A/N: Thanks for your reviews! :)

Fake Glasses

Slightly irritated, Gibbs pushed the button that would end his phone call. He was standing in the elevator and continued to stare at his cell phone for a few moments trying to figure out whether it was more infuriating that instead of having to talk to DiNozzo he had had to endure his overenthusiastic manager and his far too shrill voice or that the actor himself couldn't even bother to talk to him directly. Gibbs sighed and then flicked the switch to get the elevator moving again. It didn't matter anyway. They'd meet up at Gibbs' favorite diner in the afternoon. It couldn't come fast enough. Gibbs was done with the case and he was done with DiNozzo. He hadn't told anyone about his involvement in the case, though, not even Abby. He had wanted to at first, but then figured that DiNozzo probably wouldn't want to have his name all over the agency. For a second, Gibbs wondered why he even cared but then decided it didn't matter. He was overthinking this.

#

"Where are you going, Gibbs?" Kate asked a couple of hours later.

They had mostly been writing reports and Gibbs guessed that she was bored and wanted to tag along. He casted a quick glance at McGee who had looked up at Kate's words but wasn't exactly looking at him. Despite himself, Gibbs grinned. The probie was still too insecure to look him in the eye. He was getting more confident, but he still had a long way to go. Kate on the other hand…

"Just going to take a statement. Should be back in an hour."

"I thought the case is closed?" Kate checked back, already halfway out of her chair.

"It is. Just want to be thorough. There's no need to come with me."

"But…" Kate tried again but Gibbs cut her off.

"You think I can't talk to a witness by myself, Agent Todd?" he said, raising an eyebrow at her.

It worked. She sat down again, sighing loudly.

"Didn't think so," he just said and then walked away towards the elevators, idly wondering why everyone was so annoying today. More than usual.

#

Half an hour later Gibbs checked his watch for the tenth time. Of course, DiNozzo was late. He took a sip from his coffee that was already turning a bit cold and then looked around. There were only two other guests in the diner, an elderly couple that Gibbs had seen a couple of times before, and two waitresses who were talking to each other in hushed voices. The place was perfect for a meeting with someone famous. Here they could be sure that nobody would recognize him and cause a crowd. That was, of course, if he would ever show up.

At that moment a man walked into the diner but once more it wasn't DiNozzo. This one was wearing a dirty old basecap, jeans, a comfy and worn looking sweatshirt and black-rimmed glasses. Gibbs watched him as the guy looked around for a moment and then fixed his glance on Gibbs. He smiled a little and it was only then that Gibbs realized that it was not a stranger but in fact DiNozzo walking towards him. Damn, he had disguised himself really well. Was probably used to it, too.

"Hello, Agent Gibbs," he said as he sat down.

"You're late."

"I know, I'm sorry. My manager," he spoke the word as if it was something dreadful, "refused to let me go earlier. I would've called but then I realized I didn't have your number."

Gibbs just nodded and then got out a piece of paper and a pen to get started with the statement.

"Ah, old-fashioned, I see," DiNozzo grinned ever so slightly. "I like that. Like in the old movies."

Gibbs didn't dignify that with an answer as he watched the waitress fill a cup with coffee and set it in front of DiNozzo. She then refilled Gibbs' cup, too, all the while never paying attention to who she was serving.

"Anyway," DiNozzo started over as he apparently realized that Gibbs wasn't in a particular chatty mood. "How are we playing this? You're not seriously going to take my statement as it really occurred, right?"

"No," Gibbs shook his head and sighed.

He had thought it over and over but there was no way he could write down the truth. If he did, he'd face an investigation on why he hadn't arrested the man in front of him and that would lead to a couple of other questions that Gibbs wasn't particular keen on answering.

"So, what do I say, then?" DiNozzo asked as he took a sip from the coffee, screwing up his face. He then proceeded to put sugar in it. Lots and lots of sugar.

"You sure, it's sweet enough now?" Gibbs couldn't help but ask as the other man drank again.

"Yep. Perfect," the actor grinned. "I usually have this awesome hazelnut creamer but I don't think this place has anything like that."

He hadn't said it in a derogating way, had probably not even meant it in a bad way, but still Gibbs felt anger bubble up inside of him.

"Place not good enough for you?"

"No!" the other man replied vehemently. "I love it here! You should see the places people take me because they think I like to be surrounded by fancy furniture and even fancier people. Truth be told, I'd rather hang out here than anyplace else. This is nice. Slow. Haven't had that in a while."

"Alright then," Gibbs replied, trying to keep the smile from his face. "Here's what I was thinking. You were on your coffee run when the perp came running towards you."

"That's what happened," DiNozzo replied, grinning at him. "Then what?"

"Perp sees you, thinks you're actually an FBI-agent and just stops running."

"Then, Enter: Gibbs," DiNozzo finished the story, nodding. "Would this work?"

"Yeah."

"Will my name be released in court?"

Gibbs scrutinized the other man's expression for a moment trying to figure out if he wanted it to happen (great publicity after all) or if he wanted to keep his involvement secret. Gibbs finally settled on the latter.

"Not if you don't want it to."

"I'd like that."

