le_russe_satan | NCIS Fic: Fate, part 2 (Reply)

Author: le_russe_satan

Title: Fate
Pairing: Gibbs/Dinozzo, OMC/OFC
Category: Angst, Romance, Adventure (Case)

Genre: Pre-slash, slash, het
Rating: PG-13 overall
Summary: Tony can’t fight his insecurities anymore and quits NCIS.

Spoilers: “Boxed in”, “Twilight”, seasons 1 and 2 overall.
Warning: AU after “Boxed In”
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Donald Bellisario and other interested parties.

Tony felt a bit guilty for leaving Heather to deal with Gibbs, but knew that, though she’d never admit to it, she enjoyed putting people in place and ordering them about, so his guilt was short-lived. He called the local office to inform them that they needed space for nine, rather than four people, then settled behind the wheel more comfortably and drove on in the comfort of George’s and Alexander’s babble. A cough shakes him moments later, and George calls Heather against Tony’s protests.

Gibbs heads back to the crime scene, once he realizes that, although inviting to share office space, Tony didn’t give any directions. He finds Agent Dalton packing up evidence, and Agent Hamilton checking with Ziva and Galbreath that they have all the duplicates.

- Agent Dalton, can you give me directions to your local office? Agent Dinozzo has invited us to share space with you?

Without a word, Heather took out her notepad, jotting down the address and handing the paper to Gibbs.

- Will your team need a place to stay? – she asks just as her phone begins to ring.

- Yes, - answers Gibbs and leaves, deciding to give as good as he got.

He does not see the self-satisfied smirk on Heather’s face, nor the way a wrinkle appears between her eyebrows as she answers the phone and listens to George.

When Gibbs finally gets into the car and drives away from the crime scene, McGee is not sure what to say or whether to say anything. He already called Abby, whose happy squeals at hearing about Tony created a lasting ringing in his right ear. He wonders what Gibbs thinks about the whole situation, envious of Tony, who seemed to be able to read Gibbs’ mood no matter how unreadable his face was. McGee respects his Gibbs, even cares for him, but cannot help and wonder what kind of boss Tony is and how it would feel to work under him.

As they arrived at their destination, a guard directed them to a spacious room, that was now a bit crowded due to the extra desks and chairs that were brought in for their use. Agent Nash was busy printing something out, while laughing at Tony grumbling: Agent Dmitriev was trying to wrap a blanket around his boss at the same time trying to thrust a mug into his hands.

- Stop fussing Alexander, and take away the tea, I hate it! – Tony was trying to type something, but Agent Dmitriev set the mug down on the table and caught his wrists.

Gibbs and McGee looked at the proceedings trying to make sense of them. Agent Nash noticed them come in and nodded in the directions of desks by the window, immediately returning his attention to Tony and his ‘mother hen’. Gibbs and McGee set their things on the tables indicated, Tim immediately powering up their computers. All the while there were mutterings from Tony and Alexander, words like ‘grandmother’, ‘buzz off’ and what seemed to be swear in the language, that Gibbs identified as Russian.

- Dinozzo, I never knew you enjoyed being coddled, - threw Gibbs in the direction of the pair, feeling jealous of the model-looking man who was allowed to touch Tony so intimately, who was taking care of him instead of Gibbs.

- I don’t, Gibbs, - snapped Tony.

McGee was about to ask why exactly Tony was being coddled, when a distinguished looking man walked in, carrying a stereotypical doctor’s bag. Seeing him, Tony hissed “Heather” making Alexander and George laugh.

- And good morning to you too, Mr. Dinozzo. I know how you ‘like’ my visits, so let’s get it over with as soon as we can, - said the newcomer with a small smile tugging at his lips.

He gestured towards a couch in a corner, and Tony complied sighing. Gibbs felt a stab of worry, wondering why the hell Tony was getting a personal visit from a doctor. He stood up and intercepted the doctor.

- Agent Gibbs.

- Dr. Swanson, if you will excuse me, I need to attend to my patient.

