Tony felt a wave of tiredness wash over him. Only Gibbs, he thought, could make the benign words 'we need to talk' sound like a bid for dominance. He studied Gibbs, looking into his eyes but deliberately not trying to match stare for stare. Gibbs didn't soften his glare but was disconcerted when Tony's gaze changed to one of compassion, almost pity.

"Later, Gibbs," said Tony, "later," and he patted Gibbs on the upper arm before walking away. Gibbs was rarely at a loss but at that moment he didn't know what to do. He stepped forward to follow Tony but someone laid a hand on his shoulder to restrain him; it was Dr Murray who had insisted on escorting Gibbs on the police action and who was revelling in all the excitement.

Gibbs tried his glare on the doctor but found that it was as ineffectual on this doctor as on Ducky.

"Special Agent Gibbs," said the doctor, "I'm heading back to Milsom. Why don't you come back with me?"

"No," said Gibbs firmly, "I'll go back with DiNozzo."

"Er ..." said Murray, and he pointed up the road where they could see Tony getting into the beige sedan. A minute later, Tony drove past them looking straight ahead.

Gibbs knew which battles to fight and, in any case, his head was still throbbing. He stalked off to the doctor's car. Dr Murray didn't seem at all disconcerted by Gibbs' silence in the journey back to John's house but helpfully pointed out local sights of interest.

"Thanks, Doc," said Gibbs when they reached John's. He marched into the house and was surprised when the doctor followed him,

"Phone call for you, Special Agent Gibbs," he said, holding out a cell.

"DiNozzo?" barked Gibbs, "where'd you go?"

"Ah, Jethro," came Ducky's placid voice, "my colleague Dr Murray tells me you met with a slight accident."

"Wouldn't call being hit over the head an accident," said Gibbs glaring at John who had come to see what had happened.

"Indeed, no," agreed Ducky, "most unfortunate, I'm sure."

"What you want, Ducky?"

"I assume that the situation with Yalland has been resolved satisfactorily?"

"Yeah. DiNozzo style."

"I am glad to hear it. I look forward to learning what transpired in the minutest detail."

"I just need to catch up with DiNozzo and then I'll be heading back. Fill you in then."

Ducky coughed, the polite cough he tended to employ when he was about to put a spoke in Gibbs' wheel, "I'm afraid that will be impossible, Jethro."

"What you mean?" demanded Gibbs.

"Dr Murray has reported that you suffered a severe blow to the head. Anthony told him that you were unconscious for several minutes. You are most likely suffering from a concussion. It would be most unwise for you to drive for some hours to come."

"Ducky!"

"Dr Murray further reported that he has other concerns about your physical well-being and I must say that, having observed you over recent days, I am in agreement with him."

"Ducky!"

"Jethro, you are run down, sleep deprived and exhausted."

"Ducky," Gibbs tried for a more reasonable tone, "I promise I'll rest when I get back to DC."

Ducky stifled a laugh, "I have spoken to Director Vance and have advised him that you should take a period of medical leave while you recover."

"A what?"

"Just a short leave, Jethro. It is already nearly the weekend, just take tomorrow and the weekend and you will be wonderfully refreshed and ready to resume your duties."

"Fine," said Gibbs crossly, "I'll call McGee and get him to drive down and pick me up."

Ducky coughed that cough again, "I'm afraid that will not be possible. Timothy is fully engaged in writing reports about the incident at the safe house and will not be available for some time. I would suggest that you find somewhere suitable to stay in Milsom Bay. It sounds a charming place. Goodbye."

Ducky hung up. Gibbs stared at the cell in disbelief; he couldn't remember the last time Ducky had been the one to end a conversation. Dr Murray took the cell back,

"Tony suggested I call Dr Mallard to let him know the situation; he didn't think you should drive back to DC today."

"You're most welcome to stay here, Agent Gibbs," said John, "it's the least I can do."

"Splendid," said the doctor, "I'll leave some instructions about looking out for possible problems. John, you'll have to do concussion checks through the night. Call me if you have any concerns. Oh, and can you give Tony this cell back."

John winced at the thought of having to wake an irritable Gibbs up during the night but nodded agreement. Dr Murray had one last parting shot,

"I think I'll prescribe a tonic for you, Agent Gibbs, I think you need building up a bit."

Gibbs snorted in disgust, leaving the doctor in no doubt as to the fate of any tonic he prescribed.

NCISNCIS

John offered Gibbs his bed but Gibbs insisted that he would be all right on the couch and, as he was weary with the emotion of the day, John let him. Doug was still in the hut and Tony had gone to stay with Millie for the night.

