Title: The Favor
Chapter 9
SLASH/MATURE: Don't like, Don't read
Summary: A favor for a friend forces Gibbs to face something he's been denying for decades. Will giving in get him everything he's ever wanted or will he lose everything all over again.
Hate that I was away for so long but a family illness needed my full attention, but now everything is good. I'm trying to get back to a regular writing schedule so we will see how it goes. Enjoy.
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Walking out of the bathroom, Gibbs pulled on his t-shirt and looked over at the bed. Tony was sitting there staring at his phone. "Call her."
Tony glanced up and nodded.
"What's the problem?" Gibbs walked over and sat down next to Tony.
"She's going to have questions…and I don't want to have that conversation over the phone."
"Then we go there."
Tony groaned and fell back on the bed.
Gibbs sighed. "And going home also means dealing with Ziva
"I'm not ready for that." When Tony didn't get any response from Gibbs he glanced over at him. "No comment?"
Gibbs shrugged.
Running his hands over his face Tony let out a long breath. "Tali, her happiness is always my top priority…and her happiness includes Ziva whether I like it or not."
Gibbs patted Tony's knee. "I'll get my stuff packed." Getting up he started to grab his clothes.
"That's it just I'll get my stuff and we're going?"
Shoving his clothes in his bag, Gibbs turned around and shrugged. "What do you want me to say?"
"Whatever the hell you want to say?" Tony snapped.
"You don't want to hear what I have to say." Gibbs saw Tony's eyes narrowed. "You didn't want to hear earlier and you don't wanna hear now."
"You're right I don't." Tony shot up. "Because I don't want to hear you take her side."
Gibbs rolled his eyes. "Really? We're going back to that."
"Yes, because I know what you're going to say." Tony paused and used his best Gibbs voice. "You have to take Ziva and her feelings into consideration, she's Tali's mother, Tali loves her, they've finally rebuilt their relationship, it's important for the two of you to be on the same page for Tali's sake." Tony rolled his eyes.
Gibbs shook his head. "Glad you know what I'm thinking." Turning away, he zipped up his duffle bag.
Tony grabbed Gibbs arm spinning the older man towards him. "Are you going to tell me that's not what you're thinking?"
"Not even close." Gibbs' eyes narrowed and his head cocked slightly. "I'll say this one more time. I never chose sides and whatever the hell issues you two have, are between the two of you." He took a step into Tony's personal space. "But whatever you need from me, anything I can do to help you through it. Whether it's someone to listen, someone to scream at, someone to hold you, or someone to just stay the hell out of your way, I will always be there. No matter what." Gibbs stumbled backwards as Tony grabbed his shirt by the middle of the chest and crushed their lips together. Instinctively, Gibbs arm wrapped around the younger man as he felt the hands caress up his chest and grab a hold of his face.
Tony's lips left Gibbs and he pressed their foreheads together. "I'm sorry." Tony's lips brushed against Gibbs again. "It's just, I'm so, I-"
"I know." Gibbs tugged Tony tighter against him.
"You more than anyone know exactly how screwed up I am." Tony shook his head. "And old habits die hard."
"I'm not going anywhere." Gibbs smirked. "We'll fight it out and then-"
"Make up." Tony laughed. "I love you."
"Love you too." Gibbs gave Tony a quick kiss. "Let's go home."
"Like the sound of that." Tony smiled.
Glancing at her watch, Ziva smiled at her daughter. "Are you ready to head next door?"
"I just need to go grab my book. It's in my bag in the bedroom."
"Grab that and I'll finish cleaning up." Ziva started to put the dishes away as Tali took off to her room. Putting the empty pizza box in the trash, her brow furrowed as she heard the door opening.
"DAD!"
Ziva heard her daughter cry out from the other room. Making her way into the living room, Ziva saw Tali wrapped in her fathers arms. Her eyes then glanced just behind Tony at the silver haired man standing behind him. She smiled as the steel blue eyes met hers.
As Tony finally let go of Tali, she looked up at him, her head cocked. "Why are you home?"
Tony looked back at her with almost the same expression on his face. "Really?"
"You and Gibbs are supposed to be making up." SHe glanced back at Gibbs who took a slight step forward to stand beside Tony.
"We're good." Gibbs gave her a chin nod.
