Title: Reaching out

Author: Bj Jones

solokid1@yahoo.com

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from NCIS, they belong to CBS and the man who created and produces the show. I’m just borrowing them and promise to give them back as soon as I’m done with them… Though I wouldn’t mind keep DiNozzo for a few, but I don’t think Gibbs would appreciate it.

Summary: DiNozzo reaches out to Gibbs - angst

Pairing: DiNozzo/Gibbs

Authors Note: My third attempt into slash… just came to me while I was at Disneyland (don’t ask I really don’t want to explain) Also, I’m still new to the NCIS fandom so if I’m a little off on the characters I’m working on it.


Reaching out
By Bj Jones
~*~*~*~*~*~

Gibbs jerked awake, quickly taking in his surroundings. Realizing he was in his basement, and no threat was pending he began trying to figure out what woke him up. He heard the distinct ring of his cell phone, reaching for it, he saw DiNozzo’s name and number on the Caller ID.

“Gibbs,” was his tight answer. It was one o’clock in the morning and he was going to kill DiNozzo if he was calling him for something frivolous.

“Boss?” Gibbs could barely hear Tony on the other side.

“DiNozzo, you called me, remember.” Gibbs frustration was inching into his voice. He had fallen asleep once again in the basement and now his neck was sore. The last thing he need was a drunk and whining DiNozzo.

“Boss…” Gibbs alertness went up a notch hearing for the first time the pain laced through Tony’s voice. “I didn’t mean to wake you, but I…” A cough and someone spitting up came through the phone.

“Tony, are you okay?” Gibbs asked, standing up and heading for the main house.

“No, boss I don’t think I am,” Tony’s voice sounded weaker.

“Where are you?” Gibbs demanded, grabbing his car keys. “I’ll come get you.”

“I don’t know, everything is a blur,” Gibbs could hear Tony’s breath labor. “Park, no alley, behind a club, I think. God it hurts boss.”

Gibbs grip on the phone tightened for DiNozzo to actually admit he was in pain, real pain, it had to be bad. “Walk me through your night,” He had to keep Tony awake and coherent.

“I went out with friends, to a club…” Coughing irrupted into the phone; Gibbs tried to calm his own breathing.

He had to stay calm if he was going to keep Tony calm, “Do you remember where?”

A few seconds went by with out a response; Gibbs feared he had lost Tony to unconsciousness. “Georgetown,” came the muffled reply.

Gibbs got into his car; at least he had a direction. “Tony, I know you’re in pain, but what else do you remember.”

“I had never been there, new, hip, not your style.” He could hear Tony’s smile laced in through the pain.

Gibbs couldn’t help but smile back; figures Tony would still make a joke even in a dire situation. “What happened?”

“Did you know I took a boxing lessons in high school?” Tony asked, his voice becoming slurred.

“No, I didn’t.” Gibbs realized he really didn’t know a lot about Tony. Just that he had came from money, and never talks about his family.

“Didn’t do me any good, should’ve done karate,” Tony wheezed. “Boss?”

“Yes, Tony?” Gibbs could here Tony moving around, it sounded like metal hitting upon metal. “Are you outside next to the club?”

“I think so, no lights.” Gibbs didn’t like the drossiness in Tony’s voice.

Gibbs told the young man, “Tony you have to stay on the phone with me…”

“I’m tired,” Tony slurred.

”I don’t care! You, have to stay awake!” Gibbs put on his best Gunny Sergeant tone.

“Yes, boss.” Tony answered sharply.

“Think Tony, where are you?” Gibbs pulled off the parkway and headed straight for Georgetown.

“Campus…” He could hear Tony trying to concentrate. “There were some girl, and some guys hidin’…”

“Playing hero, DiNozzo?” Gibbs decided to look around Georgetown University first, and then circle out.

“I screwed up. Didn’t check…” A pause and laboredbreath “Didn’t see it coming. I’m sorry boss, I screwed up again.”

“No, Tony you didn’t. I’m going to find you…” Gibbs voice hitched, he looked around trying to spot the club, or Tony’s car.

“I don’t think I’m going to make it…” More wheezing and coughing, Gibbs could hear the gurgle, a sure sign of a punctured lung.

Gibbs about dropped the phone, “DiNozzo you listen and you listen good. You will make it and you will keep talking tell I find you. And once you’re healed I’m going to kick your ass, for not paying attention to your surroundings. Then you’re going to take a refresher course in self-defense. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR!” Gibbs growled out.

He could here Tony’s breathing getting worse. His voice was laced with pain, it wasn’t disguising it anymore, “Boss, I should’ve told ya...”

“You can tell me later, Tony.” Gibbs answered, “No, deathbed confessions on my watch.”

Tony voice was so soft Gibbs barely heard the declaration, “I love you.”

Gibbs heard the phone drop, his own phone dropping next to him. He cursed his luck, and Tony’s hero complex. The neon sign caught his attention, ‘Campus’. He pulled up next to the curb, slamming onto his brakes. He grabbed his phone and ran up the dark alley, he could hear one of the clubs bouncers yelling at him, to move his car. ‘Yeah, where the hell was he, when Tony was getting the shit beaten out of him?’ He thought, as he searched the dark alley. A movement caught his attention; Tony was in the back corner, lying in a pool of blood.

“TONY!” He kneeled down in next to the young man, feeling for a pulse. “You will not die on me DiNozzo.”

A soft, “boss?” was the sweetest sound Gibbs had ever heard.

”I’m here, just relax,” Gibbs yelled at the onlookers from the club to get an ambulance. Using his own cell phone to call Ducky, and Kate.



