Okay, here's the thing: I just worked my way through a 9 HOURS cycling tour and now I - the unathletic nut that I am - am lying on my bed with leg cramps from hell. My mom says it's gonna get better but I don't believe that. I believe that I'm actually dying right now and since I don't want to let you hang like that for eternity (and maybe because I wanna hear the one or other nice word before I leave this mad world) I'm gonna upload the chapter now - UNBETA'D! Sorry, but the world swallowed by beta up. I hope you are okay! Send me a life sign.
If you find any grave mistakes (stuff that makes you wonder "What the hell was she trying to say here?") please tell me immediately. I'm blind when it comes to seeing my own mistakes.
This chapter fought me each step of the way. It bit me, scratched me, called me names and I have bruises all over my aching body. Bad chapter, bad! Hopefully it behaves for you! *glares at chapter*
Oh, 'The Day Before The Day' was once again nominated for the "Best AU" award over at livejournal. Thanks to anyone who nominated me, I'm blown away!
Please read AN at the end of the chapter!
Chapter 15
'This got to be what Abby means when she talks about a freaky déjà vu.'
Thinking about the young Goth brought a small smile to Gibbs face, but it was gone as fast as it had come when his eyes landed on the door in front of him. He glanced at the plate to his right as if he expected it to have changed since he'd read it the last time.
It hadn't, of course.
He was still standing in front of hospital room number 341. DiNozzo's room. For a moment he tried to remember the number of Tony's hospital room 15 years ago, but soon realized that it was futile. He'd had other things on his mind back then.
Ducky had already told him that the boy was finally awake when he'd met the doctor by the snack vending machine. The older man hadn't revealed much more about his condition, just thrusted a chocolate bar into Gibbs hand and told him that Tony was already waiting for him.
The Agent wasn't a man that shied away from difficult conversations but this time he caught himself stalling. It was going to be tough, he knew that, but even so he was slightly disgusted with his own indecision. This wasn't like him at all. He was the 'go get'em' kind of guy, much like DiNozzo. If something needed to be done, he confronted it head-on.
But he had been standing in front of that door for at least two minutes now. He tried to tell himself that he just wanted to finish his coffee before going in but he couldn't even come up with a good explanation for why he would want to do that. The ugly truth was, that he drew a blank when it came to the conversation that was awaiting him. He had no idea what he wanted to say to the boy as soon as they were face to face.
Well, technically he knew exactly what he wanted to offer DiNozzo, but not how.
Gibbs had told Ducky about his decision, the moment he'd been absolutely sure that he would go through with it. Which had been the moment Tony had collapsed into his arms in that back alley.
That one second of near blinding panic when he'd clutched the unconscious man to his chest, screaming into his cell phone for help, had certainly been an eyeopener. Gibbs wasn't naturally a very perceptive man when it came to his own emotions but the heart wrenching fear he'd experience when he'd thought that DiNozzo might actually die, was a clue that even he couldn't ignore. Despite his best efforts on the contrary he'd grown attached to the young man. He had taken him 'under his wing', to quote Ducky, and anyone under his wing damn well stayed there as long as Gibbs had any say in the matter.
Of course he couldn't force Tony to accept his offer but there were very few people who were able to say no to the former Marine.
Although he was pretty sure that Tony could be one of the exeptions.
It was time to stop stalling however, so Gibbs took a deep breath and opened the door with more force than necessarily needed - only to come to an abrupt halt when he saw that Tony wasn't alone.
A man about Tony's age stood at the foot of the bed but shriveled around and stumbled back when Gibbs more or less rushed into the room like a lunatic. He had a chart in his hands, wore a white coat and by the look on his face didn't seem to know whether he should scream in terror or simply call security.
"W-What the-?"
The man, who was obviously a doctor, was pale and shaky and Gibbs was about to reassure – not apologize, of course – the man that everything was okay, that he didn't escape the psychiatric ward, when Tony's delighted chuckle cut him off.
The young detective had been just as surprised as the doctor by Gibbs' sudden entrance but had composed himself much faster.
"Don't worry Doc. That's Agent Gibbs. His bark is worse than his bite."
Gibbs shot Tony an annoyed glare but the boy just grinned back.
Although Tony had dreaded Gibbs arrival, now that the man was here, he was quite glad. The doctor was nice enough, but it had gotten harder and harder to keep from begging the man to release him already. He wanted out of here, more than anything else. Gibbs sudden appearance had helped him relax a little bit. Not only wasn't he alone anymore, but the look on Gibbs face when he'd seen the shocked doctor had been priceless. It felt good to laugh again after he'd spent the past half an hour worrying abut everything and nothing.
