Work Text:
Tony's Tribulations
by Starbucks Sue
Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs walked away from Stan Burley leaving his two team members to say their farewells to his former senior field agent. It had been a difficult balance, knowing how insecure his youngest agent could be he always tried to handle Tony's jealousy carefully, ensuring that the younger man was confident with his place as Gibbs' second in command. But Burley was a face from the past, someone who Tony wasn't going to have to contend with on a daily basis so Gibbs was pretty sure that this would have a positive outcome, judging by the beaming grin on Tony's face as he said farewell to Burley his bet had paid off. Although knowing Tony, it wouldn't be the last he heard on the subject!
Deflecting Kate's question by the simple method of ignoring it, Gibbs grinned to himself as he turned back and climbed into the plane that would carry them back to the mainland. It wasn't that he didn't take Tony's issues seriously because he did and he would never hurt the younger man intentionally. Tony did need to learn that there was no need for him to feel insecure or jealous, however and despite all the affirmation and reassurance that Gibbs could give him, it was still important that Tony work out some things for himself and if that meant engineering a little positive reinforcement from someone like Burley then even better.
It had been Ducky and Abby who had unintentionally started it. Both had been fond of Stan Burley and had genuinely missed him after he'd been reassigned as Agent Afloat, however Gibbs hadn't missed the looks on Tony's face as first the ME and then the forensic scientist had extolled his virtues in the bullpen before they left. All Gibbs had done was fan the flames once they'd boarded the Enterprise and Burley had played along without even knowing there was a game on.
Kate and Tony kept up a friendly banter for the first hour of the flight and Gibbs was happy just to listen to them. After the fiasco with Blackadder, who Tony had been constantly jealous of; Gibbs had been careful with his next choice of agent and had handled the situation more carefully. Whilst there was competition between DiNozzo and Todd it was more like sibling rivalry than jealousy and that suited Gibbs, a little friendly competition would just ensure that both agents worked hard in an attempt to measure up, outdo each other and please him. Gibbs really didn't think he was that much of a bastard to encourage the behavior; it kept them both on their toes and ensured they constantly challenged themselves to be the best they could be.
On landing at Rota early in the evening, they were advised that there was a flight back to the US the following morning. Accepting the offer of rooms in the Visiting Officers Quarters for the night Kate promptly headed in the direction of the female quarters with the intention of a long soak in the bath and an early night.
Gibbs turned to his youngest agent. "I'm guessing you're hungry. You want to dump your stuff in the room first or just go find something to eat?"
"I could definitely eat Boss, let's go checkout the room after, I'm not sure I can be bothered to climb all the way up the stairs twice in one evening and I don't think I want to be too late to bed tonight either." As if to prove his point he broke into a wide yawn, making Gibbs chuckle.
"Come on then, let's get you fed." He replied as he led the younger man over to the mess hall.
After eating they made their way back to the VOQ, climbing tiredly up to their room on the third floor. The young lieutenant at the front desk had been apologetic that they only had the one twin room free but Gibbs had quickly assured him that it wasn't a problem, the two of them had shared all sorts of accommodation before, including the same bed on one memorable occasion when they'd been stranded in Norfolk during a whiteout and the nearest motel had only had a double unit left, Gibbs remembered the bruises well!
"So is it true that you didn't call Burley by the right name for four years." Gibbs looked up at the shyly posed question as he opened the door to their room. "Couldn't you remember his name?" Tony pushed when there was no response.
"I remembered his surname was Burley but he reminded me of someone I served with in the Gulf, Steve James, I always wanted to call Burley Steve so for the first two years I didn't call him by name at all, then I gave up and just called him Steve eventually it sunk in enough so I actually remembered to call him Stan and then upped and left." Gibbs explained as he dumped his bags on the bed and set about making coffee. He could see Tony's surprise; he knew the younger man wasn't used to him giving up so much information so easily.