~Hospital~

Gibbs looked at his watch, it was one o’clock in the afternoon; it had been the longest twelve hours of his life. There was more than one occasion were he had thought he had lost Tony, in the five minutes it had taken the ambulance to get there. It wasn’t until they had gotten him into the light of the ambulance; they could see the extent of his injuries. Gibbs had phone Ducky and told him to wake Kate and Abby and meet him at the hospital. When he arrived, they wheeled Tony into the ER, leaving Gibbs in the waiting room, covered in Tony’s blood. He didn’t know how long he stood there staring at the doors, just waiting for the doctor to say they couldn’t do anything to save him. Ducky and forced him to sit down, and tell them what had happened. All he could say was Tony had called him, and that he was in trouble.

Kate took it upon herself to find out what happened. Gibbs reminded himself never to get on her bad side; she was demanding and threatening when it came to her friends being injured, the two may fight and argue but they had the beginnings of a strong sibling bond forming. She pulled every string, and threatened every employee of that club to find out what happened. After she gave him her report, she sat down next to him and waited.

She informed Gibbs that it seems Tony was at the club with friends. He had left early because they had an early flight to Georgia to follow a few leads on a case. While walking back to his car, he heard arguing in the alleyway. When he called out to make sure everything was okay, he heard a woman scream. When Tony went to investigate, three other men jumped him. It had been a set up to rob passing do-gooders.

Kate also informed him, that the local police have been after these guys for months, and Tony was their sixth victim. It seems Tony must have put up a hell of a fight, because the local cops stated that most left with a black eye minus a wallet. His hands were bruised and battered indicating he gave as good as he got. Tony ended up with multiple broken ribs, and a punctured lung. If Gibbs hadn’t found him when he did, he would have drowned in his own blood. A thought Gibbs didn’t want to think about.

The more pressing matter in his mind was Tony’s quiet declaration. Gibbs knew his feelings for Tony weren’t purely friendship, but had gone deeper over the years. He also knew he would never act on them, despite Ducky’s harassing and pressuring. Tony was straight, no indication, especially all the skirts he chased, but now, well now the cat was out of the bag. Gibbs didn’t think he could go back to watching, when he knew his feelings were returned. He would have to tread lightly, didn’t want to scare the kid.

“Mr. Gibbs you can see him now,” The doctor walked up to him. “He should be waking soon.”

“Thank you, how is he?” Gibbs stood up, stretching his tired muscles. Ducky had stopped by his place to bring him so fresh clothes. He threw away the blood soaked ones.

“He will be sore and tired, but overall lucky and will recover.” He walked off towards the nurse’s station.

Gibbs walked into the room, a little shocked by how still Tony was it wasn’t natural. The noise of the door must have alerted him, cause the next minute Gibbs was looking into Tony’s brown eyes.

“Boss?” Tony whispered.

“I’m here Tony, how you feeling?” Gibbs walked over to the bed.

“Like I got beat up by some thugs,” Tony smiled.

“I’m signing you up for self defense classes,” Gibbs sat down in the chair next to the bed. His look and tone indicated he wasn’t kidding. “Do you remember what happened?”

“Not really, just that I called you for help, but that’s it.” Tony shifted to look at Gibbs. “I didn’t say anything stupid or anything I was pretty out of it.”

Gibbs face showed no reaction to Tony’s statement, “No, just rambled on about good ole days in high school, and your failed boxing career.”

Tony smiled, “That’s good.” He paused a series expression forming on his face, “Thank you. If it wasn’t for you I don’t think I would have made it.”

“Yes, you would have. You’re to stubborn to die, besides Kate and Abby would be bored and who would I knock about?” Gibbs gave him a small grin. “Sleep, then we will discuss your living arrangements. Don’t even open your mouth, you’re staying with me until those ribs are healed and you can climb those stairs of yours.”

“Yes, boss.” Tony smiled, his whole demeanor lifting. Gibbs never realized how much he relied on that smile to brighten his days.



~Ducky’s Office~

“He remembers nothing?” Ducky asked, watching as Gibbs stared out into the morgue.

“Just that he called me,” Gibbs sighed.

“What are you going to do about it,” Ducky went back to rifling through his desk.

“What do you mean?” Gibbs turned towards the ME.

“Exactly what I ask, Jethro. You can’t hide behind, ‘Tony feels nothing for me but admiration as a boss’ anymore.” Ducky pointed out, not looking over at the sure to be scowling ex-Gunny.

“Can’t quite say, ‘hey Tony while you were out of it, you declared your love for me, so what do you say?’” Gibbs gestured with his hands as the sarcasm dripped from his voice.

“Jethro, look at me.” Ducky waited till Gibbs did just that. “Can you tell me, that you can go back into denial knowing now he loves you?”

Gibbs eyes narrowed, he sighed then turned back around, “No, I can’t.”

“Then what are you going to do about it?” Ducky asked again.

“I don’t know,” Gibbs, answered, his tone showing the small insecurity he was feeling.

Ducky got up and stood behind him, “Then I have a suggestion.”

“What would that be?” Gibbs asked not looking back.

“Woo him.” Ducky turned and sat back down at his desk, laughing at the quizzical expression on Gibbs face.

“Woo him?” Gibbs asked. “As in flowers and candy?”

“I would say more along the lines of pizza and beer, but yes, Woo.” Ducky tried not to laugh.

Gibbs gave up trying to figure Ducky out and headed back to his office, one thought on his mind. ‘How does one Woo, Tony DiNozzo?’


END