Tony's mock placation seemed to calm the skittish doctor some. Calm enough, much to Gibbs chagrin, to regard the Agent with the disapproving look that only medical personnel seemed to master. He should know, since Ducky looked at him like that a lot.
"Sir, please. This is a hospital. I must ask you to show a little bit more restraint in here."
"It won't happen again." Gibbs mumbled through clenched teeth while his eyes didn't leave Tony who was still snickering quietly. He tried very hard to keep his face as blank as possible but he had to admit that it felt good to see the kid enjoy himself and laugh. The Agent suddenly realized that he hadn't seen him do that a lot over the past couple of days.
The doctor cleared his throat and put the chart back. "Yeah well, thank you." He turned back to his patient and immediately dismissed the older man. "Listen Tony, I'm really serious about this. You need to take the antibiotics at least for a couple of weeks. Even if the wound is gone and you feel better you can't just stop taking them, okay? That hand-"
Tony waved said hand and Gibbs eyes were immediately drawn to the gauze covering it. "Yeah, Yeah. I know. It could still get infected with all kinds of nasty things, I get it Doc."
'Doc' shook his head and there was a genuinely worried frown on his face. Gibbs was starting to like the man, despite their strained first encounter. "I seriously doubt you do."
"Don't worry Doctor." Gibbs cut in. "I'm going to make sure he takes his medicine 'till the end."
The doctor smiled thankfully but Tony blinked a few times in obvious confusion, probably wondering how Gibbs wanted to make sure that he still took his medication in a few weeks. Gibbs watched intently, hoping for any sign of realization in Tony's eyes that would make the upcoming minutes easier. That would show him that Tony understood the hidden meaning, the hidden promise, behind his words. But after a few moments the young detective seemed to shrug it off as unimportant and Gibbs cursed under his breath.
Tony's eyes were alight with humor when he spoke next. "Hey Agent Gibbs, guess what his name is!" With that he pointed to the doctor who released a pained sigh. "You won't believe this."
"Geez, Tony. I really don't know what's so funny about my name."
"You're kidding right?" Tony asked and for a moment Gibbs wondered if the two men had known each other before today. They seemed to be awfully relaxed and friendly around each other. But on the other hand, Tony seemed to have a knack for making friends fast. "This is like, sooo out of there, man. A once in a lifetime thing. I wish I had my camera with me." He turned back to Gibbs with an expectant expression on his face. "Come on, guess."
He didn't really seem to expect Gibbs to guess though, because he barely gave the man five seconds before he spilled the beans.
"His name is Dr. Cruise. Dr. Tom Cruise."
Tony burst into another set of giggles, actually holding his stomach like a five-year-old. Gibbs watched him for a moment before he turned to Dr. Cruise who still had that pained smile on his face. "If I ever get hurt, I want the same drugs he's got."
The smile turned more genuine when Cruise went over to Tony and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Not giving him anything right now. I shudder imagining what he would be like when he really is doped up."
The young man in the bed sobered a little when he realized that he was the only one laughing but he was still out of breath and grinning like a loon when his eyes turned from Gibbs to the doctor and back.
"Come on Gibbs, you know who that is, don't you?" At Gibbs blank look he continued with disbelief in his voice. "Seriously? Tom Cruise! The actor! Doesn't ring a bell?" He slumped back against his pillow with an expression of mock shock on his face. "Don't you have a TV or something? Anyway, my doctor has the same name as a celebrity. I really really do wish I had a camera with me. This will probably never happen again."
Dr. Tom Cruise patted his shoulder a last time before he went to leave the room with a knowing smile on his lips. "Oh you'd be surprised how many of us are out there." (1) He reached the door and shot a last look over his shoulder before he slipped through. "I'll come back later. You two probably have some things to talk about."
And just like that he was gone and with him the jovial atmosphere that had filled the room just seconds ago.
An uneasy silence settled between the two men and it didn't take long before Gibbs sighed in impotent annoyance and Tony began to fidget in his bed.
The Italian gulped hard and took a few deep breaths before he found the courage to actually speak. He was still convinced that Gibbs was only here to berate him and he wasn't looking forward to that.
"So, what did our nutcase of the day have to say?"
Gibbs recognized a diversion tactic when he saw one but for once he was content to play along. At least for a while.
