Seal it with a kiss

Swak – Seal it with a kiss.

Gibbs looked at his kids squabbling in the bullpen with an indulgent smile. Statically ignoring the way his eyes lingered on Tony’s face and form. He stood up as Tony’ opened an envelope. A protest on his lips dieing even as the spray of powder envelope his agents face.

Reacting he lifted his phone and sounded the biohazard alarm. Putting down the phone, when he was done, with measured movements. He moved over to the shocked younger man. Holding out an evidence bag.

“Tony sit down.” The younger man compiled without his usual acrobatic wit. That alone told Jet just how scared his best agent was. “It’s going to be ok…”

That was the last thing that Gibbs could say to reassure the younger man. Before the room filled with people and they were ushered into hazmat showers. Luckily it had been Saturday. He and the team being on call. Luckily that resulted in only him, Tony, McGee and Caitlyn being exposed.

Later that day it was clear that only Tony was truly sick. There by pushing Gibbs rage into an all time high. He drove McGee and the agent helping like crazy to solve the case.

The junior Agents actually had to restrain Gibbs as they confronted the man had created it.

Tim was surprised at the emotional state of the elder man as they hunted for
A lead to help Tony. The rage and the desperation were not surprising in
Itself. But the intensity was.

Gibbs almost collapsed in front of them as the woman admitted that the
Virus had a self destruct gene. It was small but it was there.

Arresting the woman was left to McGee and another agent. While Gibbs
Raced to the hospital, to Tony and Cait.

Seeing the younger woman crying in Ducks arms almost crushed him until
He heard the woman sob.

“He is dieing isn’t he?”

“Like hell he is… “He muttered as he passed them. Explaining to the doctors
He moved swiftly to the man lying in the bed gasping for breath. Talking to
The young man made his heart stop aching so bad.


In the elevator ride down from the hospital to the garage Jet leaned back
Against the wall. He closed those icy blue eyes, and visibly relaxed his body. Before starting to consciously let go of the rage that he had kept wrapped around himself like a blanket.

First to escape his iron control was the despair. That he could have lost the vibrant man that in the resent years had become for important to him. Then the regret for every harsh word, every head slap and every degrading quip. He chocked back a half sob. He could have lost him, hell he still could.


Last came the clarity. Rising slowly from the dark cloud of emotion that was still clinging to his skin.

2 emotions stood out clear as day.

Love, a deep unbending love. Making his heart beat faster, and fill his loins. But it filled him with a bone deep fear. He had loved ones. He had also lost tragically.

Leroy Gibbs had never been a man who had given into fear. But as he blindly pushed the stop button, he allowed himself to give into the storm of feeling in his gut.

Sliding down the elevator wall, he sits down on the floor. Tears sliding down his cheeks. Mourning Shannon and Kelly. Crying for Tony. Maybe even a bit for him self. He allowed himself to wallow in love, fear, joy and wonder.

He closed his silver eyes. Breathing deeply. Head bowed against his chest.

“Tony”, he murmurs softly.

Silver Blue eyes open again. This time they are much calmer. He looked around the space and took a deep breath. Composing himself he stood on shaking legs. Restarting the elevator he straightens out his clothes.

As the elevator doors opens Gibbs stepped out into the hospital lobby. The man was not the mess of a man that had collapsed on the elevator floor. No now he was the composed and sometimes cold NCIS investigator.

Hour later all the ts were crossed on the paperwork concerning the case. Gibbs returned to the hospital. He stood outside the hospital room, watching Tony sleep. He had been allowed to stay by gracious use of his badge and a little sweet-talk.

“I figured I would find you here my dear boy.” Ducks voice made Gibbs smile and turn to meet those compassionate blue eyes.

“Why so glum Jet he will be fine.” Ducky said as he stepped up bedside Jetro to join his lone Virgil.


Jethro sighed deeply and his rigid shoulders slumped, just a fraction showing his oldest friend just how weary he was.

“I know duck, I just ... I almost lost him. It’s a bit raw.”

“So you finally figured it out M’dear,” He said with laughter in his voice, but compassionately he continued, “Took you long enough.”

“What?” Gibbs bewildered looks actually made the doctor break out in true laughter. When he finally calmed he laid his hand on Jets arm.

“I’m sorry old boy. But your face... I just mean that you’re in love with the poor boy inside the hospital room.”

The look on Jet’ face almost made Ducky think that he was going to object. But the air seemed to go out of the younger man.

“How did you know?”

“My dearest friend, how long have I known you?” they shared a fond smile before falling silent again.

Silver eyes turned back to the room and the sleeping man inside it. Gaze wandering over the strong face, still pail with sickness. But already looking much better then just a few hours before. The sheet and blankets covering the body that he had come to count on to cover his six.

“I have loved him longer then I know.”

“Probably, it’s been a long time sense I saw a symbiotic relationship like yours.” Duck said back in the same soft tone.

Gibbs smiles and moved away from ducky silently slipping inside the hospital room. Leaving the cheerful doctor to go flirt with the night nurse to leave Gibbs be.

