Gibbs felt the searing heat gushing out of his shoulder, but was unable to move even the slightest inch from the pressure bearing down on his legs. They had caught Stanton, and when one of the FBI Agents shouted for him to freeze, that's when Stanton pulled a gun from his waist band, and immediately took aim on Gibbs, having recognized him from the club.
Stanton rushed Gibbs, bullets flying haphazardly in his direction – One bullet, that's all it took to catch Gibbs' shoulder – and then Stanton was shot in the back by McGee, both men fell to the ground, Stanton on top of Gibbs' legs, and Gibbs helplessly pinned underneath the dead weight.
"Gibbs! Hey! Stay with me!" Tobias shouted as he patted Gibbs' cheek to keep the older man focusing on staying conscious, having hit his head on the cement when he and Stanton fell.
Gibbs grunted as he looked hazily up at Tobias "Get… him… off… me…" Gibbs gritted out through clenched teeth.
Tobias turned to the two FBI agent's that were checking Stanton over, "Is he dead?" Tobias asked, looking between the two men, they both shook their heads, "Alright then cuff his ass and move him…" Tobias instructed as he turned back to Gibbs whose eyes had fallen shut again "Damn it Gibbs, eyes open!" Tobias ground out, slapping the man's cheek again.
Gibbs growled as his legs were released from the heavy weight of Stanton's body "I'm awake! Just… Deal with that prick…" Gibbs grumbled as he pushed himself with his good arm, turning his body towards the vehicle and leaning against the side of it, "How bad is it?" Gibbs asked, looking at his blood stained shoulder.
Tobias carefully inspected Gibbs' shoulder and sighed "Through and through… Won't know if it did any damage until we get you to a hospital… You want me to call Tony?" Tobias asked as he crouched beside his best friend, applying pressure to the wound with his FBI jacket.
Gibbs shook his head tiredly "No… No. Don't bother Tony yet… Not until we're at the hospital… He's still sick…" Gibbs said quietly, looking down at his blood stained hands and sighing wearily.
Tobias frowned as he sat down in front of Gibbs, keeping pressure on the wound despite Gibbs' hisses and growls of pain "He needs to know, Gibbs. You cannot keep him in the dark about this!" Tobias protested adamantly, ignoring the chaos that was going on around them with the FBI agents and NCIS agents as they processed the scene.
"I won't!" Gibbs growled, turning his gaze back onto Tobias, "I just don't want him to worry about me, not yet! He won't be able to do anything from there, except worry!" Gibbs shouted as he tried pulling away from Tobias, only to howl in pain as he shifted the wrong way and jostled his injured shoulder.
The wailing of two ambulance sirens grew louder around the street, then stopped abruptly as they pulled up to the scene, "Ambulances are here… We're going to take Stanton to County General – I don't want him in the same building as you…" Tobias said out loud, instruction to the FBI agents and paramedics that were now swarming the area.
Gibbs nodded as he and Tobias worked together to get his body into a standing position "Why is it always my shoulder? Why can't people shoot me where it doesn't matter?" Gibbs complained as he and Tobias shuffle-stepped towards the waiting ambulance.
Tobias looked at Gibbs as he helped him into the back of the ambulance, "And where exactly would that be?" Tobias asked, sitting down on the bench while he watched the paramedics quickly set to work stabilizing and stemming the bleeding from Gibbs' shoulder.
"I don't know… Call Tony… Tell him about it…" Gibbs said as he closed his eyes, blocking out the bright lights of the back of the ambulance.
Tony arrived at the hospital – with Ducky driving – an hour and thirty minutes after receiving the phone call. Unfortunately Tony was still extremely sick, and hadn't heard his phone ringing, which is when Tobias had to call Ducky to get the younger man awake and to the hospital.
Tony sat slumped in the corner of a waiting room couch as Ducky talked with the receptionist of the hospital, his entire body still ached and the chills were multiplying viciously. Ducky came back over to Tony, "He's still in surgery right now, but the nurse said we could head up to his room and wait for him there…" Ducky informed the younger man quietly.
