Chapter Text
It was a nightmare. It had to be. Gibbs kept wanting to pinch himself, use that little bit of pain to wake himself up. There was no way in hell Tony had murdered some woman, dismembered her and left her legs at Quantico. No fucking way.
Not that Tony wasn't capable of murder or violence; Gibbs knew everyone had the potential for such things. His stint in the Marines, and as an investigator, had certainly shown him that damn near anyone could commit murder and acts of cruelty. And he'd seen Tony use his weapon with lethal force on more than one occasion. But the younger man had only ever done that in the line of duty, in self-defense or in defense of another.
Tony just wasn't the type to ruthlessly kill another without a lot of provocation. If he were the sort to get off on power plays and abuse, Gibbs was sure he'd have noticed that trait after four years of working with the man. And even if he had somehow overlooked it, Kate wouldn't have. That was something a trained profiler should have spotted.
Assuming even Kate was blind to homicidal inclinations at least one of the many women Tony had dated probably would have noticed. If all the women Tony dated were like Paula Cassidy, one of them was bound to have caught on to any violent, abusive, psychopathic tendencies. Paula was certainly strong enough, physically and emotionally, to have lodged some sort of compliant or filed a charge of some kind if she'd ever considered Tony to be a threat. The others were likely to have equally strong minded. But there were no complaints against him recorded anywhere.
Gibbs had never seen him use excessive force on a woman, not even when given reason to. Hell, Lt. Pam Kim had certainly given Tony reason to smack her around. Just egging his beloved car would have been enough incentive, never mind her posting his name on the Herpes website. But Tony hadn't even filed a complaint against her.
Ignoring all that, Tony simply hadn't had the opportunity to kill anyone. The longest Tony had been out of Gibbs' sight in recent months was the trip he'd made to Baltimore to visit with his frat brothers. While it might have been possible for them to have killed some nameless woman and for Tony to transport her body back to Virginia, it was highly improbable and decidedly unlikely. The state of decay, or rather the lack thereof, meant whoever the victim was, she hadn't been dead for weeks. And her legs certainly hadn't been lying at Quantico for more than a day or two at the most. Someone would have noticed. The area might be restricted but it sure as hell wasn't deserted.
In addition to that, Tony hadn't dated anyone other than Gibbs for nearly eight months. Not that Gibbs could tell the Director that. Or the fucking FBI either. Tony's many dating stories were common fodder around the office, so it was natural for people to draw the conclusion that this dead woman might have been one of Tony's recent conquests.
It wouldn't be enough for Gibbs to give Tony an alibi; if they could ever pin down a time of death, Sheppard wouldn't believe him without proof. McGee, Abby, and even Ducky being able to vouch for them as a couple would mean nothing because they were on Gibbs' team and Tony's friends. It wouldn't be unrealistic to think they'd be willing to lie to keep him out of jail. A lie that might ruin his career and Gibbs' might see a bit excessive, but certainly not out of the realm of possibility. And given how firmly entrenched Tony's 'ladies man' persona was at the office, Gibbs had no real doubt about how many people would assume he was lying if he told them he and Tony were a couple.
It was all moot. The former Marine couldn't see Tony letting him do anything that would voluntarily ruin Gibbs' career. Not even to keep Tony from being convicted for a crime he hadn't committed.
No, the best option was to prove that Tony hadn't killed this woman. That he was being framed by someone who knew a hell of a lot about crime scene investigation. It was somewhat distressing to learn just how many people fell under that heading. Narrowing it down to three of the most likely prospects didn't mean they'd really pinned down the only ones capable.
That little detail was making it hard for Gibbs to breath easy. Tony in a cell was another. At least Fornell didn't really think Tony was guilty. Gibbs wasn't sure why exactly...if it was because he had faith in Tony or if it was faith in Gibbs. Tobias was on their side either way and that was all that mattered. Hopefully, they'd have the proof needed to get Tony released before Tobias' reasons were put to the test.
Ziva's faith was another thing Gibbs wasn't sure he could rely on. So far she'd proven her worth and seemed to genuinely believe Tony to be innocent. If asked to articulate why she thought him innocent, she might start to question it rather than just follow Gibbs' lead. It was better to just go with it.
McGee, Abby and Ducky could be counted on. Although, at the moment, everything they found was simply digging the hole deeper. It was aggravating and maddening for all for all of them.
