Title: Settling the Dust

Author: Asa Meda

Pairing: Gibbs/DiNozzo

Rating: NC-17 eventually

Summary: After "Reveille". After months of detachment and obsession, Gibbs needs to refocus and take note of things happening right under his nose. Tony needs confirmation.

Warnings: Slash... pretty vanilla actually

Feedback: YES!

Archive: Yes... when done... Peja have anything but my cats... and my computer... and my DVD recorder...

I have beta'd as best as I can... all mistakes are mine and will be hunted down and eventually corrected. Comments
welcome as to story title... and so...


Settling the Dust
by Asa Meda

It was late. Very late. Gibbs blinked, his vision blurred with fatigue. Yes, he could finally admit it. He was exhausted. He was defeated. He was frustrated.

What the hell did you think you were doing!

The Director, his friend, was livid when Gibbs came out of the elevator after confronting Ari in the NCIS morgue. At risk to Ari's cover the CIA had arranged a meeting between himself and the supposed terrorist he had been tracking for the last several months. The terrorist, it turned out, was a sleeper spy against the Hamas. All very clever. Gibbs promised not to kill him. He kept his promise and gave the bastard yet another injury to nurse in his 'escape' from the evil Americans. Ari understood. Gibbs saw it in his eyes as he left him on the floor of the morgue. Being shot point blank, even with a Kevlar vest, was going to leave at the very least a superficial wound and severe bruising.

The dressing down by his supervisor took less than five minutes. He suspected Tom Morrow, after getting over the initial shock of the act, couldn't find anything wrong with what Gibbs had done. But he had his orders from above and Gibbs was a Marine to the end. After it was done Tom threw him a small smile and walked away. Gibbs went back to his desk to finish his paperwork. It was Thursday. The Director had ordered everyone involved to stay home Friday for an extended weekend. They would be on-call, as usual, if there was an emergency but otherwise they were expected to rest. This included Gibbs. Yet there was the paperwork that needed to be done, reports that needed to be finished. Gibbs sighed as he stared blindly at the extra monitor on his desk, the one that he had set up to search for the terrorist who was not a terrorist. The search program had been shut down, the monitor turned off. In a few days the extra equipment on his desk would be gone, no longer needed.

"Thank you, Jethro."

Startled Gibbs looked up. There were few people who could sneak up on him without him noticing. Those rare souls were people he trusted absolutely with his life. "Ducky?"

The NCIS Medical Examiner stood in front of his desk in the dimly lit 'bullpen'. His expression was kindly observant, lacking some of the strain Gibbs had noticed over the past months. Gibbs had, to the best of his ability, avenged Gerald's shooting. Ducky was quietly showing his appreciation. "They asked me to look him over before they took him away. You did some damage but nothing permanent."

"I wanted him to bleed," he admitted darkly as he remembered that split second urge to shoot Ari in the head.

"Oh he bled... and there's some deep bruising he won't be forgetting anytime soon. Believe me." Ducky smiled gently. "You did us all a great service, Jethro. Time to put this one to bed."

Jethro studied his friend then sighed. "Working on it."

Mallard raised his eyebrows in obvious surprise. "Glad to hear it." He hesitated then added; "Because I know far better ways to expend all that guilt and frustration."

Suddenly wary Gibbs eyes narrowed. "Don't go there, Ducky," he warned.

"I'm not going anywhere near it, Jethro," Ducky teased. "Gerald is my concern. Young Anthony should be yours."

Gibbs stood and tried to be imposing. By the older man's expression he wasn't even making a dent. It was a long-standing, stilted discussion on the subject of one Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo. For him it was a closed one and it annoyed him whenever Ducky brought it up. "Leave it, Ducky," he warned again.

To his surprise Mallard lightly chuckled. "I have to go home... tend to Gerald. I'm going to tell him what you did. It should brighten his day."

Gibbs accepted the truce. "Glad I could help."