"He confessed everything. Even a few killings we didn't know about yet."
Tony raised a disbelieving eyebrow. "Just like that?"
"Just like that." Gibbs assured. "Once he started talking he wouldn't stop."
Leo, or rather Alastair Crown as his ID had revealed, had been more than talkative about his own crimes. Gibbs had immediately realized that Crown was one of the criminals that enjoyed the attention. He was eager to brag about his doings and his detailed relations of his course of action with the victims had been enough to make even Gibbs feel sick to his stomach. He had no doubt that, if they hadn't caught him soon, the man would have done anything getting the attention he wanted. Sending letters to the press, taunting the police with pictures and videotapes. The Agent hadn't seen Crown's apartment yet, but he was sure that they would find an album filled with articles about him and souvenirs from his victims.
Tony wasn't really surprised to hear all that but there was something else that he couldn't get out of his head. "What did he tell the men to go with him? The same story he told me? And why did the victims look alike? And what about those 'colors' he was always babbling about?"
Gibbs crossed his arms and leaned against Tony's bed. He didn't feel like sitting down, he was still too tense for that. "He told them that he was an artist and that he wanted to paint them. Told them that it could be a surprise for their ladies and that he was cheap. I guess he only told you another story because he already knew you were searching for young artist, so he didn't need a special story." Gibbs paused, once again remembering how Tony left the bar with that monster. The anger was back but he pushed it away for now. "I asked him about his apparent preferences but he didn't seem to know what I was talking about. I guess he chose them unconsciously. There was probably someone in his past that looked like that and didn't bring good memories to mind."
Tony nodded distractedly. "I see. And what did he mean with the colors?"
"Blood."
"Blood?"
Gibbs nodded. "He beat them because he needed the blood but a knife would have been too.. what was the word he used? Impersonal. He wanted to feel it with his own hands just like a sculptor."
The young man grimaced. "And then what? He used their blood to draw pictures?"
"Seems so." Gibbs shrugged and left his position by Tony's bed to go over to the window. "We suspect he used it beside normal colors. Remember the paint Ducky found on Lowe's body?"
"Yeah. But where are the pictures now?"
"He sold them. His friend the barkeeper helped him find customers." Mr. Barkeeper had also told them, in tears, that he didn't know that Crown killed the men. He'd thought that his friend was only mugging them or something like that. Gibbs didn't believe a word he said, especially since Mike had shown him pictures of Lowe and Sperr and he'd still drugged Tony's drink. But that wasn't his problem anymore but the prosecution's.
Tony looked sick upon hearing that. "You mean, that his 'works' are out there that were drawn with real blood and the owners don't even know it?"
"Seems so, but we have their names and Detective Boston is already on his way to collect the paintings."
Tony stared at the ceiling for a moment before he suddenly whistled. "Wow. Guess I can be lucky that I got away, huh?"
Gibbs was speechless for a moment before the old anger rushed back, almost crushing him with its intensity. It weren't so much the words that angered him but Tony's attitude. That total disregard for his own safety. The way he spoke about the fact that he could have died like it was no big deal.
How could anyone be so uncaring about his own surviving? To Gibbs that lack of self preservation was as good as if Tony just outright said that he didn't want to live at all. The thought that Tony was slowly committing suicide without even being aware that he was doing so was ridiculous of course. Tony enjoyed living too much for that. But it scared the hell out of Gibbs nonetheless. And a scared Gibbs was a furious Gibbs.
"You mean you can be lucky that I got there in time to save your skinny butt!" The Agent didn't care that he was all but shouting by the end of the sentence. He even felt a weird sense of satisfaction when Tony hunched his shoulders and stared at him with wide eyes.
Tony on the other hand was taken aback by Gibbs outburst. He had expected something like this of course but now that he was faced with the Agents rebukes he couldn't help but get angry himself.
"It's not like I planned to get drugged, you know?" he drawled. Only when the words left his mouth did he realize how stupid that sounded and wondered if the older man did too.
Gibbs didn't disappoint.
"One should hope so." he sneered. "Although if there's someone able to come up with something like that I guess it would be you."
Tony narrowed his eyes, sat up and clenched his fists around the sheets. "And what's that supposed to mean?" Okay, so Gibbs was angry with him – big deal – but that didn't give him the right to be so goddamn condescending.