"I know, but you are still supposed to take time together." Tali looked at him with the same skeptical gaze.
"We did." Tony chimed in. "And I missed you."
"How did you know?" Gibbs' eyes narrowed.
"Mom talked to Uncle Tim."
"Someone had a pool didn't they?" Tony turned to Ziva.
"They said there was no pool." Ziva shrugged. "Tim was just surprised."
Gibbs smirked.
"Tim has a certain perception of you and-"
"Yeah, I get it." Gibbs chuckled.
"He is happy for you, as is everyone." Ziva's eyebrow went up. "Although I am not sure how Jack is going to take the news."
Gibbs rolled his eyes and Tony slowly turned and looked at him.
"You know damn well how she's going to take the news." Gibbs snapped at Tony.
Tony tried to bite back a laugh.
"Did you know about Tibbs?" Tali asked her father.
"No."
She looked at Gibbs. "You did."
He just nodded.
"I didn't realize you two were the OTP of NCIS." Tali grinned and saw her father's brow furrow.
"One True Pairing." Rang up from Ziva, Gibbs, and Tali.
Tony spun towards Gibbs. "How do you know that?"
Gibbs just rolled his eyes.
"Seriously?" Tony stared at Gibbs. "You reading fan fiction now in your spare time?"
Gibbs just shrugged.
"You could have come home tomorrow morning." Tali glanced back and forth between her father and Gibbs.
Tony's eyebrow went up as he looked at Tali.
"Right, you two are good." She bit back a grin.
"Plus we need to talk." Tony took a deep breath and blew it out. "Face to face and right away."
"I will leave you to talk." Ziva went to head towards the door.
"No, this involves you, you should stay."
Ziva paused and turned to Tony. "I think it is best of the three of you talk and then-"
"Ziva, stay."
Ziva opened her mouth then stopped for a moment. "I need to speak to you in the kitchen."
Tony's brow furrowed, confused by Ziva's reaction to him wanting her to be involved in the conversation.
"Please." She added.
Nodding, Tony glanced over at Gibbs then followed as Ziva made her way into the kitchen.
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"She's worried." Tali looked at Gibbs. "Even though she pretends she's not." She dropped down on the chair by the couch.
"Yeah." Gibbs sat down on the end of the couch closest to Tali. "You know we wouldn't make any decision without talking to you."
"I know." She sighed. "But you're also going to do what's best for everyone, not just do what I want."
Gibbs leaned forward elbows on his knees knowing she had more to say or a question to ask. His blue eyes met her questioning brown.
"Do you want us to move to Alaska?"
"I think that's something your dad-"
"I'm not asking dad, I'm asking you." She held his gaze. "Everyone says Alaska was healing for you, you found peace there, seems like you would want to stay there."
Gibbs took a deep breath realizing she needed his honest answer. "No, I don't want us to move to Alaska." He searched her eyes as he answered looking for relief, surprise, but all he saw was understanding. "You already knew that." It wasn't a question, just a statement of fact after seeing her lack of reaction.
"You never called Alaska home." She gave the explanation without him asking.
"And your gut?"
She nodded.
"Trust your gut, your instincts are good." Gibbs patted her knee. "And you have an investigator's ear. You listen and pay attention to the words people use, that's important…for everyday life."
She smiled at the compliment. "Maybe a lawyer."
He chuckled.
"I know how you feel about lawyers." She grinned.
"Yeah, well."
"So will Paris feel like home for you?" Even if he wanted to live here, it didn't mean it would feel like home.
"Where ever your dad and you are is home."
"That's so romantic. You need to tell dad that."
"Already have."
"You're a softy inside." Tali grinned.
"When it comes to your dad…I am."
"You've loved him a long time."
"Yeah." Gibbs couldn't remember not loving Tony.
"We need to have a wedding." She bounced with excitement. "I bet everyone would come! We could have it at one of the parks or the cathedrals, or a museum."
"A wedding." The surprise was evident in Gibbs' voice.
"You and dad." She looked at him shocked by his surprise. "You two have already wasted too much time. You've been in love with each other for decades, you should have been married by now." She saw the surprised look still stuck on Gibbs face. "Do you not want to get married…again?"
His eyes narrowed.
She rolled her eyes. "I know about your ex's. But this is different." She cocked her head. "Don't you want to marry dad?"