Tony nodded tiredly as he slowly stood up "How is he doing?" Tony asked as they shuffled down the hallway together.
Ducky shook his head "The young lady didn't know his status, but she said the nurse on the ICU Ward would have more information. I'll talk to her while you get settled in the room." Ducky said as he held Tony up slightly, a frown on his face at the paled features of the younger man, "Perhaps we should have waited to come here, you're still quite ill, Anthony…" Ducky said quietly, feeling the heat radiating off the younger man.
Tony shook his head as he and Ducky entered the room that Gibbs would be in after surgery "No… He'd be there for me – I have to be here for him… Just go find out how he's doing… please." Tony pleaded tiredly as he shuffled over to the stiff recliner in the corner of the room, curling up onto the hard surface.
Ducky sighed as he collected a blanket and draped it over Tony's body, "I'll be back as soon as I know something, try and get some more rest Anthony… We might be here for a while." Ducky said as he headed out of the room, shutting the lights off as he went.
Tony hadn't known how long he'd been asleep, but when he finally opened his eyes, he came face-to-face with a pair of concerned blue eyes. Tony smiled sleepily as he looked at his husband "Hey… How are you?" Tony asked groggily, sluffing out of the blankets that had been laid over his body.
Gibbs shrugged slightly, wincing in pain as he moved his shoulder "I've been shot in the shoulder, and I still look better than you do." Gibbs teased as he scooted over on the hospital bed, patting the space he just created for Tony.
Tony growled half-heartedly as he wrapped the blankets around his body and shuffled over towards the bed, cuddling up against Gibbs' side and lying his head in the center of his husband's chest, "I'm never letting you go anywhere without me again… Nobody knows how to protect you like I do." Tony mumbled as he wrapped his arm around Gibbs' stomach.
Gibbs chuckled as he wrapped his good arm around Tony's back, rubbing up and down Tony's blanket covered body, "Wasn't a question of protecting me… He saw me, and when the FBI agents from Fornell's team snuck up on him… Must have spooked him or something… He drew and started firing like a mad man." Gibbs said, shaking his head slightly.
Tony sighed as he tilted his head back to look up at Gibbs "You were wearing a vest though, right?" Tony asked, setting his hand over Gibbs' bandaged shoulder and frowning slightly.
Gibbs nodded as he carded his fingers through the short strands at the back of Tony's head, "Of course I was… I was lucky Tony, really lucky…" Gibbs said quietly, tightening his hold on Tony minutely.
Tony nodded, sniffling slightly as he snuggled his head back against Gibbs' chest, "How are you feeling, Tony? You still feel really hot…" Gibbs observed, setting his hand to the back of Tony's neck, frowning from the heat sinking into his hand from his husband's body.
"Still feel like crap… Stomach feels like someone is doing backflips inside of it… head is swimming…" Tony complained as he slid one leg between Gibbs' legs, adjusting his body to get more comfortable.
"Tired still?" Gibbs asked as he looked at the top of Tony's nodding head, "Go to sleep… I'll be here when you wake up." Gibbs said softly as he ran his hand up and down Tony's back soothingly, listening as his husband's breathing evened out, and although still slightly labored, he knew it sounded much better than just a few hours ago when Tony first got sick.
Gibbs woke up a few hours later, with Tony still plastered to his body and in a deep, well-needed sleep. Gibbs turned his head towards the window, sighing as he saw Tobias staring out the window, fists shoved into his pockets and head tilted slightly to the right "What's going on?" Gibbs asked quietly, mindful of his sleeping husband.
Tobias turned towards Gibbs and shrugged his shoulders, "Stanton died on the operating table… Wouldn't have mattered if he lived either way, he was paralyzed from the neck down… McGee shot him right in the spinal cord and severed it…" Tobias said glumly as he shifted uncomfortably on his feet.
