CHAPTER XIII

Gibbs decides to give Kate a few days on her own to recuperate since he was pretty sure he couldn't spend the night with her and behave. They talk on the phone every evening. He sighs and realizes he's never been so obsessed with a woman since he was eighteen years old sitting in the bus station talking to Shannon. There was something about Kate... something addictive and he knew if he was with her the rest of his life, he would never lose this fascination.

He has only a little trim work left to do on his renovations and wanted to get them done so he could bring Kate over for the weekend and get her approval. He hoped she liked the changes... not that he'd done anything drastic. He had busted out the wall between the first guest room and his, allowing him to expand the bathroom to install the whirlpool garden tub and make the shower larger and more modern. There had also been room for him to double the size of the walk-in closet. Knowing how much Kate loved dressing to impress, she would appreciate all the space in the new closet. The only other change in the master bedroom is the new bay windows and built in seat storage he had added.

The smaller guest room had been turned into an upstairs office, just the right size for a computer desk, book shelves and their personal things. He didn't see a need for two guest rooms since his dad was probably the only visitor he got these days. Emira and his god-daughter came to visit, but ever since Mike's death, they'd moved to DC and had their own place so they didn't stay here anymore. He didn't allow himself to think about how the guest room used to be Kelly's room... or that he still thought of it as the 'kid's room'.

All he had left to do was paint the bathroom, closet and the two bedrooms and everything would be ready by this weekend. He is just finishing up his daily reports, having sent Kate and McGee home earlier since a storm was supposed to be rolling in and they were expecting it to be a bad one. DiNozzo had finished up his work too, but opted to hit the gym next door before he took off for the night.

Gibbs is just closing down his computer to leave when DiNozzo returns, freshly showered after his workout. He grabs his backpack and is about to leave when he hesitates; knowing it has been two weeks since Gibbs gave him his ultimatum. Having thought about little else since then, Tony had been waiting for Gibbs to demand his answers, but he hasn't made one comment, or given him one look about it. Tony decides to bring the subject to him; realizing he doesn't want this hanging over his head any longer... if Gibbs was gonna kick his ass, then he wanted to take his punishment and be done with it.

"Hey, boss... you done for the week?"

"Yeah, just gettin' ready to head out." He slips on his jacket and walks over to where Tony is standing by his desk.

"Got any plans for tonight? Thought maybe we could grab a beer... you know, and talk?"

Gibbs studies him for a moment and realizes he finally wants to talk about it. He hides the smile that tugs at the corner of his mouth and then nods his head seriously. "Okay, but why don't you grab some beer and meet me at my place. We can talk there."

"Your place?" DiNozzo seems suddenly nervous.

"Yeah... why you got a problem with that?" They are walking towards the elevators now.

"Uuhh... no... well, is Kate gonna be there?"

As they step into the elevator, Gibbs laughs out loud and shakes his head as he replies, "No... just you, me and a couple of paint brushes."

"Painting. I hate painting. So... this is my punishment, right?"

"Relax, Tony... you can sit and watch if you want... but I gotta get this painting done tonight."

"Oh... well, okay... I'll see you at your place. We gonna order pizza? Cause I'm starving."

Gibbs just raises a hand letting him know that is fine with him as he steps off the elevator and heads towards his car. Tony stands there watching for a few moments, wondering what's in store for him during the evening ahead.

When Tony arrives, Gibbs is already at work upstairs. He sets the beer in the fridge and then goes to call up the stairs, "Hey, you order pizza already?"

"Nope."

"You want me to do it?" He knows the answer before Gibbs' gruff comment returns to him and he can almost feel the mental head slap that accompanies it.

"What do you think?"

Tony orders the pizzas, then grabs two beers and heads upstairs. Gibbs is in the guest room, rolling a beige paint on the wall. He glances over and is glad to see him wearing old clothes; which meant he actually intended to help him paint. Tony may complain a lot, but there wasn't a time Gibbs could recall when Tony hadn't been there to help when needed.

