendship with his childish behaviour. And while he knew he wasn't actually stupid, profiler skills and common sense and all that, the last thing he wanted to do was talk about it. Communication being the key for a healthy relationship be damned, what do those shrinks know anyway.

The irony of it all was, hemissedit. He missed talking to het. Talking to her was the easiest thing he knew, no matter what they said or did it felt like a hug. Like one of those tight ones his mother gave him when he was so small and scared of the dark. Like one of those where you felt like the world couldn't hurt you, not when Bastiana Wolf was there to hold him.

He would never admit it, it was embarrassing to say the least, but he needed comforttoo.It was so tiring to be strong, to be tough and in the end of the day his strong body couldn't protect him from the loneliness that had been eating at him for so long he wondered how much more was left of him to take anyway.

Bastiana never questioned him for it, she saw right through his pretense and gave him exactly the thing he craved before evenheknew he needed it. So, after particularly tough cases, the first thing he did was go to her. He never had to say a single word, she knew all the same and the hug she gave him finally let him breathe.

Now he sits alone in his desk wating for his agents, staring at his phone.He expected her morning message as usual but nothing and there's this feeling that this won't ever go away, that this won't ever change.

He needs it to go away. He needs it to change.

To return to how it was a few days ago.

Bastiana's words from their bickerings keep running through his mind.

"I'd like to see things from your perspective, but I cannot get my head that far up my ass, Leroy"

"You only annoy me when you're breathing, really Bastiana"

"The village called. They'd like their idiots back. You better get going Jethro

."

He scrubs a hand over his face once more, really hating this new habit of his. He's tired – his body is exhausted from all the stress of the day, but he knows sleep will not stop easily.

He's frustrated.

Very, very frustrated, and confused, and hurt.

It's been a long time since he's felt hurt, and not with physical pain. Physical pain he can manage just fine, but emotional pain... it's the kicker. It's the deal breaker.

A weakness.

And he's hurt, because Bastiana said the truth to him and then immediately said he walked away.

Move on from Shannon was difficult for him.

Shannon had been something he needed in his life, ever since he first laid eyes on her at the Train Station in Stillwater. Something about her made him relax. It made him light up and smile. It made him more of a man to have her around, because she inspired him to be better with just a glance. He had loved that about her. He still loves that about her.

Kelly had been another need. At first he had been uncertain about bringing a child into the world while he was a Marine, but Shannon's easy confidence about how great he would be as a father slowly turned his unease into excitement. Holding her in his arms just seconds after her birth had been… incredible. That was all it took to have him hooked on the little girl they named Kelly Gibbs. She had him wrapped around her finger from day one, and even now, the hold she had on him was tangible.

He'd gotten better at not missing her every minute of every day but the special times still hurt like lemon juice in a fresh cut. It wasn't supposed to be like this! He was supposed to be looking forward to retirement, to family gatherings and to tossing a football with his son-in-law and his grand kids. He was not supposed to be alone! He hated being alone but how could he risk that much of his soul again? He lost the people he loved most – Shannon, Kelly, Jenny. How could he risk loving someone that much when the implied risk was that he could lose them just as easily? Gibbs knew the answer, he couldn't. He had three ex-wives and a handful of spurned lovers to prove the point.

He wouldn't admit it, not in a million years, but he craved touch, he craved affection. He would never dare say it out loud, if only because of his late wife, though he knows deep down she'd want him to move on. That was easier said than done. He got by for a long time saying he'd never love anyone the way he loved her and no one would love him like she had. He wished it was true, that no one could ever love him so much, so purely, but he knew somewhere out there someone loved him just the same as she had, he'd never claim they loved him more. He wasn't ready to love again, not really.He was not ready to find a new home.

But Bastiana was different. He enjoyed Bastiana's company. She made him laugh and her collect and good nature seemed to call to Gibbs allowing him not to be so hard and angry all the time. It was a relief being with Bastiana. He even found himself seeking out ways to be near the lawyer. Before he let himself get too caught up in thinking of Bastiana which was becoming an exasperating habit, he had a new case in his hands.

"'DiNozzo!" Gibbs barked, making Tony jump out from his seat and look at his boss.

"Yes, boss!"

"Where the hell is McGee!?"

"He's down in Abby's lab."

"Well. Go get him! We've got a dead marine at the port! I've already informed Ducky."