Ducky grunted at him then strode away. Gibbs took a deep breath, letting the tension out as he exhaled, putting away any thoughts he might have about his bright, handsome young agent and his attraction to him. Tony was his subordinate. Straight so far as he could tell. And nearly twenty years younger. Rule #12 had a reason for being...

Movement and sound caught his attention. Still hyper-alert from their latest case and his encounter with Ari his hand itched to his waist, to his weapon. The elevator doors opened and Special Agent Caitlin Todd stepped out. Gibbs quietly growled as he shifted focus. With mixed emotions he regarded his youngest agent, grateful to see her whole... annoyed at having to face her alone after the events of the last couple of days. "You should be home," he groused as he sat back down behind his desk.

"So should you," Cait replied as she walked up to his desk, her expression intent. "I heard what you did to Ari."

Gibbs studied the young woman, his eyes falling to her still swollen lip. One of the bastards has slapped her but according to her preliminary report she had gotten in a good shot of her own. Her reaction and her ability to make it count didn't surprise him. Other than her profiling skills, he had hired her into his team because of her Secret Service experience. The guy was lucky she didn't castrate him. But what did surprise him was that she hadn't been beaten more severely. A woman hitting a man was bad news for those idiots who thought themselves Muslim. But apparently Ari had held the enraged kidnapper back, had spared Cait the more terrible experience of captivity. "What are you doing here?"

Todd looked him over. "I forgot to sign off on my final report. I won't be here long." A small smile appeared on her battered lips. "What are you doing here?"

Gibbs looked away. He reached behind and grabbed a few files. He didn't have to answer to her. "The Director ordered down time for you. Take it. Sign off and go."

"Thank you," she responded. "For what you did."

Gibbs opened the first folder. The case was already reviewed and closed but he wanted to make clear his disinterest in having a conversation. Still, he couldn't resist the dig. "I thought you would have been upset. After all, according to you, he had kind eyes."

Silence. Gibbs waited for her to go. She was a very perceptive woman and he was still unsettled by the fact he almost lost her because of his obsession... that he had treated them all very badly because he wanted what he wanted and was unwilling to see any other point of view. In retrospect he realized what a loyal team he had somehow assembled, what good friends for putting up with him. But at this moment he didn't want to talk about it.

"I said he had kind eyes but I never said he was a kind man," Cait finally said, her voice unsteady. "I realize now he tried to protect me but at any point, if protecting me was going to blow his cover, I was dead." Pause. "That bullet in Marta could have easily been in me."

"I know." Gibbs continued to stare at the papers in front of him. When Cait had called him, when she arrived back at headquarters he had merely nodded to her, acknowledgement of a task well done. Tony wound up doing what he could not, drawing Cait into a tight hug, his hazel eyes gaining a hint of moisture as he told her that he promised not to chase after anymore jogging women if she would stop chasing after speeding motorcycles.

"He would have had a bullet in Tony too... if that would have secured his position."

"Well he didn't have a chance," Gibbs said, dismissing the matter, unwilling to think about what he would have done to Ari, orders or not, if Tony had been taken.

"Actually he did."

Gibbs head snapped up, his heart began to beat a little harder. For a moment he harkened back a couple of weeks, to when Tony was taken by a serial murderer, to his last call to Gibbs as the drug he was given began to take affect. "What are you talking about?" he demanded. There was nothing in her verbal report to him.

"That woman... Marta? She's the one Tony was following around in the park, from whom he had managed to wrangle a date, though now I know he hadn't wrangled anything, it had all been planned ahead of time. Ari had been watching all of us for a long time. He knew how to lure us when he needed to." She frowned. "Marta was supposed to kill Tony last night."

Kill? "Why didn't you tell me this before?" Gibbs accused as he rose to his feet. "Is it in your report?"

Cait watched him, her expression lacking any hint of backing off from Gibbs' imposing posture. "Not all of it. Only what's required." Her lips quirked. "Some of it is personal... something only you should know."