The young detective wasn't the only one who didn't like where this conversation was going. Gibbs hadn't come here to pick a fight with DiNozzo but the kid's attitude was grating on his already strained nerves. He had never met anyone who could ruffle his feathers this fast and thoroughly like the Italian.
"It means that you should have waited for backup. It means that you could very well be dead right now."
Gibbs still couldn't believe that the newbies that were supposed to watch the back had abandoned their spot to exchange 'endearments'. They had obviously been bored with their assignment but the chief of police had assured them, under Gibbs watchful eyes, that they wouldn't be bored in the near future. Job hunting could be very exciting.
Gibbs ire only grew when Tony leveled him with a look that held no sign of remorse. "Do you even understand how dangerous that was?"
"Agent Gibbs," Tony said in that mock respectful voice that Gibbs had hoped to never hear again. "Are you trying to tell me that this," with that he patted the blanket pooled around his waist, "isn't part of the job? You, of all people?"
Gibbs couldn't really argue with that but he could try. "I'm trying to tell you that you should have thought before you acted. Does that get through your thick head?"
DiNozzo's nostrils flared and Gibbs was sure that he would have jumped up and left if he hadn't been in scrubs and known where his clothes were. As it was, Tony crossed his arms and didn't even try to hide the fact that he didn't see what he'd done wrong.
"What exactly is your problem, Agent Gibbs? We got him, didn't we? There will be no more dead bodies lying around in random parks anymore. Everything worked out!"
Although he acted like he was furious, Tony's anger had already diminished a lot. With every disapproving look Gibbs shot him he grew more and more uncomfortable. He didn't realize that the Agent was only angry with him because he cared about his well being. All he saw was yet another guy that was disappointed with him. And this time it was actually someone whose opinion mattered to Tony. He should probably finally resign to the fact that there seemed to be nothing he could do right.
Gibbs ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "My problem is that you have no regard for your own health." Tony rolled his eyes and waved him off with a wry smile and that was the last straw. "And I'm not willing to watch you kill yourself. It's gonna stop now boy, are we clear?"
Tony looked dumbfounded for all but two seconds before something indescribable passed over his face.
"Who do you think you are? My father?"
Tony knew that he was making a big mistake even before he finished but it was too late to stop. His mouth was like a machine and he couldn't find the switch to turn it off in time. A deep red colored his cheeks and Tony wanted the earth to open up and shallow him whole. What the hell had gotten into him, saying something like that? How old was he? Twelve?
But not even back then had he ever said something as embarrassing and rash as that. Tony immediately lowered his head, unable to meet Gibbs eyes. He was convinced that the little bit respect Gibbs might have still felt for him was gone now. The Agent certainly hadn't asked to deal with some brat and that's how Tony felt right now; Like a little, pubertal brat.
He didn't like that feeling at all. And he liked the knowledge that Gibbs would leave now even less.
But instead of hearing retreating footsteps and the door slamming shut, Gibbs harsh voice reached his ears, startling him out of his self-pity.
"No! No, I'm not!"
Tony cringed at the disdain he heard in Gibbs voice but when he looked up he was surprised to see that the man's face showed the complete opposite. The Agents expression was soft with concern and sadness.
And suddenly, Tony knew that the anger wasn't directed at him but at someone else.
The next words only confirmed his suspicion.
"No, I'm not that man." Gibbs said and judging by the way he said it, you could think that he was talking about a serial rapist or something even worse. "I wouldn't disown my own son and I wouldn't-"
The Agent hesitated but unfortunately it was all Tony needed to steer the conversation somewhere else. A large part of him still refused to acknowledge the hidden meaning behind Gibbs words, but in a small corner of his mind he knew exactly what this open hatred for his old man meant. Sometimes he hated his father as well, so he knew the feeling. But he also knew that Gibbs hadn't figured everything out yet. He probably thought that Tony had been neglected or something like that. And as long as he ignored that the older man suspected something, he could keep ignoring it himself. Keep staying ignorant. To bury his head in the sand was always one of his favorite coping mechanisms. He wasn't proud of it by any means, but it usually worked and that was all he wanted right now. To bury his head and get Gibbs off his back.
He didn't think that he could cope if Gibbs gave him the look.
"You checked up on me?" he asked with indignation he didn't really feel. Of course Gibbs had checked up on him, he was an investigator after all. "I can't believe it. Why would you do that?"
Gibbs counted diversion tactic number two and he was about to call Tony on it but then he saw the look the boy gave him. There was anger and defiance there but it couldn't quite hide the fear that lay underneath it. But maybe fear was not a strong enough word. Panic was more like it.
