Chapter 9

Gibbs tossed the sand paper onto the bench and sipped his coffee. With Tony fed and encased in softest blanket in the house napping upstairs, he could let himself relax enough to think about his next move. Obviously, the stubborn kid needed to talk to someone about this. Tony had been cleared by the department shrink, though, so she was out of the question. It was no fault of hers that Tony could talk his way into and out of almost anything. That just left a therapist independent of NCIS.

Draining his coffee, Gibbs smiled. He knew just the person. Pulling out his cell phone, he dialed the familiar number. Hannah Leary was the best therapist in the D.C. area. And Jethro Gibbs just happened to be dating her. Tony would love that. His overactive imagination combined with his rapid-fire brain would have a field day with it. Chuckling, Gibbs left a message for Hannah and headed back upstairs to check on the young man currently sacked out on his couch.

After popping his head into the living room, Gibbs found Tony sitting up on the couch wrapped in that damn blanket watching the History channel. With his rumpled clothes and bed head hair, Tony looked more like a kid home sick from school than a highly trained federal agent. Gibbs mind immediately went to Kelly. Had she been through the trauma Tony was still fighting, he'd wrap her up and shield her from the world. Had someone talked to her the way he had talked to Tony, he'd murder them. Damn it! Did he have to look so fucking lost sitting there?

"How long was I out?"

Not surprised that Tony knew he was there, Gibbs slipped into the room and sat on the couch beside him. There was so much the two of them needed to talk about, but Tony needed to be on steady ground first.

"Almost three hours. Do you feel any better?"

"A little, I guess. Why were you watching me?"

"Honestly, I was thinking about Kelly."

"I made you think of her?"

"Yep."

"I'm sorry. I should go."

"Tony…why has no one bothered to check on you? Your father called one time and according to Abby, that didn't end well."

"My father and I aren't exactly close. I'm the family disappointment."

"So, what, he just doesn't care that you're going through hell?"

"As long as I don't fuck up the family name, he pretty much leaves me to my own devices. It's better that way."

"Tony someone should care that you're not ok. Someone does care."

"Look, Gibbs, it's fine."

"You're not fine. This case messed with your head."

"I was cleared by the shrink already."

"Tony, just because you talked yourself out of therapy doesn't mean you don't need it. Don't say anything, just listen. I don't think this case is the only thing bothering you. I think it brought up some unpleasant memories that you have yet to confront. I think my insensitive comments only made your reaction worse. I can't tell you how to feel or that everything will fine. I can say how sorry I am that I hurt you. That was never my intention, son."

Gibbs watched as Tony digested the apology. This time the kid didn't brush it aside. He actually seemed to listen. Whether or not he chose to believe it was another matter entirely. Still, this was a start.

"Can I ask you something?"

The query was so quiet, Gibbs almost didn't hear it.

"Anything."

"Why do you keep bringing me back here? I get that you want to keep an eye on me right now. My head is all over the place, but you don't have to bring me back to your house."

"Do you want to be somewhere else?"

"No! I just…after what you said, I didn't think you really wanted me around. It's nothing personal. People just get tired of me. I'm kind of annoying."

"Never have I thought that about you. I have thought that you are smart, intuitive, hardworking, funny; even a little weird at times, but then my team is made up of people just this side of normal. I like it that way. Different perspectives solve cases. We have the highest closure rate at NCIS for a reason."

"And I'm screwing it up with my issues."

"No, you're just hurting yourself by not dealing with them. I want you to think about something."

"You want me to see a therapist."

Gibbs placed his hand on Tony's bouncing knee and rubbed his thumb back and forth as he spoke.

"I think you should talk to someone. I don't mind being an open ear, but I don't think I can be objective where you're concerned."

"Anyone in particular you have in mind?"

"Her name is Hannah. She specializes in trauma cases. Most of her clients are military or law enforcement."

"Is she the woman you've been seeing?"

"Yes, she is! How the hell did you know?"

"The purple tooth brush in the bathroom. Unless you've developed a new favorite color, there's definitely a woman involved."

"I think it would be beneficial to you if you saw someone. If you're not comfortable seeing Hannah, I'll help you find someone else. I just want you to be ok, Tony."

Tony thought about it. Even after the ill-timed comments, Gibbs had consistently tried to do the right thing. The older man had taken him into his home and cared for him unlike anything Tony had ever experienced. Maybe that stupid comment was just that. Or maybe Gibbs really meant it.

"When do I meet her?"

"I left her a message about having dinner later tonight."

"What does she know about me?"

"Just that you've been through the ringer. That you're having a hard time dealing with this ordeal. That you're my best agent. That you keep me on my toes constantly."

"Just that?"

"Yeah, just that."

The small smile was everything to Gibbs. It wasn't the megawatt Tony DiNozzo can conquer the world smile, but it was a start. Now to start getting weight back on him and the insomnia under control.

"You were working on the boat?"

"I came up for more coffee."

"Want some company?"

Gibbs rubbed his big hand across the broad shoulders and marveled at Tony's ability to forgive.

"Always."