"On it, boss." Tony replied as he grabbed his stuff and left to get McGee who was helping Abby with something. Gibbs sighed as he started to grab his gear. Gibbs had been in a grumpy humor for and seemed to have deliberately targeted every member of his team.

He had told Abby to either turn off her music or get something decent to listen to. He had told Ducky to shut up with the stories and get on with an autopsy. Tony swore blind that he had heard McGee crying in the men's room after a particularly nasty encounter with Gibbs during a case. McGee had denied this, on the grounds that Tony couldn't have heard him because he was down in the Gym at the time, working out with a punch bag that bore a picture of Gibbs on it.

Since the fight the team noticed something change in Gibbs. Yes, he's been a bastard over the past years but with Bastiana gone from his life, he's more grumpy, he yells at his team more than he used to, he gets upset at anything, even small little mistakes.

Gibbs was brought out from his thoughts when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around and saw McGee and Tony standing there.

"Come on." He grumbled, grabbed the keys from his desk, and led the three of them to the elevator and out to the sedan, his mind still thinking of the brunette.

A few days after fight, Bastiana was still walking around with her tail between her legs. She buried herself in her work to avoid all invitations I'm sorry I'm busy, she declined when they asked her to join them for drinks, I'm tired, and at some point even Jessica frowned when she noticed her behaviour.

"What the fuck are you looking at?" Bastiana barked at a group of associates very much not subtly staring at her, whispering. They scattered like a group of scared deer, not daring to say a word. Cowards, all of them. Was there no one left who would dare to face up to her?? Clearly not. She simply wasn't worth their time. She wasn't worth anyone's time any longer.

And of course she wasn't worth of Gibbs time any longer. How dare the bastard talk her in this way, how dare he to slap her with the truth , to read her so well , to make her missing him like a crazy person.

Being around Gibbs had been so easy from the day they met, like some part of her she hadn't known she'd been living without had finally returned to her. They weren't anything alike, of course and yet, the minute they'd been bunked together, it had felt like they'd found their way home.

Evan knew that she had never looked at a man the way he looked at Gibbs ever in his life. She had never even considered it which sje knew must be a bit odd but then, Bastiana Wolf had always been an odd duck.

She was scared. Scared that she ruin the best relationship she ever had, aside from Jessica and Olivia, Gibbs made her laugh

Donna's eyes were on Bastiana the whole time from the moment sje walked into Amy periphery until the second she entered hrr office; she did her best not to meet them. She granted Bastiana no more than thirty seconds of peace before she waltzed in right after the name partner.

"Okay, I'm done!" Donna Paulson declared when she came rushing into Bastiana's office, the exasperation evident on her face, "We need to talk"

Bastiana only looked at her for a second before she closed his eyes, thoroughly exhausted. Looking at her hurt and she was so tired of feeling that way. All she wanted to do was finish this report as soon as she could manage with this horrible headache and then leave.

"There is nothing to talk about," Bastiana didn't mean to sound so annoyed, but his nerves were stretched thin, "Miss Paulson, I'm tired. Please, leave me alone"

"This has to stop" Bastianafell silent. Dona gmoved over to the door and locking it to keep any of the interns to come in." This is not the right was to run a firm!"

"What?" Bastiana hissed quietly, opening her laptop and pulling up the email.

" I said that..."

"I fucking heard your in the first time."Bastiana spits the words out." The thing that i can't understand is why the fuck you think you can just storm in my office and tell my how to run my firm!"

Donna is standing, arms crossed across her body, legs shoulder width apart like she is waiting for a fight.

"Well i thought that..."

"That is your problem Paulson, you thought. You thought you have the right to criticism my methods of working , no one dare to said to me how to do my work not even my brothers or Jessica , who she has her fucking name on the wall. You are just a useless secretary which her job is to pick up phones call and inform Specter for his appointments, just because he fucks you don't it meant you can act like you run this show."

As Bastiana's voice got louder and louder she began to wave her hands around more, trying to emphasise her point. She was moving slightly now, moving to be more central in the office, moving to be more in front of Donna. The way Donna wouldn't quite meet her eyes. It was in the guilt written all over her face like a neon sign.

White hot rage consumed Baatiana for a moment before she got it under control.

"Until i see your name on the wall don't dare to come and lectures me who to do my work."