And Gibbs knew, just knew, that if he kept pushing now, Tony would leave. He wouldn't jump out of the bed and flee or anything but he would clam up, refuse to tell the Agent anything and then he would cut Gibbs out of his life like he'd never been there. Go back to addressing him with that fake politeness and shooting him just as fake smiles before turning his back on him and ignoring him. It was something that he could see Tony doing all too well. The boy was too good at hiding and misdirecting for his own good.
Gibbs didn't tolerate behavior like that from anyone, and normally he would have kept pushing anyway just to show Tony that he always got what he wanted. But he had plans for the young man and he was almost painfully reluctant to jeopardize any chances he might have to put those plans into motion. Right now he had to pick his fights carefully, and this was certainly not the right time for this kind of conversation. It went against everything he was but he knew that he had to let this go for now. Tony wouldn't tell him anything about any abuse or neglect he might have suffered, not yet anyway.
For now it had to suffice that Tony knew that he knew. The detective might ignore that knowledge for now and try to forget about it, but Gibbs wouldn't. When the time was right he would corner the man and he would get him to talk, whether DiNozzo wanted to or not. Any by the pinched expression on Tony's face, Gibbs pondered whether the Italian was as much in denial as he wanted to be.
So Gibbs went another route, one that was probably just as hard as the one he'd just abandoned for now.
He fixed the other man with a steady glare, trying his best to hide his own uncertainties. "I always investigate the people that are on my team."
Tony had already opened his mouth – probably forming a sarcastic remark – but now it snapped shut with an audible sound. For what seemed like an eternity Tony merely stared at Gibbs with shocked, wide eyes. His mouth opened and closed a few times before he forcefully regained his composure. He leaned back into his pillows and tried to smirk but couldn't quite make it.
"What does that mean?"
"What do you think it means? I offer you a job, DiNozzo. Could need someone like you on my team and you wanted to leave Baltimore anyway, didn't you?"
If Tony hadn't been so baffled he might have wondered how Gibbs knew about that. But as it was the offer had thrown him since it called everything into question he'd thought he knew about that man.
For one he'd thought that Gibbs hated him, which obviously couldn't be all that true. You usually didn't want to work with someone you hated, right? Except maybe if you were a real asshole and liked to torture your coworkers. But although Gibbs seemed to be the strict type of boss, Tony couldn't imagine him hiring someone just to let that someone suffer.
But that could only mean that Gibbs, well, maybe not liked him, but at least respected him as a detective and noticed his performances.
And then there was his own reaction. After the crap and emotional roller coaster this man had put him through he would have thought that he'd refuse an offer like this in a heartbeat and with a derisive laugh on his lips.
But now that it actually happened he was thrilled. Just the notion of maybe working with the man in the field made him all giddy.
But should he really accept this? There was so much going on between the two of them that didn't even have anything to do with the job. All that tension between them and the history they shared wouldn't make things easier. And then there was the fact that Gibbs knew, or at least suspected, and while Tony decidedly ignored that, he couldn't help but think that it would be crazy to stay near the Agent and risk discovery. And the last argument had just proven that they could both dig their heels in quite a bit. They would probably kill each other within a week.
Wouldn't it be better if they went their separate ways? The idea bothered Tony immensely but he knew, from personal experience, that doing the right thing didn't always leave you feel good. That's what made it so difficult most of the time.
He was saved from having to answer, when the door opened and Ducky came back.
The doctor had to sense the tense atmosphere but chose to ignore it. "Ah I see you're here already." he said, giving Gibbs a small smile before turning back to the young detective. "How are you feeling? Any nausea yet?"
Tony shook his head, glad he could concentrate on someone else than the Agent that was obviously still waiting for an answer. „It's hard to get nauseated without something in your stomach."
Ducky blinked confusedly before turning to Gibbs with the same disapproving scowl Dr. Cruise had used just a few minutes ago. „Jethro, didn't you give him the chocolate bar I gave you?"
Gibbs lips twitched in amusement when Tony sat up and held out a hand expectantly. „You had chocolate for me and didn't tell me? Gimme! Now!"
Gibbs ignored him and took the bar out of his pocket. „I don't know if this is such a good idea, Ducky. I mean, did you ask his doctor if he could have this?"
A shocked gasp came from the bed but Ducky merely waved his concerns off. „Oh it'll be okay. Chocolate is food for the soul and never a bad idea."
