Chapter Text
NCIS was busy that day. The main team was in the bull pen. Gibbs was up in MTAC with the other team leaders in a meeting, some kind of antiterrorism meeting. The usual bantering was going on between Tim McGee and Cait Todd while the boss was away. They knew that they were the best in the whole NCIS because Gibbs made them the best.
This time they were talking with the mail guy, one Tony DiNozzo. Tony had a history that almost no one in the building knew about, and a life that almost no one knew about. He was clean and such, but the man basically lived on the streets.
Gibbs scared the hell out of him but in a way that Tony never knew that it would. It was because he had feelings, intimate feelings, for one Leroy Jethro Gibbs, but Tony knew he had no way of getting this man. Every time he was around, Gibbs got even madder it seemed. Tony, you see, was blind.
Abby, the lab tech, had tried to get info out of Tony. He never spoke of his life outside of the job; it was his life to him. For a man who lived on the streets, he was very clean. It helped that Tony would come in before half the building and use the showers in the gym. Him being blind was part of the reason he knew he had no chance with Gibbs.
"Oh, Tony, you had-" Cait started, seeing the boss come out of MTAC.
"Do I pay you to sit around and bullshit all day?" Gibbs barked as he came down the stairs.
"Sorry, Boss, Tony was-"
'Tony can leave now, he has work he has to do."
"Special Agent Gibbs you have a package. I left it on your desk. I was told to tell you it's urgent."
"Okay, you've delivered your message, now get," Gibbs barked.
The team saw the hurt in Tony's face; not his eyes, being they were covered with dark sunglasses, but in his face as he walked away. What no one saw was that Gibbs was admiring the view as Tony left. He liked Tony, a lot more than anyone could ever guess, but he had to keep the wall up since he'd heard rumors that Tony was a playboy and very much a ladies man. Gibbs saw past the blindness and could really care less about it.
Tony walked his route to the elevator and got on.
"You know, Gibbs, you could be a little nicer to him. He was just doing-"
"I'm not paid to be nice, Agent Todd, and if you have a problem, you know the exits out of the building."
"I'm just saying-"
"Then, DON'T say."
"Geez, Gibbs, you get up on the wrong side of the bed or what? Stop the second B for one moment," Kate said and went back to work.
Gibbs was smiling on the inside. From his mask he had up not even the profiler could see past it.
"Boss, I have something," McGee said as Gibbs opened up the package.
"Yes, McGee?"
"The petty officer's bank records don't match what he should be pulling in on a government salary."
"And?"
"Well, they are a hell of a lot more."
"Find out WHY, McGee."
"On it, Boss."
Gibbs liked to make the younger agent jump.
~*~*~*~*~
"Abs, you in here?" Tony was now in the lab where music was blaring. He picked up her scent the moment he passed the door but noticed something else as well.
"Oh, Tony." Abby came running and hugged her friend.
"Hey, Abs, let me breathe. Hi, Ducky."
"Dear boy, that is incredible."
Abby let go of Tony and hit the volume on the remote in her pocket.
"It's your aftershave. Old Spice gives you away every time. You're the only person in the building who wears it."
"That is so remarkable, dear boy. Quite right. Well, Abigail, please let me know as soon as possible about the results."
"Okay, Duckman. Still on for dinner, right?"
"Yes, Mother is looking forward to it. Anthony, you have a good day and keep up the good work." With that Ducky took his leave and Tony was standing in front of his cart.
"You here officially or socially, honey?"
"Both."
"Okay, let's get you a stool." Abby got Tony a stool and led him over to it. "Shoot. What's the matter, honey? Gibbs riding you again?"
"What does he look like?" Tony asked a bit wistfully.
"Tony, I told you not to go there."
"Please, Abs, I need to know."
"Well, he has gray hair, salt and pepper really."
"Hmm."
"Tony, look, I know you like men, but Gibbs is out of your league."
"Why?"
"Tony, he gets all pissy around you. Now tell me, is that what you want?"
"I'm not sure, Abby. It's just that there's something in his voice at times."
Abby gave Tony a fond, sad smile he would never see. "Well, he's about your height and your build."
"What color eyes?"
"Ice blue."
"He has a kind of stare, right?"
"How the hell do you know that?" Abby asked, eyebrows drawn together.
"Got to run, Abby, sorry."
Tony hopped off the stool and got to his cart just in time as Gibbs walked in and glared at him. Abby was watching and saw something in Gibbs' eyes for Tony. The younger man walked out as fast as he could and got on the elevator.
