Disclaimer: Not mine, never will.
A/N: As promised, Chapter 07. It's pretty short but I hope the content makes up for that. :) Hopefully you'll all enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thanks for your reviews and don't worry (since some of you did) this story will be finished, no matter what. After all, there is still the third installment to write... ;)
Beta'd by the awesomeness that is Ktwesterna. Thanks, you are great.
Their Day in Baltimore
Chapter 07
Agent Gibbs stopped short upon entering his room and spotting his guest. His surprise didn't last long, however. After all, he should have known that Ducky would be waiting for him. The man had the most annoying tendency to show up at the most inconvenient times.
Inconvenient for Gibbs, that was.
He had half a mind to ask – or more like order, since Gibbs didn't ask, no matter the circumstances - his best friend to leave. He really had been looking forward to a quite room and maybe a beer or two. The day had been more tiring than he had anticipated, in more ways than one. But one look at Ducky's stern face, and the still steaming cup of coffee waiting for him, and his suspicions were confirmed. There was no way he was getting out of this.
The Scotsman had a gentle heart, but when the situation warranted it, he could be just as stubborn as his younger friend. In a way he was even worse because his superior age and wisdom allowed him to stay calm during an argument and not loose his temper, whereas Gibbs tended to do just that.
'But not this time.' Gibbs thought to himself. This time he couldn't afford to loose his temper since that would only prove to play into Ducky's hands.
He took a deep breath and joined the older man at the table. The smell of coffee assaulted his senses and he grabbed the cup that Ducky had obviously prepared for him without so much as a thanks. Still, he couldn't help the blissful smile and contented sigh as he began to sip the intoxicating liquor. Oh yeah, that was exactly what he'd needed.
Ducky quirked an amused eyebrow.
"Better now?"
Gibbs merely shrugged. "Anything new you can tell me about the victims, Duck?"
"I'm afraid that would be a no. Just what you already know. Both men were beaten to death over a length of time. It certainly seems like our killer took his time with the unfortunate Mr. Lowe and Corporal Speer." The old man shook his head and Gibbs could see genuine sorrow in his eyes. "Those two must have suffered quite a bit before they were finally released. What about you? Did your day bring any new insights?"
Gibbs eyebrow twitched.
Your day.
He hadn't added 'with Anthony' but Gibbs could hear it just fine anyway.
He should have known that Ducky wouldn't let this go. The doctor had been genuinely pleased to see the young man again and Gibbs hadn't missed the frown Ducky had shot him after his more than brusque attitude towards the man.
Gibbs was still vaguely disappointed - some might even call it ashamed although Gibbs would never be one of those - that it had been Ducky who had recognized Tony before formally being introduced to him.
He should have been the one to recognize Tony, not the man who'd barely spent time with the kid back then. But he hadn't. In fact, he hadn't had the slightest idea who that man in front of him was before he'd heard Tony's name. Ducky had always been better at remembering faces and names than him and it had never bothered Gibbs.
But this time it did. He couldn't say why, exactly, but it did.
"No nothing. We spoke to Speers wife and her reaction was a bit odd but I don't think she had anything to do with his death. It just doesn't fit."
"That's too bad." Ducky muttered.
"Yeah well, at least it wasn't a complete waste of time."
The ME perked up at that. "What do you mean, Jethro?"
Gibbs sighed and began to tell Ducky about his day in all its disappointing details. He actually relaxed a bit while he told his friend about the stalker they'd caught in front of Mrs. Speers house. He figured that the story would distract Ducky from his actual reason for coming over.
That is, until he came to the part where he had to tell how they'd actually stopped the guy from escaping. Or rather, how Tony had stopped him.
Ducky barely managed to not drop his cup. "He did what?"
The Agent stood up and began to pace. He was still furious with Tony over that reckless stunt and he still didn't understand his own reaction afterwards.
"The idiot jumped in front of a damn car, that's what he did, Duck."
Ducky set his cup down and placed a hand over his heart, as if he wanted to still its rapid beating. "Dear Lord. Is he alright?"
Gibbs felt the irrational urge to snap at the old man. Something about his concern was grating on his nerves. Maybe because it reminded his of his own breathless terror when he'd thought that that car had actually hit Tony. But that was something he didn't want to acknowledge just yet. Instead he told himself that he was just tired and took a deep breath to calm down.
He wasn't going to loose his temper. Not this time.
"He's fine. Sprained his ankle though. I drove him home."
Gibbs winced when the last sentence left his mouth. He knew that he'd said too much when Ducky's eyes lit up and a teasing smirk appeared on his lips.
"So you took care of him, I take it?!"