„Exactly!" Tony shouted and made a move as if to lunge for the snack. Gibbs finally gave it to him, afraid Tony would fall out of the bed if he didn't. The Italian took a big bite and moaned in pleasure. „Oh this is so good. Thank you Doctor Mallard."
„It's Ducky." the ME reminded. „And you're welcome my boy. Did Jethro already talk to you about working for NCIS?"
Tony choked on a big piece of chocolate and coughed a few times. It gave Gibbs the time he needed to shoot Ducky a meaningful look. „I have. He hasn't accepted yet."
DiNozzo got his breathing under control while Ducky sighed regretfully. „Can you blame him? First he gets drugged and then you hit him. I would hesitate too."
Gibbs cringed. He knew he shouldn't have told Ducky about his instinctual reaction upon finding Tony still alive. The urge to head-slap the young man had come out of nowhere and at the time he hadn't been able to resist it.
Tony saved him from having to defend his actions.
„He is still in the room you know?" Tony sounded breathless but also faintly amused. „And he didn't hit me."
Gibbs and Ducky exchanged a confused look. „I'm sorry, but didn't he slap you over the head before you fainted?"
Tony scrunched up his nose. „I don't faint. I pass out." he said gravelly as if there was really a difference, before he continued. „And yeah he did, but he didn't hit me."
The old doctor was still confused but Gibbs felt a tight knot in his stomach loosen ever so slightly.
Only after he'd slapped Tony did he realize that he'd just hit someone who was probably abused as a child. Although Tony had smiled afterward, Gibbs hadn't been able to shake the fear that Tony might see him in the same light as he saw his father now.
But now he realized that Tony didn't consider the slap as a form of hitting. He didn't know what Tony felt when he head-slapped him, but it was obviously not the same that he must have felt when his father hit him. Judging by the small smile playing around his lips it had to be the complete opposite instead, which pleased Gibbs. Maybe he would do that more often from now on.
Well, if Tony accepted the job offer that is, which he still hadn't done.
He turned to the young man who was still nibbling his candy and looking more young than ever in his too big hospital gown. Gibbs was more sure than ever that he was making the right choice.
"So, what about it?"
Tony didn't know what to say. He just knew that he wanted to say yes more than he'd ever wanted to before. He wouldn't be Detective DiNozzo anymore, but Agent DiNozzo and he really liked the sound of that. The pay would be better too, probably, and he wanted a change of scenery anyway so why not DC? He respected Gibbs - the man and the investigator. It would be an honor to work with him on a daily basis and he could learn a lot from him. It would be the start of a promising future.
But more than anything he didn't want this - whatever it was that was developing between Agent Gibbs and him – to end.
A large part of Tony insisted that it would be a bad idea. But no matter how loud his inner voice screamed at him, it couldn't completely drown out the small whisper that was telling him that he wanted this and that he had nothing to loose.
'Why not take a risk for once.', it said. 'If it doesn't work out you'll just leave and never look back. You have done it before, haven't you?'
That was true. And anyway, he probably shouldn't make this more personal than it really was. Gibbs didn't ask him to join his team because he had an interest in Tony himself, but in his work and abilities. He would be just another Agent under Gibbs watch, nothing more and nothing less.
And that was okay. He wasn't looking for friendship or a mentor or anything. This would be a career boost and he could really use one of those. He looked at Gibbs and Ducky who were still watching him patiently and made his choice. Maybe it was a mistake but it wouldn't be his first one after all.
Besides, he'd heard that DC was pretty exiting too.
TBC
(1) I love inside jokes like that. No reason why it's Tom Cruise, btw. I don't particularly like or dislike him. He's just the first name that came up when I thought about this.
IMPORTANT: I hope I could make it clear that Gibbs didn't just drop the issue like that. He knew that he would maybe get answers, but more likely not, but that Tony wouldn't have become his senior field agent. He had the choice: Either probe and get his way, but not getting a new partner, or letting it go for now and get Tony to become an Agent so he could probe him later. The whole issue "We both know what's going on but you ignore it and I don't know how to breach the subject without driving you away and loosing your trust" will become a big theme in the third part, alongside other things.
I actually considered ending the story here, leaving you with another mean cliffhanger that isn't really one since we all know what his choice will be but there are just too many loose ends. For example Mike. There will be a last Mike/Gibbs confrontation. Something like 'You better take good care of him.' and 'Of course I will.' You get the drift.
One more chapter and one short epilogue to go.
