157A/N: Okay soooo, here is chapter number 16, and I have to tell you something about it... see, this chapter is the last one of this fic. Yep, I finally decided to end this because there was no where I could go without cutting this here, buuuuut I think I probably should tell you there is going to be a sequel to tie up any and all loose ends. Thank you to everyone who read, reviewed, put this to their favorites list and to my lovely beta Finlaure who made this fic that much better and thank you to Donttouch who is the reason this fic even exists. For you all who have put this fic on alert, I will add an authors note to this fic once I post the first chap of the sequel so if you wish to read that too, you'll know immediately when it's up :)
"Gibbs, living room, NOW!" Abby demanded once she recovered from the shock of seeing her favorite silver haired fox in an almost lip lock with the Ken doll she'd just found out the older man had hired for his team. Actually that was why she had come in the first place, to talk some sense into the NCIS lead agent, but it appeared she might be too late. Those were the thoughts running through her head as she stomped off to the other room, leaving two rather baffled men in her wake.
Tony pulled back slightly as he watched the woman storm off and he looked apologetically at Gibbs. He had heard from Pacci about Abby being Gibbs' favorite and how he should try to get on her good side. Now it looked like he would be on her permanent shit list.
"Maybe I should go, give you a chance to talk with her." He suggested to the man he had almost kissed just a few seconds earlier.
"No," Jethro said with conviction once he got his larger brain back in working order, "Just give me a minute and I'll sort this out." He offered his soon-to-be young lover a reassuring smile and kissed his cheek before turning and steeling himself for the confrontation he had been dreading ever since Abby and Tony first met.
He took a deep breath and let it our slowly before entering the living room to the sight of Abby pacing back and forth on the other side of the room. The Goth caught sight of the man and she stopped her pacing in favor of walking toward him and punching his arm, hard.
"Hey, what's the matter with you Abs?" Gibbs asked as he refrained from rubbing the sore spot on his arm.
Abby for her part seemed like she would explode any given minute, "With me? What's the matter with you Gibbs? First I hear that you have hired that- that Ken doll to replace Stan freaking Burley who was the best agent I have ever known, after you of course. And then when I come to get an explanation I find you kissing him! You're so not the type to invest in a boy toy Gibbs and I never would have thought you'd hire someone just to get into their pants!" The woman was clearly agitated and by the time she finished her hysteric rant she was jabbing Gibbs' chest with every word.
"If you're quite finished Abigail I suggest you think about what you've just said." There was anger in Gibbs' eyes and his voice as he spoke in a forced tone, "I do not need to explain myself to you, and I am very disappointed in you for even suggesting I would stoop so low as to hire someone based on their appearance or my attraction to them."
"But Gibbs he's a rich kid and I spoke to his old co-workers and they told me he's an spoiled brat who thinks with his little brain more than the big one, if he has one," The last part was muttered but clearly audible to Gibbs and to Tony who was standing at the doorway unnoticed by the two arguing people.
DiNozzo ran a frustrated hand through his hair as he listened to the conversation taking place, but as he heard the Goth lab tech repeat the thoughts of his old co-workers something in him snapped. The whole thing with his parents and all the harassment he had had to endure in Baltimore and his previous police departments flashed in his mind as he took a step forward and spoke in an angry voice, ignoring the look of surprise on both Abby's and Gibbs' faces.
"Would that be, Miss Scuito, the same co-workers who dedicated themselves to making my life a living hell just because I happened to be a better cop than them despite the fact that I'm more bent than they could deal with?"
"Tony," Gibbs tried to interrupt the younger man, thinking that this couldn't be good for the man whose injuries were still not healed and the lingering effects of the concussion were still there, even if Tony himself would never acknowledge it.
The younger man ignored him and started pacing as he continued, "You can call me many things but I'm not one of those rich kids who were born with a silver spoon in their mouths. I had to work damn hard first to be able to walk again after an injury that ruined my pro football career and then to become a cop. I fought my way to be a good cop and to become a detective when everyone waited for me to fail. And I'll be damned if I let a spoiled little princess ruin the best thing that has happened to me in a long time just because she can't see beyond the surface." With the last sentence the young man seemed to deflate and his shoulders sank.
