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To say that today had been one of the worst days of his life was a fucking understatement. He should have known. Should have fucking known. Struggling to get the key in the front door, he drops his backpack in frustration, kicking it as he tries yet again to line up the key with his left hand.
"Let me," a soft voice says from the shadows.
Tony jumps, startled that he hadn't heard his boss come up the stairs or off the elevator. "What do you want, Boss?" he asks. "Did I forget to do some more fucking paperwork? You certainly kept me busy once we got back to the office."
Jethro takes the key from Tony's hand. "No, the i's are dotted and the t's are crossed," he says as he unlocks the front door to Tony's apartment.
"You come to ream me out over what happened?" Tony asks suspiciously as Jethro's blocks him from moving inside. "I know it wasn't the brightest idea to get lured into that damned container. We really didn't have much of ..."
"I'm not here to ream you out, Tony," Jethro assures him.
"Calling me by my first name?" he asks, his senses instantly on alert. "Come to fire me, boss? IA already has my gun. Should I just give you my badge now?"
"I don't want your badge or your gun," Jethro assures him.
"Look, I'm not really in the mood to play games tonight," Tony sighs. "Can I just have my keys back so I can go take a hot shower and forget this day ever happened?"
"Today is a very important day, Tony," Jethro says. "No way I'm letting anybody forget how important it is."
"Just another day that Tony DiNozzo royally fucked up," Tony sighs, trying to elbow his way past Gibbs. "No reason to alert the media."
"What is today's date?" Jethro asks, keeping Tony from the front door again.
"Excuse me?" Tony asks.
"What is today's date?" Jethro asks again, more patient than Tony has ever seen him. "Humor me."
"Tuesday, January 10, 2006," Tony answers. "Satisfied?"
Jethro shakes his head. "Look at your watch."
"It's fucking one in the morning, Gibbs," Tony says.
"Which makes it?"
"January 11th," Tony snaps.
"And that day is..."
"Wednesday?" Tony answers skeptically.
Jethro swats Tony on the back of the head. "Try again, smartass."
"I don't know what the major significance of January 11th is boss," Tony says flippantly. "Just another day, right?"
Jethro shakes his head. "It's the most important day of the year, Tony," he says as he steps closer and turns Tony toward him. "It's your birthday."
Tony gasps. "I didn't think anyone cared."
"I care. I care a lot. Probably more than I should," Jethro admits. "I was the one who decided to put the surprise party together for you. I was the one who got the others rolling on the idea."
"But you all had dinner at Ziva's last night," Tony says, still more than a little confused.
"So we could plan your surprise party," Jethro explains. "They are all waiting inside your apartment."
Tony looks at his front door then back toward Gibbs several times. It takes a few tries to finally put his thoughts into words. "Why?"
Jethro turns them so that Tony is leaning against the wall next to the front door. Stepping directly into Tony's personal space and leaving virtually no room between them, Jethro smiles directly into Tony's wary eyes. "Because I wanted you to know how important you are to me. Because I wanted to you realize just what a special person you are. Because I wanted you to know that everyday you brighten my life and I'm deeply thankful that you a part of my life. Because I love you."
Knowing that he must be dreaming, Tony shakes his head in disbelief. "This can't be real. No one has ever, ever said or even remotely thought that about me. Nobody cares. Nobody loves me."
Jethro closes the last bit of space between them. "This is not a dream, Tony. I care and I love you. Does this feel like a dream?" Leaning forward in the dim light of the hallway, Jethro captures Tony's lips with his own.
Even as the others stream out of his apartment, Tony ignores their happy encouragement as Jethro deepens the kiss. He's finally caught up in the arms of the man he loves. He knows his friends come bearing gifts. He really doesn't care. He's received the best gift of all. Jethro's love.