Donna nodded meekly, meeting hes eyes briefly before looking away again.

Bastiana stood, already halfway past the door when Bastiana's soft words stopped her in her tracks.

" I don't like you very much,"

"You're breaking my heart," Bastina replied sardonically.

"Because I think if you showed him the slightest bit of interest, he'd leave me. Because he loves you, Bastiana," she continued.

"You know that's not true," she reassured the redhead.

Bastiana could hear the younger woman choke back a sob. "I always told myself that he didnt abmit his feelings becausenhe wanted to protect him for getting hurt , he loved me that much. But there was that nagging truth that you were the one he wanted to be by his side."

Bastiana looked sideways at the secretary who was now sobbing freely. She couldn't help but feel sorry for her. "He loves you."

"Only because he can't have you."

"You've been together all those months , Pauslon, don't sell your relationship so short."

The man!" Donna says out of nowhere, ignoring Bastiana's almost-surprised expression at the mercurial shift and the utter exuberance in Donna's voice. "You have in your life keep him"

"How?" Bastiana spat, the familiar rage curdling in her stomach, burning away her shock.

It cannot be happening this. No one , not even Jessica or Olivia, know about Gibbs. Its wasn't she was ashamed of him or their friendship, for w few mouths after the trial of Alan Woodfront, her life was an open book for everyone to read and see, her family leard some things which they never had to. It was nice to have some privacy and peace in her life after all this mess , Olivia and Jessica would understand that but always it will be the elephant in the room , which must to be talked. For her family , she didn't want to think about it t will happen if her son find out, he will demand answers about her relationship with Gibbs, questions that Bastiana herself could not answer.

She was so careful when she was at office. Not picking up phone calls , not acting like a.16 years old with a teenager crush, not smiling like a sick love puppy every time she was thinking about their time together. She had the best poker-face over her face every timm she was at office , so what give her away?

"Your eyes!"

Bastiana tensed. Donna wouldn't have caught it if she hadn't been looking for it.

Bastiana watched Donna intently, knowing she looked starved for more information. Donna didn't look back at her, but after a moment or two began telling Donna all she knew.

Donna saw from the very beginning, right from when the mysterious man came into Bastiana's life, that her boss had deeper feelings for the man. She could see it in Bastiana's behaviour; Sje had definitely changed since the man came around, and it has been for the better. She's been kinder, considerate, and been able to question things. She could see it in her eyes; Bastiana eyes always seemed to light up whenever she saw his name come up in the phone. Donna didn't miss the glances she gave at the clock when she thought the other wasn't looking, or how Bastiana would smile without knowing it.

"I don't know what to do…" Bastiana's voice was now calm, but it was clear that the woman was terrified. "I haven't cared about anyone for a long time. I don't know how to show care…" she continued with the panic rising in her voice. "I don't want him to go…" she finished barely audible closing the face with both arms.

"Go talk to him, Bastiana". Properly this time," Bastiana lifted hilrr guilty gaze on that. "You should understand that what you feel is okay. I assume you didn't let yourself feel much for the last 30 years. But it's over, Bastian, you are not alone anymore, you have family and friends And it is okay that you care, no one is going to judge you."

Bastiana shook her head, she was so tired of all this, mentally and physically. For once in her life she wanted one night where she had a full 8 hours. She checks her phone as she waits for the afternoon client to start and sees that her last conversation is still open on her phone. It's open to Gibbs' contact. There's a bit of gibberish in one text but Gibbals would probably just ignore that. It's the second text that makes her straighten up and drop her phone onto the metal table in front of her.

I miss you

Well, shit. Bastiana is so fucked.

They sit in the bunch and they both find themselves unable to say anything. The silence is too much, but neither one of them know how to break it.

They don't even know what to say

So Gibbs is the first to say something, and he finds that it should be something that is easy, the middle ground if you will…

"So…how have you been?" Gibbs asks and Bastiana can feel a little bit of tension seep out of her at the simple question.

"Same as usual. Endless trials, annoying clients. Specter been an asshole!" Bastiana says wringing her hands together."

Gibbs nods at the response, looking down after another moment of awkward silence. "It took me a long time to realize that I haven't been fair to you at all and-"

"Leroy we don't need to-"

"What happened that night Bastiana?" Gibbs started tearing up, he didn't like that the emotional impact of it came so soon into talking to him, he had hoped to hold it off a while longer.