Gibbs sighed. He picked up the pizza he ordered. Tony's favorite. He'd need something to tempt his lover's appetite. Tony had a troubling tendency to not eat when worried, nervous or stressed.
Gibbs walked through the halls. He nodded casually to people he passed, grateful there weren't very many. He wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone. Blue eyes flicked upward noting the location of the security cameras and the guards stationed nearby. He wanted a moment alone with Tony, but he knew that wasn't really going to be an option.
He offered the pizza to Tony. Gibbs stifled the urge to wince as Tony blithely tossed it aside. Damn. He'd hoped for a better reaction, especially when Tony told him he'd been able to smell it coming all the way down the hall.
It was small consolation that Tony was still talking. Him shutting down completely would have scared the hell out of Gibbs, but what he was saying wasn't much better. Tony would be prosecutor's dream; there was no denying it, especially not the way the younger man laid it out. Lot of dating, commitment problems, hostility, mommy issues ... Gibbs clenched his hands into tight fists, forcing himself to not ask the questions about Tony's mother that were on the tip of his tongue. Those would have to wait until the case was solved and Tony was safely back where he belonged.
Gibbs wasn't going to let this go to trial. Christ they didn't even know who Jane Doe was yet, much less when she died. He hadn't given up and he wasn't going to let Tony give up either.
Gibbs didn't have all the words he needed to reassure Tony, and likely never would, but he was good with actions. He motioned Tony over to him, waiting until he was close enough to touch. A kiss or even a hug was out of the question, but a light tap under the chin wasn't going to raise any eyebrows. Neither would a smack to the back of the head.
Gibbs knew he'd gotten it right when Tony smiled; a soft, genuine smile for him alone. The quiet, 'thanks, boss, I needed that' was further proof. Tony had just needed to vent, to voice his fears. He needed someone to listen, to know he was just a little scared about how things might turn out, to understand why he had good reason to be worried about how things might play out. Tony hadn't lost his faith in Gibbs or the team.
Gibbs waited just out of Tony's line of sight, making sure the younger man actually ate something. His lips curled in a slight smile when he saw Tony reach for the pizza and pull out a piece. It would be too much to hope that his lover would actually be able to get some sleep. Hell, Gibbs didn't plan to get any either.
Gibbs headed upstairs. He needed a progress report, needed to find something that was going to get Tony the hell out of that cell. He wasn't happy to find out one suspect was dead. It narrowed the possibilities but that wasn't exactly helpful if they were looking in the wrong direction.
"Ziva, get Kim in here."�
Ziva blinked. "She's on her honeymoon."�
"Your point?"�
"I'll get her."�
"McGee,"� Gibbs barked, "find Stewart."�
McGee opened his mouth and then snapped it shut. He nodded once. "On it, Boss."�
Gibbs wanted to hurry things along, but forced himself to be patient. He waited for Ziva to bring him Kim. He was glad she hadn't bothered to knock or wait for Kim to finish with her new hubby. If Gibbs wasn't enjoying himself, she sure as hell shouldn't be either. Kim's connubial bliss could wait, especially if she had anything to do with Tony currently being behind bars.
Unfortunately, as far as Gibbs could tell, she wasn't guilty of being anything but a vindictive bitch. It made him wonder what the hell Tony had seen in her in the first place. At least she had the good sense to acknowledge the fact that she owed Tony one. He should have pressed charges for harassment. It was petty, but Gibbs took some satisfaction in knowing he'd ruined her honeymoon.
Vindictive bitch that she was, Kim was one more dead end. Damn it. Gibbs wanted to punch the wall; he stifled the urge knowing it wouldn't solve anything and would hurt like hell later. He was glad he had when the Sheppard met him outside the interrogation room. He was in no mood to be lectured about anger management.
Gibbs couldn't keep himself from getting pissy with her. Morrow would have found a way to keep Tony out of a cell. And failing that, he'd have kept the FBI out of it and stayed the hell out of Gibbs way.
He was grateful for her providing Stewart's location, but he couldn't bring himself to express it. Or to apologize for his 'ass kissing' remark. It rankled that she took it upon herself to get involved with his cases. She didn't seem inclined to do that with any of the other teams. What made his so special? Jesus. He never thought he'd regret having sex with anyone so much since his third ex-wife.
