A/N: Sorry for the longer wait this time. Work's been crazy this week. I was, however, floored by your reviews on the latest chapter. Thank you so much! Hope you'll like the next chapter, too.

Real Troubles

Gibbs stared at the headline, trying to actually take in what it said. It had to be some sort of bad joke because even the press couldn't be that dense. It didn't even make sense. But sure enough, there it was and with a photo to prove it. Or so they thought. It was a picture of Tony being guided out of the car by Gibbs after they had arrested Mandy. The headline read:

Tony DiNozzo arrested for having sex with a prostitute.

Gibbs didn't have a clue why he hadn't noticed the paparazzi when he had taken the photo but he guessed that he was too preoccupied with helping Tony to pay much attention to anything else. He skimmed the article which claimed to know an insider who told them that Tony had already been arrested for the same reason the previous year and that he was most likely to go to court for it this time around. Gibbs knew it was utter bullshit. How the press could get away with it was beyond his imagination. He understood that the yellow press would publish stuff like that but this was the local newspaper – a serious paper. Hadn't anything happened yesterday that was more important than the alleged arrest of one Tony DiNozzo?

It wasn't only that, though. How had the press known where Tony was staying? Gibbs hadn't told anyone and he was pretty sure that Tony hadn't either.

Gibbs let out a sigh before he sipped from his coffee. It was ridiculous. How could Tony live like this? Never once being really alone? Reading the lies day in day out? Gibbs was sure that this kind of story would follow Tony for the rest of his life, even though it wasn't even remotely true. Would the press believe him if he told them the truth? Gibbs wasn't even sure about that.

#

When Tony finally trotted down the stairs about two hours later, Gibbs hadn't really managed to think it through. He had no idea how to handle any of it and he hated every second of it. But he knew that Tony would know what to do. He had probably done it a hundred times before.

"Morning," Tony mumbled, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, mindful of his nose, which Gibbs found adorable.

Adorable? What the hell?

"Morning," he replied, discarding the weird thought.

"What's wrong?" Tony asked apparently having realized that something wasn't quite right.

"There's press right outside the house. Might have taken a couple of pictures of me when I got the paper."

"What?" Tony peeked out the window and then let his chin fall towards his chest. "God damn."

"It's not even the worst thing."

"Huh?"

Gibbs just pushed the paper towards the younger man and then watched him closely to gauge his reaction. His emotions were clearly visible for once, ranging from surprise to anger to devastation.

"These… those fucking…"

"I know," Gibbs tried to calm him down by putting a hand on his arm and Tony did seem indeed to take a couple of deep breaths.

"No, you don't," Tony retorted, though it didn't seem like he was angry at Gibbs. "Just when you think you catch a break, they're coming with another curveball. This is so ridiculous, it doesn't even make sense."

"I know and I'm sure that people know that, too."

"Most of them don't," Tony shrugged. "It's always more exciting to believe a scandal than to see the truth. I've got to call my lawyer because this is something I can't let slide. This is too big."

"Any way I can help?" Gibbs asked.

"I'll probably need some sort of official statement that I was helping with a case. You think that'd be possible?"

"I guess," Gibbs answered slowly. "As long as make sure that it was your free will to help us, I don't know why NCIS couldn't."

"Okay, that'll help. I'll call my lawyer."

"I'll call Morrow," Gibbs picked up his cell phone and then continued as if adding an afterthought. "Hey Tony? I'm sorry."

"Not your fault," Tony sighed. "It's fine."

#

Two hours later, a call from Gibbs to the local police and they had finally managed to have the press removed. Tony had talked to his lawyer over the phone for the majority of the time and it was only the snippets of the conversation that Gibbs had caught here and there that made him feel uncomfortable. Repeatedly Tony had told his lawyer that he was sure that he (and Gibbs had the strong suspicion that that was him) wouldn't have told anyone. Just like he hadn't. Who had, though? It really was an excellent question.

"Hey, I'm sorry for all of this," Tony said as he all but threw himself onto the couch next to Gibbs. "This is so not how I wanted to spend time with you."

"How did you want to spend time with me?" Gibbs asked raising an eyebrow, even though, deep down he knew that he shouldn't have said that. It would just lead to more questions and he wasn't quite sure if he was ready to answer them just yet.

"I don't know," Tony shrugged, one corner of his mouth quirking up. "I liked what we were doing last night before we went to bed, that's for sure."

"Me, too," Gibbs replied before thinking but realized it was worth letting it slip as he saw Tony's face lighting up.

"Did you, now?" Tony asked, grinning. "And you're admitting it, too. Must have been a great kiss."