Gibbs eyed her suspiciously. "Only me? Why?"

Cait started to lick her lips then winced and stopped. "I'm going to tell you a few things. Just do me a favor and don't do anything... rash."

Gibbs studied her, noting the tense posture, her troubled but determined gaze. His gut squirmed. He had a feeling where her words might go but he couldn't be sure. He decided to play it neutral and indicated the chair by his desk. "Tell me."

He watched Cait draw a deep breath as she sat down though he couldn't tell if it was positive gesture. "This whole thing with that bi-- Marta was partly my fault, Gibbs. I've been teasing him... about the Voss case... about him kissing a man."

"You have?" Gibbs was curious. Cait didn't seem like the type to care about anyone's sexual orientation or to tease Tony about something that was obviously embarrassing to him. Gibbs had witnessed Cait asking Tony what it had been like to 'tongue a guy'. It was a startling question; one Gibbs almost felt the urge to say something about, particularly after Tony walked away. But then he decided it was merely tit for tat, a brother/sister fight spiking up a notch because of the stress they had all been under. The next day all was well. But now another memory came to mind. A week and a half ago... when Tony had practically run him down in his attempt to leave the bullpen. The younger man had looked tired and upset. He asked Cait what was wrong and got an obscure answer he had forgotten until now. He was so focused on finding Ari--

It struck him like lightening then. He had neglected his people. Ignored their problems. Allowed them to stray. Allowed conflicts to go unchecked. Now was the time for damage control. "Do you have a problem with the fact that he kissed a man?"

Cait shook her head. "No... I don't even have a problem with Tony knowingly kissing a guy--" Her cheeks colored as she shifted in her seat. "As long as it's the right guy."

Gibbs gathered his patience. His emotions were raw, his nerves shattered. Cait was hedging and he refused to play the game. "Out with it, Cait."

Todd sighed. "I told you he was conflicted. And then Marta was talking to Ari, telling him all about Tony... how he seemed so desperate for a woman and she was more than willing to accommodate, until the moment she put a bullet in his head." Her eyes glistened. "She said she was disgusted by him because it was obvious to her he didn't want a woman... that he would only pretend pleasure with her when it was a man he wanted."

Revelation. Gibbs rubbed his hands over his face. The adrenaline surge that kept him going for the last several months was gone, leaving profoundly tired and frustrated. "So you think Tony's gay?"

"I know he's gay. I'm just mentioning what she said because she picked up on it so fast. So did Ari."

"Ari?"

She cocked her head. "He said if he knew it would have worked he would have disguised himself and been the one jogging in the park instead of her... but he could tell Tony hadn't figured it out yet. He--" She paused.

Gibbs had his full attention on her. The thought that Ari would have-- "He what, Cait?" he demanded.

"He said when he was trying to get away from NCIS he saw Tony coming in his direction, though he realized later DiNozzo never saw him. He almost shot him anyway until he saw him with you and he immediately knew what a mistake he would have made if his had hurt him." She smiled a little. "He knew you'd brood about Gerald but if he had hurt Tony you would have hunted him. In fact after he killed Marta and had me call he said he never would have let Tony get hurt if he could help it because he respected you too much."

//He did?// Irritated, Gibbs wondered how everyone else seem to who know he was and how he felt? And what about Tony? He glared at Cait as a thought came to mind. "Why are you telling me any of this?" he challenged suddenly. Though his agents were not military they were still somewhat subject to the 'don't ask/don't tell' policy. Gibbs held back a bemused snort. Of course if the policy were ever strictly applied a good number of great agents would be lost... including himself. But Cait didn't know and her disclosure made him suspicious of her motives.

Cait gave him a penetrating look. "Because, Special Agent Gibbs, Tony almost got a bullet in his head because he's too afraid to accept himself; and you're too afraid express yourself."

Gibbs gave her a tight smile. "I express myself plenty," he stated sharply.