"Okay, then why the long face Toby? You got your guy, sure he's dead and that looks bad, but surely getting a serial rapist and murdered off the streets for good has to count for something?" Gibbs questioned, shifting slightly as Tony moved away from him, curling his back against Gibbs' side instead.
Tobias shook his head "No, you're right… That is good… It's what we found after getting you and him to the hospital…" Tobias said quietly, glancing down at Tony's sleeping form, then back up at Gibbs. Gibbs waited silently, his blue eyes boring into Tobias' face "I don't know if I should say anything in front of Tony – He might be asleep… but he looks like he's listening…" Tobias said sheepishly, finally pulling his fists out of his pockets – One fist wrapped tightly in gauze bandages.
Tony coughed slightly, opening sleepy eyes to look up at Tobias "I'm not sleeping. What happened to your fist?" Tony asked, eyeing the slightly pink-tinged gauze wrapping on Tobias' fist.
"Had an angry conversation with a cinderblock wall…" Tobias said, waving his hand slightly as he sat down in the uncomfortable recliner, tilting his head back to look up at the ceiling.
"So… What's got you in a tizzy? And don't hold back on my account, Tobias… I'll probably hear about it either way…" Tony said quietly as he pulled Gibbs arm over his chest, snuggling into his husband's warmth and comfort, and Gibbs smiled as he turned, hooking his chin over Tony's shoulder and spooning in behind his husband, wrapping his injured arm carefully around Tony's waist.
Tobias sighed as he looked at the couple "When we searched his mother's house… we found a lot of Stanton's things in the basement – Gibbs… He had pictures of you… and Tony together. And dozens of pictures, of all his victims… He was stalking them, all of them… Including you… You were his next target, Gibbs." Tobias said as he kept direct eye contact with the older man.
Gibbs tightened his grip on Tony's quivering stomach, "Well, he didn't get to me… And he's dead, so he can never get to me…" Gibbs said confidently as he kissed Tony's shoulder reassuringly.
Tony nodded as he threaded his fingers through Gibbs' on his stomach "Right… Everyone is relatively safe now, so, there's nothing to worry about anymore." Tony said as he smiled and turned his head, kissing the underside of Gibbs' jaw.
A week later, Tony stood in the overcrowded conference room as NCIS held their annual Award Ceremonies. Tony searched the crowd numerous times, shaking his head "I cannot believe he is missing another ceremony!" Tony hissed quietly, crossing his arms over his chest as he watched the Director stand at the podium.
Gibbs had been released from the hospital two days after his surgery, his arm still bandaged and put in a sling, effectively putting him on desk-duty for the next couple of weeks and leaving Tony solely in charge of all on-the-ground field work. Tony had recovered the next day from the vicious 24-hour stomach bug that he had contracted, although it was still a mystery how he even caught it since no one was at work had even a sniffle.
McGee shook his head slightly "You know he doesn't come to these things, even though they are mandatory when receiving an award…" McGee said as he leaned back against the wall.
Tony nodded "I know, but you would think that one time, just one damn time, he would show up." Tony growled, flexing his fists angrily together.
"While working in the field, Senior Field Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs was shot in the line of duty, and has therefore been granted his eighth Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award, as well as the Medal of Valor Civilian Service Award, and the Navy Distinguished Civilian Service award for twenty-six years as an NCIS Federal Agent." Director Vance said, looking around the room for the silver-haired agent in question, his eyes landing on the man's husband, a questioning look in his eyes.
Tony sighed, shrugging his shoulders as he headed towards the front of the room "Accepting these awards – Anthony Gibbs…" Director Vance said, keeping the irritation out of his voice as he brandished the three awards in their leather boxes, then presenting them to Tony with a tight smile.
Tony nodded "Thank you, director." Tony said meekly as he closed the lids on the awards and headed away from the podium and out of the conference room all together in search of his missing husband.
Tony slapped the three awards down onto the autopsy table, "What the hell are you doing?!" Tony ground out through clenched teeth as he turned the overhead light on above Gibbs' head.
