After watching DiNozzo's car vanish into the night, Gibbs roused Ziva and McGee one by one and sent them home. They both showed preliminary signs of protest at this request until they, somewhat belatedly, noticed their teammate had also left the building. Quietly, they gathered their bags and coats, mumbled their goodnights, and disappeared into the elevator.
Finally, Gibbs let out a long and weighted sigh. 'DiNozzo,' he began mumbling to himself. 'What am I going to do about you?'
While he had tried to ignore it for weeks, to give his agent some privacy, there was no denying that something was wrong. The way DiNozzo had been nervous for weeks, unable to look him in the eye and fiddling with his hair was one thing, but the way Gibbs knew the stress of the past week would affect him was another.
To ignore it, and demonstrate a wealth of trust in the man who had earned it from him time and time again; or to act on it, and perhaps belittle the agent, encroach on his private life and invade his privacy… Yet possibly save him from something far worse.
Feeling no better after what was at least thirty minutes of silent musings in the empty bullpen, Gibbs collected his few possessions, rode the elevator down to the basement car park, entered the Challenger, and began his route home.
But he couldn't drive in peace, he couldn't put the thoughts at rest, and the whole drive was consumed by doubt. To check on him or to leave him. Over and over again he weighed up the pros and cons, trying to convince himself first that he was imagining everything, and then that something was seriously wrong.
When he finally reached the highway the decision was simplified. Left for home, right for DiNozzo. Approaching the red light slower than any member of his team could vouch for in the history of Gibbs' driving, he hovered between the two lanes while racking his brain. Suddenly, he jerked into the left, and prepared himself for the journey home.
But as he sat before the glistening red lights, his mind would not be put to rest. Something about the way Tony had picked at his hands, unable to look him in the eye, was oddly familiar.
As soon as the light changed to green, he hit the accelerator hard and swerved into the right lane. Met with a chorus of horns and shouts, he waved absently to the driver who had so kindly 'let him in,' and set off down the highway for DiNozzo's apartment.
Now it came down to the facts. Gibbs had sent Ziva and McGee home no more than ten minutes after DiNozzo left the navy yard, and then spent thirty minutes at his desk before leaving the bullpen. Providing DiNozzo's apartment was the senior field agent's first stop of the night, he should have been there for at least half an hour by now, allowing him sufficient time to get started on the so called 'things' he had in mind.
His gut churned. His foot hit the gas. Instinct had kicked in.
After a retreat to his usual style of driving, Gibbs had pulled up in front of DiNozzo's building within five minutes. Fumbling with the keys in his pocket, he pulled out the spare DiNozzo had given him for emergencies and unlocked the building's security door without second thought. Rushing up the stairs, he swung around the corner to DiNozzo's apartment ready to give his front door the same treatment, stopping himself only just before turning the key.
He froze. There was no concrete evidence that anything was actually wrong with DiNozzo. What if 'things to do' was code for having a woman over, and the picking at his nails was an accidental display of nervousness for the night that lay ahead?
Withdrawing the key from the lock as quietly as he could, Gibbs schooled his expression from panic to calm and knocked rapidly on the door. With an ear pressed against the cool wood, he listened closely for any signs of movement inside the apartment.
Ten seconds passed. Twenty seconds. Thirty. Knock knock knock. A minute.
He took the key from his hand and thrust it into the lock once more, this time showing no hesitation before turning the door and striding into the room.
But there was no preparing for what he saw next.
'Tony - ' Gibbs started.
'Oh. Hey, Boss,' he slurred.
DiNozzo swayed on the spot in front of him, giving Gibbs only seconds to shuffle forwards and catch the senior field agent in his arms before he collapsed to the floor.
A/N: As always, thanks so much for reading this. I would love to hear your thoughts, so please feel free to leave a review. Next instalment coming soon!