"Oh sure... you yell. You order. You're really good at dressing people down... even when you're wrong," she said pointedly. She sighed and glanced around then focused on Gibbs. "I know you have the ability to be a caring, compassionate human being. I've seen it. In spite of your best efforts it's there for all who know you to see."

Gibbs didn't have anything to say. Ducky has said much the same thing differently. He didn't know if he gave a damn about anything except what it took to get the job done... his team together... his boat built... Tony--

"I've got to go, Gibbs." Cait was standing, her expression curiously tense. "You okay? I mean I didn't tell you so you could hurt Tony..."

"I know. You haven't." Gibbs needed to think. Ducky could see it. Cait could see it. But what about Tony? Even if it were true... that the younger man was gay or bi or whatever... what the hell made them think DiNozzo thought that way about him? Did he even want Tony to think of him that way?

She sighed. "He feels pretty stupid about how he acted... about not seeing Marta for who she was. He made me promise not to tell you that the two women were the same... he already felt terrible he had even lost his judgment as far as you knew he had. So keep that in mind."

Gibbs raised his eyebrows. When they weren't sniping like children, Cait and Tony could be good friends, good listening boards for each other. He knew that normally they would keep each other's secrets but he sensed Cait felt it was important he knew. And he agreed it was good to know but he wouldn't discuss it with Tony unless the younger man brought it up. It, like the case, was over. "He was worried about you," he said, changing the topic slightly. "I was worried about you," he admitted.

She smirked. "I was worried about me too. But don't avoid what I'm saying, Gibbs. To avoid his feelings, Tony acts the fool... jokes... annoys. But I know it's an act because he turns into a totally different person when he's working a case. You know, we were having lunch with Ducky day before yesterday and he did something annoying and I smacked him in the head." She smiled. "He gave me this very evil look and made clear that I was not you and the next time it happened I'd be wearing my lunch."

Genuine laughter escaped Gibbs. "I've never heard him threaten a woman before... except when it was a necessary part of a case. That must have surprised you."

Cait have him a thoughtful look. "Have you ever thought about that, Gibbs? About why he tends to give into women so easily? Even when it's a part of his duty he tends to defer, though he's never let it endanger others or interfere with a case... but that's a learned response I think."

A disturbing feeling wended its way down Gibbs' spine. "His mother probably taught him good old fashioned manners," he ventured knowing by Cait's expression it was doubtful.

"You could be right... if I saw his mother and father's pictures plastered all over his monitor and cubicle. His parents are both alive and he's never called them from work. But he's called his brother once or twice. He never mentions them. Never refers to them. Never talks about them." She met his gaze. "Profile it."

Abuse... from mother... perhaps father... or father allowed it. Gibbs felt his brain click as many things began to make sense. Tony DiNozzo was an excellent agent, one of the best he has hired in his career with NCIS. Yet there were constantly moments, sudden swings of emotion. In the middle of a case Gibbs had seen his young agent charm the roughest character then turn ice cold two seconds later when the charade was done. It was the reason why, no matter what, Gibbs trusted Tony with secrets, with information, with situations. His loyalty was beyond reproach.

Yet he had seen the quieter moments, when Tony didn't think he was being watched. He had seen the sadness, the strain even the fear. Gibbs didn't really try and find out. It wasn't his business. He simply let the young man have his space and that usually seem to help. But recently, since the Voss case, Tony had been more wound up than usual, showing more frequent displays of immaturity and mood swings. He seem to be seeking Gibbs' approval more aggressively while at the same time doing or saying the very thing that would annoy his supervisor and get his attention--

"Mind you I don't know anything about Tony's family, his background... how he grew up. But it wouldn't surprise me if there were some... issues." She shook herself as if from a bad dream. "But if I were to profile him I'd say something happened that interfered with the normal development of a young man who has a love of intimacy and contact... who needs a kind of steady bonding... but he's so unsure of himself in so many ways. It's so easy to tease him, Gibbs. But I think I've gone too far recently. I need to watch that."