When John came to wake Gibbs up for the second of the concussion checks, he found that Gibbs was already awake and was looking at the unfinished portrait of Tony.

"Surprised you managed to get him to sit still long enough," he said, nodding at the painting.

"It's just as well that paintings don't depend on the subject not moving," admitted John, "he does fidget a lot. Do you need me to ask you what the date is and who the president is?"

"No, I'm good," said Gibbs.

"If you don't mind me saying so, Agent Gibbs, I don't think you are," said John tentatively.

"I do mind," said Gibbs gruffly.

"OK," said John, "I'll see you in a couple of hours."

"How's he been?" asked Gibbs to John's retreating figure.

"Tony?"

"Hmmm."

"I don't want to break any confidences ... but I guess it's not a secret to say that he's pretty pissed at you."

"I know," said Gibbs, running his hands through his hair, "I tried to talk to him but he brushed me off."

John had heard Tony's version of the last conversation with Gibbs and thought 'brush off' was probably an understatement but he didn't try to correct Gibbs.

"He's been pissed at me before," admitted Gibbs, "but he's always come round. It would have been all right if he hadn't hightailed it down here."

"I think he needed the space," offered John, "and he found some of that here."

"I thought he knew that I'd always have his six," said Gibbs.

"He does know that," said John, "or rather, he used to know that."

"I would die for my team," said Gibbs earnestly, "and especially for Tony. He should know that, nothing's changed."

"Gibbs," said John hesitantly, "forgive me but I'm not sure that means much to Tony."

"What you mean?"

"From the stories Tony has told me, you hold your life quite cheap."

"You saying I have a death wish?" asked Gibbs.

"No, not exactly that, but I get the impression you wouldn't cling to life and that you don't value your life more highly than that of others."

"I think my life is more important than some people's," argued Gibbs, "and it doesn't change the fact that I would give it up for Tony."

"But you wouldn't live your life for Tony."

"I don't understand. What you mean?"

"Gibbs, you wouldn't do things differently even if you saw that you were hurting someone. You decide what you want to do and you do it regardless of the consequences. That's what I mean when I say you won't live your life for others; things have to be your way and screw anyone who gets in the way, even if you care for that person."

"I do care about Tony," said Gibbs.

"I know you do, Agent Gibbs, but sometimes you have to be able to show it in a less dramatic way than dying for him. There are other ways of showing that you care, you know."

"Ducky once accused me of not knowing that tough love isn't the only sort," admitted Gibbs.

"I think I'd like to meet this Ducky," said John, "he sounds a wise person."

"You'll need to set aside a few hours," said Gibbs with an unexpected touch of humour, "if talking was an Olympic sport he'd be a champion."

"Go back to sleep, Gibbs," said John, "I'll be back in a couple of hours."

"Thanks, Sutherland," said Gibbs, and John thought it was probably for more than concussion checks.

NCISNCIS

John took Gibbs to Millie's for breakfast the next day. As Gibbs ate Millie's food he began to understand why Tony had stayed so long, the woman was a miracle; he couldn't remember the last time bacon and eggs had tasted so good. John saw that Gibbs was looking for Tony and took pity on him,

"Is Tony up yet, Millie?"

"Up at the crack of dawn, went for a run and then came back for breakfast. He's gone off for a walk now."

"Which way did he go?" asked John.

"Up towards Leeley's Stretch, I think," said Millie, "that's up that way, Agent Gibbs."

"It's all right, Mrs Lacey," said Gibbs rubbing his head, "I remember where it is."

John finished his breakfast and rose to go,

"I better go and check on Doug. I think he'll be off later today. I'll see you later, Agent Gibbs. Come back when you want to, I don't lock my door."

Gibbs finished the last of Millie's superb coffee and then decided to walk off in search of Tony. It took him about forty minutes to get to Leeley's Stretch and he found Tony sitting in the same place as the previous day.

"Bird watching?" asked Gibbs, as he dropped down beside Tony.

"Yeah, don't ask me what I've seen though. Forgot to bring my book."

"It's a nice spot," said Gibbs, feeling his way.

"Yeah. It'd be tough to leave."

Gibbs swallowed in sudden anxiety, wondering if Tony might be thinking of staying.

"You've got a job waiting for you, DiNozzo."

Tony turned and looked at Gibbs, a doubt in his eyes.

"John had a proposition for me yesterday," he said.

"Oh?" said Gibbs.

"Offered to sell me the hut."

"To live in?"

"That's what people usually do," said Tony drily.

"Hell of a commute," said Gibbs.