"What the hell was he doing here?"
"No, Gibbs, you're not going to be mean to him."
"Abby, he is not paid to sit around and scuttle butt."
"No, you're right, he was here giving me a package. What was that look for?"
"What look? Abby, I'm here to find out-"
"Nope, not working. I'm not telling you anything till you tell me what crawled up your ass and died."
"Abby, don't make me smack you."
"Hit me, beat me, chain me to a wall, you're not getting any info from me till you tell me your deal with Tony."
"ABBY."
"Gibbs, you can kick, scream and even beat your chest like an ape, but I'm not telling you one shred of evidence till you tell me what that look was for. I have never seen that look. Well, not true, this one time for a redhead."
Gibbs eyes narrowed and he was now glaring at Abby, who was smiling at him.
"You like him, don't you?"
"Abby, not now. Fine, I'm not playing games. When you're ready to tell me what I want to hear-"
"Nope, case is officially on hold from my standpoint."
"You want a pink slip?"
"Fire me, for all I care. I know you. I've known you all my life."
Gibbs glared at her even more. They never talked about their relationship at work. Gibbs looked around, walked over and shut the door to the lab and locked it.
"Happy?"
"Ecstatic."
"We do not EVER talk about that here. You know the rules."
"Gibbs, I don't care. I want to know what your deal with my friend is. Tony has had a hard life as it is." Abby knew some of Tony's life story but not all of it.
Abby felt comfortable demanding answers from Gibbs; she was his daughter from when he was teenager. No one but the director and Ducky knew that little fact.
"Abby, I'm not playing games. I need to know the findings for the case."
"Dad."
"Abby, not here, not now."
"Okay, here's the deal. You be nice to Tony one day, take him out to dinner, I don't care, but you have to spend time with him and I'll give you what you want."
"No, out of the question. There are rules 6 and 12 for that reason."
"What about rule 45?"
"That's different."
"Why? I still work for you."
"Not just for me," Gibbs clarified.
"Almost. I get pulled off other cases when you need me for a case, no questions ever asked."
"That's because you're the best."
"Yes, I had a great teacher. Now deal."
"You're a real pain in the ass."
"Runs in the family," Abby shot back, "my father is a real bastard."
"Fine, I'll take him for a beer tonight. Happy?"
"Ecstatic. Now, the DNA from the handle of the knife matches the guy you have in the holding cell."
Gibbs leaned over, kissed her forehead, then walked out, unlocking the lab and leaving. He went about his day, and they got the killer on the case they were working on. The guy had also been a pimp for prostitutes in a small section in the DuPont Circle.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Tony wasn't happy all day. He couldn't tell anyone in the office anything, but since his pimp was just popped, he was now homeless agian. He now literally lived on the streets. The money he made from NCIS went and paid his medical bills and that was all. He'd been living on the street for years, ever since his dad had kicked him out of the penthouse at the age of 15 when he'd lost his sight from a virus.
His father hadn't been easy on him at all. He'd been beaten as well. His father was a bad drunk who should have been long dead but nothing seemed to touch him. Abby knew Tony had been kicked out of his house at 15 but that was all she knew. Tony's stepmother had gotten all the money, even the bonds, that his birth mother had left for him. His father had never let him know that it was there, so when she died he never knew he was left money since his father just took it, saying his son had died. His lawyers had made it look like he'd lost a nice amount of money.
Tony was walking out the door and had his cane out as he went through the garage to get to the bus stop.
"Tony."
"Special Agent Gibbs."
"It's just Gibbs when we're off the clock. Look, about earlier, I'm, well, look..."
"It's okay, Sir, I understand. I really should just be doing my job. It won't happen again."
"Look," Gibbs said, his voice cracking and wavering.
Tony could hear the difference this time: it was sincerity. "I'm sorry, Sir, but-"
"Cut the sir out. Look, want to go for a beer?"
"Uhm, my bus is going to be leaving soon." Tony hit his watch and it spoke the time.
"Can I give you a lift?"
"Sir, I'm sorry, but I've got to go. My bus..." And Tony kept walking.
"Look, Tony, I'm just-" Gibbs broke off as he saw the bus outside the garage pull away. He sighed. "Your bus just left. Sure I can't give you a ride someplace?"
"No, I'm good, really. The next one comes in about an hour and a half."
"No, you're not sitting out there for that long. Get in." Gibbs opened up the passenger door of his car.
"No, look, I'm good, Sir."