//Me too I think,// Gibbs agreed silently. He let the new information Cait was sharing sink in. If true it explained a lot. If not true then there was something about Tony, at least in relation to him, that caused thoughts to scatter and tensions to rise. Attraction, he already knew. Low self-esteem. Gibbs knew he would be talking to Tony, getting to the bottom on things, one way or the other.

"Gibbs... have to go." Cait was standing, her gaze on him focused. "Dwayne." Her cheeks colored. "He and I are... well..."

Gibbs held up a hand to stop her. "I don't need to know," he warned honestly. Then he looked at her honestly, saying something he had meant to say when he saw her Monday. "I'm sorry I doubted you, Special Agent Todd," he said formally, pleased when he saw the startled expression on her face. "I hired you as a profiler and I doubted your instincts. I shouldn't have come down on you like that. On the other hand I shouldn't have heard your observation weeks later from Ducky either."

Cait nodded her acknowledgement. "I agree. Won't happen again." She pulled her purse strap over his shoulder. "Gibbs..." She hesitated. "Gibbs, I honestly don't think he's having as much problem with his orientation as much as how it relates to you. I don't know what you want to do about it but I think you should do... something. Lately--" She hesitated then let out a long sigh. "Lately, Tony's been talking about positions in other departments, wondering if he had enough experience or qualifications. I don't see him transferring but--"

Gibbs closed his eyes. Yes, definitely time to have a long talk, no matter where it wound up. "I understand, Cait," he said quietly. "Good night."

Cait smiled as she took the hint. "Good night, Gibbs. See you Monday."

*

It was another hour then two. Gibbs signed off on his reports then began to review his subordinates', seeing nothing in them beyond the usual professional presentation with good detail that pertained to the case they had just finished, reports that would become part of a top secret file and was due by Tuesday - so he decided to get them done now. Cait's progress notes were to the point, mentioning Marta only as an accomplice with no clear role in the mission beyond being Ari's lover. A lie... but acceptable as the woman in question would never be able to say otherwise and Ari wouldn't care if he knew. Then Gibbs opened DiNozzo's reports. Again... efficient... detailed... easily incorporating the false role Marta played in the plot against the President of the United States and the Israeli Prime Minister in order to bolster Ari's cover to al-Qaeda. Gibbs couldn't be more pleased as he closed and sent all reports to their destination. He was done.

"Boss?"

Tony? Gibbs looked up, surprised. The young man was walking down the short steps from the elevator. He hadn't noticed them opening. Annoyed not by the interruption but by the lack of preparation he had in facing the young man again, Gibbs glared at him. "It's..." he checked his monitor. "Nearly midnight. What are you doing here?"

DiNozzo froze in place as he frowned. "You called me... well Cait called me. She said she thought she heard you say I hadn't signed off on something?"

Click. Anger flashed through him. //I'm going to flay her alive...// His mood darkened further as he realized something. Cait never went into her computer to sign off on her report. And he had already closed it so she had already signed off. Smelling a plot he sighed. //I'm going to have to kill Ducky first I think...//

"Something wrong?"

Gibbs immediately swallowed his anger. It wasn't Tony's fault and he wasn't going to take his frustrations out on him. Not with his new understand of his young friend. "You did everything fine, Tony. I've already signed off on it."

"Oh." DiNozzo was dressed in jeans and a plain t-shirt. Very casual but acceptable at this late hour. His dark hair was mussed, barely combed. All of which, Gibbs observed as he studied Tony, made the young man look even younger, especially with the confused expression on his face. "Um... she said you were--" He closed his mouth then started again; "You already signed off?" His expression turned from confusion to something closer to anger. "God damn her!" he agitated as his hands curled into fists. "I hate when she does that!"