Tony watches for a moment and notices something different. He steps back into the hallway, walks into the master bedroom and looks into the newly enlarged bathroom. He takes a closer look at the large garden tub and smirks as he tries to envision Gibbs taking a bath. Then it dawns on him... the bathtub isn't for Gibbs. He steps back out and glances into the newly enlarged closet, then spins around to take in the window seat. This is all for Kate.

Tony returns to the guest room and notes its smaller dimensions, "Not much room for a bed in here now."

"Nope. It's an office now. Guest room is down the hall." Gibbs gestures over his shoulder towards Kelly's room, but continues painting.

"Oh... nice. I mean that you'll actually have an office now... instead of piling everything on the dining room table. Saw the improvements in the master... nice tub..."

Gibbs stops working as he looks over to see the smirk on the younger man's face. He drops the roller into the paint tray as he gives Tony a glare that demands an explanation.

"Sorry... just trying to imagine you... in that tub... kind of funny, if you think about it."

"You think about me taking baths a lot, DiNozzo or is this something new?" He continues to stare at Tony, making him more nervous.

"No... actually this is the first time. I didn't mean it like... I was imagining you in the tub... more like I couldn't imagine you... taking a bath. You seem more like a shower kinda guy."

"Mostly, but I think Tim was on to something... bubble baths aren't all that bad."

"YOU take bubble baths?!" Tony is shocked by the deadpan serious look on Gibbs' face, but then realizes he is teasing him when his mouth quirks up in a grin.

"Well, yeah... with Kate... you bet your ass I do."

"Wow... just got a whole new image in my head... thanks. Took me two weeks to get the last one out of my head..." Just then they hear the doorbell as the pizza delivery guy arrives. Tony is grateful for the reprieve and jerks his thumb towards the door. "I'm... just gonna go... pay the pizza guy."

He watches Tony back out of the room, amused at how flustered he's gotten once they brought up Kate again. He rolls more paint on his roller and calls after Tony, "Bring it up here with the beers. We got a lot of work to get done tonight."

When he returns with his arms laden with pizza boxes, paper towels and beer, Gibbs finally takes a break and they drop to the floor to eat on the plastic drop cloth covering the carpet. For the most part they eat in silence or talk about work and Gibbs doesn't push it. He knew how Tony's mind worked and he would bring it up when he was ready.

After they ate, Gibbs returned to painting the wall, finishing all but the trim work in here. Tony did some trim work, but put the brush down when Gibbs suggested they concentrate their efforts on the master bedroom, bathroom and closet. He wanted to get as much of it done as possible and he could work on the trim later. Tony grabs the other roller, with the short handle and follows him into the master bedroom. This paint is a soft blue... almost lavender and Tony is surprised, but doesn't comment. It was definitely not a color he would have expected Gibbs to use, but then a lot of things about Gibbs weren't what he had perceived them to be lately.

They work in unison and the painting goes quickly with the extra pair of hands. Tony has always understood Gibbs' need to work with wood... or some other project since repetitive hand movements did seem to free up your mind. They have moved on to the bathroom now and as Tony sees the tub again, it reminds him of their need to talk. Gibbs has switched to a brush and is doing the smaller wall areas where the roller wouldn't fit. Tony moves the roller up the wall and back down slowly and finally breaks the ice.

"I did what you said... you know, thinking about it. Kind of threw me there for a while... you know, got hung up on what 'IT' was. Could have been a trick question... one of those things like 'the one thing' from City Slickers, or..."

"Wasn't a trick question, Tony." Gibbs doesn't look at him, but glances in the mirror beside him to see Tony stop, nod his head and then continue rolling the paint on the wall.

"Yeah, I figured that out... eventually. Which left me with the real question... the one I think you meant for me to think about."

Gibbs doesn't want to rush him, but Tony's hesitation needs some prompting. "And..."

"And... I gotta say... as nice as your ass is... and I'm saying this in a purely man to man, not in a gay way... I don't think that's what did it for me that night."

