Chapter 3

Tony cursed himself for a fool that night after he went home, replaying the conversation over and over. She kept saying 'can't.' He wondered why not. She wasn't ready? He'd never had the impression her so-called banter about his one night stands was a joke. She seemed to really think he was immature. Maybe she just didn't believe him? That was possible, he supposed. He huffed in frustration. He could still feel her body against his from earlier and for a moment he regretted not taking what she had to offer. He felt colder now where she'd laid against him. He thought about pouring himself a drink but decided he'd had enough wine earlier. He sat on his couch, his head back staring at the ceiling as the evening; well, week really, playing out in his mind. Maybe he should've asked Gibbs what had happened between him and the Director. Maybe if he'd known, he could've done something to preempt what had happened between him and Ziva. He remembered Gibbs asking if he wanted his opinion. Maybe he should've let the man speak. He wondered if it would've made any difference. Of course, at the time, he hadn't wanted Gibbs' opinion out of fear that Gibbs would tell him he was stupid and he hadn't wanted to hear it.

He sighed. He knew it was too late but now, he felt an overwhelming need to know what Gibbs had wanted to say. He changed out of his date clothes and put jeans and a sweatshirt on and drove to Gibbs'.

He found the man in his basement, as usual. Gibbs looked up when Tony appeared at the top of the stairs, clearly not expecting the man. Gibbs looked at his watch and opened his mouth to speak but Tony beat him to it.

"Tell me what you were going to say when you asked if I wanted your opinion," Tony said without preamble.

Gibbs looked at him a moment, obviously trying to get a read on him. When he wasn't successful, he shrugged. "Does it matter?"

"Yeah, it actually does."

"Come on." Gibbs slapped sawdust off his jeans and headed upstairs. Tony was curious but followed him to the living room. "Sit." He pointed to the couch.

Tony's eyes went wide. This was uncharacteristic. For a moment, Tony thought Gibbs was going to get out the good bourbon but instead Gibbs just sat down next to him and turned toward him.

"Why does it matter now?"

"Just tell me, Gibbs." Tony tried to keep the impatience out of his voice but failed.

Gibbs sighed. "You ever hear the expression, 'Chase her until she catches you'?"

Tony frowned but nodded.

"That's what Ziva was doing to you. She was letting you chase her, driving you crazy until she caught you. Once she caught you, she'd lose interest and let you go."

Tony's frown turned to a scowl. "You do realize this is Ziva we're talking about, right? Your new favorite?"

Gibbs rolled his eyes. "What happened?"

Tony huffed, too drained for sarcasm. "Exactly what you said," he admitted, his voice sounding hollow even to himself.

"If you'd known that before you asked her out, would it have made a difference?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

"No, it wouldn't. You were going to see this through no matter what anyone else said. You had to find out the hard way."

Tony rubbed both hands down his face. "I don't know if listening to you would've worked. But you were right."

Gibbs nodded. "At least you found out now before you got in too deep."

Tony snorted. "That's what I said to Ziva before I left."

"You didn't sleep with her?"

Tony looked over at Gibbs like he was nuts. "After that humiliation? No way!"

Gibbs frowned. "What happened?"

"She laughed when I told her I wanted a relationship. She thought I was joking." Tony sighed. "That's on me, I guess, played the dumb frat boy too well."

Gibbs frowned. "If she's not smart enough to see through your BS, she doesn't deserve you anyway."

"My BS?"

"I know how much you work. You don't have time for all the one night stands you brag about."

Tony snorted. "Should've known that didn't get past you."

"You need a woman who sees through your crap and calls you on it. Ziva can't even see through her own crap." Gibbs turned a half-glare on Tony. "And she's not my favorite."

"Yeah, I know. Abby is."

Gibbs cuffed him in the back of the head though lighter than usual. "You, DiNozzo, though if you tell anyone I said that, Abby will get bumped up."

Tony smiled, warmth flooding his veins. "Gotcha, Boss." He was quiet for a minute. "I should've known it wasn't going to work out," Tony said softly, pain flitting across his face.

"You did but loneliness drives people to do things even when they know better."

Tony frowned. "How'd you know I was lonely?"

"Men who work as much as we do are lonely, otherwise they wouldn't do it."

Tony gave him a look. "You really are a bastard, Boss."

"Not news, DiNozzo." Gibbs was quiet a moment, then turned back to Tony, his eyes narrowed and his mouth set in a grim, straight line. "She really laughed?"

Pain soured Tony's face. "Yeah, but she stopped when she realized I wasn't joking. Said she couldn't do this."

"Bitch," Gibbs muttered, reaching over squeezed Tony's shoulder and walked to the kitchen and returned with two tumblers and the bottle of the good bourbon. He poured a drink for each of them.

Tony accepted the drink and after clinking glasses in a toast, down them. Tony sighed and set his glass down. "I should've listened to you."

Gibbs shrugged. "You had to know if there was something more than sex there."

"I should've just gone for sex."

"You would've regretted it."

Tony huffed. "Yeah, probably."

"Don't give up. The right woman is out there."

"Yeah, right."

Gibbs cuffed Tony in the back of the head.

"Thanks, Boss. I needed that."

Gibbs snorted and poured them each another drink.