"So do I," he said honestly. "Tony, your report was fine." He hesitated then made a decision. "Come sit down. Since you're here I want to talk to you." He sighed as he saw terror spark in the tired hazel eyes. "DiNozzo, why do you look like a deer caught in headlights whenever I just want to talk to you?"

"Because usually the only time you want to 'talk' to me is when you're ready to ream me out?"

Touché. Gibbs sighed. There was lots of damage control that needed to be done if he wanted to-- if he wanted to be sure of what Tony wanted. "I'm not going to ream you out," he promised.

"Okay." Tony slowly sat down in chair next to Gibbs' desk, his posture far from relaxed. "What did I do wrong?"

Gibbs wiped a hand over his face. "You didn't do anything wrong... not really." How to start? "Tony, I know I've been a bear about... Ari... about finding him. He hurt one of mine and I wanted him dead."

Tony's eyebrows rose in obvious surprise and his posture relaxed a bit. "Cait told me you shot him in the morgue... too bad you couldn't do a head shot."

"As much as I don't want to admit it, it's for the best. He is in a dangerous position doing a dangerous job... even if he is a bastard. I have to respect that."

DiNozzo frowned and tilted his head at he watched Gibbs. "That's different," he commented almost to himself then relaxed more, splaying his legs out in front of him as he slouched in the chair, showing his fatigue. He looked like, Gibbs noted, that he had been forced out of bed. "Cait thought you were losing it and I told her she didn't understand. But then you kind of scared me. I mean-- are you okay now?"

Concern. Gibbs' automatic response... for Tony to mind his business... died on his lips. DiNozzo had an open expression on his face, sincere... caring. Three years ago he had made the mistake of pushing people out of his life for the sake of a case that in retrospect should not have had the kind of attention he gave it. His third wife, a woman he actually liked, divorced him though he was fortunate to still have her as a good friend. And one of his best agents, Stanley Burley, walked out of his office. As his eyes wandered over the man sitting before him he realized he had the rare opportunity to break that cycle, to do something that heal them both instead of hurt. Relaxing his own pose he grinned. "I'm all right, Tony."

Hazel eyes assessed him warily then DiNozzo straightened in his chair. "Good!" He got up and began to move away, obviously ready to leave. "Sorry I bothered you, boss," he said hastily, his cheeks had turned a mild shade of red; his hazel eyes were bright and darted everywhere but in Gibbs' direction. "I'm sorry... I wasn't as focused as I could have been for this one," he threw out.

Gibbs absorbed the apology. It didn't matter anymore. Instead he focused on the abrupt change in the younger man, the obvious signs of arousal. Towards him? //Yes, you old fool!// his inner soul raged. //Here it is! Right in front of you! Are you going to turn a blind eye this time?//

"See you Monday, boss." Tony was backing up, a bravado grin plastered on a face that was still shades darker than it needed to be. As Gibbs stood with him he noticed something else he had never taken time to see before, something that sent a gentle wave of arousal through his own nervous system. The front of Tony's not so loose jeans seemed even tighter, sporting a mild but unmistakable bulge.

"DiNozzo," he spoke in his command tone, feeling somewhat guilty as Tony froze.

"Boss?" DiNozzo's face clouded with uneasiness as if he knew Gibbs had seen. "I need to go... get some sleep... if it's okay."

Gibbs made his final decision. He walked around his desk and stopped in front of the young man, his own cock stirring as he smelled the other's full arousal. //Careful, old man,// he warned himself as he studied his potential lover. //One misstep and he'll be gone.//

"Gibbs?"

The tension was drawn tight. Gibbs gave Tony a reassuring smile. This was going to be interesting and hopefully good for both of them if he didn't manage to scare DiNozzo off. "Jethro. Call me Jethro when we're alone... like this." He didn't give Tony a chance to absorb this as he cupped the young face in his hands, feeling the roughness of unshaven cheeks. It had been awhile since he had been intimate with a man. Hell, it had been years since he had been intimate. But like riding a bike all his experience and knowledge rushed back to aid him as he realized he was going to have to be the dominant one here... tonight. "It's okay, Tony. Just do what comes natural."