His mouth opened as if to respond, but then it closed again.
"Gibbs?" She was still waiting for an answer.
"We haven't talked about it." He saw her staring intently into his eyes. "What?"
"Do you really think he'd say no." She shook her head seeing in his eyes the concern. Standing up, she walked over and stood before him.
Gibbs' eyes went wide when he felt the hand smack the back of his head and she gave him a stern look.
"Listen to your gut." She said in her best Gibbs voice.
"I thought you would be thrilled to be involved in this conversation." Tony spoke as soon as they were in the kitchen. "That I'm taking you into consideration in all this."
"I appreciate that, I do." Ziva sighed. "But I also do not want Tali to think that we are going back on what we told her."
Tony looked at Ziva knowing exactly what she was talking about.
"We told her that us living across the hall from each other wouldn't always be an option."
"I know." He leaned back against the counter.
"I just think it would be best if you and Gibbs spoke to her about whatever you want to do without me at first."
Tony nodded. "We know what we want to do, but we can't make any decisions until we talk to Tali… and you."
Ziva bit back a smile.
"What?" Tony's brow furrowed.
"Gibbs has already softened you towards me."
He rolled his eyes. "It's not Gibbs. I do appreciate what you've done these last few days with everything-" He stopped when she folded her arms across her chest and looked at him. "Fine, some of it was Gibbs."
She laughed.
"Ziva." He reached out and took her hand squeezing it in his. She looked at him surprised. "Really, thank you for everything."
Nodding, she smiled.
"We're staying in Paris." He watched as she swallowed hard then ran her hands through her hair. She took a deep breath and nodded. Tony cocked his head and looked at her surprised. "I really thought you knew he wouldn't want to go to Alaska?"
"Part of me knew Alaska wasn't home for him-"
"But?" Tony's eyebrow went up.
"There is always the possibility I was wrong."
"And Tali would be living 3000 miles away."
Ziva nodded.
Again he squeezed Ziva's hand. "I will always make decisions based on what is best for Tali, but understand that may not always be what is best for you." His green eyes locked on brown. "But I would never keep Tali from you, even if we were 10000 miles apart. I would do whatever was necessary to make sure you always had time with your daughter."
Fighting back the tears, she stepped forward and hugged him tightly. Moved not just by the words, but how their relationship was yet again changing and evolving.
He wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly. "I know this doesn't solve all our problems, but we'll get there. I promise to make the effort this time."
She stepped back, clearing her throat to keep the tears at bay. "I know you will."
"I will." He smiled at her. "But there are going to be some changes."
"I knew there would be."
"We will talk to Tali tonight and then we will all talk tomorrow."
Ziva nodded.
"Plus I need your help with Gibbs."
Her head went back confused as to what he could need her help with.
Running his hands down his face he groaned. "He's going to want to give Tali whatever she wants."
Laughing, Ziva shook her head.
"I'm serious! He was talking about a house with chicken, goats, horses, and God knows what else." Tony groaned.
When Tony and Ziva walked out into the living room, they both stopped when they saw Gibbs and Tali on the couch staring at each other as if locked in a battle of don't blink. Sensing them there he looked over at them.
Seeing Gibbs attention pulled elsewhere Tali followed his gaze.
"Everything okay?" Tony asked, looking back and forth between Gibbs and Tali.
"Gibbs was teaching me a tactical breathing technique to help me trust my gut more."
"Seriously?" Tony looked at Gibbs.
"What?" Gibbs scoffed. "Why didn't you teach her?"
"Because she's a little girl not a marine or an agent."
"I'm not a little girl." Tali chimed in, stopping when her dad and mom both glared at her.
"Still a useful tool." Gibbs added.
Ziva laughed.
Gibbs glared over at her. "Why didn't you teach her?"
The laughter instantly stopped. "I was, I did not-"
"Right. Did you two completely forget everything you learned as agents, tools that are useful even if you aren't an agent?"
Tony and Ziva looked at each other neither sure of what to say as they looked back at Gibbs.
Tali laughed, falling back against Gibbs. Gibbs kissed the top of her head.
Tony looked sideways at Ziva and whispered. "I told you we are going to end up with a stable full of horses and a library the size of a small country."
"I am going to leave so you can talk." Ziva quickly said.