Gibbs gritted his teeth. "No." he said. "I just made sure that he didn't run someone else over while trying to drive with that ankle."
Ducky's face darkened. He knew that Gibbs was a stubborn bastard but enough was enough. The Scotsman was not about to let him stay ignorant of the way he treated others. Especially not this young man.
Abigail sometimes referred to him as 'Gibbs' conscience', and if there was ever a time to live up to that title, it was now.
"Jethro-" he began but Gibbs beat him to it.
"I don't want to talk about it Ducky."
Donald Mallard stayed calm but there was a noticeable edge to his voice. "Don't talk about what Jethro? About the fact that even I noticed during the few minutes that I saw you two together, the appalling matter in which you treated the boy for no apparent reason at all? Or about the fact that you only do that because you are too stubborn to admit that you actually still care about Anthony?"
Ducky could see the way Gibbs clenched his jaw a little bit tighter with every word he said. It pained him to be the reason for his friends distress, but it had pained him even more to see the hurt resignation in Tony's eyes. His father had always told him that a man had to set his priorities and that's what he had done. He just hoped that his friendship with Gibbs would survive that decision.
"I barely know the man, Ducky. Just because we spent a few days together fifteen years ago, doesn't mean I do. Anthony DiNozzo is just a detective I happen to work with, that's all."
"Fine, so you think you don't know the adult Anthony, I can understand that. But then, why do you treat him so awfully? If you don't know him, why the resentment?"
Ducky was pleased to see Gibbs eyes soften a little bit at that.
"I don't resent him."
"You could have fooled me." The old doctor suddenly remembered his conversation with Tony's partner and his anger flared anew. "The boy doesn't need you to make his life harder than it already is Jethro."
Gibbs head jerked up at that and he stopped his pacing long enough to ask: "What does that mean?"
But Ducky just shook his head. He knew that it wasn't his place to tell Gibbs about Tony's trouble with his colleagues. Even though he was convinced that it could only help in breaking through Gibbs walls. The Agent had always been especially harsh towards bullies and equally protective of their victims.
Instead he acted as if he hadn't heard Gibbs question. "I really think you should start to figure out what you want, Jethro. If it's so much trouble working with the boy, then ask the director to send someone else over, but don't let your grief color your behavior towards him."
Gibbs bristled at the suggestion to let this case go. "This is my case now Ducky. Giving up on it now is not an option."
He didn't say however, that disappearing out of Tony's life so suddenly wasn't an option anymore either.
It took him a moment to process the last part of Ducky's speech and it left him staring at the older man with a mixture of disbelief and anger. "And what does this have to do with Shannon and Kelly?"
The ME felt weary. Speaking with Gibbs about his late wife and child was still like running the gauntlet, even after three years. You never knew whether Gibbs was in the mood to share some innocent memories, or whether he would rip your head off for even mentioning their names. Most of the time Ducky waited for Gibbs to initiate a conversation about the two of them, but he couldn't wait this time. This time he would have to take matters into his own hands if he wanted Gibbs to finally acknowledge a few truths.
"I don't know Jethro. You tell me. I just thought that it was some what interesting how Anthony reappears in your life just a short time after Shannon and Kelly are gone. If I remember correctly, 15 years ago it was just the other way around."
Gibbs body language was screaming rage by now but his voice was eerily calm. "What are you trying to say Ducky? That this is destiny?"
Ducky almost laughed at that, but he feared that it would send his friend over the edge so he smothered it. "Oh no Jethro. Destiny is not the word I was thinking of. Although it's you who always tells the younger agents that there are no coincidences."
Gibbs took another deep breath. He didn't acknowledge what Ducky had said about coincidences, though, since he knew that there was nothing he could say against that. "And what would you call it then?"
He wasn't so sure if he wanted an answer but he was positive that Ducky wouldn't back off if he didn't ask and he really just wanted to be left alone right now. This conversation was becoming far too personal.
"I'd call it a chance."
Ducky didn't say more, merely rose from his seat to leave the room. A last glance over his shoulder showed the frozen back and clenched fists of his dear friend who was currently staring out the window, not even acknowledging his departure.
The desire to go over there and comfort the Agent in some way was almost overwhelming, but he knew that there was nothing more he could say to get through Gibbs thick skull. His words needed time to sink in.
His friend had to figure the rest out by himself.
And Ducky had no doubt that he would, he just hoped that it wouldn't be too late by then.
TBC
A/N
: The bit about destiny and chance and the conversation with Ducky and Gibbs had been haunting my mind ever since I finished TDBTD. Oh, what do I say, even before I finished TDBTD! Leave a review if you liked it. And even if you didn't. Constructive criticicm is always of the good.