Chapter Text
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It hurt. It hurt like hell! I really had the oppinion that I got the hang of. But when I had to face him for the first time in a very long time that belief vanished immediately. I remebered every second of his valediction. In a pathetic gesture he gave me his badge and his gun. Then he turned round, went to the elevators, answered our looks only with ‘Semper fi’ and left without a further goodbye…
And now he stood there and behaved like this situation had never taken place. He came back, took ‘his’ team, his desk and finally he even fetched back his badge. What happened to me, Ziva, Tim or Agent Lee didn’t matter to him at any time…
“What’s your problem Tony?”
Surprised I turned around when I heard a frigid voice behind me.
“Why do you of all people ask me this question?”, I wanted to know and looked at him. “You are the only one in this whole agency who knows exactly what’s up!”
“I’m sorry Tony. But we two should never have started this thing. We should have been more professional.”, he finally replied.
Aghast I stared at him. I could only have misheared what he said. ‘This thing’? ‘More professional’? Damn! We had been in love with each other!
“What is that supposed to mean Jethro?”, I asked in a low voice. “Since when do you term our love as a thing?”
“Tony please! Don’t be soppy now! We both knew that it was a pleasant change and…”
At that moment he coulnd’t keep up talking. Because I striked out and slaped his face. Thereby I had to admit that it was more reflex movement than anything else. But I don’t let anyone treat me like shit!
“A pleasant change, yeah? Why then the uncounted times ‘I love you’, why the closeness?”
“I…”
For a short moment he seemed to hesitate. But then he spoke again, as cold as before.
“We both knew it wasn’t meant to be for good.”
After this moment I didn’t listen to him anymore. Beside myself in rage I left the conference room. Perhaps it was a hasty decision but I went to Jenny. When Cynthia saw me she only smiled and pointed at the door.
“You can immediately go inside.”
“Oh Tony! Hi! What can I do for you?”, Jenny wanted to know when I entered her office.
“Does your offer still stand?”
For a short moment she looked at me, really surprised.
“You mean Spain?”
“Yes! I made the decision to accept your offer for a own team and go to Spain.”
“I’m really pleased to hear that. It will help your carrer for sure. Is there a special reason which brought you to change your mind? Because after our last talk I didn’t have the opinion that you would accept the offer.”
“Nothing of importance!”, I answered avoidant.
Only short time after that I already sat in an airplane to Madrid. I only said goodbye to ‘my’ team. Gibbs I had never seen again after our fight. All this happend about five years ago but it still haunted me. And now my new case forced me to revert to Washington. To ask that NCIS – team for help which I had left five years ago...