Gibbs laughs and this time he does turn around from his position, standing on the tub's rim to reach the strip of wall above the window. Tony meets his eye and the moment is just too funny not to laugh as Gibbs cocks his hip at him and teases, "So you think I got a nice ass, huh?"

"Tell me this isn't gonna turn into one of those strange, GQ magazine articles where the boss reveals his deep held secret of being gay." He glances over to see Gibbs taking a long sip of his beer and when he sets it down, his eyes lock onto Tony's and all humor is gone.

"No, but... you're not the first man to admire my ass, DiNozzo." He returns to painting and ignores the shocked look on Tony's face. The younger man can't believe they are having this conversation and knows he should keep his mouth shut. The curiosity is too strong and he moves his roller to another wall, where he can get a better view of Gibbs' face as he asks his next question.

"Really? It wasn't McGee was it?"

"No... not that I know of anyway. Guy my ex-wife introduced me to... back when we were still married."

"Which ex?" Tony's mind quickly scrolls through everything he knows about Gibbs' three ex-wives and nothing like this comes to mind.

"Diane. She liked having two men in her bed."

"At the same time?" Gibbs just nods and doesn't look down at Tony, even though he knows his jaw is hanging open. Tony takes a moment to absorb this new information; once again seeing his boss and a man he has considered a friend for years, in a totally new light. Then something clicks in his head from that night. "So that's why you didn't seem surprised to see me standing there."

"Yup... paint." Gibbs motions to the wall with his brush to get Tony back into painting mode while they talked. "Was more surprised you were conscious... and at attention, after how much you had to drink."

Tony returns to painting and blushes at Gibbs' comment about him being excited while he watched them. He doesn't know how to say this, so he just bites the bullet and breaks rule number nine.

"Yeah, about that... it's just that... you and Kate... it was so hot and I just... couldn't look away. I'm sorry, Gibbs..."

Gibbs keeps stroking the brush back and forth as they talk, moving closer to Tony as he steps along the edge of the tub. When he finally looks down at him, Gibbs holds out his brush to him.

"Dip that in your pan for me." Tony takes the brush and then sees Gibbs grin, realizing the double entendre in his words. Tony just shakes his head and then kneels to reload the brush with paint. When he hands it back to Gibbs his tone is quieter, more serious. "Would of asked you to join us... but didn't know how Kate felt about it. Been a while since I've done that sort of thing... since Diane."

"Kate... she was pretty into you at the time. Doubt she would have appreciated it... pretty sure she would have shot me if she'd known."

"She knows. Told her about it later." Gibbs continues to paint, but notices the roller has become stationary again. He motions towards the wall and Tony's arm moves up and down again, but his mind is spinning with this new information.

"WHAT? She knows?! You told her?!"

"Well, yeah, Tony." Gibbs jumps down from the tub and goes to reload his brush before moving to Tony's other side to work on that wall's trim.

"Did she ask you to pummel me? No... she'd enjoy doing that herself... and she hasn't... so that means..."

"She wasn't angry. A little surprised at first. She's more upset because you're avoiding her so much. Thought you were mad at her for springing that whole 'surprise dinner' on you."

"So, she's not angry?" Gibbs shakes his head. "She doesn't think I'm some kind of pervert?"

"Nope." Gibbs finishes up the trim in this room and drops his brush into the mostly empty paint can.

"She doesn't hate me?" The baffled look on Tony's face gives away his true inner turmoil.

"Tony, the only thing Kate hated was all your frat boy pranks, the invasion of her privacy and lack of respect. Why do you think she refused to let me step in for so long?"

"Don't know... didn't know she was the one holding you back. Thought you just didn't know what was going on... Aagghh!" He doesn't see the head slap coming until it is too late.

"I see everything, DiNozzo... and I wanted to drop kick you a long time ago. You're lucky Kate likes you... now, come on. Got the closet to do and we're done."