Doctor moved to the couch and set down, taking a stethoscope from his bag. Tony took off his jacket and tie, and then unbuttoned his shirt, giving the doctor access to his chest, who immediately started giving him directions, listening to something within Tony’s chest. Gibbs looked at the naked skin with the light dusting of dark hair, at the dark nipples that hardened in response to the cool air of the room. Gibbs swallowed, suppressing the heat that threatened to liquefy his body. He wanted to know what was going on, but saw in the hardened facial expressions around him that no one was about to volunteer the information. A few minutes later the doctor finished his examination, handing a piece of paper to Agent Nash, telling him to make sure Tony took the medicine as a precautionary measure. Gibbs waited for the doctor to leave the room, than followed him stealthily, catching up with the man in the parking lot

- Dr. Swanson!

- Yes, Agent.. Gibbs?

- May I ask you a question?

- Yes, but I’m not sure I’ll be able to answer it.

- Can you tell me what is wrong with Agent Dinozzo? Is he sick or something? – Gibbs glared at the man, daring him to refuse answering the question.

- Well, he is not sick at the moment, but due to a disease he suffered in the past he is more susceptible to lung problems than most people. Two years ago he was brought into my care by Agents Nash and Dalton, when they found him at home practically unconscious. He contracted a severe case of pneumonia. Since then they call me the moment he lets out a cough. He is a very stubborn man, unaware of his own limitations, so I come to him rather than waiting for him to come to me, - there was a small pause, as the doctor unlocked his car, - I hope that answers your question.

- Yes, yes, thank you, Doctor, - stammered Gibbs.

He stood for a few moments, watching the doctor drive away, feeling shame wash over him for forgetting that Tony suffered from the plague, for forgetting that doctors told him that Tony could suffer in future, for not being able to take care of Tony, for feeling complacent that his order helped the younger man survive. He felt a strange burning in his eyes and a desire to gulp air as if he was a fish thrown out on the shore. Finally suppressing his emotions and schooling his features into his trademark scowl he headed back to the office. He heard laughter spilling out from the room as he reached it, and Tony’s words:

- Seriously, McGee, the whole moment was like "Of all the gin joints in all the towns in the entire world, she walks into mine”, - laughter greeted that quote, and for once Gibbs recognized it.

- Yeah, Tony, I was a little stunned too, - answered McGee.

Another half an hour was spent with scarcely a word passing anyone’s lips as they worked and waited for the rest to arrive from the crime scene to share the information and outline the further investigation. When they finally arrived, Agent Galbreath seemed to have made his way into Dalton’s and Hamilton’s good books, but Ziva was still treated warily by the other women. As they shed their overcoats and found space for their bags, Nash and Dmitriev moved a big notice board into a position where everyone could see it, sticking a photo of the victim in the centre. Tony stood by the board, gesturing for everyone to sit.

- Right, I think, Agent Gibbs, we should let my team report first, seeing as we were the first to be called in, then you can add any extra information you have.

Gibbs nodded his grudging acceptance, and Tony asked Nash to report first. The man stood, taking Tony’s place by the board.

- Our victim is Lieutenant Michael Jacques, 41 years of age. Born into a middle-class, white-collar family, accepted to MIT on scholarship, after graduation entered the Navy. Served briefly on USS Shreveport. After that he was offered a position in the Centre of Naval Analyses in the Advanced Technology and Systems Analysis Division or ATSA, where he worked on the Aviation Systems and Technology research team. While there he completed a master’s and a doctorate from the MIT. As a result, he was chosen as liaison to Pentagon where he was given an opportunity to work on his own pet project two months ago. He married at the age of 34, but he and his wife divorced two years later, with no children. By what I was able to find out, the divorce was a mutual decision without hostility on both sides. He has a younger sister, one Catherine Jacques, 36, married to Jacques’s best friend, Jeffrey Sanders, a civilian on Jacques’ research team. I have not had time to find more, but I scheduled interviews with Jacques’ ex-wife, sister and mother.

Alexander came to stand by George, aware of appreciative looks from Officer David and a intent gaze from Agent Gibbs, that made him a little uncomfortable, but he assumed his ‘I am model, look at me’ pose and launched into his own monologue:

- I checked Lieutenants financial situations, nothing irregular, all is as it should be. I also pulled his phone records. Most of the calls in the last month were either to or from his workplace, his sister’s house, and his mother’s house. The only interesting bit was a call from a disposable cell phone on at 21.53 last night. The call lasted two minutes, 21 seconds. Right now I’m trying to see if I can track down the phone.

