Work Text:
Title: A Little Trip
Author: CJ aka WritinginCT
Fandom: NCIS
Pairing: None, gen
Rating: G
Warnings: None
Categories: Friendship
Feedback: Love it? Hate it? Want to offer me a book deal to write original fiction? Email me!
Disclaimer: I don't own the recognizable characters I'm just inspired by them. Hopefully they've had fun playing in my sandbox.
Summary: Tony needs some vacation time, Gibbs wants to know why and is surprised by the reasons. GenFic Tag to Call of Silence
Status: Complete 10/17/07
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Tony approached Gibbs' desk with a piece of paper in hand, "Ah, Boss. Got a minute?"
Gibbs looked up to see a sheepish look on Tony's face, "Whatdaya need, Tony?"
Tony handed the paper over to Gibbs who could see that it was a vacation request form. He glanced at the dates requested and realized that Tony wanted to take off a couple of days around Memorial Day weekend. Since September 11, holidays had become extremely busy for all federal agencies and it was normally an "all hands on deck" mentality, so Gibbs wasn't quick to sign off on the request.
"You know that's a holiday weekend, DiNozzo."
Tony grimaced a bit at Gibbs gruff demeanor, "I know, Boss. It's...it's important."
Gibbs raised an eyebrow, there was something in Tony's tone that let him know it was in fact important. But why did he seem so hesitant, almost embarrassed? "Where are you going that's so important?"
"Ah, er...Hawaii." Tony had really not wanted to say that, knowing what Gibbs reaction would be.
"Hawaii? So you classify sun and sand as important? Or is it the bikinis?"
"It's not like that, Boss. I have something important to do."
"What's her name?"
"Boss?"
Gibbs just glared at him and Tony knew he wasn't going to get anywhere. He decided that maybe he would have to have the director sign off on this one personally instead of Gibbs.
Tony reached and picked up the request form from Gibbs' desk and said, "Never mind, Boss." He gestured vaguely, "I'm gonna go get lunch."
He dropped the form on his desk and headed for the elevator. Gibbs slipped into the elevator cab just as the doors were shutting and Tony wanted to groan, elevator conversations never went well. And sure enough, Gibbs hit the emergency switch.
He turned to Tony with an expectant look on his face and asked, "So you wanna tell me what's so important in Hawaii?"
Tony reached up and scrubbed his face with a rough hand and sighed, "I've been invited to attend the Memorial Day ceremony at Pearl Harbor."
Gibbs cocked his head and threw Tony a confused look, "Invited?"
Tony sighed again, knowing that he was going to have to come clean about everything. He stood tall and looked Gibbs square in the eye, "I'm accompanying Ernie Yost to Hawaii so he can participate in the ceremony."
"Corporal Yost?"
"Yeah."
"Medal of Honor awarded World War II veteran Ernie Yost?"
"Yes, Boss."
Gibbs blinked a few times trying to process the information, he could tell by Tony's demeanor that it was true, and oddly that it seemed important to Tony.
He turned and flipped the elevator back on and when the doors opened he was the first one out, Tony had sort of hung back, "C'mon, DiNozzo, let's go get lunch and you can fill me in on how exactly you managed to be accompanying Corporal Yost to Hawaii."
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They went to a quiet little diner and ordered burgers and Gibbs waited for Tony to start the story, he knew it had to be good.
"It sorta started the night I stayed over his house when we were working the case..."
Tony had felt horrible that Ernie was so alone, he had just lost his wife that he had shared a lifetime with, and the foggy moments that overtook his mind had to be terrifying. They had reminisced and Tony had been amazed by the life the man had lead. And he remembered thinking that they were similar, and Tony had been filled with dread thinking that in thirty years or so that he could be like Ernie, alone and lonely.
Gibbs didn't say a word as Tony told the tale, he just listened.
"It was that damn Metro card that he kept trying to give to everyone that I couldn't get out of my head, Boss."
A week after they had put Ernie's case to bed, Tony showed up at Ernie's house with a pair of tickets to a baseball game. He and Ernie had a great time, the old man really was fun to be around. He had a great sense of humor. The baseball game led to other things, sometimes just dinner out or a black and white movie. Tony just tried to get him out of the house now and then. He tried to remember the important things for Ernie too, like birthdays and anniversaries.
Gibbs though back over the past couple of years and recalled some odd, seemingly random, vacation day requests that Tony had taken. Now he realized the significance. Tony was taking Ernie to visit the cemetery on his wife's birthday, and their anniversary. A new understanding of what made Tony tick was forming in his brain.
"So that's it, Boss. We've...well, we've become friends over the past few years. His health isn't great but he really wants to see the Pearl Harbor memorial before he dies and he can't make the trip by himself. And when I made a couple of calls the folks out there were ecstatic to let him participate in the ceremony. But if I don't go with him, Boss, he won't be able to go, he just doesn't have anyone else."
Gibbs sipped the strong coffee the diner was known for and regarded the man sitting across from him intently; he had certainly grown up in many ways in the years he had known him.
They paid the check and were walking out when Gibbs clapped a hand on Tony's shoulder, "Take what time you need, DiNozzo."
A wide smile filled Tony's face, "Thanks, Boss. I know it's a busy weekend for me to take off, but like I said, it's important."
Gibbs grinned and nodded as they walked towards the car, "Yes, it is. And Tony?"
"Yeah, Boss?"
"I'm proud of you."
Tony stopped dead in his tracks and looked at Gibbs, those words never just fell out of his mouth, and the weight of them hit Tony hard.
He cleared his throat, trying to get rid of the lump that was suddenly there to say, "Thanks, Boss. That means...a lot. A whole lot."
Gibbs opened his car door and looked at Tony over the top of the car he didn't say anything but gave him a little nod. The drive back to NCIS was quiet and as they were walking back into the building Tony just couldn't help but tease, "So do you want me to bring you back a red or a blue Hawaiian shirt?"
Gibbs just shook his head and laughed, because although Tony might have grown up a little, he would just never change.
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