Letting Ziva take the lead with Stewart was satisfying. It didn't make up for failing to get a look in the freezer or a list of Jane Doe's, but it came close. They needed to identify the body. He hoped like hell Abby could figure it out.
He knew Abby was pushing herself hard; there was a lot of pressure on her. Part of him wanted to tell Abby to take a break, to back off for a bit, but he couldn't do that. Not with Tony's freedom on the line. Gibbs didn't think she'd listen to him anyway. Tony was her friend too.
Gibbs wasn't sure quite how Abby thought to check the bone marrow registry. She muttered something about a bony ass, but the former Marine didn't want clarification on that. Her thought processes were a mystery best not explored without a good night's sleep and a lot of coffee.
Finding their DNA match alive and well was a bit disconcerting. It would have also been damned frustrating if her being alive hadn't provided them with the real name of their Jane Doe and proof that she hadn't been murdered; she was an accident victim. Tony couldn't have killed her. All they had to do was figure out who the hell had framed Tony and mutilated the corpse of a young woman to do it.
Gibbs sent McGee to get Tony sprung while he and Ziva had another chat with Stewart. Stewart was hardly a font of intelligence or ingenuity. He was malicious and resentful enough to want Tony in jail for murder, but it nagged at Gibbs that the evidence used to frame his agent weren't things Stewart would have ready access to.
The bite mark matched Tony's teeth perfectly. The finger print and glove they found also matched up to Tony. The carpet fiber they found was definitely from Tony's mustang. Stewart had to have had help to somehow collect all those things.
Gibbs grimaced. He hated lose ends. At least they'd found enough to get Tony out of jail. He was eager to see his senior agent back where he belonged. They could tie up those lose ends a together, as a team.
It didn't click immediately when he opened the file Sheppard handed him. The picture of Chip took a moment to register, but when it did, Gibbs was off and running. That miserable son of a bitch had motive, means and opportunity...and he was in Abby's lab.
Gibbs didn't even need to look to know Tony was on his six. He might not know why Gibbs had taken off at a dead run, but that lack of information wouldn't slow Tony down. The younger man never lagged too far behind when it came to following his lead.
They entered Abby's lab, urgency warring with caution, guns drawn. Gibbs breath caught for a moment when he saw her slumped on the stool. He didn't really relax until she turned to look at them.
"Now can I work alone?"� she asked pointing to where she had Chip bound fast with what had to be close to a full roll of duct tape.
Gibbs couldn't help but smirk. He looked toward Sheppard. "Well?"�
Sheppard cleared her throat. Her chagrined _expression spoke volumes for her. "Yes, Ms. Sciuto, I think that can be arranged."� She glared at Tony when he snickered. "See to it Charles Sterling is read his rights and charged."�
"Yes, Ma'am."� Tony dipped his head in an abbreviated bow. The gesture conveyed the same respect his tone had. It was amusing to watch her try to figure out if he was being serious or sarcastic.
"Ziva, McGee, take care of Chip."� Gibbs ordered. He wasn't ready to let Tony out of his sight just yet, and definitely not with the little bastard who tried to take him away from Gibbs forever.
Ziva pursed her lips looking down at Chip. "Removing all that tape will be...painful."�
One could only hope so, Gibbs thought savagely. He resisted the urge to beat Chip while he was down and vulnerable. He was rather proud of Abby for kicking the little weasel's ass.
McGee and Ziva manhandled Chip to his feet and started dragging him out of the lab. Gibbs hoped they dropped him once or twice along the way for good measure. He had no doubts that they would both enjoy unwrapping the son of a bitch.
Gibbs stepped over to Abby, pulling her into a hug. He placed a kiss on her forehead. "You did good, Abby. Real good."�
She was shaking as she returned his hug. He pulled back to look at her, searching her face. "You hurt?"�
"No."� She shook her head, pigtails flying. "I'm fine."� She raised a hand to wipe at her eyes.
"You sure you're okay, Abby?"� Tony asked, stepping closer, eyes expressing his concern as he looked her over.
"Tony!!"� She launched herself at him. He caught her with a soft 'oomph'.