Gibbs silently took a seat beside the sleeping man. He had tried to go home. But he had somehow found himself on the route to the hospital. Now he found himself watching Tony’s chest rice and fall with every breath as he slept. He needed to reassure himself that the young man was alive.

It was that simple.


Tony woke the next morning the sunlight steaming on his face. His lungs were burning with each breath. But at least he was breathing. Opening his eyes was a chore, but blinking his eyes he blearily looked around the room. It was a generic hospital room that seemed to be a single thank god. He hates sharing room when he was sick.

Hazel eyes wandered around the room until they landed on an unlikely figure. Gibbs was leaning back in a near by chair fast asleep. His face was perfectly relaxed in sleep. Open in a way that Tony had almost never seen. But he longed for never the less.

He looked up as the door opened and signed for the nurse to be silent. Making the woman smile.

“Your partner was quite insistent on staying...” The nurse nodded toward Gibbs.

“Yeah the bossman don’t take no for an answer.” Tony said with a small smile. Not catching on the nurses meaning.

They talked quietly as she took Tony’s vitals. Both ignorant of the fact that Gibbs was quite awake and had been sense the nurse had opened the door. He listened amused as the younger man flirted with the nurse and the young man slowly responding. Opening his eyes he drank in the sight of Tony’s wide smile.

“Morning Dinozzo,” Gibbs said as the nurse left. “Felling Better?”

Gibbs stood and walked over to the bed taking a seat on the bedside.

“No, Not really,” Tony paused to cough up a lung to two, “But I am not worse that must mean something, right?”

“Right, you gave me quite the scare there Tony.” Gibbs said looking down at Tony. The younger man felt nervous, seeing the intense look pinning him to him the bed. Something in that look, made his heart clenched with a unknown emotion.

“Gibbs?”

“For ones in your life, shut up and just listen. “ Gibbs ran his hand trough his hair. “This is not easy for me to say. Almost loosing you made me realise something. Just how important you are to me.”

Tony felt breathless, much more then what was because of the plage. He tried to joke it away.

“I know I am a good agent Boss. But that important I am not, Cait could take my place anyday…”

Gibbs clamped his hand over Tony’s mouth.

“Thought I told you to shut up? You are that important to me because you make me see things from a different angle. You make me smile and laugh in times when I just want to break down.” He removed his hand with a sad smile. Claiming Tony’s hand in his own. “You will probably hate me…”

“I can never hate you…” The whispered words made Gibbs smile sadly. He looked into the tired blue eyes he had come to love. Tony could see the barely restrained fear in those usually calm eyes.

“I pray that that is true. But I know what might happen when I admit that I have fallen in love with you…” The silence that followed made Gibbs avert his eyes and look down into the hand that he still held in his own.

“I don’t know how long I have dreamed of this moment. And when it finally happens, I don’t have the strength to lift my head…” He laughed softly as he pulls on the hand Gibbs was still holding in his own. Making the older man look at him. “I love you too Jethro. I have loved you sense the moment we meet.”

Gibbs meet honest hazel eyes with a gentle smile. He leaned down kissing the man in the bed softly. Mindful of Tony’s weakened state.

The kiss started as a gentle greeting, but quickly became so much more. The heat of the kiss rose slowly making the two men burn from the inside out. Breaking the kiss Jethro caressed the side of Tony’s face as they both caught their breath.

“Amazing, I thought I’d never feel like this again…” Gibbs said only half aware that he had spoken.

“Again?” Tony’ questioning voice made Gibbs realise that he had spoken aloud. Tony patiently waited for Gibbs to continue. Lazing their hands together.

“You know about the ‘ex-wife’s’, but what you don’t know is that I was married ones before…” Tony relaxed and leaned back listening intently to his soon to be lover. Listening to him tell him about Shannon and his beloved Kelly.

As the tale came to their death, Tony forcefully pulled Gibbs into the bed and into his arms, giving the older man a safe haven to mourn.


“I am honoured that you have let me into your heart. I will treat it with care.” His whispers, into the silently weeping man’s ear. “I love you…come on let it out.”

He continued to murmur softly in Gibbs ear. Not really thinking of the words just sending all the love he felt in his touch to the man in his arms. He had a feeling that Gibbs was revealing things to him that he had never told anyone.

His heart was breaking in his chest because of Gibbs unreleased pain.

When Ducky came to visit Tony an hour or so later he saw the two men asleep in each others arms. He smiled at the image, they looked at peace. It was a beautiful sight.

Tony’ arms curled protectively around the older man. Who in turn was carefully laid out so that he didn’t put pressure on the young mans chest.

The young nurse that had been in to see Tony that morning came by and smiled at the doctor as she spied the scene.

“They look sweet.. I am suppose to take Tony’s vitals. But I see no harm in letting them sleep. Don’t you think Doctor Mallard?”


“Right you are child, Right you are..” He hooked his arm trough hers. “You know my dear.. this remind me of the time…. “