"He said that we could work out proper access so the hut had its own path leading to it. Figures the place will belong to Doug one day: he and I haven't hit off that well so it would be best not to rely on his good will."

"Uh," said Gibbs.

"There's a bit of land next to the hut. I could buy that too and then extend the hut a bit. I mean it's nice, not as basic as your cabin, but it could do with another room."

"What would you do with it?"

"It would be a bolt hole, somewhere to escape to when my Boss gets too demanding."

Gibbs breathed a small sigh of relief,

"So long as you let me know where you are," he said.

Tony huffed in disapproval, "so it's OK for you to go off-grid but you have to know where I am all the time?"

Gibbs backed off, "why's Sutherland going to sell you the hut?" he asked.

"He wants to give Doug some money, this will raise some. And he reckons I'd be a good neighbour to have."

"From what I saw of Doug's car this morning, I wouldn't have thought he needed any money," said Gibbs.

"John thinks he has fences to mend with Doug," said Tony, "this is one way to do it."

"He can't buy his way out of trouble," said Gibbs.

"He knows that," said Tony patiently, "but he thinks that giving up something that matters to him might show Doug that he cares."

"What's he got to make up about?"

"He thinks he let Doug down a long time ago: you'd have to ask him for details."

"And do you think he let Doug down?"

"Yes, I do," said Tony.

"Like you think I let you down?"

"Yes," said Tony.

"I phoned the prison that night," said Gibbs, "to make sure you were all right."

"Gibbs ..."

"I didn't expect Carew to send you to jail," said Gibbs, "that was out of the blue."

"Would it have made any difference if you had expected him to do that?"

Gibbs hesitated and Tony laughed bitterly, "No, it wouldn't have made any difference, would it? Gibbs, I don't expect you to mollycoddle me but is it too much to ask for you to keep me in the loop?" Again Gibbs hesitated and Tony continued, "and there's the rub, isn't it? You won't change the way you are."

"John said something similar last night," confessed Gibbs.

"And?"

"And what?"

"And do you think he's right?"

"I think there are times I have to make command decisions and sometimes they have to be made quickly. There's not always time for consultation or discussion."

"I know that," said Tony softly, "but you defying the judge wasn't one of those times, was it? You could have gone down and argued with him in person but somehow that would have gone against your bastard marine persona."

"I've spent years perfecting it," said Gibbs wryly.

"Oh, believe me, I know," said Tony, "look, Boss, I'm not asking for you to become all touchy-feely. Hell, I'm not sure what I want. I guess I want you to be ..."

"What?"

"A bit less Gibbs-ian, I suppose."

"I can try," said Gibbs.

"You need to, Boss, because I don't want to get caught up in your machinery again."

"If it's any comfort," said Gibbs, "McIntosh Carew tortured me for days afterwards!"

Tony laughed, a more familiar Tony laugh this time.

"So am I forgiven?" asked Gibbs.

"You haven't exactly apologised," pointed out Tony, "but I guess it's too early to expect that much of a change from you. And no, you're not forgiven."

"Tony?"

"I had an interesting talk with Doug just before you turned up," said Tony.

"Yeah?" asked Gibbs, a bit puzzled at this apparent change of subject.

"Yes. He was ranting about how awful his Dad had been to him."

"So?"

"And I found myself telling him that he had to let go of that anger and resentment otherwise he'd carry on living in a world of pain."

"And?"

"And I'm not sure who I was trying to convince; him or me. But I believe that I was telling him the truth. I guess that'd make me a hypocrite if I tell him to do one thing but don't try to follow my own advice."

"And you're not a hypocrite?"

"Hope not, Boss. And there's another reason I'll try to forgive you."

"What's that?"

"I wasn't sure you cared, wondered if me thinking the head slaps are a sign of affection was just the result of brain damage."

"I do care, Tony, you know that."

"Yeah, I do."

"What changed your mind?"

"Boss, have you looked in a mirror lately? You look a mess and you implied that it was because I'd gone MIA. Well, I may be wrong, but I don't think you'd look like that if you didn't care."

"You're not wrong, Tony," and Gibbs reached up to ruffle his hair.

Tony turned and smiled at him, a real DiNozzo smile, "Hey," he said, "Millie serves coffee and homemade Danish at 11.00. Not to be missed."

He jumped up and walked away.

"Sorry, Tony," said Gibbs quietly. Tony didn't hear, but at least it was a start.

AN: thank you to everyone who has read or reviewed. Turned out not to be as dark as I'd expected. We'll leave them now getting fat on Millie's cooking.