"Miss me?"� Tony laughed as he hugged her. "I wasn't gone that long."�
"God, Tony. I nearly put you in jail for life."� She didn't quite wail that sentence but her tone was still enough to make Gibbs wince. "I'm so sorry, Tony. You have to believe me. I just lost my way for a bit. I doubted science which I never should have done. It won't happen again. Believe me"""
"Abby...you need to breathe."� Tony cut her off, hands moving to cup her face, gently holding her still. "In and out, nice and slow...okay. In and out."�
Abby nodded, her eyes closed as she followed Tony's instructions. Gibbs could almost see the tension draining out of her as she started to calm down. It would take more than this for her to really relax, but it was definitely a start.
He made eye contact with Tony. Tony smiled and nodded. He'd take Abby home, keep her company and make sure she unwound as much as possible until Gibbs could send McGee over to take his place. Gibbs still wasn't quite sure exactly what sort of relationship McGee and Abby had, but at the moment he didn't care. Whatever they had it was enough for her to be able to count him.
"Let's get your coat and get out of here,"� Tony suggested to Abby, his thumbs lightly caressing her cheekbones, smoothing away the few tears that had escaped. Abby nodded tiredly, leaning heavily into Tony to hug him again.
Gibbs could tell the hug meant as much to Tony as it did to her. He wasn't really jealous, but he did envy her having the freedom to hug Tony. He'd like to be able to do the same thing and resented having to wait until they were alone. Gibbs sighed, resigned to the fact that it would be awhile before he could really touch his lover the way he wanted to.
Sheppard opened her mouth to say something; Gibbs cut her off with just a look. If it was about wrapping up the case or cleaning up the mess in Abby's lab, he'd take care of it. Anything else could sure as hell wait until tomorrow morning. She pursed her lips in annoyance but wisely remained silent, turning on her heel to leave.
He was hoping that this latest fiasco would be enough to convince her to stop meddling with his team, but Gibbs didn't hold out a lot of hope for that. He usually regarded persistence was a good thing as an agent, but her continued interference wasn't persistence; it was more ego and pride than anything else. She messed with him and his team because she could, not because she should.
Gibbs didn't believe for a moment that she tracked down Stewart or had given him the case file in an effort to get Tony cleared. No, she'd done those things to prove she could do what he couldn't, that she was still a qualified field agent. If she'd really given a damn about the case or her people, she'd have looked at the file before she'd given it to him. She'd have known before Gibbs that Charles Sterling had framed Tony.
Christ. She should have at least done a thorough background check on Chip. He wasn't qualified to even work for NCIS much less in Abby's lab.
Gibbs rubbed a hand over his face. He was going to have to find a way get Sheppard to stop looking over his shoulder all the time. It had nearly cost him two people.
Gibbs watched at Tony helped Abby into her coat, one arm curling around her shoulders to hold her close. She gave him a tired smile. Tony placed a kiss in her hair.
"You ready?"�
"Yeah."� Her answer was little more than a sigh.
Gibbs walked with them to the elevator. He couldn't help resting a hand on the small of Tony's back, reassured by the solid muscle and warmth beneath his fingers. Knowing he was out of sight of the surveillance cameras, Gibbs slowly trialed his fingers up Tony's spine. He lightly cupped the back of Tony's neck, massaging the tight muscles he found there. Tony's head tipped forward slightly, letting Gibbs know he appreciated the effort.
A full massage might be in order to really help Tony unwind. It would go a long way to helping Gibbs too. It would reassure him that the younger man was physically fine, and gave him the liberty of touching him everywhere, reconnect on a basic level.
"Your place...after McGee gets to Abby's,"� Gibbs leaned in to whisper when the elevator doors opened. He thought Tony would be more comfortable in his own space, among his things. Tony had massage oil there as well as that huge bathtub for a good long soak.
Tony nodded once. As he and Abby got on the elevator, Tony looked at Gibbs, jade green eyes questioning, hopeful and expectant.
Gibbs smiled, fighting the urge to get on the elevator with them. "Be there as soon as I can."�
The set of Tony's shoulders eased a bit more. He pointed at Gibbs before patting his chest just over his heart. Gibbs made the traditional 'I love you' sign back.
Gibbs sighed heavily when the doors closed, taking Tony and Abby away. He grimaced, glancing around the mess in Abby's lab. He reached for his cell phone. First order of business would be to get someone to clean up the place. Then he'd see if Chip survived his trip to booking with Ziva and McGee. After that he'd see what shit had accumulated on his desk.
He glanced at his watch as he dialed the number for maintenance. He'd be at Tony's place in an hour. Come hell or high water.