"So why did he leave, it sounds like he was the best agent you've ever had." Tony said the words lightly and anyone other than Gibbs would have taken the comment at face value, Gibbs however, understood the underlying question and knew what the younger man wasn't saying.
"Oh he had his faults. He was always well organized, frustratingly so at times, but got too worked up over things. That was my fault, apparently, working with me caused him stress." Gibbs shrugged. "He asked for another posting so Morrow reassigned him as Agent Afloat."
"If he left just before I joined that means he's been away from home a lot in the past three years then, I didn't think Agent Afloat positions lasted that long."
"I'm not sure he really has a permanent home, I think he only had a rental apartment in Virginia when he was at the Navy Yard and he packed it up when he went afloat. I think he prefers working by himself as he's been afloat ever since on various ships, never asked to work back with a team." Gibbs reflected, to be honest it was the first time he'd really thought about it.
"You don't know?"
"Nope, never had any need to go by his place."
"You didn't?" Tony looked up in astonishment, his face looking suddenly young and vulnerable as the meaning behind the comment became clear.
Gibbs poured the coffee and sat down on the window seat with a sigh, he would rather have had bourbon for the conversation they were about to have but under the circumstances coffee would have to suffice. He hated talking but this was Tony, it was worth the effort.
"Tony, what's your understanding of the relationship between Burley and me?"
The younger man looked around uncertainly, chewing on his lip as he struggled to put his turbulent thoughts in order.
"I guessed Burley was your best agent and a good friend, you were really pleased to see him and it sounded like you were impressed with everything he said or did. Ducky and Abby seemed to like him a lot too ..." Tony trailed off and winced, realizing how childish it sounded once he said it out loud.
"And you don't think Ducky and Abby like you?" Gibbs questioned carefully. The younger man was clearly agitated and he didn't want to frighten him off, Tony was a mass of insecurities at the best of times.
Tony hung his head, not wanting to catch sight of the senior agent's face.
"I know Ducky and Abby like me, it's just ..." He broke off, shoulders slumping in defeat.
"Come here." Gibbs patted the seat cushion beside him. "Come, sit down and listen." He finished gently, it was the voice he used with scared or unsure children, he didn't often need to use it on his senior field agent but every now and then when Tony was at his most vulnerable and insecure Gibbs found that it worked to calm the younger man.
Tony sighed but did as he was told, sitting quietly but still not making eye contact.
"Listen Tony, in the three years since he left the Navy Yard I have only spoken to Stan on about three occasions before this case and they were all in relation to an investigation. I worked with Burley for five years and although he had to come round my place a few times when we had a case and he couldn't reach me by 'phone I never had any need to go round his. It never occurred to me to offer him my guest room for a night, even when his apartment flooded he stayed in a motel. I never looked after him when he was injured and we never sat and watched a movie or a game or sat in the basement with takeout or anything. Those are not things I normally do with a work colleague; those are things I do with a friend."
Tony's head jerked up as Gibbs finished, needing to see the words reinforced in the older man's eyes. He swallowed with difficulty as the enormity of Gibbs' words sank in, blinking against the sudden burning in his eyes that was making the older man's face fuzzy.
"I've been an idiot haven't I Boss?" He asked at last in a small voice, dropping his gaze again. Gibbs wasn't having any of it though, reaching out he cupped Tony's chin and forced the younger man to look back up at him , talking to him gently.
"You're not an idiot Tony, but you do need to remember that you have absolutely no need to be jealous. You're a damn fine agent and a good man. It's your father who's the idiot, if he wasn't he would be as proud of you as I am."
Slipping his hand around to the back of Tony's neck, he squeezed gently, pulling him into a gentle embrace when he saw the younger man's eyes fill again. They were over this hurdle, but Gibbs didn't kid himself that it would be the last time they would have this conversation. Tony's father had done a number on him as a boy and Gibbs knew it was going to take a long time to undo the years of damage that the elder DiNozzo had inflicted. Gibbs didn't mind though, he was in this for the long haul.
end