"Yeah, run away, thanks a lot." Tony snapped.
"You're not staying." Tali jumped up heading to her mother.
"We will all talk tomorrow." Ziva hugged her daughter.
"I thought I was going to stay with you tonight?" She looked at her mom then her father.
"After we talk, if you want to go to your mom's, you can."
"Okay, but I already know we're not moving to Alaska."
"Oh you do, do you." Tony glared over at Gibbs.
"Don't be mad at Gibbs." Tali took her dads hand. "I made him tell me."
Gibbs sighed. "She asked out of concern and I gave her an honest answer."
"See, this is what we are going to have to deal with now." Tony threw up his hands looking at Ziva. "I told you chickens, goats, horses, country size libraries!"
Ziva and Gibbs laughed understanding the reference, but Tali stood there looking confused.
"What are you talking about?" Tali asked, waiting for someone to explain.
Tony ran his hands down his face. "Can we please just sit down and talk about this. I really need some sleep."
"Okay." Tali squeezed her dads hand.
He took a deep breath and looked at her.
"Dad, it's okay, I know there are going to be changes." She smiled. "I'm okay with that."
Hugging her, he held her tightly. "It's still important to talk."
"Let's talk." She said as she pulled away from him and sat down in the chair by the couch.
Ziva quietly slipped out the door to the safety of her own apartment.
Tony dropped down on the couch next to Gibbs and ran his hands through his hair. "Sorry I'm a little wound up after the day we've had."
Gibbs' hand gently squeezed Tony's knee.
"And you two are way to calm." Tony groaned again. This was how it was going to be. Him always being the manic one while Gibbs and Tali shared this quiet calm they both had.
"Oh just wait till the first time she's mad at me." Gibbs smirked at Tony. "And you have to deal with the two of us." Gibbs lips touched Tony's cheek and the younger man's eyes closed as his hand touched Gibbs cheek.
Gibbs drew back and the green eyes opened and smiled at him.
"You two are so cute." Tali smiled. "I totally get the Tibbs, you are the OTP."
"Alright can we please stop with the Tibbs and ITP or whatever the heck it is." Tony rolled his eyes.
Gibbs smirked and bit back a chuckle.
"And you." Tony pointed at Gibbs. "Don't encourage her."
"Right." Gibbs nodded, clearing her throat.
"And you." Tony focused on Tali and pointed his finger at her. "The first time you ask me for something and I say no, then you run to Gibbs and ask him. You are grounded for a month."
"A month!" Tali was about to continue when her father spoke.
"Wanna go for two." Tony watched her close her mouth. "You are not five, you know better than to play one parent against another." Again he turned to Gibbs. "And the first time you give in to her when I've said no, you don't get-" Tony caught himself not saying the word "You know what you don't get for a month."
Tali had to laugh.
Gibbs nodded then mumbled under his breath. "Like you could hold out a month."
Tony's mouth fell open then his eyes narrowed in that dad glare. "Oh do you really wanna test me right now?"
"You say no it's the end of it." Gibbs put his hands up.
"Good, now." He took a deep breath and let it out. "We are staying in the apartment, for now."
Tali pulled her legs up in the chair and focused on her dad.
"But we think a bigger apartment would be better for us…or maybe a house." He watched Tali's eyes go wide.
"That was what you meant!"
Tony saw the excitement build in her eyes.
"We could have a house with room for chickens, goats..horses…a library!"
"Depending on what we all decide would work." Tony leaned forward, elbows on knees. "A house means living outside Paris…" He saw the excitement fade slightly as he knew she thought of the other thing it meant. "And living further from your mom."
"Right."
"So there is a lot to consider." Tony watched as the wheels started turning in her head looking at all the pros and cons of different situations.
"A move is going to take awhile though." Gibbs spoke. "I have to take care of my place in Alaska, plus just take some time for the three of us to settle in."
"There's a lot we have to decide as a family." Tony added. "And that includes your mom."
"Mom wants you to be happy, just like I do."
"I know. I want all of us to be happy."
Tali smiled, that tender honest smile that reminded Tony of Ziva. "I am happy."
Tony smiled. "So am I."
They both turned to Gibbs.
"Happy." Gibbs nodded.
Tony and Tali both rolled their eyes.