"Don't know what happened."she said, finishing and turning back to face him in time to see the flinch."We said all those things to each other because we..."

"I didn't mean to hurt you"

Gibbs was proud his voice only wobbled a little bit despite the fact that he fighting so hard not to burst into tears.

Bastiana wanted to reach out and grab him by the shoulders and shake the answers out of him.

Why?

What was the point of breaking her goddamn heart if he was going to turn around and let everything slip away anyways? How was this better?

"You were right!"

"Bast..."Gibbs says in a voice full of regret, Bastiana can hear it, but she can't bring herself to feel anything at this.

"Don't" she says firmly when she sees Gibbs approach her. "Please…"

"Bastiana…I'm so sorry"

"Don't be"She says, taking a step forward."All the things you said about me be a coward, that I prefer to be alone everything was right. Been around my family is so scary because some how they will see the cruel and disgusting human being I am and abandoned me, my hands covered in bloods..."

"So mine"

and Bastiana knows what he's implying.

"I know it's not the same, but I know what it's like to kill someone . You did it out of love and I did it out of revenge!"Gibbs says softly, wiping the tears that Bastiana is trying her hardest to contain. "And you were right too!"

"I will never able to talk ready to talk about them…because if I-I do, then it means I'm moving on. A-and I don't want to to forget them"

Even though he's been mourning his girls , he still feels like he just lost them. He knows that there is no right way to grieve, but he feels stuck…and he knows he can't deal with this stuff on his own anymore. He needs someone to lean on, even if Bastiana and him become friends again, he needs someone with an outside perspective.

"You won't forget them""Bastiana says in sorrow, placing her hand on the side of Gibbs's face. He sighs in a little relief that Bastiana's hands are cold, which feels nice against his flushed skin.

" I know you're afraid of forgetting her, but you won't. You know why?"

"…Why?" Gibbs asks as Bastiana pulls back to gently wipe the tears back.

"Because all you have to do is take one look at your heart in the other room, and you'll see her."

"Bastiana..."

There was a moment where Bastiana waited for him to continue, but nothing came. She used the silence to try to decipher the expression on his face- it was both familiar and completely foreign, and for some reason, she couldn't explain, she looked down at his hand on the wrist and felt something coil in her stomach.

When she glanced back up, Gibbs' eyes were on her face again, and she realized with a start exactly how close they were to each other. She could see the individual worry lines at the edge of his eyes, the five-o'clock stubble that clung to his cheeks, the slightly chapped skin of his bottom lip-

She dragged her gaze back up to his eyes, and now she was the one blushing. He seemed to have gotten even closer than before, still staring at her with his hand resting on her sleeve, and she brushed her thumb over his inner arm without even meaning to.

"Are we not still friends?" she asked him quietly

Gibbs's head snapped up. "B, yes, god, I—I want to be," he said haltingly. "I just—I've been worried I messed everything up."

A short, mirthless laugh escaped her. "That's my line," she said which seemed to only confuse him. "Leroy, I've been freaking out worrying that I've ruined everything. That I asked for too much—pushed too hard—and now I've lost you forever."

He looked totally stricken at the idea of that. "No—"

"No, I didn't ruin it or no, I haven't lost you."

"Both." He sighed, shoulders sagging. "No to both, B."

"Okay, well, same for you," she said. "You haven't messed everything up—" He started to protest and she waved a hand at him. "If I haven't, then you haven't, okay? We just—we need to figure out how to be Bastiana and Leroy the Really Awesome Friends again."

"You, uh, you got any suggestions on how to do that?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

An encouraging little glimmer of her Gibbs coming through. For that she was not prepared for when Gibbs laugus, leaning in for a hug. Gibbs is smiling- it's the first time since she left that she's seen that smile and she finds herself relaxing into Gibbs' arms, returning the hug and resting hier head gently on the man's shoulders. They fit together perfectly and Bastiana knows that he sounds like her 4- year-old niece when the thought comes to him but it's true. They've always just fit, worked together.

"So, you missed me huh?" Bastiana teases as Gibbs saw the way toward a bar.

Gibbs ducks his head sheepishly.

"Well don't worry," Bastiana says quietly. "I missed you too."