"Alright then."

There were a few moments of silence between them and while Gibbs had been dreading this meeting, he realized that the guy wasn't as annoying as he thought he would be. He looked at him for a few seconds noticing that he liked him much better dressed like that than in the suit he had worn the day before.

"Why are you helping me anyway?"

"'Cause you were helping me, too. Plus I'd be in trouble for not arresting you."

"So the guy was outrunning you?" DiNozzo quipped and Gibbs had the fleeting desire to hit him upside the head.

"He kind of was," he relented though, giving him a wry smile.

"He was really young," DiNozzo shrugged like it was nothing. "And I could see your knee was bothering you."

"What?" Gibbs all but spluttered. "How did you know?"

"I was a Phys. Ed. major in college before the acting thing just sort of happened. When you've watched guy after guy dropping out because of one injury or another, you kind of keep a wary eye on stuff like that. Saw it when you were walking away yesterday."

Gibbs just nodded, idly wondering if there was more to DiNozzo than what met the eye. Before he could dwell on it for too long, though, the other man gave him an unexpected smile and for reasons unknown he felt compelled to keep talking to him.

"And I'm out of shape, too," he said with a smirk.

"You're not," the younger man gave back. "I'm pretty sure you just need to get back on track."

"What do you mean?"

"You were a marine, right?"

"Yeah."

"Okay," DiNozzo said thoughtfully, looking straight at him. "Don't say anything. I got this figured out. Then you got married and you let yourself go a bit. Is that right?"

Gibbs blinked before he shook his head. "Nope."

"No? Then what did happen?"

Gibbs let out a laugh which he tried to cover up by taking another sip from his coffee before he answered. "Got married three times."

"Impressive," DiNozzo chuckled. "How did that work out for you?"

"You see a ring?" Gibbs asked and wondered why he was telling the guy in the first place.

"Quite well, then," the other man grinned. "Anyway, all you need is a personal trainer."

"Right," he said, snorting. "'Cause I've got the time for that."

Or the money, he added in his thoughts, darkly thinking about how he hadn't been so wrong about DiNozzo after all. Maybe he was a well-off privileged idiot.

"Sure, you do," gave back DiNozzo. "All it takes is an hour every day. Going for a run doesn't cost anything at all. You just need to avoid concrete. That stuff's terrible for your knees."

"And I need a personal trainer for that because…?" Gibbs answered, slightly taken aback at the sincerity in the other man's voice.

He wondered why he couldn't read him properly. It usually was so easy, but the man in front of him kept on changing directions every other second, making it hard for Gibbs to follow. Then he realized that he was sitting across an actor. Of course he could do that to him. It was his job. Despite it all, though, there was something about the guy that Gibbs couldn't quite put a finger on. He'd probably never find out what it was exactly. Internally shrugging, Gibbs fixed his eyes on the other man as he drank again.

"You don't," he was saying now, grinning broadly at him with a raised eyebrow. "I was offering my assistance."

"What?" Gibbs asked, not exactly sure what DiNozzo was zeroing in on.

"I'm asking you," he said very slowly as if he was talking to a mentally stunted child before he smiled at him once more. "If you want to go for a run with me. Some time."

"Why?" Gibbs replied before he could hold himself back, realizing too late that he was being rude even by his own standards.

"Because I'd like to," DiNozzo shrugged and for a moment there was the flicker in his eyes again that Gibbs had noticed the day before but once more it was gone too fast for the older man to understand it.

"Why?" he asked dumbfounded.

What was the guy playing at? Was this his way of saying thank you? His way of telling him he was out of shape? His way of making fun of him? He didn't get it.

"You're not an easy man, are you, Agent Gibbs?" the younger man continued with a fake sigh. "I thought it would be fun to go running with a former marine, that's all. I'm in town for a few more weeks for voice-overs and stuff for the movie and I don't really know anyone here who isn't obsessed with my movies or with me or with being an important member of the oh-so-fancy movie industry."

Gibbs shook his head and snorted again. DiNozzo had said it lightly but it was obvious for the trained investigator that Gibbs was that there was seriousness behind that joking manner. He looked at him for a moment before he nodded once because there really was no harm in going for a run with the guy. If Gibbs kept up a good pace he would even be too occupied to talk.

"Fine," Gibbs said in what he hoped was an irritated way, but it didn't seem to work because there was a big smile greeting him on the other man's face as he looked at him.

"Awesome!" the guy exclaimed as he finished off his coffee. "I've got to go now. I'm already late for my meeting with my manager."

Gibbs just nodded as he took out his wallet and pulled out one of his business cards. He handed it to DiNozzo who took it with another smile that didn't seem all that fake. Still, Gibbs had no idea why he actually wanted the younger man to call him.

"Leroy Jethro?" he laughed out loud, pulling Gibbs out of his thoughts. "Seriously?"

"Nobody calls me that. It's just Gibbs."

"Alright then, Just Gibbs," he smiled again as he got up. "I'll give you a call. And thanks again for… you know… the statement thing."

Gibbs just nodded and then DiNozzo was gone, leaving the older man sitting there, not sure what exactly had just happened.