As George and Alexander took theirs sits, Heather and Anna informed them, that the evidence was currently on its way to Arlington, and hopefully their forensic scientist David Lindstrom will have some information for them tonight. Ziva and Galbreath added the same about the duplicates for Abby, also mentioning that no murder weapon was found at the scene. After that Tony took the stage:

- About three weeks Lieutenant Jacques received an anonymous threat letter, witnesses said that he dismissed it as a silly prank, but then letters started coming every other day, threats becoming more and more specific. Three days ago, the victim finally snapped and requested protection from the Pentagon Police. Our superiors decided that a threat was personal, and ordered the uniformed rookies to take custody of him, though they went as far as placing him in the safe house. Today at 0300 a shift change was to take place. Both officers of the night shift left the house to meet the officers of the morning shift outside. According to them, they spent about half an hour outside talking across the street, but they swear that the front door was always in their line of vision. When the night officers left at 0337, the morning shift finally made their way into the house where they found the body. I think that until we question them further, and get the autopsy results, it would be safe to assume for working purposes that our victim was shot between 0300 and 0337, probably using a silencer, as no shots were heard. It is also likely that the murderer was someone with either inside info or was watching the house, maybe both.

All agents, except Gibbs nodded their agreement, who was about to throw rule number 3 at Dinozzo, but stopped himself from that, realizing that the assumptions that Tony made were reasonable and most likely true.

- Agent Gibbs, we need decide how to proceed. Perhaps we can pair our agents off for interviews?

Gibbs decided that was not a bad idea, perhaps he could get Tony to partner up with him.

- Fine.

- Right, then. Dalton take the sister and her husband, Hamilton take his mother, Nash you are on the ex-wife. Dmitriev stay here and try tracking the hinky phone call down and re-check his background, see if we missed anything important. I will drive to Pentagon and question his direct superior and his co-workers.

Tony and his team grabbed their coats, preparing to leave, as Gibbs barked at his agents:

- McGee stay here and help Agent Dmitriev, Ziva go with Agent Nash, Galbreath go with Agent Dalton, and…, - here Gibbs realized that he ran out of team members and will have to stay behind, missing the opportunity to pair up with Tony, - and I will go with Agent Hamilton.

The day was spent efficiently with numerous interviews conducted, searches of the victim’s office and house carried, everything followed by long conversations with the two forensic scientists and medical examiners. At 7 pm, Tony decided that everyone needed to take a break, amazingly enough Gibbs agreed with him, and they all drove to the hotel where Heather booked rooms for them. Gibbs, Tony and Ziva got separate rooms, while McGee paired up with Galbreath, Heather with Anna and George with Alexander. After taking a quick shower, Tony rummaged his overnight bag for a clean shirt. As he started to button it, somebody knocked on the door. Opening it, Tony found Gibbs on his doorstep and groaned. He didn’t want to argue, to explain himself, to listen to Gibb’s jibes and accusations. God, he just wanted to slam the door in his former boss’ face, but Gibbs was already entering the room, their shoulders brushing as a result. Sighing, Tony locked the door and schooled his features into polite neutrality. Gibbs stood by his bed, blue eyes studying him, their gaze threatening to break through his walls. Two and half years ago Gibbs might have succeeded. Two and a half years ago Tony would have already cracked and demanded to know what Gibbs wanted. Yet that was two and half years ago. Today Tony calmly walked to the mirror and continued making himself presentable. He didn’t know how long they would have stayed like this: watching, studying each other, but it turned out that Gibbs has mellowed with age. He came closer to Tony, standing behind his back. Their eyes met in the mirror. Their body heat mingled. A soft “Tony” escaped Gibbs’s mouth, his hand moving to clutch at the younger man’s shoulder. For a moment the world ceased to exist, but then Tony’s phone rang and he moved away to answer it. It was Heather calling him to hurry downstairs as everyone was ready and waiting for him.