Gibbs blinked a few times, shielding his eyes from the blindingly white light, "I was sleeping…" Gibbs grumbled tiredly as he pushed the light out of his face and shifted up to a seated position.
"You missed the ceremony… AGAIN!" Tony shouted, pointing at the three slate blue leather cases next to Gibbs' hip, "I'm not doing this anymore Gibbs… I cannot keep accepting these damn things for you! Every director has looked at me like I'm some sort of medal hoarder or something!" Tony said, clenching his fists and shoving them into his pockets.
Gibbs sighed as he reached over with his good arm, grabbing one of the deeper blue colored boxes and popping the lid open "Huh… I got one of the highest civilian awards…" Gibbs mused out loud as he brushed his thumb over the award briefly, then slapped the lid shut, tossing it back onto the autopsy table "You can add those to the rest of 'em…" Gibbs said as he slid off the table and walked out of autopsy.
Tony growled, raising his middle finger to Gibbs' retreating back "I saw that!" were the words that echoed back to him. Tony rolled his eyes as he collected the two medals "I'm sure you did… You see everything!" Tony griped as he followed after his husband back up to the bullpen.
Tony unlocked the bottom drawer of his desk, sighing as he pulled out the large mahogany box that Gibbs had made specifically for the collection of medals that Tony held in his desk, and with another hidden key, Tony unlocked the box and stared down at the pile of blue leather boxes, shaking his head as he laid the three new additions into the box.
"You should really think about doing something with the medals, other than keeping them in your desk…" Bishop said quietly as she stood beside Tony's desk, holding two leather boxes in her own hands.
Tony looked up at the boxes, and then up further to Bishop's face, "You got awards too?" Tony asked, confusion clear in his tone.
Bishop shook her head as she held the two medal boxes out to Tony "They're yours, actually… Director Vance called your name directly after Gibbs' name… but you were already gone…" Bishop said quietly, watching as Tony took the boxes and opened them both slowly.
Tony stared at the two medals, staring at the Navy Superior Civilian Service Award and the Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award, "But… Why? I haven't done a whole lot to warrant this?" Tony asked quietly, blinking his eyes a few times.
Bishop shrugged her shoulders "Director wouldn't say why, my guess would be the Luca thing though…" Bishop said, frowning as she watched Tony tense up.
"I can't accept these, Bishop… There's… no way I can accept this…" Tony whispered hoarsely, slapping the lids shut on the leather boxes.
"You can and you will, Agent DiNozzo. You earned those, protecting yourself and taking a guy off the streets that was a danger to himself and others around him." Vance said as he came around the corner of the bullpen "Where the hell is Gibbs now? I could have sworn I just saw him!" Vance growled, glaring at the older man's desk.
Tony sighed as he rubbed his temples "Try Autopsy, the lab or basement bathroom… Those are his typical hiding places… If he's not there, then try Interrogation Three, sometimes he goes there to really hide…" Tony said as he shut the mahogany box and locked it back up, slipping it into the open desk drawer.
When Tony and Gibbs got home at the end of the day – Tony carrying Gibbs' medal box and his own two medals – Gibbs sighed as he kicked the door shut with his foot "You ratted me out to Vance…" Gibbs said as he walked past Tony on his way towards the kitchen.
Tony nodded as he dropped his backpack into the recliner and set the boxes down "Yeah, I did… How much trouble are you in?" Tony asked as he followed Gibbs into the kitchen, sitting down in one of the bar stools as he watched his husband putter around the kitchen.
Gibbs shook his head "Not in trouble… I just have to attend the next four mandatory staff meetings… Which means you get a break for the next four months." Gibbs said as he pulled out a frozen dish of lasagna, lifting the tinfoil and sniffing at it.
"It's still good, I only froze it a week ago." Tony said as he laid his forehead on the counter "And are you going to go to these meetings, or will I be called in at the last minute, unprepared?" Tony asked, turning his head slightly to watch as Gibbs bent over to slide the casserole dish into the oven.