"It was," Gibbs shrugged.

"Yeah," Tony started and then trailed off as his eyes locked into Gibbs'.

Gibbs knew what was coming and yet he still felt surprised when Tony just leaned in. While the kiss the night before was soft and almost tentative, this one was most definitely fierce. Tony's arm came to a rest on the backrest of the couch while he used the other one to grab Gibbs by the collar of his shirt to draw him closer. Gibbs didn't hesitate this time as he kissed him back thoroughly, bringing his own hands towards Tony's hips. It just felt natural all of a sudden and he wasn't quite sure what he had been afraid of before. He let Tony have control over the kiss and realized that he liked it not being the one to call the shots for once.

It was only when one of Tony's hands snuck under Gibbs' shirt that Gibbs came to his senses again. As hot as the touch was, he wasn't ready for it. He felt himself stiffen up and Tony let go of him soon after, apparently realizing that Gibbs wasn't comfortable anymore.

"What's wrong?" he asked, his eyes searching Gibbs'.

"Nothing," Gibbs shook his head subtly. "Nothing's wrong."

"But you're not comfortable."

It wasn't a question and Gibbs once more wondered how the man just understood him like that. He meant to answer but then realized that he didn't know why he was uncomfortable all of a sudden. Kissing Tony had felt good, had felt right, too, for some reason that Gibbs wasn't entirely convinced he should investigate more closely.

"I…," he finally said. "I like this," he gestured around rather aimlessly between them.

"But you don't want it?"

"No, I think I do," Gibbs replied, furrowing a brow.

"You're just not ready, yet," Tony sat back and then ran a hand over his face. "I get it," he sighed.

"You're mad," Gibbs stated but that just earned him a scowl from the younger man.

"No, I'm not mad. I do get it. It's just… I really like you, okay? Like really, really like you and I don't say that easily to anybody. And I would've been okay with just being friends but you kissed me last night and here I was hoping that you've changed your mind. But maybe I was wrong."

"No," Gibbs all but cried out as he held himself back from touching the other man. He needed to think clearly for this. "You weren't wrong. I couldn't get my head around you. The last couple of months when I didn't see you were easier because I was able to fool myself into believing that we were just friends. But now that I've seen you again, I realized that it wasn't quite that simple. I just… I need more time, I guess."

"Slow steps you mean?" Tony asked, a smile spreading on his face and this time his eyes were lighting up, too.

"I guess, yeah."

"I can do slow," Tony nodded. "I mean, I'm not used to slow, but for you I'll wait."

Gibbs just gave him a tentative smile and for a moment he felt happier than he had in a long time. Something still wasn't quite right, but he didn't let himself think about it at the moment. Maybe it would work out nonetheless. Maybe it was nothing. Maybe it was…

"Hey," Tony raised him from his thoughts, the smile still on his lips. "You call the shots, okay? I'm fine with whatever for now."

Gibbs nodded and wanted to answer as he saw Tony's expression cloud. His glance had traveled towards the window and when Gibbs turned around he could see another photographer outside on the street. The older man got up and quickly drew the curtains, blocking the guy out of view.

"How do you think they know?" he asked then, through gritted teeth.

"I have no clue. Who have you told?" Tony asked, fiddling with the seam of his jeans and suddenly looking nervous.

"Nobody," Gibbs said, slightly taken aback that Tony thought he would have told anybody about it. "I didn't even tell the team."

"Then how do they know? I mean, I certainly haven't told anybody anything… wait," he said, his face suddenly having gone red. "I did tell one person."

"Andy?" Gibbs guessed and when Tony nodded, he knew that he had been right. Still it didn't make much sense. The guy wasn't even in the same state at the moment.

"But he wouldn't tell anybody," Tony replied slowly, but it didn't sound like he was convinced himself. "Come to think about it," he then continued more quickly as if he'd just connected the dots in his mind. "It's been a couple of times that he's been the only one to know where I was and the vultures still found me. I mean… that evening we were out on a run? He knew where we were… and he's been the only one to know that I helped you guys, too."

"You think he snitched on you?"

"I don't know," Tony shook his head. "It never crossed my mind before but now that I think of it, it makes so much sense. Maybe I just didn't want to see it."

"What are you going to do?"

"Call him," Tony shrugged. "And confront him."

"I hope you're going to fire him," Gibbs replied, suddenly feeling angry himself. "I mean the guy probably cost you lots and lots of alone-time. That's not acceptable."

"I don't think I can," Tony mumbled, averting his glance.

"Why not?"

"He knows too much. Knows I'm gay. He'll rat me out if I fire him."