Abby looked shocked as she listened to Tony's rant and she looked open mouthed as Gibbs, the second 'b' for bastard to everyone but her, walked over to the younger man and put an arm around his drooping shoulders.
Tony took a deep breath as he finished, he was feeling like shit and he had gotten a headache from all the yelling and ranting. He groaned a bit when he felt an arm sneak around his shoulders and he turned to bury his aching head into the older man's chest.
Gibbs had looked worriedly as Tony worked himself up and now as he held the man close he could feel him pressing his face more firmly into his shirt.
"You okay Tony?" He asked as he ran a hand through the short brown hair.
The younger man shook his head slightly, groaning as the pain in his head intensified with the movement.
"Headache," He whispered softly enough that Gibbs barely caught the word.
Jethro pressed a kiss to the younger man's aching head before he looked up to see the young woman whose presence he had almost forgotten, standing there with a look of envy and contradiction on her face. He sighed tiredly, he loved Abby like a daughter, but sometimes her childishness got the better of her, as well as her wish to be the only important person in Gibbs' life. The older man knew most of this was because the girl was afraid of losing her spot as Gibbs' favorite, but frankly right now he could care less. Tony needed him right now and there was no way he would let the younger man down.
"Go Abby, I don't want to see you if you can't be civil to Tony," Abby nodded dumbfounded and teary eyed at the idea that she had disappointed her silver fox. She turned to leave but was stopped by Gibbs' voice, "And if you think for one second I'm going to let you continue this once Agent DiNozzo starts his work at NCIS you can be damn sure you'll be the one looking for a new job. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes Gibbs," She said in a small voice as a tear ran down her cheek. Before she left she took one last look at the two men standing so close. Tony was clinging to the older man and shaking slightly. Her heart melted at the sight and she felt her conviction begin to crumble as doubt filled her mind.
Inside Gibbs steered the shivering man in his arms to lie on the bed in the guest room. He moved to go and get some painkillers for the younger man but he was stopped by a hand on his arm.
"I'm sorry LJ. I didn't mean to come between you two."
Gibbs sighed and sat next to Tony who was now sitting up in bed and looking at his lap. The older man stoked his hand trough the mop of hair and smiled as the young Italian leaned into his touch.
"You didn't. She needs to learn that there are consequences for her actions and that the world doesn't revolve around her." He again pulled the younger man into his arms and they stayed like that for a while until Jethro pulled back slightly to see the younger man's face.
"You feeling any better?"
"Not really," Tony answered, in truth it felt like his head would explode and his still healing ribs were hurting as well.
"Lay back and I'll get you something for the pain." Jethro offered as he moved to stand up, but the younger man just tightened his hold on him.
"Don't need it, just tired. Lay with me for a while?" There was certain shyness in the way Tony posed the question that caused Gibbs to smile and there was no other possible answer he could have given but the most obvious.
"Of course," Gibbs said as he lay down on his back and pulled Tony next to him before he wrapped his arms around the younger man. The older man sighed in contentment when he felt Tony's head come to rest on his shoulder and an arm sneak over his belly.
Tony looked up at the silver haired man and despite the headache and everything that had happened; he couldn't help but let a mischievous smile grace his lips. Upon seeing this Jethro raised one eyebrow in question.
"Just thinking that we have some unfinished business I'd like to get over with." Gibbs couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped him at the phrasing.
"Get it over with? Well that's a romantic way of putting it." Tony blushed at that and opened his mouth to save his ass, but before he could get a word out, his mouth was covered by LJ's and his eyes closed in bliss as a warm tongue lapped at his slightly parted lips and they deepened the kiss.
The kiss was a bit sloppy and was over quicker than either would have liked, but to Tony it was the best damn kiss he had ever been part of. He smiled slightly as the older man pulled back and pressed the younger man's head back down on his shoulder.
"Get some rest lover boy," Gibbs said and kissed the forehead that was right there begging for a kiss.
The mumbled response from Tony made the older man smile brightly, "On it Boss."
The End.