Gibbs shook his head as he stood up "I'll be there – I have too, or worse things than being forced to go to a meeting will happen…" Gibbs said as he leaned against the counter, staring at his husband and rubbing his still sore shoulder.
Tony chuckled quietly as he stood up and moved in front of Gibbs, "Like what? Think Vance'll bend you over his desk and spank you?" Tony asked, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.
Gibbs laughed, shaking his head as he grabbed Tony around the waist and pulled him into his body, "Would you watch, if he did?" Gibbs asked, his voice dropping an octave as he slowly inched his fingers under Tony's waistband, prodding into the firm muscle of ass confined in the slacks.
Tony nodded as he laid his head against Gibbs' chest "Yes… actually… I would." Tony breathed out as he tilted his head back and captured Gibbs' neck in his lips, softly kissing, sucking and nipping into the flesh beneath his mouth.
Gibbs laid his head back against the cabinet as Tony continued lavishing attention on his neck, his own hand slowly moving down Tony's rear. Tony whimpered against Gibbs' neck as a single digit began circling his hole, "What about your arm?" Tony whispered, his fingers flexing in the fabric of Gibbs' shirt.
"Be fine as long as I don't put any weight on it…" Gibbs said as he pushed the tip of his finger past the tight ring of muscles, smirking as Tony gasped out and bucked backwards against Gibbs' intruding finger.
"So… let me do the work or…" Tony didn't get a chance to finish his sentence as he was spun around and pressed into the counter top, Gibbs pressing roughly against the side of his ass with his rigid cock, fingers ceaselessly working their way into Tony's hole.
"Pants…" Gibbs grunted, Tony chuckled as he moved his hands down to his belt buckle, undoing that and the button and zipper on his pants, letting the black slacks fall to the floor and pool around his feet. Tony reached up to the cabinet, grabbing the bottle of lube they kept there specifically for this reason, and passed it back to Gibbs.
Gibbs snagged the bottle and popped the cap, letting the liquid drizzle down the crack of Tony's rear and onto his fingers. Tony whimpered and bowed his head, biting against his bottom lip as he rutted his hips backwards against Gibbs' three fingers, "Oh god…" Tony gasped out as Gibbs pressed into his prostate and curled his fingers, massaging into Tony's hot spot.
Tony laid his forehead against his clenched fists, rocking his hips in circles against Gibbs' fingers as the older man undid his zipper slowly, trying not to jostle his injured arm too much "Tony… I need my hand back…" Gibbs said, chuckling slightly as he looked down at Tony's turned face, a mixed look of disappointment and pleasure on it.
"No you don't… Come here…" Tony said softly as he grabbed the lube while Gibbs shifted to move closer to Tony. Tony poured a glob of the lubrication into his palm, then wrapped his hand around Gibbs' shaft, slowly stroking his length as he continued rutting his hips against Gibbs' hand slowly, low keening whimpers rumbling in his throat.
Gibbs lined his cock up with Tony's entry, quickly removing his fingers and slamming his cock in to the hilt, causing Tony to scream out in pleasure, the tips of his toes pressing off the tile of the kitchen floor with the force of Gibbs' thrust "Fuck… Still so damn tight!" Gibbs growled as he wrapped his good arm around Tony's waist as he began thrusting forward, sending Tony's hips into the counter top with each thrust.
Tony moaned out, his hands scrabbling to grasp at any surface, "Yes… Yes! Oh fuck… Jeth!" Tony moaned into the counter. Gibbs laid his forehead against Tony's back, biting down as he continued thrusting rapidly into Tony's body, smirking as Tony started whimpering and screaming with each thrust that unerringly nailed into his prostate "Oooh… Right there! Right there!" Tony cried, his knees wobbling slightly as he thrusted his own hips back against Gibbs.
Gibbs groaned loudly into Tony's back as he slammed forward, sending both their bodies roughly into the counter top, biting down into Tony's shoulder as he filled Tony's channel with his hot come. Tony whimpered and rolled his hips slightly, gasping from the friction on his cock as he spurted his own come down the flat surface of the cabinet.