A deep swallow rippled Tony's throat. His eyes darkened as a fine mist of sweat appeared on his forehead. "I don't know what--" His hands gripped Gibbs' arms, pulling in resistance then merely holding on as a fearful expression crossed his face. "Gib-- Jethro..."

Gibbs' thumbs caressed Tony's cheeks. "It's all right to kiss me," he coaxed. "Because if you don't... I'm going to kiss you."

Choice. One way or the other a kiss was going to happen. Gibbs mentally began a countdown of fifteen seconds. But before he could reach ten Tony sighed and closed his eyes. His lips touched Gibbs' tentatively then with some expression of need as the younger man moaned. With care Gibbs' hands moved to embrace Tony, drawing their bodies closer. His own mouth took some command, covering DiNozzo's, his tongue lapping at soft lips patiently demanding entrance.

In reaction Tony groaned, pressing his pelvis against Gibbs as his lips parted, as his tongue met Gibbs' in a full tango that was genderless though there were differences in feeling, strength and need. Throughout his life, when he wasn't married, Gibbs had his relationships with men, always secret and never with any emotional involvement beyond, perhaps, friendship. But as his hands move under DiNozzo's shirt to massage over Tony's bare back; as he found himself wrapped up in the younger man's hesitation and needs, Jethro Gibbs had to acknowledge something deeper was forming, had formed.

It was a rare event when Gibbs lost track of time. But he did. Tony's mouth was needy and eager. The young man's body was thrust against his in an anxious rhythm. Gibbs groaned as his crotch moved in sync to DiNozzo's enticing dance. He was losing control. Tony was losing control. They were standing in the middle of the NCIS bullpen making out like a couple of teenagers, kissing and moaning for all it was worth. Gibbs knew he needed to stop, to get them to somewhere more private but the bursts of pleasure he was getting from humping his new lover was too addictive. Tony was so close.

"We do this fast, Tony," he managed to whisper in the young man's ear as he reached down and cupped the denim covering Tony's hardness. "Then we go home and do it right." Tony made no response. His talented mouth was alternately licking and sucking the side of Jethro's neck. Gibbs put his arm around DiNozzo's waist, forcing him even closer; his own hardness was pressed against Tony's hip. As he pushed against the young man, his hand squeezed the fabric surrounding Tony's arousal, setting a quick, hard rhythm. DiNozzo gasped, caught off guard then cried out again and again as his thrust violently. One stroke... two... three...

"Oh shit... Gibbs... Jethro!" Tony came. His arms tightened painfully around Gibbs shoulders as his hips continued to lightly push against Gibbs' hand. At the same time Gibbs grunted, releasing himself, his mouth finding DiNozzo's as passions began to cool.

They kissed gently for a time. Then Tony pushed, separating them, his eyes wide. "I... um..." His face was beautifully colored with the aftermath of passion, his lips swollen. His eyes scanned around him. "I didn't think--"

Gibbs gently gripped Tony's chin. "Neither did I... this time. Can't happen again." He saw a dark frown form on DiNozzo's face and quickly kissed him. "Weren't listening to me were you?" he chided in a harsh tone he hoped lacked its usual sting. "I want to take you home... we have three days."

"Oh." Tony licked his lips. "Sorry... I don't know what to do--"

Gibbs chuckled. "I do. If you'll let me." He drew Tony into a hug and rubbed his back. "Whatever you want me to show you."

"Really?"

Gibbs smiled against Tony's hair; delighted in the youthful enthusiasm he could sense emerging within his lover. "Really." He kissed Tony's neck then pulled back to study his new lover, wondering what the future was going to bring for them, deciding he was willing to find out. "Come home with me," he asked... pleaded.

Tony gave him a lopsided smile. "Yes, Boss."





End of Part 1