Well, Gibbs certainly wasn't expecting that. Bastiana is giving him an unreadable expression and even though Gibbs can normally read it, he can't decide if Bastiana is trying to be platonic or not.

Two drinks later and ,Gibbs is regaling Bastiana with stories from the office and he's in such a good mood, laughing and talking animatedly and he's so eye-catchingly handsome. Bastiana is fucked. The laughter is rubbing off on her too and she finds herself leaning in closer and closer as the conversation goes on, letting her feet brush against Gibba'. She doesn't try and move away and so Bastiana keeps going, letting heeself get away with fleeting touches and advances like she's never done before.

Last call comes and somewhere along the way, Gibbs must have stopped matching Bastiana drink for drink because he's sober enough to call them both a cab. It stops at Bastiana's and Gibbs tells the driver to wait before walking Bastiana to hee door.

"Such a gentleman." Bastiana teases before letting Gibbs push her further into the dark alcove of her front porch.

"I'll call you," Gibbs whispers as he leans in again, pressing his lips to Bastiana's cheek before turning and heading back towards the cab.

Bastiana stays against the door for a moment before opening her front door, still feeling Gibbs's lips on her own. It's heaven.

Gibbs strode into NCIS one morning, a hint of a smile on his face as he arrived at the bullpen. Abby , McGee and Tony all looked up at him, so he hid the smile with a sip of his coffee. The hot liquid almost scalded his mouth, and the smile dropped right off his face. But the thought that had planted the smile on his face stayed, especially through the fact that they had no open cases, and it looked like it was going to be a slow day.

As he got up and strode down to see Ducky, Abby got up and walked over to Tiny's desk, bending down and saying quietly, "Is it just me, or did the boss-man look extremely happy today?"

"He did," Ziva said slowly, pondering the reason why.

"Wonder who the girl was," McGee said thoughtfully, his mind straying to the proverbial gutter. Abby's hand slapping him across the face brought him back to the present, and he scowled at her, saying, "What was that for?"

"For picturing Gibbs getting lucky with some bombshell," Abby hissed."What do you think Tony?"

Tony looked up from a piece of paper that McGee shamelessly called evidence.

"First of all my name is Wolf to you , Sciouto!"He said in a cold voice."And secondly, I don't care unless involve work or my family"

Abby hates being called by her last name and Tony knows that but the way Tony spoke tells her he no longer cares about her feelings.

The young woman doesn't know what to say to that so she keeps her mouth shut.

His attention go back to his work. Tony was busy writing his report when he suddenly saw his mother strolling into the squad room. He immediately stopped typing and stood up, his hands held out in greeting." Mom?"

"Hey." Bastiana laughs, softly, incredulously. "Small world."

"Mom" He breathes out.

She smiled brightly and came over to hug him."Hello sweetie!"

"Why are you here?"

Bastiana raised an eyebrow. "Sound a little more enthusiastic," she commented drily; Tony just smiled slightly, mockingly.

"Lunch," Bastiana informed the kid.

"Not hungry," He replied, returning to his work.

"Not an option," Bastiana said as she took the files from Tomy and heard her huff from behind him as she sat down on the desk

Tony ate approximately half his lunch, before pushing it away. Bastiana let it alone not in the mood for two fights back-to-back.

"How is going the McKesson's case?," Tony said, jerking Bastiana out of her thoughts.

I'll take the Rogers case," She said.

"Why Rogers?"

"Because I prefer working for Rogers."

"And why is that?" Tony queried.

Bastiana looked over at Tiny, "Because McKesson's a racist,

Tony stilled there. Sometimes it was easier for him to forget that gis mother's past was as awful as it was, especially when the woman 'acted' completely happy and collectes. But if anyone would be able to tell that someone was likely to be violent… it would probably be her.

"So then I take it Rogers is a saint?"

That got a semi-real laugh out of Bastiana, "If by saint, you mean sleeping with his secretary, then yes, he's a saint."

"How the hell do you know the man's sleeping with his secretary?"

She shrugged, "It's obvious."

"How is it obvious?"

Before the woman. would answer, Gibbs rushed back into the bullpen with his customary cup of coffee.

"Wolf I want the.."Gibbs froze as surprise flashed across his face as he found Bastiana standing on bullpen.

"What?" No balloons?"

Before Gibbs could process that statement Bastia a threw her arms around him for a hug.