"Okay, first off-"
Tony heard his footfalls coming closer, and he tensed up. Gibbs noticed the man tensing and stopped.
"Okay, look, Tony, I'm trying to be nice here. I mean it. I'm happy to give you a ride, so get in the damn car."
"No, I'm okay. I really am. I've missed the bus before."
"Damn it, Tony, get in the car."
Tony wanted to get in the car. He didn't even know what this man looked like but he was in love with him. But this man was in law enforcement and could arrest him for his life outside of work, the one that paid for the hole in the wall where he slept that didn't even have a shower; the same one that the guy in their holding cell just got popped for being a pimp. Plus he couldn't let his coworkers know where he lived.
"Look, you're getting in this car, one way or another," Gibbs said in exasperation.
"Gibbs." Abby came bounding out of the elevator and saw Gibbs holding the car door open for Tony.
"Abby, will you tell him to get in the car. He missed his bus, and I'm trying to be nice here."
"Tony," Abby said in a scolding voice.
"Look, I'm just going to go over there and wait for my bus. Thank you again, Agent Gibbs." Tony started moving away.
Gibbs was moving closer but was stopped by Abby. After Tony was out of the parking garage and in the bus stop waiting, she turned to Gibbs.
"What? I'm doing what you asked."
"Yes, but, Gibbs, it sounded like an order."
"Abby, I'm trying here. I tried being nice, then his bus left him, and I was trying again to be nice."
"But, Gibbs, did you put any sincerity in your voice?"
"Yes. No. I'm not sure." Gibbs ran a hand through his silver hair. "God, why is it so hard?"
"So, you do have feelings for our Tony," Abby said smugly.
"Abby, not so loud."
"Then why are you such an ass to him?" Abby was leaning up against the car, looking at her father and then at Tony, who looked lost and lonely in the bus stop.
"I'm not sure. I guess I don't want to hurt him. Look, he's blind, and I'm-"
Abby slapped her father, hard, on the face. A look of shock came across him.
"Abby, it's new, okay. I've been with men before, but I've never cared for any of them the way I care for Tony. Well, not quite true, but..."
"Gibbs, I know, I was there. He was cool. I kind of miss him."
"Abby, look at him; he's terrified of me."
"Maybe because you keep pushing him away. Get out there right now and offer him a real ride home."
"Abby."
"You promised. I'll see you at home." Abby got into her car and drove away.
Tony was still sitting out there when it started to rain. Gibbs was in the shelter of the garage, while Tony was in the makeshift shelter of the bus stop and getting rained on.
"Oh, fuck it." Gibbs walked out with an umbrella he took from his car. He was now standing in the door to the shelter.
"Look, Special Agent Gibbs-"
"How the-"
"Sawdust. You smell like sawdust."
"It's pouring rain out here, and you can smell the sawdust on me."
"Always. It's-" Tony stopped.
Gibbs could see hurt in his face. "Do you take the glasses off ever?" Gibbs sat next to Tony, holding the umbrella over them both now.
"No."
"Why not? I'm not trying to be rude, but why?"
"Not sure why, really, just, well I'm not sure. Guess I'm afraid."
"Tony, don't be afraid with me."
"Look, I thank you, but I'm not a pity case, okay?"
"What? I'm not here giving pity."
"I heard Abby say you promised."
"You heard that?"
"Yes. Look, just leave me alone, okay?"
"What else did you hear?"
"Nothing. I'm not going to tell anyone that you and she are shacking up."
Gibbs looked shocked, although Tony had no way of knowing that. "It's not what it-"
"No, really, I'm good, just go home and have a nice day. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Really, Tony, I want to give you a ride home."
"I'm not a charity case. Just leave me the-" Tony stopped, his breathing a bit erratic.
"No, I'm not like that. Come on, just a simple ride."
"Really, I'm okay. I can make it home okay. I don't want to put you out and make it harder on you."
"You heard everything," Gibbs said, suddenly knowing it was true.
"I hear a lot," Tony admitted.
"Then you know that I'm interested in you in a way besides work," Gibbs blurted out.
Tony was shocked; he hadn't expected that out of Gibbs' mouth. "Whatever. I'm just, well-" Tony stopped when he heard a bus, knowing it wasn't his. "Here's my bus."
"I thought you said it was going to be-"
"Must have misjudged the time. Sorry, have a nice day, Special Agent Gibbs." Tony got up and got onto the bus, showed his pass and sat on the seat.
Gibbs watched the bus take Tony away.
Tony didn't show up for work the next day or the day after that, no calls, nothing.