Gibbs grabbed the hand towel from the counter, slowly pulling out of Tony and catching the dribbles of his remaining come in the cloth, "Damn…" Gibbs panted as he leaned backwards against the counter, swiping his forearm over his forehead and chuckled slightly as he looked at Tony who was still leaning on the counter, panting tiredly "You okay Tone?" Gibbs asked as he adjusted his jeans and stood up straight again.
Tony nodded slowly against his arms, "Mhmm… Lasagna is done…" Tony said tiredly as he stood up and pulled his slacks back up around his waist.
Gibbs laughed as he moved over to the oven, grabbing the mitts and pulling the dish out, "Perfect timing as always." Gibbs said, grinning as he set the bubbling Italian meal down on top of the stovetop.
Tony nodded as he grabbed the hand towel and swiped the cabinet door down slowly "We should probably take a shower before we eat – Or at least I should…" Tony said as he wiggled his behind slightly, looking up at Gibbs from his crouched position.
"Alright… I'll keep it in the oven for a few more minutes…" Gibbs said as he slotted the dish back into the oven and setting it on warm, then pulling Tony up off the floor and into his chest, kissing his husband lovingly on the lips, "Love you Tone." Gibbs whispered as he began walking backwards with Tony still attached to his chest.
"Love you too Jeth." Tony said as he kissed along Gibbs' jawline slowly, carefully walking through the living room and up the stairs.
After showering and eating their dinner, Gibbs and Tony laid on the couch together, Tony against Gibbs' chest. Gibbs' hand was steadily stroking through Tony's hair, "So, how come you brought the medals home?" Gibbs asked curiously, looking down at the top of Tony's head.
Tony shrugged as he curled Gibbs' silvery chest hairs around his fingertips slowly, careful not to pull at them "The box was full, and I planned on doing something with them… They shouldn't just sit in a box for nobody to see…" Tony said as he tilted his head back to look up at his husband.
Gibbs rolled his eyes as he shifted on the couch slightly "They're pointless, Tony. Who actually cares about them?" Gibbs asked, stilling his hand on the back of Tony's neck and squeezing lightly.
Tony laughed softly as he turned off of Gibbs' chest, lying on his side next to the older man, "I care about them. Why the hell do you think I've saved them all these years? So, even if I'm the only person who looks at them every day, then so be it, but I am putting them in a display case and putting them on the wall!" Tony stated as he bit Gibbs softly on the chest.
Gibbs laughed as he wrapped his arm tightly around Tony's back, kissing his husband lovingly on the forehead, "Fine… fine… You can put it up on the wall…" Gibbs relented, lying flat on the couch and resting his arm over his eyes.
Tony giggled as he kissed along Gibbs' side softly, "Yay! So, does that mean I can hang all of your medals up?" Tony asked, his eyes lighting up brightly.
Gibbs rolled his eyes and sighed "If it'll make you feel better, yes… You can hang everything up. But, where do you plan on hanging them up? There isn't a whole lot of room left on the walls." Gibbs said as he looked around the den walls, which were covered in framed movie posters.
Tony turned his head, pointing to the wall behind the couch, "Right there, in the center of our wedding pictures." Tony said, grinning brightly as he looked fondly at Gibbs, snuggling back into his side.
Gibbs sighed as he stroked his hand down Tony's spine "So, you're not mad at me about earlier?" Gibbs asked curiously, biting at his bottom lip.
Tony nodded "Yes, I am still mad at you. But, that doesn't mean I don't love you any less. Now, can we go to bed?" Tony asked as he rolled off the couch and looked down at Gibbs. Gibbs nodded as he held his hand out to Tony, letting the younger man pull him up off the couch and upstairs to the bedroom.
I know that Stanton's death is anticlimatic, but I honestly wanted to just get back to my lovers fluffery and life... : Don't hate me for that, please.