"Hey, Bastiana." Gibbs returned the hug with equal force."What are you doing here?"

"What?!. I can visit a friend because I want to!"Bastiana pouts and gives Gibbs her best hurt look (which the Agent secretly admits but wull never tell anyone is probably more effective than a puppy-eyed look, and he is such a closet puppy person), and the man sighs and relents the form.

''Come to think of it, you're never visiting someone unless you want something ' 'said Gibbs. 'Which means you're actually here because, oh my god -''

An expression of terror passed through the face of the god when he was replaced with a great smile that no one has ever seen.

''You miss me''

''I did ...not miss you' 'said Bastiana. She huffed as she fixed her hair and walked toward Gibbs' desk. She perched herself on the edge of the desj and crossed one long, sculpted leg over the other, inching the already precariously high hem even higher. God. Gibbs swallowed hard.

The man shifted slightly in his place at the scene in front of him.

"Why are you really here?"

Bastiana shrugged though Gibbs could see the wheels turning in the womans head.

Gibbs' lips twitched slightly"You miss me!"

"You're the only one who knows that. My secret's safe if I kill you."She commented.

Gibbs eyes narrowed at that"Murder? Didn't realize you hated me that much."

"Manslaughter, you bled out from me cutting off your leg and I do everything in my power to save you once I realize what I've done."

Gibbs looked slightly taken aback."You've put a lot of thought into this."

"You promised me something," she said to the older man, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

Gibbs grinned back and reached into one of his drawers. He pulled out an NCIS cap and offered it to Bastiana with a flourish.

Bastiana grinned like a little kid and put on the cap but he twisted the cap off behind her back.

She looked away as a blush spread into her cheeks.

At that McGee looked to Tony noticing something. Their boss who was usually more reserved and serious had laughed plenty and smiled so fully with the lawyer there, more so than they'd seen him do in quite a while.

Gibbs was too busy talking to Bastian to notice their looks.

Abby focused on the two them. "They're totally flirting," she observed.

Tony's eyebrows shot up. Gibbs? Flirting? With his mother?

Abby seemed to sense his disbelief. "Well, as much as Gibbs can flirt. When your mother asked for a hazelnut latte, he didn't make a scathing comment. Instead, he sent a probie to get one from that little coffee shop a couple blocks away." Abby leaned over to add conspiratorially, "You know, the one that's really expensive." She raised her own eyebrows. "And Gibbs paid for it!"

"I think I am in Twilight zone!"Tony whispered.

Tony tried to ignore the way his mother stood close to Gibbs. Almost as if there was some unseen pull that drew the pair together. He saw the way she leaned close to hear what he had to say and the sound of her laughter set his teeth on edge. Gibbs leaned down and whispered something to Bastiana, who grinned, shook her head, and said something back. Gibbs laughed.

He took a look at his mother. She looks good. Well rested, which is more than he could've said for her last week. She always looks younger without her hair styled – it softens her features, reminds him of the twenty-year-old who'd babysited him.

Tony watches the way her her gaze sparkles and her smile still seems to beam even as he keeps her mouth closed.

Gibbs suddenly said something, making Bastiana say a little too loudly, "Leroy!"

"Lero...y?" Tony echoed slowly. He stared in disbelief. What the hell was happening?

Behind Tony, Tim and Abby looked at each other, puzzled. Bastiana was a stunningly beautiful woman. But Gibbs had not been, well, Gibbs. He had not made comments. He had not questioned her. He had treated her like she was a colleague. He treated her with a great deal of respect. They had also watched Bastiana's and Gibbs' interactions. They saw the open display of affection between the two and were puzzled. They had only seen Gibbs be that way with Abby. But they still wondered if there was more to this 'friendship.

They both reached for the mug at the same time, and their hands touched.

Everything slowed. Not only because their motions stopped for a moment, but way Gibbs looked at Bastiana when she looked at him again, hooded, and dark, and so deeply filled with want, was more than lust, more than anything playful. Tony had no idea something this profound was going on between the lawyer and agent; they didn't seem to have realized it either, until this moment. It was something private, something Tony felt a nauseous twist in his gut for witnessing.

The tension broke all at once, like a winding clock. Their eyes snapped apart as Gibbs turned to the direction of the voice so fast his neck almost snapped.

"Jethro?"