"That was an underwhelming happy from Gibbs." Tony shook his head.
Gibbs sighed and took Tony's hand again holding it tightly in his. "You, us, building a life with Tali." He glanced over at her. "Has made me happier than I've been since Shannon."
Leaning forward Tony's lips brushed against Gibbs, then their foreheads touched. "God I love you."
Gibbs smiled, a smile of true contentment, happiness and love.
"Seriously, a total squee moment for Tibbs." Tali couldn't help herself.
Tony groaned as Gibbs kissed his forehead and laughed.
"Hey, you were all excited about the Tibbs." Gibbs leaned back on the couch letting go of Tony's hand.
"Not any more." Tony rubbed his forehead. "Tomorrow we'll talk to your mom about everything. Although she already knows we are staying in Paris."
"When do you have to go back to Alaska?" Tali asked.
"That's something we are trying to decide." Gibbs looked at Tony for the okay to discuss it. Tony nodded, "I was hoping you and your dad would come with me. We could pack up plus do some fishing, sightseeing, whatever you want."
"Really can we?" Her eyes were wide as she looked at her dad.
"If you want."
"Of course I want to! How long are we going?"
"Couple of weeks."
"Is it getting warm there now? Do I need boots? What tribe is native where you are at? I need to go do some research, can we go to-" She stopped when her dad rubbed his forehead. "Right plenty of time for all that."
Gibbs jumped in, seeing the toll of the day starting to truly wear on Tony. "You're okay with everything?" His blue eyes locked on Tali's deep brown wanting to see and hear the truth.
"Absolutely!" Tali jumped from the chair and threw herself at Gibbs, hugging him tightly around the neck.
Wrapping his arms around her, he glanced over at Tony who smiled happily.
She pulled back. "Tomorrow I'll sit down and work on some lists of pros and cons of a house versus an apartment from my point of view."
Gibbs brow furrowed slightly. "Okay."
"Then you and dad should sit down and do the same from your point of view." Tali stepped back but waited for a response.
"Good idea." Gibbs agreed. "I'll make sure your dad and I work on that."
Again, she threw her arms around him. "I'm so happy for all of us." She quickly let go of Gibbs and hugged her father. He quickly wrapped his arms around his daughter and hugged her tightly.
"I love you yagar." Tony spoke the Hebrew word for precious something he had called her since she was little.
"I love you Abba." She kissed his cheek and pulled back to look at him.
Tony shook his head. "Stop growing up so fast."
She rolled her eyes and they both heard Gibbs chuckled.
"Yeah, she has the DiNozzo eye roll down pat."
"Yes, she does."
"I'm gonna stay over at mom's so you two can have some more make up time."
"We don't need-" He stopped when she pointed her finger at him with a stern glare. It was her listen to me because I love and care about glare. A glare that in time he was sure would rival Gibbs. He kissed her forehead. "Try and get some sleep and tomorrow you stay here." He paused as her finger drifted down and the glare softened. "Got it."
She nodded then chewed at her bottom lip. "About mom?"
"You can tell your mom whatever you want. You never have to ask."
"Thanks dad." She kissed his cheek then quickly kissed Gibbs cheek. "I'll see you in the morning." Then she was up and out the door.
Tony flopped back on the couch.
"What do you need? Coffee, chocolate, bourbon, pizza?"
Tony turned his head to the side and looked at Gibbs, slowly a soft loving smile spread over his lips. Standing up, he held out his hand and Gibbs quickly took his hand. "I need to fall asleep wrapped in your arms."
"Whatever you need." Gibbs stood up and Tony led him towards the bedroom. When they crossed the threshold into the room Tony stopped and stepped into Gibbs person space.
"As much as I want you right now, I really need some sleep. This has just been a day-"
"Sleep is what we both need." Gibbs pulled their joined hands to his lips and kissed the back of Tony's hand..
Tony nodded as his lips brushed against Gibbs. "And I would never withhold sex to punish you."
"Good to know."
"Plus…" Tony's fingertip traced a path down Gibbs jawline. "There are so many amazing sexual punishments I'd prefer to use on you." He watched as Gibbs' Adams apple bobbed up and down then turned around and walked into the bathroom.
Gibbs rubbed his hand over his mouth as countless fantasies raced through his mind with new ones quickly taking shape.